Bear:
I would say that you can leave reliability out of the equation, anyone on a forum with other new car users is going to come across people who have issues with a new car – BMW/Audi/Merc are no exception. That’s what the warranty is for. The most significant measure of reliability for most is beyond warranty, when the manufacture wrinkles should have been ironed out and future costs are heaped upon the owner. The factory was ready to take our orders, they just decided to prioritise other markets first – save for the dash and low trim where the bonnet catch release is, there isn’t a lot that is RHD specific and they seem to be making LHD cars for most other markets just fine. Half of Europe had access to the GTI and GTD before the UK did – perhaps their initial rush has now died down, whereas ours is still going. Most people here who ordered “blind” have received theirs. We’re now seeing the cars getting built of the early adopters who waited long enough to see a demo
A mate of mine who lives in Rotterdam got his LHD GTI in 9 weeks (ordered March, got it mid may). There seems to be one of a few things going on here. Either VW cares a lot more about its other markets within Europe because maybe they have to try harder to get their money (can’t see many frenchies buying a small/medium VW over a Renault/Citroen/Peugeot, or Italians buying one over a Fiat/Alfa/Lancia), or they limit supply to preserve high GFV in this country.
For the UK market, some VWs (mainly Golf and Scirocco) are competitively priced on finance despite their comparatively high RRP - all down to the residuals. They are really making you wait for the special ones (GTI/GTD), if you want an SE or a GT then they can routinely build you one and deliver it in under 12 weeks, and the GFV is a bit lower. How many parts are unique to GTI/GTD? Apart from engines and badging, pretty much everything else is speccable as an option on an SE or GT. Their restriction of the GTI and GTD for the UK market does seem to be by design IMO.
