27th Sep 2008, 12:42
Come on! - 115bhp and 137 mph - I don't think it's likely is it. At most low 120s.
The Escort GTI is a disgrace to the GTI badge as far as power goes. The Focus that replaced it had either the same or similar 1.8 115hp Zetec engine, and was low to middle in the Focus range!
30th Sep 2008, 13:34
I also own a GTi and it is not the quickest, 0-60 in just over 9 seconds. Remember this car is over 10 years old and upon production car makers were finding insurance was based on the class of the car, GTi, RS, SRi etc not the engine power. Now cars are quicker, more powerful and lower insurance, this is due to safety standards being in a different league.
Its insurance group 13 and only 115bhp so imagine if they bumped this up even more, it would have been out pricing potential buyers.
Now you can pick up a decent one for under £1000, leather seats, air con, good handling and fairly decent performance. It can stand up against other boy racer cars such as VTR, Corsa Sports/GSi/ or Astra.
So get yourself a bargain, if your worried about lack of speed, other lesser cars are going to be about a grand more expensive.
6th Oct 2008, 15:39
The Escort GTi is a great car! I have the GTi Estate in silver metallic and I love it to bits, it's never let me down. I've had it for 5 years and never spent a penny on it. It flies through the MOT every year. It's got 77000 miles on it and she still drives like new, it's the Hovis of cars. Both GTi spec with a big boot, not the fastest of cars, but it puts a whopping great big smile on my face when it's driven how it should be above 4000rpm, that's when the fun begins!!! Apart from the fuel gauge drops like a brick when used at high revs.
6th Oct 2008, 15:44
If I am right in saying the GTi with the 1.8 zetec lump had colour coded door mouldings, the few GTi's that have black door moulding were the 1.6 pootec lump.
14th Oct 2008, 08:22
They are group 13 insurance. I think I would be rather annoyed if I was to pay same insurance group as a RS2000 for the GTi, wouldn't you?
14th Oct 2008, 08:25
Had my car little bit now. Think it looks good, but isn't really that fast.
Was looking at putting a full stainless steel exhaust system with interchangeable cat. Also want a 4 branch manifold, obviously the 2.0l cams with throttle body and MAF sensor, and of course get it chipped. Was also looking some decent form of forced induction like a good filter and cold air feed. Would like to know if people have done similar to their cars, and if so, what it cost them and how much bhp are their cars putting out?
15th Oct 2008, 03:24
In response to the last question, these kinds of mods are good, with 115bhp standard, you will only be looking at around 140-150bhp max.
Which if you look at it is the same as an RS2000, I'd rather have that as standard and have the full reliability, then you know you're not going to have any problems. Get an RS2000 mate, you'll have much more fun.
20th Oct 2008, 14:47
Ford Escort GTIs are slower than Citroen Saxo VTS, so if a Saxo is nippy and it feels like driving a golf cart, the Ford Escort GTI feels like a bumper car.
I also have a Civic Type R, which is just in a different league.
31st Oct 2008, 03:57
I had the same idle problem with my GTI. I had the Idle Valve cleaned and now I have no probs at all. As for the speed debate, who cares. My GTI is a good looking solid car which is great to drive. I am gonna keep it standard and hope that one day it will become a classic.
21st Dec 2008, 19:21
The Escort GTi is slow, and certainly doesn't do 0-60 in 7.6 seconds, or whatever. I have a 206 GTi 180 and that does it in 7 seconds, and a top speed of 135 mph; and it weighs a fraction of what an Escort weighs. There is no way a car with 113bhp that weighs that much is that quick; complete tripe. More like 0-60 in 10 seconds, and top speed of 115 mph.
8th Feb 2009, 08:46
I agree with the guy above, I have had my R reg black GTi for just a little over 2 years. Yes it has had a few problems, but common ones.
The engine and gearbox are the same ones when the car was built; there is no rust whatsoever. It has now done 147000 miles, and if anything pulls better than when it had 147 miles. Out of the 147000 miles only 10000 have be driven gently, the previous owner a friend of mine nailed it, the one before that nailed it and I have carried on and nailed it.
I love the little motor, whatever abuse you give it, it takes it. If anything needs changing, go to the scrapyard, forget the expensive garages, you can do it yourself.
The 0-60 in mine has been dynoed at 6.2 seconds and on to 138mph top speed, and 125 bhp with 135 lbf of torque. Bearing in mind this is a standard car, so I'm not slating any other cars because we all have different views. No matter as long as you're happy, stick with it as it makes it fun.
DJDECIPLE@AOL.COM any questions feel free to ask
Thanks.
8th Feb 2009, 10:51
125bhp and 0-60 in 6.2 seconds?
It's not likely is it? You're saying it's got 10bhp more than the book figures and that it will hit 60 in nearly half the time! The RS Turbos, which were lighter with more power, only hit 60 in a little under 8?
8th Feb 2009, 15:38
I recently bought a 1.8 GTi, could any one tell me which plugs and leads are the best performers?
8th Feb 2009, 16:18
This is ridiculous... 125bhp and 6.2 seconds to 60mph? The RS Turbo Escort has just over 130bhp and manages 0-60 in just under 8 seconds. A Saxo VTS weighs far less and has similar power and can't do anything under 7 and a half seconds.
Just buy a car that is actually fast rather than telling everyone how quick your car is.
27th Sep 2008, 06:49
You have just done the same thing with my comment;
"although off the mark it won't leave a VTR for dead, it will pull away from one, and get them in a real rolling road situation, and it leaves it for dead."--quote.
So actually you do say it will leave it for dead when both cars are rolling, and my comment points out that if you can't pull away on a standing start, then you are unlikely to leave them for dead on a rolling start, and rather you would just have the edge. Fair enough on you realising that the clocks only indicate 137mph, and that it probably isn't your actual speed.