Is the Golf GTi my next car?????

[Pimpmac]

Hmmmm I have been thinking for the last while about my next new company car and trying to work out what to go for.  The factors are as follows:

- I have driven BMW's for 10 years so a bit of a change.
- I now have a 10 month old daughter and all the clobber that goes along with it.
- Times are tough, looking to move house & need to at least fleetingly consider MPG & Co. Car tax
- I currently drive a 3 series touring - so reasonable room for stuff.
- Just sold a Z4 Coupe that was the love of my life (yep more than wife & daugher - hope they dont read this)
- Mid 30's so having a mid life crisis and thinking the thought of a 3 or 5 series is a bit depressing.
- Hate Audi and cant really think of anything else to go for.
- Kinda fancy an Alpina D3 touring if I dont end up going with the Golf.

So this is the contents of my brain and it all keeps going round and round in circles.  I decided to take the GTi out for a test drive and they very obligingly gave me it for 24 hrs so I managed to clock up over 200 miles in it  . 

My initial thoughts are that it feels an awesome car.  But weird getting used to a front wheel drive car and felt a lot more wheel spin and lack of traction than I am used to.  The car had a DSG box that was my preference initially but having driven it for a while I am not sure that I am really keen on it (duck).  Given all the toys I want I reckon I can save a few quid on this and get the likes of the leather seats which I hadnt considered but now reckon is a better option for me. 

I was a bit disappointed with the MPG as I only got about 33 mpg for a 120 mile trip with about 110 of that on the motorway whilst I drove at about 70 mlph and then the rest like Miss Daisy to see what I could get out of if it.  I reckon I could have got at least that in the Z4 coupe which was 3.0L.  The car had less than a 1000 miles on it so I am assuming there should be a bit of an improvement on that figure.

Car didnt feel as solid as my 3 series in some ways but not sure exactly why but definitley some internal touches in it that are much nicer - BMW's are very plain and a bit dated at times internally.

My main concerns really focus around the fact that my wife drives a 1 series so my car is meant to be our "bigger" car, we take at least 2 hols per year to Scotland and Cornwall that entail taking the car with all our stuff for a week and my wife freckons it is just too small - real world wise with a kid (any maybe another before I am meant to change it) is it capable of acting as a famly car for the modern family with all the crap that this entails.

Secondly I appreciate the GTi is going to cost me a little more in terms of company car tax and fuel costs but am I ever likely to see mid 30's MPG on a combined cycle.  I reckon at the moment from how I drive and what I experienced I am likely to struggle to get more than about 28mpg.

Overall though felt like a really great car and I certainly had a great time driving it for the day, so defiintely still in the running in my mind - if I can resolve the two stumbling blocks above! 

[Jimble]

Welcome to the forum mate, if you did 110 miles at 70 then the mpg should have easily been in the early-mid 40's, my manual does 47mpg on a 150 mile run up the motorway without any trouble. As far as getting all your baby stuff in then i think it depends on the amount of stuff really, a friend of mine has 2 kids and a mk5 golf and he "manages" but it's tight and does get a little knocked about.

[C3PO]

On a run my mark 6 averages at least 35mpg, but its all down to how you drive, if you want to drive it like is stolen, then expect any car to be poor at the mpg. One bonus point for the GTI versus a BMW, at least when it snows you can still drive a GTI, where as many a BMW spotted with next to no traction. Plus the valuable advice I have received on this forum, means you join a family who care

[mac7]

Welcome. Some may disagree with me but as a family man myself the GTI is just a little bit too small for all the clobber you sometimes need to take on a trip. Perhaps a decent size estate car would be better. The 3 series is a good choice IMO but put aside badge snobbery and go and sit in a Skoda Superb estate.

I aometimes think we all focus too much on mpg. For example the difference between running a petrol or diesel car is measurable in 100's of pounds a year and not thousands. So the difference between a 3.0 and a 2.0T won't be as great as you think. Plus if you're honest you were hammering the Golf  Anyway, there's always the GTD is economy is a worry.

Not all of us worship at the altar of DSG - it's good in the right car, in the wrong one it's just a pain. Needs a big torquey normally aspirated engine to be at its best (R32 - although it does work well in the GTI)

[Exonian]

I've absolutely no idea how people get over 40mpg average over a whole journey in a GTI. I've tried and failed.
It's a GTI. I don't drive like an 18 year old on speed, quite the reverse most of the time and I can't get much more than low to mid thirties at best. My old mk5 GTI struggled to get 30mpg even on a longish run.
Previous 1.8t 20v engines I've had (3 of 'em) have managed mid thirties mpg with me driving, so considering as standard the 2.0 TSI has at least 30bhp more than them out of the box and an extra 200cc capacity it ain't bad, but a GTI isn't a TDI.

Whether a Golf is big enough for you is something only you can work out. If you're 6ft plus and carry long legged people in the back it may get a bit strained but I've found Golfs no worse on leg and head room than some luxury saloons. Boot space is not bad, all the cars in that class are very similar sized.
If it was my company car I'd probably look at a GTD, and more likely a 140 TDI GT if it was much cheaper on costs.
No Golf is ever going to be remotely like a Z4, so you're going to have to start with a clean sheet of paper.

[Tone2have]

Welcome to the forum. Like you, mine is a company car. When I initially started looking, I drove a 320D M spec, a Merc 220D sport & an Audi A4 S-line. They all gave very different drives, but at close to £30K, there was nothing that really set them apart.

When I took the GTI out my decision was made. It is a car for people who enjoy driving. The prestige cars are very comfortable but lack any driver interaction.

I have 2 small kids so I had to consider the space. The GTI can seat 3 people in the back & has a good load capacity with the seats down. And.... I can get my golf clubs in the boot with all of my other golf equipment. I usually drive me & my mate up to the golf club & can get two sets of clubs in the boot (please regulars, let's not go off topic here!!  ).

Finally the question of fuel consumption. I can't get over how good the mpg is when u sit at 70 (ok 80)
MPH. The company car tax code, owing to it's relatively low omission levels, is much better than the near equivalent cars (The Focus ST is 35% tax!). Best of all though is, you have enough power on tap should need it 

[Snoopy]

Its too small and Front wheel drive, your too use to rear wheel drive, You won't be happy imo.

[am1w]

Its too small and Front wheel drive, your too use to rear wheel drive, You won't be happy imo.

I agree.
Go and get a BMW 520D now or wait a couple of months for the new BMW 320D. Just remember to put winter tyres for ice and snow to get the things moving forward.

[Sylvian84]

How is the co car tax on the GTI? I have been headhunted and i can get a decent company car to replace my privately owned GTD, and i quite fancy a GTI.

[am1w]

How is the co car tax on the GTI? I have been headhunted and i can get a decent company car to replace my privately owned GTD, and i quite fancy a GTI.

I suggest you get a Golf R as they need more people on their forum. You can still post on here as we are caring sharing people.