RE: BMW M235i v VW Golf R: Delivery miles

[bertie]

P4ROT said:

As much as I want one of the m35i cars I can't help but think I would always secretly be annoyed I didn't buy the full fat M car.

I (well the wife) came out of an E92 V8 M3 and into the M135i and I think it's a better road car.

It's a lovely engine combined with a great auto box, so smooth and that wins for me over the Golf.

[Dave Hedgehog]

Thunderhead said:

Would there be a big drop in values of the Golf R as the significant amount of cheap lease deals come to an end? A possible used bargain at three years old.

they have sold a lot of them, a huge number compared to the last version, and there are still good deals about

so there should be some bargains around in 3 years time

[Timbola]

Diderot said:

Worth pointing out that if you are buying on finance - especially PCP - then it's often cheaper to buy brand new given the discounts, dealer contribs and the finance rates.

Went to the local dealer to test drive an M235i with a view to purchasing a delivery miles used M235i at around £32k.

Sat down with the salesman and did the maths, and it worked out cheaper PCP to buy new with options at £40k.

BMW AUC finance is APR 10.9% - 11.9%, whereas new the finance is APR 5.9%. Plus they may discount on new.

So I bought a new one. Arrived last week.

[Neil_M]

iloveboost said:

There's no 'better' car really. The GTD is slightly cheaper, about twenty percent lower on power but has about twenty percent better fuel consumption. Probably slightly less 'adjustable' handling but similar torque, now the petrols have valvelift.

It is slightly cheaper and has less power. The MPG does not have that much of difference, the owners forums themselves now admit that.

Also remember diesel is more expensive at the pump .

[bodhi]

MadDog1962 said:

If you have to choose one as your only car, as both a daily driver and weekender, it has to be the Golf on practicality grounds fir most of us I reckon. As a second car the BMW wins.

Don't entirely agree with that - we have a 1-Series Coupé as our only car, and I'm struggling to think of anything we haven't been able to do with it due to lack of practicality. We've done two fairly lengthy road trips in it now, to Belgium/Holland and Scotland, both times it swallowed all our luggage, and a set of golf clubs too.

Of course, this means for me that it would be M235i every time. I find the engine completely ruins the Golf, sure it's got the required amount of go, but it sounds so dull and uninteresting whilst it's doing it. Now if they were still putting the narrow angle V6 in it, things may be different, but a 4 cylinder turbo? Meh.

[Tony33]

The 2 series is in another market in my view. No doubt some would by a Golf R purely for its performance and seldom use the rear seats or transport furniture in which case the R vs M235i maybe an option but that isn't the typical market IMHO. The 2 series is squarely in the coupe market which excludes it from many people's lists and makes it more appealing to those not needing a family hatchback.

[macky17]

dinz said:

I'd agree with the other 'R' owners, once the thrill of such a fast Golf wears off, it's just a bit too dull and 'normal'.

But wasn't it obvious that would be the case? Same applies to most auto/4wd/computer controlled cars. Good as daily drivers but not enough thrill for a toy. Nissan GTR is the same it just takes you longer to realise it.

[Tony33]

macky17 said:

dinz said:

I'd agree with the other 'R' owners, once the thrill of such a fast Golf wears off, it's just a bit too dull and 'normal'.

But wasn't it obvious that would be the case? Same applies to most auto/4wd/computer controlled cars. Good as daily drivers but not enough thrill for a toy. Nissan GTR is the same it just takes you longer to realise it.

I realise this isn't a great PH comment but I bought an R because it does the dull and normal very well. I needed a practical family car and wanted something a little bit spicy. I really liked the M135i but it fell down on the practicality side. Going from a 3 series it felt like downsizing too much whereas the Golf actually is more comfortable for three adults in the back - an occasional requirement with a family of 5 albeit all grown up with their own cars.

I think the R is a great choice for the guy constrained by the requirement for a family hatchback and does the dual personality thing very well. If it is for a second car then other options open up.

[Matthew Clarke]

Has anyone dissing the R actually driven one? I dont mind VW bashing when deserved but you really need to try one before saying its dull. Ok its not RWD but it you can move the back end around! If you have driven one and think its dull you havent been driving it hard enough.

[Matthew Clarke]

rtz62 said:

Anyone care to share where one can get these £247/mth finance deals, and what size deposit is needed?
Only asking as SWMBO had a BMW 320d mSport touring via DriveTheDeal, which we collected from a BMW dealership in the South West, and which got her around £6k off the list price (back in 2007) and she is potentially looking for something like the Golf R

http://www.vwroc.com/forums/topic/7743-new-golf-r-offer-%C2%A322499-923-8kpa-central-uk-vehicle-leasing/

[ubbs]

Matthew Clarke said:

Has anyone dissing the R actually driven one? I dont mind VW bashing when deserved but you really need to try one before saying its dull. Ok its not RWD but it you can move the back end around! If you have driven one and think its dull you havent been driving it hard enough.
My my Matt you do get around! how's my old car?

[Matthew Clarke]

ubbs said:

Matthew Clarke said:

Has anyone dissing the R actually driven one? I dont mind VW bashing when deserved but you really need to try one before saying its dull. Ok its not RWD but it you can move the back end around! If you have driven one and think its dull you havent been driving it hard enough.
My my Matt you do get around! how's my old car?

Ha ha small world (guess thats always case with performance cars lol) How the heck are you?

Old car is still spot on and going strong thank you. Drop me a PM or an email

Here you go and to keep it on topic this hopefully shows I have no bias towards VW or BMW just like good drivers, hence Golf R acquisition over the 235i

[ORD]

I don't see any point whatsoever in the proper M cars now. The x35i cars are 6 pot turbos; so are the M cars; but the M cars cost twice as much for essentially the same car.

You would be mad to buy an M3/4 these days, whereas the old E9x M3 was worth the money over the 335i because it had the gorgeous V8.

The Mark 7 Golf mings! The BMW is tolerably handsome in the flesh.

[Matthew Clarke]

ORD said:

I don't see any point whatsoever in the proper M cars now. The x35i cars are 6 pot turbos; so are the M cars; but the M cars cost twice as much for essentially the same car.

You would be mad to buy an M3/4 these days, whereas the old E9x M3 was worth the money over the 335i because it had the gorgeous V8.

The Mark 7 Golf mings! The BMW is tolerably handsome in the flesh.

I wont agree with you on the VW bit and its not all about looks However spot on with the M4. I contemplated one after the 335i but it has the same engine as the 335i! Admittedly modified, but thats not enough difference for me to part with a considerable amount of cash. Plus again the suspension/chassis set up just isnt good enough for the UK (north of Birmingham anyway....)

[ubbs]

Matthew Clarke said:

Ha ha small world (guess thats always case with performance cars lol) How the heck are you?

Old car is still spot on and going strong thank you. Drop me a PM or an email

Here you go and to keep it on topic this hopefully shows I have no bias towards VW or BMW just like good drivers, hence Golf R acquisition over the 235i

You know I'm vw nut!
I did try the golf r last October when I was changing the rs3, it was was a nice car but Stepping out of the Audi into the golf didn't seem right from "her" point view the thing I didnt like was the noise so I ended up with the amg

[strangehighways]

I would have the BMW, except it is just monumentally ugly from the rear. I couldn't live with that.

[tim milne]

I got a Golf R a couple of months back and, coming from a RenaultSport Clio 200, found it to be quite soulless and rather detached. Some of that feeling has worn off, but I think that's just me getting used to it — it actually is detached.

It's a very capable car and, as other people here have pointed out, if you have to have one car, a Golf R — or any Golf — is hard to beat.

Specific, unexpected niggles are:

– the gearbox is notchy and not at all silky or nicely mechanical

– the artificial noise is becoming increasingly annoying, if only because it's the wrong noise (Subaru)

– I'm not convinced by the alleged VW build quality. Sure, the doors make a nice thunk, but the paint is wearing off in the door jambs because they don't line up properly and it's beginning to rattle inside. My Renault — not known for screwing their interiors together very tightly — was rock solid in the 3.5 years I had it.

Sure, it's fast, but it feels like once you've blasted it down a few motorway ramps, you know all its tricks.

Maybe I'm being harsh, and I know some people are wildly enthusiastic, but it doesn't feel like a driver's car. It's lacking emotion.

[TobesH]

tim milne said:

I got a Golf R a couple of months back and, coming from a RenaultSport Clio 200, found it to be quite soulless and rather detached. Some of that feeling has worn off, but I think that's just me getting used to it — it actually is detached.

It's a very capable car and, as other people here have pointed out, if you have to have one car, a Golf R — or any Golf — is hard to beat.

Specific, unexpected niggles are:

– the gearbox is notchy and not at all silky or nicely mechanical

– the artificial noise is becoming increasingly annoying, if only because it's the wrong noise (Subaru)

– I'm not convinced by the alleged VW build quality. Sure, the doors make a nice thunk, but the paint is wearing off in the door jambs because they don't line up properly and it's beginning to rattle inside. My Renault — not known for screwing their interiors together very tightly — was rock solid in the 3.5 years I had it.

Sure, it's fast, but it feels like once you've blasted it down a few motorway ramps, you know all its tricks.

Maybe I'm being harsh, and I know some people are wildly enthusiastic, but it doesn't feel like a driver's car. It's lacking emotion.

Interesting feedback re VAG quality. My BMW F30 is 2 years old and has covered nearly 60,000 miles. No rattles, no squeaks, no faults. It still feels new to drive. My colleague runs a 2012 Golf GTD now with 70,000 miles on it. He's has constant issues with trim, rattle issues and electrical gremlins most of which the dealer has been unable to sort.

[Volition]

I can't comment on the Golf R but I've had my M235i for 6 months now. We looked at a Porsche 911S with PDK and an E92 M3 with DCT. Would have gone for the Porsche but the PDK's were more expensive and so were the interest rates. The M3 was dull around town; until we had an open stretch of road. In comparison to the M235i it looked dated and the technology wasn't up to scratch. The M235i was fun and felt more like a sprinter at lower speeds and looked new. The M235i felt faster than the M3.

I'm extremely happy with the M235i and I've had a lot of fun with various cars in it; including a DBS, which slowed down to let me pass, looked at the car at the lights and gave me an acknowledging wink and nod.

Our last car was a Z4 35i with the DCT gearbox and to be honest I'm equally happy with the ZF8 even though it's not a dual clutch. As a daily commuter it's bang on and super fast and the most practical car we've owned.

I do like the Golf R and would love to drive one.

[Baryonyx]

It takes a lot of effort to make the BMW 2 series look attractive, but when it's sitting next to a Golf R...