Is this a serious thread? Having owned a GTD, GTI & R why would anyone in their right mind want a GTD over an R if they're the same price?
Well, as you ask, not exactly a serious thread as I don't tend to post serious threads or take much seriously in general when it comes to internet forums but it was a 'food for thought' idea highlighting the fact that all out BHP isn't everything in a road car. 300 bhp at 6000 rpm or 400 lb ft at 2000 rpm and I'd probably take that latter, thank you, please.
One man's meat and all that.
I'd half hoped that there would be a lone voice or two that came out with a left field slant on the subject but alas not.
reading this is a bit like watching supervet, so sad
It's breaking my heart.
Well, there's too much traffic going in the other direction trading 'up' to R's so it's good to look at the alternatives in life; faster isn't always better for the daily grind when you want something sharp and nippy in the cut and thrust rather than something that needs a bit of winding up before it goes ballistic.
When I look back at the twenty odd cars I've owned in the past it's not the quickest ones that I remember most fondly - just the more charismatic ones, and being Volkswagens mostly the charisma sometimes needs to be assisted via the aftermarket as VW's have a justified reputation for being a tad dull at times.
I do appreciate it's not all about speed. I personally do find the R sharp and rapid for the cut and thrust. I probably spend about 70% of my driving life in those conditions and the car doesn't disappoint on that score, not for me anyway. To me it offers the best of all worlds, and perhaps some of it comes down more to personal driving style?
But I understand what you mean about the charismatic being more memorable, albeit with the aid of a few aftermarket tweaks. Maybe the R is just too accomplished out of the box and doesn't really lend itself to customisation in the way that other VW's do, or have in the past. So perhaps a VW with a slightly different character to the R is in order. GTD already on your radar, but maybe the Clubsport is the car you are looking for? A more bubbly personality and (hopefully) with plenty of potential to put your own mark on it, and turn it into a more charismatic prospect?
Yes Ms B, as I've said many a time, the R is just a little too polished to be charismatic but not that easy to mod owing to TD1's, suspect turbo components and worse still - locked ECU's.
Guess which one bothers me most?
The ClubSport was my intended 'next car' choice when I bought the mk7 GTI as it's release would coincide with my first mk7 being 3 years old but as soon as I saw it I just knew that it was unlikely to happen. Then there's the not so slight issue of putting the power down.
Unless something happens to the R that makes me want to move it on I can see it being a keeper, there are a few little things I'd like to do to it in time.
I don't get much choice (company car and both GTI and R are too polluting for company policy) but over the years I quite like the low down grunt of a TDI... especially a powerful TDI engine in a small(ish) car.
If it was my own money though I'm not sure I'd have one though, unless I was doing some serious mileage and wanting to save some money.
My friend's GTI PP is a lovely thing.
R's start to push things into the "fun toy" arena though - both through running costs and reduced practicality.
I'm really not sure what I would buy with my own £35k, it does depend on whether you want a practical mode of transport, a fun toy or a p3n1s extension...
£35k??? Eek! I'd not spend that on a Golf! Once you're north of £30k I think there's a lot more out there.
Cars are just getting stupidly expensive.
The GTI PP is a good place to put your money right now with current incentives and the best blend of the Golf range in real terms - high 30's MPG on 95RON and the power delivery is almost Diesel like in some respects with the plus side of petrol smoothness and willingness to rev. I loved my GTI but it was a 3 door so I couldn't get in and out of it very easily once it was in the garage and more importantly I was concerned about modifying it.
I wouldn't put the R in fun toy category either, it's too polished for that but it's as capable performer as most fun toys to be honest.
Mind you, with a remap and some tasty wheels it would be as good as most things out there.
