Golf GTI or the R

[CHB100]

Depends, where you live obviously. Yes we get the occasional flurries here in Cirencester, the pre-Christmas snow was the worst here in several years, just one day I didn't/wouldn't go out. Remember it's the other planks out there as well as you, regardless of you being nice and safe on snow tyres.
AWD enabled me to get in and out of my driveway something my FWD couldn't manage as well as my neighbours RWD Merc SLK!
So back to basics, what level of snowfall and how often your area gets it, dictates the expenditure and storage!
Especially if you have AWD which as stated is far better than 2WD in poor/any conditions (if it's a Golf that is)

[Daz Auto]

Depends, where you live obviously. Yes we get the occasional flurries here in Cirencester, the pre-Christmas snow was the worst here in several years, just one day I didn't/wouldn't go out. Remember it's the other planks out there as well as you, regardless of you being nice and safe on snow tyres.

That does concern me. Though the grip from winter tyres increases safety margins significantly.

AWD enabled me to get in and out of my driveway something my FWD couldn't manage as well as my neighbours RWD Merc SLK!

Obviously having 4 driven wheels is an advantage when grip is limited.

So back to basics, what level of snowfall and how often your area gets it, dictates the expenditure and storage!
Especially if you have AWD which as stated is far better than 2WD in poor/any conditions (if it's a Golf that is)

Better at accelerating, I agree. However, little better at cornering and no better at stopping.

Having a car that can accelerate well is not safe if it cannot stop!

On snow and ice - a 4WD car will help get you up a hill, but having 4 driven wheels WILL NOT help going back down the hill. Going back down the hill the grip of your tyres is the most important factor.

Anyway, back on topic...

If you are trying to save money, I doubt if the purchase price of the 2 cars second-hand would be much different. The running costs are not significantly different either. Obviously fuel economy depends on journey type and driving style. However, for most drivers the difference always seems to be just around 5 mpg. Most people recommend running the Golf R on super unleaded. Some have said the GTI is less fuel fussy as the engine is not as highly tuned. The Golf R has higher road tax too, but probably less than you are currently paying on the older S3.

The GTI has a sportier style than the more reserved styling of the Golf R.

I know the Mk7 GTI is not in the same performance league as the Mk7 Golf R. But it isn't exactly slow and given the power-to-weight ratio it should be able to keep up with the older S3.

[mcmaddy]

Very little difference between a GTi and R in performance in real world driving and they are both limited to 155mph. As said the extra weight of the R somewhat negates the extra power. The R will have better traction off the line.

[clarky92]

Very little difference between a GTi and R in performance in real world driving and they are both limited to 155mph. As said the extra weight of the R somewhat negates the extra power. The R will have better traction off the line.

If your talking about cruising at 70mph on the motorway then yes. But anything else the R is a LOT faster. Even pulling away from roundabouts at 30mph let alone going for a blast down your local A road. Have you driven an R!?

[CHB100]

Very little difference between a GTi and R in performance in real world driving and they are both limited to 155mph. As said the extra weight of the R somewhat negates the extra power. The R will have better traction off the line.

If your talking about cruising at 70mph on the motorway then yes. But anything else the R is a LOT faster. Even pulling away from roundabouts at 30mph let alone going for a blast down your local A road. Have you driven an R!?

6 months and still takes my breath away, not driven a PP but my ladies MK7 GTI which I thought sprightly is in the championship the R in the Prem and frightens some very expensive sports cars. I said it last May this car is a steal for what and how it delivers. You just want an excuse to drive it, most enjoyment since my Lotus 7 S3 . Relative to my age then and now 

[scanesare]

Very little difference between a GTi and R in performance in real world driving and they are both limited to 155mph. As said the extra weight of the R somewhat negates the extra power. The R will have better traction off the line.

If your talking about cruising at 70mph on the motorway then yes. But anything else the R is a LOT faster. Even pulling away from roundabouts at 30mph let alone going for a blast down your local A road. Have you driven an R!?

I feel Mcmaddy is right here. The R is faster but not by such a great margin if you look past 0-x times which are heavily influenced by traction. During my test-drive on the high-way, in accelerations above 50mph I didn't exactly lose my breath in the R and I don't think anyone in performance cars would, I felt as if it needed every last of its 300bhp indeed. Another way to look at it is how a bone-stock GTI with the simplest and lightest form of tuning, a JB1 box or similar with the minimum gains possible, beats a stock R in (real-world) pulls. This should not be happening if the difference between them was indeed "a lot" as it is between say a GTI and an M3/4 or similar, at least in my book.

[mcmaddy]

Very little difference between a GTi and R in performance in real world driving and they are both limited to 155mph. As said the extra weight of the R somewhat negates the extra power. The R will have better traction off the line.

If your talking about cruising at 70mph on the motorway then yes. But anything else the R is a LOT faster. Even pulling away from roundabouts at 30mph let alone going for a blast down your local A road. Have you driven an R!?

Yes I've driven an R thanks of else I wouldn't be commenting. In real world driving you can't notice the difference but someone's real world driving could be different to another's.

[Booth11]

I can’t make a comparison between a 7R and a GTI PP having not driven the latter, but will say that coming from a few DSG GTI’s (s and 6) into a DSG R, I won’t be going back to a GTI any time soon.  The level of grip is something else, and on very good tyres it’s simply outstanding. Surefooted as a mountain goat.  GTI’s were a more ‘fun’ drive, R (with pedal box) is more ‘exhilarating’.  It sounds to me, from what the OP has said about his driving style etc, that the GTI PP would suit him well.

[Paul70]

This discussion will continue for years to come. I fully agree with the last few posts. In driving situations where traction is limited then for sure the R is faster. If you are using the full rev range then the R is faster even with the additional weight due to significantly higher top end power but how often can you use the full rev range in day to day driving. Going back to the 'real world' reference where torque is king then the R's torque advantage is minimal and virtually zero when the extra weigh is taken into account so the cars are very similar in the rev range 2 to 5 K RPM where we spend most of the time but of course if you are constantly chasing the redline the R is quicker.

And yes I have driven an R. Also driven the RS3 last year and both left me a little cold - for sure they are both excellent cars dynamically, they are fast, sure footed and stable but not fun in my view.

[JoeGTI]

Very little difference between a GTi and R in performance in real world driving and they are both limited to 155mph. As said the extra weight of the R somewhat negates the extra power. The R will have better traction off the line.

If your talking about cruising at 70mph on the motorway then yes. But anything else the R is a LOT faster. Even pulling away from roundabouts at 30mph let alone going for a blast down your local A road. Have you driven an R!?

Yes I've driven an R thanks of else I wouldn't be commenting. In real world driving you can't notice the difference but someone's real world driving could be different to another's.

Ah come on now... in real world driving?! There's a gulf of a difference between the 2 cars and I've owned both (I'm not relying on a 5 minute test drive here!). Real world driving in this part of the world involves a lot of greasy wet roads for about 300 days of the year, a lot with crap surfaces. The R will leave a GTI for dead in those conditions. Even around towns/cities, getting traction off wet roundabouts / junctions. It just feels a far more assured car. There's no point having 230+ BHP if it cannot get the power down unless conditions are perfect. This is my real world experience.

Then there's the ride/comfort differences, the way the R handles the bumps better which I already described earlier in this thread.

If your real world involves tootling along at the legal limit on the motorway, then yes, fair enough, there's not much in it. But then you may as well be in a diesel bluemotion.