Thoughts on the R

[Exonian]

Polo GTI not your cup of tea ?

Having driven my GT which is pretty much the same set up beneath I decided not to got Polo GTI, unless 5 doors were a must it would be Fiesta ST all day long

The Fiesta ST has to be up there with the best 'fun' cars you can buy for not too much money and still pretty practical, so long as you don't mind a hard ride (not that I've driven one but I'm going from first hand reports) and don't want a long term affair with it.

Anyway, back on topic:
Madamoiselle B, how's the R behaving now you're back doing the daily grind; does the PedalBox make it kick down more readily or is it just sat in the sweet spot of taking the slack out of the drive train without confuddling the DSG brain?

[Booth11]

Anyway, back on topic:
Madamoiselle B, how's the R behaving now you're back doing the daily grind; does the PedalBox make it kick down more readily or is it just sat in the sweet spot of taking the slack out of the drive train without confuddling the DSG brain?

Mr Ex, the difference is much greater than I expected (in a very good way). It does both - kicks down more eagerly, and, is in the sweet spot for daily commute in D.  Really is good in Drive - giving it a bit more zip (depending on which setting you choose) without it going being wild and unpredictable. I have found it very intuitive and matches my driving style perfectly.  It's made the car more fun, given it another dimension.  Dare I say a little dash of GTI but with the planted surefootedness of the R.  Maybe it's the placebo effect, lol, but the car feels a bit more 'chuckable'. Whatever it is it's made for better drive.

And in Sport?..............it really comes into it's own. 

In short.........I love it!

[Mk7-GTD]

Anyway, back on topic:
Madamoiselle B, how's the R behaving now you're back doing the daily grind; does the PedalBox make it kick down more readily or is it just sat in the sweet spot of taking the slack out of the drive train without confuddling the DSG brain?

Mr Ex, the difference is much greater than I expected (in a very good way). It does both - kicks down more eagerly, and, is in the sweet spot for daily commute in D.  Really is good in Drive - giving it a bit more zip (depending on which setting you choose) without it going being wild and unpredictable. I have found it very intuitive and matches my driving style perfectly.  It's made the car more fun, given it another dimension.  Dare I say a little dash of GTI but with the planted surefootedness of the R.  Maybe it's the placebo effect, lol, but the car feels a bit more 'chuckable'. Whatever it is it's made for better drive.

And in Sport?..............it really comes into it's own. 

In short.........I love it!

Sounds like it could even make me like a DSG......well maybe.

I'm not sure how easy you find left foot braking but could you try braking with your left foot down to about 5mph and then at the same time you are taking your foot off of the brake press the throttle and see if there is a delay? I don't mean to mash your foot on the throttle but maybe like you would if you were going around a roundabout.

If I thought that I could live with DSG I would order an R(estate, sorry) tomorrow.

[Booth11]

Anyway, back on topic:
Madamoiselle B, how's the R behaving now you're back doing the daily grind; does the PedalBox make it kick down more readily or is it just sat in the sweet spot of taking the slack out of the drive train without confuddling the DSG brain?

Mr Ex, the difference is much greater than I expected (in a very good way). It does both - kicks down more eagerly, and, is in the sweet spot for daily commute in D.  Really is good in Drive - giving it a bit more zip (depending on which setting you choose) without it going being wild and unpredictable. I have found it very intuitive and matches my driving style perfectly.  It's made the car more fun, given it another dimension.  Dare I say a little dash of GTI but with the planted surefootedness of the R.  Maybe it's the placebo effect, lol, but the car feels a bit more 'chuckable'. Whatever it is it's made for better drive.

And in Sport?..............it really comes into it's own. 

In short.........I love it!

Sounds like it could even make me like a DSG......well maybe.

I'm not sure how easy you find left foot braking but could you try braking with your left foot down to about 5mph and then at the same time you are taking your foot off of the brake press the throttle and see if there is a delay? I don't mean to mash your foot on the throttle but maybe like you would if you were going around a roundabout.

If I thought that I could live with DSG I would order an R(estate, sorry) tomorrow.

I will try the left foot braking tomorrow.  I don't usually brake with my left foot but have done it a few times in the past just to see.  It doesn't come naturally but I'll give it a go to see what (if any) the delay is like.  I'll try it on a fairly deserted road but there are plenty of bends and a mini roundabout so should be enough to test it out properly.  Will report back sometime tomorrow. 

Just because I loath the estate doesn't mean you do.    Actually someone posted up a pic of a freshly detailed one on another forum today and.......I almost liked it. 

[Mk7-GTD]

Thanks, I have always found it natural for some reason even before my accident.

I love the estate R but only in certain colours, red is not one of them. My dealer had a red R estate in and I thought it looked wrong. White isn't great either.

[Exonian]

Anyway, back on topic:
Madamoiselle B, how's the R behaving now you're back doing the daily grind; does the PedalBox make it kick down more readily or is it just sat in the sweet spot of taking the slack out of the drive train without confuddling the DSG brain?

Mr Ex, the difference is much greater than I expected (in a very good way). It does both - kicks down more eagerly, and, is in the sweet spot for daily commute in D.  Really is good in Drive - giving it a bit more zip (depending on which setting you choose) without it going being wild and unpredictable. I have found it very intuitive and matches my driving style perfectly.  It's made the car more fun, given it another dimension.  Dare I say a little dash of GTI but with the planted surefootedness of the R.  Maybe it's the placebo effect, lol, but the car feels a bit more 'chuckable'. Whatever it is it's made for better drive.

And in Sport?..............it really comes into it's own. 

In short.........I love it!

Excellent news. Sounds like the car is nigh on perfect now.
I too could almost be tempted with a DSG if it drives that well now.

I know what you mean about it now feeling a bit 'GTI', the box makes the R feel more lithe and eager, more about fun and less just about subdued big numbers.

[Booth11]

I'm not sure how easy you find left foot braking but could you try braking with your left foot down to about 5mph and then at the same time you are taking your foot off of the brake press the throttle and see if there is a delay? I don't mean to mash your foot on the throttle but maybe like you would if you were going around a roundabout. 

I gave the left hand braking a go this morning.  After nearly going through the windscreen a couple of times, lol, I got used to it after a little while, though I won't be changing my normal right foot braking method any time soon. 

I haven't compared it to a run using left foot braking with the PedalBox switched off (will do that tomorrow if time) so hard to compare but I think I'm sure when I say there is next to no pause between the left foot coming off the brake and the right foot pressing the throttle.  On the setting I'm currently using on the box which is Sport +1.  In some of the lower setting say Sport -1, -2 etc I think there would be a small pause, but +1 seems fine.  +2 might be too much I think for day to day driving - a bit too aggressive and hair trigger.

Anyway as said if I get time to compare the two back to back tomorrow (pedal box off and then on in +1 setting), I'll let you know just how much difference there is. 

[Mk7-GTD]

I'm not sure how easy you find left foot braking but could you try braking with your left foot down to about 5mph and then at the same time you are taking your foot off of the brake press the throttle and see if there is a delay? I don't mean to mash your foot on the throttle but maybe like you would if you were going around a roundabout. 

I gave the left hand braking a go this morning.  After nearly going through the windscreen a couple of times, lol, I got used to it after a little while, though I won't be changing my normal right foot braking method any time soon. 

I haven't compared it to a run using left foot braking with the PedalBox switched off (will do that tomorrow if time) so hard to compare but I think I'm sure when I say there is next to no pause between the left foot coming off the brake and the right foot pressing the throttle.  On the setting I'm currently using on the box which is Sport +1.  In some of the lower setting say Sport -1, -2 etc I think there would be a small pause, but +1 seems fine.  +2 might be too much I think for day to day driving - a bit too aggressive and hair trigger.

Anyway as said if I get time to compare the two back to back tomorrow (pedal box off and then on in +1 setting), I'll let you know just how much difference there is. 

Thanks so much for that. I should have said to be carful about the oncoming windscreen when you try it first.

If you get a chance to try it with the pedal box turned off you will see why I hate the DSG box so much. It used to be okay years ago on auto cars but then they brought in fly by wire throttles.

I might have to look into this further, thanks again for going to the bother of trying it out for me.

[dubber36]

Does driving with the ESP off allow left foot braking?

The whole point of left foot braking is to be able to keep the throttle applied it readiness to exit a corner whilst still trail braking through it. ESP works by applying the brakes to keep the car between the hedges. When it applies the brakes, it closes the throttle, so the fact that you are on the brakes, it thinks you shouldn't have the throttle open.

Launch control allows the throttle to be open when the car is held on the brakes, That works with the ESP off, so it might be worth a try.

[mjh_056]

This is a thread been following as it gets increasingly closer to ordering my next ride and only thing am certain of is time is not a good thing when selecting next car as rock solid turns to doubt and back again week by week.

Was rock solid on the R, the fun factor mentioned in this thread making it nailed on.

But fuel consumption and realities of driving my GTD where even in that there is not as many times as would like to  test its limits reel me back in to maybe look at other options.

So have even considered just getting a new GTD, its that good! but as mileage is markedly reduced these days then it may as well be a GTI if staying with the MK 7 as you get the performance and decent economy.

Did want 4WD drive though, so really wish they made a GT -DR.

There are two other cars that considering so its a small list and that is an A3 Sportback Quattro or the new VW Tiguan

The VW Tiguan R Line is a real looker, is on the MQB frame and has the internals of the Golf and the LCD Display of the TT and with DSG 4WD and the same engine unit as the GTD it has decent performance.

Being selecting that pretty blind though, much as did for the GTD as not released for ordering till April so doubt be many about to see and test drive.

Also have been faithful hatchback driver for many years, its my size of car, so there is a feeling that getting the slippers out by looking at an SUV?! The young lad in me really wants the R for all the excited reasons that read through in this thread. Great posts to read, absolutely no help at all with dilemma 

Have to have selection in by May to receive vehicle in time, so clock is ticking ...

GTI
R
A3 Sportback Quattro
Tiguan - R Line