31 Weeks lead time for an R

[am1w]

One thing that is pretty obvious when comparing my BMW to the Golf R. The BMW panels are really solid and bend-free unlike the flimsy tinny Golf panels. The BMW really feels as if is hewn out of a solid billet of steel. It is incredibly well made. Very reassuring. Should there be such a marked difference? I wonder how the A3 compares with the Golf. Probably the same though it looks a bit more substantial.

The S3 doors feel a bit thicker on a tap test - but they are made out of Aluminium. It definitely feels a bit more solid until you open the door and find it feels quite light on its hinges.

Thought so. But it looks so meh. I also think the A3 Saloon is no looker as to my eyes its proportions seem wrong though it is better looking than the frumpy A3 hatch.

[Snoopy]

Mr Savage:

I agree with everything you say.

I must admit that the fit and finish of my BMW is excellent except for the leather seats which I classify as Hippo Hide and were baggy when new. Got this fixed after many arguments with BMW who were really pig headed. No different to VW when I complained about a warped rear bumper on my Mk6 GTI which they eventually replaced (after much discussion) under warranty. But hey, the BMW has 'free' leather which is a million times better in quality (and there's more of it) than VW Vienna Leather which is leather only for the seat base and back but all the rest is vinyl! They really should call it Vienna Vinyl. As for their Nappa nonsense, well that is daylight robbery.

Yes, the Mk5 Golf was perhaps the last well made Golf. The downward trajectory in Golf quality seems to be gathering pace.

The mk5 wasn't well made. It rattled i could write a book on fixing them and more or less did on pistonheads...it had design issues. Rust issues with wings, boot lid, sills. The last well made and designed golf dates back to 1992 with the last of the mk2 models sadly.

As for residuals its odd but most people look at the % value rather than the £ value. I actually lost less pound notes after discounts moving over to SEATs from 1993 - 2005 than if I had bought the equivalent golfs. As a large % loss or less % value after 3 years of a small purchase price is actually less pound notes loss. Plus at that time VW made sloppy cars.

[monkeyhanger]

Snoopy - i'd agree with that! I see more MK2s than MK3s and 4s around the North East, and my 2 MK5s had by far the most warranty work of any of my 7 VWs bought from new. Surprisingly, the 2 Portuguese built Sciroccos I had hardly cost VW a penny in warranty work and were rattle-free. If there was an MQB based Scirocco on the cards i'd have been quite tempted by one of those rather than the R.

[am1w]

Lads: I am getting depressed!
I just don't want a car with rattles. My BMW is totally rattle free and hope and pray that the R will be the same though from what I am reading it is hoping against hope.   

[monkeyhanger]

Lads: I am getting depressed!
I just don't want a car with rattles. My BMW is totally rattle free and hope and pray that the R will be the same though from what I am reading it is hoping against hope.   

My MK7 is rattle free right now. It had a few creaks early days, due to shagged front suspension mount bearings (the dealership forgot to take a set of transport pucks out of the front struts).

[mikeok]

I have a mk7 GTI pp with almost 10k on clock no probs or rattles also had a R for a whole day to test b4 I ordered my 1 and used a whole tank. Went over just about every road surface..again no rattles.
Im sure it will be fine. Its a common that all manufacturers are cutting costs these days. Mercs and bmw of old had better interior quality materials in my opinion.

[mikeok]

Any way my R has confirmed Bw of wk 10 now..ordered Oct with 19" Dealer seems to think it may still come forward as vw ramp RHD production for march plates..

[Snoopy]

Asker, your mk6 was rattle free unlike mine so im sure your mk7 will be too.
Unlike you I actually like the S3 saloon and for some reason it reminds me, but i dont know why of the the type 44 audi 100 my father ran from new in 86 until late 98 when he changed it. If they only made cars as well engineered and assembled nowadays. That car was faultless,  rattle free, and rust free for its entire stay with us. It also reminds me of the small boot Audi 90 20Vs I always liked when I was younger. I just dont think I could join the audi crowd the way I seem to get tailgated blinded and annoyed by local Audi drivers. The saloon would be too unpractical for my only car too.

[monkeyhanger]

Any way my R has confirmed Bw of wk 10 now..ordered Oct with 19" Dealer seems to think it may still come forward as vw ramp RHD production for march plates..

Confirmed, are you sure? Confirmed build week generally happens 4 weeks before BW, so you would expect to hear BW5/6 for a BW10 built car. Mine is currently unconfirmed BW15 (from BW8 and BW4 before that).

[mikeok]

Hi
yep that's what my dealer told me. Hes not been wrong before.