Thoughts on the R

[jv]

Surround screwed to car, plate stuck to surround with 3M dual lock. Nice clean finish that way

[p3asa]

I always ask the dealer to stick my plates on.
I don't pay nearly £30k for them to put screws through my car    plus my private plate is only a few digits so its always smaller and there is nothing worse of holes either side of it.

In fact the Audi dealer I got the A1 from screwed them on despite me informing him in all the emails we had between us.

He sent me a picture of the car being PDI'd with the plates screwed  I couldn't believe it. He had to get the brand new car smart repaired. I wasn't happy at all.

[mjh_056]

Arrived this morning

Lapiz Blue Golf R 5 Door DSG Pretoria (On Pirelli) Dynamic Chassis Control Winter Pack Keyless Rear View Camera App-Connect plus Sat Nav.

As much as loved the GTD and genuinely did, this genuinely (and as expect really) takes on to another level. 

Will drive for a few weeks and do some GTD > R comparison for those thinking of same move.

But some obvious first thoughts.

1. Love the Colour
2. The front end feels so much lighter than the GTD, was instantly noticeable.
3. The DCC quelled the little worry had over the ride on lowered R and Pretorai, its smooth in normal and cossetted in comfort and with matching throttle response is still the perfect traffic cruiser in them settings.
4. Took to little run that know and moved into race and yep, its quick! and them sounds are something personally not experienced before, can see the addiction now of the pops,  The GTD was pretty quiet for a diesel, but petrol engine is a much nicer 'freer' listening experience in how revs,
5. That tiny bit of lag that GTD gave at getaway is replaced by instant power response (dropped the DSG into S while in normal)
6. Little things, but like the blue lighting in the interior, as the GTD was nice, but plain white.
7 Not really hung about, mixed up driving over about 55 miles, and 25.1 MPG > Will report on long term later when into my more normal driving patterns
8. MIB 2 is much better, that small lift in screen quality and size makes a big difference and like that the DAB Icons are just there on select, and not through SD Card.
9. Managed to try Car Play and like can now play my Deezer, but not worked how get back to Car Play when enter another screen except through the menu? Maybe an icon not seen? Not looked at Car Net yet.
10. Keyless, easy to use and yes kept in pocket! But to confirm you do have to lock the car with fob when leave it?
11. Was brave and parked it next to another car as fetched coffee, longest wait for coffee ever !!
12. Rear Camera, forget to look at it as just listen for beeps usually then reference the screen, but like the green and red guidelines, def be useful in some of places that park - can park quite capably without anything, but its a nice aid.


Not really seen benefit of the AWD so actually waiting for a wet day now and first pull away, but already blasted out of a junction that use daily where gaps are small, and no yellow lights and just woosh 

Think that's it for now, obviously only touched on the performance, but having driven the GTD this morning and then the R the instant comparisons were obvious

[Booth11]

9. Managed to try Car Play and like can now play my Deezer, but not worked how get back to Car Play when enter another screen except through the menu? Maybe an icon not seen? Not looked at Car Net yet.
10. Keyless, easy to use and yes kept in pocket! But to confirm you do have to lock the car with fob when leave it?

Congratulations on your new R, great spec - glad you are liking it.  They are great cars.

Just regarding a couple of your questions above:

9. Not sure if this is what you mean but if you are on a particular screen in CarPlay there is always a rounded off square icon in the bottom left of the screen. Tap that and it will take you back to the home screen.  Or if you have come out of Carplay completely and want to get back to it, then simply press the hard MENU button and select App-connect from the choices and that will take you back into it.

10. No, you don't have to lock the car with fob when you leave it.  There is a small dimple on the door handle which you just swoosh your hand across when you want to lock it. When locking the wing mirrors will fold in. To unlock just put your hand inside the handle.  As with normal keyed system, you can unlock the boot (just by opening with the badge) and the rest of the car will stay locked.

Look forward to hearing your thoughts as you get further into ownership although you might to start your own thread, as this is kind of my 'what I do to my R' thread and your posts might get lost as it goes along. 

[p3asa]

I'm going the same way as yourself only its from a manual GTD to a DSG R so its good to read your review.

Not sure what you meant re keyless and locking. Have VW changed it? You used to be able to push the wee dimple on the handle and it would lock. Seems daft you then have to fish your keys out.

[Snoopy]

OP
As a detailing person is the reduced metal panel thickness noticable on the mk7?

[Booth11]

OP
As a detailing person is the reduced metal panel thickness noticable on the mk7?

Aesthetically no, but when you push against the panels (not much pressure required) it is noticeable and you realise how thin they are.

[Snoopy]

OP
As a detailing person is the reduced metal panel thickness noticable on the mk7?

Aesthetically no, but when you push against the panels (not much pressure required) it is noticeable and you realise how thin they are.

Thanks for the reply, I was just reading about it earlier so it got me curious.
It was the one thing I use to think made the golf feel solid and expensive and thought the mk6 wasn't that great on.
Our Mazda 2 panels are quite thin and I notice it quite abit when detailing it.

[mjh_056]

9. Managed to try Car Play and like can now play my Deezer, but not worked how get back to Car Play when enter another screen except through the menu? Maybe an icon not seen? Not looked at Car Net yet.
10. Keyless, easy to use and yes kept in pocket! But to confirm you do have to lock the car with fob when leave it?

Congratulations on your new R, great spec - glad you are liking it.  They are great cars.

Just regarding a couple of your questions above:

9. Not sure if this is what you mean but if you are on a particular screen in CarPlay there is always a rounded off square icon in the bottom left of the screen. Tap that and it will take you back to the home screen.  Or if you have come out of Carplay completely and want to get back to it, then simply press the hard MENU button and select App-connect from the choices and that will take you back into it.

10. No, you don't have to lock the car with fob when you leave it.  There is a small dimple on the door handle which you just swoosh your hand across when you want to lock it. When locking the wing mirrors will fold in. To unlock just put your hand inside the handle.  As with normal keyed system, you can unlock the boot (just by opening with the badge) and the rest of the car will stay locked.

Look forward to hearing your thoughts as you get further into ownership although you might to start your own thread, as this is kind of my 'what I do to my R' thread and your posts might get lost as it goes along. 

Morning Rebecca

Of course you are correct on both counts above, can find the car play readily now through menu and locking the car is as easy as the swoosh you described

Will likely do some specific GTD > R review once drove for a month but loving it and actually quite like the way it 'hides' in the dark, it just silhouettes to a normal looking Golf when parked and in relative dark, opposed to my white GTD which was always a little more obvious

As careful as am, think the Pretoria will do well to last without a dink on a kerb as its a lot of metal on low tyres.

The guy who took my previous straight to auction said they really do not worry about wheels having a few marks, its accepted wear and tear.

But they still intact at moment and maybe the green lines on the reverse camera will assist in keeping them that way.

The two things outside of performance that really happy with is the ride and the lightness of the front end, there has been no drop off from my GTD with the DCC despite the lowering of the R and 19" Pretoria.

Never gave a second thought to steering on the GTD, its all I knew, but in comparison the R is so much lighter

Another small difference is the dials, they are far sharper and brighter than the GTD, the outer counters IE: 10, 20, 30 MPH being LCD like in their flatness and brightness, - Never knew the R dials were different, or was there a change made?

MPG has dropped, Ooops, 23.2 MPG with just local and some 'testing'

Plan a good drive out Friday where can cruise, so be interested to see what happens then, though expect MPG to gradually improve as engine beds in.

So its been good to get in the R and just drive it as so familiar with everything but there has been enough lift all around to make it feel like a new experience too,

[Booth11]

Morning Rebecca

Of course you are correct on both counts above, can find the car play readily now through menu and locking the car is as easy as the swoosh you described

Will likely do some specific GTD > R review once drove for a month but loving it and actually quite like the way it 'hides' in the dark, it just silhouettes to a normal looking Golf when parked and in relative dark, opposed to my white GTD which was always a little more obvious

As careful as am, think the Pretoria will do well to last without a dink on a kerb as its a lot of metal on low tyres.

The guy who took my previous straight to auction said they really do not worry about wheels having a few marks, its accepted wear and tear.

But they still intact at moment and maybe the green lines on the reverse camera will assist in keeping them that way.

The two things outside of performance that really happy with is the ride and the lightness of the front end, there has been no drop off from my GTD with the DCC despite the lowering of the R and 19" Pretoria.

Never gave a second thought to steering on the GTD, its all I knew, but in comparison the R is so much lighter

Another small difference is the dials, they are far sharper and brighter than the GTD, the outer counters IE: 10, 20, 30 MPH being LCD like in their flatness and brightness, - Never knew the R dials were different, or was there a change made?

MPG has dropped, Ooops, 23.2 MPG with just local and some 'testing'

Plan a good drive out Friday where can cruise, so be interested to see what happens then, though expect MPG to gradually improve as engine beds in.

So its been good to get in the R and just drive it as so familiar with everything but there has been enough lift all around to make it feel like a new experience too,

Hi mjh

You might be pleasantly surprised with the Pretorias - I've curbed every diamond cut wheel I've had on a Golf but so far (might have just jinxed it!) my Prets have not yet been introduced to it.  They seem to sit slightly further back in the tyre (Conti 5Ps) which gives a bit of added protection.  What tyres has yours come with, I think they've switched to Pirelli P-Zeros now?

Didn't think the dials were different but maybe they are?

Yep the drop in mpg is a given, lol, but it does get better - mine has risen by about 3-4 mpg over last few months (still woeful though - heavy right foot and heavy traffic town do not make for high mpg), hopefully you can get more from yours. 

Really glad yo are liking it so far, and good to hear that it still feels like enough of a change from your GTD to feel like a new car.  Really interested to hear more as you go on, and I'm sure there will be lots of people interested in your direct comparison of the R v GTD.