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Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: jlwhitworth1 on 15 November 2015, 19:18
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Hi all!,
New to the forum and want abit of advice. I'm considering swapping my current car (60' BMW 330d coupe) for a mk7 performance golf (GTD, GTI, R). All would be DSG by the way!
My current car has done over 90k miles, whilst not a great amount for a diesel, I'm getting worried about potential future issues over 100k miles (turbo, gearbox issues, etc) and with me covering a few miles like I do, I wouldn't mind 3 years of warranty (already had the rear differential go in the last 6 months at a total cost of £2200!) So over the last couple of days I've been considering ordering a mk7 golf gti PP. I do about 20,000 - 25,000 miles per year, mix of motorway, A's and B's, so the GTD could make more sense but would love to own a petrol again (especially if I'm going from a 6 cylinder to a 4 pot!). Plus I get a fuel allowance from work and reckon I could match the current 330d mpg with the golf GTI.
Another spanner in the works is do I go all guns blazing and get a R? Are they really that much better than the Golf GTI PP? Price wise I think I would be paying circa £100 a month more for a R over the GTI, and the GTD also works out a little bit more expensive than the GTI (for some reason I can get more money off the GTI and the interest rate is better).
Any thoughts would be appreciated?
Kind regards, Jake
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It really depends where your priorities lie. The GTI is probably the best value for money. It offers you 90% of the performance of the R and is all you would need for everyday driving. It probably lacks the sheer thrill of the R and of course it isn't awd but it's certainly good enough. The GTD will obviously give you better fuel economy but for the number of miles your driving I don't think that would be a major concern. My long term average for the GTI is 36mpg which is pretty good. You should probably go and test drive them before making a decision :smiley:
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If you are prepared (as you sound to be) to take a hit on the fuel cost comparec to a GTD then I'd thoroughly recommend a GTI PP. What a fantastic all rounder! I'm getting 31mpg on regular short journeys but on long runs (being careful) up to 45mpg. I love the interior, the red tartan seats are not only comfortable but make an otherwise dull interior special. Given the discounts available, I think it excellent value for money combined with very reasonable running costs. If I were you, I'd get a test drive booked!
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Having owed a both a GTI and an R I would recommend the R. Immense power and traction in any weather. As your coming from a RWD the FWD traction will drive you nuts. It drive me crazy enough to trade it in and get an R. Other than that the GTI is a great car
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25k in an R will cost a lot in fuel! I think the GTD would be the best option but the GTI will give reasonable returns, I am 1700 miles into mine and I got 37mpg on the motorway last week. I'm averaging around 31mpg overall thought.
I came (in a round about way) from a E93 325i, the quality of the interior is just as good in the BMW too.
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I have actually been out in a GTI, albeit not with the PP, but it was a very short drive on a busy Friday tea time, so didn't really get to witness it to its full potential! Although on burying the foot it did seem to wheel spin a hell of a lot? It was quite damp though to be honest!
Is the R a hell of a lot better? The deals on the GTI are fantastic at the minute! 5 door DSG in White with PP, Nav and Pan Roof after taking over £5k discount off comes in at just over £26k! Whereas the R is over £30k with the same spec (not PP of course) after discount.
One thing which puts me off the GTI is the standard wheels, but I would want the pan roof which means I can't spec the optional 19inch Santiago wheels! Dilemnas!
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What are your drives like in the GTI to get the mpg you are getting? I get around 35mpg around town in my 330d and about 41mpg on the motorway (not really sitting at the speed limit though)
What mpg do you get in you're R? And what type of driving?
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Even with my slow driving I have noticed that even a small amount of water will hamper traction so if that bothers you and you're prepared to pay the extra purchase price and running costs then the R may well be the best choice. I wasn't and the interior really swung it for me plus the heritage. I love my GTI :smiley:
Having said that, I would give serious consideration to a DSG equipped R for my next car.
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Yeah the R is a lot better performance wise. The traction light was a frequent occurrence on my GTI. Whereas I have only seen it twice in the R, and both were my fault lol.
Traction is the single biggest weakness in the GTI, throw in the rain and some part worn tyres and you'll be pulling your hair out.
I average 30mpg in my R with it mapped
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The GTD will obviously give you better fuel economy but for the number of miles your driving I don't think that would be a major concern.
Craig - the OP is doing over 20k a year! An R will use twice as much fuel as a GTD so potentially up to 2k a year more in fuel costs....
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The GTD will obviously give you better fuel economy but for the number of miles your driving I don't think that would be a major concern.
Craig - the OP is doing over 20k a year! An R will use twice as much fuel as a GTD so potentially up to 2k a year more in fuel costs....
I appreciate that Mark but in terms of the OP if he is getting a fuel allowance then I would imagine a large chunk of that additional cost would be negated
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Thanks for all your replies, it's much appreciated!
Regarding the fuel cost difference, I get this with the R (and so probably out of the question for me). But the overall cost of running a GTI against a GTD (fuel and monthly payments) shouldn't be too different, although I haven't done any detailed arithmetic to prove this!
I also get a car allowance from work which will pay the monthly payments of the finance. With discount, the GTI comes in well cheaper than the GTD even before the loyalty bonus (I also get the impression the loyalty bonus of £1000, correct me if I'm wrong, only applies to the GTI and normal golfs and not the GTD, GTE or R). The APR is 4.9% on the GTI against 6.4% of the GTD and the GMFV is more on the GTI (essentially making the payments smaller than that of the GTD, although I will have more to pay at the end if I choose to buy the car). So the offset in price for the PCP will in theory to some extent, offset the extra cost of fuel for the GTI against the GTD.
My local garage as also told me that the GTI is potentially a target car to sell, so the loyalty bonus may be able to be bumped up to £1500. Including the current discount on Drive the deal, This makes the GTI 5dr PP DSG in White with Pan Roof and Nav, £25,007.79. This is a saving of £6,746.97 off list price.
Hope this makes sense?
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The GTD will obviously give you better fuel economy but for the number of miles your driving I don't think that would be a major concern.
Craig - the OP is doing over 20k a year! An R will use twice as much fuel as a GTD so potentially up to 2k a year more in fuel costs....
But then the OP will have twice the fun in an R over a GTD! :laugh:
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Regarding the fuel cost difference, I get this with the R (and so probably out of the question for me). But the overall cost of running a GTI against a GTD (fuel and monthly payments) shouldn't be too different, although I haven't done any detailed arithmetic to prove this!
Something like a GTD long term average is 38mpg and a GTD is 48mpg... I'd say at the very least its 25% less fuel usage
so for 20k... 526 gallons for the GTI, 416 gallons for the GTD. If you said petrol was 1.08GBP a litre and diesel 1.11GBP... £568 vs £416 - £152 quid a year difference.
Chuck in the VED and you are looking at about a £250 difference per year (I've just chucked in £100 extra for GTI VED - don't know if that's correct), £750 over3 years.
Obviously if you do 25k not 20k the gap expands...
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Thanks, this makes sense... I kind of get the feeling that a GTI will be a lot more fun to drive and essentially worth the extra £250 per year? Although the GTD is coming in at £50 a month more on the finance which is about £600 a year more, so in essence I will be better off in the GTI? If that makes sense.
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Thanks for all your replies, it's much appreciated!
Regarding the fuel cost difference, I get this with the R (and so probably out of the question for me). But the overall cost of running a GTI against a GTD (fuel and monthly payments) shouldn't be too different, although I haven't done any detailed arithmetic to prove this!
I also get a car allowance from work which will pay the monthly payments of the finance. With discount, the GTI comes in well cheaper than the GTD even before the loyalty bonus (I also get the impression the loyalty bonus of £1000, correct me if I'm wrong, only applies to the GTI and normal golfs and not the GTD, GTE or R). The APR is 4.9% on the GTI against 6.4% of the GTD and the GMFV is more on the GTI (essentially making the payments smaller than that of the GTD, although I will have more to pay at the end if I choose to buy the car). So the offset in price for the PCP will in theory to some extent, offset the extra cost of fuel for the GTI against the GTD.
My local garage as also told me that the GTI is potentially a target car to sell, so the loyalty bonus may be able to be bumped up to £1500. Including the current discount on Drive the deal, This makes the GTI 5dr PP DSG in White with Pan Roof and Nav, £25,007.79. This is a saving of £6,746.97 off list price.
Hope this makes sense?
Unless I've missed something here - how will you get the loyalty bonus if you have a BMW?
With the loyalty bonus it would be a great time to buy a GTI though, I'd be tempted myself...
... oh, hang on a minute...
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Thanks, this makes sense... I kind of get the feeling that a GTI will be a lot more fun to drive and essentially worth the extra £250 per year? Although the GTD is coming in at £50 a month more on the finance which is about £600 a year more, so in essence I will be better off in the GTI? If that makes sense.
Assuming I haven't got the GTI long term fuel economy wrong, then yes.
I have no idea what a typical value would be for MPG from a 5 door GTI-PP with DSG.... maybe someone else can chime in and tell me.
Actually, I've got my figures wrong... just noticed!
need to multiple the numbers I gave by 5.5 to convert litres to gallons... so actually its ~683 quid a year cheaper for the GTD assuming my GTI-PP MPG figure is correct.
Roughly 2100 quid cheaper over 3 years? Does that start to make a difference to you? 57 quid a month in your pocket? Is that worth less or more than being able to say that you drive a petrol car and that its a second quicker to 60mph? Just depends on your outlook I guess!
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Unless I've missed something here - how will you get the loyalty bonus if you have a BMW?
With the loyalty bonus it would be a great time to buy a GTI though, I'd be tempted myself...
... oh, hang on a minute...
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It also applies if family members at the same address or with the same family name have a VW, doesn't have to be yourself. If that makes sense.
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Thanks, this makes sense... I kind of get the feeling that a GTI will be a lot more fun to drive and essentially worth the extra £250 per year? Although the GTD is coming in at £50 a month more on the finance which is about £600 a year more, so in essence I will be better off in the GTI? If that makes sense.
Assuming I haven't got the GTI long term fuel economy wrong, then yes.
I have no idea what a typical value would be for MPG from a 5 door GTI-PP with DSG.... maybe someone else can chime in and tell me.
Actually, I've got my figures wrong... just noticed!
need to multiple the numbers I gave by 5.5 to convert litres to gallons... so actually its ~683 quid a year cheaper for the GTD assuming my GTI-PP MPG figure is correct.
Roughly 2100 quid cheaper over 3 years? Does that start to make a difference to you? 57 quid a month in your pocket? Is that worth less or more than being able to say that you drive a petrol car and that its a second quicker to 60mph? Just depends on your outlook I guess!
So the GTI will cost me £700 more in fuel, thus £57 more per month. But the repayments on the GTI are circa £50 a month less than the GTD. So £300 more over 3 years taking into account monthly payments and fuel costs. Is that right?
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Yes, sounds about right.
The reason why a lot of us (myself included) choose a GTD over a GTI is mainly because of the BIK with a company car... when you factor that in the difference is quite a lot more in favour of the GTD (four figures a year on top).... oh and I couldn't have a GTI anyway because my company, like many, have a carbon target that means you can't have anything over 130g/km anyway... so no GTI for me :(
With all these things, you need to work out the total cost of ownership per annum and see what that looks like out of your pocket... then decide if the monthly difference is worth it or even if you can actually afford it!
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Unless I've missed something here - how will you get the loyalty bonus if you have a BMW?
With the loyalty bonus it would be a great time to buy a GTI though, I'd be tempted myself...
... oh, hang on a minute...
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It also applies if family members at the same address or with the same family name have a VW, doesn't have to be yourself. If that makes sense.
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Ahh, you have a VW in the household already. I see.
Personally speaking, in 20 months of ownership my GTI (manual) got low thirties to the gallon, for arguments sake 33mpg.
My R is struggling to get 29mpg average so when you consider a GTI is just as quick to 4000rpm which is where I spend 99.9% of my driving then the R has the fuel penalty 100% of the time for a sub 1% of the time performance advantage.
I drive defensively rather than aggressively so tend to anticipate rather then react which in theory should be better for fuel consumption but I don't seem to get better figures than anyone else on here! :grin:
If I were in your shoes I'd get a GTD DSG and add a tuning box.
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Just remember that both the R & GTI prefer super unleaded when you do any fuel calculations. The R certainly needs super. Or why not buy the GTD & fit a DTUK box ? You will get GTI performance with GTD mpg......a win win :tongue:
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Just remember that both the R & GTI prefer super unleaded when you do any fuel calculations. The R certainly needs super. Or why not buy the GTD & fit a DTUK box ? You will get GTI performance with GTD mpg......a win win :tongue:
The GTI runs on 95 octane.
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Just remember that both the R & GTI prefer super unleaded when you do any fuel calculations. The R certainly needs super. Or why not buy the GTD & fit a DTUK box ? You will get GTI performance with GTD mpg......a win win :tongue:
The GTI runs on 95 octane.
Hmmm interesting as VW CS confirmed super for both prior to me buying my GTD, perhaps its optional in the GTI?
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GTD seems to be heavily favoured by a lot of people on here... Thanks for all the help, although I think I'm more confused than I initially was :grin:!
Heart or head!!
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GTD seems to be heavily favoured by a lot of people on here... Thanks for all the help, although I think I'm more confused than I initially was :grin:!
Heart or head!!
Yes indeed and coming from a 535d bmw I understand your predicament completely :grin:
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GTD seems to be heavily favoured by a lot of people on here... Thanks for all the help, although I think I'm more confused than I initially was :grin:!
Heart or head!!
Yes indeed and coming from a 535d bmw I understand your predicament completely :grin:
Do you have any regrets?
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Basically GTI or GTD is really just a way or overcome potential buyers ideology about fuel types (or drag in company car drivers).
Either way you get a very high base spec, a state of the art medium sized hatchback car design, a German badge and if you want to spend the money, some really top of the line electronic aids packages that you don't normally see on a car of this size.
If you really want to fully loon around, you even get the chance of pouring more money away on fuel and add a bag load more power and four wheel drive.
Whichever way you want to skin it, VW have a car for you.
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GTD seems to be heavily favoured by a lot of people on here... Thanks for all the help, although I think I'm more confused than I initially was :grin:!
Heart or head!!
Yes indeed and coming from a 535d bmw I understand your predicament completely :grin:
Do you have any regrets?
hmmm guessed that maybe the next ? In all honesty yes I do the only reason for the change was the reduction in weekly miles hence the whole DPF regen issue, although mine was "adjusted" so it never was a problem but the thought of being spot checked by VOSA was always in the back of my mind & even more so now with the whole VW scandal! The 535d was my second 535d after moving from the pre lci to the lci and it drove effortlessly returning a good 38 mpg regardless of how hard it was driven. It was fully loaded with head up display etc so I was very lucky the audio upgrade alone was £3,000 :shocked: I purchased it second hand & it used to belong to Terry Griffiths the pro snooker player so had every option.
It was so comfortable & quiet although not as technically advanced as it was a 2007 car. The golf is good quite quick with a Dtuk box but not as comfy or refined. I will be going back to a 535d next year when my annual mileage increases due to a house move or even sooner to a 335i / 535i if I can find a decent one. I had a set of winter wheels & tyres to so winter driving was fine
Now my answer really doesn't help :whistle:
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GTD seems to be heavily favoured by a lot of people on here... Thanks for all the help, although I think I'm more confused than I initially was :grin:!
Heart or head!!
Yes indeed and coming from a 535d bmw I understand your predicament completely :grin:
This is another point then, for the same money as the Golf R, I can get a base spec 335d xdrive (broadspeed discount of £9100) - still comes with business nav, and full leather. Sorry if this isn't the place but would like to take advantage of Optimus primes opinion.
Do you have any regrets?
hmmm guessed that maybe the next ? In all honesty yes I do the only reason for the change was the reduction in weekly miles hence the whole DPF regen issue, although mine was "adjusted" so it never was a problem but the thought of being spot checked by VOSA was always in the back of my mind & even more so now with the whole VW scandal! The 535d was my second 535d after moving from the pre lci to the lci and it drove effortlessly returning a good 38 mpg regardless of how hard it was driven. It was fully loaded with head up display etc so I was very lucky the audio upgrade alone was £3,000 :shocked: I purchased it second hand & it used to belong to Terry Griffiths the pro snooker player so had every option.
It was so comfortable & quiet although not as technically advanced as it was a 2007 car. The golf is good quite quick with a Dtuk box but not as comfy or refined. I will be going back to a 535d next year when my annual mileage increases due to a house move or even sooner to a 335i / 535i if I can find a decent one. I had a set of winter wheels & tyres to so winter driving was fine
Now my answer really doesn't help :whistle:
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This is another point then, for the same money as the Golf R, I can get a base spec 335d xdrive (broadspeed discount of £9100) - still comes with business nav, and full leather. Sorry if this isn't the place but would like to take advantage of Optimus primes opinion.
Plus any other opinion of course!
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This is another point then, for the same money as the Golf R, I can get a base spec 335d xdrive (broadspeed discount of £9100) - still comes with business nav, and full leather. Sorry if this isn't the place but would like to take advantage of Optimus primes opinion.
Plus any other opinion of course!
Well thats a good choice! I find that with the bigger dervs especially BMW's its all down to how they are going to be driven and over how many miles a week. They do hate short trips which is something the GTD is happy to do, for example my 535d gave all sorts of regen error codes etc over my 14 mile commute, where as the GTD is very happy and regens accordingly. The GTD does not passive regen & is happy to regen stationary in traffic where as the BMW's always needed a long list of perimeters to be met before a regen would even start! Drop out of this threshold and it would fail to complete. The main issue being ECT which can be difficult to obtain on short trips especially in winter. Short rule of thumb is I wouldn't buy a 335d or 535d if my annual mileage was under 14k based on the possibility of dpf / regen issues. When I was doing a round daily trip of 70 miles no problems cut it in half then it became an issue.
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My biggest worry is going from a 6 pot diesel to a 4 pot diesel, refinement etc. I thought that the petrol 4 pot in the golf gti may bridge this gap a little. This being said, the 335d will be circa £100 a month more than a golf gti, if not even more (without getting at official quotes of course). And it's so way to keep clicking select on the long list of options available! The golf GTD/GTI already come really well specced on this front! I think I need to get some test drives booked!
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If mpg is higher up your priority list than performance then get a GTD, get rid of the sh!tty Bridgestones to get some low speed traction and buy a DTUK tuning box. That GTD won't be as quick off the line as a GTI, but once moving it is a smidge quicker - you'll really notice the difference in gears 4-6, you won't have to change down as often to milk the power band, a lazier drive.
Changed to the R myself, for traction more than anything else, and the R feels massively quicker, but you have to really milk it to go massively quicker as it likels to stay above 4k revs to get the best out of it. When I put my foot down in the R i'll drop from 6th to 3rd a lot of the time, you don't have to drop that many gears for the GTD to come alive.
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Hi guys. Let me chip in. To set the scene, 2 of my last 3 cars have been Bimmer diesels. I had a 2012 320D (new) and a 2013 330D (new), before a stint in a 2014 Z4 (new) and now I'm in my GTI (also new). Prior to that I flirted with Audis, but they're not in the mix. So a qualified opinion. Though still just an opinion.
I'm one of those people who are never really happy, or perhaps I just need to earn more and have 10 or so cars in the garage to suit my mood. And this equation, limiting factors (such as BiK restrictions and corporate policy) aside, is what it's all about: what do you want out of your car?
To try and draw parallels is really difficult. However...
My 320d was a convertible, manual, and the engine sounded like a plastic bucket full of spanners if you put your foot down with the roof in the boot. It was packed with goodies, looked the nuts, comfortable as you like, but was horrible to drive. MPGs aplenty, if that's your bag. But no fun. At all.
The 330 was a different beast. I realised that all the great reviews the 3 Series get are based around the saloon version. It went like hot snot and was even more comfortable than the 320. Probably due to being Luxury rather than M Sport, so different suspension and seats. Didn't have as much tech though. And wasn't really that engaging a drive in my opinion. Sure, it was quick - certainly faster than my current GTI, and really put a smile on your face when taking off from the lights - but it just didn't feel like a car you could, or perhaps should, throw around. Probably needed the M Sport suspension to complete the package. 10 cars, remember.
I'll pay lip service to the Z4 for completion. An absolute blast over a 20 mile run. Super quick (28i) and grippy (255s on the back). Automatic though, and with a definite lag in the auto box unless you stuck it into Sport mode first. But if you're going to go through that faff every time you want to overtake, might as well get a manual. And too small inside. Left me crippled after driving on the motorway for a few hours.
And a universal feature of all my BMs, absolutely hopeless if there's snow. Even a light powder dusting of it. They got twitchy if there was snow on the TV. Fat tyres and RWD - nightmare.
So now, OP, to your dilemma. I've had my GTI a month, so still early in our relationship. There's a smidge under 1000 miles on the clock, which are a good mix of motorway, town and country roads. But I've not begun speccing up my next car yet, so hopefully this might be the one. At least to get me past the 12 month mark. Fingers crossed.
So, speed-wise it's not as quick as the 330 or the Z4. The gearbox is a manual, so can't draw a parallel, but I wanted the driving engagement and I've never really got on with paddles. The manual shifts on the GTI are nice and short and engage well. Refinement wise, the 330 nicks it. As a motorway mile muncher, again the 330 probably just edges it. Just. Probably. Well, possibly. The Adaptive Cruise on the Golf makes the overall motorway experience less hassle, but the seats in the 330 were like old armchairs. Lovely. On a country road, with the sun shining, the Z4 every time. Ear to ear grins all the way.
In the technology stakes (engines and gearboxes not included as those points are a whole other debate) the GTI is packed with stuff that is only an option on the BMWs. ACC, touchscreen media, folding, dipping wing mirrors, SatNav that displays speed signs, speed limiting rather than just audible warnings, pairing of 2 simultaneous phones (nice when you have a personal and a work one like me). Heated seats and keyless entry. All marvellous stuff. Included as standard (well, keyless has changed now I think to an option).
Before going for my GTI I looked at a 428i with similar options and it was about £38k. Discounted down to around £31/32k if I recall correctly.
Plus the GTI feels like it wants to be thrown into and out of corners. Rather than just being employed to do it well. As a drivers car, not on a track that most of us will hardly, if ever, get to use, it's comfortably ahead imo. It is, after all, a hot hatch rather than a mid-size executive saloon.
MPG-wise (yawn), the diesels always win. My Z4 got around 28-29 over the year I had it, and my GTI is currently returning 36-37. Both the 3 series were north of 40.
The BMWs do feel more grown up I suppose. And they probably have a more grown up image - you can read the posts on here about mid-life crises (I'm 46, so the Z4 was mine. Or my bike :grin: ). But who cares? If it's something you want to enjoy driving in a multitude of situations, or perhaps just throw on the ACC and let it drive itself, I'd take the GTI. Maybe the GTD if the MPGs are that important and you don't mind losing a second (which is MASSIVE :laugh: by the way) off the 0-60.
So it really does come down to what do you want out of your car?
And that, is my opinion.
Good luck...
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Agree with monkeyhanger. It comes down to your overall figures I guess - if prices were equal I would be choosing a GTI this time around - but again that's partly because I fancy a change to petrol from diesel.
Although, I guess I would have to drive one first, as the GTD really is a great torquey thing (and I would imagine you might have a better idea if you get to take all 3 for a spin!) I've clocked 0-60 in 6.5 in my GTD with new front tyres, so it's not necessarily slower than the GTI (GTD with DTUK vs stock GTI). but adding a tuning box isn't for everyone, and you might sacrifice some peace of mind over stock (not that I have had issues in 15k miles of my DTUK).
When I bought my GTD the savings in Fuel, Road Tax (remember to add that into your monthly costs) and a better GFV over the GTI, made it a no brainer for me at 15k miles.
With a change in job I now barely leave my house, and probably shouldn't own a diesel!!
To me the GTD is a perfect compromise of performance and MPG, for high mileage I do think it's a good choice - certainly very refined on the Motorway (I can't compare to a 5 series, but it's certainly quiet - especially with good tyres).
For me another aspect of getting the cheaper option at the time was I could add more options - if you see yourself wanting to tick a few more boxes, that could be another reason to favour the GTD. But if you get to drive them both you will soon know what your heart wants. Just remember most of us on here do recommend a DTUK box if going with a GTD, so imagine the GTD with some extra poke :evil:
You've got me thinking now though, I wonder what it would cost me to swap to a GTI. Probably quite a lot considering I ticked a lot of options... :whistle:
Edit - nice comparison Gatsby, the GTI really is a corker eh?
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Agree with monkeyhanger. It comes down to your overall figures I guess - if prices were equal I would be choosing a GTI this time around - but again that's partly because I fancy a change to petrol from diesel.
Although, I guess I would have to drive one first, as the GTD really is a great torquey thing (and I would imagine you might have a better idea if you get to take all 3 for a spin!) I've clocked 0-60 in 6.5 in my GTD with new front tyres, so it's not necessarily slower than the GTI (GTD with DTUK vs stock GTI). but adding a tuning box isn't for everyone, and you might sacrifice some peace of mind over stock (not that I have had issues in 15k miles of my DTUK).
When I bought my GTD the savings in Fuel, Road Tax (remember to add that into your monthly costs) and a better GFV over the GTI, made it a no brainer for me at 15k miles.
With a change in job I now barely leave my house, and probably shouldn't own a diesel!!
To me the GTD is a perfect compromise of performance and MPG, for high mileage I do think it's a good choice - certainly very refined on the Motorway (I can't compare to a 5 series, but it's certainly quiet - especially with good tyres).
For me another aspect of getting the cheaper option at the time was I could add more options - if you see yourself wanting to tick a few more boxes, that could be another reason to favour the GTD. But if you get to drive them both you will soon know what your heart wants. Just remember most of us on here do recommend a DTUK box if going with a GTD, so imagine the GTD with some extra poke :evil:
You've got me thinking now though, I wonder what it would cost me to swap to a GTI. Probably quite a lot considering I ticked a lot of options... :whistle:
Edit - nice comparison Gatsby, the GTI really is a corker eh?
Thanks, it really is absolutely brilliant ffrank. If you're not doing the miles, the GTI is definitely the way to go in my opinion.
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The difference between petrol and diesel at 15k miles is small relative to the cost to buy and depreciation etc...
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The difference between petrol and diesel at 15k miles is small relative to the cost to buy and depreciation etc...
Maybe on some cars, but I don't think so for the GTD/GTI? Fuel and Road Tax savings at 15,000 miles is about £40 a month, which is quite a lot when you are looking at monthly payments on the car. The GTD is also over £500 cheaper list price.
Not sure how GFV varies now, but originally the GTD had better GFV too - so all in I was saving 100 a month over buying a GTI.