What else did everyone consider?

[Gnasher]

Mine was quite a simple choice really and in the (to me) desirability stakes ended up being between 2 cars. Namely the new Astra VXR or the Golf (either GTI or R).

What actually swung it towards the Golf was running costs - car tax, insurance, tyre costs, depreciation etc. but having now owned the Golf over a year I definitely made the right choice of car!

[Diehammer]

I wasn't going to be looking for a new car until September this year but i noticed a thread on my favourite Rangers FC forum  about cheap lease deals.

Started looking at the GTD and went for a test drive. Also considered:

Audi A3 S line - Sales staff totally ignored me so that was a no

BMW 320d M Sport - Sales staff were in a meeting when i was in and i couldn't be bothered waiting. (reckon this would have been the winner but that's history)

Mercedes A Class - liked the interior but the car gets terrible reviews

[Forza300]

I'm a private buyer spending my own hard earned money. Last two cars have been diesel Jaguars and i was a shoo-in for the new XE. Found the cost of a 'loaded' XE Sport was truly astronomical and I'd see what took my fancy elsewhere. Time for a change.

Really drawn to the quirky styling of the Citroen DS5 but put off by massive depreciation and 'poor ride'. A lucky escape perhaps?

BMW & Audi don't do it for me, Mercedes good for mini-cabs, Mini Cooper SD looked to be good value but just a little too small for my needs.

Final short list was Skoda Octavia VRS, GTD or Passat R.

My business is a mile from my local VW dealer so really wanted to get a deal there. That and it's relatively dull cabin dropped the Skoda off the list, and if the interior of the GTD was spacious enough I'd prefer it as i've always thought it's a good looking car.

My buying experience wasn't that impressive (i knew the spec of the GTD better than my salesman) and my  test drive was once around the block whilst the salesman played with the driving mode presets!

Nevertheless the deal is done and hope to be driving my new VW next month, forty years after my first.

Have had many Porsches in the past and i'm hoping my long awaited GTD has all the attributes of it's German cousin but at a realistic outlay.

[J400uk]

I've only ever had VAG hatchbacks since passing my test. Started with a Polo, then switched to SEAT for a bit with an Ibiza followed by a Leon, replaced that with a Mk5 Golf GTI followed up by a Mk6 2.0 TDI Match and now my Mk7 GTD! I also shared an Audi A1 for a period between the Ibiza and Leon whilst I was at Uni.

Before buying this I considered an A3 184 TDI and BMW 125d. Preferred the Golf mainly for price, its standard fit adaptive cruise and the fact the GTD is a unique model whereas the others are just quicker versions of a standard diesel. No regrets 

[star93]

I started out with a very broad range of cars and narrowed them down to:

Fiesta ST
Audi A3
Golf GTI
125D

After test driving it was a straight up choice between being sensible and going for the 125D or having some fun and going for the Golf GTI, naturally I went for the Golf.

Got my build week confirmed for first week in september so just counting down the sleeps now.

[southlegend]

120D M Sport was the other choice. However the poor standard equipment spec turned me right off it. It would've cost over £3k to spec what we've got in the GTD for only £500 extra - plus we were getting offers of over 10% discounts on the base price.

Seemed a no brainer really.

[Gingernick]

was a straight up choice between octavia Vrs and the golf gti

have had all the previous version of the Vrs.  in the end there were none of the zero percent deals availbale on the vRS at the time so the  actual price difference wasnt that much greater...so the golf came home instead

[dave7268]

Was looking at the BMW M135i but went for a spin in a friend and got real car sick  so that put me off that one.

Then it was the SEAT Leon Cupra 280 but the interior gave me the shivers.

Next was Mazda 6 - great interior, good handling but.... too big

Golf provided the all round package, so it was a no brainer and I couldn't be happier... though my bank manager was none too pleased 

[GTI_Ant]

I considered a 235i (the 135i is just hideous), Scirocco TSI & R, and Golf R.  I also considered and test drove a GT86.

235i - could just about afford to own and run it.  Best engine out there but couldn't stomach the image and preconceptions of other drivers (not without good reason) on the road.
Scirocco - lovely but getting a bit long in the tooth.  Facelift better but still non-MQB.  R still has old EA113 motor with cambelt and rubbish fuel economy.  No dealer discount offered at the time.  TSi not as good as Golf with PP.
Golf R - fantastic but no dealer discount and very long wait.
GT86 - can't get my pushbike in the back.

Golf GTi PP - Just the right balance of performance, running costs, utility, image etc.