Golf GTI with Extras vs Golf R Base model?

[Brenbo]

I am unsure if anyone has asked this question already, I suspect they have.  But anyway here goes.  If you could only afford either a stock base model Golf R or highly specced Golf GTI with all the extras you require which would you go for? 

Although I would love to have a Golf R, it does look a bit ordinary from the front,  I am leaning towards the GTI with extras configured. 

The reason i ask this question is I have just spoken to someone at work about possible new cars he's looking in to purchasing.  He was looking at a GTI but now tells me he can get a Golf R for £28400.  He is not putting any extras on the car except for Metallic Paint & DSG which I suspect may push this price a bit. 

 

[dubber36]

It depends how much depreciation matters to you.

Optional extras retain around 20-25% of their retail value over three years, whereas the car will have retained approx 50%. If a larger proportion of a GTI is extras, it stands to reason that it will depreciate by more money than an otherwise standard .:R, even if they start out with the same OTR price.

[Jimmy Filth]

It depends what is more important to the person. If power is more important then the R, if a spec'd up car , then GTi.

I, personally, would rather have the GTi spec'd up over a basic R.

[CraigW]

It's a good question

Firstly, speccing the car your work colleague is talking about on the DTD website you are looking at £29,100 after discount (based on 3 door). I paid less than that for my GTI which included over £4k of options.

The R is very tempting to me because of the additional power and the 4wd capabilities but i would find it extremely difficult not to add some options. Funnily enough the one option that im least impressed with in the GTI is the one option that i would have to have on the R and that is the DCC purely because it adds a race mode  .

That then bumps the price up to £30k which is £3k more than i paid for the GTI

[Brenbo]

I paid more than the £29100 for my GTI with almost all options except 19" Wheels, Leather, DSG and DCC.  I too would find it hard to have a premium car without the extra's that make it that little bit more special and premium.  I think I would get fairly bored of the spec if I had a Golf R with no extra's. 

It's like you say I would also have to put the DCC on the Golf R to get Race mode, but on the GTI I find the passive suspension really great and do not wish in the slightest I spent out on the DCC.  I specced the Golf R with the options I would most to have on the configurator and it came to nearly mid £34K+. 

Is the differential in the Golf R a 4WD variant of the e-diff or is it a variant of the XDS? 

If i was choosing between the MK6 GTI or Golf R it would be the Golf R hands down but the MK7 has me divided in opinion.  I really love my GTI PP.  But the performance of the Golf R Mk7 is impressive for the money.   

[dubber36]

I wonder if the whole GTI or .:R choice will become a little easier once we actually see .:R's in the flesh?

[Brenbo]

Maybe

I have to admit my GTI looked a lot different in the flesh than it did in the photos and videos online.

[Hawaii-Five-O]

I have to admit my GTI looked a lot different in the flesh than it did in the photos and videos online.

Better or worse in the flesh?

[Mr Savage]

The way to look at is if the Golf GTI had an optional extra that gave it 70more BHP and 4-wheel drive, would you tick it? I'm guessing yes. Even if it was a few grand.

[Brenbo]

I would say my car looked better in the flesh.  Also Mr Savage makes a good point, and I would also say yes I probably would tick the option for 70bhp more and 4WD but the added bonus would be the car would still look like the GTI not the plainer front of the Golf R (which may look better in the flesh, lets hope so, but in the photos is a little dull from certain angles).  Photos can be deceptive though.