Itchy feet! You have to ask yourself whether you get bored just purely due to time you’ve had the car, or whether you get pulled into thinking that way because something (seemingly) better is out there that you could be driving.
I’ve changed a lot lately, but I’ve justified it in my mind (man logic warning):-
57 Plate MK5 170TDI, clattered by a bus at 2 weeks old and such a shoddy job done on the repair, I hated the car the whole time I had it – was chomping at the bit to get rid from very early on in ownership.
2009 140TDI Scirocco – loved that car, everything except the performance, it was not as quick as the Golf that came before it. I was in such a rush to get shot of the shoddy Golf, I didn’t wait until the 170TDI was announced (I should’ve!).
2011 170TDI Scirocco – The most enjoyable car I’ve had in the last 10 years, great car, didn’t even cross my mind to change cars for a whole 2 years (an eternity to me!). I was a little wowed by the tech on the MK7 GTD and was expecting it to be and feel a little quicker than the Scirocco, and perhaps a little more frugal.
2013 MK7 GTD – I admire the car, but I don’t love it. A huge step up in interior quality and refinement – but that refinement makes it feel really slow – it feels only as quick as my 140TDI Scirocco. Small gaps between the panels and lots of tech that make me feel as though I don't have to dip into my pockets much for the options make it a good buy. It is really missing some perception of poke with it's very linear and fuss-free delivery of power, and those slippery Bridgestones I was too tight to bin early on piss me off no end with the tramping. The DTUK box helped with the perception (and actual) poke.
Really wanting to get away from tramping (4WD!) and get some real poke at the expense of fuel economy (although the GTD was a huge disappointment to me on the fuel front, around the doors) – so I ordered the R 6 months ago and still 7-8 weeks away from delivery most likely. Although I will probably wince going to the petrol station twice as often, you’ve got to remember that with a new car your depreciation is a far bigger cost than fuel cost differences between engines.
Although this may just be wishful thinking, I can see me keeping the R at least 3 years, there’s nothing out there better that I wouldn’t have to add at least £8k to. Not keen on any of the Golf’s direct peers – 1 series (Ugly!), 2 series (slightly less ugly), A-class – my mate has one of these as a company car, very cheap and nasty interior and a bone-crunching ride, Alfa Giulietta (like the exterior looks, but depreciates like a lead balloon and the engine choices don’t wow me). The only thing that comes close to whetting my appetite to change is a BMW 335D X-drive, and even then only because the ridiculously good level of discount you can sometimes get puts them in my tolerable price range for depreciation in the time I’ll have it.
