golf R prices and spec on website now!!

[mac7]

I lived in Germany for a year and to the Germans a VW is an everyday runabout - it has no status whatsoever as opposed to the way they view Mercedes, BMWs and Jags. It's only in this class obsessed country that we seem to view VW as a "prestige" marque so VW seem to think they can charge whatever they like and the badge snobs will buy them.

So you'll have noticed the Germans are the most status-conscious of the whole EU. Badge snobbery is a way of life out there and they are far worse than the Brits.

Interestingly I was in Berlin this week in the rather posh Western part of Charlottenburg. VWs were very thin on the ground. Saw loads of prestigious marques - Merc, BMW, Jag, Porsche, Bentley etc.

Kind of proves my point.

[andykram]

Haven't you just agreed with what I was saying then Mac? That was the whole point of the post i.e. they wouldn't buy a VW out of some misguided notion it's a prestige car. They buy them as a family runaround. In this country we perceive VWs as "upmarket". I suspect because they're German.

[Booski]

We perceive VW's as prestige because they have better build quality and an upmarket finish compared to fords, vauxhalls, toyotas, subarus, fiats .... The list goes on

[mac7]

Hmmm. I probably have just agreed with you.   I'll try harder to argue next time.  

I think the Germans will buy the R. Both 20-somethings who want the fastest hatch out and 40-somethings who are heading for their mid-life (crisis).

I also agree that VW's are just mass produced work-a-day family cars and today the 'prestige' is mostly down to perception. Here in the UK we have had such a poor history of indigenous offerings there hasn't been much else to choose from. Ford and Vauxhall get the 'working class' vote, French cars are for peasants (no offence) so back in the 80's VW in the UK were well placed to position their products a bit futher upmarket. That position has endured.

Unless you like Jap crap, I guess.

We perceive VW's as prestige because they have better build quality and an upmarket finish compared to fords, vauxhalls, toyotas, subarus, fiats .... The list goes on

No they don't, we just think they do.

[andykram]

Remember, I had 2 Mark 4s which I bought on the back of showroom appeal, interior quality etc. Regulars on here know they were the worst cars I've ever had. The first one reached a total of 17 simultaneous faults at one point. The second one nearly killed me with failing wipers (3 times I might add on the A1, M62 and M1). Thus, my falling out with VW and my daliance with Saab over the last few years.
Regulars will also know that I've had Vauxhalls ever since 1991 when I got my first car and they've consistently been more reliable than those Mark 4s and the Mk 3 GTi I had before them. The Mark 4s did teach me to buy cars on the way they drove and not the way they felt inside. However, when I sold the second Mark 4 I made the mistake of driving the brand new (at that point) Mk 5 GTi and I was blown away with it. I always wanted one but couldn't forgive VW for the crap Mk4s. After several years, however, my anger has abated and so I returned to the Mk 6.
The one thing I couldn't ever deny (especially to me as a private owner) was the high residuals I always got with the VWs. I bought Vauxhalls because I got big discounts through my GM card and the wife getting GM Partner discounts and this made up for the loss of value when I sold them. The Mk4 that nearly killed me retained an unbelievable amount of money at the time so financially the VWs make sense to me. But that's only because this perception of quality perseveres.
My experience in reality though suggests this reputation for quality isn't deserved. Time will tell with the new one.

[Snoopy]

please delete this reply.

[Booski]

Andycram sounds like you've had bad luck but I'm sure the vast majority of VW owners have had better experiences ... I had the mk5 gti for 3 yrs with no problems at all, I sold that and bought a brand new audi RS4 avant which I had for the last 2 yrs... This car needed a new engine, and new suspension on 3 separate occasions under warranty. I was unlucky with that car ( which I still loved regardless) but that experience would not make me think all Audi's are poorly built!

[andykram]

I agree. It was just that the wiper thing was so scary and so badly handled by the dealer (they just kept putting new wiper motors in when it was clearly some sort of electrical fault) that I really had it with VW at the time. I always liked the cars I just wasn't prepared to have another at that time.
This GTi though is awesome and is everything I want in a car. Everyone I know loves it too which means no doubt I'll get good money for it eventually when I sell it.
The other thing that persuaded me to return was the reputation the Mark 4 seems to have as VW's poorest effort in recent years. I've read lots of reports that the Mark 5 was miles better so I'm optimistic about my new one.

One other thing - every single fault I ever had with the Mark 4s were either electrical or trim related. The oily bits never gave me a problem at all.

[mac7]

Have to admit, my Mk4 had the most problems of any car I've owned - coil packs, random computer messages warning of low oil level, idling issues, throttle body, brake light switch. All fixed though and still going strong at 99,000 miles in my Dad's hands now.

[JellyCat]

Mac7 -  40-somethings who are heading for their mid-life?

Lol golf is far too sensible for a mid live crisis! Most guys I know in 40's that either have had or are in the process of having a mid life crisis, seem to go for either an RX8, a 911\boxster (if you can't afford a 911 and don't mind being seen in a car that shouts this out also lol!), or in the case one lucky bloke, I know a green gallardo (but saying that he does go over to italy with his wife on touring in the car and is contemplating track days, he isn't a berk that drives one round and round the same city centre on his own at night at 10mph), so guess that's not bad if you can!