Part Exchange

[monkeyhanger]

MisterP:

Right now, I reckon you’d be looking at upping your monthly payments by a minimum of £155 on a new 36 month contract to jump ship to a GTI(£4-6k lost in what the dealership will offer you vs what you paid + an extra £1000 to find in lower GFV on the GTI + interest on that £5k minimum lump). I think you need a test drive in a GTI to decide whether you’d be prepared to pay an extra £155 a month for minor performance gains (more prominent at the lower end) and a few red stripes. If you got a big discount then you may have mitigated some of those losses, but you’re probably looking at a £19k p/x allowance right now for your car. Keep the car 3 years and you’ll only lose another £4k. Either way, your friendly dealership will want to make a canny £8k out of you (£4k profit on the old and the new) if you get a decent discount on the new one.

You’ve got to ask yourself what a GTI has that a GTD doesn’t, and how much you are prepared to pay out to get out of the GTD and into the GTI. Would a tuning box get you back up there if it’s performance you are after? What’s your driving style? Are you a bit of a traffic light dueller at heart, or just after more mid-range clout? Maybe you just like the idea of owning a “GTI” (in which case you’re going to have to buy one).

I’m loving my car a lot more with the tuning box. There are definitely fewer standard thrills for me than on previous VWs I have owned, despite the GTD being the most powerful VW I have owned – I think there is something to be said for the car maybe being a bit too civilised for its own good at times – my MK5 170TDI was definitely more fun for me than the standard GTD, despite its harsh ride. I’ve never wanted a GTI over a GTD, I just wanted my GTD to be as much fun as my Scirocco was, and now it is.

[GiT1984]

MisterP:

I think you need a test drive in a GTI to decide whether you’d be prepared to pay an extra £155 a month for minor performance gains (more prominent at the lower end) and a few red stripes.

You’ve got to ask yourself what a GTI has that a GTD doesn’t, and how much you are prepared to pay out to get out of the GTD and into the GTI.

Small performance gains? 0-100mph GTi PP = 14.1 Seconds - GTD = 18.5 Seconds ....
Top Speeds? GTi PP = 155mph - GTD = 143mph
Goodbye GTD!

Potential to get the diff, sharper turn in and more stable (read better) handling, better brakes, the ability to rev to 7,000rpm, really broad powerband, no "taxi like" rattle - a properly rorty engine note, no "tramping" from a standing start, etc.

No matter what VW are trying to suggest, the GTD is not a diesel engined GTi - there are loads of differences!

I used to have an A3 TDi 170bhp Quattro in S-line form (until last week); and it wasn't a bad car, but my GTi would run rings around it, everywhere! My advice to the OP is if you want one and can afford it - buy a GTi PP and relish it ......

[kodkod.84]

Other than a track where are you going to regularly do 0-100mph and 155mph? 

I'd keep the GTD until time to hand back- might even be an edition 40 or something out by then

[monkeyhanger]

MisterP:

I think you need a test drive in a GTI to decide whether you’d be prepared to pay an extra £155 a month for minor performance gains (more prominent at the lower end) and a few red stripes.

You’ve got to ask yourself what a GTI has that a GTD doesn’t, and how much you are prepared to pay out to get out of the GTD and into the GTI.

Small performance gains? 0-100mph GTi PP = 14.1 Seconds - GTD = 18.5 Seconds ....
Top Speeds? GTi PP = 155mph - GTD = 143mph
Goodbye GTD!

Potential to get the diff, sharper turn in and more stable (read better) handling, better brakes, the ability to rev to 7,000rpm, really broad powerband, no "taxi like" rattle - a properly rorty engine note, no "tramping" from a standing start, etc.

No matter what VW are trying to suggest, the GTD is not a diesel engined GTi - there are loads of differences!

I used to have an A3 TDi 170bhp Quattro in S-line form (until last week); and it wasn't a bad car, but my GTi would run rings around it, everywhere! My advice to the OP is if you want one and can afford it - buy a GTi PP and relish it ......

I don't think anyone has mentioned the PP at all in their conversation, this thread is about the cost to chop in the GTD very prematurely for a GTI, add in a PP then we're talking £6k to £7k for the OP and MisterP to trade in.

No one is under any allusions about what the GTD can do next to a GTI from 0-30mph. Take the comparisons from 40-80mph (where most people will be using the power) and the 4 second gap your example showed is more like a 1.5s gap against a standard GTI.

If the OP doesn't care too much for off the line acceleration (which hasn't been established) then maybe a tuning box for about £360 might be far more acceptable than chucking £5k at a car that will perform comparably above 30mph to a standard GTI in handling (a manual GTD is only 4Kg front heavy vs a DSG GTI - 20Kg won't ruin the handling) and in-gear performance (i'd take an educated guess that a tuning box equipped GTD pumping out 229PS and 500Nm would outdo a PP in a straight line from 40 to any figure you choose above 70mph).

£359 or £5k - it's quite a difference. Buy the car you wanted from the start and you're talking £550 GTI/£1500 PP. I would never let the RRP difference stop me picking the GTI if that's what I wanted, but when it's going to take you from £350 a month to £500 a month, it's going to take some thinking about. Keep that GTD for 2 years and you'll probably only lose an extra grand over changing now.

If I was wanting a GTI at the point of ordering then I may have gone for the PP, you do get a fair bit for your £960. A fair proportion of the outright performance is eaten up in the extra weight of the Diff and the brakes, but if you do like flinging your car around corners hard then i'm sure the diff will come in very handy.

[monsta]

I am in a similar position to you.

I should point out I love the car. 

I received my GTD in September, however since then my commitments (both work and otherwise) have changed which means that my motorway traveling has significantly decreased. I am now using the GTD in and around town a lot more than I initially envisaged. I am paying £318.00 with a larger deposit to VirginVWman.  The economy on the GTD around town isnt all was initially cracked up to be (i know it will never meet the quoted figures but still...)

I was therefore in two minds about keeping the GTD and switching to a GTI as around town it wouldnt be much of a difference with the added bonus of not potentially damaging the DPF by the shorter start stop journeys.

I wanted to keep the GTD at the end of the finance by paying the balloon payment however now I will find myself changing earlier (2 years/2.5 years) in. To me, this way, the damage to my pocket wont be as great as changing now.

I have been invited to an event at my local VW garage, I will curiously go a long to see what they have on offer.

You know what curiosity did....

What MPG are you getting around town?  The GTI is going to be much worse I would've thought.  On the combined cycle mine averages 35MPG.

[Misterp]

Thanks for the comments and sorry virginvwman for hijacking the thread. As you have suggested MH, it's not a viable option now. I worked out the figures etc a couple of weeks ago and it's not a good idea at all to chop now. as I said, I will keep until the end of the finance or just before to switch. It's unfortunate that my circumstances have changed to make the running costs question what has otherwise been a great car.

I have thought about the DTUK box just to add a little bit more fun for the next couple of years and it's something that I will consider in the summer.

As  I have said, a lot of stop start city driving means in traffic jams on my way into work I am lucky to hit 36. Otherwise when the roads are clearer  I'm hitting 43-45 dependent on the ambient temp and I can't ask for more than that really. I'm a relaxed driver who likes having fun now and again.

I was just jotting down for Virgin vw man what I have been thinking about but after everything there is no way choping so soon makes sense.

Thanks again for the input guys

[virginVWman]

Misterp: No needs to apologise my good man!

I just had a quandary and I half expected there may have been one or two of us out there.

The only thing I can think of is investing in a DTUK/similar box and hoping the gains can keep us happy for the next 2 years lol

[mcmaddy]

MisterP:

I think you need a test drive in a GTI to decide whether you’d be prepared to pay an extra £155 a month for minor performance gains (more prominent at the lower end) and a few red stripes.

You’ve got to ask yourself what a GTI has that a GTD doesn’t, and how much you are prepared to pay out to get out of the GTD and into the GTI.

Small performance gains? 0-100mph GTi PP = 14.1 Seconds - GTD = 18.5 Seconds ....
Top Speeds? GTi PP = 155mph - GTD = 143mph
Goodbye GTD!

Potential to get the diff, sharper turn in and more stable (read better) handling, better brakes, the ability to rev to 7,000rpm, really broad powerband, no "taxi like" rattle - a properly rorty engine note, no "tramping" from a standing start, etc.

No matter what VW are trying to suggest, the GTD is not a diesel engined GTi - there are loads of differences!

I used to have an A3 TDi 170bhp Quattro in S-line form (until last week); and it wasn't a bad car, but my GTi would run rings around it, everywhere! My advice to the OP is if you want one and can afford it - buy a GTi PP and relish it ......

Obviously with your gti your going to say it wipes the floor with a gtd but I think your way wide of the mark. Gti is a good car and so is the gtd and no matter what you think to yourself they are both very very similar and not as far apart as you seem to think.

[virginVWman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDxnm6DUU_A

Skip to 5 mins in. GTI vs GTD, a lot closer than some people may think

[scoobyc]

Hmm, gti wins comfortably even with a woman driving, was that the point you were trying to make?