Golf R's - Used Market - Did someone lose the optional extras list?

[fredgroves]

The GTI is nice, very nice indeed but the R is something else.

It will cost more to run (premium fuel, road tax, insurance) but on the other hand sooner or later we will all have to drive 35 watt electric golf buggies.

If you like real cars, I'd have one now before you can't...

[Gnasher]

I doubt you'd find the GTI wanting in any department really (except grip), however if you got a GTI without at least testing the R (to discount it if that was the case) you might always have that 'should have gone for an R' thought at the back of your mind.

If I could have ordered an R when I got my GTI, I would have probably ordered a vanilla spec R instead of my averagely heavily optioned GTI as they wouldn't have been too far away from each other on price.

[infernox]

I think I'll go to my local VW dealership first and try and test drive both plus see if I need any of the extras. There's new cars popping up everyday so there's a lot of choice.

[brettblade]

I doubt you'd find the GTI wanting in any department really (except grip), however if you got a GTI without at least testing the R (to discount it if that was the case) you might always have that 'should have gone for an R' thought at the back of your mind.

If I could have ordered an R when I got my GTI, I would have probably ordered a vanilla spec R instead of my averagely heavily optioned GTI as they wouldn't have been too far away from each other on price.

I paid more than I would have done for a base spec R, but I couldn't live without tech park, parking pack (or the camera as a minimum), the 19s again (I'm not a fan of Austin or Cadiz) and DCC is a sensible choice with 19s.  By the time you've added those back on (plus keyless!!) it's back to being more expensive by a few ££££.  I could have lived with that, but the additional running cost due to 4WD and the gearing was the deal breaker for me - it was a very close decision between GTI and GTD due to my mileage, never mind dropping the MPG even lower with the R.

[infernox]

I doubt you'd find the GTI wanting in any department really (except grip), however if you got a GTI without at least testing the R (to discount it if that was the case) you might always have that 'should have gone for an R' thought at the back of your mind.

If I could have ordered an R when I got my GTI, I would have probably ordered a vanilla spec R instead of my averagely heavily optioned GTI as they wouldn't have been too far away from each other on price.

I paid more than I would have done for a base spec R, but I couldn't live without tech park, parking pack (or the camera as a minimum), the 19s again (I'm not a fan of Austin or Cadiz) and DCC is a sensible choice with 19s.  By the time you've added those back on (plus keyless!!) it's back to being more expensive by a few ££££.  I could have lived with that, but the additional running cost due to 4WD and the gearing was the deal breaker for me - it was a very close decision between GTI and GTD due to my mileage, never mind dropping the MPG even lower with the R.

Did you test drive both? What would you do in my position, 66 plate Golf GTI with 4k miles and all the options you want or a 15 plate Golf R with 28k miles and all the options you want?

[matchboy]

Did you test drive both? What would you do in my position, 66 plate Golf GTI with 4k miles and all the options you want or a 15 plate Golf R with 28k miles and all the options you want?

Having owned both, I'd go for the R with all the options you want.  You can't beat that extra speed!  Forget consumption, both get nothing like what VW claim, I found only a 5mpg difference between the two cars.

[brettblade]

5mpg difference in consumption was enough of a deal breaker for me.

I wanted to buy new for completely untouched factory paint (no dealer prep whatsoever).  If spec was equal between the two cars (GTI vs R) then if annual mileage meant running cost was negligible then I'd be leaning towards the R in your case, assuming condition was comparable.

[infernox]

Just my luck that both cars get sold before I can even see them. I'll still go and test drive a local Golf R even though its in red which is the worst colour for it in my opinion. My annual mileage is around 4k miles so I don't think fuel consumption would make much difference. I think 5mpg is only around £100 difference for me.

[fredgroves]

5mpg difference in consumption was enough of a deal breaker for me.

Thats 5mpg and running on super unleaded... 12p a litre more expensive at the moment? Thats a 10% fuel bill increase even if the MPG is the same and what 5mpg is a further 14% more (35mpg vs 30pmg). So actually 24% more.

At £1.20 a litre for normal petrol and 4000 miles, thats  £623 cost per annum vs £812 for £1.34 per litre and 30 mpg.

At 4000 miles a year, you really are hemorrhaging money on a brand new car anyway. The fuel costs are the least of your worries. The actual total cost of ownership per mile is probably at the point where a chaffeur driven limmo is a better financial bet. ;-)

[infernox]

Well that's why I'm buying a used one. £25k was over budget for me anyway but they seemed like better deals than the older bog standard cars. I'll probably get something older, cheaper and with less options now after hopefully a test drive tomorrow.