GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk8 => Topic started by: Paul70 on 28 October 2020, 19:55
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Drove a standard MK8 GTI DSG in white this afternoon. I was very impressed to say the least.
I will write a more comprehensive summary over the next few days. I drove the car for around an hour and the traffic was fairly heavy but managed to find a few quiet roads to open the car up a little.
I have to agree with other peoples’ comments that the car looks better in the flesh, my MK7 looked a little dated by comparison. I personally think it looks good in white but then all previous GTIs have. Did not pick up on interior quality issues noted by others, I think the nice GTI bits lift the cabin.
The seats whilst they look good we’re not particularly supportive but that is comparing them to the Recaros in mine. Cannot remember what the standard GTI seats felt like.
Agree with the reviews the car feels tauter and it has a more pointy front end than the MK7. Brakes were fab, no issues with the few or stopping power.
The roads were damp but traction was better than MK7 on OEM fit tyres, it just felt more planted and able to put the power down, perhaps the engine and transmission mounts have been formed up. Really enjoyed the twisty bits.
The power was good and it revved much more freely and had a better top end than my previous MK7 IS20 turbo engine - it felt quick but I’ve never driven a 7.5 PP car which is a closer comparison than mine.
Ride was firmer but it was a non DCC car but there was definitely some adjustment when selecting the different modes - similar to the Polo GTI+ I drove a while back.
Didn’t really touch the main display but I found the buttons on the steering wheel to be fine, mind you, my expectations were low after reading/hearing the comments. The dashboard, well I am not a fan of the central Rev counter display but the conventional two dial layout was good and you can customise with multiple options - I liked it at the end of the drive.
In summary, it’s a great car and I am very tempted to order a Clubsport when it is released. Some pictures below
(https://i.postimg.cc/m2cX29Rb/0399-EF37-039-F-4651-AAD6-3-A0-B5-D573167.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/0bsdVbb3)
(https://i.postimg.cc/5yyPzYCS/4-B39-B280-67-FE-4310-A4-FE-BD698534-E6-C3.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/QKLkGMSF)
(https://i.postimg.cc/9fPNHj2Z/5-DDCDE4-C-CB1-A-4892-8-F6-E-1-A6-F1-BC1-CDBF.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/QBtqcwHd)
(https://i.postimg.cc/RZKgwzNy/952-EB43-F-B5-F5-4-C29-BEC0-23-D9-FE57-CC54.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/dhQRKpRj)
(https://i.postimg.cc/xdQtRFmC/1-D52-AE94-A98-A-44-DA-A4-B2-90-A019-FC06-E8.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/mPdYZj8f)
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Really interesting to hear a proper drivers opinion rather than a journo. So the ride was fine on 18s without dcc? Wonder what it’ll be like on 19s without it?
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Really interesting to hear a proper drivers opinion rather than a journo. So the ride was fine on 18s without dcc? Wonder what it’ll be like on 19s without it?
The ride on 18s was firmer than my Clubsport (also on 18s). I personally would spec DCC with 19s but it depends on the weight of the 19s on the MK8. DCC is supposed to be one of the plus points of the MK8 so I would spec it on 18s too.
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The ninteens are the heaviest wheels fitted to a gti yet apparently... I'd be tempted to look for a third party set of forged ones.
But yes, there is a lot of electrickery in the dcc by all accounts this time around.
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Think you are right Fred. The 19 inch Adelaide's for the Mk8 are 8J and AFAIK are cast. Previously all the other 19 inch cast designs for the GTi were 7.5J. Pret's are 8J but not cast.
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That there is a different suspension setup for 19's (on DCC or not) is a big clue.
Maybe the suspension tweak will overcome any ride problems, but clearly the weight difference on the 19's is an issue and VW have tried to adjust for it - which I've never seen on another car before...
I wonder what this means for anyone swapping wheels around... do you spec 18's then put your own 19's on or spec 19's to get the suspension tweak before changing them??
I'm sure we'll find out in due course, but in my mind that could be an issue.
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I like the light projection too.
(https://i.postimg.cc/65DH7Q5C/E95537-E0-5354-4-AD5-9-ABE-C17733396-FF0.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/GHxPVdDp)
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Looks quite good in that first picture, to be honest, and I do think it's going to make the Mk7/7.5 look dated quite quickly.
Backend looks odd from straight on, can't quite put my finger on it.
Really interesting to hear a proper drivers opinion rather than a journo. So the ride was fine on 18s without dcc? Wonder what it’ll be like on 19s without it?
The ride on 18s was firmer than my Clubsport (also on 18s). I personally would spec DCC with 19s but it depends on the weight of the 19s on the MK8. DCC is supposed to be one of the plus points of the MK8 so I would spec it on 18s too.
So in the Volkswizards review, it sounds like there is a standard adjustable chassis without DCC, with Comfort and Sport settings. Did you try it? Wonder what system that is and what it's actually changing?
Reviews suggest the DCC is massively improved over the Mk7 though so imagine most people spec'ing their own car will add that.
EDIT - just seen the reviews thread!
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Looks quite good in that first picture, to be honest, and I do think it's going to make the Mk7/7.5 look dated quite quickly.
Backend looks odd from straight on, can't quite put my finger on it.
Really interesting to hear a proper drivers opinion rather than a journo. So the ride was fine on 18s without dcc? Wonder what it’ll be like on 19s without it?
The ride on 18s was firmer than my Clubsport (also on 18s). I personally would spec DCC with 19s but it depends on the weight of the 19s on the MK8. DCC is supposed to be one of the plus points of the MK8 so I would spec it on 18s too.
So in the Volkswizards review, it sounds like there is a standard adjustable chassis without DCC, with Comfort and Sport settings. Did you try it? Wonder what system that is and what it's actually changing?
Reviews suggest the DCC is massively improved over the Mk7 though so imagine most people spec'ing their own car will add that.
EDIT - just seen the reviews thread!
I agree with you Jim, I think the MK7 will date quickly but it is a great design. This was very apparent to me watching Volkswizard’s latest video when his TCR and the loan MK8 GTI were in the same shot, I thought the TCR looked dated compared with the MK8.
I know what you mean about the rear in the second image, it looks a little squashed but it does looks better in the flesh.
I did try the different modes and there is a difference but as I mentioned in the review post ‘comfort’ is not conformable and I found ‘Sport’ better in general and more compliant.
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How does the Mark 8 exhaust compare to the 7.5 Performance?
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Looks quite good in that first picture, to be honest, and I do think it's going to make the Mk7/7.5 look dated quite quickly.
Backend looks odd from straight on, can't quite put my finger on it.
Really interesting to hear a proper drivers opinion rather than a journo. So the ride was fine on 18s without dcc? Wonder what it’ll be like on 19s without it?
The ride on 18s was firmer than my Clubsport (also on 18s). I personally would spec DCC with 19s but it depends on the weight of the 19s on the MK8. DCC is supposed to be one of the plus points of the MK8 so I would spec it on 18s too.
So in the Volkswizards review, it sounds like there is a standard adjustable chassis without DCC, with Comfort and Sport settings. Did you try it? Wonder what system that is and what it's actually changing?
Reviews suggest the DCC is massively improved over the Mk7 though so imagine most people spec'ing their own car will add that.
EDIT - just seen the reviews thread!
I agree with you Jim, I think the MK7 will date quickly but it is a great design. This was very apparent to me watching Volkswizard’s latest video when his TCR and the loan MK8 GTI were in the same shot, I thought the TCR looked dated compared with the MK8.
I know what you mean about the rear in the second image, it looks a little squashed but it does looks better in the flesh.
I did try the different modes and there is a difference but as I mentioned in the review post ‘comfort’ is not conformable and I found ‘Sport’ better in general and more compliant.
when I watched the volkswizard video I still thought the TCR looked better than the mk8. The proportions just look better on the 7.5.
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How does the Mark 8 exhaust compare to the 7.5 Performance?
Very similar, there are a few decent clips in the Volkswizard video, link copied below.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=lywTAMqWwPY
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Despite some truly dreadful pcp quotes, my brother has decided to test drive a gti on Wednesday. Hoping to get a full debriefing.
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Ask him to get in touch with me to see what I can do in comparison :wink:
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I still don't understand how he's getting such sucky figures... so here's my workings:
So I reckon he's got 69 quid a month (plus interest) of extras over me, another 69 quid a month because he's being mad enough to not put down some more cash as deposit and avoid paying interest... so thats 538 a month.... maybe £22 a month in interest, that's making it 560 but he did put in a smaller mileage (10k as opposed to 12k), maybe that adjusts the GFV a bit, but clearly not much!
Five hundred and sixty quid a month... that feels like a shocking price to pay for warm hatch, but I think its about correct compared to my quote, the only real differences being basically having to pay back and pay interest on 2500 quid of extras and missing 2500 of deposit, so paying that off plus interest.
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Ask him to get in touch with me to see what I can do in comparison :wink:
I might well do that, Lee. He’s at the point where he’s thinking he’ll see what the cars like and if he doesn’t like it he’ll go back to an Audi SQ5 or similar.
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I still don't understand how he's getting such sucky figures... so here's my workings:
So I reckon he's got 69 quid a month (plus interest) of extras over me, another 69 quid a month because he's being mad enough to not put down some more cash as deposit and avoid paying interest... so thats 538 a month.... maybe £22 a month in interest, that's making it 560 but he did put in a smaller mileage (10k as opposed to 12k), maybe that adjusts the GFV a bit, but clearly not much!
Five hundred and sixty quid a month... that feels like a shocking price to pay for warm hatch, but I think its about correct compared to my quote, the only real differences being basically having to pay back and pay interest on 2500 quid of extras and missing 2500 of deposit, so paying that off plus interest.
I find it really frustrating tbh Fred as I’m not directly involved. Totally agree though that the prices quotes are shocking. When I put his figures into the Vw finance calculator I get better figures straight away. Tbf he’s not a car person so isn’t aware of the ins and outs as most on here are.
Although I’m a life long Vw fan, this will probably be the last performance Golf I get because I’m not paying those prices. For me, the car simply isn’t worth it. It’s a Golf.
Oh and please remind me of this if I end up in a CS. :whistle:
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if he doesn’t like it he’ll go back to an Audi SQ5 or similar.
I just ran a quick quote on that, five hundred quid down, 36 months, 10k miles... Its nine hundred quid a month.
Makes a gti seem cheap...
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if he doesn’t like it he’ll go back to an Audi SQ5 or similar.
I just ran a quick quote on that, five hundred quid down, 36 months, 10k miles... Its nine hundred quid a month.
Makes a gti seem cheap...
Correct. But I think he sees the value in that being an Audi S model though. Which I don’t! He’s had a few which I know haven’t been cheap at all.
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My brother finally test drove a gti today. Very underwhelmed and is no longer interested in the car. I’ve always thought he is odd.
(https://i.postimg.cc/d3YSjVy2/BF9890-DB-7-B4-E-4620-9026-15-B6-DE9-F0743.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/BLmgqsNb)
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Another photo. Those 18s look tiny this time around. Something about the mk8 needs 19s.
(https://i.postimg.cc/QNzFCKcK/19-E49668-BB75-4707-80-FA-17-FAA6-E2-B93-C.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/8shpn5KT)
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Any specific thoughts? I'm really interested in real world opinions.
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Any specific thoughts? I'm really interested in real world opinions.
It’s hard when it’s not my opinion and he’s not a car person to be honest Fred. He loved the interior but said that I just didn’t feel special enough for the money involved. He was quoted a further £550pm today!
He’s had a 7.5 GTD and said it felt rapid compared to that, with the dsg being excellent. No issues with the shifter being so short now. The little video he sent me was interesting as the digital displays seem a huge step up from the 7.5. The soundaktor was very noticeable too. He said the wheels looked tiny (standard 18s) and would have to be upgraded in his opinion. His last comment was interesting and probably tells you a lot from a non car persons point of view. ‘I could get an Audi Q5 for that money.’ Not sure how true that is but the perception is interesting.
Hope this is helpful. I’m planning a test drive at some point but have already decided that this is the first gti I don’t want to buy.
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Final photo for anyone who’s interested.
(https://i.postimg.cc/KvG49XtF/FAA82-C1-F-06-B6-4-ECB-83-C6-18-F8607758-ED.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/8sY150yn)
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Thanks.
One of my big questions is if the red dials can be changed to some other colour. At night I'd not be able to read the low contrast. Need to be white ideally for me. That's a genuine deal breaker for me. More so than any aesthetics.
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Thanks.
One of my big questions is if the red dials can be changed to some other colour. At night I'd not be able to read the low contrast. Need to be white ideally for me. That's a genuine deal breaker for me. More so than any aesthetics.
I’d be amazed if it can’t as all the ambient lighting can be changed.
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A little clarification on the interior. He’s just told me that the seats and look of the cabin was spot on but the digital interface was totally over engineered. That surprises me massively as he absolutely loves his tech and gadgets. If it doesn’t appeal to people like that, who does it appeal to?
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Thanks.
One of my big questions is if the red dials can be changed to some other colour. At night I'd not be able to read the low contrast. Need to be white ideally for me. That's a genuine deal breaker for me. More so than any aesthetics.
I’d be amazed if it can’t as all the ambient lighting can be changed.
I seem to remember that monkeyhanger had an issue with the AID in his Polo GTI+. The dealer did a software update and inadvertently changed the colour of the instrument display in the process.
I know the AID in the Polo won’t be the same version as that used in the mk8 Golf, but if it’s possible to change the default colour in the Polo then you’d think / hope it would also be possible in the Golf, even if it means a coding change by the dealer or by someone with OBD11 or VCDS.
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I know you can change the aid colour in the mk7.5... You can change it from a few different options using vcds. Think there are some different profiles for different vw vehicles. My gtd is white though.
In one of the video reviews they showed toggling the mib to different colours but didn't show if that changed the aid and if it also changed the ambient lighting all in one go.
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I think on the 7.5 it needs coding to change the colour, but definitely on the lower spec Mk8's the backlighting colours can be changed via the touchscreen.
https://youtu.be/VcTrmufAxVw