GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk6 => Topic started by: Exonian on 17 November 2014, 09:43
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The sky is grey, the heavens are weeping uncontrollably and it's generally as miserable as a Monday morning gets weather wise.
For those of you sat in the jam on the way to work feeling the Monday blues, today the weather reflects that perfectly.
Today I'm driving the perfect car for it.
Yep, you guessed it, today I have a Golf Convertible Diesel. Oh joy.
The funny thing is - I really like it!
I've no idea how much power it has or even its engine size. It's a Diesel so has enough torque to pull out of junctions quick in rush hour traffic, and I've only driven it in rush hour traffic so that'll do me.
It has stop/start which is good, and it has a proper handbrake unlike my mk7, which basically means at every set of traffic lights I forgot to put the handbrake on.
It's a great car for pulling out of junctions, the huge side glass area you take absolutely no notice of from outside of the car is absolutely brilliant from inside the car. And obviously if it wasn't peeing it down and I felt confident enough with my sexuality I could put the roof down and have even better visibility! Woo!
The only downside is that I'm a short-arse so with the seat reasonably far forward (but on a low setting) my bouffant still catches the huge bar at the front of the roof where it joins the windscreen top thingy. So to own one of these I'd need to go bald, and start dating men.
Oh yes! I was pulled up at one set of lights minding my own business, day dreaming and half listening to the radio and noticed out of the corner of my eye a chap checking the car out and me in it in a slightly disapproving manner. I looked back at him and raised my eyebrows and transferred my thoughts to him via telekinesis "you're looking at me like that sunshine and you're sat driving a Fabia vRS in *yellow*. Seriously dude, go take a look at yourself!"
You get cut up a lot in this car I noticed, mostly by pretty boring cars too so I guess they just assume a ditzy blonde female in the driving seat rather than a middle aged half asleep slightly uncomfortable bloke. Uncomfortable with the image the car is giving him that is. In fact the only bit of eye contact with a little knowing nod was another middle aged guy in a newish Eos. Either he was nodding to me "yeah, I had to take the wife's car this morning too" or he had a loaner as well and was suffering the same issues!
And when I got back home all of the builders were starting work opposite my house. You've never seen me get out of the car and go into the house so fast! But then a cheeky smile spread across my face and I popped back outside and took a photo of the car - I just had to show my mates via iMessage what I'm driving today!!!
But yeah, I really like the car! The dash computer looks surprisingly dated already after 12 months with a mk7, and the radio is just a basic one but aside from that the car is really nice. The alcantara seats are grippy and warm, the Charleston alloys are divine and the mk6 steering wheel is better than the mk7 wheel.
And so, after 6 miles and about 25 minutes this car has grown on me.
So much so that I've parked it up and want my GTI back right now… !!!!!
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Superb :grin:
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the Charleston alloys are divine
I want a set of Charlestons. If I come down, up, across, wherever you are and swap them with a set of 17" Passat wheels I have in the shed, do you think they'd notice when you took it back?
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Ssssshhh yeah, but be quick as this thing has to be reluctantly handed back lunchtime (when the builders aren't looking and it's safe to go near it in public).
It's down, and then across. You'll know when you're nearby as you'll think you've arrived at the Everglades the fields are so far under water either side of the motorway. And when the motorway ends you're in bandit country, so you'll be in my neck of the woods...
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Bugger, it's already 12 o clock and I haven't got to you yet. I asked a bloke with an extraordinarily long beard and a shopping trolly with something covered up with hessian sacking in it how to find you. From what I made from his mutterings, I may have gone across in the wrong direction.
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Don't mention the word bugger while I'm driving this thing whatever you do!
Was his name Jethro? If it was you're in the right direction...
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I'm about 15 minutes away. Are you still there?
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Yes, just trying to find a handbag that goes with my trainers...
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Oh, how I'd love to have been there when you pulled up home in front of all those builders, scurrying indoors to hide your shame. I bet they were ready to wolf whistle untill you stepped out the car. Admit it you would've loved the attention :grin:
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Did you find the handbag or ditch the trainers? Good thread :laugh:
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... So, the phone goes at lunchtime and the service department say they need the car overnight.
"Just hang on to ours and we'll phone when it's ready"
Oh, err, thanks.
I know, I'll pick my eldest son up from work then meet youngest when he gets off the bus from college, that'll give them a laugh, I thought to myself at that moment.
So, eldest wanders up to the car, it's still just about light "erm, very stylish dad"
And off we set.
By some miracle we got to the bus stop a few seconds after my other sons bus dropped him.
So I swung into the bus stop and eldest jumps out.
That's when the problems started.
You know the old "how many managers does it take to change a lightbulb?" jokes.
Well, "how many men does it take to master the folding seats in a cabrio?"
Err, more than three!!!
Oh, and I found out that it's a 2.0
There's a handy hint on the boot lid.
Bluemotion too...
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what i particularly i enjoy on the mk6 cab is when you look in the rear view mirror you can see the rear window moving due to the shuttle shake
i had a 1.4tsi one of these
i also kept clonking my head getting in and out
mk6 mfsw is so much more intuitive than the mk7
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There's certainly some shake rattle and roll going on there!
It actually handles quite well though, at sensible road speeds at least. Low centre of gravity and stiffening bits somewhere I'd guess but it drives ok. But yes, it shakes!
When's the best time to drive a Cabrio? At 4 AM that's when! So I did. A quick 40 mile round trip to see what's what.
Roof up.
MPG? About 10mpg better than a 230bhp GTI which isn't wonderful on a run but seeing nearly 40 round town. In fact not a huge difference between town and a sensibly driven road run to be honest unlike a GTI which sees quite a big difference between the two.
Refinement? Pretty good for what it is
Performance? So so, I'm driving it gently
Image? Obviously at 4AM there's nobody about to laugh at me, but in daylight - the women love this car! Huge kudos with the girls and suspect looks from the boys.
Conclusion? Can I have my GTI back please...
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Image? Obviously at 4AM there's nobody about to laugh at me, but in daylight - the women love this car!
I can never take a man driving a cab seriously, no matter how tasty he might be :tongue:
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I'm far more tasty at 4am in complete darkness than during the day!
It's not me the girls love Frau B, it's the car! I don't get a look in… sniff, sniff...
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Nice review :)
I haven't tried the Mk6 cab but sounds like it has a bit of personality. Funny how the diesel is still the default choice with these even though it must somewhat spoil open top motoring!
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What was meant to be a few hours has now turned into a week.
Pulling out of the dealer forecourt on Monday, with a cheeky but slightly embarrassed grin on my face, thinking "I can't wait to tell my mates what I've got for a few hours" has now developed into a weeks use which to be honest hasn't involved much driving. Aside from a very early run out on Tuesday morning for half hour or so I've just used it for running around locally a few times and taking it to work to see how many people realise it's 'mine' (not many to be honest)
And truth be told I've grown really fond of it!
The main downsides are the lack of power, although it has enough to live with, by choice I'd want a bit more oomph.
The head rail of the very raked windscreen is just too near my forehead and is restrictive.
You could level the previous generation electronic displays at it but to be honest, if it had an RCD 510 or an RNS unit in it then there would be no problem at all.
And it has a weird tendency to stall just after pulling off if you're on a slope. Dipping the clutch starts it again but it can't be right. I'm not sure if it's a vehicle fault or more likely something I'm doing confusing the stop-start electronics? Odd anyway!
The boot is a pain to use.
The front seat folding is still hit and miss even after getting used to it all week.
The seatbelt is a pain to reach and if you had a bad back - forget it!
However I love the rakish styling and could own one and never put the roof down!
I love the side visibility with an almost non existant B pillar.
I love the seats. Black alcantara with netted bolsters are sooo grippy if a little firm.
I love the wheels.
It rides nice and rolls little (ok it shakes a bit too).
And I'm growing to love Diesel driving again.
The stop-start even means I don't have to listen to the rattly tickover at junctions and traffic lights.
I'm going to miss Princess when she goes.
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Your love affair may be destined to be short and sweet :cry:
But you'll always have.....
'that week in November' :kiss:
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Cabriolet? What cabriolet? Pah! Ancient history!!
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:whistle:
What happened to you happened to me..... I just couldn't resist and ended up with the "R" cab :lipsrsealed: :whistle:
Actually i did somewhat address the issues of headunit - mine has rns510 and for some reason the scuttleshake seems nearly non existant in the "R" whereas the TDI that set my ball rolling suffered quite a bit...??
For all the bad press the "R" got... the prices now for 6 monthers makes them a steal as the car themselves are pretty damn good.... I like it more than my ed35 :lipsrsealed:
anyways off to my next appointments blue rinse :laugh: - JOKING
anyone try one for a week in the summer with ya missus and I bet 7 out of 10 may crumble :grin:
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:whistle:
What happened to you happened to me..... I just couldn't resist and ended up with the "R" cab :lipsrsealed: :whistle:
Actually i did somewhat address the issues of headunit - mine has rns510 and for some reason the scuttleshake seems nearly non existant in the "R" whereas the TDI that set my ball rolling suffered quite a bit...??
For all the bad press the "R" got... the prices now for 6 monthers makes them a steal as the car themselves are pretty damn good.... I like it more than my ed35 :lipsrsealed:
anyways off to my next appointments blue rinse :laugh: - JOKING
anyone try one for a week in the summer with ya missus and I bet 7 out of 10 may crumble :grin:
Yes, I remember you posting up photos of yours back along.
Really handsome car
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TBH, a fair few months have passed now since buying the cab and I have to admit its been pretty much faultless.....
IF anyone was thinking of buying one here's a few things to think about .....
1) imo, white with black wheels looks the dogs - very few of them on the road and looks very very aggressive (IN THE FLESH) photos don't do the car justice whatsoever....
Had a black one with silver wheels on loan and for me it softens the car too much and you lose all the detailing that this car looks so good with....
2) They handle far better than you think they will....I haven't noticed any scuttle shake thats bothered me, and on the road you wont exceed its limits whatsoever, I had GTI and GTI ed35 before this and see very little handling difference in everyday driving between this and them. It feels more solid on the road due to its heavier weight.
3) If you can try to get the rns510 head unit as so much better cosmetically....and lets face it, your interior is even more on view in the summer....
4) You will love how quick the roof goes up/down and whilst moving.....
5) Boot is way bigger than you think, back seats are ok too
6) It sounds fantastic with the roof down, especially on full chatter and the poppy fart when changing gear
7) Buy the stick on "R" badge from ebay (£2.50 and exactly the same as VW's genuine one)) and put it on the front fender (where ed35's have there badge) ... gives the car a far more finished look.... small but very effective cosmetic upgrade.... saying that I would do it to tintop R's too....
8) People will always say "hairdressers car" or "you must be 40 and bald" to have one....... basically if you have a ANY convertible,THESE people will ALWAYS say that no matter what..... whether VW / BMW / Porsche etc etc etc
I view it as THERE LOSS :smiley:
8) I was amazed at how quiet there are inside.... with the roof up I would say they are actually every bit as good as any tin top (including my ed35) that i've ever had AND are much quieter in the rain ......
9) Don't pay £35-40k for one - silly money.... buy 6 month old one for £25k - pound for pound I think a bit of a steal....
10) build quality.... I haven't had one leak / one squeak or one rattle at all :smiley:
11) People seem less offended by you being in a VW cab than being in one of the other obvious ones - bmw/audi etc.... just my opinion though ...
12) lastly....Fuel... its actually been better than my ed35.... weird but true
13) Don't join the R forum, they wont admit there's a girly hairdressary cab in there lineup :lipsrsealed:
14) There wont be a mk7 golf cab for some time.... the investment/development costs involved mean the mk6 will be about for quite a while :-)
so anyone who thought they could be a pretend hairdresser and have more hair on your back than head, get down to VW and have a go in one :grin:
Seriously, Ive posted this as someone somewhere maybe thinking about buying a Golf cab and this may just help.
cheers
potts