Do I add ACC? Or leave it?

[domrees]

Been reading the various threads on the forum for a few weeks now. (Including the one about ACC).

Really in 2 minds whether to add ACC. Would I notice the difference?  Roads round me are pretty poor but it is not as if the std suspension would not be any good.

It's a shame nearly all press reviews had ACC fitted, and no one has tested the car without it. 

What I don't want to do is pointlessly waste £800 when it is not really necessary...

[Hawaii-Five-O]

Welcome Dom

I'm gonna contradict myself here and say add it. I notice you have gone for the PP spec GTI so I'd say if you can stretch to it, then add it. It wouldn't be a pointless £800 addition. Apparently the new ACC (v2) is supposed to be even better than the version I run in my Scirocco. Your new GTI would be the complete car then. It's like having three cars in one (soft, normal and angry ).

I'm slightly regretting not speccing it on my GTD. Only because people have said the standard suspension set up is on the firm side. Gonna have to live with that now as there's no way I'm changing my order at this stage (be Christmas before I took delivery).

Slight note of caution: just check adding ACC doesn't push your order back too much (if at all).

Hope that helps? Now go and look under then bed for that £800

[JoeGTI]

I think it's one of those things that you'll never miss if you haven't had it on other cars. I've had a MKV GTI, a MKVI GTD and a couple of other cars with "firm" suspension with no "ACC" fitted and I quite like the standard firm ride.

I've no doubt that if I did have ACC that I'd have it in normal/sport mode most of the time, therefore for me it seems like a complete waste of 800 bucks.

[Gryzor]

Welcome, and I have to agree with H5O, although I have actually added it myself because it gives me the option of switching ride-comfort.  Unfortunately you are not going to find many people who have driven identical cars back-to-back, in identical conditions, just one with and one without ACC.  So, you'll naturally get conflicting views and opinions on how perceptively good/bad it is.  By all accounts, the new ACC on the new GTI offers appreciable differences in ride-quality, from very refined in comfort, to tight and sporty if that's what you want.  Personally I want comfort over sportiness most of the time.  It's certainly something I value far more than the PP, where under normal road driving conditions it offers me practically no benefits.  With ACC I'll benefit every single time I drive the car, no matter where or how.

What JoeGTI said about not missing it if you never had it is true.  Same can be said for the LSD in the PP, and even the car itself - you can't miss what you never had.  Ultimately only you know what you want the car for and how you will drive it.

[monkeyhanger]

A nice freebie on the Scirocco, not worth £800 to me (maybe £400 tops). If someone wants the option of having GTI/GTD performance with 1.4SE suspension comfort then it'll be worth it to them. Rear passengers will be the biggest beneficiaries of improved ride comfort in "comfort" mode.

[Bill_the_Bear]

The main (objective) thing I've taken from the reviews is that ACC allows you to change the way the car feels at the push of a button.  The idea being it can be sporty or comfort, instead of always a compromise between the two.  You can objectively say that is an improvement over the std suspension, but further comparisons are hard to make.

Originally I argued against PP (and therefore also ACC) as pointless additions you'll never really notice.  However I caved and added both.  Mix of reasons, partly for the handling of the LSD, partly for not wanting to 'feel' like I'm in a second class GTI (stupid I know).

[monkeyhanger]

partly for not wanting to 'feel' like I'm in a second class GTI (stupid I know).

VW's marketing ploy has you hook, line and sinker. I wouldn't mind paying good money for options if they retained some appreciable value at trade-in time, but you're really buying them for you, and at those prices you've really got to want them.

[domrees]

Thanks for the advice guys.

My dealer has said to not bother adding it. Having driven Sciroccos in the past I couldnt really tell the difference I have to say.

That said, it is supposed to be improved and adjusts individual dampers not just an entire axle.

Only one way to decide this...ask my 4 year old for her opinion... ;-)

[Bill_the_Bear]

Not sure that is strictly true.  I wanted these options but I needed convincing.

However, what is true is that they are getting me to pay over the odds because I'd rather pay now than regret later.  E.g. that SatNav is what £1600?  Ouch!  But I really wanted a car with integrated sat nav so I paid up.

[Gryzor]

However, what is true is that they are getting me to pay over the odds because I'd rather pay now than regret later.  E.g. that SatNav is what £1600?  Ouch!  But I really wanted a car with integrated sat nav so I paid up.

You didn't need to pay £1600 for Sat Nav though - that "only" gets you an 8" screen, extra media features and better looking maps.  You could save a grand and still have integrated Sat Nav, drop PP and you save two grand, and still have a car that drives really well, has Sat Nav, and the comfort you want from ACC...  Just sayin'