Is the 2.5 a fun engine (No Troll)

[Satummoo]

After owning MKIV 1.8t, B5 S4, B6 S4, B7 A4, MKIV R32 in the past 3 years, I want something simple and fun.

After swearing off Audi's because of high maintenance (even though I still like them), I want something simple and fun. While still considering the 8th gen civic si, I am mostly debating between the 2.5 or FSI 2.0t. I've only driven a STOCK 2.5 and a modded 2.0t before and since I live in Denver (mile high) I'd like something that performs reasonsbly well.

I like the 2.5 because it's simple (timing chain, no cam followers or HPFP issues), and has a great sound (reminds me of how I liked my r32)

Have any of you guys owned performance vehicles before and enjoy your 2.5? (specifically Rabbit)

[lessthanalex]

I've never owned any other performance cars but I have driven plenty (350Zs, RX-8s, STIs, mkv gti [stage 2], MS3) and for my daily driver, yeah, its a really fun engine in my Jetta. That being said, in my opinion, it by no means is as fun "out of the box" as a GTI is gonna be, but with some bolts on and a tune, it's definitely a really fun motor!

[nickbeezy]

i think its really fun. add a tune/SRI/ poly mounts and you will be happy

[sbghms]

Sounds good and is reliable, that's about it lol.

[Fendermender]

i traded in a 400whp ford lightning for my 2.5L jetta. I cant do anymore 60ft burnouts or run high 12 second 1/4 miles any more but im reasonably happy with the performance of the 2.5l. it has enough power to get out of its own way and you dont feel like your gonna die trying to merge onto the highway. the only performance mods ive done to it is a BSH CAI and a dogbone mount insert and that has made it a little more peppy and fun to drive. And like everyone else has said i love the sound it makes.

btw i cant wait to see peyton manning crush... go broncos

[Fudgey Memory]

I miss my '08 GTI, Stg 1 APR with FSI, but I don't miss the looming specter of issues I would have been facing. It only had 36k on it, but I had to think about what I was facing going forward.

Drove a loaner 2.5L one day while my GTI was in the shop. I was really impressed with how it jumped. So when faced with buying an expensive service contract replacing the cam follower, fuel pump, sludge issues, and early timing belt & gear breakage, I traded it in on a base golf.

Was I disappointed? Nope. This engine could be the best one they make. Tough, reliable, and quick. It only takes a little tweaking to really set it free.

You can get it to 205 whp with no turbo, if you want to spend $3k or so. Mine will soon be 194 bhp which is only 13 less than a GTI is stock. I'll only have spent $1650.00.

If you just want to leave it alone, it's 170 bhp stock, so it's no slouch to begin with. That's 20 more than a 1.8t.

It's been a fun little car to own, and I can definitely recommend it.

http://gallery.me.com/timmy#100160&b...lack&view=grid

[Zoolook_]

I think it's a great engine out of the box, and you have the choice to tune it for more power or drive more like a grandpa and get some excellent mileage out of it instead. I've been getting 35mpg - 38mpg on the highway with mine ('11 model) which is pretty pleasing - and I have the choice to tune and boot it to get the performance.

It's a good engine.

[Fudgey Memory]

I think it's a great engine out of the box, and you have the choice to tune it for more power or drive more like a grandpa and get some excellent mileage out of it instead. I've been getting 35mpg - 38mpg on the highway with mine ('11 model) which is pretty pleasing - and I have the choice to tune and boot it to get the performance.

It's a good engine.

It is great out of the box. The tune will actually get you better mileage. Though that may diminish somewhat if you keep putting your foot into it. Which I do.

If they didn't want me to do that, they shouldn't have made it sound so good.

[mattdl4]

I would definitely agree with what others have said. Coming from two vr6's in the past it def isn't as peppy, but honestly it is a great engine. Great throttle response for drive by wire, ample room to work in the engine bay, very common in mk5 and mk6 cars, simple design, paper cartridge oil filter, great sound with proper intake/exhaust, great mpg, and will sip 87 octane all day

[HollisJoy]

I just joined the VW bandwagon, so to speak.

I've owned nothing but Chevy's until now.

I put 327,000 miles on my 1999 S-10 4.3L V6 (and still counting)
It has 190hp and nearly 250 ft/lbs torque.

I have barely driven my truck since I bought my Golf.
the Golf handles better & feels more solid than any GM product I've ever driven.
The 2.5L wont pin you to the back of your seat, but it is fun winding 'er up
Here's a short video, take a listen & see if it doesn't sound like fun.

[itskohler]

I love my 2.5. Sure, it's no attention whore but what it lacks in development it makes up for in reliability. Seriously there is almost no issues popping up on any of the forums a I frequent. The TSI or even FSI forums are littered with people asking for help.

A lot of people that havee ridden in my car are amazed that a little Jetta can pull the way it does.

[Fudgey Memory]

I love my 2.5. Sure, it's no attention whore but what it lacks in development it makes up for in reliability. Seriously there is almost no issues popping up on any of the forums a I frequent. The TSI or even FSI forums are littered with people asking for help.

A lot of people that havee ridden in my car are amazed that a little Jetta can pull the way it does.

There's also a company selling FSI Cam Follower Awareness T-Shirts. No ones making public service messages to warn people about our engines.

The engines before '08 can have timing chain issues. I think it's a gear problem, actually, that causes the chain to jump. They addressed it in '06, and again in '08. The '06 - '07 engines don't seem to have the issues as much, but I'd recommend sticking with '08 and above for the 2.5L.

[Fudgey Memory]

Does the Mk6 2.5L have the forged crank? I heard it did, but I can't find confirmation.

[LampyB]

i've owned an MKIV 1.8T, B5 A4 1.8T, B6 A4 Ultrasport 1.8T...and now the 2.5l Rabbit and GLI 2.0T. Audi is still my favorite brand ever, but the 1.8T was a maintenance nightmare and that's why I ended up selling each of them. The 2.5l engine is incredibly reliable (as long as you get an 08+ model), i'm now at 80K miles and it runs beautifully and I don't have to worry about the timing belt job which is HUGE peace of mind. definitely get a Stage 1 tune and the car will feel great. adding a CAI also makes the engine feel looser like it wants to rev. these in combination with some aftermarket mounts really make for an enjoyable car.

up until last spring i lived in downtown denver for the past five years, and realistically it's pretty nice having a turbo at such a high altitude. i bought the rabbit while i was still out there and drove it up to the ski resorts a bunch of times and it did fine, but not nearly as well as the Stage 1+ 1.8T's i had in the past. gas mileage suffers in the 2.5l in CO too, so take this into consideration.

it's either go for reliability and get the Rabbit (like driving a go-cart, it's a blast). if you want better mileage and performance go with a turbo, especially for colorado driving. you'll just have to eventually put more money into upkeep.

[TylerO28]

Does the Mk6 2.5L have the forged crank? I heard it did, but I can't find confirmation.

the motor at this time to everyone's knowledge has NO rhyme or reason as to which ones got the forged crank and which got cast...

seriously there is no way of telling without tearing down the block. however i am going to go out on a limb and note that the newer motors probably have forged... but then again vw dropped costs on the new Jetta (junk) they had to cut corners someplace and i'm sure thats the first place they cut costs in...

maybe someday we'll figure out what number code and vin number specifications came forged...

[Fudgey Memory]

maybe someday we'll figure out what number code and vin number specifications came forged...

Be cool to know.

[WhiteBeanMKV]

The nicest car I've ever owned was a Mini Cooper S. If I had to choose between my Rabbit or the Mini, well I'd pick the Mini. Lol. But if you mod the Rabbit correctly it's a really fun car. The stock suspension is about as bad as it gets so scrap it, quickly. Throw bigger wheels with low profile tires on and you'll have a real tarmac grabber. ABS kicks in waaaay to early for my liking. Nothing you can do about that (that I know of at least) Upgrading the pads will help your 60-0. I just added an SRI/tune and fell in love with the car. The engine mounts are made of bubble gum or something because my engine is a real mover. Engine/tranny mounts are my next upgrade. I know you asked if the car is fun, not what performance parts everyone added. But I feel without adding all this stuff the car is rather boring. That being said before I bought it I drive the civic, Mazda 3, and Subaru impreza. None were as visceral as the rabbit. It's clearly the best among its competition. It's a really solid base to mod. After 3.5 years of owning the car I can say I'm really happy I chose the rabbit. It's a great German car at a great price.

[tay272]

Simply put...deez Rabbits got the nuts!

[itskohler]

The nicest car I've ever owned was a Mini Cooper S. If I had to choose between my Rabbit or the Mini, well I'd pick the Mini. Lol. But if you mod the Rabbit correctly it's a really fun car. The stock suspension is about as bad as it gets so scrap it, quickly. Throw bigger wheels with low profile tires on and you'll have a real tarmac grabber. ABS kicks in waaaay to early for my liking. Nothing you can do about that (that I know of at least) Upgrading the pads will help your 60-0. I just added an SRI/tune and fell in love with the car. The engine mounts are made of bubble gum or something because my engine is a real mover. Engine/tranny mounts are my next upgrade. I know you asked if the car is fun, not what performance parts everyone added. But I feel without adding all this stuff the car is rather boring. That being said before I bought it I drive the civic, Mazda 3, and Subaru impreza. None were as visceral as the rabbit. It's clearly the best among its competition. It's a really solid base to mod. After 3.5 years of owning the car I can say I'm really happy I chose the rabbit. It's a great German car at a great price.

Where in Jacksonville are you? I wanna drive a 2.5 with an SRI...Ill buy you lunch Also check my sig for an event coming up.

[WhiteBeanMKV]

Where in Jacksonville are you? I wanna drive a 2.5 with an SRI...Ill buy you lunch Also check my sig for an event coming up.

I'm in Southside...
PM me...

[M3NTAL Kev]

The nicest car I've ever owned was a Mini Cooper S. If I had to choose between my Rabbit or the Mini, well I'd pick the Mini. Lol. But if you mod the Rabbit correctly it's a really fun car. The stock suspension is about as bad as it gets so scrap it, quickly. Throw bigger wheels with low profile tires on and you'll have a real tarmac grabber. ABS kicks in waaaay to early for my liking. Nothing you can do about that (that I know of at least) Upgrading the pads will help your 60-0. I just added an SRI/tune and fell in love with the car. The engine mounts are made of bubble gum or something because my engine is a real mover. Engine/tranny mounts are my next upgrade. I know you asked if the car is fun, not what performance parts everyone added. But I feel without adding all this stuff the car is rather boring. That being said before I bought it I drive the civic, Mazda 3, and Subaru impreza. None were as visceral as the rabbit. It's clearly the best among its competition. It's a really solid base to mod. After 3.5 years of owning the car I can say I'm really happy I chose the rabbit. It's a great German car at a great price.

+1

My MCS was more fun (e30 M3 more so, but we're not talking RWD right now), but the Rabbit is a very, very close second for a FWD car. Doing the suspension and brakes and light engine mods creates a car that is a very capable and engaging.

I can only describe mine as fantastic suburban assault vehicle. Check the link in my sig for some details.

[KAKASHIxRABBIT]

GTI's are really nice cars, although I think people buy them for the aftermarket support. That and a lot of people aren't aware of how awesome the 2.5 is.

stage 2 Turbo'd rabbit will be cheaper than a New fully loaded gti with dsg out the door.

Anyone see these on the lot? Ive seen a few break the 30k mark

[Orentvw]

I miss my '08 GTI, Stg 1 APR with FSI, but I don't miss the looming specter of issues I would have been facing. It only had 36k on it, but I had to think about what I was facing going forward.

Drove a loaner 2.5L one day while my GTI was in the shop. I was really impressed with how it jumped. So when faced with buying an expensive service contract replacing the cam follower, fuel pump, sludge issues, and early timing belt & gear breakage, I traded it in on a base golf.

Was I disappointed? Nope. This engine could be the best one they make. Tough, reliable, and quick. It only takes a little tweaking to really set it free.

You can get it to 205 whp with no turbo, if you want to spend $3k or so. Mine will soon be 194 bhp which is only 13 less than a GTI is stock. I'll only have spent $1650.00.

If you just want to leave it alone, it's 170 bhp stock, so it's no slouch to begin with. That's 20 more than a 1.8t.

It's been a fun little car to own, and I can definitely recommend it.

http://gallery.me.com/timmy#100160&b...lack&view=grid

Guyz, what little tweaks would you recommend to get this engine optimized?
i have 06 jetta 2.5l and lately i see more fuel consumption (unfortunately it seems the car is sluggish after i let some mechanics get in there and change my clutch, doesn't quite feel the same after those goons got inside it), now i need to find some good knowledgeable vw tech to fine tune it for me. I hear with vag-com you can check IQ numbers for Injection Pump and optimize that for better mpg. What else can one do to fine tune it? Flash it, chip it? anything on the budget?
Thank you for your help

[Orentvw]

also i checked online for vag-com pc-to car harness and you can get it for $30. Plus you can find a torrent of Vag-Cm online. Is that all you need to run it of your PC, or do you need more? Someone told me you might need some serial numbers linked to the vins of your cars, which only dealers have, is that true? or can a $30 harness and online Vag-com software do the trick?

[Satummoo]

Thanks for all the updates. The video posted has an amazing engine note.

I know someone who is an auto broker so I'm waiting to find the right rabbit.

Weighing about 2,850lbs is pretty decent. A regular GTI weighs 3,050lbs?

With mild/moderate weight reduction, maybe you could get a base model rabbit to about 2,700lbs

[TylerO28]

i will never support the use of pirated software and craptastic "vag com" cables sold on e bay... i really hate to be "that guy" but please keep the companies that develop and continue to strive toward serving us guys out there working on our cars by buying FROM the company that sells,guarantees and offers support with their property...

I purchased my vag com directly from ross-tech. they were totally great guys. and although it was an expensive purchase. it has paid for itself many times over simply by allowing me the ability to log data, change coding, and read/delete random CEL's

please don't go the pirate route... it'll only hurt our community.

you really cannot change the way the car runs without the ability to crack the eeprom and pull the security pin. then you can "re-flash" your car... but i'd leave that to the Professional tuners out there for us 2.5 lovers...

c2, UM, apr, unitronic, and there are more... in my opinion i'd go with whoever is most in your budget and can accomodate your goals with the car...

[WhiteBeanMKV]

Agree'd Tyler. There's so few companies supporting the 2.5 we need to do our part to make sure they keep developing products that make out cars soooo much better.

As far as 'fun on a budget' a CAI and a 93 tune are relatively inexpensive and will inject some fun into the car.

[Vash350z]

Currently own a supercharged 350z as my fun car. Despite having a 400+whp car in the garage i still really enjoy driving my rabbit on a daily basis. Good power, good sound, comfortable, quiet, competent handler even when stock.

[Fudgey Memory]

Agree'd Tyler. There's so few companies supporting the 2.5 we need to do our part to make sure they keep developing products that make out cars soooo much better.

As far as 'fun on a budget' a CAI and a 93 tune are relatively inexpensive and will inject some fun into the car.

Agreed. I'm pulling the trigger on my Unitronic tune Monday. Expensive, but worth it. And the relationship I have with the dealer, them doing all my mods, means they are on my side should anything be questionable as to a tune causing a warranted part to fail.

Support your local speed shop, and a good dealer if you have one. I have both rolled in to one. And I can be there in 5 minutes, they have bagels, and will take me to work.

It was the bagels that really put it over the top.

[Fudgey Memory]

Guyz, what little tweaks would you recommend to get this engine optimized?
i have 06 jetta 2.5l and lately i see more fuel consumption (unfortunately it seems the car is sluggish after i let some mechanics get in there and change my clutch, doesn't quite feel the same after those goons got inside it), now i need to find some good knowledgeable vw tech to fine tune it for me. I hear with vag-com you can check IQ numbers for Injection Pump and optimize that for better mpg. What else can one do to fine tune it? Flash it, chip it? anything on the budget?
Thank you for your help

The GTI cat back is also a good mod. Ask your dealer to save the exhaust from any GTI that gets an aftermarket exhaust installed, or look for one online. Stock exhausts sell cheap. Got mine from a friend buying a new GTI and having APR exhaust installed. So mine was brand new, hot off the car.

Have that installed, and do the front resonator delete. $768 installed, including purchase of GTI valance new from dealer.

[LampyB]

Go for the 93 Oct. software tune first, then add a cold air intake. The tune is night and day in comparison to stock, and by removing the rev hang and raising the rpm idle it drastically affects daily drivability. Unlike other N/A engines such as Audi's 2.8l or 3.0l the 2.5l VW platform see's a significant increase in power when tuned. You can't go wrong, it'll make you so happy!!

[SocoJoe]

I my car

[JohnnyDrama]

In my opinion, it is not fun at all. The only reason why I still have it is because the MK5 is a comfortable cruiser, looks decent, and gets tremendous fuel mileage (~500 miles/tank).

[itskohler]

Its probably just the driver.

[jaja123]

Thanks for all the updates. The video posted has an amazing engine note.

I know someone who is an auto broker so I'm waiting to find the right rabbit.

Weighing about 2,850lbs is pretty decent. A regular GTI weighs 3,050lbs?

With mild/moderate weight reduction, maybe you could get a base model rabbit to about 2,700lbs

yea I got my mk6 golf to 2700lbs. No rear seats, spare out, engine cover, tools out, foam out and like 1 gallon of gas. Its also the 2 door model and manual and no options besides heated seats. mk6 is supposedly 20 lbs lighter than the mk5. But 20lbs is hardly a difference.