some MK7 R advice needed

[chris1h]

Morning all,

Hope had a good Xmas!

I am in the market for a used mk7 R. Prices seems to be comign down to the 24k mark now and in reaching distance!!

However my knowledge on problems of them isn't 110%. Currently have mk6 GTI which I bought used and researched endlessly to find out about the tensioner and possible water pump problems.

My Question to you mk7 users/buyers is


1) Are there any major/minor problems, faults found with the R that should look for?
2) Any recalls (Ie buy one made after certain date)??
3) Whats everyone averaging MPG. Round the town around 30? Pressuming might be "tad" better than my mk6?

I was aware there was some "great" deal for leasing them in the early stages? but this was soon put to a stop. IS this going to mean a surge in supply on the used market possibly decreasing the value or whats your thoughts?


Thanks in advance! Your feedback could just persuade me 

Chris,

Not sure whether you're buying outright or bank loan or VW finance - if it's the latter, you might find that a well discounted brand new one has around the same monthlies as an early 2014 one that you might find for £24k, due to residuals and a lower % APR. As always with cars on finance, the sticker price isn't really what counts, it is the monthlies.

As far as i'm aware, the R has no recalls against it - i've not been asked to come in for any work on mine, although they could've done it on the sly when mine was in for other warranty work.

Mine had a new Turbo under warranty at 4k miles. It didn't catastrophically fail, it just stopped working a few times. I've had issues with my ACC sensor too, but that could've happened with any MK7 Golf as the unit is common to all.

Being a 7 VW Diesel miser for many years, switching to an R was a big deal for me, but I don't regret it at all - it is an amazing car when you give it a workout. Fuel costs right now help the switch - my GTD was running diesel at about £1.40 a litre when I first got it, but with the price drops as OPEC overproduce to try to bankrupt US Fracking operations, and Tesco Momentum 99 being about £1.05 a litre right now, the cost per mile for my 32mpg R right now isn't far off my 46mpg GTD that preceded it when fuel prices were higher.

For mpg - the R is much thirstier at motorway speeds than a GTD - the GTD is just ticking over at 2200rpm doing 80 in 6th, the R/GTI are doing 3100rpm. Doing town speeds (30-60mph) the R is surprisingly economical.

I get around 30mpg sat on the motorway doing 80, about 35mpg sticking to the limit on 40/50mph roads, and around 32mpg overall with Momentum or Shell V-power. Mine is a manual though - most R DSGers average 28mpg and previous experience with my Dad's DSG Golfs is that DSG is about 10% thirstier in real life driving, even if the official figures don't reflect that.

Traction is the main reason I changed to an R, I was sick of the GTD tranping all the time, not a murmur from the tyres in the R, except when pulling out from a side road in the wet, with your foot down. In a straight line from a wet standstill there's no drama at all.

Interesting very interesting! I had a look at the price of them new but would be bog standard with absolute zero extras :\ I know beggers carnt be chooses and all that!  thanks for the response! I only ever put V power in so hopefully 30mpg around the town is achievable

No shame in a "low spec" R - the standard spec is very generous and it has pretty much everything i'd be after. Not a fan of the VW cheapo leather that is a bit cheap in every way but the price. Apart from metallic paint (Lapiz) 19" Prets is all I wanted to add as I have quite a dislike for the standard Cadiz. Can't understand why Lapiz is now more expensive than standard metallic - VW opportunism there given its popularity for the R. In fact they now only have one "free" colour - glossy black.

Yeah very true! I have the vienna leather in my mk6 and thought it would have been a straight swap into the mk6! Obviously i was wrong and pressume VW are penny pinching on cheaper leather now?

 I am not a fan of the standard alloys. In some pictures looks okay and in some makes it look standard golf. the 19s really set it apart i think. Colours this time around it has to be white or red. Sorry bec but this black i have at presents takes too much cleaning 

[chris1h]

If you keep coming back to the R, that should tell you something ;-).

Hard to say when would be the best time, but I expect there'll be a few coming onto the used market in the nea future with people coming to the end of a 2 year ownership term (from new).

Tbh I really don't think you need a ton of extras but DSG is great call.  DSG in conjunction with the electric handbrake and Autohold makes for a perfectly seamless system.  I was a total e-handbrake sceptic, but happy to admit I was totally wrong. Works brilliantly. 

Apart from DSG, what sort of spec you got in mind?

Bec, Well thats the thing. Whatever I can afford!
I was lucky as my mk6 came with pretty much everything under the sun bar xenons and nav. Xenons being standard on the mk7 so no problem there. Would want DSG as a must as a manual in city traffic really takes the p*ss, probably the 19" alloys, leather would be nice, and the nav isn't standard is it?

Also the adaptive chassis control.... I have that at present but obviously not something standard on the R. When you put the R in "race" mode I believe it opens the valves and sounds louder. If no ACC are they open all the time or what or are the exhuasts tammed down? If this was the case it would have to have ACC...  

No, Chris, nav isn't standard. Neither are any of the other things on your list, lol!  That's the trouble coming from a Mk6 with all the trimmings! 

The Vienna leather is alright.  At first it seemed cheaper than the leather in the mk6 but now I think it's as good and I rather like it.  It's not the best quality leather, my mates BMW's leather is better, but it's not as terrible as Monkeyhanger might have you believe, haha.  But the 'premium' Carbon/Nappa leather is pretty tacky and plasticky looking IMO and I have seen it in the flesh and hated it!

You probably know this already but be aware that Adaptive Chassis Control is called DCC Dynamic Chassis Control on the Mk7, and ACC on the Mk7 is Adaptive Cruise Control.  Confusing, haha. 

Chris I think you've got the wrong end of the stick about DCC.  Yes, when the R is in Race mode or when the DSG stick is in Sport, all 4 flaps are open and it is louder (though some of that is the fake soundaktor sound).  But that's nothing at all to do with DCC (formerly ACC).  DCC is merely the ability to adjust the dampers and steering response to give you varying degrees of stiff, med or sport suspension and changes in steering feedback.  There is no relationship at all between DCC and the exhaust flaps opening, so a non DCC car won't be lacking in any way with respect to that.

I've got 19's and DCC and can honestly say that I reckon the standard suspension/steering set up on a non DCC would be absolutely fine. DCC is the one thing I could easily do without if the budget hadn't permitted it.  Also worth considering an R on 18's (better ride) without DCC IMO.  Only reason I went for 19's on mine is I wasn't keen on the Cadiz.

Yeah i kept writing ACC and DCC and was confused myself. and ahh! i see with regard to the exhausts and dynamic chassis control... I thought in race mode it opened them up abit. So having the DSG standard and putting it in sport on the DSG will do that enough!

[Cossieian]

owned mine for slightly over 2 months now, all I can add to that is BUY ONE!!
Really superb car, I've been lucky enough to have owned some nice cars in the past but the R just seems to do everything so well.
Yes I've had a few issues with mine, mostly relating to suspension noises etc but fingers crossed that will all be sorted next week under warranty.
Regarding MPG my overall average is about 27.4mpg which I don't think is too bad considering every time I drive it I can't help but have some fun , my MK7 GTD overall average was 41mpg if I remember correctly but I drove it like a granny

I agree the standard Cadiz aren't great which is why I bought a set of 19 BBS and improves the look no end, oh and red is the way to go.

Anyway 2 months in and 2300 miles I'm still smiling, go on, get one

[chris1h]

owned mine for slightly over 2 months now, all I can add to that is BUY ONE!!
Really superb car, I've been lucky enough to have owned some nice cars in the past but the R just seems to do everything so well.
Yes I've had a few issues with mine, mostly relating to suspension noises etc but fingers crossed that will all be sorted next week under warranty.
Regarding MPG my overall average is about 27.4mpg which I don't think is too bad considering every time I drive it I can't help but have some fun , my MK7 GTD overall average was 41mpg if I remember correctly but I drove it like a granny

I agree the standard Cadiz aren't great which is why I bought a set of 19 BBS and improves the look no end, oh and red is the way to go.

Anyway 2 months in and 2300 miles I'm still smiling, go on, get one

What problems you had with the suspension? you got any pic of yours in the forum anywhere in the red with alloys? Wouldn't mind seeing that...

[Gtiless]

owned mine for slightly over 2 months now, all I can add to that is BUY ONE!!
Really superb car, I've been lucky enough to have owned some nice cars in the past but the R just seems to do everything so well.
Yes I've had a few issues with mine, mostly relating to suspension noises etc but fingers crossed that will all be sorted next week under warranty.
Regarding MPG my overall average is about 27.4mpg which I don't think is too bad considering every time I drive it I can't help but have some fun , my MK7 GTD overall average was 41mpg if I remember correctly but I drove it like a granny

I agree the standard Cadiz aren't great which is why I bought a set of 19 BBS and improves the look no end, oh and red is the way to go.

Anyway 2 months in and 2300 miles I'm still smiling, go on, get one

What problems you had with the suspension? you got any pic of yours in the forum anywhere in the red with alloys? Wouldn't mind seeing that...

Try the new wheels fitted thread in this section,they look good.

[chris1h]

seen it .  I really want a "R"   

People recon price will come down much more in next few month? (Used)

[monkeyhanger]

seen it .  I really want a "R"   

People recon price will come down much more in next few month? (Used)

They're depreciating all the time (the used ones), give to to the plate change and you might be able to find a 2 year old (14 reg) one for £24/25k.

[chris1h]

seen it .  I really want a "R"   

People recon price will come down much more in next few month? (Used)

They're depreciating all the time (the used ones), give to to the plate change and you might be able to find a 2 year old (14 reg) one for £24/25k.

You can get a 14 plate one for £24,500 at the moment.(see below) slightly preying by the next 3 month comes down just 22ish.  I can prey 

 http://usedcars.volkswagen.co.uk/Golf-GTI/GTD/R/GTE/2.0-TSI-R-300-PS/Aberdeen/3853633-605411141-74690.aspx?srcmdc=se_na_re_

[barrym381]

another 1 at 24k 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2014-Volkswagen-Golf-2-0-TSI-R-5dr-Manual-Hatchback-/181966767460?hash=item2a5e108564:g:JPgAAOSwSdZWdRxU

or another 1 at 23k 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2014-VW-GOLF-R-2-0-TFSI-4WD-CHEAPEST-IN-THE-COUNTRY-HPI-CLEAR-BARGAIN-/262207873531?hash=item3d0ccea1fb:g:dJ4AAOSwNyFWfM-i

[monkeyhanger]

or another 1 at 23k 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2014-VW-GOLF-R-2-0-TFSI-4WD-CHEAPEST-IN-THE-COUNTRY-HPI-CLEAR-BARGAIN-/262207873531?hash=item3d0ccea1fb:g:dJ4AAOSwNyFWfM-i

  The classic " 1 previous lady owner".

If it has 22k miles on the clock and has not yet had its first service then the warranty is at risk of being null and void. It may be within the time-frame of a longlife service, but there is no way the car hasn't started to ask for a service at least 5k miles ago. If you were a very high miler you might get 17k miles before it asks, but 22k miles done in 21 months isn't particularly high miles to justify going long life.

If that car has done more than 1k miles beyond the ask (it has done 4k miles beyond maximum interval) for a service without a very good reason then you may not have a warranty any more. I'd avoid it like the plague.

Taken from the VW website:-


Flexible Service Regime (LongLife Service)

We recommend this service if you are likely to drive more than 25 miles a day, and if you tend to drive in the following way:

    Regular long distance driving
    Driving at a constant speed with minimum vehicle and engine loading, and minimal towing
    Economical driving

This Flexible regime has been made possible due to the development of new Volkswagen engines with the latest technically advanced longlife oil. These engines use built-in sensors that continually monitor the oil quality, making it possible to enjoy reliable and confident motoring for up to a maximum of 18,000* miles or 24 months (whichever occurs first).

*Please note that all mileages are approximate as the service indicator system uses kilometres as the distance measurement.