Coming from an A3 quattro - is the GTi for me?

[BenH]

I've currently got a late '06 A3 2.0T quattro Sportback in S-Line trim with some tasty options.  It's not the last word in handling, but it's very solid and quite rapid with a Bluefin map.  All in all, I'm really happy with it - but it'll be 5 years old this year and I fancy a change.

I've also got a 15 month old daughter and (hopefully) plans for another sooner or later.  We live in a city centre, so a bigger car is impractical and although I'm certainly no stranger to performance cars, I need something suitable for a small family.  I'd love an S3, but it seems a bit crazy getting one with a new model on the way later this year. 

This brings me to the Mk6 Golf GTi - it's a little more expensive that I'd like, but it looks like a great package.  I'm considering "investing" in a 5-door with: Blue Graphite paint, leather, xenons, sunroof, RCD510, Dynaudio and the 17in wheels.

Just a few questions:

- Are there any factory wheel options other than the 17/18in Monzas? (they will get kerbed by my wife and the finish on the 18s would surely cost loads to refurb?)
- Is the Dynaudio system any good?  The BOSE in my A3 is pretty good to my ears...
- Does the GTi come with auto lights / wipers as standard? (can't see them as an option)
- How long 'til the Mk7 Golf? 

Any experiences of running a GTi with a family would be of interest too! 

Thanks in advance.

[DRC]

If the 18" Monzas are gonna get kerbed, then don't bother
My mum has them on hers, the day she kerbs them, I'm taking them off her
A few have complained the sound quality from the RNS510 isn't brilliant but the Dynaudio system makes it better, although I've had an A3 with Bose, and it's very very good quality.
Yes, Auto lights, wipers, coming home and leaving home lights.
There was a picture leaked of it, no idea the date yet.

All in all my mum loves her GTI, I've driven it and it's a fantastic car! Would you not considering finding pre-reg with your chosen options to save some cash?

[Phil1980]

Keep your A3.

[lowdown]

Also, bear in mind the the very long lead time if you want one (4 months+) esp if you choose options.

A mk 6 would be a significant performance improvement to the Audi.  The Golf is universally accepted as a better car but doesn't have the "Badge/Bling" or mother-in-law is impressed factor and neither is it a cheaper alternative.

Test driving/get one on loan for a weekend is best decision making idea.  If you find yourself having fun then it's probably for you if not stay with Audi. 

[AGB]

I've currently got a late '06 A3 2.0T quattro Sportback in S-Line trim with some tasty options.  It's not the last word in handling, but it's very solid and quite rapid with a Bluefin map.  All in all, I'm really happy with it - but it'll be 5 years old this year and I fancy a change.

I've also got a 15 month old daughter and (hopefully) plans for another sooner or later.  We live in a city centre, so a bigger car is impractical and although I'm certainly no stranger to performance cars, I need something suitable for a small family.  I'd love an S3, but it seems a bit crazy getting one with a new model on the way later this year. 

This brings me to the Mk6 Golf GTi - it's a little more expensive that I'd like, but it looks like a great package.  I'm considering "investing" in a 5-door with: Blue Graphite paint, leather, xenons, sunroof, RCD510, Dynaudio and the 17in wheels.

Just a few questions:

- Are there any factory wheel options other than the 17/18in Monzas? (they will get kerbed by my wife and the finish on the 18s would surely cost loads to refurb?)
- Is the Dynaudio system any good?  The BOSE in my A3 is pretty good to my ears...
- Does the GTi come with auto lights / wipers as standard? (can't see them as an option)
- How long 'til the Mk7 Golf? 

Any experiences of running a GTi with a family would be of interest too! 

Thanks in advance.

Hey Ben

Welcome to the forum. Funnily enough, I was considering an A3 S-Line Black Edition as a potential alternative to the GTI and gave up on it for 2 reasons - build quality and the model refresh that you mention.

The demonstrator A3 I tried had done about 180 miles and the level of wear and tear gave me concerns about maintaining its condition long term. Its resale appeal would also suffer due to the later mark as well. Fortunately, the Audi and VW dealerships are opposite each other so I was able to do a direct comparison and it's a bit unfair on the Audi as the GTI is a newer design and benefits from better materials I think. The new A3 will be a fairer point of comparison.

I would take a look at the luxury and comfort packs, they've got some handy options in there. The auto drop mirror on reverse is useful for parallel parking in the city and auto folder mirrors are another good feature. The storage drawers I find invaluable, they're tucked under the front seats. You also get a luggage net to retain cargo (or a child in the boot if they misbehave) which can be quite handy from time to time.

I find 17" wheels to be fine driving in London, if I decided to change them, I'd upgrade them to 18" at most due to the potholes and poor road surfaces in general. Unless they've been seriously gouged, it's quite easy to fix minor damage. I caught an edge of a kerb and put a half inch scratch onto my front right wheel when pulling straight after a reverse park and it took me an hour to fix. There is a good tutorial online which is where I got the details for all the correct spray paint and lacquer colours.

I never bothered with leather, I like the standard GTI seats and mine look like they did the day I bought them. I've done about 5.5k miles. With kids, you'd probably want to have them AutoGlym sealed but if it comes down to personal taste then it's just that, personal. 

If you want Quattro, you'd be looking at the Golf R which is Haldex not Quattro but the price quickly moves north of the Golf if you're specced from new. That said, I've seen a few high spec R's coming up on Pistonheads and similar for £5-£7k less than retail and some with sub 5k mileage. You do sacrifice boot depth due to the 4WD system if space is an issue for push chairs and all of that.

The GTI is a great car and I love mine, it's one of the best cars I've owned.



AGB

[AGB]

A mk 6 would be a significant performance improvement to the Audi.  The Golf is universally accepted as a better car but doesn't have the "Badge/Bling" or mother-in-law is impressed factor and neither is it a cheaper alternative.

My mother in law drives a Mk5 Ed30, of her choosing too. I think she'd have something to say about your comment! 

[am1w]

There were two external design features which instantly put me off the A3:
(1) The gaping grille
(2) Its ugly flanks with those so '80s-90's rubbing strips which instantly dated it.

It looked frumpy from the day it was born. So I did not bother test driving it.

Apologies to any A3 owners and the OP.

[Buck]

I came out of an Audi (A4 Avant Quattro) into my GTD and whilst the two cars are very different in many ways, the Golf is a newer design (think interior not just external)

The two things I really miss from the Audi are the Quattro and the boot space

[Exonian]

In all seriousness [a first for me, I know], if you don't want an A3 which could be had with a cracking discount 'cos it's near the end of its production run; by the time a factory order mk6 Golf comes through you'll probably be in the same boat once VW has eventually finished running out of parts and increasing the delivery dates and wait times & minus the big Audi discount.

My advice would be to only order if you can get a car that is already well on its way down the production shenanigans, so be prepared for a spec not quite to your liking but the possibility of some of the 'extras' that you didn't want thrown in for free or heavily discounted.

BTW my previous mk5 GTI came from Heritage in Bristol, I wan't impressed by them. Their sister garage in Weston were far more helpful. 

[Jimmymature]

I came out of a 2008 A3 Sportback s-line, a nice car but lacking something. Didn't know what it was that was missing until I got the GTI, the grin factor is what it was missing.

Its a great car as a family car too, big enough. The GTI's boot is smaller the Sportbacks boot but still big enough to fit a pram in or two sets of golf clubs.


I love my GTI.


Jim