What to buy next if insurers write off our beloved Mk7 GTI ?

[allycat45]

First post for a year or two ... My wife was driving her beloved GTI home from work and a lady kindly pulled out into her and hit her NSF and down NS doors. Offenders Citroen an immediate write off and our GTI recovered for inspection / repair. Thank god for the strength of the Golf. Repairers are sending a quote of around £10k to the insurers but have warned my wife that the current value of the car is only £9-10k so the insurers may write it off. It is a 63 plate GTI Mk7 5 Door DSG, 65,000 miles.

I haven't been tracking the GTI models and specs for a year or two and having had a look at the forum I can see the GTI is currently at Mk 7.5 stage and possibly a Mk 8 due in 2020. A quick quote on DTD shows an RRP of some £34k for a new 245 GTI Performance with a few options, discounted to about £30k on DTD. We could afford to use the insurance payout and can pay the rest in cash or put the rest on finance.

My query is whether now is the right time to order a new GTI given a new one coming (sometime) in the future?
 
What are lead times like at the moment ? Is there any stock available quickly if you take already built cars ?

If we decided not to go for a GTI (perish the thought, shame on me) what do other people consider instead that have the same balance of quality, performance, style in this price bracket ? Happy to spend from £20k - £35k RRP and look for a discount off those.

We are not speed nuts, not really into exploiting the hottest hatches, but its nice to have the occasional fun with it. Slightly worried about the crime angle as well, having seen a few stories on here about thefts and so on and keyless entry etc. This might make me think we should go for something less attractive to the scumbags.

Thanks in advance for your advice !

[Hertsman]

First post for a year or two ... My wife was driving her beloved GTI home from work and a lady kindly pulled out into her and hit her NSF and down NS doors. Offenders Citroen an immediate write off and our GTI recovered for inspection / repair. Thank god for the strength of the Golf. Repairers are sending a quote of around £10k to the insurers but have warned my wife that the current value of the car is only £9-10k so the insurers may write it off. It is a 63 plate GTI Mk7 5 Door DSG, 65,000 miles.

I haven't been tracking the GTI models and specs for a year or two and having had a look at the forum I can see the GTI is currently at Mk 7.5 stage and possibly a Mk 8 due in 2020. A quick quote on DTD shows an RRP of some £34k for a new 245 GTI Performance with a few options, discounted to about £30k on DTD. We could afford to use the insurance payout and can pay the rest in cash or put the rest on finance.

My query is whether now is the right time to order a new GTI given a new one coming (sometime) in the future?
 
What are lead times like at the moment ? Is there any stock available quickly if you take already built cars ?

If we decided not to go for a GTI (perish the thought, shame on me) what do other people consider instead that have the same balance of quality, performance, style in this price bracket ? Happy to spend from £20k - £35k RRP and look for a discount off those.

We are not speed nuts, not really into exploiting the hottest hatches, but its nice to have the occasional fun with it. Slightly worried about the crime angle as well, having seen a few stories on here about thefts and so on and keyless entry etc. This might make me think we should go for something less attractive to the scumbags.

Thanks in advance for your advice !

Sorry to read about this, my wife got smacked into by an idiot showing off to his passengers and not seeing she had stopped, and same as you, thank god it was an 8P Audi Quattro she was driving as that was a solid unit and though the car was a mess, she was mainly ok.

The MK 8 has been heavily quoted as all the revolution will be in the interior tech and the actual drive will likely be very MK 7 series like - Also the spy shots are turning folk off a little (Google these)

This is only my advice, but the end of a model run usually means some really good discounts on the outrun model and the MK 7.5 is now pretty loaded as a lot of the options have been dropped in as standard which is in addition to the varying lifts the MK 7.5 had from the MK 7 - Its really the best this MK 7 series can be and the GTI starts at the performance pack which boost the previous standard 220 BHP to 245 BHP.

There was a WLTP issue that caused delays, but this is in the past now and imagine builds are turning around in reasonable time, though as the factory tools up for the MK 8 the run down of the MK 7.5 will begin also after running parallel for a short period.

The best deal would likely be a pre-ordered GTI from a dealer and you just have to go hunting for the spec you want?

I looked over the fence hard at others makes, and prettily readily came back to the MK 7.5 with my next choice which is the GTI TCR - The MK 7.5 is at the top of its curve, has loads of kit, is universally accepted as a great drivers car, has decent economy and a slew of minor lifts through its life cycle - in this price bracket you will not really find better for an all rounder and thats important, as some may offer better comfort (arguably when DCC is optioned) and some may offer better performance and driving thrills (subjective) but the GTI/R does both without compromise, the perfect daily commute (more so with DSG and Auto Hold), and motorway cruiser, and at push of a button, firmed up and showing its performance and agility

I am driving a Golf R at present, such an awesome car with the AWD and there is maybe deals to be had on that also, maybe, but worth a look if can find a deal that matches up to the GTI - It will be a little more juicier on petrol though, with 28-30 MPG the most can expect on urban run, though it can top 40 MPG on long runs

In terms of having a nice car, of course we can all just run a second hand car and save ourselves from the worry, but I like my cars and life for enjoying so just put it in the bracket of you cannot hideaway from everything you have a fear for as otherwise you never do anything, and thats what do.

If show some patience, and stick to price and spec, pretty sure you can snare a bargain as the model run ends

[davyk31]

If it's worth 10k and repair costs are the same it will be written off for sure. Assume you don't have any active GAP cover by this stage as it could leave you in a very nice position.

Not much to compare to the MK 7.5 GTI PP as they are a fantastic car. New model A Class also looking pretty good and some decent lease deals and discounts on these.

[Talk-torque]

Not much to compare to the MK 7.5 GTI PP as they are a fantastic car. New model A Class also looking pretty good and some decent lease deals and discounts on these.

I’ve just changed from an April 2016 GTI DSG to a new GTI 245 Performance DSG. My expectation was that the new car would be pretty much like the old one, but a bit better. The reality is that the new car is a vast improvement on the old in almost every respect. Brilliant cars that I wouldn’t expect can be bettered for the money by anything. You really don’t want to gamble!

[mcmaddy]

How is it a "vast improvement in every respect". Just interested as apart from a few cosmetic bits on the outside an extra 10hp and digital clocks inside what else has been improved?

[Yusee]

imho 7 and 7.5 are essentially the same car- in everything that matters- engine, steering, suspension, brakes. Only big difference is the better dsg box.

[Hertsman]

imho 7 and 7.5 are essentially the same car- in everything that matters- engine, steering, suspension, brakes. Only big difference is the better dsg box.

In terms of the drive, there is a little more BHP as they only sale the performance now, and the DSG is 7 speed opposed to 6 speed, which in reality most will not overly notice as it seamlessly goes up and down the gears.

The rest is a styling lift, the DRL and the red strip work much better now, think they got it very much right there,

And VW have added some bits and pieces as standard, keyless, traffic sign recognition, rear camera, digital dials, and another evolution on the media unit and maybe a few subtle items that cannot think of now,

But it is basically the same car, its only the best it can be due to natural evolution and that some of the minor irritants have been addressed to increase cabin experience. - In terms of drive you not going to notice much difference if any.

[BobbyT]

What about a nice TCR?

[fredgroves]

If you are planning on a new factory ordered Mk7.5 then you had better get and do it NOW.

My current guess is that there are maybe one to two weeks before whatever you order at the dealers not getting a build slot.

There will be no parallel production of Mk7 and Mk8 - the line will switch in August and start output in September. The Mk8 GTI won't be announced for some time, probably not being seen until mid-late 2020.

Failing that you are left with dealer stock or Das Welt.

[Hertsman]

What about a nice TCR?

Only just secured my TCR factory order, or that was what was led to believe, and has been stated here by others, the doors closing on factory orders (particularly on the TCR as it had a restricted amount of build slots, once full, shut sign will go up) and soon it will only be pre-ordered as the new offering