Which would be better? VR6 vs. 1.8T(337)

[canadian1192]

I have an opportunity to purchase either a 2004 VR6 or a 2002 1.8T 337 edition. I realize the value of each and see that the 337 would be a much cooler car to own, but as for mechanics and such, which would be the better choice?

[MOEZER]

i would shoose a vr6 over the 1.8t due to the fact if the turbo goes bad on it then its ganna be a pain to replace and such but thats just me if i had to pick between the 3 but if i did have a chance to get a 1.8t and not a vr6 then id take the 1.8t

[Pssst...passed you]

What?

I am sorry, that did not make sense. If the turbo goes bad replace it...with a bigger one!

I prefer boost. get the VR6 if the miles are much lower seeing how it is 2 years newer and if you have the knowhow and $ to add a turbo to it. if not get the 337 as it is more rare and has a great bodystyling.

[missioncirca]

VR6's are known to be more expensive to mod than 1.8T's also

[stealthpassat]

vr6s= expensive parts and maintenance even more expensive to mod.

[canadian1192]

hmm. ok. im not looking to mod it too much. If i were to get the 337, i wouldn't do anything to it seeing as a car as rare as that shouldn't have anything done to it, but thats just my opinion. and as for the VR6 or any other 1.8T, i dont think i would ever do any body styling, but i would throw in a new ECU, intake, exhaust, etc. but i heard that the VR6 is more reliable overall. true/false?

[CrypticApathy]

It depends on how you want your power. Do you want to deal with turbo lag or instant power?
Turbo = more potential for power over all.
NA = you kinda hit a point in power vs reliability faster then a turbo car does.
A chiped 1.8t is as about as fast a vr6. So for 500bucks more you can have a car thats about the same as a vr6. Add in your other mods to it that you mentioned and you will be alot faster then a vr6. So it depends on what you want.

Personally id go with the 1.8t the mods are alot easyer and cheaper to come by.

[slappy]

VR6's are cool and reliable. Basic mods are just as expensive as the 1.8t. The vr6 sounds better with an exhaust upgrade. With vr6 though, to get raw power from it then you need to take a small loan and add a turbo. Overall, both are fun to drive but its up to you to choose. The vr6 also gets less mpg's unless it is a 6 speed gli. Then both are about the same.

[tbing]

It depends what you're looking at them for.

If you want to keep a stock car, they're about equally fast, or maybe just intake/chip/exhaust the 337 is gonna be faster than the vr6 with the same mods. If you want to do some turbo work, the VR6 is gonna be much faster.

The 337 is rare compared to the VR6, but the VR6 does have the 24v engine.

Both have 6 spds.

[fubardub]

337 is rare but i would not be afraid to mod it. it is still just a golf. most likely you will not have it long enough for it to increase in value. vr6's are beast. they sound amazing with any exhaust. i would get a carfax on both cars and then compare them. check mileage, maintnance records, and overall how they were treated. 1.8ts have timing belts and are known to go as early as 50,000 miles. if the mileage is near that make sure it has been done or see about getting it done. what are the mileage and prices of the cars if you dont mind me asking?

[canadian1192]

The 337 has 74,000 miles no price listed, but im guessing somewhere around $9,000.
The VR6 has 80,000 miles and he's selling it for $9,000.
Also, how much would a turbo kit cost for each engine?

[TTTurbo1.8T]

Slow down...let's not talk turbo kits until you have a car. Suffice it to say it's gonna cost around 3k + install for either car for a decent turbo kit and leave it at that.

How about we choose a car and buy it, and see how you like that power, and go from there. I will start by making these points:

1.8T:
-Decent power
-Cheap to upgrade to a moderate level of speed
-Huge aftermarket for this motor
-Pretty good gas mileage
-Fairly reliable except for vac leaks and coil problems
-Require a little more care than a VR6
-The 337 will require little to no exterior modification since it's already a pretty good looking car

VR6:
-Very torquey motor about about the same power as the 1.8T
-Bolt-ons are not too expensive but not as beneficial as 1.8T mods
-Large aftermarket for this motor as well but mostly expensive turbo/supercharger kits
-Pretty good gas mileage for a 6 cylinder
-Very reliable except for a coolant pipe
-Require less attention to detail and less sensitive to oil changes and fuel used
-Has a timing chain unlike the 1.8T so it lasts much longer before requiring change/maintenance
-Will need some sprucing up of the exterior to make it look as tasteful as the 337

Basically the VR6 is gonna cost you a little more if you plan on doing much for upgrades (for power or appearance) but any performance upgrades (as far as a turbo goes) will yield greater results.

The 1.8T will make for an easier "tuner" car and will allow you to focus solely on engine performance since the exterior requires little to no modification to look clean.

Try to think practically when buying a car. Don't think "well if I spend 10,000 dollars on this one car will be better than the other," because from experience I know for a fact that rarely do people actually follow through on their plans for their cars or at least not immediately after buying it. Shit comes up and you gotta shell out cash for it..that's life

Hope that helps

-Cody

[canadian1192]

Thats helps immensely Cody, thank you. and now that i think about it, considering the cost of the turbo kit, im not sure if i am willing to (or have the cash to) put one of those in a VR6. and the most i would do is an ECU, intake, exhaust (for VR6, not 337), and most likely a new diverter valve considering your sticky.

[austinnt]

Idk why everyone always talks about turbos going out, honestly I have now had 3 turbo'd cars (2.7t a6, 1.8t jetta, and 2.0 A4) and Ive never had any turbo issues whatsoever?? Maybe im just lucky.