JasonJ

I've already mentioned this in another thread with a "not so obvious" subject so I've decided to re-post in the hope of some help.

MY99 DBM which is due to have its 1,000 mile service tomorrow morning. Now my dealer has told me not to take her over 5,000rpm, which is another thread, BUT I couldn't resist it when I came side by side a 328i, up the bumper of a Metro GTa and a Rover 200 (not all at the same time ).

I found it extremelly difficult to get away from these cars and its been down to the fact that acceleration at 80mph is too good. At 80mph in 4th the car is pulling 4,000rpm. Now in 1st,2nd and 3rd, at 4,000rpm acceleration is wonderful but it isn't in 4th

Obviously at this point my only option has been to drop down to 3rd but this would now pull 6,000rpm not leaving me much before I hit 7,000rpm which makes acceleration slightly slower.

I know that the Prodrive perf pack and the scoobysport options solve this, which is good as mine's booked in for the Prodive option, but what do you do if you dont have any of these ? Mike @ Prodrive told me Wednesday that the 99 pack improves it between 2,800rpm and 5,000rpm.

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed this ?

Is it just down the the fact that the 328, the Metro GTa and the Rover have all been "chipped" and rebuilt by GGR and has been bad luck

Help !!!!

Lee

I couldn't catch an Audi 1.8T, but then my car was as new as yours.

having done a further 4000 miles I can say performance does get better.

I would say keep the revs down ! peak power is at 5500 so there's not much point going above this.

Keep changing gears keeping revs between 4000 and 6000..let the torque do the work !

TC

Come on guys you're not trying to tell us that these cars were a serious threat to your scoobs.I have a my98 with scoobysport box and ramair but even before these additions there was no way on this earth that a 328i beemer let alone a metro gta!!!!! would have even had a hope of humiliating my pride and joy,as for the audi it is not really in the same league for mid range acceleration as one driver today found out to his dismay.Yes the scoob does get better with miles,but it shouldn't be that sluggish even at new.

[This message has been edited by TC (edited 07-05-99).]

IanK

I have a 99 scooby and this has done 6000 miles..

I have a Scoobysport rear Box and ITG air filter..

I must say that I have either got used to the acceleration or my car is just not quick.

If squeezing the pedal at around 3500 revs you can feel power, but if you boot the car and take it round the rev counter...Turbo cust in and seems to pull very hard between 3-4000 revs, and then it seems like no boost..i.e just an ordinary engine..

I just expect more ooomphh..

I have not burnt with any other cars, but I am not sure that my scooby is quick enough.

WAYSIDERS

Maybe not exactly the same car, but my Type R version 5 was "on it" right out of the box. Self-restraint for the first 1000 miles, but used freely since. I haven't noticed any change in performance as the mileage grows. It still shocks when the power burts in at anything over 3000 revs. Miles faster than my old Escort Cossie, far more usable, it just blasts away from anything. If you can't drop a 328 (chipped or not), your car is well below par and needs attention.

Only time I have ever noticed less power than expected was once when flooring loud pedal instantly at about 2500 revs, when I felt some hesitation. Feeding in to get the turbo spinning works best.

Have you tried SUL on the UK car? It might make a difference.

Jonathan

Lee

There has to be something seriously wrong with your car against a Rover 200 and Metro GTA. Even with lots of mods.

The 328 is a little different. 0-100 in approx 18 secs against 15-16. There wont be that much in it. I had a 328 at the same time as my Terzo (242bhp on the rollers). At times the 328 felt quicker and certainly following a Scooby down a dual carriageway there was nothing in it. If the 328 has done 20-30k miles and your in a tight new car I can believe it.

Jason

I had an A4 1.8TS before the 328 and had it Superchipped (ECU blew up three months later). With this mod and the LPT on this car away from Junctions etc unless your really dropping the clutch you will struggle.
If it had no mods then your car needs looking at. I have a Golf 1.8T and it is nowhere near UK Scooby league.


The STI does feel quick out of the box. My UK car was quite tight for 3-4k miles. But combined with the SS backbox & filter its a very quick car.

For anyone worried about their cars performance. Pop it to a Rolling road thats tested lots of Scoobies. They will have a good idea if youve got a problem. Cant see the dealers being much help as a first stop.

Lee

Jonathon..I was the "vs Audi" not the metro !

he went by at about 90 looking for the chase so I obliged. I was in 5th at the time and followed him to about 125 before we both behaved sensibly. I wasn't gaining on him but not losing either. I daresay he could have been in 4th then changed to 5th..if I had done this I'm sure I would have caught him !

IanK, your comments mirror mine in a previous thread i.e. good pull upto 4000 then just steady power not really mind-blowing.
Reasons..
1) turbo on 99 model is smaller, stock engine is more powerful so 99 feels less like a laggy overblown car
2) I did the SUL and the ECU reset thing (whether it actually does anything or not is a different matter!) and noticed huge improvements.
3) The car has got better with the mileage.
4) The car is (seems) much faster at night (when the air is cooler/denser? - another thread on here discussed this!)
5) My mates who have driven the car all say the same..it's quick but doesn't FEEL quick (again, maybe due to the small turbo)

after I come back from my honeymoon I'm going to get it rolling roaded..£40 all in at Power Engineering, Uxbridge.

IanK

Lee,
interesting to here your comments..

I am currently running SUL..probably about 4th tank full haven't tried ECU reset.

I sometimes take here out in the evenings down b roads, keeping here in third and on boost then she feels quick..

I would love to get her checked anyone know a good rolling the midlands..

Let us know how you get on..

TC

Lee;

the only problem acceleration wise that i have found with the scoob is it's 5th gear ratio,which i feel is designed for comfortable motorway cruising and to be honest is rather inadequate for "seeing anyone off".If you are in 4th gear you can feel stong pull all the way to 130mph which generally see's off most opposition,but if you remain in 5th you can expect to have problems with some of the top of the range Ford's ,Vauxhalls etc as at 80 in 5th the scoob is only just about in boost zone.
As for take off mode from junctions etc if you feed in the clutch you can lose the initial advantage of 4wd grip when you apply full boost through all four corners(alternatively if you dont get it just right and get bogged down by all the grip it can be embarrasing to say the least).

Believe me,if you can master the art quick starts there is not much in the 2wd dept that will touch just over 5 secs to 60(chipped or not,as they dont have sufficient traction),and if it just happens to be raining then all the better.

There is also the point that you do get used to the power my other half had a 911 carrera4 previous to the scoob and she said that it at times felt slow!!!!!,now she's a damn good driver too done a lot of porsche club GB track days and sorted a few prima donna "porsche boyracers" out in the process,anyway the carrera4 is no slouch same scenario with the scoob.

At the end of the day don't worry about it just enjoooooy it.

WAFFLE OVER.