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Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: titchy on 11 September 2018, 13:32

Title: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: titchy on 11 September 2018, 13:32
Hi all,

It's been a while since I last posted here. Hopefully you won't hold that against me when giving advice  :wink:

I've loved owning my 2016 GTI for the past 2 and a half years but 9 months ago my daughter was born and I'm now left with the reality of doing nursery pickups in a 3 door car  :cry:

What a pain in the balls that is. And it won't get any better in winter when it's dark and the rain is hammering down and I'm trying to shoehorn her into her seat. I'm therefore looking to swap my car for a 5 door.

Other than the doors, there are a couple of other niggles I have with my GTI, those being the manual gearbox and lack of grip. Now I'm absolutely sold on a DSG box for my next car but I don't know whether to get a GTI or an R. I've suffered from front end grip on the Potenza's, like most folk, but what I want to know is will a GTI with the LSD and decent front tyres solve the problem, or do I really need to get an R? I think my heart is saying R but I'll need to sacrifice a few more miles on the clock to get one within budget. Is it worth the extra? I'm not too worried about running costs as I can afford the fuel and insurance/tax are the same.

I'll most likely be buying used, by the way, and a similar age.

Thanks in advance.
Titchy
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: Jim_mk7.5 on 11 September 2018, 13:49
http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=283822.0
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: titchy on 11 September 2018, 14:00
Cheers mate. Good to see someone else from Sheffield on here  :wink:
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: Exonian on 11 September 2018, 14:40
If your heart says R then get an R.

If your heart says GTI learn to modulate the throttle!  :laugh:



Get an R. The engine is made for the DSG box and if you’re going to change cars you might as well have a proper change.






I’ve never been to Sheffield btw.  :whistle:
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: Jim_mk7.5 on 11 September 2018, 14:42
Cheers mate. Good to see someone else from Sheffield on here  :wink:

Yeah you too!

11.5 month old - check
Nursery pick ups - check
5 doors - check
DSG - check
LSD - check
Lots of grip? Check!

 :smiley:
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: mcmaddy on 11 September 2018, 14:51
I can vouch for the pp helping with front end grip too. Certainly don't suffer with wheelspin like others do. I drive both the R and the GTi pp and still bought the GTi. GTi with winter tyres on will still be safer than an R in summer tyres.
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: jaceyboy on 11 September 2018, 14:59
Ours is mapped to 300bhp and have Kumho tyres and honestly can say it hardly ever loses grip :cool:
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: titchy on 11 September 2018, 15:44
Cheers guys. Good to know the GTI PP and decent tyres seems to sort the tramping issue.

One more question. What is the standard sound system like? I love my Dynaudio setup but am struggling to find many cars that have it.

Appointment on Saturday at the dealer. Will let you know how I get on!
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: Jim_mk7.5 on 11 September 2018, 16:03
Cheers guys. Good to know the GTI PP and decent tyres seems to sort the tramping issue.

One more question. What is the standard sound system like? I love my Dynaudio setup but am struggling to find many cars that have it.

Appointment on Saturday at the dealer. Will let you know how I get on!

I've no complaints but guess it depends what you play and how loud! Come and have a listen to my std system if you want  :smiley:
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: titchy on 11 September 2018, 16:22
Will hopefully get a good idea when I test drive one at the weekend  :wink:
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: BobbyT on 11 September 2018, 21:45
try both.... see which you like more/can afford... done  :grin:

Good luck  :smiley:
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: dubber36 on 12 September 2018, 08:02
try both.... see which you like more/can afford... done  :grin:

Good luck  :smiley:

Not quite. If you like the more expensive one, but can't afford it yet...save up a bit longer.
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: Ryan90GTI on 12 September 2018, 21:37
Don't let miles put you off a car. People get too hung up on what the odometer says. I'd rather have a car that's done 70k motorway miles than a car that's done 40k getting thrashed round the local retail park on a Saturday night.

I was in the same situation as you, I really wanted an R but ended up going for a really well spec'd GTI. Wrap some Michelin PS4's on and you'll be fine.

Dynaudio is a must for me however I was quite impressed with the standard system coming from a Fiesta ST200 which tbh, was awful.

Good luck with the search.
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: fredgroves on 13 September 2018, 09:17
I wasn't impressed with my first Mk7 audio system. I came from a Vauxhall Insignia (which had the standard audio) and the difference was quite a lot for the worse.

However, after a while, I didn't notice it - and I love my music.

On the other hand, my colleague's Mk7 with DynAudio was lovely, definitely better.

I'd say though it was hard to tell the difference without comparing them back to back though - its not obvious at all otherwise....

Don't get hung up on it would be my advice. The difference in the condition and price of second hand vehicles is the main thing, not the colour or the options.
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: Agreeable Slick on 13 September 2018, 12:59
Whilst I like the R, it's a little impractical for me. So went GTI PP. Wrapped all corners in Rainsport 3's and I've not broken traction yet.

Impractical I mean you lose some storage space due to rear diff, it is a thirsty motor regardless of how it's driven. However, the sound is rather nice, and DSG is a great box.

Mine is manual and 3 door, but I can put a full 27" mtb in it (front wheel off), and it can be remarkable frugal (44mpg average as I commute to Leeds). Manual box is slick and put your go pedal down and it really does pull.

The big thing for me, is that the engine is fantastic, and has great potential. 330hp from a stage 1 map, can't lose. R doesn't tune as well but it'll put the power down better.

As already said it depends on where you are in life and what you can really afford. See you around Sheff.
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: titchy on 16 September 2018, 09:08
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.
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: Ryan90GTI on 16 September 2018, 09:18
I know it's not a Golf but have you looked at the Octavia vRS? You'd be able to get the dogs bollocks for the price of a basic 7.5.

Performance pack was simply a must have for me.
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: titchy on 16 September 2018, 09:25
Not a fan of the looks to be honest or the interior. Cheers though.
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: Ryan90GTI on 16 September 2018, 09:37
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.
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: Guzzle on 16 September 2018, 09:49
Well following Ryan90GTI's suggestion I was going to suggest the Leon Cupra, but if your heart is set on a Golf then I suppose the question to ask is how much the cars you're have looked at are relative to other cars of similar age/mileage/spec? You mention the dealer wouldn't offer a penny off, but was the car already priced low, or are there other similar cars out there for less? Can they offer cheap finance or other incentives to sweeten the deal?

20k miles and £4k less, but at what age/condition? If it's the last of the pre-facelift cars with a few options fitted then that sounds promising, but for something with base spec and a couple of years older then £4k more for the newer car and extra features may be money well spent.

Whether you prefer the diff and uprated brakes over the newer 7.5 features is your call. 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.

Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: Guzzle 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. 
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: titchy 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:
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: Watts 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:
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: titchy on 16 September 2018, 10:11
My opinion changes with the wind mate  :laugh:
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: Watts on 16 September 2018, 10:30
My opinion changes with the wind mate  :laugh:

Stop eating beans for a few days then :whistle:
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: Exonian 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?
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: Ulysses31 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.
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: Exonian 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:
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: Ryan90GTI 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.
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: titchy 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:
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: Watts on 16 September 2018, 19:13
Hope you enjoy it titchy :smiley: Oh, and get yourself some Michelin tyres on all four corners if you can, great tyres and so much grip.
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: Ryan90GTI on 16 September 2018, 19:50
That's pretty much how I felt after driving both. People think you're crazy: "how can you go for the GTI  over the R" I've had that said to me and they look at  you stupid when you explain - all they see is the 300bhp and 4wd and instantly it must be better.

They let me out in a Clubsport after and I was considering some serious debt, that's the one you want! I could've got one and I wish I had but it was more than I wanted to spend on a car, not only that but I've to run the thing and I do nearly 20,000 miles a year.

Don't be tight like me and buy a Clubsport :D
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: Davey-c on 16 September 2018, 20:05
+ 1 for the Clubsport 👍🏻
Title: Re: Advice please - GTI or R?
Post by: titchy on 17 September 2018, 08:07
Hope you enjoy it titchy :smiley: Oh, and get yourself some Michelin tyres on all four corners if you can, great tyres and so much grip.

Yeah I put some PS4's on my current car not so long ago so a bit annoyed to see them go but I fully intend on sticking some on when the time comes.