GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: Sootchucker on 21 June 2021, 13:55
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OK this is very tongue in cheek but with slight overtones of truth attached. As many of you know I have a May 2018 MK7.5 GTI (non PP model), with a long list of options (see Sig below). I got wowed by the sales patter from my local dealer earlier this year to change out of the GTI to a Tiguan R-Line, and to be honest, that order has been an unmitigated disaster, so much so that the Tiguan order was cancelled.
This left me in a bit of a dilemma. Do I just keep the GTI and run it for another few years (at 3 years old and just 17k miles, it's hardly "old"), or do I trade it in for something different. To be honest, I'm wondering if I have dodged a bullet with the Tiguan, as just like the MK8's it seems the facelift Tiguan's are currently having their own fair share of technical and software gremlins. Also, I've just finished checking my mileage, and in the last year (since June 2020) I've done the grand total of 3,000 miles. Whilst I can see that creeping back up (to my usual circa 7-8k miles per year), whenever this bloody pandemic ends and I go back to working from the office (at least a few days a week) rather than at home as I have been all this year, I still in 2 years time will only have around 30-32k miles on the GTI.
So when I have my sensible head on, it's telling me to forget about a new car, the GTI is totally paid for and is still a damn fine car in it's own right, with plenty of toys to keep me happy. But then the Devil on my other shoulder is telling me I should change as I'm being left behind and I can afford something much newer with more shiny toys and the part ex prices I've been offered on the car (as I have been looking at some new motors) is very surprising and very tempting.
When I say left behind, what I mean is that a lot of the virtual friends I made on this very forum have either moved on to different brands or now have a MK8, whereas I'm still on my MK7.5. Another factor is that my Facebook feed seems to be filled with endless posts of young guys modding their GTI's and R's and talking about slamming them, bigger turbos, remapping etc, and I'm starting to wonder if the MK7 (7.5) has now become the Astra's and Nova's of years gone by and are now cheap enough to be bought by the Max Power brigade (for anyone that's old enough to remember), and at my age, that's not really a demographic I really want to be part of.
As I say, this is all a bit tongue in cheek, but I was wondering if anyone else had the 2 voices in each ear too :grin: It's not really about the money as like I say the GTI is paid for, and I'm in a well paid job with no mortgage, no kids, don't smoke or drink, so cars' (and Photography) are really my only 2 vices, so could afford something newer.
Decisions, decisions.
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OK this is very tongue in cheek but with slight overtones of truth attached. As many of you know I have a May 2018 MK7.5 GTI (non PP model), with a long list of options (see Sig below). I got wowed by the sales patter from my local dealer earlier this year to change out of the GTI to a Tiguan R-Line, and to be honest, that order has been an unmitigated disaster, so much so that the Tiguan order was cancelled.
This left me in a bit of a dilemma. Do I just keep the GTI and run it for another few years (at 3 years old and just 17k miles, it's hardly "old"), or do I trade it in for something different. To be honest, I'm wondering if I have dodged a bullet with the Tiguan, as just like the MK8's it seems the facelift Tiguan's are currently having their own fair share of technical and software gremlins. Also, I've just finished checking my mileage, and in the last year (since June 2020) I've done the grand total of 3,000 miles. Whilst I can see that creeping back up (to my usual circa 7-8k miles per year), whenever this bloody pandemic ends and I go back to working from the office (at least a few days a week) rather than at home as I have been all this year, I still in 2 years time will only have around 30-32k miles on the GTI.
So when I have my sensible head on, it's telling me to forget about a new car, the GTI is totally paid for and is still a damn fine car in it's own right, with plenty of toys to keep me happy. But then the Devil on my other shoulder is telling me I should change as I'm being left behind and I can afford something much newer with more shiny toys and the part ex prices I've been offered on the car (as I have been looking at some new motors) is very surprising and very tempting.
When I say left behind, what I mean is that a lot of the virtual friends I made on this very forum have either moved on to different brands or now have a MK8, whereas I'm still on my MK7.5. Another factor is that my Facebook feed seems to be filled with endless posts of young guys modding their GTI's and R's and talking about slamming them, bigger turbos, remapping etc, and I'm starting to wonder if the MK7 (7.5) has now become the Astra's and Nova's of years gone by and are now cheap enough to be bought by the Max Power brigade (for anyone that's old enough to remember), and at my age, that's not really a demographic I really want to be part of.
As I say, this is all a bit tongue in cheek, but I was wondering if anyone else had the 2 voices in each ear too :grin: It's not really about the money as like I say the GTI is paid for, and I'm in a well paid job with no mortgage, no kids, don't smoke or drink, so cars' (and Photography) are really my only 2 vices, so could afford something newer.
Decisions, decisions.
I have a year left on my PCP, and I've thought about changing - but i don't know what I'd change to. While the GTI isn't the fastest, it's easy to remap and has a lot of goodies as standard that other cars don't have. It's hard to find a car that is simultaneously a) different enough to be worth changing for and b) doesn't compromise in some way with regards to the GTI's brilliant "do-it-all" nature. It's a hard decision, but don't underestimate the fact that yours is owned outright. That's a great position to be in, and if I owned mine outright, I'd just focus on making subtle mods to tweak it just how I wanted.
If you try to keep up with others wrt to most things, cars being an obvious example, you'll be forever chopping and changing to great financial hit
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17k miles - it’s barely run in.
You’ve got a car that’s specc’d as you want it, and if you did decide to change, then I dare say that whatever you bought as a replacement would be a factory order, specc’d to your requirements. With the current worldwide shortage of computer chips affecting pretty much all of the motor industry, (including VW), many manufacturers are currently being forced to cut production, temporarily shut down production lines or move to reduced working hours. That’ll have the effect of increasing lead times, so you’d probably be facing a long wait for a new car to be built - I’ve read of 8 months lead times on a new mk8 Golf R on vwroc.com forum very recently.
If you are intent on changing for something else and you’re not fussy about colour or spec, then you might be able to find an in-stock car and be able to take advantage of the current inflated values of good, late date, in demand low mileage cars like yours (IMHO you’d have no problems selling your car). However, dealership stocks are likely to be low or reducing because of the worldwide chip shortage problem, so finding an in-stock vehicle with a spec you’d be happy with might be difficult. Also if dealership stocks are low because of enforced cut backs in new car production, they may not be particularly willing to discount prices on in-stock cars.
It wouldn’t bother me that some ex mk7 / mk7.5 owners on the forum have moved on, or that mk7 / mk7.5 ownership is now within reach of younger owners who may modify them heavily. Modifying will always happen as a particular model of a car becomes affordable to those whose finances wouldn’t previously stretch to owning one.
In your position, I’d keep the Golf. In the short term with used prices continuing to increase, it’s currently an appreciating asset, and when the bubble bursts on used car values and they normalise again, the depreciation on your car will be pretty low.
Outright ownership of an immaculate highly specc’d car with low depreciation is an enviable position to be in that some can only dream of :smiley:.
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It's not really about the money as like I say the GTI is paid for, and I'm in a well paid job with no mortgage, no kids, don't smoke or drink, so cars' (and Photography) are really my only 2 vices, so could afford something newer.
In that position why not go for an M3/GT3/RS3/4/6 etc.... each to their own, but a Tiguan R line doesn't show that much imagination for someone who considers cars a vice? :)
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It's not really about the money as like I say the GTI is paid for, and I'm in a well paid job with no mortgage, no kids, don't smoke or drink, so cars' (and Photography) are really my only 2 vices, so could afford something newer.
In that position why not go for an M3/GT3/RS3/4/6 etc.... each to their own, but a Tiguan R line doesn't show that much imagination for someone who considers cars a vice? :)
Clubsport, well a Vice to me doesn't mean blowing all my hard earned savings on a weekend special (as much as it sounds tempting), but rather being in a position to afford a brand new car every few years if I so want, and spec'd to my particular needs. As much as I might be able to afford some of the cars on your list, for me (probably because I can be stingy), it's about the nice balance of performance, looks and indeed running costs. Don't want something that's going to drink fuel, perhaps has horrendous servicing costs and is a bugger to tax each year.
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17k miles - it’s barely run in.
You’ve got a car that’s specc’d as you want it, and if you did decide to change, then I dare say that whatever you bought as a replacement would be a factory order, specc’d to your requirements. With the current worldwide shortage of computer chips affecting pretty much all of the motor industry, (including VW), many manufacturers are currently being forced to cut production, temporarily shut down production lines or move to reduced working hours. That’ll have the effect of increasing lead times, so you’d probably be facing a long wait for a new car to be built - I’ve read of 8 months lead times on a new mk8 Golf R on vwroc.com forum very recently.
If you are intent on changing for something else and you’re not fussy about colour or spec, then you might be able to find an in-stock car and be able to take advantage of the current inflated values of good, late date, in demand low mileage cars like yours (IMHO you’d have no problems selling your car). However, dealership stocks are likely to be low or reducing because of the worldwide chip shortage problem, so finding an in-stock vehicle with a spec you’d be happy with might be difficult. Also if dealership stocks are low because of enforced cut backs in new car production, they may not be particularly willing to discount prices on in-stock cars.
It wouldn’t bother me that some ex mk7 / mk7.5 owners on the forum have moved on, or that mk7 / mk7.5 ownership is now within reach of younger owners who may modify them heavily. Modifying will always happen as a particular model of a car becomes affordable to those whose finances wouldn’t previously stretch to owning one.
In your position, I’d keep the Golf. In the short term with used prices continuing to increase, it’s currently an appreciating asset, and when the bubble bursts on used car values and they normalise again, the depreciation on your car will be pretty low.
Outright ownership of an immaculate highly specc’d car with low depreciation is an enviable position to be in that some can only dream of :) .
SRGTD, a lot of good sensible sentiments there. Thanks.
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SRGTD, a lot of good sensible sentiments there. Thanks.
You’re very welcome!
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This is an interesting dilemma. Whilst not quite in the same position, my 7.5 GTi PP will come to the end of its 4 year PCP at the beginning of September and I'm contemplating what to do given long'ish factory build dates.
I am wondering if I should sell the Golf as soon as I've paid off the PCP to hopefully get a good price and then buy a runabout until the new car arrives (hopefully) for next March delivery. Or keep Golf until new car arrives.
Replacements being considered are Audi S4 Avant, SQ5 and BMW M340 (i or d) touring's.
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Hi Sootchucker
I have the same two voices. Is now the right time to change? I have contributed today to the thread 'Selling up advice'. I own my car, a GTI non PP, 2018 which is three years old at the end of the month and has 11,149 miles. Given the current level of 2nd hand prices, I have decided to dip my toe in the water and see what it might fetch. Is it the right time for a MK8 GTI? I have been on the VW used approved and Autotrader sites and there a few GTIs advertised for around £30k, a couple of months old with a couple of thousand miles, historically, how I buy my cars. The ever present level of depreciation is in play. I have placed my car with Motorway to see what prices it might actually attract, as opposed to their forecast. If they're high enough I will be tempted and if not, my car is a good car and a keeper. If the forecast is accurate depreciation, for me, will equate to around £100 a month. More than acceptable to me. I'll see. :whistle:
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Yours is a great example. TBH I see no reason to change at that sort of age / condition / mileage with prices and lead times being as they are at the moment.
My GTD is 3.5 years old now. But it's got extended warranty and service plan and in many ways still feels like a new car.
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Yours is a great example. TBH I see no reason to change at that sort of age / condition / mileage with prices and lead times being as they are at the moment.
My GTD is 3.5 years old now. But it's got extended warranty and service plan and in many ways still feels like a new car.
Thanks, I have one service (oil change/inspection) left on a plan and I bought an extended 1yr warranty last week, which starts at the end of the month. It’s really about taking the opportunity to limit depreciation, maybe! Also perhaps feeling a little left behind, too.
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My questions would be do you actually want to change your car or is it a bit of herd mentality, because everyone else is? What did the Tiguan have that your current GTI doesn't?
Give it to the end of summer to think about it, there's always demand for a very high specification car like yours it took me 3 years to find my GTI and it doesn't have all your toys! Besides there's a Tiguan R now, if you give it 2 years you might be able to pick up an ex-demo on a great deal :wink:
Also have you considered going for a cheap but nice daily and little weekend project eg a used Tiguan and a Honda S2000 to have the best of both worlds?
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Yours is a great example. TBH I see no reason to change at that sort of age / condition / mileage with prices and lead times being as they are at the moment.
My GTD is 3.5 years old now. But it's got extended warranty and service plan and in many ways still feels like a new car.
Thanks, I have one service (oil change/inspection) left on a plan and I bought an extended 1yr warranty last week, which starts at the end of the month. It’s really about taking the opportunity to limit depreciation, maybe! Also perhaps feeling a little left behind, too.
When I look at the problems people are having in the Mk8 forum, I don't feel left behind at all. Happy to bide my time, until things work properly.
A new car will depreciate faster than your current one.
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The 2 questions I would ask are
1. Do you still enjoy driving it?
2. Does it still do what you need it to do?
It wouldn’t bother me in the least that others have moved on.
The drive to work is still a highlight of my day. It’s a very enjoyable car to drive.
I don’t think the mk8 is a better car- all things considered- but maybe owners who have had both would take a different view.
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I don’t think the mk8 is a better car- all things considered- but maybe owners who have had both would take a different view.
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When I look at the problems people are having in the Mk8 forum, I don't feel left behind at all. Happy to bide my time, until things work properly.
A new car will depreciate faster than your current one.
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May I suggest these two gentlemen(?) have nailed it?
Edit: Apologies for the clumsy quoting - hopefully you get my drift.
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I have a Mk7 PP. coming up to 5 years old with 21k on the clock. As my old stepfather used to say….the best car is a paid for car. In the last year just under a 1000 miles. So I intend to take out the VW care package and keep it. Why buy another one to see the money pouring down the drain. 🤣
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My lease runs out Oct 2022 and have to choose its replacement March >April 2022 but have decided going to keep the TCR if the price is acceptable (from research, no reason it should not be)
Reasons are this:
BIK: It used to be acceptable, always thought of as the whole of what you pay for pleasure of a fully inclusively managed car and given the company lease price itself has always been quite competitive, BIK was accepted, but it was more reluctantly this go around and think its tipped into being too onerous a cost and going solo in taxing, insurance etc will be a decent saving
Next Car: The cars would want to replace the TCR to make them feel a little more special and match the feeling of the TCR would be a pretty significant uplift, well into mid 40's, to either a CS or an R with performance pack, or an S3 or A35 AMG, or something similar.
Will say that love the CS with extras and the performance pack and Akra MK 8 R and really like the ED 45 but they are way way above what paid for the TCR,
Thats the cost aspect, there is more so, would any of these cars give me the feeling of being in something a little bit different, which has the styling just as would draw it up if selecting a car? The pure grey, reifnitz, Akrapovic (which got as a freebie), 90% tints and TCR bits and pieces in trim make it a decent car to walk up to, and then you add in the near 300 BHP and the evolved state of the MK 7.5 then its a good question as why change?
With Covid, miles have dropped, so instead of the usual 28-30k that rack up in 3 years, its looking like 29-21k at 3 years, so thats more in the reason to stick pile.
So in all ways look at it, no reason to change this time around, something not done for 15 years, have always changed.
When sum it up, think its more to do with having the TCR, and might think differently if had an R as getting another R would be seen as an evolution, where moving from TCR feels like letting something go for something that has less feeling and costs more.
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Mines 30 months old, 10700 miles - all done by me - I’ll be keeping it for a considerable time yet.
Still brings a smile to my face every time I drive it.
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Andrew, there are plenty of good sound opinions posted here.
I’ve known you since the Mk5 days, different user names and forums back then, but I do have a good idea of the type of car you purchase (not quite the very top end model of each generation but one loaded with optional toys). Plus I know you’re not a boy racer, choosing luxury items above outright performance.
I think maybe you should sprout a third ear for another option but alas I don’t think you’re really programmed that way.
Ear #1
Ever since the dawn of civilisation Golf GTIs have been bought by a huge range of people. Many of those people are totally disinterested in big turbos and crackling exhausts but instead take much pride in their totally standard car. That’s part of the great thing about owning sporty Golfs, that array of differing owners and their view on how they want their own car to be. It’s great that these cars are filtering down to younger people who have their own demands and who ultimately keep the demand for the cars going through the years and making sure the heritage doesn’t suddenly fizzle out.
But you don’t have to have a stage 15 remap, full decat and an air filter the size of a last century British Gas storage tank.
A quick look at GE90’s car (he’s now selling it and the parts) shows how a tastefully modified GTI can be done with a mix of OEM and attractive aftermarket bits the nice way.
The 7.5 GTI is in my experience the pinnacle of modern looks versus heritage.
Ear #2
What does a mk8 GTI offer you that the mk7 doesn’t? Dynamically you’re not the type to ever really appreciate the minor chassis improvements, they’re subtle as the 7.5 was already very well honed.
You like gadgets but I’d imagine you’d like them to work properly though.
You like the idea of a sporty looking SUV though so…
How about becoming a pioneer of sorts and grabbing the future by the nadgers?
In your shoes I’d be looking at one of these, or better still keeping the 7 until the ID.3 equivalent hits the road.
https://youtu.be/Eqqh7gQ9qWY
You have heaps of disposable income, nobody to leave your millions to and won’t live forever (probably) so why the hell not?
Besides, how cool would your username look on an EV forum? :grin:
Ear #3
I seriously think you’re far too ultra-conservative, but I’d be cashing in the company pension, heading out the office door with my gold watch saying “ciao, adios, I’m done” and living a little bit.
Balls to over complicated next generation cars, balls to work and all the crap and idiots that come with it, balls to people on the Internet with big turbos that I have nothing in common with, and hello great outdoors, camera in hand, fresh air in lungs and making the best of every moment of every day before the reaper comes looking.
Anyway, see you in the mk8 section soon… :whistle:
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I have to say Exonian - that gave me a real chuckle.
So I'm an ultra conservative boring old fart that like to sit on his fortune (if only) ;D ;D
Don't get me wrong I love performance (at the right time and in the right place), but to me (and just to me), it's not the be all and end all. Yes I like my toys and luxury, and that's mainly because out of the 17,500 miles on the GTI, about 16,000 of them have been done on my regular commute to and from work sat in traffic or on slow moving motorways, so whether the cars' got 230ps, 320ps (or even 150ps for that matter), most of the time doesn't actually mean anything. Couple that with speed cameras, average speed controlled motorways etc. and the opportunities for really pushing the performance of something like a MK8 Clubsport or R would be minimal at best. I'm not usually the sort to take off on a Sunday morning for a blast around Wales for instance. But like i say, for overtaking, and where it's safe and legal to do so, performance can be addictive (just for a very small proportion of the time)
Reason I've tended to go for GTD's, GTIs', Scirocco's etc, isn't really anything to do with ultimate performance but rather looks and equipment. I I always wanted VW to do a sort of GTI lite - the Looks and handling of a GTI but with a smaller less powerful engine. Unfortunately as we have seen getting something like a Golf R-Line then spec'ing it to the same levels of equipment as a GTI is usually a lesson in futility and often costs more money than just buying the performance model in the first place.
As I'm an old fart (as Exonian kindly pointed out), I've had my fair share of nice cars from 80's hot hatches, to Saab Turbos, to Jags, a Lexus, Toyota MR2, Celica and Gen 2 Supra, then to my current run with VW (now at 16 years). I started a thread (last year I believe) on the ages of the members on here, as I felt at the time, that i may start to look a bit ridiculous at nearly 60 driving a GTI, and that perhaps I should now be in something more suitable to my age. What that thread taught me there were more "mature" drivers of GTD's, GTI's and R's on the forum that I could have ever imagined, so I feel more secure now driving whatever i want.
I know that within the next 3-5 years I'll have no choice but to go EV if I want a new car, but my personal opinion is we are not there yet. Range needs to get better, charging speeds better and prices lowered for EV's to become mainstream. Also (where I live at least) the charging infrastructure needs to get much better. VW's first efforts with the ID.3 and ID.4 are decent enough first attempts but not really for me (yet), but who knows, maybe the 2nd Gen models will be much more appealing. It would afterall be nice as pointed out to be a member on an EV forum with a user name "Sootchucker" ;D ;D
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Now did I say boring old fart in there anywhere? :grin:
Sensible.
You’re sensible.
But thankfully not too sensible.
Mature.
But thankfully not too mature.
And I’ve always liked your car choices. :smiley:
Although with the SUV order I did begin to think your brother had influenced you a bit too far :grin:
(Superb looking cars though they are, I pass one parked up every day)
Being as you don’t have teenage or twenty something kids to keep you on your toes and strip you of your hard earned savings I thought it my duty to add my irreverent and irrelevant view into this sea of sensibility :whistle:
Three ears are better than none!
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If stick to the main routes it seems high capacity charging is not too hard to find from this video https://youtu.be/6Q6arK1vluI (https://youtu.be/6Q6arK1vluI) and so by time bought self a twix and a can of something you have 3/4 filled up in old terms.
Not averse to electric, but would want something that has some performance to it in looks as well as drive, as some of these screens with cars built around them are pretty sterile.
There is hope though, as there is enough evidence out there to performance electric certainly being more than achievable
For me to jump in truly i would need to be able to pull in an electric station, and be out again in not much time than takes now, and with about the same mileage get now on a tank 280-340 and without the worry that these charging points are only on main routes and that if go off piste a little there still be opportunity to recharge,
This is the UK, many areas do not have off road parking and then there is the latest version of 70's living with flats popping up everywhere, so whats needed is fuel stations to change to charge stations with same turnaround to truly enable electric.
Its inevitable that the GTI becomes a modern classic, out for weekends at £20 a gallon and our main drive will be an EV, and will succumb to that, just not for a while yet.
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Balls to over complicated next generation cars, balls to work and all the crap and idiots that come with it, balls to people on the Internet with big turbos that I have nothing in common with, and hello great outdoors, camera in hand, fresh air in lungs and making the best of every moment of every day before the reaper comes looking.
This should be pinned to the top of each thread. Best general life advice I've seen on any forum, let alone a car one!
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I've just paid my 2017 off and there's nothing out there which takes my fancy at all.
19k miles so just run in, got over 40mpg on a run last weekend.
It'll be packed full of camping gear, 3 bikes on the roof, 3 up ready for Silverstone classic.
Then emptied and ready for quick blasts around the country roads.
What other car can do this!!!!
It's a keeper
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it does 95% of everything I like from a car. It’s big enough for 5, has a decent stereo, still looks pretty good, will do 40mpg on a run and is great fun on the twisties if you get the chance.
And that’s not a great car? You don’t ask for much, do you!
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The first is easily sorted. Turn the stereo up to sort the second!
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Ear #3 for sure, great advice as always from Dear
Deidre Exonian :smiley:
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I've just popped back for a look around after being elsewhere talking about Tiguans and Transporters and stumbled across this dilemma.
As some of you will know, I have a one previous owner and (even if I do say so myself) pretty nice Mk2 GTI 16V. Now that car gets quite a bit of acknowledgment from those that know and appreciate it. I've thought of selling it many times as I don't use it anywhere near enough, but never follow it through because I know that once it's gone, it's gone.
For my car to become a 31 year old 'survivor' it's needed to get through the times when its previous owner may have been tempted by newer, shinier Mk3s and Mk4s. It could well have changed hands many times for little money and be treated pretty much as a disposable item, but it didn't.
What you have in your care now is a perfect example of what could become a very sought after future modern classic. One owner, low mileage, high spec, exceptional condition. It would be a keeper for me.