Hmmm... What car to choose...

[Maka344]

Go base R with a TomTom, stunning spec and you won't be disappointed.

What issues did you have with your demo car?

My old GT TDI 2011 was a demo car and in 8 months, the following went wrong:

Clutch/Flywheel - 2 weeks after purchase
Two air con units - replaced, re-gassed, with dryer/receivers, system re-gassed a third time
Gearbox bearing - New gearbox
Head unit needed replacing

I'll never buy a demo ever again, no matter how cheap it is.

I do sometimes wonder whether a demo like the one you describe, could have been a customer rejected car with a multitude of issues that the dealership has ended up keeping. One of those "Friday afternoon cars".

To be honest I think it's a combination of both.

The issues it had for an end of production run car were not acceptable. In the end I traded it in before the gearbox was replaced because the dealer said once stripped down, if the teeth are bent then it's not covered. I never once crunched the gears.

In that time, I also had a moped hit my wing and drive off and someone hit me while parking leaving a lovely black mark on my white paint work.

The car felt unlucky.

[matchboy]

I'd go Golf R and see if you can make a capital contribution so you could add some options onto the car.  Yes, it costs a little more each month and you're not getting anything back for your money - but a TomTom in an R?  That's just wrong!

Or as Craig has said, the mk 3 TT comes out soon and looks stunning!

If you like bigger cars how about a 4 series?  Great looking motor.

[corgi]

but a TomTom in an R?  That's just wrong!

Or as Craig has said, the mk 3 TT comes out soon and looks stunning!

If you like bigger cars how about a 4 series?  Great looking motor.

£250 for a top of the range Tom-Tom that is easier to use and better than the Nav-Pro in the Golf for £1700 - I'll put up with the odd cable as the sat nav doesn't really improve the driving experience... it is wrong that VW charges so much....

Mk3 TT might look great but it is still just a Golf in a spangly dress...

4-Series a fine car but likely out of budget unless you want a base 420i SE... but might be worth considering a 228i M-Sport... If you are allowed BMWs - it is not clear whether this is a restriction work has placed on you or a decision you have made to stick to VW and Audi...

Given my experience at the weekend with an Audi dealer, I am amazed that Audi sell any cars...

[CraigW]

but a TomTom in an R?  That's just wrong!

Or as Craig has said, the mk 3 TT comes out soon and looks stunning!

If you like bigger cars how about a 4 series?  Great looking motor.

£250 for a top of the range Tom-Tom that is easier to use and better than the Nav-Pro in the Golf for £1700 - I'll put up with the odd cable as the sat nav doesn't really improve the driving experience... it is wrong that VW charges so much....

Mk3 TT might look great but it is still just a Golf in a spangly dress....

Same could be said about Porsche just being a beetle with a bigger engine or Lamborghini just being a fancier R8. Agree about the Pro being ridiculously priced. The only benefit it my mind is the bigger screen and with hindsight I would probably have just ordered the standard nav but I would still rather stump up £800 for it than have a tom tom stuck to my windscreen

[corgi]

Same could be said about Porsche just being a beetle with a bigger engine or Lamborghini just being a fancier R8.

You've spent too long listening to that idiot Clarkson. Similarities between a Porsche 911 and the old rear engined Beetle stop at the placement of the engine. The R8 and Lamborghini Gallardo have some common parts and engine bay electronics but the platform is different.

The Golf/TT/A3/Leon/Octavia have many common elements, platform, engines, electronics. There is far more commonality here. Certainly, the Mk2 TT was, at least, made to feel a little different from it less sporty siblings - the mark 1 wasn't apart from feeling like you were looking out from the inside of a letter box.

Audi, is always going to be on the back foot when it comes to sports cars - they will not countenance rear wheel drive and whilst four wheel drive might offer a reasonable compromise were it set up properly, with their Haldex configurations they engineer in an understeer balance which whilst offering the illusion of stability makes the cars I've driven in this configuration feel ponderous and lacking the agility expected in a sports car.

[CraigW]

Same could be said about Porsche just being a beetle with a bigger engine or Lamborghini just being a fancier R8.

You've spent too long listening to that idiot Clarkson. Similarities between a Porsche 911 and the old rear engined Beetle stop at the placement of the engine. The R8 and Lamborghini Gallardo have some common parts and engine bay electronics but the platform is different.

The Golf/TT/A3/Leon/Octavia have many common elements, platform, engines, electronics. There is far more commonality here. Certainly, the Mk2 TT was, at least, made to feel a little different from it less sporty siblings - the mark 1 wasn't apart from feeling like you were looking out from the inside of a letter box.

Audi, is always going to be on the back foot when it comes to sports cars - they will not countenance rear wheel drive and whilst four wheel drive might offer a reasonable compromise were it set up properly, with their Haldex configurations they engineer in an understeer balance which whilst offering the illusion of stability makes the cars I've driven in this configuration feel ponderous and lacking the agility expected in a sports car.

Ok the Porsche/Beetle comparison was a touch extreme however the new Huracan will sit on the same platform as 2015 R8 and the interior shares the Audi TFT interface so you could argue it's just a fancy Audi.

Anyway the point is that for me it's all about how the car makes you feel. I can't complain that the Golf is a fantastic all rounder but if I'm honest it doesn't excite me the way the TT did despite it being a golf in a spangly dress as you put it.

[Jimmy Filth]

I'd say got for an R.

Spec up a car with a few extra's then go into a dealer and tell them that you will order the car there and then if they can do it for £30k.

[JBirchy]

I would still rather stump up £800 for it than have a tom tom stuck to my windscreen

+1 - A great shame to see a nice car with grubby marks all over the screen where a Nav has been suckered into place. Every TomTom I've used has been 'OK' but doesn't integrate with the music system/bluetooth and you can't adjust the volume by using the steering wheel buttons so for me, they simply don't work as well as the integrated system. Plus, the Discover Nav has been faultless in my experience.

Owning one of these cars isn't just about the driving experience, it's about the whole 'ownership' experience of getting into the car everyday, and making sure you enjoy it in as many scenarios as possible. Given the fact it's a company car, you'll no doubt be spending a lot of time behind the wheel and therefore I'd err' on the side of a car with a few options.

If I were you, I'd choose option 3 on your list... DSG, Standard Nav and Winter Pack. If you can negotiate a good deal with the lease company, try and add Keyless Go and the Reversing Camera too. This spec will make for a brilliant 'all-round' ownership experience.

Best of Luck!   

[charlie]

Base R keep it simple standard wheels cheaper tyres and black that would be my choice

[Phil 117]

Interesting most of you say go the Golf R.

And sadly it doesn't matter how much the car actual costs, we're banded on P11d's so even if they gave us the car 50% off, the P11d value stays the same regardless sadly. Our P11d value reflect our hierarchy in the company. Otherwise I'd get a Jaguar XF as they are cheap as chips through Hitachi Capital at the moment. Just too much on P11d

SO I got the ball rolling today, speaking to a fleet chap regarding what cars they have available. Passat is sat a UK port, Golf R is a factory order, but they have recently had a cancelled order from Lex and the vehicle arrived yesterday. I could have it this week if I wanted 

It's a Golf GTI performance pack, 5 door manual. Carbon, with standard sat nav, dynaudio, and a winter pack.  I think I'll be having that as I don't want to wait.

Considering I will do best part of 30k miles in it, I'd prefer the options to the power. Just won't drive an R so I won't know what I've missed.

Exciting stuff. GTD out on Friday, GTI maybe this Friday