Too busy driving?

[illyun]

Picked up mine yesterday and then went back 2 hours later to pick up my sat-nav dvd that they had forgotten to give me... and there I saw it, looking pristine and eminently desirable - my old R32.  Felt quite upset actually and my wife thought I was crazy.    I really didn't want to let go of that car having been to Gibraltar and back in it and despite the fuel economy - or lack of it - I absolutely loved that car.  Best car I have ever had so far... 

verdict's out on the Edition 30 though as I drove it home and promptly put it in the garage where it will remain for a month while I get stonechip protection, autoglym lifeshine, a personalised number plate (E3 OVW -> E30 VW), seat covers, carpet covers, new BBS alloys etc...sorted on it.  However, from the initial 25 mile drive at below 3000rpm - below 2500rpm most of the way - it seems very promising.  Certainly handles better than the R32 which I expected anyway and when I initially drove it it jumped forward with an urgency that wasn't there in the standard GTI -and no I didn't snatch the clutch  Its a diferent beast to the standard GTI.  The tinted rear windows give a really menacing look to the all black GTI and it got a lot of stares.  I think people clocked on to the fact that it wasn't an ordinary GTI and certainly doesn't look as civilised - more max-power, boy-racish, subaru impreza brigade type of ambience due to the rear tints, body kit and different alloys... not necessarily a good thing     In fact, I've been slagging of the aesthetics since I saw them, but actually in the flesh the Edition 30 looks the business and I think VW have pulled of a subversive look to it that somehow also remains subtle in the best traditions of the GTI. You look at it and think 'another GTI' but then think, hang on, it doesn't quite look right - a bit more in your face.

[illyun]

Some more things....  I managed to get about £80-100 off the price of my Edition 30, demanded and got a Golf GT USB memory stick, a VW Wolsey CD wallet and a massive bunch of flowers for the missus    Not bad since last year, I only got a biro.  :embarassed: 

Also, my dealer pointed out some minor blemishes in the paintwork and offered to have them polished out but I conjured up some image of a cowboy messing with my paintwork and making it worse    So I told him not to worry and that I'd deal with it unless of course it proves unremovable in which case I will get them to sort it.  There is a small 5p coin size blemish on the  bonnet and similar whitish specks on the front end ridge where the roof meets the doors on both sides but nothing serious. 

I got £140 of my GAP insurance     I told him that I'd been quoted lower elsewhere and showed him a site which was run by a firm backed by AXA and it gave a quote of £289 with a £12.5k claim limit, but I told him that I had just purchased a new Toyota Corolla for my dad and had been offered a discount for both cars at £500 for both - not quite true  :embarassed: - and was offered a match on the spot.  Result at £250 with a £15k limit  . 

Also signed up for the maintance agreement whihc is WELL worth it in my opinion... covers servicing for the first 3 years - 3 services as I am NOT going on the long life nonsense even though I will specify that they use long life oil as its better - an MOT at the end, tyres, parts not under warranty like the clutch for example, 2 extra year's breakdown cover...  Bargain for around £830 for 3 years, or £23 a month and an agreed annual mileage of 9000 miles although I probably won't even do that... especially as I joked that I'd be at the dealers every week for a new set of front tyres and was told that the dealer didn't care as they got paid for all the work by VW and in fact made money out of it!    Armed with this knowleage I know exactly what I'm going to do to the car when its run in    I reckon with 230 bhp through the front tryes, I'll get through at least 6 tyres and a clutch within 3 years    In fact, I'll bl00dy well make sure that I do    That would have cost over £1500 just on its own without the service costs.

[paulm007]

Illyun

Never heard of that maint agreement, it sounds like a bargin.  Are you limited in anyway, except on the mileage.  I mean I reckon I could easily get through loads of tyres when I get my GTI 30

[wantmygti]

Downside re the tyre cover is they only supply the factory fit tyres - you can't swap for say F1s and it's only wear and tyre, so punctures are excluded. Ask your dealer about fixed cost maintenace. I went for it also but excluded the tyres - all else is the same. it also includes VW assist recovery in years 2 and 3 (year 1 is included with the car).

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Downside re the tyre cover is they only supply the factory fit tyres - you can't swap for say F1s

Why do you want directional tyres?  They are old technology now - assymetric boots are the way to go! 

it also includes VW assist recovery in years 2 and 3 (year 1 is included with the car).

What . . . . I thought the full three year AA was included anyway, providing you have the car serviced by VW ?  Discuss . . .

[wantmygti]

Downside re the tyre cover is they only supply the factory fit tyres - you can't swap for say F1s

Why do you want directional tyres?  They are old technology now - assymetric boots are the way to go! 

it also includes VW assist recovery in years 2 and 3 (year 1 is included with the car).

What . . . . I thought the full three year AA was included anyway, providing you have the car serviced by VW ?  Discuss . . .

F1's get much better reviews than the conti's hence that coment.

Re the breakdown cover, I was told you get one year free breakdown cover with a new car care of VW Assist. If you take out a fixed cost servicing scheme other than the basic service only policy you get 3 years VW Assist cover - top level too to collect your car anywhere, take it to VW and give you a coutesy car, and all that gubbins...

No-one has ever mentioned any invlovement of the AA to me at all.

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Downside re the tyre cover is they only supply the factory fit tyres - you can't swap for say F1s

Why do you want directional tyres?  They are old technology now - assymetric boots are the way to go! 

it also includes VW assist recovery in years 2 and 3 (year 1 is included with the car).

What . . . . I thought the full three year AA was included anyway, providing you have the car serviced by VW ?  Discuss . . .

F1's get much better reviews than the conti's hence that coment.

Hmmm . . . the Contis are OK, not perfect, but Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 will blow you away with the level of grip.  When my S4 gets loaded upto the max weight, about 2.2tonnes, the cornering grip really is utterly superb.  Directional tyres really are old technology - they were initally developed for reducing road noise, which they did, but they then suffered with aquaplaning, and newer assymetric tyres can be designed with different rubber compounds across the tread width, and tuned for hard cornering.

Re the breakdown cover, I was told you get one year free breakdown cover with a new car care of VW Assist.

You're right, to a point.  The VW Assist is initally free for the first year.  But a simple phone call to the stealer, and providing it has been serviced in accordance with the schedule, and by a VW main stealer, then they send you another membership card for another 12 months.  So you definately get the first two years free.  The third year - I'm not too sure . . . .

If you take out a fixed cost servicing scheme other than the basic service only policy you get 3 years VW Assist cover - top level too to collect your car anywhere, take it to VW and give you a coutesy car, and all that gubbins...

But with the exception of a courtesy car, you get the full monty in terms of breakdown cover anyway!  And you have a 3 year warranty, so you'll get a courtessy car anyway!

I think they've had ya . . . 

No-one has ever mentioned any invlovement of the AA to me at all.

Whoops, Freudian slip.  The VW Assist was originally operated by the RAC, using VW branded vans, and sole VW breakdown technicians.  At the back-end of last year, the contract was switched to the AA, who removed all the dedicated VW vans and techhys, and you now get the bog standard AA van, who could be called out to any automotive Tom, Richard or Henrietta - oh, and the default response time has been downgraded to 90 minutes . . .

[wantmygti]

Ok then Sean, we are at least agreed that it is nice to have a choice of tyres and not be tied to VW's OE items.

I'm not sure about all this break down cover, I'll take your word for it. But I reckon I'll have a set of 'free' brake pads out them and wipers before the contract ends!

And you get the assurance of not being hit by price hikes.

By the way, we still (up until this morning at least) have VW branded recovery vans round here and they seem to be tied to dealers, ie they cover an x mile radius around a stealer.

[illyun]

I don't mind factory tyres if they are free...

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Ok then Sean, we are at least agreed that it is nice to have a choice of tyres and not be tied to VW's OE items.

Oh very true about the freedom of choice.  But GTI OE fit can be either Mich Pilot Sport PS2, Mich Pilot Exalto PE2, Conti SportContact2, Dunlop SP SportMaxx  , Bridgestone Potenza RE050        - so as long as they, at some time on some cars came as OE fit, you could go for any one of those.  Still don't get the F1s though - unless you only drive on m-ways in the dry 

I'm not sure about all this break down cover, I'll take your word for it. But I reckon I'll have a set of 'free' brake pads out them and wipers before the contract ends!

Feckin expensive wipers eh    

And you get the assurance of not being hit by price hikes.

But the interest on the dosh in the bank would cover that!

By the way, we still (up until this morning at least) have VW branded recovery vans round here and they seem to be tied to dealers, ie they cover an x mile radius around a stealer.

Not for long, all the VW branded vans are being taken out of service, and don't believe the horse dung about them being tied to a stealer.  I've needed to call out VW Assist twice since Sept last year.  The first time was the VW branded van, response time IIRC was about 40 mins, he had the proper VAS5052, and was very knowledgeable.  One thing which shocked me though was his area: south Lincs, Cambs, Norfolk, Suffolk, north Essex - my guess that covered about 15-20 dealers!!!!!  The second call out was last week, a 90 minute response time, AA only van, refused to sub-contract it to a local agency, even though I could see the local wagon from my house window - worst thing - the bastards never even turned up!!!!       

I sorted it out myself, and told my local stealer, who admitted an "alarming number" of increased complaints "since the AA took over the contract" - now if that didn't reassure me of the quality of the service . . . .