Golf Edition 30 or Astra VXR Nurburgring

[Sam Hopkins]

Hi all,

Looking into purchasing my next car, interested in Mk5 Golf GTI edition 30s and also starting to like the look of the Mk5 Astra VXR Nurburgring.

Just curious if there are problems to be aware of and things to look out for.

Also would like to know peoples opinions on them.

Many thanks,
Sam 😎

[nunpuncher]

ED30 is probably one of the best versions of the Golf GTi there is. I won't say anything about the astra as I don't have anything nice to say about them.

[vtecyo]

nunpuncher said:

ED30 is probably one of the best versions of the Golf GTi there is. I won't say anything about the astra as I don't have anything nice to say about them.

This, word for word.

[Sam Hopkins]

Thanks for your replies

[Kev_Mk3]

VXR Nurburgring Edition I would love, but its just a normal one with a remus exhaust, different wheels and stickers (with a few ring logos on seats etc)


Get a golf.

[AJB88]

ED30

[ZX10R NIN]

I'd say go for the Golf out of these two, the Nurburgring Astra has a wider track lighter wheels exhaust & an extra 15bhp which makes it worth a look.

In all honesty I'd go & find the best Megane RS250 Cup you could find.

[journeymanpro]

Golf no question.

[Rich Boy Spanner]

Get the Astra and regularly post pictures on PH to cause irrational rage in strangers over your choice of car.

[JJ55]

Get the golf

[GreatGranny]

If you can find a good one and won't put too many miles on it then the ED30 will lose minimal money and is, IMO, the better car.

What's your budget?

[Glenn63]

I’ve never driven a golf but my mrs has a vxr and I just can’t gel with it at all, the position of things seems off. To able to comfortably put the clutch down the brake and accelerator are to close and the gear stick is to far away. Iv not owned a two door for a while so maybe be that but the doors seem huuge so when parked in a tightish spot its a pain to get out of the tiny gap. It also understeers like an apsolute dog with little traction of the line but then my mrs doesn’t spend extra cash on decent tyres.
As you can tell I’m not the biggest fan!

Edit to add about rumours of gearboxes/turbos going but hers is over 100k now with no (serious) issues might just be lucky.

Edited by Glenn63 on Tuesday 10th December 09:34

[Dar_Williams]

Is the Edition 30 really worth the premium over a standard GTi? I’ve been looking over the last few weeks and a good one with decent mileage is in mk6 territory! I like the look of the Ed30 but also think I’d prefer the more modern feel of a mk6? I get the residuals on the Ed30 would be better but as a daily, doing 10-12k a year, would I see an advantage in the long term?

[xjay1337]

Dar_Williams said:

Is the Edition 30 really worth the premium over a standard GTi? I’ve been looking over the last few weeks and a good one with decent mileage is in mk6 territory! I like the look of the Ed30 but also think I’d prefer the more modern feel of a mk6? I get the residuals on the Ed30 would be better but as a daily, doing 10-12k a year, would I see an advantage in the long term?

Depends how much work you want to do.

Personally I'd buy a straight GTI with a broken engine on the cheap, and go straight for a forged one with a TTE420 or Garret GTX2876R or a 3071R along with usual fuelling mods, to get between 400 and 500hp.

They're flat as a pancake standard.

[Sam Hopkins]

GreatGranny said:

If you can find a good one and won't put too many miles on it then the ED30 will lose minimal money and is, IMO, the better car.

What's your budget?

Would like something with lower mileage, around 8.5-9k

[Dar_Williams]

xjay1337 said:

Depends how much work you want to do.

Personally I'd buy a straight GTI with a broken engine on the cheap, and go straight for a forged one with a TTE420 or Garret GTX2876R or a 3071R along with usual fuelling mods, to get between 400 and 500hp.

They're flat as a pancake standard.

To be honest whatever I go for will get no more than a remap, I’m currently driving a Touran with 105bhp, before that was a Vectra VXR at 300bhp which I felt was a bit much for what I need, a nice nippy yet sensible 200 - 250 would be ideal for me!

[Belle427]

You should get a reasonably good car for that money, I find myself looking at them but the prices put me off.
I had a Mk 5 Gti for a while and it was a little dull, needed a map to wake it up and some cosmetic changes to sharpen the ageing looks up in my opinion.

[croissant]

xjay1337 said:

Dar_Williams said:

Is the Edition 30 really worth the premium over a standard GTi? I’ve been looking over the last few weeks and a good one with decent mileage is in mk6 territory! I like the look of the Ed30 but also think I’d prefer the more modern feel of a mk6? I get the residuals on the Ed30 would be better but as a daily, doing 10-12k a year, would I see an advantage in the long term?

Depends how much work you want to do.

Personally I'd buy a straight GTI with a broken engine on the cheap, and go straight for a forged one with a TTE420 or Garret GTX2876R or a 3071R along with usual fuelling mods, to get between 400 and 500hp.

They're flat as a pancake standard.

Whilst I appreciate a forged gti with a whopping turbo is fun, the chap wants a daily use car that he'll be doing 10-12k a year in. Your suggestions sounds like a lot of hassle.

[aka_kerrly]

Dar_Williams said:

Is the Edition 30 really worth the premium over a standard GTi? I’ve been looking over the last few weeks and a good one with decent mileage is in mk6 territory! I like the look of the Ed30 but also think I’d prefer the more modern feel of a mk6? I get the residuals on the Ed30 would be better but as a daily, doing 10-12k a year, would I see an advantage in the long term?

Yes an edition 30 gets some very handy upgrades compared with a standard GTI the most notable being in the engine department where instead of a 200hp engine with a relatively tiny turbo that is nearly out of puff by 250hp in a Ed30 you get a detuned version of the Audi S3 265hp engine with a larger turbo and upgrades to support increased power. With a remap you can achieve over 300hp.


It's worth considering the the mk6 is a facelift more than a new car so the vast majority of the chassis, steering, suspension components are the same as the mk5.

There is another limited edition mk5 Golf that sometimes gets forgotten about is the Pirelli which has the same upgraded engine/running gear as the Ed30.

Also if you are happy with a 5 door the Leon Cupra R comes with 265hp is well worth considering.

I'm not a fan of the Vauxhall Astra , inferior engine, chassis, interior .

[bmwmatt24]

Between the two, i'd take the ED30.

What's your budget, there are many other good alternatives... Megane 250 Cup for example!