Collecting my second Clubsport S 4 years after selling the first

[volkswizard]

In Dec 2016 I bought a brand new Clubsport S (number 154), ran it for 2 years and 6k miles and sold it to scratch my R8 itch.  To cut a long story short I bought my second on Thursday (number 242) which was pretty much identical to my old one, even the first 4 digits of the number plate were the same.

How can you make the same mistake twice?

You know should should`ve bought a Golf R!

I did buy one! A white estate 7.5.  I think R works best in estate as you expect less and it exceeds expectations but normal service has now been resumed 

[volkswizard]

Great project car Andrew. Look forward to your future videos. Are you planning a dyno run - I think a few of us would like to see what these make as standard? Great choice for the brake upgrade. I believe the stage 3 kit (355 disc) weighs less than the stage 2 kit!

I know you have a relationship with RacingLine but i would not recommend their turbo elbow as the transition to the turbo inlet flange is far from smooth (perhaps the design has changed) compared to the products from Forge, Revo or TT. The R600 is a great piece of kit, as you know.

Dyno run is a good idea, Sam at RL would probably insist on it!
I'll mention that issue with their inlet elbow, unusual for them especially with R600 being so good and the 2 should work well together.

Thanks for the brake disc info, I think 355mm discs will be fine as it leaves option of 18s and its lighter which on this car is key. It's not worth overbraking the car and making it heavier as its already lighter than my Leon Cupra 280 and the stage 2 kit worked on that fine and Beford Autodrome is brake killer. I knew the stage 2 brake kit was lighter than OE but pleasantly surprised stage 3 is even lighter. My only issue is clearance, do you know if Pretorias clear them as I don't want spacers?

 

[Paul70]

Great project car Andrew. Look forward to your future videos. Are you planning a dyno run - I think a few of us would like to see what these make as standard? Great choice for the brake upgrade. I believe the stage 3 kit (355 disc) weighs less than the stage 2 kit!

I know you have a relationship with RacingLine but i would not recommend their turbo elbow as the transition to the turbo inlet flange is far from smooth (perhaps the design has changed) compared to the products from Forge, Revo or TT. The R600 is a great piece of kit, as you know.

Dyno run is a good idea, Sam at RL would probably insist on it!
I'll mention that issue with their inlet elbow, unusual for them especially with R600 being so good and the 2 should work well together.

Thanks for the brake disc info, I think 355mm discs will be fine as it leaves option of 18s and its lighter which on this car is key. It's not worth overbraking the car and making it heavier as its already lighter than my Leon Cupra 280 and the stage 2 kit worked on that fine and Beford Autodrome is brake killer. I knew the stage 2 brake kit was lighter than OE but pleasantly surprised stage 3 is even lighter. My only issue is clearance, do you know if Pretorias clear them as I don't want spacers?

You’ll most likely need spacers but Racingline do a 5mm adapter spacer which interlocks to the disc hub face - I have them on mine with the Belvedere wheels.

[Hertsman]

I think the choice of a CSS over a TCR was a sensible one. One of them is likely to depreciate a lot less (if at all), be a lot more fun and generate much more youtube interest.

Buying cars for YouTube interest is a tricky one, in the six years I've been making videos, lots of channels have had lots of views and earned a lot of money by doing videos on Mk7 Golf R and now Mk8. It would be disingenuous of me to start championing this car because simply I prefer a GTI and this sincerity has definitely cost me views and slowed down the growth of my channel.
Now YouTube is my only source of income (simply revenue from the ads I have no control over, not sponsorship etc - rarely more than 3 figures per month)  I've had to consider whether sincerity pays the bills, it's certainly not high on the priority for a lot of people in this business. 

The Clubsport S came about because I was thinking what to do with my Leon Cupra 280. Modifying it would mean a commitment to keeping it and recent surprisingly popular reviews on my wife's TT had made me realise it wasn't actually that popular on the channel.  So man maths at its finest meant I could justify a CSS and stay true to my widely expressed GTI preference.  Rather than repeat videos from six years ago when I still had my first one, this car will get used properly as life is too short and nobody really uses them so it should be decent content but still unlikely to get anything like the numbers of a much cheaper R as it's still very much a niche car, which is fine as I've never really aspired to be mainstream, just need some decent solid viewing numbers and no more.

Around the boom time of car reviews, and cars that were interesting to me, the MK7/7.5 GTI and R, S3/RS3 and M1351 and latterly the 128Ti (which now drive) used to watch all the known names pretty regularly but there is a tipping point where you lose interest a bit and switch off from some personalities, and admit to now only watching all your content, Mat from Carwow, Thomas at Autogefuel, and bit of Joe Achilles as assessed the worthiness of selecting a 128Ti and everyone else has pretty much faded away.

Think your biggest USP is that your history and experience support the thinking that everything do is a genuine and honest review, and that everything you do, is likely a question we would all ask ourselves on a certain car or element of the car. Basically you are seen as one of us, where many out there are talking at us.

Your reviews on the TCR is what swayed me away from just getting another R at the time, and selecting that TCR proved to be a very good decision, truly loved it, and was sad to see it go.

After this 128Ti, my run of some pretty decent company cars will come to an end, and will not be buying new and its likely that will go back to a MK 7 something and though could never get a car without rear seats, the standard MK 7 Clubsport does appeal, so will be going back over old reviews such as your TCR vs CS and seeing if heart will dictate next ride in about 12-18 months.

But just keep following doing what enjoy doing

[AGB]

Hello guys,

I'm not exactly a forum regular but I did start the Clubsport S register on here back in 2016 and have been a lurker ever since.

In Dec 2016 I bought a brand new Clubsport S (number 154), ran it for 2 years and 6k miles and sold it to scratch my R8 itch.  To cut a long story short I bought my second on Thursday (number 242) which was pretty much identical to my old one, even the first 4 digits of the number plate were the same.

This time I am going to use it properly so will be making a lot of hopefully interesting content with the car during 2023 (and beyond as no plans to sell).

The first video was posted on Friday and featured the collection of the car. In it I state what I am going to do with, modifications a planned and which cars I am now going to have to sell and of course give you a tour of the car.
This is a link to the video, if you have any questions, just ask - it's GREAT to be back

https://youtu.be/dQNoBmwoa6s

Welcome back to the fold Andrew. You're only a few numbers apart from mine although our colours are proverbially night and day.

I think I would have made it a condition of sale to remove those wind deflectors! 

Interesting to hear your plans. Inspired by a thread on Pistonheads (I think st33ly is on here too), I've drafted up a programme of improvements and have undertaken some of the minor but the pandemic got in the way of the more substantial items and I've not gotten round to sorting them out. The two main items I'm adding to mine are Racing Line's catch can and carbon ceramic discs to reduce unsprung mass. I've been debating Surface Transforms but the configuration has been a 'voyage of discovery'.

So much YouTube car content is utter drivel, I'd pay the monthly subscription if it gave me a 'block function' to never see hide nor hair of certain channels so look forward to something more in depth or interesting. Mr Beast employs seven people to create thumbnails so playing the algorithms is not just content.

Never understood the 'hate' for CS2 tyres, they're on all my cars. I've never removed them from my CSS in winter but I drive for the conditions nor do I drive like a senior citizen. Knowing their operating window and warming them up helps but I've never felt sufficiently uncomfortable or unsafe to change them. Different folks, different strokes I guess.

[wigit]

It was great to have a chat about these on Saturday morning over breakfast, what they mean, why they are great without a passnger and the tyre debate.

Look forward to seeing it at the recyling centre and supermarket and more imprtantly when we hit the Beacons

[Rudedog]

Just seen the latest YT video.... bit nerdy but what I picked up were the unusual indicator switch, the camera was looking at the back of them and they looked to be painted (?) not the standard black as per mine... unless it was a quirk of the camera?

[volkswizard]

Just seen the latest YT video.... bit nerdy but what I picked up were the unusual indicator switch, the camera was looking at the back of them and they looked to be painted (?) not the standard black as per mine... unless it was a quirk of the camera?

Must have been a camera quirk I think

[volkswizard]

You’ll most likely need spacers but Racingline do a 5mm adapter spacer which interlocks to the disc hub face - I have them on mine with the Belvedere wheels.

Thanks for that Paul. I'm really not keen on spacers because the wheel sticking out that bit more does tend to flick up the stones and it's pretty bad as standard (worse on sticky Cup 2s too). So might stick with Stage 2 brakes, drove my Cupra again today and the brakes are noticeably more feelsome than the standard brakes on CSS.

[volkswizard]

Around the boom time of car reviews, and cars that were interesting to me, the MK7/7.5 GTI and R, S3/RS3 and M1351 and latterly the 128Ti (which now drive) used to watch all the known names pretty regularly but there is a tipping point where you lose interest a bit and switch off from some personalities, and admit to now only watching all your content, Mat from Carwow, Thomas at Autogefuel, and bit of Joe Achilles as assessed the worthiness of selecting a 128Ti and everyone else has pretty much faded away.

Think your biggest USP is that your history and experience support the thinking that everything do is a genuine and honest review, and that everything you do, is likely a question we would all ask ourselves on a certain car or element of the car. Basically you are seen as one of us, where many out there are talking at us.

Your reviews on the TCR is what swayed me away from just getting another R at the time, and selecting that TCR proved to be a very good decision, truly loved it, and was sad to see it go.

After this 128Ti, my run of some pretty decent company cars will come to an end, and will not be buying new and its likely that will go back to a MK 7 something and though could never get a car without rear seats, the standard MK 7 Clubsport does appeal, so will be going back over old reviews such as your TCR vs CS and seeing if heart will dictate next ride in about 12-18 months.

But just keep following doing what enjoy doing

Not sure I am worthy of being mentioned amongst those guys but not complaining

128Ti is a car I'd like to try but it's getting harder to get cars off manufacturers, even VW and SEAT don't answer my emails and I'd need it for a week to get a feel for it.

I guess one benefit of being old is experience! It's funny you should mention honesty, I've always tried to be a straight as possible but this doesn't do you any favours when it comes to profitability neither in the motor trade nor as it happens on YouTube.  When you are a small channel that manufacturers don't have to invite to events or loan cars to, if you dare to be critical of their cars, however fair and reasonably, they will basically blank you and next thing you know you see non-critical content from fatuous influencers (often with far less reach) who have taken your place on events that in the past you'd have been invited to.

Glad we concur on TCR - that car was an eye-opener.  However if the perfect spec CS Ed40 came along I'd probably take that (buckets, DCC, Prets, 3 door, manual) I'd probably go for that now (if one actually exists!) as the CSS has reminded me how much effort VW went to with the aerodynamics which is kind of cool.