Thanks everyone - Good comments for the melting pot.
Mine is company lease and though was hugely tempted to purchase this time around it will just be little too much in costs and has unfortunately been a magnet for rear end and door damage and front bumper scrape - none my fault, all repaired and all cosmetic opposed to anything structural - Do take care of my cars and do not drive like a madman and so at 22,000 miles it will be a well run in and mechanically sound. (actual changeover is on October so expect that to be 28,000)
But have decided to just changeover this time around as its a no worry package where everything is catered for aside from the fuel,
Though the GTI is a little more frugal, fuel and cost is not a consideration really as given my demographic of mixed driving I manage 27-28 MPG as an average and where used to put about £110 a month in my GTD its circa £160 -180 in the R and one tank extra for all the R gives you is an ok trade off.
Always been manual, but the GTD converted me and doubt ever go back from DSG.
Quite like the two prominent exhaust of the GTI - The R obviously work on more is better philosophy but its not a huge difference maker for me and given how much soot are on mine at moment its hard to make out any of them!
My driving style is that am happy to cruise around with everyone else when have to in the commute and local traffic and in comfort so do not race about and am quite relaxed and love that the Golf Performance cars have this ability - What do like is the ability to getaway into the flow of traffic quickly and also have the ability to accelerate in traffic to re position myself quickly and the R is rapid in these moments.
Think the GTI will do all of this and very well in the dry but the damp/wet is my concern and the tramping.
Would refer to my GTD as comparison, but realise the engine weight and set up is different from the GTI and that the GTI is lighter on its toes
Also understand the comment on the GTI feeling lighter to drive and maybe there is a better driver feel when pushing it along as the R is extremely planted and goes around bends as one solid entity - There is definitely less lightness/feeling than the other FWD driven and the previous GTD
There is a delay on when the R responds, and many have pedal boxes - but have to keep mine stock and you do get used to your point of acceleration on the pedal and so its not something thats an issue as you intuitively hit the sweet spot to get away quickly - but presume from the comments the GTI responds much quicker and there is not as much need for a pedal box
Love the Pretoria on the R, makes the car but not as sold on the 19" options on the GTI and hence likely stay stock on the GTI
Prefer the interior of the GTI and even with standard seats but maybe more so with the art velour, so one thing sure of the cockpit experience will be good.
Think the GTI really won with the DRL style change as stripe looks perfectly blended now and also the uplift to twin DRL - Like the R also so its not an area of any real worry on selecting the GTI
There is of course the iconic nature of the GTI, to this day the less informed have no idea what an R is and it plays up to that stealth status perfectly, but everyone knows and recognises the GTI and that red stripe - So it might be nice to complete the set of having driving all three of the range
If i was to option the GTI up in price to close to the R I may as well stay with the R so the sway would be a significant cash save but convinced myself not lost too much in selecting the GTI this time around
as rightly stated there is worst choices to have and appreciate that completely, none of us would be unhappy with any of the range if given to us and its because it we like to work into the details that these forums exist
Definitely going to request a GTI test drive this time around straight after getting out of the R so will let you know what feel soon after - thanks for comments more useful than think and appreciated.
