Thoughts on my R, one year (ish) on…..
I’ve had my car just over a year now (year old on 1st Sept just gone) and had always intended to follow up my initial review with a bit of an update, see if my early observations have changed in the last 12 or so months and 8500 miles and a look back over the last few months and miles.
Here’s one of the first pics shortly after collection.
It’s been an eventful car year in many ways, good and bad.
The Good: I’ve done quite a few enhancements to my R to make it more ‘my own’. The majority have been cosmetic tweaks (some with a practical purpose), with the exception of a Pedal Box and Dashcams, and all are documented and pictured in this thread so I’ll just list them:
• Swapped white LED footwell lights to blue LEDs
• Swapped Glovebox and boot light to white LED
• Customised R logo deluxe mats from carmats2u
• Lockwood R logo Door Sill Protectors
• Aliexpress Replacement Footrest
• DTUK Pedal Box
• VW Boot liner
• Audi 12V socket cover
• Centre armrest storage tray
• S2T (B3 Polished Black) Replacement DSG Paddle Shifters
• Philips Diamond Vision 5000k Cornering Bulbs
• Blackvue 650DR 2CH Front and Rear Dashcam
• Pressed aluminum numberplates
Additionally, a fair amount of detailing has taken place over the months and miles and I’m pleased with how the car is looking now. On the whole the Paintwork is in great shape - it’s got a few light swirls and a couple of hedge scratches that need polishing out but I’ll pick those up once it’s got through the winter months, and the interior is looking pretty good too, better than the day I picked it up. See many, many detailing threads/posts!
Luckily I have had no warranty issues with the car whatsoever either following collection or over the course of the year. Very happy about that as it’s often luck of the draw with these things and many others have had their share of problems.
The Bad: Despite being blessedly free from mechanical and warranty issues, the years’ ownership has not been without its problems - namely exterior damage – resulting from a number of separate incidents courtesy of, shall I politely say, the less careful motorist! Because of this the car has had a couple of visits to the bodyshop to sort to put it back to pre f***tard condition. The less than positive has been:
• Dent and chip on passenger door crease – caused by someone parking next to me in a largely empty car park and then opening their door onto mine as I was sat in the car. Repaired and resprayed at bodyshop
• Scuffs (down to primer) on rear passenger wheel arch and bumper caused by unknown colleague in the works car park. Cost of both £300
• Scratches to passenger door – caused by unknown colleague at work which bag or rucksack – polished these out myself.
• Hit and run incident resulting in £3.5k worth of damage to the rear and passenger side of the car. Full bodyshop repairs carried out - new bumper, repair and respray to wing/blending, wheel refurbishment (Lepsons), new tyres.
So a mixed bag of R ownership so far, but I will say that this has not put a dampener on my enthusiasm for the car which is greater than ever. So here’s my current thoughts on it, in comparison to my initial review quoted above.
Drive:Well it was good before, but it’s better now! Superb. Car initially started to just loosen around the 650-mile mark and now heading towards 9k miles is a beautiful fluid and ably agile drive. Worth buying for the chassis alone which is the single best thing about this car. Handling is as per my original review – unchanged. Still as planted and grippy as ever, never skips a beat, always inspires total confidence in the corners at speed and on greasy, slippery road conditions - a good set of tyres helps no end of course (see tyres). Despite many thinking that DSG is less involved drive than manual, every day I find the R such an engaging drive, you just engage in a different way. Work with the gearbox and you will get the best out of it and love it. It slips effortlessly from being a tame domestic nimble pussycat in city traffic, to serene sleek panther effortlessly and comfortably covering the motorway miles, to a provoked snarling tiger out in the open. Add in Launch Control for those ‘let’s poke the tiger with a stick’ moments and you have the best of all worlds.
Have done a few launches now it's addictive and can’t let too much time go by inbetween them, lol. Got used to the larger turning circle (over previous GTI) now, although still find that a pita at times.
So all has been perfect with the drive, well not quite. The one thing that bothered me that I mentioned in my first review was the lack of snappiness of the throttle pedal – that infamous ‘dead inch’ of pedal travel to varying degrees in the different DSG modes. Well it never got any better and I never became accustomed to it, and after a few months I found it very irritating and was really beginning to spoil my driving enjoyment, so I looked into the DTUK Pedal Box, asked for a few views and decided to get one. Fitting a DTUK Pedal Box was a defining moment in the cars ownership for me. Transformed the throttle pedal, more response, more engagement, delivered the missing link and made R life complete. Should be like that from the factory but it’s not, but a Pedal Box is a great resolution to an unacceptable (IMO) problem.
DSG: Long time user of Golf DSG (7 years) so well acquainted and well versed in its nuances which means can just use it to it’s strengths most of the time. As before - DSG box seamless on upshifts and downshifts, still none of the jerkiness of previous gen, though I know some have had issues with this. I use all DSG modes – D-auto, D-manual, S-auto, S-manual depending on journey, roads, conditions and mood. My favoured mode of using DSG is S-manuals using the paddles. I couldn’t tolerate the oem paddles for very long, so these gave way to a set of S2T replacement paddle shifters which have enhanced paddle shifting hugely.
Driver Profiles – tried out various ones initially, but spend the majority of the time in Individual mode with choices as listed below. Other than that, it’s Race mode when the mood strikes. Never use Normal mode, and Eco has been used a couple of times out curiosity, and once by mistake when I accidentally knocked the mode button – wondered why the car felt like it was in slo-mo.
DCC – Normal or Sport
Steering – Sport
Drive – Sport or Normal
ACC - Normal
Interior engine sound - Eco
Aircon – Normal
Dynamic cornering lighting – Sport
Soundaktor – 90% of the time in Eco (individual mode but every now and then I feel the urge for a bit of fakery so just stick it in Race. Then when the vibrating dash has driven me mildly insane, back into Eco it goes.
Tech:Keyless – I was an instant convert and still loving it a just as much a year on. Keys stay in bag, no little scratches around door or on the steering column. Would always want this now on future cars. Not had any issues with it and after that initial ‘wing mirror dance’ when first washed it, keys now stay well away during detailing sessions.
ACC – used it a handful of times and haven’t had any heart in mouth sudden braking moments. Most of my driving is urban/rural with occasional long trips up north so it’s gets to stretch its legs (or rather I do) on parts of the latter, but in all honesty I prefer to ‘drive’ the car myself without auto braking intervention.
DCC – having had this on previous car, it was as expected but an improvement over the previous generation and the differences between the modes more noticeable. However, even on 19” Prets I very rarely use Comfort setting, only when my aging mum and dad are in the back, but they don’t seem to care so now it mainly stays in Normal mode or Sport regardless of who is in the car. It is one option I could easily live without.
Electronic brake/Autohold – pre R, was a total sceptic and really not looking forward to it. Won over on the trip home after picking up the car, and now think it is one of the very best features of the car. I have Autohold on all the time, and pretty much never have to touch the handbrake. Brilliant piece of tech that IMO is truly a valuable driver aid and together are perfect companions.
Stop/Start – hate it, and it gets switched off every journey. If I ever forget which I sometimes do, I am reminded at the first set of lights and off it goes. Mine has never kicked in whilst still in motion like some seem to and I know wiggling the steering wheel or a light touch on the brake stops in kicking in but I dislike it intensely so much easier just to switch it off. Must disable it via VCDS soon.
Front Assist – still not had any braking intervention but it has its moments (quite a few!), usually when a car some way in front is making a left turn. I would say that most of the time it has triggered has been quite random and unnecessary. It is of a nervous disposition.
Parking sensors and rear camera - both do what they are supposed to do - useful but still out of habit use my eyes, mirrors for parking judgement, but they are helpful for lining up reversing into parking spaces. Can through a few hissy fits at times but offers some mild amusement to passengers.
Interior:General and trim - the gloss piano black actually not as much a dust or scratch magnet as I first feared. You need to treat it gently but if you do and use a decent anti-static cleaner and treat it as if it is the skin of a baby then it’s all ok. I still really like the general cabin trim, in fact I really like the divisive gloss piano trim, despite its alleged Prima Donna-ish tendencies.
As mentioned in my initial review, the interior lacked a little colour, so I remedied this by swapping the white LED footwell lights to Blue LED lights, added some blue edged, blue R logo deluxe car mats and that elevated the interior just enough for my liking. Also swapped the yellow oem bulbs in the glovebox and boot for bright white LEDs. Much better.
The MIB2 unit – Have had the odd ‘black screen of death’ moment but managed to rehabilitate it with a reset. No other issues and still very glad I specced the Pro version, as aside from other benefits, the larger screen does add a certain something to the cabin and the included App-connect is used on a daily basis over and above the in-built features. Car-net on the other hand is the biggest waste of time.
Dynaudio – as before - just excellent, and one of the best options, both quality wise and value for money wise on offer, especially as part of Tech Pack (on offer at the time). Always the first thing to tick on the options list and so glad I delayed my R order until it was available (wasn’t an option on very early R due to design and fit issues). I’m a great listener of music in my car and this gives me pleasure every single journey.
Steering wheel and steering wheel buttons - still miss the mute button of old but hardly a deal breaker. Swapping the piddly plastic oem paddle shifters for a set of S2T replacement shifters was a seminal moment in my gear changing world!
Centre console – all still good apart from the placement of the Mode button / StopStart button / ESP button, being for LHD and all the blanks on the right hand side, both of which still annoy me. Cup holders – still a good design but never used as I don’t’ have hot drinks in my car – not allowed. Armrest storage has had the most minor addition of a tray tidy for coins etc, and replaced the lacklustre oem 12V cover with a part aluminium Audi one. Makes such a difference, adds a whole 1bhp ;-)
Leather interior - is not the greatest quality and the driver’s seat has sagged more in one year than my Mk6 one did in three years, but the rest of the seats are fine. But otherwise still glad I have leather and never really experience the sweaty in summer, freezing in winter that many people state.
Reduced boot space - not been an issue, happily takes my work stuff, mobile detailing kit and the rest of the family’s junk when needs be, oh and a few bags of shopping too if I talk nicely to it. Fitted a VW bootliner which helps keep things clean and is easy to take out and shake off. Use my old mk6 cargo net to secure stuff in place if required.
Exterior:Colour – Deep Black Pearl – still love it, absolutely no regrets. DBP clean - is a thing of true beauty - reflections, reflections, reflections. DBP dirty – is a labour of love, fortunately I’m fond of a bit of detailing so not a big deal. If hadn’t picked DBP, would have go Reflex Silver which IMO is a very special colour in R form.
Pretoria wheels (19”) – for me something that makes the car visually. Especially on DBP which might otherwise look a bit too heavy with Cadiz wheels. And the ride is not compromised on the 19’s. Prets are of the best things about the car, EXCEPT, being a pain to clean, but tbh, nothing a set of Wheel Woolies, a WoWo wheel mitt and a decent wheel cleaner and sealant can’t sort.
Miraculously I managed to get through the first year of ownership without kissing the kerbs (unheard of for me with diamond cut wheels), I put much of that down to the fact the wheel sits slightly further back in the tyre, oh and that I park about 3 feet away from every kerb. But fate decided that one of my beloved Prets was not to make it to first birthday without some excitement and the rear passenger wheel sustained some damage in the recent transit-van-gate accident and subsequently was refurbished by Lepsons who did a top notch job, both on repair and colour match.
Hubs on the other hand have partially succumbed to the dreaded rust. Started a few months in but hasn’t really got too much worse, but annoying. Never had this issue on my previous GTI, but common problem on the Mk7 hubs. Need to sort with some Hammerite Hi-temp paint in spring.
Tyres - Conti 5Ps excellent tyre in wet and dry. Had them on previous car and have not disappointed on the R. When time to change would have maybe gone for Conti 6 or Michelin PSS for a change, but have recently had to have 2 new rears due to aforementioned hit and run, so will stick with them (literally) for time being.
Rear end – sexy bum! Love it as much as at first sight, actually more now as it’s glossier (most of the time).
Exhausts – get through a fair amount of Mothers Mag & Aluminium Polish but they are worth it.
Sides – still like the wing badges. They catch on microfibres when sealing and waxing but a minor point. I know some prefer to debadge these for a cleaner look but I like the identity they give the car. They will be staying.
To conclude – Yep, I still like it quite a lot. I think aesthetically it lacks a little character, but the chassis, handling and drive make up for that in spades. Still pound for pound the best allrounder IMO and looking forward to the next 12 months and xxx miles, though hopefully without any of the unwanted drama and unsolicited visits to the bodyshop.
Here’s the things I said I was really glad I specced in my initial review:
Dynaudio
Keyless
Discover Pro + App connect
And here’s the things I’m really glad I specced one year-ish on:
Dynaudio
Keyless
Discover Pro + App connect
And, if I could still only choose one option it would by Dynaudio – best VFM option and enjoyed every trip. And if I had to lose one option it would be DCC - has it’s uses but I wouldn’t miss it.
Finally…..Still – “without a doubt the best car I've had to date”
Oh, and I forgot to mention mpg. Ah, it's an R, who cares.
Black beauty…
A few mod highlights…
Blue Footwell LEDs
Lockwood door sill protectors
S2T paddle shifters
Carmats2u R logo car mats
Aliexpress replacement footrest
VW bootliner from ebay
DTUK Pedal Box
Audi 12V cover
Armrest tray tidy
And the very latest additions……
Blackvue Dashcam
Cornering lights
From this
To this
Europl8 Pressed Aluminium numberplates
