Poll -Owners ages & a question

[Sootchucker]

I know this has been done before, but bear with me.

As you may have seen from my signature I own a MK7.5 GTI, and it is a car that I do love driving and still think it looks very nice and modern against it's peers. However, I was speaking to my brother (who's 2 years older than me) the other day, and he said as nice as the GTI was, at "my age" he just couldn't see himself driving round in a young person's "boy racer" car.

Now of course everyone is entitled to his (or her) own opinion, but it did get me thinking if I should be in a more "grown up" car, so started browsing at other potential cars that not only look nice, but perhaps suit my age better (so Range Rover Sport, Audi A5, Jaguar E-Pace, Merc C class, BMW 3 series etc.). Problem is, 1) they all cost a small fortune and 2) there's only the wife and I (and occasionally 2 dogs) in the car, so a Golf sized car has always suited.

It brought me round full circle thinking that for our current needs, the GTI is the right size, looks good, pretty economical for it's genre, it's very well equipped (especially with mine being highly spec'd) and most importantly is paid for, but perhaps does make this overweight, greying 57 year old perhaps look like he's trying to cling onto his youth.

Therefore do any more "mature" drivers on here ever think that, or is it a case of "sod it" I'll drive what I want for as long as I want ? Just interested in your views really. Can a performance Golf really transcend age and not look out of place for anyone, or are they really a young persons' car ?

[Watts]

It's not something that's ever bothered me, I buy what I like and that I can afford. Maybe your brother is jealous?

Also not sure that many boy racers could afford and insure a GTI?

[pixelcellar]

Lol, I just turned 44 and couldn't give a monkeys what anyone else thinks! I only managed to get a car I truly wanted back in 2017 when I got a Polo GTi, would have had a Golf then but was too expensive and have only really scraped it now because the new mk8 is or was coming out making them old hat. Personally I love the mk7.5's shape etc, yes it could be perceived as a bit boy racery/mid-life crisis'y but who cares, if you don't that's all that matters :-)

[N14ll]

This exact thought crossed my mind when buying my GTI for one brief second, but it’s one of the reasons I did go for the golf. It’s the one car in this class that doesn’t look like a boy racer toy. Yes you can add loads of OTT stick on parts, really loud exhausts etc if that’s your thing but as it is the GTI fits in anywhere, has plenty of power for everyday driving & plenty of potential for upgrades and has a decent amount of usable space. 90% of the time it’s just me in the car or else my better half so I don’t need loads of space either.

Plenty of people have stopped me & asked about the car or admired it since getting it and it’s not one group it a mix of everyone from people in their 20s, 30s, 40s (like myself) & older. It people who drive much more expensive exotic cars than mine to everyday car drivers. It would appear that the car and maybe the GTI badge in particular appeals to all ages & classes.

[RM]

I understand that view for a lot of hot hatches, which have become increasingly pre-modified in their appearance. But in standard trim the GTi is just a Golf to the uneducated, or those who just see it as a car. There aren’t many stuck on bits, shiny things, large spoilers, OTT lights, etc. It’s a Golf... mostly.

The other thing to consider is every type of car has a reputation in some people’s eyes. Taking your examples, a Range Rover or any other SUV is an unnecessarily large fashion symbol that will never go off road; an Audi A4 or C Class is a cocks company car drive by people in sh!t suits... I’m not saying these are my opinions, rather that people have opinions about everything.

The only opinion that matters is yours and how you feel. We all have an internal desired self-image and our own opinions, we can’t change other people’s.
This is in part an age thing too. The older you get the less you feel obliged to spend your money for everyone else’s benefit or acceptance. You also realise that for the most part, nobody cares.

[Sootchucker]

haha, interesting guys, but apart from pixelcellar, knowing your age would also help understanding your POV 

[ar899]

I'm kinda in the same boat (52) and I'm leasing while my search for the 'perfect car' goes on (it doesn't exist by the way...).  I've concluded that a hatch is best suited to my needs (as opposed to a 3 series/A4 type) and when you start looking for a comfortable, premium, well equipped, relatively quick hatch, you inevitably end up with a 'hot' one.

I don't necessarily need 245 bhp (or thereabouts), but looking at petrol engines in the new hatches currently around there seems to be a gap between 150 bhp (3 or 4 cylinders) and 250+ bhp. Only the A Class has anything in between and I don't like it. If Audi produce the A3 with a 40 TFSI or BMW a 120i, I might be interested.

Back to age, there is white haired bloke at the end of the street (must be in 70s) who drives a TT and a bloke in his 60s in next street driving a GTI. Whatever takes your fancy, I say and don't worry about what anyone thinks.

[Talk-torque]

There are a lot of folk about who I describe as practicing to be old. You can adopt pipe and slippers stuff  any time in your life, but it’s not a legal requirement. I love my GTI, which does everything we need on the practical side, with a bit of style and panache. My wife has a Fabia estate, which saves taking the GTI on the tip run and I also have a supercharged VX220, which I fettle, and me and my son track.

Oh, and I’m 70. 😉

[Philip]

I’m within touching distance of the big five-o and to me the GTI is the one performance hatch that transcends all ages and classes. 

It’s subtle, perhaps slightly less so in TCR guise but still not Type R shouty, but respectfully quick, quiet and cosseting and so perfectly suited to every use I want it for whether that’s my morning commute of < 2 miles or our frequent (at least they were…) 330 mile round trips to the east coast from the Midlands.

Having come from a C63 Coupe in to my first Mk 7 GTI, and prior to the C63 owning a Lexus ISF followed by a BMW M6, I’ve done the what are perceived as grown up toys bit and then, well, actually grown up and worked out that while 500 bhp is fun for about 0.01% of my driving time 8-16 mpg isn’t and the GTI is the perfect tool for the other 99.99%.

[Adam T7]

I’m 56 and moved over from a Discovery 4 - thought on age and suitability never crossed my mind.
My BiL who is just over 60 is desperate for one and he’s a very respectable retired Police Inspector.
All my mates are my age and drive a variety of cars from Mercedes S class downwards and nobody has made a negative comment.
I guess if you were to lower it, put a stupid exhaust on it with wheels that rub the bodywork and drive around with the seat back horizontal he may have a point, but otherwise, I wouldn’t give a hoot.