Golf GTI PP Mk7
Ok, had my williams a few days now, after my 172 cup went on saturday.
Firstly, the williams is more fun to drive when ur giving it some, no doubt about that. Its so much more absorbing, in that you can feel the wieght of the car, and can feel exactly what the fron wheels are doing, with the cup I always felt like I couldnt feel the whole car as much. The turn is is very crisp and the grip is phenominal. The seats are also far more suited to the driving experience, you sit 'in' them, not 'on' them, and consequently feel far more connected to the car.
Its far torque-ier lower in the rev range than my 172, pulling keenly from as low as 2000 revs right through the gears, tho it all drops off once u get over 100mph, but do you really need to go that fast?
The interior also has its own special charm, its feels old school, but not crap, and I like having the 3 dials above the centre console, the steering wheel also feels far better than the 1*2 one. The car has loads of charm to it, and I really feel like i could get to love it.
Mine has had a racelogic traction control system fitted (at a cost of about £1200 at the time), which is adjustable via dial under the dash (it can also be disengaged entirely via a seperate button). Basically with this, I can go into a corner, and get on the gas far earlier, understeer is eliminated almost entirely and the car will pull right round the corner on full throttle, its a great system and bags of fun, I'd reccomend it to anyone, could be worth fitten on a 172/182 too if youve got a cup version. It really flies out of corner now, and you can gun it off the lights with no spinning at all, if you're into that sort of thing.
Despite all that, its far more hardwork to just drive about in, the clutch requires a team of trained firefighters to press it right down, and a very prescise gear change is required, this car would be tiring on a track day. The heavy steering, whilst great when caning it, makes parking and manouvers a tad more cumbersome too. Its also thirstier than the cup, which could be as issue if I was doing lots of miles (but im not, woooo)
Its also far less co-operative on a cold engine, you really do have to drive like an old lady for the first ten minutes, until the oil is warm theres all sort of clicks and rattles from the engine and the oil pressure is very high (presumably cuz cold oil is thick oil, and consequntly harder to pump round the system.).
The back end is also VERY light, its only caught me out twice, but when it goes, it goes! Granted on both times I was sort of teasing it out to see where the limit was, but it goes very suddenly, and you get a sort of Grip Grip Grip Grip GONE kind of thing, with it flicking out. As mith most FR cars (and a reasonable level of driving skill) its easy to corrorect with a bit of counter steer and a fettle of the throttle, could be great fun when I get used to it.
Ultimately, it doesnt have the day to day useablitly and ease of driving as the 172, but thats mainly becuase its an older, less refined car. Its only a stop gap car for me as it is, until I decide what I really want (I'm waiting to see what the 197 cup is like before deciding), but its a superb machine, and I can see why people rave about them, down a B-road, this thing would be a weapon.
I wont be hammering it much as it is, as I want to sell it in A1 condition after xmas, and I plan on getting a few bits tidied on it, and dont want massive maintenance costs, but I still love it.
Anyway, thats my summary of the jump from a cup to a willy!
Firstly, the williams is more fun to drive when ur giving it some, no doubt about that. Its so much more absorbing, in that you can feel the wieght of the car, and can feel exactly what the fron wheels are doing, with the cup I always felt like I couldnt feel the whole car as much. The turn is is very crisp and the grip is phenominal. The seats are also far more suited to the driving experience, you sit 'in' them, not 'on' them, and consequently feel far more connected to the car.
Its far torque-ier lower in the rev range than my 172, pulling keenly from as low as 2000 revs right through the gears, tho it all drops off once u get over 100mph, but do you really need to go that fast?
The interior also has its own special charm, its feels old school, but not crap, and I like having the 3 dials above the centre console, the steering wheel also feels far better than the 1*2 one. The car has loads of charm to it, and I really feel like i could get to love it.
Mine has had a racelogic traction control system fitted (at a cost of about £1200 at the time), which is adjustable via dial under the dash (it can also be disengaged entirely via a seperate button). Basically with this, I can go into a corner, and get on the gas far earlier, understeer is eliminated almost entirely and the car will pull right round the corner on full throttle, its a great system and bags of fun, I'd reccomend it to anyone, could be worth fitten on a 172/182 too if youve got a cup version. It really flies out of corner now, and you can gun it off the lights with no spinning at all, if you're into that sort of thing.
Despite all that, its far more hardwork to just drive about in, the clutch requires a team of trained firefighters to press it right down, and a very prescise gear change is required, this car would be tiring on a track day. The heavy steering, whilst great when caning it, makes parking and manouvers a tad more cumbersome too. Its also thirstier than the cup, which could be as issue if I was doing lots of miles (but im not, woooo)
Its also far less co-operative on a cold engine, you really do have to drive like an old lady for the first ten minutes, until the oil is warm theres all sort of clicks and rattles from the engine and the oil pressure is very high (presumably cuz cold oil is thick oil, and consequntly harder to pump round the system.).
The back end is also VERY light, its only caught me out twice, but when it goes, it goes! Granted on both times I was sort of teasing it out to see where the limit was, but it goes very suddenly, and you get a sort of Grip Grip Grip Grip GONE kind of thing, with it flicking out. As mith most FR cars (and a reasonable level of driving skill) its easy to corrorect with a bit of counter steer and a fettle of the throttle, could be great fun when I get used to it.
Ultimately, it doesnt have the day to day useablitly and ease of driving as the 172, but thats mainly becuase its an older, less refined car. Its only a stop gap car for me as it is, until I decide what I really want (I'm waiting to see what the 197 cup is like before deciding), but its a superb machine, and I can see why people rave about them, down a B-road, this thing would be a weapon.
I wont be hammering it much as it is, as I want to sell it in A1 condition after xmas, and I plan on getting a few bits tidied on it, and dont want massive maintenance costs, but I still love it.
Anyway, thats my summary of the jump from a cup to a willy!
