Thoughts on 2012 S3 vs Mk7 Golf GTi purchase

[Steve Evil]

The wife and I are in quite a nice situation where both a 2012 S3 Sportback Black Edition and a late 2013 Golf GTi are in reach, so I'd just like to get some thoughts on both.

Brief run-down on spec of each car:

Audi - Registered June 2012, done 35,000 miles, S-Tronic, lots of toys, heated seats, sat nav, Bose.
Pros - Quicker than the Golf, wife prefers the Audi badge, potentially better residuals.
Cons - Mileage quite a bit higher, year and a half older than the Golf, warranty about to expire, tax double that of the golf, older engine so not as frugal as the golf.

VW - Registered Dec 2013, 4,000 miles, DSG, heated leather, discovery nav, standard 18" alloys.
Pros - I really like the look of the Mk7 GTi, just under 2yrs manufacturer warranty remaining, cheaper to run than the S3 and those few years of extra advancement show in terms of things like the braking radar.
Cons - Wife isn't so keen, not going to be as quick.

Both cars are within about £200 of each other price-wise, so nothing in it there. I'm hoping to test drive both at the weekend to get a proper feel for them and that is probably what it's going to boil down to. Just interested to read some independent thoughts on both.

[CerberusRogue]

Steve Evil said:

The wife and I are in quite a nice situation where both a 2012 S3 Sportback Black Edition and a late 2013 Golf GTi are in reach, so I'd just like to get some thoughts on both.

Brief run-down on spec of each car:

Audi - Registered June 2012, done 35,000 miles, S-Tronic, lots of toys, heated seats, sat nav, Bose.
Pros - Quicker than the Golf, wife prefers the Audi badge, potentially better residuals.
Cons - Mileage quite a bit higher, year and a half older than the Golf, warranty about to expire, tax double that of the golf, older engine so not as frugal as the golf.

VW - Registered Dec 2013, 4,000 miles, DSG, heated leather, discovery nav, standard 18" alloys.
Pros - I really like the look of the Mk7 GTi, just under 2yrs manufacturer warranty remaining, cheaper to run than the S3 and those few years of extra advancement show in terms of things like the braking radar.
Cons - Wife isn't so keen, not going to be as quick.

Both cars are within about £200 of each other price-wise, so nothing in it there. I'm hoping to test drive both at the weekend to get a proper feel for them and that is probably what it's going to boil down to. Just interested to read some independent thoughts on both.

S3 all the way. Goes like a rocket, great to drive and is a lot of fun. Plus will sell better when you are finished. You also missed that the S3 is four wheel drive.

The mileage isn't that important if the car has been well looked after.

[va1o]

Sounds like you've already covered it quite throughly. I'd imagine the S3 to be the better car now, but it will date quicker and develop problems/ niggles sooner than the GTI. Also depends how much the running costs bother you.

[silentbrown]

I think the S3 will be an older model - 8P, not an 8V...

But the Golf will be the current Mk7....?

[anonymous-user]

Assuming you are talking about an 8P S3, the MK7 GTI will drive miles better. The 8P was feeling like a very old car by the time the 8V arrived. The MQB cars are massively better in the handling department.

[Steve Evil]

Yes it's the older S3, with the 265bhp (or thereabouts) engine in it. That model is nearing 10 years old and the recent VAG engines seem to be much more advanced.

[Deerfoot]

Steve Evil said:

Yes it's the older S3, with the 265bhp (or thereabouts) engine in it. That model is nearing 10 years old and the recent VAG engines seem to be much more advanced.

I'd take the Golf. The newer platform is very good. As you say running costs will be cheaper and I think the difference in performance will be negligible.

[SuperchargedVR6]

Steve Evil said:

Pros - Quicker than the Golf, wife prefers the Audi badge, potentially better residuals.

Why? Can't bring herself to lay her Mulberry handbag on a scum class VW passenger seat?

CerberusRogue said:

S3 all the way. Goes like a rocket,

Yeah, so long as you're at or above 3000rpm.

[Steve Evil]

SuperchargedVR6 said:

Steve Evil said:

Pros - Quicker than the Golf, wife prefers the Audi badge, potentially better residuals.

Why? Can't bring herself to lay her Mulberry handbag on a scum class VW passenger seat?

Something like that yeah

I think it's more down to the fact that she's got a Jetta at the moment and has always wanted to have an Audi, she's not a huge petrolhead, so it's that common perception that it's a superior badge for her, as much as I try and educate her, there's no changing that. She sees the Golf as more of a sideways step as it's another VW, the fact that it will do everything better than the Jetta (besides load space) is neither here nor there to her.

I was interested in looking at Octavias too, but she won't see the past the stigma of the Skoda badge I think.

[silentbrown]

If your budget could stretch a little I'd go for a year-old manual 3-door S3 8V. Should give you the best of both worlds.

Main dealer example here. http://www.audi.co.uk/used-cars/used-car-locator/a...