Stormtrooper TCR arrives...

[Exonian]

some interesting observations, Exonian- and nice to see you're warming to the DSG box.
Surely your coordination is a strong point of the manual! the satisfaction of the perfect shift, rev matched, at the perfect time, down to driver alone!

I only wish I was that competent!
There are many dimensions to manual shifting obviously, both up and down the box and those become instinct over time. It’s occasions where I’m driving with a bit more gusto than I normally do where I’ll maybe run out of revs at the top end because the engine has accelerated into the red zone of the tachometer a little more quickly then I expected and I have to snatch a gear very quickly getting the brain, hand, foot coordination to work that fast can go a bit awry! Or I’ll maybe doing the opposite and drifting along on the torque with my brain in neutral concentrating on the road rather than a lazy gearchange I’m making with the inevitable horrible noise where hand and foot aren’t perfectly coordinated. These occasions are very rare but I’m no driving god!

[Hertsman]

I am 1500 miles in now and no more nursing aside from waiting till oil temperature is up to level, so now just driving the TCR pretty uninhibited.

Have to say absolutely loving the car, the looks have grown on me even more, and i know its subjective, but the pure grey with the black and red GTI accents complement each other perfectly with the lowered stance and added features with the 90% tint giving the TCR a real presence, a stealthy intent. 

As jumped from the GTD to the R originally maybe I was missing a trick and not being respectful enough of the GTi PP as there is no doubt in my mind now that the drive is more enjoyable than the R, and put it all down to the reduced weight but near matching BHP - Maybe its due to new tyres and me just not flooring the TCR at every turn, but traction to this point has been a zero issue.

One of the MK 7.5 features that appreciating the most is the improved headlights and the headlight assist - on one regular pretty dark twisty run, the lights make what is best described as a lit tunnel in front of you and if someone comes towards you? no drama, the lights adjust and no angry flashes to you leaving full beam on.

Mine is 5 door a must! but must say I think the 3 door really looks the part.

The only improvement that think could be made is the CS spoiler to have been fitted to the TCR as that would really have completed the look.

This is my 7th year in the MK 7 series so much is familiar but the differentiation in the model and the 7 > 7.5 lifts have still managed to give me the feeling of driving something new and interesting, and having seen the MK 8 in some detail now, even happier that managed to stay with the MK 7 GTI at its evolved best.

[Yusee]

The mk7 certainly does seem to be highly regarded by die hard golf fans.
It has also caught the imagination of other buyers- it’s my first VW- I’ve previously seen golfs/ vw brand as rather dull- not this mk7.

[Hertsman]

The mk7 certainly does seem to be highly regarded by die hard golf fans.
It has also caught the imagination of other buyers- it’s my first VW- I’ve previously seen golfs/ vw brand as rather dull- not this mk7.

Have changed cars every 3 years for last 18 years, and each time am open to the alternative and walk the forecourts and do the diligence on all the cars in the sector I look towards (hatchback with some performance attributes)

Prior to the MK 7 it was back to back Audi Quattro and was very close to going for 3rd when someone on the Audi forum put up a link for the upcoming MK 7 Performance models - A lot of what was paying for on the Audi was standard and the MK 7 looked great in 5 door where I had been putting up with the discomfort of 3 Door as not liked the Sport Back - Also the ride was quite firm on my Quattro and the new MQB platform and the v2 DCC seemingly would remedy that annoyance also, and when added in that could afford DSG also (to try for first time) I was swayed to the MK 7 GTD (did many more miles then)

At 3 years admit that only looked at one car, the R having loved the GTD so much and the R was my ride for last 3 years.

This time around, was very open to the opposition, got quite excited about the A35 AMG, really wanted it to wow me, but when dug deeper just felt overall that the MK 7 was still the better package especially when added in the value (after adding all options you would want on the A35)

Think many are loyal to the MK 7 based on just how hard it is to look beyond it, as even the latest on market can only compare but not beat out a 7 year model - Also it seems the MK 8 will not drive much differently, so again that makes the MK 7 as the model that has set the curve.

The way seeing cars going think the TCR might be the first keeper as drive will be all that ever would need, and its styling will remain timeless.

[Watts]

I’d buy the Volkswizard car in a heartbeat personally even though it’s a three door!
It has lots of red! Red callipers, red stripe, red badges, red seats, red stripe on the steering wheel... 

My local main dealer apparently has a grey 5 door in the showroom so I'm going to get down there and see what I think. I must say though the TR is such a great colour to me, makes me happy every time I see it so the grey is going to have to be really good to make me consider a change... I tend to buy emotionally not practically which is probably why I've had a fair few duffers in the past

[Philip]

My local main dealer apparently has a grey 5 door in the showroom

Isn't that two too many??

[Watts]

My local main dealer apparently has a grey 5 door in the showroom

Isn't that two too many??

Yes, definitely, I'm just going to check out the colour! It's 20 minutes away as opposed to over 2 hours each way for the one I'm potentially interested in.

[Exonian]

It’s really good to see you’re loving the TCR hertsman. Always a risk when moving from one incredibly accomplished car to another which is slightly different and slightly ‘lesser’ (as many R owners on VWROC would declare). Different things suit different people but thankfully the TCR is just as good a dual purpose commuter/family car and fun car as any Golf has ever been with its own ingredient X added.
Sure, the TCR will probably be the forgotten GTI much like a Pirelli Edition, with the anniversary models being more ‘desirable’ but in the metal it certainly feels like VW opened up the box of bits that ‘worked best’ during the wider mk7’s continued development and threw them together in the garden shed with a smile on their faces.
Admittedly a regular GTI would be just as good and better on fuel to boot in 99% of driving, but standing next to a TCR with GTI trainspotter notebook in hand it definitely ticks the boxes.



Watts, it’s really hard to sit here and say it’s worth spending £17k on top of your much loved GTI because at the end of the day both my own and your head will say absolutely not. However these type of cars are bought as much with the heart.
What I can say is that it takes a little while for it to sink in quite how different the cars are and only a dedicated enthusiast would ever appreciate what those details are, aside from the huge financial retail cost lots of the ‘standard’ spec would have cost as extras on a Mk7 GTI (or CS or R for that matter).

It’ll be very interesting to hear your thoughts on the TCR as a whole. The colour you’ll either like or you won’t I suspect, but the red trims really pop against the grey and black backdrop.
Make sure you spend a bit of time looking around the lower half of the car from different angles to see what the stylists and engineers have done. It takes a few looks to really appreciate the details.
Look at it up close to see the smaller details then stand back a bit to appreciate the stance and how it knits together.
 


 

[Exonian]

It’s raining out (as usual) so a quick running update for the benefit of anyone remotely interested.
There’s only so much I can write about a car we are all familiar with without inducing sleep, so just a few anecdotes before I shut up about the car, mostly because I had a quick drive out to get fuel this morning that ended up a 50 mile round trip!

I’ve warmed to DSG now. After over 33 years of driving manuals (badly at first) I’ve finally learnt do stop thinking about what gear I’m in and when I’d change cog, and instead just take in the view.
Sport is much too frenetic, I refuse to try Eco, Manual is a bit PlayStation so I just leave it in drive and waft about.
I miss the Golfball gearknob!

The pedalbox that’s served me well for six years is doing its thing; the ECU, gearbox, pedalbox and myself seem to have adapted to each other.

When I’d read the press releases and early reviews of the car it pointed to quite firm suspension. Later running reports from AGB, Hertsman and others suggested otherwise.
Running the DCC in Normal it’s absolutely fine for general road use on a variety of road surfaces. Any potential future TCR owners can rest assured it’s just as daily useable as any other sporty Golf. Yes, it’s no 1970’s Citroen in ride quality but then again it’s no 1970’s Citroen in handling!


Dynaudio.
The first few weeks were spent learning the gearbox so audio was a background thing.
This last week I played around with the Dynaudio a bit.
I’d been unimpressed with the system in my mk6 finding it no better than the standard audio once engine, exhaust and tyres came into the equation.
Similarly once on the move in the mk7 with radio volume low the system seemed no better than the perfectly adequate (in my eyes) standard mk7 audio.
Once cranked up it comes into its own mostly due to the sub.
Is it worth £600 or so? Depends on how loud you play it and how good year hearing is! Keep the car a good few years and you’d get your money’s worth I suppose.

Fuel economy seems pretty ok. A couple of MPG down on the Clubsport in normal use. Incidentally the fuel economy seems better with the pedalbox fitted unlike on the manual cars which tended to be better without it (but not by much in either case).

[Watts]

Watts, it’s really hard to sit here and say it’s worth spending £17k on top of your much loved GTI because at the end of the day both my own and your head will say absolutely not. However these type of cars are bought as much with the heart.
What I can say is that it takes a little while for it to sink in quite how different the cars are and only a dedicated enthusiast would ever appreciate what those details are, aside from the huge financial retail cost lots of the ‘standard’ spec would have cost as extras on a Mk7 GTI (or CS or R for that matter).

It’ll be very interesting to hear your thoughts on the TCR as a whole. The colour you’ll either like or you won’t I suspect, but the red trims really pop against the grey and black backdrop.
Make sure you spend a bit of time looking around the lower half of the car from different angles to see what the stylists and engineers have done. It takes a few looks to really appreciate the details.
Look at it up close to see the smaller details then stand back a bit to appreciate the stance and how it knits together.

That's exactly how I feel. I'm hoping to get to my local dealer tomorrow, Tuesday at the latest, for a good look and to see how I like the colour. I'll make sure I don't take my rose tinted specs! Good to hear you are settling into your TCR, I'm more than happy with an auto having had quite a few, it's just nice driving a manual again (last car was auto and owned 11 years!).