« Reply #15 on: 18 April 2015, 14:25 »
Hi once again I'm thinking about buying a mk7 but cant decide between the 2…
Ive got a mk6 Gti and owned it for 4 years.
My wish list is quite simple
Petrol
Heated seats
5 door
Preferably auto.
Cheapest used r I can see is £27500 and Gti £22000
If you need to ask the question then you want an R.
If like Lee ^^^ you get car envy at the traffic lights you need an R.
The GTI is an all rounder, it's not supposed to be the fastest, best handling super hyper mega hatch. But it's fun!
To be honest, I'm guessing you're working on a budget if you're looking at second hand prices which then will make your financial situation different than the ones on here who can happily throw £40k of loose change at whatever they want.
I'd take a no optioned R over a highly specced GTI if the price difference wasn't huge.
I kind of like a fairly basic GTI though as it's truer to the GTI ethos of keeping the weight down and the fun and affordability in the right zone. Plus the GTI looks better especially when it has Santiagos.
(In my not very humble opinion)
It's easy for me to say as there as no R when I ordered my GTI and if I was buying again now I'd be stuck.
I drove a base spec R briefly late last year in crap weather and it didn't feel any better than my GTI and I hated the black plastic radio surround but loved the blue ambient lighting.
I think I'd rather have a GTD with S&S pack and DTUK box than either if I'm honest...

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‘25 8.5R, ‘23 8R, ‘20 8CS, ‘19 135iX, ‘19 TCR, ‘17 Ed40, ‘17 GTD, ‘15 7R, ‘13 GTI PP, ‘11 GTI, ‘09 GTI, ‘98 Ibiza Cupra, ‘05 GTI, ‘06 Polo GTI, ‘04 GT TDI, ‘05 Fabia vRS, ‘02 GTI T, ‘03 Ibiza TDI 130, ‘01 Leon 180, ‘89 mk2 16v, ‘99 Ibiza TDI, ‘96 VR6, ‘98 Ibiza TDI, ‘92 VR6, ‘88 mk2 8v, ‘92 Polo G40, ‘91 mk2 8v, ‘89 mk2 8v, 205 GTI 1.9, ‘83 mk1 GTI, ‘80 Scirocco GTI, plus some others I’ve forgotten