Adaptive dampers?

[Maddness]

If I can get the R I'm stretching the budget so can't afford the DCC.
If I get the GTi I'll have a few grand to spend on options.
I do a lot of motorway driving but a fair bit on more interesting roads too.

[Fabio Bignose]

Certainly a strange decision by VW Ireland to make the R available with 19" wheels only...

It takes away all choice for the customer regarding comfort, aesthetics and cost of tyres as everybody puts a different value on these factors.

I do love the Cadiz but personally think the 19" Cadiz look too large on the Golf because of the sheer amount of metal in the design whereas the Pretoria disguises the larger diameter better.
DCC does not make any real difference to how my wheels 'crash' into poholes. DCC is more as Booth says, about body control and how the car 'feels' when in the different modes.

As i do big miles, 'comfort' mode gives me most value as the moment i get on the motorway i select 'comfort' and the car literally seems to 'relax' and 'waft' along by smoothing out the ride.
The rest of the time the car is in 'Normal', i never use sport.

Ask if you can have 18" Cadiz instead and spend the difference on Dyaudio..! The money you save in tyres will pay for the Dynaudio over time..!! 

[Booth11]

As above - really odd thing to have 19's as standard.

I'd do as Fabio Bignose suggests and see if there's any option to get 18" Cadiz instead.

I use DCC Normal And Sport most, but most of my driving is city and rural with only a moderate amount of motorway.  Only use Comfort now and then as I find it too 'wafty' but it comes in handy on 'unmade' roads and with my ageing folks in the back.

[wigit]

I've found the DCC great on the 7R and MQB, it actually overcomes the floors on the previous generation on Mk6

Normal or Race for me, comfort is just a bit to soft to deal with certain rough roads

For me even better if you had some more control over the settings in terms of a range

Having been out in a RS3 on 19s with magnetic i think the DCC holds its own and was more compliant

[mjh_056]

Unlike the previous DCC on Scirocco the version 2 fitted to the MK7 do make a tangible difference between settings.

Roads that used to cause me real issues with their potting are now managed without any sense of discomfort the DCC is really that good in the Comfort Setting.

We all have our preferences but probably 80% time drive in Comfort and standard D drive. - Perfect for towns and motorways

If on some good and open lanes will drop straight to Sport as the ride and handling really tightens and hardens up and you lose that sense of roll and looser steering that Comfort gives.

If on lanes that have to be more sensible I drop the setting into Sport but change the gearing back into D with the DSG changer. That way get the tighter steering and flatter ride that the many turns need but the less eager drive that road is not really suitable for.

Colleague has a vanilla GTI and ride is pretty good but by comparison the Comfort of the DCC does add a real and tangible layer of soft and cossetted ride which in combination with the DSG and Auto Hold makes for a really relaxing experience amongst the madness of normal town/city traffic.

Its not essential but if really value your comfort or have some really bad local roads its a must

[GTDmike]

i have owned my MK7 GTD since September 26th 2013 and can't fault it but so glad i had the adaptive dampers.
it makes the 180mile journey to our apartment in the peak district a pleasure, the comfort mode makes it so relaxing.
Me personally i think its well worth the extra cost, same goes for the auto hold and the DSG box

[remlapeel]

I have owned a Mk7 GTI PP without DCC on 18" and currently own a Mk7 R with DCC on 19"

The ride on 18" GTI wheels was fine, sits nicely but you will notice the occasional crash if the potholed the first ole is particularly big. With the R on 19" the ride is reasonably firm in normal mode, comfort mode takes away the rough edges and smoothes it out. Although I still drive my nearly everywhere in race....which for a 300bhp car ride very well.

[ajmoir36]

I have them on the R with 19"s I didn't spec it, but bought the car used with 800 miles on the clock and it had it.
I wouldn't have spent the money on it personally.

I don't use sport mode suspension on the road at all its like driving a go cart and the first pot hole is bound to take out a wheel. I use normal all the time and only use comfort down a really bad road or I have the old folks in the car.

Handling wise I think that sport mode suspension is less for giving on those bumpy twisty turnies and the car actually leaves the road more than the normal mode. (i.e. road rises up and as the suspension is so hard the wheel leaves the road surface). The Comfort setting feels like driving on jelly if you start to drive it round corners hard as there is too much body roll.

Just my view anyway. I expect on a tack the sport mode would be amazing.

[Maddness]

Thanks for all the replies. Some great information.