RE: VW Golf R vs. its own hype
Discussion
It is funny reading this thread; especially the chav comments.
I've currently got a new R and and an '08 Edition 30 - both golfs (obviously) both paid for with cash (don't do credit)
Driving the R attracts no attention whatsoever- it just looks like a white golf. The quality of the interior (coming from a recently sold M235i) is first rate - it really is. Not particularly bursting with design flare, just tight fitting, good materials, good ergonomics and and a goof feel to it. The seats are super comfy and not overly bolstered.
The engine is a peach. It pulls effortlessly from very low down and revs out well. Ive turned off the artificial soundtrack and you can hear a subtle engine note and a nice shrill turbo spool. It's not a car that does everything - it doesn't have a V8 burble, it doesn't give the white knuckle ride of a untamed lion like a TVR or similar, but for everyday driving, whatever the weather its an under the radar, fast as hell, practical (its a 5 door mine) car that can potter along in the traffic and open the taps when the road and speed limit allows.
I dislike the quad pipes immensely - but they can be removed easily and I'm going to get them ceramic coated in a dark grey so they stick out less.
Ive had lots of cars, I mean lots and lots and lots - honestly well over 100, no BS. All types of BMW M, porsche etc and the R is the most complete package for daily usage. Its got reasonable running costs too.
I've just bought a peach of a Porsche 968 that I'll be bringing back to full health and that gives me that raw ride for the weekend fun. Plus the EDition 30 - well thats got a selectable 3 stage APR map - map 3 lights the wheels at 80 in the wet! totally unusable but fun nevertheless.
I would suggest anyone who judges the R without driving one first is making a mistake. Infact I even remember the PH reviews a while ago and me making the same mistake.
With dealer forecourts well stocked and VW on its knees then they are ripe for a hard driven bargain.
I've currently got a new R and and an '08 Edition 30 - both golfs (obviously) both paid for with cash (don't do credit)
Driving the R attracts no attention whatsoever- it just looks like a white golf. The quality of the interior (coming from a recently sold M235i) is first rate - it really is. Not particularly bursting with design flare, just tight fitting, good materials, good ergonomics and and a goof feel to it. The seats are super comfy and not overly bolstered.
The engine is a peach. It pulls effortlessly from very low down and revs out well. Ive turned off the artificial soundtrack and you can hear a subtle engine note and a nice shrill turbo spool. It's not a car that does everything - it doesn't have a V8 burble, it doesn't give the white knuckle ride of a untamed lion like a TVR or similar, but for everyday driving, whatever the weather its an under the radar, fast as hell, practical (its a 5 door mine) car that can potter along in the traffic and open the taps when the road and speed limit allows.
I dislike the quad pipes immensely - but they can be removed easily and I'm going to get them ceramic coated in a dark grey so they stick out less.
Ive had lots of cars, I mean lots and lots and lots - honestly well over 100, no BS. All types of BMW M, porsche etc and the R is the most complete package for daily usage. Its got reasonable running costs too.
I've just bought a peach of a Porsche 968 that I'll be bringing back to full health and that gives me that raw ride for the weekend fun. Plus the EDition 30 - well thats got a selectable 3 stage APR map - map 3 lights the wheels at 80 in the wet! totally unusable but fun nevertheless.
I would suggest anyone who judges the R without driving one first is making a mistake. Infact I even remember the PH reviews a while ago and me making the same mistake.
With dealer forecourts well stocked and VW on its knees then they are ripe for a hard driven bargain.
tumble dryer said:
Coolbanana said:
I've owned several fast BMW's, a Porsche 911 and far more luxurious, higher-end vehicles but the R is proving to me to be a very much-enjoyed all-rounder that makes me want to drive it as much as any car I've had before.
Arriving very late in the game to VAG-ownership and unaware of what was going on in the lease-marketplace, I bought mine; outright. Based upon nostalgia from my teen years of long ago for the original GTI, Reviews and hype alone.
I reserved my hard-earned money this time around for a more sound financial investment in Property and went for a base-spec R thinking it seemed to have all the bits I actually use on a day-to-day basis - and I was right.
I like my toys but I can do without many that are simply extras and not really used much when I want to.
So the R is to me a bit of an eye-opener and somewhat of a revelation. You'd think VAG products were rubbish reading some folks comments on PH but, for me, the opposite is surely true if this little Golf is anything to go by. It is well put together and feels like a premium brand product. It is ergonomically functional, neat and tidy. It is a genuinely quick car and handles itself better in the wet than any vehicle I've owned previously.
Ok, so it is "bland". I'll concede that, but maybe I am too, so we are perfect for one another. If by "bland" we mean it doesn't scream 'Race Car, Boy Racer, Yobbo Mobile, Chav Chariot' then it certainly fits. It does, after all, only look 'slightly sporty'. While I appreciate cars like the Civic Type R, Subaru and Focus RS are good in their own way, they aren't for me on appearance alone. I'm not sure I would have wanted those looks on my driveway as a teenager either. Too Halfords I would have thought, even back then. Too 'trying too hard to be in your face sporty'. The AMG A45 falls into this category with its wing too.
I guess then, I like "bland". Others will like the RS etc and good for them - if they enjoy their choice as much as I enjoy mine, we're all happy.
"Soul". Hmmm. A tougher one. "Soul" often means different things to different people too. Quirks that can to some be annoying can be evidence of soul to others. Does the Golf R have soul then? To me...actually yes.
It's character isn't in the same vein as my BMW Z4M's was. That car was a hooligan; a lairy barnstormer. No, the Golf R's character to me is found in its willingness to be everything - to behave sedately and, dare I say, mundane, one minute but thrilling the next. Thrilling, of course, can only be soulful to some when it is forcing you to fight it, to be keeping you on the edge of your seat and challenging your skill-set. That's nice. Thrilling for me is demonstrating how accomplished the car is - making me nod to the Engineer's who made it and smiling at how good it is as I take a corner really, really fast.
Less skill and therefore less challenging, the latter. But then I'm not a car racer. I have never been to a Track and, truth be told, I have no ambition to either. Just not my thing. I do like to go around corners really quickly and accelerate quickly too. Simple likes. The Golf R provides those in all weathers, with aplomb and puts a smile on my face whilst doing so.
Cracking post.Arriving very late in the game to VAG-ownership and unaware of what was going on in the lease-marketplace, I bought mine; outright. Based upon nostalgia from my teen years of long ago for the original GTI, Reviews and hype alone.
I reserved my hard-earned money this time around for a more sound financial investment in Property and went for a base-spec R thinking it seemed to have all the bits I actually use on a day-to-day basis - and I was right.
I like my toys but I can do without many that are simply extras and not really used much when I want to.
So the R is to me a bit of an eye-opener and somewhat of a revelation. You'd think VAG products were rubbish reading some folks comments on PH but, for me, the opposite is surely true if this little Golf is anything to go by. It is well put together and feels like a premium brand product. It is ergonomically functional, neat and tidy. It is a genuinely quick car and handles itself better in the wet than any vehicle I've owned previously.
Ok, so it is "bland". I'll concede that, but maybe I am too, so we are perfect for one another. If by "bland" we mean it doesn't scream 'Race Car, Boy Racer, Yobbo Mobile, Chav Chariot' then it certainly fits. It does, after all, only look 'slightly sporty'. While I appreciate cars like the Civic Type R, Subaru and Focus RS are good in their own way, they aren't for me on appearance alone. I'm not sure I would have wanted those looks on my driveway as a teenager either. Too Halfords I would have thought, even back then. Too 'trying too hard to be in your face sporty'. The AMG A45 falls into this category with its wing too.
I guess then, I like "bland". Others will like the RS etc and good for them - if they enjoy their choice as much as I enjoy mine, we're all happy.
"Soul". Hmmm. A tougher one. "Soul" often means different things to different people too. Quirks that can to some be annoying can be evidence of soul to others. Does the Golf R have soul then? To me...actually yes.
It's character isn't in the same vein as my BMW Z4M's was. That car was a hooligan; a lairy barnstormer. No, the Golf R's character to me is found in its willingness to be everything - to behave sedately and, dare I say, mundane, one minute but thrilling the next. Thrilling, of course, can only be soulful to some when it is forcing you to fight it, to be keeping you on the edge of your seat and challenging your skill-set. That's nice. Thrilling for me is demonstrating how accomplished the car is - making me nod to the Engineer's who made it and smiling at how good it is as I take a corner really, really fast.
Less skill and therefore less challenging, the latter. But then I'm not a car racer. I have never been to a Track and, truth be told, I have no ambition to either. Just not my thing. I do like to go around corners really quickly and accelerate quickly too. Simple likes. The Golf R provides those in all weathers, with aplomb and puts a smile on my face whilst doing so.
Edited by Coolbanana on Tuesday 22 December 18:11
k-ink said:
I'd far rather have an RS3. At least they sound great and look much more interesting, yet are still restrained (compared to the yobbo cars like Focus, Civic, etc).
I agree with you on the last Ford Focus RS but the new one looks quite restrained in comparison, so much so some people are complaining. I agree it does have more sporty styling points than the Leon though, sorry, Golf. I'm always doing that! Seriously though, I think the Focus RS will be a fantastic drivers car given what's been written so far and past Ford history. Talking of which, I see lots of Fiesta ST's on the road and have still not seen a Clio 200 turbo. How the mighty has fallen, at least in that smaller segment.
At least there is a good choice of hot hatches now, from Golf R to Civic type R, which we can all cheer for. The more choice the better.
The R lease deals were brilliant as well. Are they still doing them now VW are having to pay all those fines ???
Shambler said:
why can't piston heads be more like Jalopnik, Pistonheads is such negative s
tetalk
I certainly can't remember a car in recent history that has generated such passionate debate nearly two years after they appeared on the road. I think it would be a boring place if everyone gushed about the car, although the stereotypical VAG slating that normally comes with it can be a bit tiresome. tetalktumble dryer said:
nickfrog said:
tumble dryer said:
nickfrog said:
Carlique said:
Ultimately for me the R is a car which I can enjoy it's performance on an almost daily basis, in all weathers, without it biting your head off. Something that can't realistically be done in cars like the Type R/M135i/Megane RS etc.
I don't get this at all - if you mean that traction management will be far easier in the Golf, then I agree [b]but surely a car is only as grippy as it outside front tyre irrespective of wheels driven[/b[ and at least until the apex, while beyond we're in traction territory again. I drive a M135i on wet/stty/muddy b-road every day : it's almost too tractable to be fun despite the lack of a slippy diff. And if it gets too cold, just swap for winters and you have a fun all-weather car.And you can't see either the release or allowance of power/torque to other given wheel(s), or, braking being applied to whichever wheel was calling for it - or a combination of both - having any effect on that outside front tyre...?
That's a very rear wheel driver's POV.
I normally only start applying power when I start unwinding lock as surely if you use all the lateral grip up to the apex there is no friction left for longitudinal acceleration, irrespective of number of wheels driven.
With all the electronic gubbins left off (can you do that in the R?) the M135i will be a lot more fun.
All that said, I think there are drivers out there who have bought the Golf R or the M135i expecting them to be a bit more hard-core and perhaps hoping they'd find hidden depths in the cars. I'm one of those drivers and I find the BMW disappointing. I think I would absolutely hate the Golf.
I've had my R for just over a year now. It followed a Clio 200 with Cup chassis, and sits next to a 964RS in the garage.
For me, what the R does not have is the single-minded focus of something like a Renaultsport Clio. You could tell that car was built for one purpose only every time you drove it - going quickly down a twisty road with maximum driver involvement. I loved the fact that the gear ratios were set for maximum acceleration, even if it did mean 4,500rpm in top on the motorway, and barely 30mpg economy. I loved that you needed to be above 5000rpm to really exploit the engine. I loved that you could take it to a track day, drive it really hard, and the brakes wouldn't wilt after two laps. It has something of the character of the 964RS about it in its focus.
The R is not the same sort of car - as everyone has said it is much more rounded in its abilities, and a consequence of that is it can't be as exciting or focused when you are "on it". But it does have a character, and when charging down a good A or B road the chassis is very polished and I find it a rewarding drive. The engine is certainly effective, and it does have a bit of tope-end rush to it to reward using all the revs. I don't think the piped engine noise is an unpleasant noise, but I object to the whole idea of it (in any car).
So as always I think you pay your money and you take your choice. If people want something more hard-core I can absolutely see why you would go for a Megane or Focus RS. If you want a really characterful engine then I can see why you would enjoy an M135i more (loved the 3L six in the 330Ci I had a few years back).
The R is a very fine car, though. I don't regret getting it as it has the balance of capabilites I want at the moment, and I look forward to driving it every time I get in it.
For me, what the R does not have is the single-minded focus of something like a Renaultsport Clio. You could tell that car was built for one purpose only every time you drove it - going quickly down a twisty road with maximum driver involvement. I loved the fact that the gear ratios were set for maximum acceleration, even if it did mean 4,500rpm in top on the motorway, and barely 30mpg economy. I loved that you needed to be above 5000rpm to really exploit the engine. I loved that you could take it to a track day, drive it really hard, and the brakes wouldn't wilt after two laps. It has something of the character of the 964RS about it in its focus.
The R is not the same sort of car - as everyone has said it is much more rounded in its abilities, and a consequence of that is it can't be as exciting or focused when you are "on it". But it does have a character, and when charging down a good A or B road the chassis is very polished and I find it a rewarding drive. The engine is certainly effective, and it does have a bit of tope-end rush to it to reward using all the revs. I don't think the piped engine noise is an unpleasant noise, but I object to the whole idea of it (in any car).
So as always I think you pay your money and you take your choice. If people want something more hard-core I can absolutely see why you would go for a Megane or Focus RS. If you want a really characterful engine then I can see why you would enjoy an M135i more (loved the 3L six in the 330Ci I had a few years back).
The R is a very fine car, though. I don't regret getting it as it has the balance of capabilites I want at the moment, and I look forward to driving it every time I get in it.
As an everyday car in my opinion it is just about perfect, its safe, its practical, its quick and I don't have to worry about it trying to kill the wife.
A manual gearbox gives you a bit of involvement all in all I think it achieves what VW set out to achieve and it has certainly raised the bar.
DocSteve said:
This was mine a few weeks ago when I took it for a gratuitous spirited drive across the Pennines en route to Glasgow from the Midlands. I think in the conditions I'd have struggled to find a quicker car, especially with Pirelli Sottozero 3s fitted.
ProBodge said:
£36k for a Golf?!
What a horrible waste of money. You could get a proper sports car for that money.
Then again, I suppose most "owners" are just renting them so the total cost isn't considered.
I'd rather take out a £36k loan and buy an old Porsche or even a Nissan GT-R thanks.
Old vs new eh..... Now we all know how much of a daft comparison that isWhat a horrible waste of money. You could get a proper sports car for that money.
Then again, I suppose most "owners" are just renting them so the total cost isn't considered.
I'd rather take out a £36k loan and buy an old Porsche or even a Nissan GT-R thanks.
Gregmitchell said:
CerberusRogue said:
Gregmitchell said:
for £230 a month find me a better new car.... didn't think so....
Golf GTI. There, I did it for you.sawman said:
just out of interest, whats the running costs like on these? I currently cover 20k a year in a 3.0 outback. The golf R estate might be a replacement contender when the time comes. I currently get about 27mpg.
I've done 22k in mine, average 32mpg over the terms, find it difficult to get below 25 driving fast, cruising it's easy to get 36-40.I totally disagree about the thing not having soul. It's lack of character IS it's character. And they are a bit of a struggle on the limit because you really are moving by the time the car starts to get messy. In many ways, daft exhausts aside, it harks back to the classic era of German cars from, say, 85 to 92. The car that seems forgotten here is the GTE. I've driven most of the similar VAG cars. The GTI, R, Leon, S3 etc. etc. The one I really like is the GTE. They have absolutely gone to town on the set up on that car. It is a work of art. It feels another level on from the straight petrol cars. Not in outright speed but rather in linearity. Anybody thinking of R vs GTI and S3 ought really to try one. Also, and this is very geeky, my favourite usage of the R drivetrain is the S3 saloon. In a dark colour, with body coloured mirrors and small wheels, that is a proper sleeper. None of them are in the same class as the Megane if outright operational genius is your thing. That car will forever be seen as one of the greats. It is from another planet.
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