RE: VW Golf R: Driven
Discussion
Husaberk said:
Joining in the fun/daft statements can i just say that I can't regard anybody who doesn't ride a motorcycle as a 'true' petrolhead. Also arent all GT4s owned by investors instead of enthusiasts.
These sweeping generalisations are fun aren't they.
In all seriousness getting thrown down a road when riding pillion when I was 16 kind of put me off it to be honest otherwise I probably would have a bike!These sweeping generalisations are fun aren't they.
spookly said:
I don't get all the hate for the R.
I have an R Estate. For the silly lease prices these have been available you would struggle to get anything near as capable or interesting, while still being practical.
Not even worth comparing on list price, as the lease deals have been so silly. Whereas you'd never get the same cheap deals on any of the French hot hatches.
For all the talk I have ever heard in column inches here and on countless other fora from grown ups who have bought or are leasing said VW cars about how they like the fact they are "under the radar" or "great Q cars" or "all the performance you want in the real world" (what prey tel the real world is in this context I do not know nor care) and that they have nothing to prove on the road - well its totally contra to the driving style I have seen pretty much every R on the road being driven like a bat out of hell or sprung off traffic lights like at the start of some world rally championship. Some nutters even end up on You Tube driving like they want to serve 10 years inside having got mates to film them taking the piss with other motorists on the road. Its like, right Ive dropped the family off now I can drive about like I own the road.....doesnt seem to be any particular colours either.....Ive seen em all driven like spoons reds blacks whites blues......must cost em a bomb in fuel LOL. I have an R Estate. For the silly lease prices these have been available you would struggle to get anything near as capable or interesting, while still being practical.
Not even worth comparing on list price, as the lease deals have been so silly. Whereas you'd never get the same cheap deals on any of the French hot hatches.
Maybe the so called "hate" as you call it (I just call it apathy) isnt of the cars themselves but the peanut heads who seem to be landing behind the wheel. I have even seen these R (sole?) cars tootling along only to suddenly be awoken by any other driver who dares to go past them as they speed off into the next century for no apparent reason other than to gesture "f
k you" with their Golf. Driven largely by wkers IMHO. And everyone hates a wker. The day I see one careful owner driving their R without acting like a cock end will be a good day.Maybe that answers your interest.....
ToothbrushMan said:
For all the talk I have ever heard in column inches here and on countless other fora from grown ups who have bought or are leasing said VW cars about how they like the fact they are "under the radar" or "great Q cars" or "all the performance you want in the real world" (what prey tel the real world is in this context I do not know nor care) and that they have nothing to prove on the road - well its totally contra to the driving style I have seen pretty much every R on the road being driven like a bat out of hell or sprung off traffic lights like at the start of some world rally championship. Some nutters even end up on You Tube driving like they want to serve 10 years inside having got mates to film them taking the piss with other motorists on the road. Its like, right Ive dropped the family off now I can drive about like I own the road.....doesnt seem to be any particular colours either.....Ive seen em all driven like spoons reds blacks whites blues......must cost em a bomb in fuel LOL.
Maybe the so called "hate" as you call it (I just call it apathy) isnt of the cars themselves but the peanut heads who seem to be landing behind the wheel. I have even seen these R (sole?) cars tootling along only to suddenly be awoken by any other driver who dares to go past them as they speed off into the next century for no apparent reason other than to gesture "fk you" with their Golf. Driven largely by wkers IMHO. And everyone hates a wker. The day I see one careful owner driving their R without acting like a cock end will be a good day.
Maybe that answers your interest.....
Wow! Funnily enough I have had the exact opposite experience from behind the wheel of an R where I overtook a Ford C Max doing around 45mph in a 60 and then all of a sudden he turned into a wannabe Lewis Hamilton, I couldn't leave him (while being sensible) and so he overtook me the next chance he got and disappeared off I to the distance at what looked like over 100. If he had been driving like that to begin with I wouldn't have caught him. I really don't get the mentality of people who drive along at whatever speed until somebody comes up behind them or overtakes them and they go nuts. It's even more nonsensical than the people who drive like nutters all the time I think. I just drive the speed I want and if somebody comes past me then so be it, I don't try and stop them even if I could. So I can agree with your sentiments but I have never seen it done in an R and I think it's also unfair to attach these prejudices to all people who drive the cars or the cars themselves. I think you will find nutters, w***ers etc in most types of fast hatchback, I certainly have. Funnily enough I overtook an R the other week and guess what? They didn't put their foot down or anything!Maybe the so called "hate" as you call it (I just call it apathy) isnt of the cars themselves but the peanut heads who seem to be landing behind the wheel. I have even seen these R (sole?) cars tootling along only to suddenly be awoken by any other driver who dares to go past them as they speed off into the next century for no apparent reason other than to gesture "f
k you" with their Golf. Driven largely by wkers IMHO. And everyone hates a wker. The day I see one careful owner driving their R without acting like a cock end will be a good day.Maybe that answers your interest.....
TomScrut said:
ToothbrushMan said:
For all the talk I have ever heard in column inches here and on countless other fora from grown ups who have bought or are leasing said VW cars about how they like the fact they are "under the radar" or "great Q cars" or "all the performance you want in the real world" (what prey tel the real world is in this context I do not know nor care) and that they have nothing to prove on the road - well its totally contra to the driving style I have seen pretty much every R on the road being driven like a bat out of hell or sprung off traffic lights like at the start of some world rally championship. Some nutters even end up on You Tube driving like they want to serve 10 years inside having got mates to film them taking the piss with other motorists on the road. Its like, right Ive dropped the family off now I can drive about like I own the road.....doesnt seem to be any particular colours either.....Ive seen em all driven like spoons reds blacks whites blues......must cost em a bomb in fuel LOL.
Maybe the so called "hate" as you call it (I just call it apathy) isnt of the cars themselves but the peanut heads who seem to be landing behind the wheel. I have even seen these R (sole?) cars tootling along only to suddenly be awoken by any other driver who dares to go past them as they speed off into the next century for no apparent reason other than to gesture "fk you" with their Golf. Driven largely by wkers IMHO. And everyone hates a wker. The day I see one careful owner driving their R without acting like a cock end will be a good day.
Maybe that answers your interest.....
Wow! Funnily enough I have had the exact opposite experience from behind the wheel of an R where I overtook a Ford C Max doing around 45mph in a 60 and then all of a sudden he turned into a wannabe Lewis Hamilton, I couldn't leave him (while being sensible) and so he overtook me the next chance he got and disappeared off I to the distance at what looked like over 100. If he had been driving like that to begin with I wouldn't have caught him. I really don't get the mentality of people who drive along at whatever speed until somebody comes up behind them or overtakes them and they go nuts. It's even more nonsensical than the people who drive like nutters all the time I think. I just drive the speed I want and if somebody comes past me then so be it, I don't try and stop them even if I could. So I can agree with your sentiments but I have never seen it done in an R and I think it's also unfair to attach these prejudices to all people who drive the cars or the cars themselves. I think you will find nutters, w***ers etc in most types of fast hatchback, I certainly have. Funnily enough I overtook an R the other week and guess what? They didn't put their foot down or anything!Maybe the so called "hate" as you call it (I just call it apathy) isnt of the cars themselves but the peanut heads who seem to be landing behind the wheel. I have even seen these R (sole?) cars tootling along only to suddenly be awoken by any other driver who dares to go past them as they speed off into the next century for no apparent reason other than to gesture "f
k you" with their Golf. Driven largely by wkers IMHO. And everyone hates a wker. The day I see one careful owner driving their R without acting like a cock end will be a good day.Maybe that answers your interest.....
My wife and I were talking about this car last night when an EVO IX came honing past at about 110 on the A34, loud exhaust blaring away. We both agreed that every EVO we see on the roads is being driven like it was stolen and I said the Golf R is a nicely understated way of making progress and as quick out of the box as something like an EVO FQ320......I'd have one.
I suspect that there is a degree of Confirmation Bias on both sides of the argument here. The truth, as always, lies somewhere in between.
epom said:
And it's not that fast when compared to more powerful cars.
Yes fast when compared to less powerful cars of similar weight. I suppose that's the thing though. People say its fast, and it is compared to 99% of cars on the road, but nobody is making it out to be savage or anythingToothbrushMan said:
For all the talk I have ever heard in column inches here and on countless other fora from grown ups who have bought or are leasing said VW cars about how they like the fact they are "under the radar" or "great Q cars" or "all the performance you want in the real world" (what prey tel the real world is in this context I do not know nor care) and that they have nothing to prove on the road - well its totally contra to the driving style I have seen pretty much every R on the road being driven like a bat out of hell or sprung off traffic lights like at the start of some world rally championship. Some nutters even end up on You Tube driving like they want to serve 10 years inside having got mates to film them taking the piss with other motorists on the road. Its like, right Ive dropped the family off now I can drive about like I own the road.....doesnt seem to be any particular colours either.....Ive seen em all driven like spoons reds blacks whites blues......must cost em a bomb in fuel LOL.
Maybe the so called "hate" as you call it (I just call it apathy) isnt of the cars themselves but the peanut heads who seem to be landing behind the wheel. I have even seen these R (sole?) cars tootling along only to suddenly be awoken by any other driver who dares to go past them as they speed off into the next century for no apparent reason other than to gesture "fk you" with their Golf. Driven largely by wkers IMHO. And everyone hates a wker. The day I see one careful owner driving their R without acting like a cock end will be a good day.
Maybe that answers your interest.....
I concur. I was out yesterday on the A1, minding my own business when I discovered a white Golf R being driven fairly sedately. As soon as he saw me in his review mirror, he buggered off like a scalded cat. Undertaking the row of cars in front of him, then overtaking a load more until he was just a spec in the distance. Obviously wanted to show me the kind of might only affordable monthly payments can command. Maybe the so called "hate" as you call it (I just call it apathy) isnt of the cars themselves but the peanut heads who seem to be landing behind the wheel. I have even seen these R (sole?) cars tootling along only to suddenly be awoken by any other driver who dares to go past them as they speed off into the next century for no apparent reason other than to gesture "f
k you" with their Golf. Driven largely by wkers IMHO. And everyone hates a wker. The day I see one careful owner driving their R without acting like a cock end will be a good day.Maybe that answers your interest.....
I could have learned him a good lesson about "proper" performance if I was prepared to follow but I'm too middle aged for all that nonsense.
wormus said:
I concur. I was out yesterday on the A1, minding my own business when I discovered a white Golf R being driven fairly sedately. As soon as he saw me in his review mirror, he buggered off like a scalded cat. Undertaking the row of cars in front of him, then overtaking a load more until he was just a spec in the distance. Obviously wanted to show me the kind of might only affordable monthly payments can command.
I could have learned him a good lesson about "proper" performance if I was prepared to follow but I'm too middle aged for all that nonsense.
What were you driving? If it was a fairly quick (or faster) car surely you get that sort of thing often regardless of what they are driving? I got it all the time on the motorway etc in my "mighty car on affordable monthly payments" (does kind of sound snobbish doesn't it) where I would cruise past a car (normally a hot hatch I'll give you that) and then return to the middle or left lane as one should do for them to then come flying past and then pull in front of me and slow down to less than what I am doing as if they were inviting me to go past them. I think it's a mentality that belongs to a certain group of people who see something fast on the road and want to see how fast it really is. I think they think that everyone with a quick car wants to race everywhere. I'm not defending them as I think it's pathetic, I just don't like the stereotyping everyone seems to be participating in about R drivers.I could have learned him a good lesson about "proper" performance if I was prepared to follow but I'm too middle aged for all that nonsense.
wormus said:
I concur. I was out yesterday on the A1, minding my own business when I discovered a white Golf R being driven fairly sedately. As soon as he saw me in his review mirror, he buggered off like a scalded cat. Undertaking the row of cars in front of him, then overtaking a load more until he was just a spec in the distance. Obviously wanted to show me the kind of might only affordable monthly payments can command.
I'm sure that's exactly how it happened. From everything you've posted in this thread so far, I'm more inclined to believe that you wanted to prove to him how superior you and your Saab are, and he took you on.
gigglebug said:
I'm only joking Hackney! I can't stand emojis otherwise there would have been a smartie conveying a deep sense of irony on the previous post. Carry on sir!
Just stay off the Exige Cup thread ok!
I did realise that. Just stay off the Exige Cup thread ok!
I've also remembered I've owned two Alfas thus confirming my status as a true petrol head, therefore I expect to have all my posting rights reinstated forthwith.
SidewaysSi said:
Love the sensitive nature of a few on here so yes I do apologise. The Golf R is an amazing car. I love it. I love the owners and everything they stand for.
If you actually read above, I did say that the R may actually make a decent family/shopping car for me. I do think it is probably too capable but do think it may be something worth considering.
However I was merely questioning why a die hard driving and car enthusiast would spend £30k on a brand new vehicle that is 7/10 across the board as their sole car. IMO is does not make sense.
I don't think it's a sensitive nature (in my case) more a slight irritation at your dismissive attitude to other people's wants / needs when it comes to buying a car.If you actually read above, I did say that the R may actually make a decent family/shopping car for me. I do think it is probably too capable but do think it may be something worth considering.
However I was merely questioning why a die hard driving and car enthusiast would spend £30k on a brand new vehicle that is 7/10 across the board as their sole car. IMO is does not make sense.
Out of interest I'll repeat the challenge I made earlier (that you didn't take up), to tell me what cars would meet my criteria for the same price.
To help you along I'll give you a list of cars I'd like / considered but did not meet one or more criteria that the Golf does
C63 AMG - budget / age
Audi RS6 - budget / age
Lotus Elise / Caterham / Honda S2000 - number of seats / boot size
Discovery - budget / age
BMW M3 / M5 - budget / age
Vauxhall VXR8 - age
Porshce 911 - age / boot size
Range Rover Sport SVO - budget
Ferrari
Alfa Giulia QV - budget / not available when I ordered the Golf
I'm sure there are many more but that'll do for now.
ClockworkCupcake said:
wormus said:
I concur. I was out yesterday on the A1, minding my own business when I discovered a white Golf R being driven fairly sedately. As soon as he saw me in his review mirror, he buggered off like a scalded cat. Undertaking the row of cars in front of him, then overtaking a load more until he was just a spec in the distance. Obviously wanted to show me the kind of might only affordable monthly payments can command.
I'm sure that's exactly how it happened. From everything you've posted in this thread so far, I'm more inclined to believe that you wanted to prove to him how superior you and your Saab are, and he took you on.
Hackney said:
SidewaysSi said:
Love the sensitive nature of a few on here so yes I do apologise. The Golf R is an amazing car. I love it. I love the owners and everything they stand for.
If you actually read above, I did say that the R may actually make a decent family/shopping car for me. I do think it is probably too capable but do think it may be something worth considering.
However I was merely questioning why a die hard driving and car enthusiast would spend £30k on a brand new vehicle that is 7/10 across the board as their sole car. IMO is does not make sense.
I don't think it's a sensitive nature (in my case) more a slight irritation at your dismissive attitude to other people's wants / needs when it comes to buying a car.If you actually read above, I did say that the R may actually make a decent family/shopping car for me. I do think it is probably too capable but do think it may be something worth considering.
However I was merely questioning why a die hard driving and car enthusiast would spend £30k on a brand new vehicle that is 7/10 across the board as their sole car. IMO is does not make sense.
Out of interest I'll repeat the challenge I made earlier (that you didn't take up), to tell me what cars would meet my criteria for the same price.
To help you along I'll give you a list of cars I'd like / considered but did not meet one or more criteria that the Golf does
C63 AMG - budget / age
Audi RS6 - budget / age
Lotus Elise / Caterham / Honda S2000 - number of seats / boot size
Discovery - budget / age
BMW M3 / M5 - budget / age
Vauxhall VXR8 - age
Porshce 911 - age / boot size
Range Rover Sport SVO - budget
Ferrari
Alfa Giulia QV - budget / not available when I ordered the Golf
I'm sure there are many more but that'll do for now.
Personally for £30k, I would have a multi car garage. Caterham/Elise and maybe a FD2 R or interesting BMW of some description. But according to this thread I don't appear to be the average PH'er...
There is no one car that can do it all IMO. The Golf is as good a compromise as you will get. But a big compromise.
Hackney said:
SidewaysSi said:
Love the sensitive nature of a few on here so yes I do apologise. The Golf R is an amazing car. I love it. I love the owners and everything they stand for.
If you actually read above, I did say that the R may actually make a decent family/shopping car for me. I do think it is probably too capable but do think it may be something worth considering.
However I was merely questioning why a die hard driving and car enthusiast would spend £30k on a brand new vehicle that is 7/10 across the board as their sole car. IMO is does not make sense.
I don't think it's a sensitive nature (in my case) more a slight irritation at your dismissive attitude to other people's wants / needs when it comes to buying a car.If you actually read above, I did say that the R may actually make a decent family/shopping car for me. I do think it is probably too capable but do think it may be something worth considering.
However I was merely questioning why a die hard driving and car enthusiast would spend £30k on a brand new vehicle that is 7/10 across the board as their sole car. IMO is does not make sense.
Out of interest I'll repeat the challenge I made earlier (that you didn't take up), to tell me what cars would meet my criteria for the same price.
To help you along I'll give you a list of cars I'd like / considered but did not meet one or more criteria that the Golf does
C63 AMG - budget / age
Audi RS6 - budget / age
Lotus Elise / Caterham / Honda S2000 - number of seats / boot size
Discovery - budget / age
BMW M3 / M5 - budget / age
Vauxhall VXR8 - age
Porshce 911 - age / boot size
Range Rover Sport SVO - budget
Ferrari
Alfa Giulia QV - budget / not available when I ordered the Golf
I'm sure there are many more but that'll do for now.
I'll go back to the owner of the supercars that I'm friends with and mentioned above. I really got to know him as I've predominantly used the same mechanic for all my cars needs, I've know him since I was a child as my dad also used him and he's very good at what he does. He also does the same chaps road cars and prepares his rally car so it was at the mechanics garage that we met. I was in my Ford Puma which at the time was going through some restoration and mechanical upgrades, he was in his Superlegerra and had just popped in. He was honestly as interested if not more in my Puma and what was going on with it as I was with his Lamborghini (I'd not experienced a Gallardo up until this point). He hung around for a good three hours or so getting involved in what we were doing and couldn't wait to have a spin in the Puma. I soon learnt that as he's long retired he enjoys nothing more than popping to the garage to see what's been worked on as he has an avid interest in cars, not just the ones that suit him and his life but all cars. I have consequently became good friends with him and he's the sort of folk who I would happily describe as a true petrolhead. He's as happy poking around a battered old people carrier as he is a class winning Metro 6R4 or a MCclaren. He enjoys his cars to the full but he also enjoys other folks cars as well and is never happier than when he's learning about them by both talking about them and experiencing them with their owners. He makes no instant judgements on the person or their cars and even though I expect he could afford pretty much whatever he fancied he never looks down on or avoids those who can't. He couldn't care less if your car was front wheel drive, rear wheel drive, four wheel drive, 4 pot, V8 or V12 so long as it's got four wheels and an engine he's happy to talk about it and he's more than happy to share his experiences and cars with others. That to me is a Petrolhead.
Edited by gigglebug on Monday 24th April 08:02
SidewaysSi said:
Why is age a concern for you? And lots of grear cars can be bought for any budger. You sight an M3 as being put of budget but decent E36/E46 cars are half the money of an R. Leave plenty in the pot for upgrades...
Personally for £30k, I would have a multi car garage. Caterham/Elise and maybe a FD2 R or interesting BMW of some description. But according to this thread I don't appear to be the average PH'er...
There is no one car that can do it all IMO. The Golf is as good a compromise as you will get. But a big compromise.
The appeal of the new car to me is the idea that I know exactly what it will cost me. I don't need to factor in the cost of unexpected repairs (which in some cases could effectively write the car off). The newer cars are generally more economical (I had an 59 reg S4 and it averaged 22 mpg, my new S5 averages 28, over 25% better with more performance as well).Personally for £30k, I would have a multi car garage. Caterham/Elise and maybe a FD2 R or interesting BMW of some description. But according to this thread I don't appear to be the average PH'er...
There is no one car that can do it all IMO. The Golf is as good a compromise as you will get. But a big compromise.
As for multiple cars, even if I did have somewhere to put more than one car I couldn't predict accurately when I was going to get the chance for some enthusiastic driving. In the week going to work, I may get chance. Go out on a weekend, caravans everywhere or maybe clear you never know. That's the main reason why a weekend car is a bit of a silly idea to me.
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