Newbie - lots of questions and thanks in advance

[pat1967]

I recently bought a new golf gti 3 door, only options I had where rcd500 6 disc, 18 "wheels,ipod prep. Picked it up on the 1st, really pleased, cracking car. I used Sainsbury car buying plan to knock some sense into the dealer, well worth a look good pcp deals with discount on list price too. If you are going for a pcp, go for a 3 year deal, not 4, should not been any difference in monthly figures. then you have no worries about driving a car without any warranty.

[joesgti]

What I really want is an GTI with 18 Monza's, ED30 turbo and ED30 interior.

Just buy a set of Monza's and slap em on yer Ed30 then (then stick the pescaras on ebay!) 

dont put them on ebay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! give them me 

[Hurdy]

What I really want is an GTI with 18 Monza's, ED30 turbo and ED30 interior.

Just buy a set of Monza's and slap em on yer Ed30 then (then stick the pescaras on ebay!) 

dont put them on ebay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! give them me 

I thought that if you got a contract plan out to buy a car then you weren't supposed to do anything to it as it officially belongs to the finance company until you pay the final purchase sum?

[R32UK]

Ok here is my 2p worth! Dont buy the Gti buy the R32! I have put down £1100 and pay £315pm on a lease over 2years. No further payments.. no worries about selling on.. 2yrs hassel free motoring..

but then i would say that

[Avalyn]

R32UK .... 

So I sell my 4WD 330 BHP rocket which I will own in about 2 years and will still be worth about 12K (spending £300 a month on loan at the moment) .. to spend £315 on a slower 4WD car which I will own nothing of in 2 years  ..... hmmmmm, let me think about that one 

From all the reviews the R32 doesn't give you much more (especially mid range) compared to a GTI (nevermind the ED30). OK a nice noise and 4WD ... but I have that already with my Forester STi

1. I want to cut my costs a month
2. own a nice car and improve the interior quality
3. get better mpg
4. and have something I don't mind sitting on a driveway 5 days a week as it doesn't cost me as much to be there

The R32 only gives me 1 of those (no 2) compared to my current car. A GTI or ED30 gives me all 4.

I'm not disputing the R32 is a very nice car but I have a poor MPG 4WD car at the moment already 

Basically I'm getting old and sensible, I think a GTI will give me all I need at the costs I want. Sure I'll miss the 4WD (and anyway the R32 isn't a proper 4WD system  ) .. but if it's wet I'll take it easy and if it snows I'll walk to work 

Don't think there'll be much difference day to day on B-roads between an R32 and a GTI/ED30 ... you need a serious amount of BHP difference to put a big gap between cars realistically if you're not on track.

Avalyn.

[grantw]

I just bought a nearly new GTI, had traded up from a tuned mini cooper s works, felt a bit of a boy racer with it, and was difficult getting people in and out of and felt I had to drive it at ten tenths everywhere..began to worry about my licence! I run my own design business and wanted to have something that I can take clients out in if need be, fit 5 people, practical, good residuals (one of the best things about gti's!) handles well, realatively quick, comfortable, good to cruise long journeys in, looks good and is kind of classless.

Over the moon with my car, I got a good deal on a used gti, that was in great conditon and only 8k miles, saved a fair bit over new but also negotiated free cruise control upgrade and ipod armrest prep for free, which isnt that bad. I own the car outright, but you could finance it for a couple of hundred a month. have a couple of friends with one with a r32 and and new s3, and must admit i dont ever feel wanting (though they are nice cars) when I see them and the final cost and the finance they pay on them! makes me feel that i have a great car that is financially a good move.

good luck with your car hunting!! i think if you get the right clour spec of GTI you will like it, especially in a couple of years when you come to sell it too!

[grantw]

oh and on a return 350 mile trip the other day had a great smile on my face seeing 36.5mpg at a 75mph cruise! my mini works was dreadfully thirsty in comparison.. supercharger did make a good  noise though!

[Phil mcavity]

totally agree with you, done the exact same thing .worth saving some money on near new

I just bought a nearly new GTI, had traded up from a tuned mini cooper s works, felt a bit of a boy racer with it, and was difficult getting people in and out of and felt I had to drive it at ten tenths everywhere..began to worry about my licence! I run my own design business and wanted to have something that I can take clients out in if need be, fit 5 people, practical, good residuals (one of the best things about gti's!) handles well, realatively quick, comfortable, good to cruise long journeys in, looks good and is kind of classless.

Over the moon with my car, I got a good deal on a used gti, that was in great conditon and only 8k miles, saved a fair bit over new but also negotiated free cruise control upgrade and ipod armrest prep for free, which isnt that bad. I own the car outright, but you could finance it for a couple of hundred a month. have a couple of friends with one with a r32 and and new s3, and must admit i dont ever feel wanting (though they are nice cars) when I see them and the final cost and the finance they pay on them! makes me feel that i have a great car that is financially a good move.

good luck with your car hunting!! i think if you get the right clour spec of GTI you will like it, especially in a couple of years when you come to sell it too!

[R32UK]

R32UK .... 

So I sell my 4WD 330 BHP rocket which I will own in about 2 years and will still be worth about 12K (spending £300 a month on loan at the moment) .. to spend £315 on a slower 4WD car which I will own nothing of in 2 years  ..... hmmmmm, let me think about that one 

From all the reviews the R32 doesn't give you much more (especially mid range) compared to a GTI (nevermind the ED30). OK a nice noise and 4WD ... but I have that already with my Forester STi

1. I want to cut my costs a month
2. own a nice car and improve the interior quality
3. get better mpg
4. and have something I don't mind sitting on a driveway 5 days a week as it doesn't cost me as much to be there

The R32 only gives me 1 of those (no 2) compared to my current car. A GTI or ED30 gives me all 4.

I'm not disputing the R32 is a very nice car but I have a poor MPG 4WD car at the moment already 

Basically I'm getting old and sensible, I think a GTI will give me all I need at the costs I want. Sure I'll miss the 4WD (and anyway the R32 isn't a proper 4WD system  ) .. but if it's wet I'll take it easy and if it snows I'll walk to work 

Don't think there'll be much difference day to day on B-roads between an R32 and a GTI/ED30 ... you need a serious amount of BHP difference to put a big gap between cars realistically if you're not on track.

Avalyn.

Talk about piddling on my bonfire 

It just means you put your 6k in your poket and only pay slightly more than what you pay right now. Im not going to start the whole gti vs R32 argument again.. but what I would say is your getting more car for your money. As for difference between the two on the roads we might not be talking that much.. but in the wet or top end and incline there is no contest. Just read some of the posts from those who have owned both.. Anyway its your call of course.. If i was buying a car with my own money I would get the Gti.. Leasing.. R32 anyday

[Avalyn]

R32UK.

I think R32's are really cool. Must admit I slightly prefer the look of the old one. What VW should have done was keep the same wheels (not sure about the new design) and kept the tailpipes at each edge of the rear bumber and it would have been so much better .. however each to their own 

It really is pick a car for it's purpose, I feel an R32 would be wasted just around town and I'm now too old and sensible to really go for it in the wet so that's not when I'd be thrashing around. With 330/330 in the Forester even with it's 4WD you can easily drift it or get caught out with too much right foot too soon.

The 3.2 sounds fantastic too .. they are lovely cars irrespective of the minor performance difference between the ED30/GTI/R32.

I just don't want to change an expensive 4WD rocket for an expensive 4WD rocket 

Avalyn.