Golf R , S2000 supercharged and E30 with S52 swap comparison

Some of you may have figured out... I'm a car guy. I just love cars. I work on them and fix them up to my tastes.

This blog has been dedicated to my Golf R but I also have a 2003 S2000 with a Comptech supercharger and just picked up a 1987 E30 with a S52 swap which is the same powerplant as a E36 M3.

My buddy stopped by and wanted a ride so it become a demo test drive of all the cars and myself explaining to him what I like and dislike about each one.

Each of these cars are beasts in their own rights and each generation are considered one of the top cars of the times. Bimmers always been self labeled as The Ultimate Driving Machine for a reason. The S2000 had the highest horsepower liter car for many years and not many this date had a 9000 RPM redline!!!  Can you say VVVTTTAAAAAAC???!!!!!! The MK7 Golf R is the fastest Vdub ever produced from the factory until the next Golf R400 comes but that's a different story.

E30

• S52 M3 drivetrain (240hp to flywheel)
• 2600 pounds approximately
• Rear wheel drive
• 5 speed manual transmission
• Stock suspension w 205/55/15 Dunlop summer tires
• Very peppy to pretty darn quick
• Linear powerband
• Sits high in seat and higher floor than other cars. 
• Plenty of space all around. Think a green house.
• Full of options for a 80s car but primitive to the 21st century
• Installed Z3 steering rack so very responsive, almost twitchy
• Takes turns very well but has lots of body roll
• Predictable in the turns. Easy car to drive 
• Ok brakes. I'm sure great for the time

S2000

• AP1 2.0 liter (240hp to flywheel but low boost supercharger adds 80hp)
• 2750 pounds
• Rear wheel drive
• 6 speed manual transmission
• Coilover w 255/45/17 Federal RZR summer tires
• No bottom end torque but when  in VTEC...Watch out!!!
• Supercharger works best in high RPMs as it's a linear power delivery as is stock motor
• Sits very low to floor like being part of the ground. Soft top up has huge blind spots
• Can feel claustrophobic. 2 seat roadster with literally no wiggle room. Think jet cockpit
• No options for the time besides a hardtop and accessories. No packages until the AP2 CR came
• Electric steering but very very very responsive. Did I forget to mention quick too?
• Takes turns like "being on rails"
• Can lose it in twisties due to snap oversteer. Not for a noob driver
• Great brakes for the time. Car is so light and low that big brakes for the streets aren't necessary

Golf R

• 2.0 liter turbo (290hp to flywheel but JB1 adds 45hp)
• 3340 pounds
• All Wheel Drive - Haldex meaning front wheel drive most of the time until traction loss
• 6 speed dual clutch automatic
• Stock suspension w 225/45/18 Dunlop summer tires
• Peak torque comes at 1500 rpm. Still has some turbo lag but not much.
• Pulls you in your seat but doesn't feel fast but it is fast. Think time warp
• Sits comfortably with clear visibility throughout.
• Back seats have plent of room
• Electric steering but progressive and responsive
• Takes turns well but must turn off nanny settings to a degree
• Being front wheel drive bias it understeers you more confident you won't spin out
• Awesome braking. Some feel it's too grabby but it gives high confidence on stopping power

Conclusion

The E30 is the most "raw" car of the three.  There's no push start, climate control, traction control but did have ABS for it's day. It's a box on wheels.  Handles great and has more potential to handle and go even faster. This car is a sleeper. It can get you in trouble when you want trouble. Decent daily driver and weekend warrior at this level.

The S2000 is no box but it's noisy. Adding the supercharger and the Invidia dual exhaust it makes it even more so. I can't order food at the drive thru easily without killing the motor. Rev it past 6k and it's loud but you know, it's sweet at the same time. It's salty sweet. People think you want to race but I know this car even boosted is no straight line killer. It's a track star and canyon carver. It's a car that you can get yourself killed if you're not paying attention like playing with a sharp blade. I would consider this as a part time driver not a daily unless you want to be always on high alert. I feel like I'm working out at the gym when driving this car.

The R the 21st century box on wheels. Some have joked to me it's a mini mini van. Plenty of luxury items like seat heaters and back up camera but why no memory seats? Moonroof may be a good option for some people but you won't get it in North America. It doesn't have a linear power band as the other cars but it's not that crazy high peak torque that jerks you around and beats you up like my old Evo X. I have to say this is one of the best daily drivers I've owned. Fast when you need it to be, shifts fast and you don't need to think about it unless you want to go full manual mode, and keeps my body in that Zen state (fair quiet) until I want to hit the canyons or go all out launch mode. It has a understeer bias but reducing the nanny sensors helps make it a little tossable. It's a heavy car so tossing it isn't that easy but the turbo and haldex does it thing.

These three cars are totally different animals but in the end all give you that Quagmire "giggity" feeling. Pick your poison and enjoy.

I wanted to add that my buddy felt the E30 was great for what it is and even though I took the same corner faster in the R it was so refined that the S2000 felt faster. Our senses can fool us.

Thanks for reading. Feel free to post comments questions.

My DIY splitter / lip for the R. Cheap mod!

Today I made my own splitter.

I used my old Kerscher lip as a template to cut out some 1/4 inch ABS sheeting.

Used my heat gun to make the curve that the R has then used some double tape and screws to mount it.

I think it came out great.

Video has a close up of the curve and explanation why I had to make a curve.

Cool Wheel configurator for Ronal wheels and the R

I've always had a liking for the classic Ronal turbos of the 80s. I found out that they make a variation in 18s for them.

Years ago Ronal used to be in So Cal but they closed up shop and went back to Europe. Importing them from 'across the pond' isn't cheap. I'm going to try and find a set here stateside that doesn't cost me an arm and a leg.

Anyways while surfing, I found a cool configurator that allowed me to see how those wheels would look like on my R.  The USA sites don't carry Ronal so unless you were a Photoshop aficionado, it wouldn't work plus this site is 3D so you can rotate the car. Not only that but you can choose the color of your car AND lower it!!!! I did a mild drop but you can do a slammed stance if you want.

That's so cool! I'm giddy like a grade school child.

This link goes straight to the Golf R: Golf R wheel configurator

Looks good with a mild drop.

Solo dyno runs today at AU Tuning. BK Motorsports Tuning Box dyno testing

This morning I got ready and took my sons with me to get the R dyno tested at AU Tuning.

I had 3 runs done:

baseline using the Tuning Box relay
medium settings (yellow light over P) no red or green lights at + and -
max settings (red light over P) max red lights over + light

this video explains the modes:

Dyno sheet from today's BK Motorsports Tuning Box runs. stock baseline is 260whp 271tq and with the box set to 'max' it put down 294whp 304tq. The only bolt on is Apr intake. I used pump 91 octane So Cal gas. It was 59 degrees this morning.

Graph shows both baseline, "mid settings" , and "max settings"

max run video below 

SuperPro rear sway bar installed!!!!!! Kill that understeer

I received a SuperPro rear sway bar from a group buy for $225 shipped. It came all the way from Down Under.

RSB is installed. I haven't tested it out yet but i'm sure it'll be a nice difference.

below are some comparative pics vs stock.

You'll need triple square bits which I got from Amazon.  I didn't drop the exhaust as another member did. It just took me a few minutes to get the rsb out and the new one back in.

video had a short summary of what to do.

How did fingerprints get in my headlight housing?!!? AND IT'S POINTING WEIRD!!! UPDATED WITH VIDEO

So as you know I'm the original owner of my Golf R.

I wanted to change the cornering lights from the yellow shade to white to match the HIDs from the headlights. Well I bought a cheap pair (under $2 on ebay) and one was bad. I looked how it lit up and then I discovered the fingerprints! I wore rubber gloves but in order to put your paws in that reflector there are only 2 ways:

When assembling the housing or if for some reason you decide to stick a finger in the bulb opening for whatever nonsensical reason.

I wore gloves by the way so even if I had some weird thought to "finger" my headlight it wouldn't do that.

Well crap! I thought it as my imagination that it was also pointing too high until I tested it tonight in a dark business park! Horrible QA on the lights. If it wasn't the manufacturer who did this then why would the dealership do it? Makes no sense but at the same time explains how the fingerprints got there like they tried to do something with that corner light. I know that the headlight points a little higher on the left as well. 

Check out my video showing the light difference!

Pics of DYNO day and rolling shots GTI

Dyno Day for GTI's and little ole me....

This morning we did a meet up /dyno day where 6 out of 7 MK7s were GTIs and myself the lonely R. As you may know I'm using the Burger Tuning JB1 "stage 1" piggy back and an APR intake. No other power mods.

The rest of the crew were all stage 2 versions of Revo, Eurodyne, Apr and Giac.

I did a respectable 309hp and 339 lbs tq at the front wheels. It was run like this because unless you have a roller type of dyno and the right settings, it won't run right. I think I like 2 wheel drive mode only since it's a head to head with the little brother GTI. 

All in all for $400 and getting 45hp, it's not a bad mod. I'm planning on tweaking it with Map 6 to get better boosting.

Comfort as it should have came from Germany! - Coding for remote windows open and close and reverse mirror drop

I purchased a Ross-Tech micro-can cable to do VCDS updates or VW coding.

I did the coding for remote windows open and close and reverse mirror drop.

It's not to difficult but you need to be patient and do each step EXACTLY as stated. If not you can do something bad and brick your module which only the dealer can restore.

Check out my videos for a demo of the coding.

micro-can interface and 034 dogbone insert

Give a dog a 034 dogbone insert

I picked up this second hand from another R owner because he had what they called the "mystery part".

Anyhow the point of this insert is to firm up things such as shifts. Here's what their site says:

The 034Motorsport Billet Aluminum MQB Dogbone Mount Insert for MkVII Volkswagen Golf/GTI/R & 8V Audi A3/S3 is designed to fill the large void in the factory dogbone mount, and limit drivetrain movement without sacrificing ride quality or introducing excessive additional noise, vibration, or harshness into the cabin. 

By filling the void in the factory mount, this insert eliminates the associated slop to ensure that you experience crisper shifts and a smoother driving experience. Unlike polyurethane insert options on the market, this billet aluminum part will not pack and wear over time, and guarantees long-lasting performance.

So installation was a breeze because I had my trusty Milwaukee impact gun. I've learned over the years that proper tools make the difference.

Anyways so far I'm getting vibration at idle. Other Golf owners stated there was either some to none but as you can see from 034's site it says it won't bring "excessive" nvh.

So after starting the car in the morning and having a cold start then driving warmed up I would say it's a nice mod but you will have vibration at idle and some during the lower rpms. The upside is there is a nice crispness with shifting and things are tighter. If you are modding your car with suspension mods, noisier but stickier tires, louder exhaust, intake, downpipe, etc... I think you'll like it. If you just want simple mods and a stockish car I say you may want to pass. However since it's $50 and you can sell it for $35 shipped any day if you don't like it...give it a try.

Here's my video review

I LOVE my impact gun

Looks nice don't it?