Haldex vs Weight

[Baka]

Hi ya, what are peoples thoughts on whether Haldex is literally worth it's own weight, at lower states of tune?

I think a 3dr FWD is about 1300kg and a Sportsback Quattro (much more common than 3dr) is about 1450kg.

If I can resist the S3 (must resist!), I'll get a A3 2.0TFSI.

I'd imagine it'll end up with a Down pipe, HPFP and a visit to R-Tech. So I'm guessing 270hp? and a nice torque curve.

If this was your car, would you bother with Haldex?

Thanks!

 

[S3Alex]

Yes totally.

Haldex changes the balance and feel of the car and improves traction etc etc.

All round worthwhile

 

[SootySport]

I'd be asking myself-
Will I be using all the performance a good deal of the time?
Will I be adding more and more power? in which case 2wd. will be struggling for traction.
Do I live in a rural or north of the border area where snow, ice and loads of rain are prevalent?
Do I need to drive on wet grass towing a trailer?
If yes to one of them, then a Quattro version is what I need, in my case the third reason.

Don't forget you can also buy an A3 Quattro version.

 

[Baka]

Thanks guys good points and a definitive yes to the first two questions.

 

[nluk100]

Hi ya, what are peoples thoughts on whether Haldex is literally worth it's own weight, at lower states of tune?

I think a 3dr FWD is about 1300kg and a Sportsback Quattro (much more common than 3dr) is about 1450kg.

If I can resist the S3 (must resist!), I'll get a A3 2.0TFSI.

I'd imagine it'll end up with a Down pipe, HPFP and a visit to R-Tech. So I'm guessing 270hp? and a nice torque curve.

If this was your car, would you bother with Haldex?

Thanks!

I read that the FWD 2.0tfsi A3 8P was around 1400kgs, so not that much difference, and as said above the benefits far outweigh the additional weight, especially when its wet.

The K03 turbo spins up nice and early (earlier than a diesel) so it is prone to break traction.

 

[grainqey]

To answer your question i'd say that about that stage of tune is around the cross over point between going FWD or Quattro.
From memory mine is supposed to be 1370kg with DSG, also the K04 has seemed better for driving in the wet as it seems to spool up slightly later than the K03 but that'd be above where you're talking about going. In mine it can and does get a bit mental in the wet!

I think it's more about personal choice, if you needed it to be good in the wet and setting off with above standard power i'd say to go Quattro but I'd go torsen diff Quattro rather than haldex but that's me - It's a lot more interesting with FWD and feels faster based on my experience of the Volvo S60's vs the S60R's but if you're at S3Alex's power then I don't think it'd be very driveable with FWD only! I chose FWD and DSG because of my circumstances needing an auto and finding the AWD a bit boring in comparison from the Volvos.

If I was doing trackdays then i'd rather have fwd as it's better power to weight ratio and you don't really do 0-60 so setting off grip isn't that important - you could argue the haldex will give you better balance with the driven wheels but this depends on what haldex controller you're using which was why I said I'd rather have a torsen diff instead so it's always there - if you had more power then you wouldn't need to worry about the added weight haha!

If you're looking at spending more for a Quattro sportback then why not get an S3? it's got better brakes all round as standard, stronger engine to begin with, better fuel pump as standard, bigger turbo as standard

 

[S3Alex]

I agree.

You can easily put 300bhp through the front wheels and get good traction,but it costs money to do so.....good suspension,and above all a decent front diff,which our cars(even the S3) don't have.
An LSD like the Quaife or similar will help that,but above that sort of power level,you're going to have problems getting the power down.

4WD systems(even the Haldex!) make that a lot easier,and take a lot of the drama out of things.

 

[nluk100]

I found FWD and DSG to be the worst combination as if you want a quick getaway you have to wait for the power to come in (no clutch to drop on DSG) then it would just spin the front wheels and the TC/ESP would either kick in or give up and it was quite a handful pulling out with some lock on. I had a stage 2+ Ed30 Golf, so not quite the same as a K03 A3 TFSI.

 

[S3Alex]

I found FWD and DSG to be the worst combination as if you want a quick getaway you have to wait for the power to come in (no clutch to drop on DSG) then it would just spin the front wheels and the TC/ESP would either kick in or give up and it was quite a handful pulling out with some lock on. I had a stage 2+ Ed30 Golf, so not quite the same as a K03 A3 TFSI.

I think this fits well with what I said above.

The open front diff is a waste of time for this sort of thing,and the TC is counterproductive in many ways with braking a slipping wheel etc etc.

A Quaife diff will deal with much of that but costs around £800,and as a bonus it will fight with the TC.

 

[grainqey]

^^ Which is why I've not gone for an LSD at this point lol, I like the farting

Unfortunately for me It was either slush puppy box and try and stir some gears or DSG - logic dictated I went for the DSG but I have to concede that the DSG isn't perfect but does a good job, though not like a proper clutch pedal can - the LC is hopeless as my dodgy leg has more control and it's slow to pick the clutch up after letting go of the brake (which isn't helped with you counter productively applying more throttle so when it does pick the clutch up you end up with too much throttle - which when not used to it you lift and to exaggerate, head butt the windscreen)

It's not bad at all once you're used to it and you can pull out into quite short gaps but doesn't work in the wet!

 

[Baka]

Thanks guys, I can see me permanently looking at a flashing yellow light and going nowhere if I get a FWD. The amount of torque a tuned k03 can crap out at 2000rpm is impressive.

That and I say I'll stop at a downpipe and HPFP, but, I suspect about 6 months after that the itch will come back..

I'd love an S3 but a decent one would involve literally emptying my bank account, so unless they drop a couple of grand in the next few months it'll definitely be a A3 Quattro.

 

[kash_v]

@Baka hold out for a s3, they are dropping.

 

[Sherv]

I have an A3 Quattro remapped to 202bhp & 460nm torque, loving it!!! Unreal in the wet (stay in Scotland), will never go back to a FWD or RWD car.

 

[Baka]

@Sherv If it can cope with 460nm and Scottish weather I'm sold.

@kash_v Thanks, I'm tempted to wait till the new year to see if S3 prices come down a bit.