Author Topic: Advice please - GTI or R?  (Read 4989 times)

Offline Guzzle

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Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
« Reply #20 on: 16 September 2018, 09:59 »
I don't think the interior is too bad, it's not on par with the Golf obviously but I did enjoy owning one.

I'm in Sheffield sometimes so if you fancy a look at mine I wouldn't mind taking you out for a spin.

I'm with you on the Octavia vRS, I thought my TDi was a great car for the money. Sat in the facelifted one yesterday and genuinely felt the seats were better than the seats in my GTD, and the media was identical. Also noticed you could alter the ambient lighting colours in the doors, which you can't do on my Golf. No active info display, which is a shame, and the new front end splits opinion, but Race Blue paint is nicer than any of the GTi colours IMHO. 
7.5 GTD

Offline titchy

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Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
« Reply #21 on: 16 September 2018, 10:01 »
Cheers for the offer Ryan  :wink:

I think the £20k one is basic spec with obviously the performance pack. I only do 5k miles a year so it’s not that much of a concern that it’s got 20k on the clock. Can’t vouch for condition yet as I haven’t seen it but intending on going down to Leicester today as they have about 5 R’s in stock too.

Im a bit of a gadget boy so the digital cockpit in the facelift versions does really appeal to me but I suspect I’ll still get brassed off with tramping on worn tyres and slippy conditions.

I’m starting to lean towards the older mk7 with PP or R over the non PP 7.5. I think I’ll see more benefit. Let’s face it there ain’t nothing wrong with the mk7 infotainment and analogue dials is there? Looks like my wife will be getting a Q5 with digital cockpit so that can scratch that particular itch  :laugh:
Black, 3 Door, MY '16 GTI.
Dynaudio, AppConnect.

Offline Watts

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Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
« Reply #22 on: 16 September 2018, 10:03 »
We definitely can’t afford the facelifted PP version. So it’s mk7 GTI PP, mk7 R or mk7.5 non PP.

Is the newer car worth the extra and sacrificing LSD? I know this is all down to personal choice but appreciate your thoughts nonetheless.

Since you are asking then I think it's safe to assume you could be persuaded in any direction. Therefore you aren't convinced on any of the options. On that basis I'd say choose the one that has the best spec/colour combination. They are all excellent choices so I can't see how you can go wrong :smiley:
2019 Oryx White 5dr TCR.

Was - 2015 Tornado Red 3dr GTI PP, manual, Santiagos, Audi short shifter.

Offline titchy

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Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
« Reply #23 on: 16 September 2018, 10:11 »
My opinion changes with the wind mate  :laugh:
Black, 3 Door, MY '16 GTI.
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Offline Watts

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Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
« Reply #24 on: 16 September 2018, 10:30 »
My opinion changes with the wind mate  :laugh:

Stop eating beans for a few days then :whistle:
2019 Oryx White 5dr TCR.

Was - 2015 Tornado Red 3dr GTI PP, manual, Santiagos, Audi short shifter.

Offline Exonian

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Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
« Reply #25 on: 16 September 2018, 11:43 »
Right this car search is getting on my tats now  :grin:

Drove a Mk7.5 (non PP) yesterday but realistically it’s £2k over budget and the dealer wouldn’t drop a penny off so walked away.

I liked the new infotainment and digital cockpit, also the lack of radar in front grille and the fact it is the current mark and probably will be for a couple more years.

We can afford it but it’s more than what we’d like to spend.

Alternatively I’ve seen a mk7 with 20k miles that’s £4K less and has the performance pack. Also seen an R For £2k less and just about in budget  :undecided:

We definitely can’t afford the facelifted PP version. So it’s mk7 GTI PP, mk7 R or mk7.5 non PP.

Is the newer car worth the extra and sacrificing LSD? I know this is all down to personal choice but appreciate your thoughts nonetheless.

Your opinion is always going to change with the wind if you don't know exactly what you want.

If you want the extra performance then the R is totally worth it.

If you only do £5k a year then you'll get far more appreciation of the driving dynamics of the PP than you will ever get the benefits out of a load of shiny extras that do little to enhance the value of the car. The VAQ diff is very impressive and almost totally imperceptible but you do need to learn how to drive with it. The point I'm making here is you're buying a hot hatch and it's the performance side of it you should be paying more attention to than the gimmicky toys.

In a few years time nearly every car on the market will have digital dials and touchscreens here there and everywhere. That makes the Facelifted GTI (7.5) a more desirable car later on down the line when it comes to resale. Therefore it might be worth that extra bit of outlay you don't want to lay out being as you can afford it. I'd still spec the PP every time though, just for the diff and bigger brakes as those things are actually good value for money and are reflected in the resale.

That's your three options summed up in a nutshell with my worthless opinion.

Which was is the wind blowing today?
‘23 8R
Serial white Golf owner


Offline Ulysses31

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Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
« Reply #26 on: 16 September 2018, 11:59 »
Personally I notice the active info display and upgraded media every time I drive the car, but the diff i'd maybe only get the benefit when pressing on.

Completely agree with this. The non PP is all the car I need or have the driving ability to utilise but I absolutely luuuuurve the look of the facelift, both outside and in. I personally think the infotainment of the Mk7 already looks incredibly dated and wouldn't entertain the idea of taking the PP over the facelift.
White Golf GTI Mk7.5

Offline Exonian

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Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
« Reply #27 on: 16 September 2018, 12:03 »
Personally I notice the active info display and upgraded media every time I drive the car, but the diff i'd maybe only get the benefit when pressing on.

Completely agree with this. The non PP is all the car I need or have the driving ability to utilise but I absolutely luuuuurve the look of the facelift, both outside and in. I personally think the infotainment of the Mk7 already looks incredibly dated and wouldn't entertain the idea of taking the PP over the facelift.

The MIB II screen can be swapped out for the newer touch screen without the need for a load of hardware changes as far as I've been told. So you can get the full benefits of loads of fingerprints without spending a fortune!  :laugh:

The dials on the current active display are duller than ditchwater (much better in the Polo GTI) and incredibly lacking in character.

The VAQ diff however allows a humble Golf to be cornered like a mid engined sports car.

These are (reasonably) hot hatches not boring family saloons.  :whistle:
‘23 8R
Serial white Golf owner


Offline Ryan90GTI

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Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
« Reply #28 on: 16 September 2018, 15:46 »
Best thing to do is wait, something always comes up. If you want one with all the toys then wait for something to come up. The way I've been going through cars this year mine will be for sale before long haha.

Offline titchy

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Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
« Reply #29 on: 16 September 2018, 18:37 »
Appreciate everyone’s advice. After test driving the R and GTI PP today we opted for the GTI. The R was rapid in a straight line and the grip was immense but I felt the PP did a good job at keeping the pretty worn Potenza’a on the road and actually found it more fun to drive. Maybe if I was 25 I’d feel a bit differently but I fell like I would be living a lie getting two kids out the back of an R  :grin:

The GTI just felt more eager and exciting and I could definitely tell the extra weight in the R. I also prefer the interior of the GTI and classic tartan seats and with it being £2.5k cheaper it just made sense.

Appreciate the points regarding the infotainment and digital cockpit in the facelift version but having drove the GTI PP I wasn’t prepared to get a facelift without it and it just didn’t make financial sense for us in the end.

Thanks again everyone  :smiley:
Black, 3 Door, MY '16 GTI.
Dynaudio, AppConnect.