GTI from TT

[donteatthat]

Wow you lot are legends, much appreciated for responding so quickly. All really helpful information and gives me a base to start, need to go test drive I think although i really enjoyed previous golfs and reviews look good on these.

Funny about the sound system advice too, forgot i cant really hear much now so no chance when she gets a bit older.

Thanks again everyone.

[Phil245]

I would say the Golf Hatchback boot is not big enough for a pram or buggy and certainly not much room then for the associated paraphernalia......

I would get an Octavia VRS Estate.  Tons of room in the boot and the same mechanicals as the Golf GTi.....

The Golf is for when you are a bit older.........

[dubber36]

3: There is an option for an R type, anyone had experience, comparison wise looks similar just engine but presume GTI holds value more.

Do you mean the R, or R line? The R line is a trim level of the regular Golf.

I would get an Octavia VRS Estate.

Me too. Or a used 240PS Passat Estate.

[Guzzle]

An Octavia hatch has almost as big a boot as a Golf estate, and more leg room for rear passengers.

Just saying 

[RM]

You’ll fit a modern buggy in the boot just fine (I do so occasionally) but very little else. The boot isn’t particularly high so you can’t stand buggies up on their side, and when laid flat your boot is gone.
If it helps, we have a single Bugaboo somethingorother so nothing out of the ordinary.

Otherwise, it’s great as a small family car.

If this is your only family car, or you tend to carry a few extra things ‘just in case’ my money would go on the Octavia VRS or a Golf estate. The boot size on either will take a few moments of frustration away, which is worth it as those frustrating days will come when your kid is having a bad day. They always do.

[Gtiless]

How long do you keep your cars, because the "pram days" (or years) pass surprisingly quickly?

[donteatthat]

Hi all thanks again for the replies. It wont be the main car, sounds like it will be fine for the "Dad" car essentials, however Octavia looks good value for the good lady.

[Npr]

Hi, I'd recommend you take the model you are thinking of for a test drive on dual carriage ways at 70mph and make sure you are ok with the road noise. On some surfaces it is terrible,  booming sound coming from the rear so might not be great with a baby. I swapped from a 2016 320i just before lockdown and now regret it. I wish I had known. I have a 230 with 18" wheels, and I thought it was ok on a short test drive compared to a 245 bhp on 19" and sunroof, but wish I had taken for a much longer test drive. There are some threads on here about a harmonic damper being fitted which makes it a bit better (Some find it 50% better). However, I am going to have to look in getting soundproofing done to make it more bearable. Hopefully you are fine with it but at least if you know of this issue you can decide for yourself.

[SRGTD]

@Npr; tyres can be a major contributory factor to noise levels. I think VW’s tyre of choice for the 18” Parker alloys was Bridgestones and these have a reputation for being quite a noisy tyre, and as the tread wears down they tend to get noisier.

So if your car is still on it’s original tyres that might be part of the reason for the noise levels you’re experiencing. Also worth checking the rear tyres aren’t suffering from sawtooth wear on the inner tread surface; if they are, then a noise similar to worn wheel bearings is a characteristic of sawtooth tyre wear.

[mcmaddy]

@Npr; tyres can be a major contributory factor to noise levels. I think VW’s tyre of choice for the 18” Parker alloys was Bridgestones and these have a reputation for being quite a noisy tyre, and as the tread wears down they tend to get noisier.

So if your car is still on it’s original tyres that might be part of the reason for the noise levels you’re experiencing. Also worth checking the rear tyres aren’t suffering from sawtooth wear on the inner tread surface; if they are, then a noise similar to worn wheel bearings is a characteristic of sawtooth tyre wear.

very little if any difference in noise levels from the supposed big three tyre manufacturers. Only Dunlop creeps under 70 decibel figure and Michelin, Goodyear and conti are 71 or 72. In a car you'll never hear the difference.