Couple of points regarding the above discussion:
1) DO NOT BIN YOUR GTI! I too am retired, and have just bought a 2 month old MK8 - and I am now 73! This is my 7th GTI, I've owned them off and on since the MK1. Surely this is exactly what the Golf GTI is all about; not a be-winged tyre shredder with stupid BHP, but a brilliant all rounder that is great fun to drive - including the odd visit to Tesco's. Keep it, my friend.
2) Warranties: To be honest, I've always considered extended warranties another form of insurance, with too many caveats. However, my previous car was a Porsche Macan S (my second) which was bought new; brilliant car - right up to the point where it was out of warranty. Then you suddenly find yourself studying the instrument display looking for un-heralded warnings coming along, and thinking "if something goes wrong with this thing I will have to sell a kidney". Really, it takes a lot of pleasure away from the ownership experience. And I'm willing to bet the GTI will be no different, albeit on a slightly less expensive scale. Getting a decent warranty extension is the trick.
