How many 8.5s are actually out there?

[P6GTD]

Thanks all.

I assumed all new “cash” buyers put their purchase on PCP then paid it off soon after.

Nobody’s mentioned the 40k tax cliff. Have to say if I did anything about changing to a used 8.5 (2024 or 2025) in a couple of years, which I would love to do, the ongoing VED would stick in my throat a bit.

And now a rhetorical question….only 5 years to go for new ICE purchases. I wonder what effect that will have on the performance car market between now and then. No answers are required because we just don’t know, but there will be effects.

Anyway, In glad my topic woke up the forum for 2025. Happy New Year everyone and enjoy your GTIs😝

[sipj]

The 40k tax element has been mentioned a few times in other posts and is certainly not something anyone wants to be burdened with.  For me who will be keeping my new GTI for years, I chose to soak up the additional £410 per year tax and option up my car how I wanted it.  It works out to about another £35 per month which in the grand scheme of what I waste on beer and food every month, is not that significant.  It will only help me reduce what I already spend on rubbish!

[ar899]

Saw a Mk8.5 GTI on the M6, north of Birmingham, just before Christmas. Noticed the illuminated front badge in my rear view mirror and pulled over to let it pass  . Confirmed with GTI logo on pax door as passed.

I do alot of miles and that's the only perf Mk 8.5 I have seen.

[P6GTD]

….. is actually the right attitude and answer. Enjoy your ownership!

[Watts]

Not seen any 8.5 performance models and don't see many 8s. Not sure I've even seen any MK8.5 versions. Now that I'm retired I find the thought of spending the amount required on any new performance Golf to be unacceptable.

[SRGTD]

Not seen any 8.5 performance models and don't see many 8s. Not sure I've even seen any MK8.5 versions. Now that I'm retired I find the thought of spending the amount required on any new performance Golf to be unacceptable.

Congratulations on your retirement! Enjoy it .

[Watts]

Congratulations on your retirement! Enjoy it .

Cheers!

[Lancslad1985]

I think forums / discussion boards like these have died a death tbh. The traffic is way way lower on here than it was back in the MK6/7 days. Everyone’s on Facebook and Insta now.

FWIW, I’m waiting on a new CS. Hope to have it in the next few weeks.

Agree; other media sources seem to be the preference of many over dedicated forums these days. I’ve also noticed it on the Polo forum which isn’t a dedicated Polo GTI forum, but going back 4-5 years that forum was very busy with lots of regular posters and lots of GTI owners, and soon to be GTI owners.

In response to @P6GTD’s observation on the relatively few mk8.5 Golfs on the road; IMHO, financial priorities of many people won’t put an expensive new car at the top of the list when considering financial outgoings - items such as mortgage / rent, utilities and food will rank higher. Additionally, the multiple software issues that have affected the mk8 Golf may have deterred existing and potential new Golf owners from going for a mk8.5. Might some people also be keeping their existing cars longer and not wanting to commit to buying a new one due to potential economic uncertainties associated with a change of government?

Hey SRGTD, didn’t realise you were here too. The polo forum has indeed gone very quiet last year or so, such a shame.

My wife has an 8.5 match and I was literally saying the other day I hadn’t seen another 8.5 in the 3/4 months she’s owned it. Seen a lot of 8s and loads of mk 8 GTDs knocking about but that’s it really. The majority of GTIs I see round me are mk 7/7.5 or even mk 6.

[SRGTD]

I think forums / discussion boards like these have died a death tbh. The traffic is way way lower on here than it was back in the MK6/7 days. Everyone’s on Facebook and Insta now.

FWIW, I’m waiting on a new CS. Hope to have it in the next few weeks.

Agree; other media sources seem to be the preference of many over dedicated forums these days. I’ve also noticed it on the Polo forum which isn’t a dedicated Polo GTI forum, but going back 4-5 years that forum was very busy with lots of regular posters and lots of GTI owners, and soon to be GTI owners.

In response to @P6GTD’s observation on the relatively few mk8.5 Golfs on the road; IMHO, financial priorities of many people won’t put an expensive new car at the top of the list when considering financial outgoings - items such as mortgage / rent, utilities and food will rank higher. Additionally, the multiple software issues that have affected the mk8 Golf may have deterred existing and potential new Golf owners from going for a mk8.5. Might some people also be keeping their existing cars longer and not wanting to commit to buying a new one due to potential economic uncertainties associated with a change of government?

Hey SRGTD, didn’t realise you were here too. The polo forum has indeed gone very quiet last year or so, such a shame.

My wife has an 8.5 match and I was literally saying the other day I hadn’t seen another 8.5 in the 3/4 months she’s owned it. Seen a lot of 8s and loads of mk 8 GTDs knocking about but that’s it really. The majority of GTIs I see round me are mk 7/7.5 or even mk 6.

Yes, I’ve been here since February 2011. At that time I had a mk5 170 bhp diesel Golf GT and had a mk6 GTD on order.

I don’t think I’ve seen more than a handful of 8.5 Golf’s on the road since its launch.

[DSGboy]

It could also be for some that the GTI is poor value for money. An R BE for another few £thousand puts you in a different performance league.