Hi guys,

im a recent new polo gt owner (ok its not a fabia vrs but same floorplan and engine) so im aware of what great cars the polos/fabias/ibizas are.

My question is as this car is my first diesel car and first fast car (last car was a 1994 micra 1.0) how do I get the car to move off quickly at traffic lights without the wheels spinning in the first two gears and ESP light coming on.

Basically I was at the traffic lights with a 2007 astra 1.9 cdti and when we moved off the ESP light starting flashing on the dash which limited the power to the wheels while that guy got off to a good start. All i did was put it in first gear wait for lights to change and totally floor the pedal.....thats the way im used to with the micra

is this the correct way for a quick getaway?

any advice appreciated

thanks

Although i cant condone racing..

You have bought a diesel.. there useless in first and second anyhow..

Second is okay if its dry other than that there isnt much point. For the likes of fast starts at Santa Pod or whatever in a VRS you could start off in 2nd gear, thats if you have an uprated clutch as it will just fry the OEM one.

If i were you i wouldn't concentrate on the 'traffic light grand prix's' i would be more interested in the mid range performance and torque, 3rd gear onwards

You will struggle against a new Astra unless you have any performance modifications, and even if you have.....

Just sit behind him, and if you have large enough testicles, overtake him.

if you have any performance mods. sit by his side until you are at approx 30mph in 3rd, floor it, and wave him bye bye.

HTH

first gear, clutch and throttle to biting at around 2,000rpm, holding on hand brake

in one fluid motion: clutch up, throttle down, handbrake off

You have bought a diesel.. there useless in first and second anyhow..

You need some better tyres on yours. You also need to drive a JTD which is a lot smoother than a PD

The whole point of a tdi isn't getting of the line quick but with practice you can make it do what you want.

first gear, clutch and throttle to biting at around 2,000rpm, holding on hand brake

in one fluid motion: clutch up, throttle down, handbrake off

A split second later, change gear, floor it, flashing lights, torque steer, feck, bollards, brake, indicate by accident, wipers, floor it, oversteer, feck, change gear, feck, corner, oversteer, brake, feck, bollards, floor it, oversteer, feck, wipers, indicator, brake, feck...............

been there, done that:D

I wasn't gonna tell him that bit

A split second later, change gear, floor it, flashing lights, torque steer, feck, bollards, brake, indicate by accident, wipers, floor it, oversteer, feck, change gear, feck, corner, oversteer, brake, feck, bollards, floor it, oversteer, feck, wipers, indicator, brake, feck...............

been there, done that:D

:rofl: Haven't we all.....

Cheers

Dave.

What's with all these people spinning thw wheels?

The ONLY time I got the ESP light to come on was when I provoked it by driving like a dickhead.

Is that what I should be doing?

Drive like a dickhead?

Find the button on the dash and turn it off .......some of the asr/esp or whatever it is called either/or brake the spinning wheel, shut down the engine or various other bits and pieces ........all of which are designed to make you slower off the line....but as said before 1st will only get you moving quickly shift to second and then 3rd

Get the car rolling before flooring it.

The VRS is not, and I doubt ever will be designed for 0-60 times.

Besides, it would be far more rewarding to let them get away and then catch them up and overtake them once you're out of a residential area, surely? That's what the VRS is best at!

Ive driven the 120CDTI and the 150CDTI Astra and driven thm hard they are very good away from the lights much longer 1st gear then VAG ones and the traction control on it is much less bity then on the VAG group.

And as most car enthusiasts will know the 1.9 GM (fiat derived) diesel unit be it the 120 or the 150 bhp ones it is the best in the business currently fantastic MPG and much more petrol like than the VAG PD engines.

I'd suggest that the Honda 2.2 CDTI is a better engine

I'd suggest that the Honda 2.2 CDTI is a better engine

Not driven it personally but have heard that it doesnt deliever its MPG claims by a fair margin.

And as most car enthusiasts will know the 1.9 GM (fiat derived) diesel unit be it the 120 or the 150 bhp ones it is the best in the business currently fantastic MPG and much more petrol like than the VAG PD engines.

That's a bold claim indeed. Out of interest, what are you comparing it to - I'm assuming you're excluding the BMW diesel engines?

Chris

Not driven it personally but have heard that it doesnt deliever its MPG claims by a fair margin.

I'd still like to have a go in a Honda with that engine - I've heard from other people it's the smoothest diesel out there...

I'd still like to have a go in a Honda with that engine - I've heard from other people it's the smoothest diesel out there...

Nah, Honda CDTI is good, JTD is better, really smooth Even the 88bhp one I have sat on my drive is brilliant and I will be considering a new version when I come to replace the Roomy in 18 months time.

I'd still like to have a go in a Honda with that engine - I've heard from other people it's the smoothest diesel out there...

It is a very good engine. In the Civic I test drove it felt much more like a petrol in terms of refinement and power delivery and was deceptively quick too.

It's smoother with a less noticable turbo surge so you don't think you are going all that fast until you look at the speedo and see 1xx

Back to the original question if I may..........

Launching the Fabia requires you to sit at the start line, with your clutch at biting point, if your car is standard, no revs, just foot over the throttle, once the lights go green (at Santa Pod ) feed in the clutch and power smoothly until boost breaks traction, short shift into second, if dry, use full throttle, if wet, use part throttle and short shift to third, full throttle the rest of the way - if in a standard car, change at 3700 for the remaining gears.

Do all this with your ESP/ASR off as it impedes quick get aways no end.

You will also benefit from throwing your oem tyres away, and fitting something along the lines of Toyo T1-Rs.

Bighitter, I also went from petrol to diesel and it's just not the same from a standing start but what you lose there you gain with overtaking grunt. In my VRS being able to make progress by overtaking on A roads etc is more useful than a quick start off the lights, you get used to it. Just go easy with your right foot and as people here have said wait until you get some speed up before you floor it.

I test drove the Astra 202 1.9 Diesel Estate this morning, which my dad is considering buying... I've never seen a diesel so quick off the mark!!

My Fabia is tremendous midrange, but off the mark I haven't quite mastered yet...

meh.... standing starts are pap

its smoking big beefers in old 1.8 mondeos off roundabouts which is the most fun

That's a bold claim indeed. Out of interest, what are you comparing it to - I'm assuming you're excluding the BMW diesel engines?

Chris

Was quite ill at work over the weekend and a colleague drove me in my car from one job to the next. As a seasoned petrol head he was staggered by the smoothness and ability to rev of the 123D engine. Was nice to sit as a passenger and be driven in my own car by a decent driver, you get a whole new take on your own car.

Getting off the line isn’t nearly so dramatic in a rear wheel drive either, first seems a little prone to spinning but OK thereafter and a bit of spin is good anyway. In the wet it seems a bit more wayward however;)

Why do people always want diesels to "be like petrols"?

Diesel engines are used for their torque - look at what they're mainly applied in. Boats. Trains. Tractors. Diesel engines don't need to rev - they have the torque so that the gearing can be "higher"...

I've always said, if you want a free-revving, fun engine, buy a petrol. If you're after economy and "surging" overtakes, buy a diesel. But don't complain when it doesn't go past 4750rpm, it wasn't designed to...