GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: Mr Savage on 18 February 2014, 19:04
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As a lot of guys are often looking on this forum before ordering their new GTI's I thought i'd just mention a few optional extras that I wish I didn't spec (after 3500 miles covered). Feel free to say what you wouldn't have spec'd and we'll see if theres a pattern. :)
Of course these are all based on price, usability and coolness.
Dynaudio;
After hearing that Dynaudio was incredible on the Mk6 and that it has been created and designed specifically for the Mk7 it was an option I was quite excited to spec. I always have music on in the car and when i'm driving alone then it's always on loud and was always frustrated with the distorted sound you got from the stock speakers at high volumes in the Mk5. Now the system is good...at low volumes but no matter how much i tweak the settings I still can't get that perfect balance of high sound quality and clarity at high volumes. I've tried it on Authentic and Dynamic, moving the sound to the back of the car, to the middle. Moving bass down but whatever I do it just doesn't sound good at all. It seems you have to turn the bass almost completely off to get any clarity from the sound at all which makes it sound crap. An option that hasn't really impressed me as I hoped it would. I wouldn't have spec'd this knowing what I do now.
DCC - Dynamic Chasis Control;
Now people will throw spears and various other large objects at me for saying this but I really can not tell the difference between the suspension settings on this car. Comfort to me feels identical to Sport, maybe a very SLIGHT difference if I really force myself to try and feel it but I think that's more a case of my mind convincing myself that theres a difference. As I've said before if my car randomly switched suspension settings while driving without telling me then I would have no idea that it had changed them. Maybe my DCC is faulty, maybe the transport pucks have caused some unrepairable damage, I don't know but this option was definitely not worth the £780? that it cost. Wish I had spent this on Keyless Entry and High Beam Assist. Will I spec it again? Maybe on the R because it adds Race mode, but that's the only reason. In my opinion, a waste on the GTI. I never find myself using the individual settings, nor do I ever find changing into comfort. It just stays on Sport.
DSG;
Now this is a difficult one. This is my first car with DSG and i've always admired the gearbox on test drives and thought it was incredible. The gear changes are beautifully smooth and some days I find myself really loving it. Other days with the delay in gear shifts (on manual mode) and the lack of interaction with the car when driving spiritedly then I must say I do miss a manual box. In traffic the DSG is the best thing in the world though and using the paddle shifters is so cool and lots of fun. Drive mode though? I feel it starves the GTI of quite a lot of it's gut by up shifting far, far too early. Do I regret speccing it? Not really. I'm glad I went for it but i'm not sure that it's persuaded me to stay with purely DSG cars in the future. The extra soundtrack alone you get with it is worth it though :laugh:
That leaves the following options that I'm glad I did spec;
Performance Pack,
Panoramic Sunroof,
Reverse Camera,
Would spec all of them again in a heartbeat.
What do I regret not speccing?
Keyless Entry is really the only one. However for the sacrifice of DCC and Dynaudio I could have easily spec'd High Beam Assist and Park Assist also. Maybe even Climate Windscreen (Although I don't believe this is really needed.)
So, what about you guys?
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The only option I slightly regret speccing is the DCC. I'm with you in that I don't notice any difference between the settings and to be honest the car stays in sport mode pretty much all the time so I didn't really need a comfort setting.
I can honestly say that there isn't a single option that I truly regret not adding. I quite like the Santiago's but I'm not unhappy with the monza's. I may have thought about the Dynaudio but for all the time I'm in the car it's not really worth it. I'm happy with my colour choice and two best options by far are the PP and keyless
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Hi Mr Savage,
Have to say I don't regret Dynaudio, Pano roof (esp when it gets sunny again, hopefully :whistle:) Manual, and Performance Pack.
After being on the forum for sometime now, and reading others reviews, there are two things I regret not speccing:
Keyless. It sounds really neat and useful - especially when you're getting out of the car with the keys in your hand, having to stick the key back in the fob, so as not to bang or scratch anything. I will defo spec this next time.
Park Assist. I didn't spec it as I don't find parking an issue. But… those lovely new alloys wink at the pavement as I'm parking up… it makes me nervous. I've ended up a foot from the kerb sometimes. Although I'd probably find Park Assist really weird, I think it's something I consider speccing next time.
I would like to try out a GTi with DCC to see if I can detect a difference. But TBH I like the standard ride just fine.
Good Thread Mr Savage, thank you :smiley:
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Hi,
Im happy with all the option I specced to be honest.
Dynaudio - ok not as good as mu Mk6, but pretty good unless you turn the volume up too much.
DCC - On the Isle of Wight the difference between comfort and sport is massive. Our tracks (sorry roads!) are awful and I really appreciate the relaxing comfort ride when commuting.
Heated screen - Love it! After having the screen on my Mk6 steam up almost daily this option works really well. Switches on when needed.
Advanced phone connection - This had to be specced with the heated screen, and actually works well. My phone now works in areas with 0 reception before.
DSG - Awesome as always ;)
Overall I am very very happy with the car I specced :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin:
Ian
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Hi
Ive been really happy with all the options we had except the Dynaudio.......it really is let down after the Dyna system in our previous Scirocco...I just cannot get a nice sound out of it....If I re-ordered I would not bother.
PP- You have to be driving hard to really notice the diff.....but the brake performance is very good and the extra size looks better behind the wheels
DCC- Very expensive option but i/we really feel the different modes and use it at various settings regular.
Keyless- Has worked flawlessly from day one and would really miss not having it now.
Highbeam ass- I do alot of A road driving and it really works well....not so well on road with a central barrier as the sensor sometimes cannot "see" the on coming car.
Ian
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Hello All
Firstly I would like to say 'good thread' Mr Savage, we have a Tornado red GTI ,3 dr, man, PP, DCC, Panoramic roof, Dynaudio, Keyless and have to say I would not change anything if I ordered the car again. DCC is clearly noticeable between the various settings, particularly on our fine and fun Norfolk roads!
Dynaudio has been a bit of a challenge to set up but now that it is set to my taste I find the sound to be very good and enjoy it every time I drive the car.
Panoramic roof looks great and lets in extra light, will be much better in the sunshine.
Performance pack is great and the diff appears to work well although I'm not sure its easy to tell any difference unless really pushing on.
Keyless entry is great and am really glad I fancied it as it has proved to be a smart and user friendly option.
So in summary I have to say that I am entirely happy with the car and the spec so far and will probably choose similar when I am ready to order the Golf R!! :laugh:
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I kept my GTI light on options for several reasons.
Partly to keep depreciation down, partly to keep the price sensible as I had a feeling it would be too close to R pricing otherwise and partly because there isn't that much on the options list that I'd actually want.
DCC considered and rejected as I'd never use the different modes and GTI's always ride ok as standard anyway. My other car has lowered Bilstein/Eibach suspension so if I can suffer that I can suffer anything…
Dynuadio I had on my mk6. It was ok but not something I'd pay extra for, the sub in the mk7 made it much better value but as I tend to listen mostly to radio broadcasts and only do a small mileage annually it was discounted.
Sunroof? Meh. Quite like the idea but not the price.
Santiagos? Nice but not £900 nice when I had a set of BBS's tucked in the garage
PP? Specced and if it wasn't an option I'd have kept my mk6 or got a GTD (or waited to get a Cupra or R)
DSG… not for me. I drive too many vehicles over a week so it just wouldn't get made the best of by me as I'd never be familiar with it. I did a decent journey in a BMW 1 series auto recently and it changed gear every couple of seconds and got on my nerves!
Extra rear doors? Maybe that's one mistake I made, they'd have come in handy!
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Good thread. I don't regret any of the options on my car. Saying that it is lightly specced. So instead i'm going to list what i wish i HAD of specced:
- Keyless
- Heated Seats
- Reversing Camera
As you can see there isn't much there really. I like the GTI just the way it is :smiley:
J
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I sometimes wish I stretched to the Nav Pro, purely for the coolness factor of the larger screen. I rarely use the Nav functionality though, so even the standard Nav option was a bit of a waste for me. I could have just stuck a sharkfin on the roof for a few quid :grin:
Also I'm somewhat sorry I didn't get the PP too.
I really love keyless and my half leather / alcantara seats. Definitely my favourite two options. Here in Ireland we also have to spec xenons and 18's as extras too and I wouldn't be without either of those too.
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Love them all, very happy!
- DynAudio
- Performance Pack
- Pan Roof
- Adaptive Chassis
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Options for me were
5 door (having had 3 door for 5 + years) - Simple but truly life changing :smiley:
Sat Nav - Use about 2-3 times a month and works fine and no regrets in getting
Sub note to this is that though the media system does job as described and is ok it really could do with being taken on to a far better level all around, plently of room for improvement.
Mainly listen to Radio so Dynaudio and the Pro would be wasted on me, especially as standard sound is pretty decent. I have an Iphone 3 permanently hooked up as my source of music and videos.
DCC - Just my opinion, but change is noticeable (though cannot comment on a car without any DCC) and is a revelation in just Sport and take that on even more in Comfort for what are pitted roads in my area. Coming from an S Line maybe my degree of noticing is higher than most though but a huge tick for me.
Winter Pack - Love heated seats use them all time.
DSG - Love the DSG 90% of the time as most of my driving is in conditions where an auto of this type comes into its own but as much as good to push in appropriate conditions with paddles it is an experience that would still be best in manual. Wife loves the DSG so for main car I think it is a must but when changeover second I will be getting a manual.
A standard option that could live without is the ADC cruise as used it but just annoys me though have no issue with there being a front assist sensor just for safety.
Xenon are def an option would pay for if not standard as having now had them be no going back.
There is very little to dislike about this car its quick comfortable and does everything simply well.
If it was just me I would maybe go for something a little rawer and powerful but my first remit is family and work so it has to do the miles and cater for plenty of passenger carrying days and the GTD is the perfect compromise as a car.
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The only option I'd rethink would be DCC - if I were reordering I'd make the effort to do a comprehensive test drive with and without and see if it actually makes any useful difference.
If I was on a budget I might rethink park assist as so far of the couple of times it would actually have been useful I've not been familiar enough with the system to use it in a hurry, so I haven't actually got any benefit from it. It's pretty cheap though, so I'm not upset I specced it.
I have keyless, Dynaudio, park assist, 5 door, DCC, PP.
The only option that I sometimes wonder if I should have had is the DSG after having since ridden in a TT with it and being impressed. Lane assist would also have been interesting, but that wasn't a UK option.
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The Dynaudio is very good much better than the Harman-Kardon setup on the g/f's 1er... I'm glad I specified it...
The advanced telephone prep, less so... it seems to develop a slightly better signal... but I was one that lost out on the MDI port as a result...
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I'm happy with my choices.
DCC - first choice option for me.
Winter Pack- Fantastic, in the Winter.
Pearl Black - stunning when clean.
5 door - essential.
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Wow this thread makes you think.
I was one of the first orders, prior to any road tests.
Decided not to have pp, still not convinced whether made the right choice. I think , like adc on my mark 6 I would not notice the difference.
Keyless is essential. It should be standard
I like my pana roof but it was far too dear, and you can't see it on my CSg ( great colour otherwise, there should be more exclusive colours.
Winter pack, again heated seats should be standard before cruise etc.
Sometimes regret not having four doors (fourth gti , first with 3 doors, )
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Obviously DSG was my biggest regret from the GTI, thankfully though it's something i don't have live with, i liked the keyless in general but it's ridiculous when it comes to washing the car! Needing to get in or put the key inside so you can raise the wipers to park then having to put the key in the house so the wing mirrors don't fold in when you wash the door handles?!
Didn't bother with that on the R.
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DCC - If this fixed getting a battering like my GTD is from unavoidable potholes then I would order again.