Poll -Owners ages & a question

[dubber36]

The subtlety of the Golf GTI has always meant it fits in with everyone, everywhere.

I'm 50, and have a Tig and Transporter Caravelle as main cars. Probably the sort of vehicles that I'm expected to have, but they are simply what I want to do the jobs I want them to. I've got no use for a new GTI, but if I did, would most probably have one... but un-modified.

I also have a Mk2 Golf GTI 16V, which could be seen as waaaaaaay more boy racerish that your Mk7's, but generally gets the approving nods from those who know.

[Gulfstream11]

57 and on my 5th GTI a 6th on the cards soon. I always thought the Golf regardless of varient was classless and never regarding it as ageist..

[Jim_mk7.5]

Would have been much more fun for us all to guess other forum member's ages....!!

I got my first Mk7.5 in 2017 when I was still 38 and had 3 years in GTIs. Obviously gone sensible and gone over to the other side now I'm in my 40s 

Personally think the GTI suits all ages. I see loads of people on Instagram in their early 20s with GTIs (and heavily modded ones at that) so don't think it matters. A guy pulled up next to me a few weeks ago in Tesco in a 68 plate 245 GTI and we got chatting and he had loads of Golfs. He was in his mid-50s. Think the forums tend to attract drivers over 30 looking for advice etc rather than the younger ones.

[SRGTD]

I’m retired and have no problem driving a Polo GTI - a car that IMO will certainly have more of a reputation of being a young person’s car than the Golf GTI has.

Many of the ‘hot hatch‘ forums have a ‘how old are owners?’ discussion thread, and the age profile of forum members driving performance hatches covers a very wide range. I sometimes visit the Fiesta ST forum (no, I’m not a member, and I won’t be buying a Fiesta ST!) and there are quite a few mature owners on that forum of a car that’s undoubtedly considered to be a boy racer car.

IMO age is just a number, and if you want to drive a performance hatch that’s your choice. It’s your money you spend to buy the car of your choice, so you shouldn’t be put off by other’s comments.

I may be changing my car sometime in the next 12 months and any new replacement will be another performance hatch - probably from the VW stable.

[Sootchucker]

That's really interesting guys, and to put things in perspective, despite what my bro' said, I have no intentions of getting rid of the GTI anytime soon. I think looking around is sometimes healthy as it makes you respect more what you already have.

TBH, asides from the shockingly high prices of the "other cars", and obviously the difference in size and shape, the one thing that crossed my mind what how little i'm actually missing out on. Sure there are some more modern bells and whistles on some newer cars and better connectivity, but overall, i was actually surprised at how little car engineering has actually moved on in the last 5-6 years (at least for internal combustion engine cars). Like I say, a lot I looked at have swisher toys, but nothing earth shattering (for the main). Coupled with that i still think the MK7.5 (and indeed the MK7), still looks very modern - don't even get me started on the MK8 

Also interesting to hear some ages as well. Some didn't surprise me, but some really did - thought I was the only old bugger on these forums !

[Carbon VW]

I'm 35 and bought the MK7 GTi new when I was 28. Ive driven nothing but GTI's since passing my test.I do all my experimenting with the "family car". As others have already said, I think the GTi transcends the age bracket a lot of cars suffer from. However, I must admit the power is lost on some of the "seasoned" owners who wouldnt notice if it actually had the smaller petrol VAG unit under the bonnet.

[dervy]

I’m 59 and after having two “sensible” GTDs I bought a 7.5 R in 2017. In lapiz blue, black prets and door mirrors - and 90% tints. A much younger neighbour calls it my “rappers stealth wagon” - probably because my music was too loud! I still love the pops and bangs and the idea of 310bhp. Life is too short to drive a Kia with a trilby and tissue box on the rear parcel shelf, think I’ll get an RS3 next year😀

[pixelcellar]

Life is too short to drive a Kia with a trilby and tissue box on the rear parcel shelf, think I’ll get an RS3 next year😀

Love it, age is but a number for sure, do what you want to do, sod other people's opinions as to whether you're too old/young for that!

[fredgroves]

I think what you are seeing here is that with a Mk7/7.5 certainly up until recently, the crowd here were people who could afford a moderately pricey new/nearly new car.

Those tend to be a certain age.

If you looked at who owned a Mk5 or Mk6 GTI on here, you'd find a different demographic.

This has always been a pretty conservative (with a small c) forum in my opinion, when people have asked about "i want a very loud exhaust" or "has anyone fitted a whale tail spoiler?" they tended to be gently advised we aren't hooligans.... well, most of us aren't hooligans ;-)

For the record, I am fifty something ...I always thought i was old vs you lot, seems I'm just a yoof 

And maybe nobody is a boy racer with a GTD 

[Vaporise]

I'm 33, on my second GTI (they're very addictive...). Never had GTIs down as classic boy racer type hot hatches, in my opinion that would be Civic Type Rs, Saxo VTRs, 5GT Turbos (that's going back a bit!). I like the subtlety of how the GTI has evolved, absolutely the best all rounder I think. Have you seen the current gen Civic Type R?!