GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: am1w on 13 March 2015, 21:05
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A quick and mini review as I have only driven the car for 10 miles today. Plus, I have not been feeling too well. But you guys deserve a write-up.
The car is everything and more than I thought it would be. I made the perfect choice especially by choosing Tornado Red.
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THE HANDOVER:
Better than with the BMW.
The handover by Andrew Wood, Fleet Manger, West London VW, took about 1.5 hours. He had set the car up perfectly for me. I cannot thank him enough for the excellent 3 year lease deal he gave me and the superb service I have received over the last 5 months of waiting. All I can say is that it was well worth the wait. The car is something else and then some. Yes, in this case the rave reviews were not spot on. The car is even better IMO than they purported it to be.
FIT & FINISH:
R wins by a significant margin.
Not a single fault!!!!!
This car is the best made and finished car I have ever owned and the list includes BMWs, Mercs, Audis, Porsches, Maseratis, Jaguars and even an Aston Martin (which blew up!). It has been beautifully prepped by the Dealer and carefully supervised by Andrew Wood. Not a single swirl make, paint defect in both sunlight and under fluorescent lights. Oh next to no orange peel. BMW take note.
The doors hang perfectly, close with an expensive thunk (unlike my BMW), the panel gaps are minuscule unlike BMW, the interior is much better made than a BMW and it is definitely quite jewel-like IMO. The seats are supremely comfortable. I chose cloth/Alcantara which I preferred to any of the exorbitantly priced and cheap looking VW leather of which 40% is faux!
There is not a single ill-fitting panel, inside or outside. Pretty perfect IMO.
THE SOUND SYSTEM
Better than the BMW Harmon Kardon.
And what a system! It needs special mention.
The Dynaudio is quite amazing even with the non-runin speakers and is a significant league better than the BMW Harmon Kardon system. Dynaudio is beautifully balanced with very tuneful bass and silky highs, even though the speakers have not been in use for any length of time. Most impressive and worth every penny. In a word, wonderful.
ENGINE & DSG GERABOX
On par with BMW.
In a word they work in perfect harmony from the brief run I had today. The DSG seems very clever. The fake engine sound is bit overwhelming at first but is rather addictive. It produces a deep race-like growl which at first was a bit off putting, but then after 10 minutes I began to love and enjoy it. The flappy paddles are very small, plastic, hence cheap looking and not in the BMW league. Love the petrol engine. What have I been missing? Torque is the only thing but not the rev happiness that a petrol engine brings. This is how cars are meant to be IMO.
RIDE, HANDLING, STEERING FEEL, NOISE:
Overall better than the BMW and by some margin.
The car feels so planted and chuckable. Not like a wallowing BMW whale. The suspension does not crash on bad tarmac like the BMW and the steering has much more feel than the BMW. With the brief drive today, I can categorically say that the R reigns supreme.
DCC is truly excellent and does what it says on the tin. I can't imagine driving a non-DCC car especially with 19" Prets.
The car is very quiet at speed (only 50 mph today) and has less road roar than the BMW Tyres are Bridgestone S001 types but thankfully non-runflat. Not the best, but good enough. Cannot comment on wind noise yet but I have a feeling it will trump the BMW.
LOOKS:
I now feel that the R and BMW are on par.
I would, would I not! Only natural.
These are different cars for different purposes. I love the BMW saloon shape but not its size. So easy to park the R! The R is not a photogenic car. In reality it looks quite wonderful for a hatchback. Love the OTT quad exhausts. The BMW had rather minuscule pea shooters which belied its performance potential.
THE R NEGATIVES:
(1) Tiny boot, but big enough for me. Car is no good for the family man. Advice: stop breeding!
(2) R Touchscreen is so last Tuesday compared to brilliant BMW iDrive which is head and shoulders better than the R setup. In fact, iDrive is incomparable. I miss it hugely.
(3) Stupid flappy paddles. Plastic and tiny. But I will hardly use them as I hardly used the BMW paddles. So no loss.
(4) The Sat Nav has horrid graphics. I chose the cheaper system.
(5) Too many bewildering functions on the steering wheel. I'll get used to this eventually.
(6) Miss the crawl of the BMW Auto ZF gearbox. But I'll get used to this.
Oh, you can sync or unsync the air con for passenger and driver which you cannot with the BMW. The R has many useful touches. So does the BMW.
Pictures to follow. I promise.
Which do I prefer? I like them both. What I do not like is BMW's lower quality of fit and finish. So overall, I prefer the R. That's why I got one.
Guys and gals who are still waiting for their Rs: When you get your cars it will be like entering Heaven and will be well worth the wait. I promise!
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Hope that you are enjoying your new car.
How did it take 1.5 hours to do the handover? Don't think I have ever been any longer than 30 mins when collecting a new car.
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Nice review :cool: You sound quite taken with it :wink:
You've just made my long wait a tiny bit harder :tongue:
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Hope that you are enjoying your new car.
How did it take 1.5 hours to do the handover? Don't think I have ever been any longer than 30 mins when collecting a new car.
Special service. I was being a bit thick as not very well and had to get my head around a few bits 'n pieces. I am so used to the clarity of a BMW. The VW tech is a bit clunky.
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So I guess you like the Golf R then :laugh:
I was sat in the waiting area of Exeter VW dealer, while waiting for a new sensor to be fitted on my windscreen. There was a Golf R in the showroom right behind where I was sat. During the 3+ hours I sat and waited for my car to be ready, I noticed almost everyone who walked past the Golf R felt the need to stop and admire it then take photos of it. It was like some kind of minor celebrity. So even though some of us feel the looks of an R are understated, in reality to the general public it really is not the case and people do seem to notice it as something special.
I own a GTI PP in Oryx White and it looks amazing, but I have to admit even though I felt looking at photos of a Golf R online it was understated and plain. In reality when I saw it in the flesh I was quickly starting to change my mind.
To all of you who are getting Golf R's enjoy, I am sure you will not be disappointed. I am wondering whether my next car will be GTI or R when a special editon or MK8 is are released.
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(http://i884.photobucket.com/albums/ac50/am1w/Mobile%20Uploads/d20f88bf-cc1a-4b4e-8e1e-3b22b5a7f49d_zpsb3eg44mz.jpg) (http://s884.photobucket.com/user/am1w/media/Mobile%20Uploads/d20f88bf-cc1a-4b4e-8e1e-3b22b5a7f49d_zpsb3eg44mz.jpg.html)
(http://i884.photobucket.com/albums/ac50/am1w/Mobile%20Uploads/e7da1e30-7cc5-4e98-99ee-4401c25db8d7_zpsi7bltadb.jpg) (http://s884.photobucket.com/user/am1w/media/Mobile%20Uploads/e7da1e30-7cc5-4e98-99ee-4401c25db8d7_zpsi7bltadb.jpg.html)
(http://i884.photobucket.com/albums/ac50/am1w/Mobile%20Uploads/443852b2-3fe8-423b-b50f-97e3bb4a288b_zpsjgajtq3l.jpg) (http://s884.photobucket.com/user/am1w/media/Mobile%20Uploads/443852b2-3fe8-423b-b50f-97e3bb4a288b_zpsjgajtq3l.jpg.html)
(http://i884.photobucket.com/albums/ac50/am1w/71bc1c6a-6156-4cb9-a776-c312a00a37c2_zpsdpayrs35.jpg) (http://s884.photobucket.com/user/am1w/media/71bc1c6a-6156-4cb9-a776-c312a00a37c2_zpsdpayrs35.jpg.html)
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^^
That looks very nice :cool: Better than the blue one in the last pic :whistle:
Shod with Bridgestones??
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^^
That looks very nice :cool: Better than the blue one in the last pic :whistle:
Shod with Bridgestones??
Thanks.
Yes, Bridgestone S001 tyres. What else? Their rim protection is pretty poor. I can see kerb-love in the offing!
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Congratulations Asker.
Thankfully it hasn't been an anticlimax like you feared (the only anticlimax being the poor sales guy having to spend and hour and a half doing the handover!) :shocked:
May your honeymoon be a long and fruitful one!
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Congratulations Asker.
Thankfully it hasn't been an anticlimax like you feared (the only anticlimax being the poor sales guy having to spend and hour and a half doing the handover!) :shocked:
May your honeymoon be a long and fruitful one!
Thanks for your kind words, Andy.
I know the Fleet Manager well and at least 30 mins was spent chatting about other things plus as I was not very well (and have not been for the last 1.5months) it took a bit longer than expected. He'd set-up my car beautifully for which I was very grateful.
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Get well soon Asker, that doesn't sound nice. Hopefully Spring will have sprung before long and it'll warm us all up and our winter blues will clear the hell out. I had a flu type bug weeks ago and just can't shake it.
Your handover just demonstrates how complicated modern cars are and there's just a bewildering amount of buttons on the Golf steering wheel. You do get used to them all eventually but they're not exactly intuitive. At least they have a good solid feel though.
I jumped in a colleague's R32 the other day and was blown away by a) how good the mk5 steering wheel still is and b) how much simpler cars were just a few short years ago without all of the pointless extras we've come to expect now. You get in and drive a mk5 and can concentrate on driving rather than fiddling around with dozens of pointless sub-menus and settings.
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You get in and drive a mk5 and can concentrate on driving rather than fiddling around with dozens of pointless sub-menus and settings.
Amen to that!
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Amen to that. Too much tech which I would probably never use. The button-fest steering wheel is crazy IMO.
I think a lot of manufacturers have forgotten that less is more.
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Amen to that. Too much tech which I would probably never use. The button-fest steering wheel is crazy IMO.
I think a lot of manufacturers have forgotten that less is more.
Even parking sensors are overkill imo :laugh:
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Amen to that. Too much tech which I would probably never use. The button-fest steering wheel is crazy IMO.
I think a lot of manufacturers have forgotten that less is more.
That being said, I would have appreciated one of the buttons on the steering wheel to be assigned to cycling the driving mode, or overriding the stop-start for one of those stops at a junction where you know the lights are about to change or your path is about to be cleared (without having to keep the clutch dipped) - just to stop it kicking in on that particular stop.
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Nice to hear your enjoying your new R and everything went well on the hand over. Sorry to hear tour not well.
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Very nice Asker. You certainly picked the best colour.
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Nice to hear your enjoying your new R and everything went well on the hand over. Sorry to hear tour not well.
Thanks Geoff for your kind words.
Got 'poisoned' quite badly with incorrect medication from a top Harley Street Doctor.
Once I recover fully, I'll give Red Tornado lots of TLC.
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Very nice Asker. You certainly picked the best colour.
Thank you kind sir.
Tornado Red on an R is really a stand out colour. I would choose no other. Everytime I look at Red Tornado I feel elated. So many positive comments about the colour and the Cadiz wheels. Plus both items are free. Win, win!
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Very nice Asker. You certainly picked the best colour.
Thank you kind sir.
Tornado Red on an R is really a stand out colour. I would choose no other. Everytime I look at Red Tornado I feel elated. So many positive comments about the colour and the Cadiz wheels. Plus both items are free. Win, win!
Have to admit I'm not a massive fan of the Cadiz Wheels normally (think the prets look perfect) but seeing them on your car they look spot on.
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Nice to hear your enjoying your new R and everything went well on the hand over. Sorry to hear tour not well.
Thanks Geoff for your kind words.
Got 'poisoned' quite badly with incorrect medication from a top Harley Street Doctor.
Once I recover fully, I'll give Red Tornado lots of TLC.
:angry: :sad: :shocked:
Get well soon mate.
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I've only recently seen Tornado Red in the flesh, and have to agree with the sentiment here - its beautiful! Enjoy and get well soon.
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Thank you so much for your kind words about the car and my health. Slow progress with health, but progress at least at last.
Yes, a Tornado Red R is quite a stunning looking vehicle. Tornado Red does not photograph well, but in real life it is quite exceptional. A stand out colour and at zero cost. Suits the R even more than it suits a GTI IMO. When I first saw my R, it took my breath away. A Tornado Red R with Cadiz wheels for myself is the perfect combination and real eye candy.
There are only two things I really dislike. The Touch Screen System and the Soundaktor. The former I can't do much about as that's what VWs come with, but the latter will be disconnected in a week or so. I am not an avid fan of faux sounds.
Apart from the above, I am very happy with the car and the whole buying experience.
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Asker, +1 for the mk7 R in Tornado Red. Don't think I've seen a TR one in the flesh, but from your pictures it looks great. I'm not normally a great fan of the Cadiz wheels, but with Tornado Red, they also look the business! :cool:
Hope you soon feel well enough to get out there and enjoy it!
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Asker, +1 for the mk7 R in Tornado Red. Don't think I've seen a TR one in the flesh, but from your pictures it looks great. I'm not normally a great fan of the Cadiz wheels, but with Tornado Red, they also look the business! :cool:
Hope you soon feel well enough to get out there and enjoy it!
Thank you for the kind words. I too hope and pray I will recover fully.
Yes, there is great synergy between Tornado Red and Cadiz wheels. Plus both at zero cost.
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The red and wheel combo work well together. I have seen the same combo on the one DTuk have as its often in or around the viillage I live in.
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^^
That looks very nice :cool: Better than the blue one in the last pic :whistle:
Shod with Bridgestones??
Agreed :cool:. Smarter looking car than the F series from that angle anyway.
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^^
That looks very nice :cool: Better than the blue one in the last pic :whistle:
Shod with Bridgestones??
Agreed :cool:. Smarter looking car than the F series from that angle anyway.
Thanks. Replaced the BMW picture with this one which is nicer.
(http://i884.photobucket.com/albums/ac50/am1w/71bc1c6a-6156-4cb9-a776-c312a00a37c2_zpsdpayrs35.jpg) (http://s884.photobucket.com/user/am1w/media/71bc1c6a-6156-4cb9-a776-c312a00a37c2_zpsdpayrs35.jpg.html)
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Thanks. Replaced the BMW picture with this one which is nicer.
(http://i884.photobucket.com/albums/ac50/am1w/IMG-20130101-00248.jpg) (http://s884.photobucket.com/user/am1w/media/IMG-20130101-00248.jpg.html)
Nicer pic, but red car still better.
Not a fan of Cadiz normally but Tornado Red and Cadiz are made for each other :cool:
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Thank you Mr Booth11.
The BMW is a great car. Very solid. We have another one which we got in Dec'14. It's in Mineral Grey with Coral Red Leather seats.
The R is a very nice car, though I don't like the touch screen Sat Nav. I am sure you are looking forward to yours. It's a hell-of-a great drive. The BMW is also immense. Brilliant Nav, engine, gearbox etc.
Both these cars are best in their respective class. Feel lucky to have both.
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Thank you Mr Booth11.
The BMW is a great car. Very solid. We have another one which we got in Dec'14. It's in Mineral Grey with Coral Red Leather seats.
The R is a very nice car, though I don't like the touch screen Sat Nav. I am sure you are looking forward to yours. It's a hell-of-a great drive. The BMW is also immense. Brilliant Nav, engine, gearbox etc.
Both these cars are best in their respective class. Feel lucky to have both.
I'm Miss Booth11 :smiley:
Mineral Grey and Coral Red sounds to be a stunning combination. Need to see a pic of that? :whistle: Preferably in tandem with your Tornado R. What a great duo :cool:
I'm very much looking forward to getting my R, thanks. I've been in modern Golf GTI's a while now (10 years) and really love them, but time for something (a little) different.
Sounds like the touch screen doesn't compare too well against the idrive system? I've always found the touch screen in the mk6 to be a little rough around the edges, hopefully the mk7 version is a little more refined?
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Hi Miss Booth11!
Will try and get some pictures. However, the 2 cars are at different addresses: don't ask!
I see you are getting the DNS with your R. It works ok but the screen is low res. However, I refused to pay out for the overpriced DNS Pro and the DNS gets you to your destination just as well.
I think you will be very pleased with the R. It is a good car. Not so sure about the Soundaktor though.
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Hi Miss Booth11!
Will try and get some pictures. However, the 2 cars are at different addresses: don't ask!
I see you are getting the DNS with your R. It works ok but the screen is low res. However, I refused to pay out for the overpriced DNS Pro and the DNS gets you to your destination just as well.
I think you will be very pleased with the R. It is a good car. Not so sure about the Soundaktor though.
Well hello.
Complicated love life eh! Look forward to your pictures.
The standard nav will be ok for me. I wouldn't make full use of the pro sat nav, it would be a waste of cash, especially at the vastly inflated price VW are asking. Although not as aesthetically pleasing as the pro version, even in standard guise, an integrated nav system is neater and preferable to a Tom-Tom rattling around in the centre console or worse still, stuck to the windscreen, that's a no-no.
As for the Soundkator, I'm not a fan of the artificial sound maker but par for the course these days, and the mk6 has one. Time will tell I suppose. If it starts to grate it can be turned down or off with VCDS.
On the whole I'm sure I will be pleased with the R provided it's not a Friday afternoon car :undecided:
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Well hello Miss Booth!
PM sent on the complication!
I agree with you regarding the DNS Pro. Ridiculously priced. Anyway, I never look at the screen, just listen to the nice lady gently telling me where to go and look at the black panel display in the instrument binnacle for further clarification.
We have the brilliant Pro System in the BMW, but it did not cost as much, as the standard car comes with Business Nav, so upgrading to the Pro is not very much. VW should offer the DNS as standard on the R with the Pro as an option for say £900 extra.
What is really galling is that the 5.8" DNS Screen will soon become a 6.5" Screen (Polo and Passat already have these) from May '15 onwards.
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PM received. All part of the rich tapestry of life as they say, Asker :wink:
My sympathies about the upgraded screen. However, unless my car gets built earlier than estimated (build week 28), I'm hoping to benefit from the rumoured week 22 changes, of which you speak. Your loss may be my gain I'm afraid!
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PM received. All part of the rich tapestry of life as they say, Asker :wink:
My sympathies about the upgraded screen. However, unless my car gets built earlier than estimated (build week 28), I'm hoping to benefit from the rumoured week 22 changes, of which you speak. Your loss may be my gain I'm afraid!
Certainly not a boring past life. I am now a quiet retiree!
Make sure it is not before BW22. Cause it if you must!
I see you have not ordered Dynaudio. Pourquoi?
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I have ordered Dynaudio. Oops! missed it off my signature (rectified now). I wouldn't be without it, and by all accounts a great improvement on the mk6 generation.
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I have ordered Dynaudio. Oops! missed it off my signature. I wouldn't be without it, and by all accounts a great improvement on the mk6 generation.
Yours is a very well specced car.
Dynaudio sounds good but it is not quite as good overall as the BMW HK system. Probably once the speakers are run-in it will show improvement.
As I leased my car, I had to be careful with the options. The only option I miss is the big screen of the DNS Pro. I decided against keyless due to some of the security problems. Leather I did not want as my bony behind really damages the leather with two huge indentations! I was going to order a pano roof, but then my BW would have slipped. So I stuck with the original order.
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PM received. All part of the rich tapestry of life as they say, Asker :wink:
My sympathies about the upgraded screen. However, unless my car gets built earlier than estimated (build week 28), I'm hoping to benefit from the rumoured week 22 changes, of which you speak. Your loss may be my gain I'm afraid!
Certainly not a boring past life. I am now a quiet retiree!
Make sure it is not before BW22. Cause it if you must!
I see you have not ordered Dynaudio. Pourquoi?
Mine is now currently BW17, i can see it being delayed again on a weekly basis until BW21 when it gets built, the day before BW22 starts. :grin:
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Mine is now currently BW17, i can see it being delayed again on a weekly basis until BW21 when it gets built, the day before BW22 starts. :grin:
Well, I hope not for your sake MH, that would be enough to make a grown man cry :cry: :cry: :grin:
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I have ordered Dynaudio. Oops! missed it off my signature (rectified now). I wouldn't be without it, and by all accounts a great improvement on the mk6 generation.
I think you may be right :cool: Mine is bedding in nicely after a few weeks abuse and if anything I think it is better than the one in my Mk7 GTI. I might be biased though seeing as this is my fourth car with it in :whistle:
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Yours is a very well specced car.
Dynaudio sounds good but it is not quite as good overall as the BMW HK system. Probably once the speakers are run-in it will show improvement.
As I leased my car, I had to be careful with the options. The only option I miss is the big screen of the DNS Pro. I decided against keyless due to some of the security problems. Leather I did not want as my bony behind really damages the leather with two huge indentations! I was going to order a pano roof, but then my BW would have slipped. So I stuck with the original order.
It's a decent set of options, and not restricted by lease conditions as I'm buying outright.
In addition to Dynaudio, spec wise there were a few non negotiables such as DSG, 5 doors and leather (both easier with a child in the equation). If 18" Pretorias had been available (as they are on the continent) they would have been my preference as I think they give optimum handling and ride. However 19s it had to be and therefore DCC, to offset the harder ride. I threw in a couple of cheap options - HBA and rear view camera just for the hell of it.
Never tempted by the panoramic roof. Not my style, I like a dark cabin, and has the potential to become a creaking, rattling future annoyance.
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Mine is now currently BW17, i can see it being delayed again on a weekly basis until BW21 when it gets built, the day before BW22 starts. :grin:
They don't know what to do with your order especially in the aftermath of your emails to them regarding your utter dislike of Bridgestone tyres.
Do they:
(1) Build it in Wolfsburg and give you Bridgestone tyres which are standard fitment from this factory.
(2) Build it in Slovakia and give you Continental tyres which are standard fitment from this factory .
Or, do they especially for you:
(3) Build it in Wolfsburg and give you Continental tyres which are not standard fitment from this factory.
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Yours is a very well specced car.
Dynaudio sounds good but it is not quite as good overall as the BMW HK system. Probably once the speakers are run-in it will show improvement.
As I leased my car, I had to be careful with the options. The only option I miss is the big screen of the DNS Pro. I decided against keyless due to some of the security problems. Leather I did not want as my bony behind really damages the leather with two huge indentations! I was going to order a pano roof, but then my BW would have slipped. So I stuck with the original order.
It's a decent set of options, and not restricted by lease conditions as I'm buying outright.
In addition to Dynaudio, spec wise there were a few non negotiables such as DSG, 5 doors and leather (both easier with a child in the equation). If 18" Pretorias had been available (as they are on the continent) they would have been my preference as I think they give optimum handling and ride. However 19s it had to be and therefore DCC, to offset the harder ride. I threw in a couple of cheap options - HBA and rear view camera just for the hell of it.
Never tempted by the panoramic roof. Not my style, I like a dark cabin, and has the potential to become a creaking, rattling future annoyance.
I agree about the creaking Pano Roof. That's what put me off. And it looks so ridiculous when it is opened. Picks up all the muck on the inside surface of the glass when it is open.
Voice control has never really worked in any car I have had; so I did not order it.
Rear Camera. Don't need it on a tiny car like a Golf. So did not spec it.
But had to have the Winter Pack. Wish I could have had a heated steering wheel.
HBA for the hell of it!
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I have ordered Dynaudio. Oops! missed it off my signature (rectified now). I wouldn't be without it, and by all accounts a great improvement on the mk6 generation.
I think you may be right :cool: Mine is bedding in nicely after a few weeks abuse and if anything I think it is better than the one in my Mk7 GTI. I might be biased though seeing as this is my fourth car with it in :whistle:
You like it then :wink:
It's a shame you can't burn them in them in as you might non car speakers/headphones (running them for a few hours a time over days). After two and half years my mk6 speakers are now perfect. It's a good excuse to drive the R for hours with the stereo on, not that you need one. Might drown out the Soundkator too :grin:
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I agree about the creaking Pano Roof. That's what put me off. And it looks so ridiculous when it is opened. Picks up all the muck on the inside surface of the glass when it is open.
Voice control has never really worked in any car I have had; so I did not order it.
Rear Camera. Don't need it on a tiny car like a Golf. So did not spec it.
But had to have the Winter Pack. Wish I could have had a heated steering wheel.
HBA for the hell of it!
Glad I didn't waste my money on a pano roof then, not that it was ever in the running.
Agree about the winter pack, a must with cloth. Heated seats standard with leather, and couldn't ever give them up, I like a cosy rear in the chilly months, it's my age. :laugh:
Heated steering wheel would have been very nice and somewhere I did read a rumour about it being a possible future option? Probably in the mk8!
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Well Asker, you've had your Tornado Red R a full 3 weeks now so the honeymoon period is over. :cry: Some would already be thinking about their next car by now :grin:
Assuming you've been driving your R, surely it's time for a mini update on your initial observations from those early rose-tinted spectacle days :whistle: I'm interested to see if and how your thoughts have changed.....?? :smiley:
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Well Asker, you've had your Tornado Red R a full 3 weeks now so the honeymoon period is over. :cry: Some would already be thinking about their next car by now :grin:
Assuming you've been driving your R, surely it's time for a mini update on your initial observations from those early rose-tinted spectacle days :whistle: I'm interested to see if and how your thoughts have changed.....?? :smiley:
Thanks for chivvying me along. Unfortunately, I have been a bit poorly and have not really used the car as much as I would like. Hence there is no worthwhile update as yet.
So far, I am very pleased with my R. It's a good car, a very good car to drive and sit in, but unfortunately it is no BMW 330d M Sport. I really miss the Diesel Torque, the wonderful BMW iDrive and the Dynaudio does not sound as good as the Harman Kardon in the BMW. But these are early days and the Dynaudio Speakers need to be run-in so things might improve. I also hate the CD drive in the Glove Box.
But, the R is much more fun to drive and so much easier to park. However all round visibility is on par with the BMW. Ergonomically it is not as good as the BMW, a bit of a mess IMO, but this is because I am still not used to it and am mainly very irritated with the Touch Screen System.
I think it will take me a few more weeks/months to get the BMW out of my system. I now refuse to drive our other BMW in order to achieve this status as soon as is possible.
I am very glad I got the R for the lease price I did. As a value-for-money high quality object, it is absolutely brilliant and incomparable.
Sorry I cannot totally eulogise my R as yet.
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I'm sorry to hear you're still feeling poorly and haven't been able to enjoy your new car very much :sad:
Honestly I wasn't trying to chivvy you along, was just keen to hear if you had any further observations, I know it's early days. There's plenty of the "I'm loving it, it's the best car on the planet" comments to be found on forums but some considered objectivity is always welcome. Definitely not looking for a eulogy if it's not deserving of one.
I suppose the R is always going to suffer by comparison with your 330d M Sport. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it) I won't have that problem, coming from a lowly mk6 GTI. I've never been tempted by BMW, saloons/coupes too big and barge like for my needs and, superficial as it sounds, the looks of the BMW hatchbacks are not for me.
I hope you will start feeling better soon and look forward to hearing your future thoughts on the R :smiley:
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I wonder what the price comparison is between the Beemer and the 7r I know I could look it up. Hope you are feeling better soon asker I know it's no fun not being 100%. I saw a red r today and on a miserable wet day it did look nice. Rebecca the one thing I miss from my gti is the reversing camera :laugh:
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I'm sorry to hear you're still feeling poorly and haven't been able to enjoy your new car very much :sad:
Honestly I wasn't trying to chivvy you along, was just keen to hear if you had any further observations, I know it's early days. There's plenty of the "I'm loving it, it's the best car on the planet" comments to be found on forums but some considered objectivity is always welcome. Definitely not looking for a eulogy if it's not deserving of one.
I suppose the R is always going to suffer by comparison with your 330d M Sport. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it) I won't have that problem, coming from a lowly mk6 GTI. I've never been tempted by BMW, saloons/coupes too big and barge like for my needs and, superficial as it sounds, the looks of the BMW hatchbacks are not for me.
I hope you will start feeling better soon and look forward to hearing your future thoughts on the R :smiley:
Rebecca, as always your wish is my command and thank you for your kind words.
Believe it or not, I am getting better and today I gave my R some much deserved TLC by driving it on some familiar and testing roads in very wet conditions. It came up trumps and held its line perfectly with some spirited driving, something that would not be possible with the RWD BMW. Quite amazing, I must admit and a damned good show.
The R is a wonderful car and so is the BMW. They are very different and serve different purposes. The amazing thing with the BMW is that it shrinks around one and feels much smaller than it is, until you try and park it or squeeze it through traffic. For a saloon the F30 Series in M Sport guise is very good looking IMO, but so is the Golf R for a hatchback. The 1 Series BMW hatch is a minger in looks but an amazing car to drive in the dry but a handful in the wet.
So I will post some snippets from time to time. I am now positive my love for my R is going to grow exponentially. But please do remind me if I fall by the wayside.
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I wonder what the price comparison is between the Beemer and the 7r I know I could look it up. Hope you are feeling better soon asker I know it's no fun not being 100%. I saw a red r today and on a miserable wet day it did look nice. Rebecca the one thing I miss from my gti is the reversing camera :laugh:
Thanks Charlie for your kind words. I am feeling better, but progress is gradual but most welcome.
There is not much of a price difference between the R and the F30 BMW as BMW offer discounts of 25%. The BMW F30 (3 Series) is excellent value for money.
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Rebecca, as always your wish is my command and thank you for your kind words.
Believe it or not, I am getting better and today I gave my R some much deserved TLC by driving it on some familiar and testing roads in very wet conditions. It came up trumps and held its line perfectly with some spirited driving, something that would not be possible with the RWD BMW. Quite amazing, I must admit and a damned good show.
The R is a wonderful car and so is the BMW. They are very different and serve different purposes. The amazing thing with the BMW is that it shrinks around one and feels much smaller than it is, until you try and park it or squeeze it through traffic. For a saloon the F30 Series in M Sport guise is very good looking IMO, but so is the Golf R for a hatchback. The 1 Series BMW hatch is a minger in looks but an amazing car to drive in the dry but a handful in the wet.
So I will post some snippets from time to time. I am now positive my love for my R is going to grow exponentially. But please do remind me if I fall by the wayside.
Asker, thanks for your reply. Glad to hear you're feeling better, have taken your R out for a spirited spin and it has impressed. Sounds like it is growing on you and you're are feeling some R love. Long may it continue!
It is a shame that the clunky DNS touch screen is detracting from your overall enjoyment of the car. I'll just be happy if the Pro Nav is better than the RCD510 which is very temperamental. Pretty much have to sweet talk it into playing music from an iPod. Sometimes it's the iPod at fault and sometimes the car, occasionally both in cahoots working against you!! Frustratingly end up spending too much time troubleshooting tech problems!!
It'll be great to hear your musings on the car as time goes on, I look forward to reading them :smiley:
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Rebecca the one thing I miss from my gti is the reversing camera :laugh:
Charlie, shame on you :tongue: You clearly never loved your mk6 GTI in the first place if that's all you've missed. You and the Alltrack deserve each other :kiss: :laugh:
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I agree with you Rebecca about the Nav System in the Mk6. I found the RNS 510 quite difficult to use. The DNS is a million times better but not as good as BMW iDrive or the equivalent Audi system.
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Rebecca the one thing I miss from my gti is the reversing camera :laugh:
Charlie, shame on you :tongue: You clearly never loved your mk6 GTI in the first place if that's all you've missed. You and the Alltrack deserve each other :kiss: :laugh:
Of course I missed more but did not want to put myself into a state of depression the handling the power the looks oh no now you have started me off :whistle:
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I found the RNS 510 quite difficult to use.
Seriously?? The rns510 was an excellent unit and very intuitive to use. I don't like the Audi or bmw systems as they are way to fiddly. Definitely didn't like the VW Kenwood monstrosity that's out now, that's the worst of the lot :grin: