Author Topic: GTI Clubsport, Season 2, Episode 1  (Read 12605 times)

Offline fredgroves

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Re: GTI Clubsport, Season 2, Episode 1
« Reply #30 on: 16 March 2021, 19:56 »
Definitely looks like the cubby holes on that one might contain some sort of south American powder...
Current: Mk8 GTI DSG, Adelaides, DCC, HUD, HK, Winter Pack, Rear Camera.. Aka "HMS Weasel"

Gone: 2017 Mk7.5 GTD,manual, NavPro
Gone: 2014 Mk7 GTD, manual, NavPro, DCC

Offline DB99

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Re: GTI Clubsport, Season 2, Episode 1
« Reply #31 on: 27 March 2021, 08:23 »
Thanks for the really detailed review / thoughts Exonian. It’s really good to get insight into how it stacks up against the TCR and M135i. I’m strongly considering moving my 7.5R for this.

Important question though, do you, or does anyone know, can the side decals by removed? I had thought it would be a simple fix with a heat gun but see you mentioned in your initial post that this may be moulded on? Thanks
« Last Edit: 27 March 2021, 09:18 by DB99 »

Offline jaceyboy

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Re: GTI Clubsport, Season 2, Episode 1
« Reply #32 on: 27 March 2021, 09:07 »
Those decals I'm sure can be removed by a hot air gun...I would also get rid if I bought a Clubby

MK7 GTi

Offline DB99

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Re: GTI Clubsport, Season 2, Episode 1
« Reply #33 on: 27 March 2021, 09:20 »
Thanks, I’m hoping that is the case. Can’t say I love them and I would prefer without.

Offline Exonian

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Re: GTI Clubsport, Season 2, Episode 1
« Reply #34 on: 27 March 2021, 11:48 »
Hi and welcome DB.
Is your username your number plate or are you an Aston owner? Or maybe just fond of ice creams... ?  :whistle:  :grin:

I could literally blither on for hours about how different Golfs I’ve owned compare. I’ve not had a 7.5R but did own a 7R for 18 months (four of which I barely used the car so stupidly sold it and immediately regretted the blunder). We live and learn.

The Clubsport is very very good. I’ll do a rare thing and keep this very brief at the risk of boring everyone senseless though. If you’ve got any specifics you’re wondering about then fire away though.

The stickers are an easy peel off. Just a bit of heat and they’ll come away with no issues similar to the TCR chequers.
I’m actually quite fond of the door decals now. They grow on you so don’t be too hasty. They give the car a bit of unique to the spec character but admittedly would tie in much better with the optional Black Pack (or whatever it’ll be called when the option goes live).
The moulded plastic bit is the trailing edge of the plastic bumper canard which leads into the door stripe visually. The door stripes are definitely vinyl though. See the pic on page 1 for the bumper canard moulding.


‘23 8R
Serial white Golf owner


Offline DB99

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Re: GTI Clubsport, Season 2, Episode 1
« Reply #35 on: 27 March 2021, 12:07 »
An Aston fan, but I never say no to an ice cream either  :laugh:

Ive really enjoyed ownership of the R but do fancy a change in the relatively near future. The TCR is probably my favourite MK7 variant so the new CS seems like the closest offering under the MK8 umbrella and from initial reviews seems to offer at least as good, if not marginally better, performance and driving dynamics.

Good to know regarding the stickers. I would likely give it a period of time before removing just to see if I warmed to them before ceramic coating the car.

Offline Exonian

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Re: GTI Clubsport, Season 2, Episode 1
« Reply #36 on: 27 March 2021, 22:31 »
Day to day there is very little in it between mk8 CS and 7.5 TCR as far as driving dynamics and performance goes. It really depends on your preference of looks, cabin and physical availability. 
‘23 8R
Serial white Golf owner


Offline Exonian

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Re: GTI Clubsport, Season 2, Episode 1
« Reply #37 on: 20 June 2021, 15:23 »
Six months have flown by and here we are, back with an incredibly dull running report.

*Touch wood* nothing has properly gone wrong so there’s actually not a lot to report on.
The pings and bongs have lessened over time to almost none until…

… earlier this week I had to visit the solicitors so a trip into the city centre was required. Just a humdrum trip really but worthy of note was that after parking up for an hour or so under a big tree when I restarted the car all of the frontal warning systems, ACC, ESC and god knows what else including front and rear parking sensors simultaneously flashed up as not operating. I turned the engine off and jumped out to see if someone had backed into my front bumper whilst parked, but nada, just a few dozen dead flies and some seagull poop on my bonnet plus a layer of dirt.
On restarting the amber lights had all gone out but they’ve flashed back up once more since then briefly.
No apparent reason why aside from once again the car was parked in the shade at the time. Mk8 characteristic weirdness typified.

Six months ago on the day I picked the car up it was the first time I’d seen a mk8 Clubsport. I’ve still yet to see another.
I’ve only seen one mk8 R which was in a dealer (launch demo car) and only a handful of mk8 GTI’s in dealers but I did actually see one GTI out in the wild. A lady driving it out of Sainsburys car park!
Mk7 R’s were absolutely everywhere in my neck of the woods for the last few years then quite a few 7.5 GTI’s appeared but I’ve barely seen a mk8 generally aside from an R-Line that lives in the house behind me. The base mk8’s still look awkward to me, lots of unfortunate angles where they’ve obviously been chasing aero coefficient figures. Mind you I see loads of ID.3’s and they just look like old fashioned cheese dishes on wheels.

Ok, talking of looks, the exterior of the Clubsport has grown on me. I was one of many that hated the looks of the mk8 in pictures but agreed the sporty ones looked ok in the flesh.
From some angles the car looks great, from others it looks ok and generally it’s a fairly cohesive design using current VW signature styling.
The late mk7’s still knocks spots off the mk8 from any frontal or side angle with the possible exception of the 7(.5)R in my opinion. I parked near a 7.5 GTI and saw an Ed40 Clubsport, both in white, just this past week in Exeter and both just have such impressive frontal architecture compared to the new kid on the block.

I actually quite appreciate the matte grey plastic honeycomb mesh front bumper and side skirt sections from a practical point of view. I’m one of few who appreciate them over a gloss finish because that low down they get peppered with road debris and seem more hardwearing. The glossy front badge has already picked up marks and the rear spoiler section in gloss black is a swirl magnet no matter how gently I wash the car.
I said the car looked plasticky when I first got it. I’ve gotten used to that now and barely notice it.

Inside the car where the big changes lie is probably worth commenting on the most.
I quickly got used to the haptics on the steering wheel but still dislike them, however I think they’ll be fairly ubiquitous across the whole industry soon. Maybe it’s more to do with less physical parts on the vehicles keeping both production costs down and also helping towards carbon neutral goals.
Surprisingly I quite liked the rest of the dash from the off and still do. I’m not impressed by the slabs of gloss plastic around the screens but that seems to be the standard design for new MQB models including the T7.
The sliders under the central screen are a bit rubbish still but I’m used to them and at least I can’t get nervous twitches if my volume knob is fractionally skewed as there’s not one there!

The iPad type icons are just about large enough to be able to lunge at them with an index finger on the fly. Not a great design but just about everyone is familiar with that smartphone type design nowadays so it’s about as user friendly as can be expected with so many different menus and features built into modern cars.

The gear bean is a bit small. I’ve got used to it but would prefer something more lever like.
DSG tends to change up very quickly into off boost gears so snicking that switch back into S mode is usually the easiest way to perform a rapid overtaking manoeuvre or pulling out of a junction quickly in traffic. It can be hit and miss.

The steering wheel is still lovely to hold. The DSG paddles are still too small and not very sturdy feeling though.
Between the clicky switch DSG controls and the myriad of iPad menus, with just about everything assistive, it’s certainly removing those last few things that feel mechanical about cars before we are engulfed in semi-autonomous electric carriages. 

But the actual mechanical bits are superb in the Clubsport.
Ok, the DSG programming can be a pain in the arse but the engine and chassis are just superb. Really really impressive.
The R is no doubt a fair bit better, but for my uses the standard Clubsport really is impressive even after over three decades of modified GTI’s.
Six months is plenty long enough to familiarise and I do drive the Clubsport on the right sort of roads (albeit usually choked with tourist traffic during daylight) to make the most of it, so I can happily say it’s a great choice if you enjoy throwing a car into corners without too much worry of it drifting into a hedge or oncoming vehicles. It’s a true joy to drive on winding roads but also doubles up as a van quite well too!
Yep, it won’t do MaccyD car park drifts, it won’t do 4 second to sixty mph drag races or any of that stuff but everything else it does mightily well. It even averages around 34 mpg so long as I stay out of city traffic.

Just this week it has transported probably 100 kilos of badly packaged ceramics on potholed city roads without upsetting any of it, it has moved a tumble dryer three times, half a dozen rocks, a load of slate chippings, some fairly large potted plants, a bloody great box containing a chair and various other bits and bobs. It might have five seats but I don’t use them, however the rear doors are invaluable for loading stuff onto the folded seat backs…
So yeah, it ticks the boxes that say fast, good handling and practical which is what a hot hatch is supposed to be. 
Quality wise it feels more SEAT than traditional VW but my son’s new A3 doesn’t exactly exude luxury (even the S-Line seats look plasticky) so we can assume that’s for both budget and political reasons.

I don’t get why people hate stop start. I find it works pretty well and it cuts pollution.

I’m still “guest”. Seriously can’t be bothered with the primary user thing.
I’ve still not used the nav. Would happily pay less not to have it.
Car Play is pretty good. The sound system adequate but not up to mk7 Dynaudio by any stretch.

Err, lots more I could discuss about build quality and interior design but you’d all fall asleep.
I really should add a gratuitous photo or ten. But I can’t be bothered to take any.

In summary: goes well, handles very well, quality iffy in places, not entirely sure Lane assist fully switches off, occasional gremlins, looks like a quick Golf should.

 
‘23 8R
Serial white Golf owner


Offline Dav3smith

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Re: GTI Clubsport, Season 2, Episode 1
« Reply #38 on: 20 June 2021, 17:29 »
Thank you for taking the time to write this up Exonian your reports of of value.
When I first got my Mk7.5 I dreaded the start/stop but I've actually grown to think it's excellent particularly at lights when it shuts off and having the radar it starts up when the car in front pulls forward so if you're not concentrating it gets your attention and I actually think I'd miss it now. Now lane assist that's a different matter I don't currently have it and am not looking forward to it, hopefully there will be a way of disabling it via the port by the time my MK8 arrives.
GTI Clubsport ED45 DBP, DCC, HK, WP, Pano

Gone Golf R 7.5
Gone GTI 7

Offline fredgroves

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Re: GTI Clubsport, Season 2, Episode 1
« Reply #39 on: 20 June 2021, 17:55 »
You need a vw gekko login to tamper with the lane assist. Not happening any time soon...
Current: Mk8 GTI DSG, Adelaides, DCC, HUD, HK, Winter Pack, Rear Camera.. Aka "HMS Weasel"

Gone: 2017 Mk7.5 GTD,manual, NavPro
Gone: 2014 Mk7 GTD, manual, NavPro, DCC