Do I change or not (again)

[p3asa]

Use it to go towards your mortgage if you still have one. It will be much more beneficial in the long run.

Far too sensible for me Dubber  and its the long run I have problems with 

I know its good advice but probably because you don't actually see or feel any benefit other than when your mortgage is paid off earlier. I'd rather have a new experience now. Who knows what's round the corner. Aged 46 I've seen too many folk roundabout my age die. As long as I can afford both, thats the main thing for me.

[monkeyhanger]

Sootchucker: It's always a bit of a lottery when keeping a car out of warranty, but VWs seem to be at their least reliable when under warranty. Apart from suspension issues as the car ages, things seem to fail on VWs early on, most likely from manufacturing defects on the parts that wasn't apparent at the time of build. With all the issues i've had on 7 VWs prior to the R, they've always happened within the first year of ownership.

My had has ran 2 performance TDI Golfs for a lot of miles without issue and they were both DSGs.

One was a Maltese import MK4 GT 1.9TDI 130 DSG from Carshock, ran for 130k miles.

The other was his last car, a MK5 GT 170TDI, ran for 123k miles, around 70k miles of it with a TDI-Tuning box. Neither car missed a beat, the MK5 had a recall on the injectors, they were replaced at 110k miles at no cost and the car saw an improvement in running.

I paid for the 5 year warranty on my R - as much for making it a more attractive proposition on a private sale if I chopped it in at 2 or 3 years old as it was for the reassurance should I keep it that long.

IMO, you shouldn't chop in your GTD for another. The GTI is marginally quicker than the GTD once rolling, the GTD is marginally quicker than a GTI when you add a DTUK box (worthwhile upgrade if you keep it!) and the power is far more accessible (you don't have to milk it on the upper end of teh rev range all the time to change pace). If you want something radically different, given your mileage then i'd get the R - confidence of no tramping is a good thing! If it wasn't for my mileage doubling with teh new job i'd have no regrets with the R at all. Driving the new A1 TDI half the time to work will help lessen that blow - getting a new job that I like and doesn't involve me going through the tolled Tyne tunnel would be the icing on the cake.

Going heavy on the extras will always hurt when you trade in, never felt the need to add extras to the GTD, and the R only got Prets because i'm not a fan of the Cadiz. The Pro unit is one hell of an extravagance given its price (will add almost £45 a  month to a ypical 36 month PCP on the assumption it retains 20% of its purchase price if it's still around £1740).

3 options I would consider in your shoes:-

1. Keep the GTD as is, wait until the MK8 is out and trade in or (even better) sell privately.

2. Keep the GTD, add a DTUK box, new tyres (not Flintstones) to prevent tramping (or at least minimise it) and have GTI beating performance once rolling without the mpg penalty.

3. Go the whole hog and get an R for an extra 5mpg thirst over the GTI.

[Sootchucker]

Not sure why u ever got a diesel if you do such few miles?

Because when I ordered it, I was panning on doing around 15k miles per year in it, then I was promoted at work, and my mileage drooped considerably. And also as it was my money and I didn't need to justify my choice 

[Sootchucker]

My worry about stopping monthly payments is when it comes to changing the car, where do you suddenly find £200 - £400 again unless you can be really controlled and continue to stick it away each month.

Use it to go towards your mortgage if you still have one. It will be much more beneficial in the long run.

Very sensible Dubber but luckily for me, only 5 months left of the mortgage - will be done by the end of this year for good - yippee 

[Sootchucker]

MH, very considered and concise answer as we have all come to expect from you  I like the idea of waiting until the MK8 arrives, but that would involve me paying off the GTD anyway, as (AFAIK), we won't see any performance versions of the MK8 until at least late 2017 or early 2018 ?

As I said, it's just an exercise at the moment in viability and as p3asa said, it's all about the total cost to change i.e. not just the price of said replacement vehicle but also the part ex price, and that's what I don't know at the moment.

The other fly in ointment, is when I spec a GTD to the same as mine is currently on the configurator, (as near as I can), the optional final payment is over £1k less than mine was (at just over £14k). So a) what effect will that have on my PX price (i.e. will it be a lot less) and b) I guess that will push payment (as I'm financing more of the car) up as VW finance will only allow a max of 30% deposit ?

[monkeyhanger]

MH, very considered and concise answer as we have all come to expect from you  I like the idea of waiting until the MK8 arrives, but that would involve me paying off the GTD anyway, as (AFAIK), we won't see any performance versions of the MK8 until at least late 2017 or early 2018 ?

As I said, it's just an exercise at the moment in viability and as p3asa said, it's all about the total cost to change i.e. not just the price of said replacement vehicle but also the part ex price, and that's what I don't know at the moment.

The other fly in ointment, is when I spec a GTD to the same as mine is currently on the configurator, (as near as I can), the optional final payment is over £1k less than mine was (at just over £14k). So a) what effect will that have on my PX price (i.e. will it be a lot less) and b) I guess that will push payment (as I'm financing more of the car) up as VW finance will only allow a max of 30% deposit ?

I have a day off work today, the R is in getting the ACC recalibrated and the poorly placed black spoiler trims redone, so right now i'm on my computer with GoT Series 1 on in the background, just updated my CV and will be on to a few Scientific agencies to see what permanent opportunities they have or think might be coming through soon.

For you, the lower current GFV might mean that you end up with less equity in yours over and above the GFV than you're used to. When PCPing, i've been used to getting £1500 more than GFV in p/x. If the GFV for new orders has dropped by a grand, you might end up getting just £500 more than GFV (not taking into account options you have had). It definitely makes no sense for you to chop in a GTD for another - especially considering you like your options. If you are intent on a change, I would be trying for a better price in a private sale. You will likely be offered £3500 less than used sticker price for yours if you get a broker sized discount, on a private sale you should be able to better that by £1500. You are right though, on another PCP with the new (lower) GFV, your monthlies are likely to be up by about £32 a month if the price you pay for your new one is the same as the old one.

Looking into the A1 for finance (to get the deposit contribution and pay within 14 days to retain it) - you're allowed to put up to 50% deposit down with Audi finance, strange that VW only allow 30%.

[JBirchy]

Personally, in direct answer to your questions:

1. Change the car. I had a 3yr old Passat CC just out of warranty and it was an utter dog. I know I got unlucky and I had some bad luck but I wouldn't want to risk a VW out of warranty again.

2. Go for a GTI. I did a 300 mile motorway trip yesterday and averaged 44.8mpg in mine. Knocking about I see 36-38mpg regularly. When giving it a punt I see 25-27mpg. I do 20k per year and still don't really see a big benefit with diesel. The petrol engine is wonderful too as I'm sure you're very aware of!

3. Standard Nav. Yes, the bigger screen does look good but I have the standard nav in mine and never yearned for a bigger screen.

Of course, the other thing to consider is that you paid for Winter Pack and Keyless a couple of years ago and you now get those as standard.

Best of luck!

[JoeGTI]

3. Standard Nav. Yes, the bigger screen does look good but I have the standard nav in mine and never yearned for a bigger screen.

As an extra bonus, the new MIB 2 screen is far far superior to the old standard screen Nav. It makes it very difficult to justify the outlay for Pro Nav now imo.

[AndyG]

I'd just extend your VW warranty and keep existing car.

[monkeyhanger]

Personally, in direct answer to your questions:


2. Go for a GTI. I did a 300 mile motorway trip yesterday and averaged 44.8mpg in mine. Knocking about I see 36-38mpg regularly. When giving it a punt I see 25-27mpg. I do 20k per year and still don't really see a big benefit with diesel. The petrol engine is wonderful too as I'm sure you're very aware of!

The mpg is all relative. I'm guessing you were doing no more than dot-on 70mph on the motorway (possibly less) to get 44.8mpg on the motorway run.

I've always based my mpg comparisons on an 80mph cruise speed. The best I ever did on a long run at 80mph with a few bouts of 50mph through average speed camera zones in the GTD was 58mpg (87% of published combined). I've noticed that the lower gearing of the R (and will be the case for the GTI also) gives you a higher cruising speed penalty than seen in the GTD. There's not much difference in mpg between 70 and 80 on a GTD, but the difference is very noticeable on the R.

My R does 32mpg on my 20 mile commute which is 50:50 80mph and 50mph. The car can do 38mpg on the 50mph run (5% off official combined figure), but does 28mpg sitting at 80mph (30% off combined figure).

If you're prepared to drive to the absolute letter of the law, or even more conservatively then you can get close to the combined figure. For someone that hammers the GTD and gets 50mpg then jumps into a GTI and drives the same way, they'll be lucky to see 35mpg, maybe closer to 30. Not many people will expect to see 45mpg on a GTI without driving in a very controlled manner.

20k miles PA will see you saving significant money when running a GTD. Some will baulk at the fuel differences, some dislike diesels enough to want to pay a grand a year more on fuel doing 20k miles PA. I do personally like the power delivery of high powered diesels, but we'll never see a bi-turbo TDI Golf on a GTD badge that outguns a GTI - VW won't allow it (on R badging perhaps....).