Is Choosing the GTD Crazy?

[dubber36]

How does this post fit for people who buy for their cars for cash? Is it still 'crazy' to buy a GTD over a GTI as I just have? (This thread has placed many seeds of doubt into my head. Orders placed now - too late to change).

I guess most people on this forum are natural petrol heads and deep, deep down don't really rate oil burners. Is that a fair comment?

Be interested to hear your thoughts.

Gaz

I'm one for paying cash too. I can't be doing with having to find monthly payments for anything other than utility bills.

I reckon that once you've handed over your debit card, the car is all yours. If by any chance after a few months you've decided that it's not the right car for you, you simply sell it. Granted you'll take a big hit, but all the money from the sale will be yours, back in your bank, ready to buy something else with. During that time, hopefully you'll have saved enough money to top it up, as you won't have been paying out each month on a finance arrangement.

As I said earlier in the thread, even with my low Golf mileage, I'd still have a GTD, and a DSG at that. That's just what I'd choose, but it doesn't mean it's right for everyone.

[Exonian]

How does this post fit for people who buy for their cars for cash? Is it still 'crazy' to buy a GTD over a GTI as I just have? (This thread has placed many seeds of doubt into my head. Orders placed now - too late to change).

I guess most people on this forum are natural petrol heads and deep, deep down don't really rate oil burners. Is that a fair comment?

Be interested to hear your thoughts.

Gaz

I've owned about 20 cars ranging from the best hot hatches to the fastest diesels. The most fun cars to drive everyday in the real world are the fast diesels. That's why I've ordered a GTD. I'm coming from a 2012 Scirocco 2.0 TSI DSG and I think it's an unexciting and poor sounding engine

I've got to agree with you. Been there and done the same. As cross country road cars go fast Diesels are right up there. And I've owned way more than 20 and nearly all of them have been petrols!! Unfortunately the Diesels I've had have been remapped and the fuel consumption on them hasn't been all that brilliant on some of them BUT I certainly had as much fun driving them as any of my fast petrols.

[monkeyhanger]

A fast Diesel diven properly, with well timed gear changes to get the most out of the power band (which isn't so narrow since we went CR from PD) is the car i'd choose to drive. I do love having all that torque on tap and not getting raped at the pumps, cheaper insurance, noticeably higher residuals and cheaper road tax are all benefits too. On public roads (and driving reasonably lawfully) there isn't any real difference in what you can do with a GTI compared to a GTD (except from a standing start at a set of lights). In the past you couldn't have all the GTI looks and equipment without buying a GTI, now all that is missing is a red stripe (with a silver one in it's place). Diesels have caught up and because of all that torque there doesn't feel like 35PS between them.

[mike.]

It's funny how people go on about the huge amount of torque in the diesel.
The MK7 GTI has the same torque output (350NM) as the MK6 GTD, I think the MK7 GTD has another 30NM

Also the GTI doesn't need as much torque to turn the driving wheels as the GTD, due to the gearing and it comes in 500rpm sooner.

I have driven the GTI/GTD back to back both in the MK5 and the MK6 and both times I went for the GTI.
The GTI just seems lighter and  livlier, sounds so much better and was a lot more exciting to drive.
All of my driving is a/b roads so maybe this makes a difference.

I would say make sure you drive both cars back to back before ordering, my sister went from a 2.0TSI TT to a 170TDI TT and apart from the Quattro grip is regretting her choice, she didn't test drive the diesel before buying.

[Sootchucker]

I don't think we should get to hung on on is the GTI better than the GTD, is petrol better then Diesel, as these arguments have been done to death over many years. Different people have different expectations, wants and aspirations over their cars. Some prefer petrol, some diesel - who are we to tell them they are wrong !

I think Monkeyhanger hit the nail on the head though. Previous to the MK7, if you wanted the GTi looks (bumpers, side skirts etc) you either had to buy a GTi, or retro fit the parts at quite an expense. VW have now seen fit to produce both GTi and GTD models which are visually identical (bar exhaust pipe arrangement and red stripe on front bumper). Even the 19" alloy wheel options are the same. Now everyone can pick the car of their choice, which is exactly how it should be.

[monkeyhanger]

I suppose that in the main for GTD drivers they don't consider the extra performance of a GTI over a GTD to be worth the extra cost in terms of fuelling and depreciation. The GTI people will think that it is worth the extra. We will always agree to disagree when it comes to diesel vs petrol even though the difference between the 2 is narrowing all the time.

I do feel that VW do hold back so as not to encroach on each model too much. If they'd incorporated the cylinder deactivation technology seen on the 1.4 140PS TSI to achieve around 55mpg combined with the 2.0TSI then they could've been in danger of killing off the GTD. Also, bi-turbo diesels are out there, putitng out GTI territory power, but i'm sure they don't want to step on the GTI's toes by releasing a GTD/R-TDI with Bi-turbo.

[p3asa]

Is there anyone here that got appreciably more in "part-ex" on their MK6 GTD/GTI at 3 years old than their quoted final rental/guaranteed future value on their solutions finance?

On my GT I got £2k more trade in than what my final balloon payment was but unfortunately this wasn't with VW but with Audi however I'll happily jump ship once the new MK7 GTD/GTI has been out and is established.

[Jimble]

I'm getting 17k for mine in sept, it'll be 3 and a half years old with approx 17~17.5k on the clock but i'm not getting any free gap or service. i'm happy with that though, the car cost approx £26500 new.

[dubber36]

I'm getting 17k for mine in sept, it'll be 3 and a half years old with approx 17~17.5k on the clock but i'm not getting any free gap or service. i'm happy with that though, the car cost approx £26500 new.

That's a bloody good price considering that I have just paid that for an 18 month old Passat Estate which was £27.5k when new.

I know it's not really comparing eggs with eggs, but it does show that some cars really do hold their money well.

[Jimble]

I'm getting 17k for mine in sept, it'll be 3 and a half years old with approx 17~17.5k on the clock but i'm not getting any free gap or service. i'm happy with that though, the car cost approx £26500 new.

That's a bloody good price considering that I have just paid that for an 18 month old Passat Estate which was £27.5k when new.

I know it's not really comparing eggs with eggs, but it does show that some cars really do hold their money well.

Thats what i thought tbh, i did ask about taking delivery sooner and if that would affect the trade in but he said no as he was giving me a very good trade in on what it's worth now to which i agreed.