New member looking for some advice

[steve12345]

Hi all,

I'm new to GTI's and VW infact, but I've always liked the look of them.

My questions really are around practicality. I have no doubt the performance etc will be way above my expectations.

My current car is a 2014 BMW 116D M sport. Ignoring performance etc here are a few of the issues with this car:

1. M-sport suspension very stiff. For the driver its great, handles & drives really nice. For passengers however it means uncomfortable bumpy ride.

2. Rear doors are slim - getting the baby seat in is a little tight, also car is quite low which doesn't help.

3. Rear seat comfort - If you have two people in the back, or in my case baby seat and one adult. Its quite uncomfortable over long journeys. The back rests are angled in a little. and with the bumpy ride its worse in the back.

We only started using the rear seats recently when baby arrived, so I guess if anyone else has a small family how do you find the GTI as a daily car?

I'd be looking at a Mark 7 GTI (not the new 7.5) from around 2014/2015/2016, most on the second hand market don't come with the dynamic chassis option.

Has anyone gone from a BMW msport to a GTI? how do you find the stock suspension? it is comfortable for passengers? Should i be worried about any of the above with a GTI?

Also do you have any other advice or things I should look out for on a second hand GTI?

Thanks in advance

[Jim_mk7.5]

I ran a 2012 116D for a while, not the M Sport mind. The GTI is a great family car, we have an 18 month old girl. Ride is perfect on the 18s without DCC. Enough room in the back but it's not a massive car, I have the drivers seat quite far back so leg room is minimal. Use mine daily for nursery drop offs, business meetings and the odd drive just for fun.

[Guzzle]

I haven't had a 1 series, but I did look at them a few years ago when they were in my employers company car scheme.

The Golf is a far more civilised proposition, larger inside in almost every dimension and the suspension is as comfortable as you're likely to find in a hot hatch. Larger alloy wheels look great, but there is a trade-off with comfort, so better to stick with the standard wheels if that is something that may bother you.

If you look for a car built after week 22 2015 you will find these have a few items of standard equipment that cost extra on earlier builds, the main one being factory fit sat nav, and with a larger screen than earlier cars.

[king monkey]

I had a ride in my cousins 120d msport the other day. Very very tight in the back.

My lads car seat wouldn’t fit in comfortably. No problem in a gti at all. Loads more rear room. Ride on 18s and 19s is great imo. Easier to get a good ride when the car isn’t on those dreadful run flats. 

[Yusee]

My daily drive for the last 15 years have been 3 series msport cars- a 330 coupe then a 335d. Now running a new gti on standard wheels , no dcc.
I ran the 335d on non runflats as the ride was so poor on them.
I am very impressed with the ride on my gti - though it isn’t easy to compare , as those were ageing cars.

[wolly440]

My last 2 cars was an E87 Msport and an E92 Msport on 19s. Ride on my 7.5 GTI is more comfortable on 18s with no DCC. Also it feels alot lighter and nimble than the BMWs, but I do miss the RWD 

[steve12345]

Thanks for the reply’s. I’m hoping to test drive one this weekend, but it seems like it should be an improvement on what I have at the moment.

It’s amazing how much better spec’ed a standard GTI from of that age is compared to my stock M-Sport 1 seires. Also how the gti has held its value a lot better than the 1 series too, that could be down to me picking a 116d rather than one of the more exciting engines tho.

I’m looking forward to having a car with some power to. I’ve always picked economical diesels until now. And looking at it the GTI seems very reasonable for fuel economy too.

Anyways thanks for your help, if I pull the trigger I’m sure I’ll be back soon with more questions

[Ryan90GTI]

Have you thought about an Octavia vRS?

[kmpowell]

Don’t forget, your 1er uses run-flats which kills any sort of ride comfort so it’s not 100% down to the car. 

[steve12345]

I don't think my wife would approve of a Octavia, it dose look decent though!

So i had a quote back from a VW dealer on a second hand GTI, they added a few optional extra's:

£299 - Autoglym lifeshine - No thanks!
£99 - Admin fee - im guessing I won't be able to get out of this?
£75 - carpet mats - now this is very cheeky - its a second hand car, and the video demo they sent me showed it already has mats in!! 
£17 - Fuel - again i dont understand this one... its an odd number as well? are they going to put £17 of petrol in for me and then charge me for it?
£33 - Data plug - I don't have a clue what this is? any ideas?


I'll def be disputing some of those charges. Have any you guys found VW to be quite negotiable on price for second hand cars and the extras?

The car that I looked at has a pro navigation system, its a 2014 model. will they be able to update the maps for me. I've never had sat nav before so im not sure if that's even possible?

Thanks