RE: Driven: Golf GTI Edition 35
Discussion
Changedmyname said:
I had a spell of VW GTI ownership mk2 jetta,then mk3 8v now mk4 18T.
Not going any further than that, I will NOT be choosing another golf.
Mk 3 8v and mk4 1.8T aren't a comparison to a mk5 GTI. I've owned each of these and currently have a mk5, I'd suggest you drive a mk5 to realise it's night and day better than it's elders.Not going any further than that, I will NOT be choosing another golf.
Itsallicanafford said:
...1420Kg, clearly more power is cheaper route to performance than weight loss but surely this is too much for a 3 door hatch and this weight must effect braking, dynamics etc...
There's hardly a manufacturer that hasn't increased the weight and power of it's cars. More safety gubbins etc.....
Colonial said:
thewheelman said:
Well, if an owner is happy with their car, that's all that really matters 
Especially if they actually have experience of the car...The only Golf i have liked in modern times is the Mk4 R32.
I think all the others are too bland, they should leave the subtle thing to the rest of the range and the GTI should be the top end model not the R IMO as it has more heritage and kudos. They should also be pushing the boundaries further with the top end models i.e. 300BHP 4wd GTI.
Residuals can be strong as a % but the bottom line is if you pay £28k for a Golf you will almost certainly lose a lot more ££££ when compared to something like a £17-20K Leon/Focus/Astra/Octavia/Renault that offers similar practicality and performance.
Not a bad car by any means but everything about it is a bit meh IMO.
If cars like the Intergrale/Cosworth/Quattro/E30 M3,etc are on one end of the scale i think this is on the other..................yes it is a competent car but everything thing about it is instantly replaceable(think sound/performance/practicality/anything) and bettered by models of yesteryear or current models, i mean is this car really that different to the Mk5 that came out in 2004/2005(although this can also be said about other manufacturers)?
I think all the others are too bland, they should leave the subtle thing to the rest of the range and the GTI should be the top end model not the R IMO as it has more heritage and kudos. They should also be pushing the boundaries further with the top end models i.e. 300BHP 4wd GTI.
Residuals can be strong as a % but the bottom line is if you pay £28k for a Golf you will almost certainly lose a lot more ££££ when compared to something like a £17-20K Leon/Focus/Astra/Octavia/Renault that offers similar practicality and performance.
Not a bad car by any means but everything about it is a bit meh IMO.
If cars like the Intergrale/Cosworth/Quattro/E30 M3,etc are on one end of the scale i think this is on the other..................yes it is a competent car but everything thing about it is instantly replaceable(think sound/performance/practicality/anything) and bettered by models of yesteryear or current models, i mean is this car really that different to the Mk5 that came out in 2004/2005(although this can also be said about other manufacturers)?
I like this, i bet its a lovely place to sit (having tested a MkVI GTI last year), does the practical / fast thing well and will be good depreciation wise. I guess it depends on whether you think £30k is alot of money. To me its an immense amount and i'll probably never have that much in the bank to spend on a car and i agree with other posts that if i did, i'd probably spend £15k on a decent second hander and spend the other £15k on pop and sweets and crisps.
Couple of points re the price,
£30k seems a great deal for a Golf BUT Golfs have premium class quality, no question, certainly a match for BMW IMO, so comparing it to a new 1 series or a 3 series for example is not unfair.
Cost of an F30 (New) 328i is going to be (like for like spec) £37-£38k+
Most cars in this class are leased or financed and therefore depreciation is the single most important cost. GTI Ed35 will be cheaper than a Megane RS 250 in that comparison even though it"appears" to be £3-£4k more expensive.55-60% retained value after 3 years I would think.
But for me the classlessness of the Golf is a really appealing aspect. It just doesn't have the image problems that Audi and BMW especially seem to suffer from.
Its also a very sensible practical every day family car that can take a B road apart almost as well as anything else remotely in its class.
The default choice for sure (Although if we all thought like that it would be a boring old world)
£30k seems a great deal for a Golf BUT Golfs have premium class quality, no question, certainly a match for BMW IMO, so comparing it to a new 1 series or a 3 series for example is not unfair.
Cost of an F30 (New) 328i is going to be (like for like spec) £37-£38k+
Most cars in this class are leased or financed and therefore depreciation is the single most important cost. GTI Ed35 will be cheaper than a Megane RS 250 in that comparison even though it"appears" to be £3-£4k more expensive.55-60% retained value after 3 years I would think.
But for me the classlessness of the Golf is a really appealing aspect. It just doesn't have the image problems that Audi and BMW especially seem to suffer from.
Its also a very sensible practical every day family car that can take a B road apart almost as well as anything else remotely in its class.
The default choice for sure (Although if we all thought like that it would be a boring old world)
Diamond blue said:
But for me the classlessness of the Golf is a really appealing aspect. It just doesn't have the image problems that Audi and BMW especially seem to suffer from.
I think the Golf lost it's classlessness a very long time ago. At one time it was classless because it was sold well and dropped in adverts so was deemed tough and reliable and it's design was simple, unfussy and that was also appealing. When VW pushed itself upmarket and declered itself a premium marque, that is what it became - it is still perceived as a class above Ford, Vauxhall etc so it can't be classless.I agree it doesn't have the image problems of the other two but that's probably more to do with the greater spread of models in the Golf range.
J4CKO said:
Diamond blue said:
Couple of points re the price,
£30k seems a great deal for a Golf BUT Golfs have premium class quality, no question, certainly a match for BMW IMO, so comparing it to a new 1 series or a 3 series for example is not unfair.
Cost of an F30 (New) 328i is going to be (like for like spec) £37-£38k+
Most cars in this class are leased or financed and therefore depreciation is the single most important cost. GTI Ed35 will be cheaper than a Megane RS 250 in that comparison even though it"appears" to be £3-£4k more expensive.55-60% retained value after 3 years I would think.
But for me the classlessness of the Golf is a really appealing aspect. It just doesn't have the image problems that Audi and BMW especially seem to suffer from.
Its also a very sensible practical every day family car that can take a B road apart almost as well as anything else remotely in its class.
The default choice for sure (Although if we all thought like that it would be a boring old world)
That's your perception, in reality it has no more "class" than a Ford Focus, & build quality certainly is no better. As i said before, VW are great at marketing & some suckers fall for that. £30k seems a great deal for a Golf BUT Golfs have premium class quality, no question, certainly a match for BMW IMO, so comparing it to a new 1 series or a 3 series for example is not unfair.
Cost of an F30 (New) 328i is going to be (like for like spec) £37-£38k+
Most cars in this class are leased or financed and therefore depreciation is the single most important cost. GTI Ed35 will be cheaper than a Megane RS 250 in that comparison even though it"appears" to be £3-£4k more expensive.55-60% retained value after 3 years I would think.
But for me the classlessness of the Golf is a really appealing aspect. It just doesn't have the image problems that Audi and BMW especially seem to suffer from.
Its also a very sensible practical every day family car that can take a B road apart almost as well as anything else remotely in its class.
The default choice for sure (Although if we all thought like that it would be a boring old world)
thewheelman said:
Diamond blue said:
Couple of points re the price,
£30k seems a great deal for a Golf BUT Golfs have premium class quality, no question, certainly a match for BMW IMO, so comparing it to a new 1 series or a 3 series for example is not unfair.
Cost of an F30 (New) 328i is going to be (like for like spec) £37-£38k+
Most cars in this class are leased or financed and therefore depreciation is the single most important cost. GTI Ed35 will be cheaper than a Megane RS 250 in that comparison even though it"appears" to be £3-£4k more expensive.55-60% retained value after 3 years I would think.
But for me the classlessness of the Golf is a really appealing aspect. It just doesn't have the image problems that Audi and BMW especially seem to suffer from.
Its also a very sensible practical every day family car that can take a B road apart almost as well as anything else remotely in its class.
The default choice for sure (Although if we all thought like that it would be a boring old world)
That's your perception, in reality it has no more "class" than a Ford Focus, & build quality certainly is no better. As i said before, VW are great at marketing & some suckers fall for that. £30k seems a great deal for a Golf BUT Golfs have premium class quality, no question, certainly a match for BMW IMO, so comparing it to a new 1 series or a 3 series for example is not unfair.
Cost of an F30 (New) 328i is going to be (like for like spec) £37-£38k+
Most cars in this class are leased or financed and therefore depreciation is the single most important cost. GTI Ed35 will be cheaper than a Megane RS 250 in that comparison even though it"appears" to be £3-£4k more expensive.55-60% retained value after 3 years I would think.
But for me the classlessness of the Golf is a really appealing aspect. It just doesn't have the image problems that Audi and BMW especially seem to suffer from.
Its also a very sensible practical every day family car that can take a B road apart almost as well as anything else remotely in its class.
The default choice for sure (Although if we all thought like that it would be a boring old world)
thewheelman said:
That's your perception, in reality it has no more "class" than a Ford Focus,
There's a better chance Daddy will buy his lovely daughter or wife a new Golf than a Focus even if better value is to had a your local Ford dealership. Also the middle class or the aspiring middle class will be eyeing up a new or used VW rather than Ford, then the next step will be an Audi. I do agree with you wheelman in one sense, as I'd have a great value Focus over a Golf and a Mondeo any day over a Passat, but there's a very large minority who wouldn't dream of having a Ford if they can have a VW.
Cassius81 said:
thewheelman said:
Diamond blue said:
Couple of points re the price,
£30k seems a great deal for a Golf BUT Golfs have premium class quality, no question, certainly a match for BMW IMO, so comparing it to a new 1 series or a 3 series for example is not unfair.
Cost of an F30 (New) 328i is going to be (like for like spec) £37-£38k+
Most cars in this class are leased or financed and therefore depreciation is the single most important cost. GTI Ed35 will be cheaper than a Megane RS 250 in that comparison even though it"appears" to be £3-£4k more expensive.55-60% retained value after 3 years I would think.
But for me the classlessness of the Golf is a really appealing aspect. It just doesn't have the image problems that Audi and BMW especially seem to suffer from.
Its also a very sensible practical every day family car that can take a B road apart almost as well as anything else remotely in its class.
The default choice for sure (Although if we all thought like that it would be a boring old world)
That's your perception, in reality it has no more "class" than a Ford Focus, & build quality certainly is no better. As i said before, VW are great at marketing & some suckers fall for that. £30k seems a great deal for a Golf BUT Golfs have premium class quality, no question, certainly a match for BMW IMO, so comparing it to a new 1 series or a 3 series for example is not unfair.
Cost of an F30 (New) 328i is going to be (like for like spec) £37-£38k+
Most cars in this class are leased or financed and therefore depreciation is the single most important cost. GTI Ed35 will be cheaper than a Megane RS 250 in that comparison even though it"appears" to be £3-£4k more expensive.55-60% retained value after 3 years I would think.
But for me the classlessness of the Golf is a really appealing aspect. It just doesn't have the image problems that Audi and BMW especially seem to suffer from.
Its also a very sensible practical every day family car that can take a B road apart almost as well as anything else remotely in its class.
The default choice for sure (Although if we all thought like that it would be a boring old world)
thewheelman said:
That's your perception, in reality it has no more "class" than a Ford Focus, & build quality certainly is no better. As i said before, VW are great at marketing & some suckers fall for that.
An interesting observation. Having owned both, I feel I am reasonably well qualified to comment. There is certainly a significant difference in the quality of some materials from a Golf and a Focus. Whilst Ford make a reasonable stab at soft feel plastics, there are lots of scratchy, shiny plastics in the less obvious places, that you won't notice in a showroom, but will later on. VW excel in going above and beyond, the quality that becomes apparent when you own the car over a longer term. I'm not knocking Ford's enginerring expertise, but you can see where VW put the extra quality in, which i guess is why they cost more.
GTEYE said:
thewheelman said:
That's your perception, in reality it has no more "class" than a Ford Focus, & build quality certainly is no better. As i said before, VW are great at marketing & some suckers fall for that.
An interesting observation. Having owned both, I feel I am reasonably well qualified to comment. There is certainly a significant difference in showroom quality to a Golf and a Focus. Whilst Ford make a reasonable stab at soft feel plastics, there are lots of scratchy, shiny plastics in the less obvious places, that you won't notice in a showroom. VW excel in going above and beyond, the quality that becomes apparent when you own the car over a longer term. I'm not knocking Ford's enginerring expertise, but you can see where VW put the extra quality in, which i guess is why they cost more.
Durzel said:
J4CKO said:
Always think people who buy new VW "Sporty" models are non petrolheads after something "a bit sporty" with a premium-ish badge, lets face it no self respecting petrolhead would lash the best part of 30 grand on a Golf with 230 bhp, sure its great "as a package" but it just says to me its a non petrolhead wanting to be one but missing the point to a certain extent, I dont think most real petrolheads buy new mid range stuff, if they are blessed with 30 grand they will scuttle off to the classifieds and buy a Noble or 996 turbo. All the VW performance stuff has a similar image to me, Scirrocco, even the Golf R it just looks like you tuck your jumper in your jeans and have immaculate nails.
I will take my "Dubs" pre aged, with the wrong engine in, i.e. a MK2 with a TT engine.
+1I will take my "Dubs" pre aged, with the wrong engine in, i.e. a MK2 with a TT engine.
Brilliantly put.
I can think of infinitely better ways to spend £28-30k on a car/cars than this. Still read the article with nostalgic interest tho.
Johnboy Mac said:
thewheelman said:
That's your perception, in reality it has no more "class" than a Ford Focus,
There's a better chance Daddy will buy his lovely daughter or wife a new Golf than a Focus even if better value is to had a your local Ford dealership. Also the middle class or the aspiring middle class will be eyeing up a new or used VW rather than Ford, then the next step will be an Audi. I do agree with you wheelman in one sense, as I'd have a great value Focus over a Golf and a Mondeo any day over a Passat, but there's a very large minority who wouldn't dream of having a Ford if they can have a VW.
Cassius81 said:
I don't want a stripped out track car, I want something understated and discreet (unlike a Focus or Leon) that is spacious (can carry 2 bikes with the seats down, no problem), refined, quick enough and won't lose too much of my money.
Do I care about the badge? Yes, not because of its image (does it have one?), but because it means my cash is safe (or far safer than in a Ford, Seat etc at least)
Fair comments all.Do I care about the badge? Yes, not because of its image (does it have one?), but because it means my cash is safe (or far safer than in a Ford, Seat etc at least)
thewheelman said:
That's your perception, in reality it has no more "class" than a Ford Focus, & build quality certainly is no better. As i said before, VW are great at marketing & some suckers fall for that.
I don't agree with that. Having seen/heard the way that Ford cars are engineered at an OEM level, they really aren't as good as VW. Everything at Ford is cost, cost, cost. If they have the choice between a really good engineering solution and an OK solution that's not as good, but cheaper, they'll choose the cheaper option every time sacrificing some element of component performance/life/quality. VW and the other German manufacturers have a very different outlook and are very much engineering/quality driven. They tend to see the benefits of an engineering led company and accept slightly higher piece price/development cost offset against lower warranty claims and volume costs.No, VW aren't problem free by any stretch, but then neither is anyone else, and the fundamental design is generally better. You find higher quality materials and better general design in a VW than a Ford.
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