FWD -> AWD is it worth it?

[alper]

I have done this change and I am not ever going back to FWD at these power levels, it's a waste of time as far as I am concerned. I previously ran a 370bhp FWD with VAQ diff and already at that level the torque was overwhelming for the front wheels during daily driving. Yeah I had 370bhp but half of the time due to wet roads or cold temps or cold tires or low speed, or just not being ready to perfectly modulate the throttle, I had to fight wheel-spin and simply couldn't access all the power my car was making. Perfect for 100-200 runs on the highway but who, outside Germany, is doing that on a regular basis? Also good fun on the track ( I did track the car 2-3 times a year) but again, it was a daily car and as explained above at the majority of occasions that a daily driver sees through the year, it struggled to put all that power to good use.

Within the first week with the AWD car (same engine) I was crying from salvation. The effect it has at low speed accelerations is such a shock for someone who's used to fight wheel-spin on powerful FWDs all his life. Sure above a certain speed the effect stops and it feels as if you were carrying a passenger on your old FWD car but there's an easy solution for that, just add as much power as you like, easy with these engines. You know you'll be using it all whenever you need to, sun or rain, hot or cold, PS4S or crap tires, doesn't make a difference. It unlocks a whole new level of fun.

Can't even imagine how much better it will be with the JB4 on, just completing the running in for now. It also made the effect of the pedal box that I transferred over, twice as fun as it was on the FWD car. Floor it and get thrown back to your seat with the same ferocity every time, no IF's...

 

[Jaco2k]

My Saab 9-3 Aero 2.8v6 had a Stage 1 tune with 330bhp and 550nm of torque... it struggled HARD to put that power down, would spin wheels through gears.
The Saab specialist i used always told me "You need AWD for all this power..." - when I got the Skoda, it struggled to put down even the (nominal) 220bhp, let alone tuned to more...
If you want usable power, you really need the AWD - unless, of course, on a rolling start or in the dry.

 

[Leon20vt4]

To be honest it really depends on what driving characteristics you prefer... personally I hate FWD. Okay its not that bad it feels like a go kart etc on fun small cars like a EG civic or other older lightweight cars. I've had plenty of cars ranging from 140hp 4cyl RWD and FWD 250hp some subarus 400hp GC8 and hatch STI and one of my favorites BMW m5 5.0L v8 tuned to 450hp. the list goes on and on... all I can say is when you really learn to love the way AWD grips, asphalt, dirt, rain, snow etc... it is addicting and you want nothing else... except when really wanting to drift... without snow youre ******... or a new focus RS with drift mode but i don't have 45 grand for a new toy.

I know im going on and on but LONG STORY cut not that short.... I would never go back to a FWD.... I spent months searching in mainland europe to find a nice 4x4 1.8t 20v mk1 Leon ... because i didn't want to settle for a FWD.

but again it is all taste... to each his own.

 

[Jaco2k]

except when really wanting to drift... without snow youre ******.

So true! The grip is almost endless... I keep trying on the wet and it simply won't let go

 

[Leon20vt4]

So true! The grip is almost endless... I keep trying on the wet and it simply won't let go

You have to find a nice dirt area or dirt roads if youre confident... i used to do rally cross in the states... so much fun but the dirt really tears up the car... so my best advice would be find soemthing as smooth as a baseball field to play on... or buy an e36 for funtime

 

[Jaco2k]

You have to find a nice dirt area or dirt roads if youre confident... i used to do rally cross in the states... so much fun but the dirt really tears up the car... so my best advice would be find soemthing as smooth as a baseball field to play on... or buy an e36 for funtime

For sure not putting this car through that abuse - the icetrack was already bad enough and left some battle scars

 

[Jaco2k]

BTW, see what Thomas has to say here about AWD driving and ice track - I fully agree and I have been at the Nurburgring. Ice drifting is more fun and rewarding and there is hardly anything nicer you can do on wheels:

And this literally is the video that sold me my car:

 

[KernelOkey]

Haha I hope I can have some fun with my ST R on Cup2 tires in the wet

 

[LouG]

T

Nothing in what I wrote suggests MCM is gospel . Just showing how easy it is to drive a golf R quickly. They're still awesome though, very funny. If you don't like em don't watch em.

Touchy.
They're pair of Aussie boguns. Al at The Skid Factory, is the man with the knowledge.

 

[Damo H]

T

Touchy.
They're pair of Aussie boguns. Al at The Skid Factory, is the man with the knowledge.

Not touchy, but you do have a habbit of posting in a troll like fashion

 

[LouG]

Not touchy, but you do have a habbit of posting in a troll like fashion

You'll have to forgive my Antipodean tendency to be blunt. It comes from sharing a country with 30,000,000 uncouth sheep.

 

[Damo H]

You'll have to forgive my Antipodean tendency to be blunt. It comes from sharing a country with 30,000,000 uncouth sheep.

I thought it might be because you get mistaken for being an Australian

 

[LouG]

I thought it might be because you get mistaken for being an Australian

It could be worse. I think I'm the only kiwi who likes Aussies.

 

[Deadly Ferret]

I have driven both and have owned civic type r and 350z and Octavia vrs x 2 the 4 drive is by far the best to live with.. drama and scrabbling tyres = expensive new tyres and lack of grip in cold and wet. If you want to track regularly and modify it for the track then red might suit though.

 

[seatgraham]

I have driven both and have owned civic type r and 350z and Octavia vrs x 2 the 4 drive is by far the best to live with.. drama and scrabbling tyres = expensive new tyres and lack of grip in cold and wet. If you want to track regularly and modify it for the track then red might suit though.

Is there enough grip on regular tyres in snow or icy conditions with 4drive? Or are winter tyres needed?
Never used winter tyres but current mk2 fr can struggle in v bad conditions. 4drive on order. But will that be enough without winter rubber?

 

[Jaco2k]

Is there enough grip on regular tyres in snow or icy conditions with 4drive? Or are winter tyres needed?
Never used winter tyres but current mk2 fr can struggle in v bad conditions. 4drive on order. But will that be enough without winter rubber?

A FWD car with Winter tires will still have more grip than a AWD with Summer tires.

 

[seatgraham]

A FWD car with Winter tires will still have more grip than a AWD with Summer tires.

Thanks. Yes I think others have said same. Just wondering how much more grip 4drive will give with summer tyres.
In uk if you want Leon Cupra st with dsg you haven’t got much choice with the drivetrain. It’s 4drive or

 

[Deadly Ferret]

The 4 drive helps but winter tyres are needed if you want to be confident and safe. That said taking it easy I coped this year without.

 

[seatgraham]

The 4 drive helps but winter tyres are needed if you want to be confident and safe. That said taking it easy I coped this year without.

Yeah clearly 4drive plus winter tyres should be super planted. Just for the amount of time we have v poor weather not sure that it’s worth the expense. I appreciate there can still be a benefit if temperatures are cold but maybe not so much with global warming.
Certainly on current fr always change tyres well before legal limit as noticeable difference in wet and cold.

 

[Deadly Ferret]

The rate I get through tyres... one set a year or every 10k miles having a winter set is no hardship.