Advice Please

[Porker911]

Hi All

I've had great advice on this forum in the 5 months waiting for the delivery on my GTI PP in late July.

I've around about 3000 miles since picking the car up in July and it has been really good. Comfortable, good handling and pretty fast with good traction but....

I keep getting nagging feelings about if this car is good how good is the R. I didn't test drive one when I ordered the GTI PP as I'd always wanted a black GTi so just ordered one.

I've now seen a blue Golf R with a DSG box at a local dealer for an amazing price, pretty much what i paid for the GTi £27k) register same month and with about the same miles. Whilst it doesn't have all the options I have the the GTi PP (it has Dynaudio, but not satnav, climate wind screen or chassis control) I'm tempted with the extra performance and 4 wheel drive traction.

I live on B roads and drive to the station each morning so the 4 wheel drive does come in handy (I had a WRX before and do miss the wet weather traction) but the GTi PP is proving to be a great car and is stylish quick and really economical.

Any advise from owners who have made the switch or just general thoughts would be much appreciated as I've always had good advice from you guys.

Thanks

[Watts]

I think you need to arrange a test drive. You'll get plenty of opinions both ways but only you can decide.

[monkeyhanger]

If you trade your 4 month old PP in, i'm sure you'll get screwed on the price. You'll be lucky if you get £20k for it if the R is going for a song at the same dealership.

Traction on the R is amazing - constant tramping on my GTD led me to the R and it is a fantastic drive with so much useable power if you're willing to keep the revs above 4k when accelerating hard.

[Juicetin]

I just traded in my 7 month old GTI PP, red 3 door manual, no options for a new R. Got £22k for my GTI and paid a smidge over £27k for a new 3 door manual R in Lapiz which has the basic nav & sunroof. Same dealer.
The difference is night and day, i was expecting it to drive pretty much the same but a bit quicker.  Wrong...the R is miles better in every way. The character of the engine is so much more purposeful, the steering is better, throttle response is brilliant... i'm blown away by it.
If you're thinking of changing, test drive an R  and i bet you buy one.

[caprigreen]

I just traded in my 7 month old GTI PP, red 3 door manual, no options for a new R. Got £22k for my GTI and paid a smidge over £27k for a new 3 door manual R in Lapiz which has the basic nav & sunroof. Same dealer.
The difference is night and day, i was expecting it to drive pretty much the same but a bit quicker.  Wrong...the R is miles better in every way. The character of the engine is so much more purposeful, the steering is better, throttle response is brilliant... i'm blown away by it.
If you're thinking of changing, test drive an R  and i bet you buy one.

Stop it ... I am starting to get R envy 

[Bullfinch]

Nobody will dispute the R is a better car but I still think a GTi PP is more than a match 95% of the time.  The shock you will have will come with a trade-in.  If it were my money I'd stick with the GTi and look at R's in 18 months time.

[remlapeel]

Nobody will dispute the R is a better car but I still think a GTi PP is more than a match 95% of the time.  The shock you will have will come with a trade-in.  If it were my money I'd stick with the GTi and look at R's in 18 months time.

I would disagree, I would say when it's dry and your rolling it's 95% match, but in England where it rains 290days a year, the GTI is outmatched with ease, throw a map on the R and its a monster of car

[AndyG]

The GTI PP is a tremendous allrounder and a better looker than the R.
Me personally would stick with it and promise myself to get a mk8 R next time round.
Jimble may offer some good advice as he went GTI to an R then back to a GTI via a Touarag I think.

[remlapeel]

The GTI PP is a tremendous allrounder and a better looker than the R.
Me personally would stick with it and promise myself to get a mk8 R next time round.
Jimble may offer some good advice as he went GTI to an R then back to a GTI via a Touarag I think.

Except from the back 😜

[vidman2]

Had my GTI for 2 years and picked up my R last week.

Definitely a different drive, when the roads are damp or wet the R just sticks and goes where the GTI tramped like mad and obviously the R is much more powerful, though also a little heavier - overall they are both hot Golfs and feel very similar on the road but floor the throttle and the R just dissapears down the road, along with your licence if you are not careful.

I suggest you definitely need DCC, especially if you have it on your GTI, I find the Rs Normal setting firmer than the GTIs Normal and Race (Sport) is for perfect roads/track only.  I have my 'Individual' set to Comfort (for the DCC), Sport throttle (to minimise the throttle dead travel that all new Rs seem to have) Eco sound (to kill the annoying synth sound) and Sport steering (to give the steering a bit more weight - all personal taste.

You can always use a TomTom satnav which is better than the VW units, or fit one of the approved Add on units for about £450.