Power Steering - Is It Worth It?

[Joshy 0]

An odd question I know, and it'll probably start a fight but I'll give it a go.

 

At the moment I can currently putting together a wishlist of stuff that I want to do with my GTI, and I cannot quite be sure if power steering should make an appearance or not. The problem I face is that I have to use my car as my only means of transport around London, and I'm going to be completely honest a lot of time it is not a fun experience. You do have to do tight manoeuvres, park in tight spaces, etc, and I have found that not having PAS can be a bit of a chore. Granted I've never owned a car with PAS before, but it does seem like a nice thought of being able to turn the wheel lock to lock using one hand with ease, rather than the frantic push and pull method I adopt driving now .

 

The only issue is that my car has to perform on the track fairly decently as well and I am slightly worried about converting to PAS and ending up with a car that is completely numb in the steering? It is more "my toy" than "my means of transport".

 

So, PAS - Is it worth it (baring in mind the probable amounts of pain I'm likely to go through rigging up a system that works on a GTI6 car)?

 

Would it be worth me looking into a shorter (VTS) rack to aid with my manoeuvring?

 

Thoughts?

 

Thanks

[Simes 248 2 Cars]

Assisted steering in a 205 isn`t essential however you don`t loose much feeling.

My old 205 used a PAS rack without the assistance and it was fine around London, the only time it got annoying was parallel parking.

My non PAS rack is fine around town, in fact much nicer.

Edited February 26, 2010 by Simes

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

Power steering is great, Thou the 205 system will never be one handed,

For ease stick to the std P/S rack (More common), Allmost all my car's have power steering bar my Phase 1's and wouldn;t have them without now

[Jrod 7]

I was a strong believer that PAS just robbed feel from the 205, that was until I owned one with it.

 

All it does it makes it easier to live with.

[monkee87 2]

I've got a GTi with power steering. I've never driven one without, but my mum struggles with her CTi that doesn't have it.

You definitely can't turn the wheel with one hand in a 205 with power steering, just makes the steering nicer when you are parking and stuff. For some reason it's not like modern cars which have ridiculously light power steering...

 

Robb.

[Joshy 0]

This is just the sort of thing I wanted to hear!

 

So in your lots opinion the Power Steering in no way takes away any of that 205 "experience", even when you've driving enthusiastically? Sounds ideal for what I'm after TBH. I COULD put up with the manual steering if PAS was going to remove the "fun" from the car, or if the conversion was more work than it was worth, by from reading this it might be a decent idea.

[Daviewonder 533 3 Cars]

One of my 205 gti's has power steering and it doesnt take away anything from the driving experence, I still end up grinning like an idiot on every journey

[davey205 7 1 Cars]

My old laser had powersteering and i didn't even know !

I just thought it seemed a bit heavy after coming from a modern Saxo with PAS.

[boombang 2]

Love this forum, the way that something is universally frowned upon one week & then loved the next.

 

So up with:

PAS

14" 1.6 rims

sympathetic mods & modernising

 

And down with:

309 rear beams

309 front ARB

Changing ph 1 for ph 2 trim (keep it grey and orange!)

Gti-6 brakes

Mintex pads

[matthewm 1]

Echo whats already been said - dont think you can go wrong with PAS - excellent addition to my road rally car and wouldn't go without it.

[Cameron 16]

Yep, pretty essential if like me you have spindly arms and a Xsara VTS rack.

 

My GTi6 rack on non-PAS is a bloody nightmare at low speeds, and it loads up really quickly in the corners too.

[Jrod 7]

Love this forum, the way that something is universally frowned upon one week & then loved the next.

 

So up with:

PAS

14" 1.6 rims

sympathetic mods & modernising

 

And down with:

309 rear beams

309 front ARB

Changing ph 1 for ph 2 trim (keep it grey and orange!)

Gti-6 brakes

Mintex pads

 

 

I understand what you mean but...

 

1.6 rims still look awful

Some of the modernising ideas people have come up with are retarded, buy a focus

309 beams depends on how you like your car

309 front ARB has always been a stupid idea unless you have a rear setup to match

Trim is down to personal taste, I prefer ph2 rear lights but will keep mine standard as its more '80s'

Gti-6 brakes are heavy but work well, I taking mine off in a rush as the unsprung weight doesnt bother me

Mintex pads are still good

[damien 22 1 Cars]

after driving my sisters 1.6 without powersteering i dont think i could live without it, ok down the motorway you never noticed and a sprintted drive but when it came to parking i missed it so much.

[happygoron 2]

I don't have PS and I have never missed it at all until now! Sprained my wrist mountain biking last week and can barely drive it!

 

However when I'm fighting fit parking is finr and I'm not exactly stacked! Plus it's one more thing to break on the damn things!

[Daviewonder 533 3 Cars]

Love this forum, the way that something is universally frowned upon one week & then loved the next.

 

So up with:

PAS

14" 1.6 rims

sympathetic mods & modernising

 

And down with:

309 rear beams

309 front ARB

Changing ph 1 for ph 2 trim (keep it grey and orange!)

Gti-6 brakes

Mintex pads

 

 

I think this would make a great monthly feature, "Boombangs up with down with"

[shalmaneser 26]

Meh I like my power steering. Although it's leaking at the moment...

[JackTar 0]

I'm going to have to go down the PS route. I've had two GTis before without PS and didn't really notice how heavy the steering was. Then I bought a Land Rover and then a Fiat 500 with mega-lite steering. Then the CTi came along and blimey what a difference. So the manual rack must go, if only to appease the missus as she thinks driving the CTi is like driving a truck. It's a nightmare to fit though - I'm trying to put it off until next year!!

[CaptainK 11]

Power steering in a a 205? Meh! Man up, grow some arms and love the NON-PAS . I'm a weedy skinnyish guy (the kind that got picked on at skool) and I have a 1.9 (now GTi6) 205 GTi and have had it for 10 years now. I love the NON-PAS in it and its a hoot to drive. Parking isn't a problem at all and I have on street parking at my current place and I'm constantly parallel parking into tiny gaps with no worries.

 

My sister (who is a tiny tiny little lady) has a non-pas 106 1.4 XT and says my 205 GTi's non-pas steering is not much heavier than her cars and she can park my 205 quite easily on her own with no problems. So if she can do, then you chaps should easily be able to handle it.

[brumster 135 1 Cars]

Sticky Dunlops, tight plate diff, PTS quick rack and aggressive suspension mean if I were to attempt to drive mine at speed without power steering, I would very much likely end up in a hedge/ditch OR suffer from arm fractures and broken thumbs after about 10 minutes

 

Thankfully 205 power steering is nothing like modern systems like in the normal day-to-day driver; no feel, just lightness-above-all-else. Hyuuk, horrible.

 

edit: or, as captaink said above, it might just be that I'm a complete pussy. It's probably true

Edited March 8, 2010 by brumster

[richsmells 2]

205 power steering is a bit crap, but that's what makes it good. The couple i've driven I barely noticed it until trying to park. I'm starting to worry the 306 has turned me into a fairy.

 

As said above, it takes nothing away, just makes it easier to live with. No PAS keeps the girlfriend away though

Edited March 8, 2010 by richsmells

[kilauea 7]

Had one with, got one without. I hardly notice the difference, not at all when up at speed. I certainly wouldn't be arsed to retro fit it.

 

Those who couldn't do without should perhaps invest in some free weights...

[Bassman 1]

I have PAS fitted to mine and the steering is definitely not light! I have wondered if it was working at all and had noticed a small leak, but reading other posts it does sound like it only makes a small difference.

 

Definitely can't park the car one handed as others have said.