"Houston we have a problem"

[mcmaddy]

Getting a bit sick and tired of people always assuming your buying diesel due to company car costs. For me it's purely down to the fact a gtd is cheaper to run than a gti. all this tosh about the gti being a true drivers car and gtd owners will miss out on the driving experience, what a load of old s4it. The gti will be a great car but so will the gtd in entirely different pleasurable ways.

Just stated in recent post that prefer the GTD inside and out for styling the only red I would maybe miss is on the grill. And as drive a 170BHP presently know the performance potential of a 184BHP being in exact same suit as the GTI - The torque never ceases to thrill me as power is delivered.

Think the biggest issue is one letter I as GTI is such an iconic name to point to it infects the mind! - If get beyond that the GTD in regular day to day use will be an immense car to drive - Look at latest reviews just posted in GTD as think they get the GTD fully.

I think those of us in 170BHP have a huge advantage as we know what is coming + more in performance in combo with the new MK7 improvements for GTI

 

[monkeyhanger]

GTI forum

Don't see diesel cars on other comparable hot hatch forums?

VW Golf R

Ford RS or ST

Vauxhall VXR

Renault RS

Just saying................

That's because their hottest diesels in the range aren't anywhere near as hot as a GTD. What's the hottest Ford diesel? Vauxhall comes closest to it's closest to it's petrol stablemate with the biturbo CDTI - and that isn't equipped to the same spec as a VXR.

[mike.]

The torque argument doesn't really apply now with modern turbo petrol engines, the torque output is now pretty much the same as the diesels.

The new MK7 GTI has the same torque output as the MK6 GTD except in the GTI it comes in 500 RPM earlier.
I always found the low down pull in the diesel lacking until the turbo came on.

That's what I like about the GTI, it is so flexible in any gear, you can pootle along at 30mph in sixth and it will pull all the way to 150 

If you are only doing 10-12K a year it's a no brainer, GTI FTW

[matchboy]

Those pics made me 

Btw, if you're only doing 10k miles you need to take into account the air particulate thingy on diesels - which will need replacing and is expensive.

[p3asa]

Btw, if you're only doing 10k miles you need to take into account the air particulate thingy on diesels - which will need replacing and is expensive.

That's true but that's if he's only doing short trips as opposed to low annual miles.
Although in saying that I only every do relatively short trips and never had any bother with the DPF in 5 years of derv ownership.

[monkeyhanger]

Those pics made me 

Btw, if you're only doing 10k miles you need to take into account the air particulate thingy on diesels - which will need replacing and is expensive.

They're good for upwards of 150k miles on the 170TDI unit before they fill. Take into account 20% economy gains for the GTD and they should be good for 180k miles. Anyone who does less than 8 miles per trip on average is asking for trouble with a DPF equipped diesel, but on my 12 mile commute plus leisure miles I have never had regen issues with a TDI, save for teething troubles on the original 170 PD unit in my MK5 Golf prior to warranty remap. Someone on another forum is whining about constant DPF regens and poor economy in his MK7 1.6TDI, yet does lots of 4 mile trips - no surprise there.

[Pacman_GTI]

For me, another key factor for choosing a GTI over a GTD has to be the engine note. I'm afraid no diesel (even the winning Audi R18 at Le Mans) has yet come close to replicating the fantastic sound of a high-revving petrol engine 

[Hawaii-Five-O]

Hey Chaps,

Just reading through your feedback. Sheesh! What a polarising effect this is having

Thanks.... I think you're helping

I really, really don't want this to turn into a Derv vs Petrol debate, that's not what I intended.

Let me be clear, right from the outset I love the GTD package. Period. VW have brought it so close to the GTI in terms of styling that they are almost as one.

As I said I've always longed for a GTI, that might be silly but its true. So, after what happened today my head is all over the shop. My heart says GTI but then my head says stick with the GTD.

Gonna have to sleep on this one and contact my dealer early tomorrow morning to see if he'll even get close to the discount he gave me on the GTD.

You know what curiosity did to the cat Why oh why oh why did I go into the dealers today?

[monkeyhanger]

If you are only doing 10-12K a year it's a no brainer, GTI FTW

I'd strongly disagree with that statement - 20% lower 3 year running costs with even only 10k miles pa (depreciation, fuel, tax, initial purchase), for essentially the same car is not to be sniffed at. Only noticeable losses in comparison are off the line initial pace (my boy racer traffic light duelling days are long behind me) and subtle styling differences which are debateable as to preference. In the legal(ish) overtaking range of 40-80mph there won't be a hell of a lot between the 2 cars, especially on an incline.

For me, a grand a year would be better spent elsewhere for the negligible shortfalls of GTD vs GTI. If the GTI was a real cut above in visuals and equipment, i'd probably pay the extra and get the GTI, but there really is little in it everyday unless you need the red embellishments everywhere to remind yourself you are in a GTI (unless you still enjoy eyeballing that Fiesta ST at the lights and then screaming away when they turn green).

[monkeyhanger]

Hawaii: Your predicament is quite interesting in that you aren't strongly aligned with either petrol or diesel. For someone who doesn't drive a high output diesel, I can see how they could keep dissing the GTD, if their last memory of diesel was that sh!tty 90bhp astra diesel they rented on holiday 10 years ago.

It all depends on what you'd rather be doing with that extra grand a year the GTI will cost you. If you are one of those people who worship their car and clean it 3 times a week then it could be money well spent. For me, the only golf i'd rather have than a GTD would be a biturbo 225ps beast that still did 60mpg and held it's value as well as a GTD.

How much do you obsess over your car? If the answer is "a lot" then go for the GTI.

As much as I like the Golf, there are other cars I like as much that I would not buy because they don't seem good value for money due to their poor residuals. The choice for me comes down to the GTD being better value for money - just me being very sensible with my money (not so sensible I eant to drive a £6k Peugeot 107 - I want to have some fun and refinement!).