Test drives (sorry if it's a bit long)

[Jeff Wood]

The Golf GTI has a got a wonderful smooth engine, and yes it's well worth the extra cost in fuel, which isnt much anyway. I've not noticed much different between the Golf and my previous car (leon FR TDI). I think its we do mostly town driving, short journeys, and the GTI warms up quicker than a diesel . (all cars are bad on fuel when the engine is cold).


Btw, I bought via Car wow, and Peter Cooper was the cheapest, so i drive 250 miles or so to collect my car.
I honestly dont think its worth buying nearly new, better to buy new.

[fredgroves]

I'm a long term oil burner with my current and previous cars being Mk7/7.5 GTD's.

My family have/had various petrol cars and despite some of them having been actually as fast (we've done a few "closed road" tests) the GTD's power delivery is very different to a petrol car of similar power.

I think what you are seeing is a combination of that difference combined with the different experience of a powerful petrol turbo with a DSG box - its definitely going to feel different.

Is it bad different? Absolutely not. But it is different. I suspect you'd get used to it after a few weeks.

I really thought long and hard about my Mk7.5 GTD, but still ended up with one instead of the GTI DSG I considered.

Would I do that now again? I think probably I am further down the line towards the GTI now - definitely in 2 years time I think it would be a GTI.

I hate the stupid demonization of diesel though. A Euro6 oil burner is arguably cleaner than even pre-Euro6 petrol cars. Its utterly stupid and will set us back years against Co2 targets. The problem of reducing Co2 is still with us, it hasn't gone away...

[Ikura]

Thanks again for the feedback guys. We have made enquiries about leasing a GTD DSG but unless something radical happens in the next few weeks and the lead times are drastically reduced we will not get one before the lease on our GTD expires. Peter Cooper leasing have said they will stand the cost of the MOT and any work required on our GTD if a replacement car is not available in time, which is good of them and they didn't have to do that. Hats off to them, and that gesture has taken the urgency out of the situation.
Having received some leasing figures on both the Mk7.5 GTD and GTi (standard) they are way above what we currently pay so it actually makes no difference over a 6 year period whether we buy or lease. We would have a few grand in either car as residual value on a purchace but not sure what a 6 year old GTD or GTi would be worth with around 50,000 on the clock.
We really look after our lease cars so any car we had to sell would be in top condition. If anyone has any thoughts on this we will be very pleased to hear them.
Right now I am undecided about buying a Golf GTi DSG but if we did it would be the GTi Performance. As Fred said, we may have to just accept it's a bit different and get used to it.

[mcmaddy]

If you are factory ordering for a GTi you can only order the pp.

[Silvadadi]

Can't PM you - I popped into PC weekend before this one just gone for a test drive of an R and GTi and was told they had neither.  Like you I'm facing the dilemma of choosing what to go for next after 4 yrs GTD ownership but it looks like it will be a switch back to petrol. After considering deals on DTD for Mercedes GLCs I'm looking at popping in there tomorrow to place an order but would like a test drive before I did.  Care to mention who you dealt with?

[Jeff Wood]

I dealt with Nick..great guy..

[Ikura]

After taking advice here we have been out and test driven a couple more GTi's and then a Golf R, which could prove to be a huge mistake and very costly. The Golf R is just stunning to drive and is the very best VW I have ever driven.

I think the problem with the first GTi we drove was it wasn't set up properly. I checked and it was in sport mode and it was a harder ride than our GTD. On the new GTi's I set them both to normal and flipped in and out of sport mode as and when I wanted. It was a nicer ride all round and without a doubt we both likes the Performance GTi the best.

Then we drove the Golf R and oh my, what a lovely car. We are going to do our sums but the R isn't all that more money than the GTi PP but both cars are superb. We have also realised that the GTi and R would be a huge step change from the GTD, and you only get to live once.

I'm at that age where I have done my grafting, have my own business and can pretty much choose how much I work and what projects I take on. While money isn't unlimited we are fairly comfortable and maybe this is the time when we should splash out and have the car we really want rather than just playing safe?

[Exonian]

After taking advice here we have been out and test driven a couple more GTi's and then a Golf R, which could prove to be a huge mistake and very costly. The Golf R is just stunning to drive and is the very best VW I have ever driven.

I think the problem with the first GTi we drove was it wasn't set up properly. I checked and it was in sport mode and it was a harder ride than our GTD. On the new GTi's I set them both to normal and flipped in and out of sport mode as and when I wanted. It was a nicer ride all round and without a doubt we both likes the Performance GTi the best.

Then we drove the Golf R and oh my, what a lovely car. We are going to do our sums but the R isn't all that more money than the GTi PP but both cars are superb. We have also realised that the GTi and R would be a huge step change from the GTD, and you only get to live once.

I'm at that age where I have done my grafting, have my own business and can pretty much choose how much I work and what projects I take on. While money isn't unlimited we are fairly comfortable and maybe this is the time when we should splash out and have the car we really want rather than just playing safe?

If you prefer the R then why compromise if you don’t have to?

What colour and spec are you going for?

[Watts]

While money isn't unlimited we are fairly comfortable and maybe this is the time when we should splash out and have the car we really want rather than just playing safe?

Absolutely. A GTD, GTI and an R are not budget choices, they are all 'wants'. As such, you have already made the leap from just buying a car to buying what you like. You say you can afford them so why wouldn't you spend a bit extra and get the one that does it for you? Life definitely is too short and can tick along at a fair pace as you get older Splash out and enjoy it!

[mcmaddy]

I test drove both, loved the R but still bought the pp GTi. The extra 100 a month at the time just couldn't be justified. You'll be very happy in either the pp GTi or the R.