Can't believe the number of posts missed here....I think you were all more enthusiastic about pick-up than I was!
This is the second sentence, so I shall mention they tyres, which are Bridgestones.
Haven't put the car through its paces enough to see any shortcomings with them. Straight from the dealership we went to Costco by the Metrocentre to buy a few bits and enquire about tyres. Michelin Pilot Supersport 235/35 R19 Y 91 are £149.98 a corner, but they can only order in one right now. A promotion for a £100 Costco voucher when buying 4 Michelin tyres has just finished (wouldn't you guess!). I will give the Bridgestones a go for now, but if the next Costco promotion comes around shortly and the Bridgestones aren't mitigated by the Haldex then i'll be getting some.
The salesman was very nice to me this morning, he begged me to give them a good satisfaction survey rating, as their sales are down to about 2/3 of what they should be - a lot of people are giving the branch a wide berth right now due to extensive dealership remodelling going on at VW's insistence. £500k refurb, dealership having to pay for it themselves. Doesn't that sound like the VW AG we all love?
I assured him I would give the branch a glowing report as all my woes seem to be the fault of VW AG and VW UK, and I know that if they don't meet the satisfaction targets I will be less likely to secure a good deal next time as their margins will be slimmer. As he couldn't persuade me to take GAP/Autoglym, he said he'll only make £40 commission on the car and the Dealership will "fine" him £100, putting him £60 down if he gets a bad survey. It really is dog eat dog out there - I wouldn't want to be selling cars! We talked a bit about what sheisters VW UK are and how they'd pressured him into offering a goodwill gesture 100% funded by the dealership's bottom line.
Anyway, on to the car.....
Looks wise it is the dogs bollocks, inside and out, seeing in the flesh is believing.
The carbon effect gearstick top felt a little odd and less grippy than the GTD/GTI's knobbly golf ball, just requires a firmer grip, that is my only tiny gripe right now (bearing in mind the inevitability of Bridgestones).
I didn't get much of an opportunity to put my foot down on the way home from Durham via Costco, the A1 is 30/40mph average speed camera zone pretty much all the way from Durham to the metrocentre. Driving the R took a little getting used to. I was initially trying to drive it like my TDI, (lively from 1900rpm), but realising very quickly that it doesn't have a lot of poke below 3k revs, and then it becomes a rocket ship!
On the average speed camera controlled pootle, I was surprised how easily it rolled along at low speeds and low acceleration in relatively high gears and being far more frugal than I thought it would be (about 33mpg for what was it's first very tight 12 miles). Overall, having put my foot down when on the right side of the Tyne bridge from Durham to home (28 miles) I averaged 29mpg - much better than I thought likely.
In and out of Costco and time to go home. Traffic was crawling until we got over the Tyne Bridge back to civilisation (Sorry to anyone from Gateshead!). Then it was time to put my foot down a bit, giving it 2/3 throttle and keeping it going to 5k revs before changing. The missus was "tsking" all the way home. She wasn't in a good mood as we'd been in the vicinity of the Metrocentre and she hadn't been given the opportunity to blow a fair wedge of her wages in Next and Office on an armful of clothes and shoes.
Got the car home and out comes the G-Techniq stuff. There was bugger all iron to remove. It had the stinky W6 stuff all over it but only showed anything purple around the alloy wheels (£10 wasted there!). A Good wash with G-wash, dry and then C2V3 sealant all over. Finally I scotchguarded the back sets, back footwell and the boot's carpeted areas. I have another tin to do the front seats and front footwell, but didn't want to spry up until I knew I wasn't going out in it again today.
The missus has just gone off on her first driving lesson - hope she doesn't drive into the R when parking up at the end of her lesson.
I need to get some photos taken or I will be accused of having a fantasy R like mr R400 on the other forum.
Will be looking to give it a mild hammering up the A19 from Silverlink after 7pm when the traffic has evaporated.
Filled up with Shell V-power Nitro + Mach 3 Turbo fusion pro power XL (the real name is in there somewhere). See how we go with it for a tank or 2.
