Fred's Thoughts on Mk8 GTI ownership

[fredgroves]

Thank you for your account. I found it very useful as a person who has just purchased his first GTi.

I have DCC but I have found that the ultra-comfort setting (top left hand of the options in 'individual' mode) creates a very noisy level of tyre noise. I was surprised at this. On country roads, it really is incredibly noisy, so much so that it is difficult to concentrate and decide whether this setting helps to glid over bumps better than 'comfort' or not. Whether the extreme comfort setting is a smoother ride is almost irrelevant: the noise puts you off the setting. That means the choice is back to standard comfort or sport.

Have you found this? I should emphasise though, that I am not technically minded at all and come to this from an ordinary car without DCC. And not a GTi!

Hi Gambo.

No I can't say I've noticed the tyre noise increase in ultra comfort.... I will try it later.

I'm currently running on dead centre on my DCC setup in Individual Profile - I've also got engine sound set to Eco to kill the fake engine noise.

Which wheels and tyres do you have? I have 19's with Bridgestone S005's. Tyre noise is usually tyre brand differences, I can't say I've ever noticed a suspension setting making a difference.

What you DO get with a Mk7 or a Mk8 golf is a LOT of noise from the rear. You can hear it even more if you fold the seats down. Maybe when the suspension is set super soft there is even more suspension noise from the rear? Not tyre noise.

I've got to go out later, I will experiment for you.

[Exonian]

I should emphasise though, that I am not technically minded at all and come to this from an ordinary car without DCC. And not a GTi!

Did you buy the right car for you?

The mk8 is full of tech, even though you don’t have to use much of it, similar to a smartphone you do need to develop a basic understanding of the UI. I’d imagine some features are infuriating if you don’t like tech. Those bloody steering wheel pads for a start...

Anyway, the Golf is badly soundproofed in the wheel arches. You’ll notice this the first time you go over a freshly gritted road. Plus if it has Bridgestone tyres they are quite noisy.

The suspension springs are quite firm on a GTI so no matter what your dampers are set to the springs will dictate the ride and handling. Unless you’re a continual fiddler who will adjust for each different road section surface you will need to find a damper setting that best controls the spring oscillations without inducing either car sickness at one end of the scale or sciatica at the other. Funnily enough the non adaptive dampers do this quite well 
Too much choice can literally be too much sometimes. I’ve had the indigestion to prove it many a time when exiting a buffet restaurant.

[fredgroves]

On my Mk7 with DCC I used "normal" most of the time - like 99.9% of the time.... then sport rarely and "comfort" for driving across ploughed fields....

Mostly I was just driving, sometimes I visit an event in a field 

[fredgroves]

Gambo, I tested it out tonight, over about thirty miles.

Driving roads that look like the Ho Chi Minh trail after American bombing raids... I tried dcc on various settings and couldn't detect any noticeable noise difference.

I even tried folding down the rear seats to maximise any noise.

On super soft it is bouncy though, have never tried it that soft before. Soaks the bumps up for sure. Might need seasick pills to go with it though lol.

Can you describe the noise you are hearing?

[Phil_taylor]

Interesting thoughts from Fred and his use of the DCC which to me raises the question “is it worth getting DCC on the mk8.” I appreciate it gives you the “Ring” mode but apart from that ........? 

I’ve drive the clubsport  with passive dampers and the ride was nicely firm so I’d appreciate anyone’s thoughts on the option. Ta

[fredgroves]

My first mk8 drive was a demonstrator with eighteens and passive dampers.

I had no complaints with that at all and I hit some terrible roads deliberately.

It still was flat, controlled and comfortable.

Dcc is a bit cleverer than the past, vdm is very clever....is it totally essential? I don't think so. Its nine hundred quid...

[king monkey]

From my quick spin in the Clubsport on 18s with no dcc I thought the ride was very impressive indeed. I’d read so many comments in reviews saying it was firm but I didn’t find that at all. Be interesting on 19s.