GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: GtG on 16 June 2013, 10:25
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Got a call out the blue yesterday from the salesman to say they had a GTI in for the day before it was sent to another branch, that it had the keys in and was ready to drive...
(Of course dropped everything and raced down there!)
I can't say too much about the drive that hasn't already been said, unfortunately I didn't have long in it and the traffic was a nightmare so didn't get many clear blasts.
The thing that stood out the most to me as being really impressive was the new steering! wow! also how the ride quality is good while the handling also excellent.
The car was in red, can't really comment on how the colour looked as the car hadn't been prepped at all and a coat of wax would have made all the difference.
Only negative (being really picky here) was the infill panel on the passenger door where the mirror switches would be on a LHD, bit cheap compared to the rest of the interior.
Now comes the confused part, and also unfortunately a reason for me to start eating a very large portion of Humble pie...
The car had Jacara cloth.. which I thought I hated, thus have ordered leather... but... it's awesome :(
Not just the design, but the quality is unreal. I've not of course seen the leather in a GTI, but as others have said 'It's VW leather' not one of their strong points when it comes to quality.
I have this week to change my order, have been told that if it were to change the build date it should only be by a week. I've seen marketing pictures of the leather that of course look, but have also seen pics people have taken at motorshows etc that look far less impressive.
Yours very confused and examining every interior picture I can find!
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Sack off the leather and either save yourself £1,700 or add on a stack of extra options! I see you've got dynaudio specced, so why not add the DNS pro for a 8" screen for the song art when listening to your tunes?
Honestly, I've had VW leather twice now and I've not gone for it this time - one, because its not all that (and its dull dull dull) and two, because the tartan looks and feels particularly good!!
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I too test drove a car with the cloth, and I was really impressed - so much so this is going to be the first new car I've ordered since 1997 that isn't going to have a leather interior.
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I've always thought the leather overpriced and somewhat out of character for the GTI, on of my favourite features is the Jacara cloth. Of course everyone like different things (thank god), so only you can decide. As mentioned above, you could add some real tasty options for the price of the leather, or just reduce your cars cost.
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I'm in the same position as you so thought I'd share my thoughts.
The tartan is very good and I keep thinking about cancelling my leather. However I have leather on my Ford and love it. When I orders the GTI this was a no question option fro me. Then I heard everyone criticising the leather. It looks great in promos but naf in other pictures such as on used mk6 ads. However I photographed my food and it also looks naf in a picture. I think the pics are pretty much useless for giving an idea of quality.
Other things to consider. Non-GTI fans don't get it. You might have to put up with a lot of sniggering at your tartan if you let people see your new car, and if you hide it why but a new car? What does your wife or girlfriend think? If you want heated seats you'll have to get winter pack of you don't have leather. This is an even bigger rip off at 350 for 2 heated seats and not even a heated windscreen.
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The tartan isn't 'in yer face' as this is a VW after all.
You don't need heated seats with cloth. In fact I've only ever used them twice with my leather despite a lot of winter driving. Maybe I've got a leather arse and thus less affected? But I'm one of those people that really feel the cold.
The leather is ok, I have it in my mk6. But there's no way it's worth £1700 or whatever over and above the cloth.
Just like the Santiagos aren't worth nearly a grand over and above the swastikas.
IMHO of course...
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£1700 is a lot of V Power :evil:
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Decisions ... decisions :grin:
It's the £1700 that would make my mind up :wink:
The Jacara cloth is part of the traditional GTi trademark and if you like it, go for it .. I would :smiley:
I'm not keen on Audi/ VW leather myself ... the panels sag within months and I slide around on top of it rather than feeling "tucked up" and gripped in the seat.
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GtG I have to agree with many on here.
Save yourself a whopping £1,700 and either reduce the cost of your car or throw in a load of goodies.
But I would say this cos I dislike VW leather and dig the retro tartan :evil:
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Now comes the confused part, and also unfortunately a reason for me to start eating a very large portion of Humble pie...
The car had Jacara cloth.. which I thought I hated, thus have ordered leather... but... it's awesome :(
Not just the design, but the quality is unreal. I've not of course seen the leather in a GTI, but as others have said 'It's VW leather' not one of their strong points when it comes to quality.
You know the seats were for me the most surprising feature of the GTI when I saw it, in that, I thought they were just awesome. Much better than what you see in the pictures and very good quality too.
I think you should just sit in a mark 6 GTI with leather seats for a comparison. The leather is the same as the mark 7 GTI.
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I looked at the leather in a MK6 they had yesterday, wasn't keen. The day I ordered however they had a MK7 GT in the showroom which I sat in. I personally thought the leather was much better than in the MK6 and miles better than like in the MK5 I have now. Just trying to trust my memory of my first impression of it. It does look amazing in the pics on the configurator. I know I'll like the car whatever. Wife of course prefers the leather (I think there might be some snobbery involved there! :smiley: )
Also, the leather trim on the doors I do like.. I'd say I'm 50/50 in the choice, but maybe 60/40 when sticking with the leather means not messing with the existing order.
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For me I don't see the point in spending that amount of money on some material
You'll never see that amount back when you sell the car on :undecided:
I'd rather have the performance pack and pocket the change
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You will probably sell the car quicker with the leather if that is a concern. I had more negative comments about the tartan seats in my mk5 than positive.
The leather does make the MK5/6 look better inside and it will probably be the same again in the MK7.
Most options are overpriced apart from the performance pack which is ok considering the cost of carrying out the work with aftermarket parts.
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For what it is worth I have leather on my Mk V GTI and it looks the part, it is comfortable and easy to keep clean.
I never even considered the cloth for my Mk VII, going by the images I have seen the leather is even better, I do hope that it has red stitching though.
The addition of leather will give the GTI that special luxury feel.
As they say "Expensive but worth it"
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The dealer confirmed that the UK market seats won't have the red stitching.
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Just come back from Portsmouth VW and they have a demo carbon grey three door (didnt like colour) with tartan seats and in the showroom a red five door (red looked ok) with leather. Spent alot of time looking at them both inside and the leather did look nice, but made the interior very dark. The tartan seats looked much better and added some nice colour. Having now seen the GTI in the metal, I am glad that I went for pure white (my MK6 was red) and also that I stayed with the tartan. The steering wheel in the 7 seemed thinner than the mk6, not sure it felt so good to me.
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I've had leather in my last two VW's (second hand not ordered from new) and I haven't gone for it in the gtd. I have also gone for the winter pack which many people on here say isn't worth it. Plenty other options in my opinion aren't worth it but the cloth seats will be better in the summer and my ar5e will be warm in the winter!
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Sack off the leather and either save yourself £1,700 or add on a stack of extra options! I see you've got dynaudio specced, so why not add the DNS pro for a 8" screen for the song art when listening to your tunes?
Honestly, I've had VW leather twice now and I've not gone for it this time - one, because its not all that (and its dull dull dull) and two, because the tartan looks and feels particularly good!!
Or, just have the standard audio unit or basic nav and still get your album art! But, I do agree, the tartan looks really good and is part of the cars herritage. I've never been a fan of leather in cars, and at £1,700...