RE: Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR | PH Fleet
Discussion
Simonium said:
I’ve read and re-read the options list, and cannot find a single one that would be worth having. Semi-slick tyres? Panoramic roof? Stickers? Ridiculous.
Perhaps that's why they are options. Not everyone will want them but at least they exist if you do. I reckon different people like different things. 
Simonium said:
I’ve read and re-read the options list, and cannot find a single one that would be worth having. Semi-slick tyres? Panoramic roof? Stickers? Ridiculous.
I was much the same when I was speccing one as a potential purchase. They’re pretty well spec’d as standard. Everything else seemed a bit silly for a daily. Baldchap said:
And you buy none of the cars mentioned.
It's catch 22. A hot hatch, even a brilliant one, will never be 25% the drivers' car a proper sports car is, so let's make them good daily drivers.
I chose my MINI GP more often for fun driving than I did my M3 CSL. Neither were used for daily drivingIt's catch 22. A hot hatch, even a brilliant one, will never be 25% the drivers' car a proper sports car is, so let's make them good daily drivers.
I’ll accept that a CSL isn’t necessarily a sports car, but I feel the point stands, IME anyway. All depends what people’s view on a “drivers car” is I suppose, but for me it’s all about fun
Baldchap said:
If you want a track car, don't buy a FWD hot hatch, buy a track car. If you want to build a hot hatch, don't build an awful every day car that happens to be fast on a track.
Most people cant afford two cars so in that case any of the hot hatches are a good compromise. If you did want to do the odd track day then the golf would probably be the last on list out of the current crop. However I dont think you can call the Megane, Honda and Hyundai awful everyday cars. No they wont be the last word in ride comfort but I dont think any buyers would expect them to be. The difference of them as an everyday car compared to the golf will be minimal and most likely come down to if you prefer the interior ect..
Edited by thiscocks on Sunday 6th October 17:52
Certainly can't knock these latest GTI's .The more they evolve the better they get. However I'm quite happy with my 2007 ,15000 mile Edition 30. It's looks are just that bit more interesting and even in it's standard form that mine is ,it's fast enough.
Again , just to be clear ,I'm NOT criticising the later cars. From the Mark 1 onwards they've all been fantastic cars.....maybe not the poor old Mark 3 but I think that even that is now getting a good following.
Again , just to be clear ,I'm NOT criticising the later cars. From the Mark 1 onwards they've all been fantastic cars.....maybe not the poor old Mark 3 but I think that even that is now getting a good following.
ZX10R NIN said:
I'd buy a Focus/i30N over a Golf if it's just about daily duties & if I wanted a fore focused steer then the Megane would be where my money would be spent, but I also agree it's nice to have the choice.
So would I... I'm not really sure in fact why the Golf is so lauded as a daily duties car against the other hot hatches.They all have 5 doors, the ability to seat 5 people and similar size boots. All will do over 35 MPG on a run, its not like the i30n/Focus/Civic are Lotus Elises or Caterhams.
I do get it that Golfs and indeed VWs in general are usually easy to live with, but any modern hot hatch is more than capable of being a decent daily driver/all round family hack.
Court_S said:
I quite like these in fact I came very close to buying one (with a slightly lower spec). The discounts I was offered were pretty good.
On paper it looked perfect; quick enough, well spec’d, sensible enough for family life etc. In reality it did nothing for me in the flesh. As a daily car it’d have been perfect but it was so sensible.
Same, went so far as almost signing the paperwork (fully kitted TCR at £35k with dealer contribution for taking their 'finance'). In the end, spent a weekend with one, couldn't justify the 'step up' from my GTI PP which meant £23k on top of my car as part exchange.On paper it looked perfect; quick enough, well spec’d, sensible enough for family life etc. In reality it did nothing for me in the flesh. As a daily car it’d have been perfect but it was so sensible.
thiscocks said:
Most people cant afford two cars so in that case any of the hot hatches are a good compromise. If you did want to do the odd track day then the golf would probably be the last on list out of the current crop. However I dont think you can call the Megane, Honda and Hyundai awful everyday cars. No they wont be the last word in ride comfort but I dont think any buyers would expect them to be. The difference of them as an everyday car compared to the golf will be minimal and most likely come down to if you prefer the interior ect..
I'm not sure I would have started this article by explaining how you took a £40k car that you have been GIVEN and went back to the dealer to whine about the stickers. I'm not sure it does much for the reputation of car journos being entitled scrotes 
The TCR doesn't do much for me to be honest. I found my R a bit dull. I think an Edition 40 would have been a more enjoyable car in a way and a better run-out model too, as the styling tweaks were a bit nicer.
The TCR doesn't do much for me to be honest. I found my R a bit dull. I think an Edition 40 would have been a more enjoyable car in a way and a better run-out model too, as the styling tweaks were a bit nicer.
I've run a Mk7.5 GTI PP DSG since January 2019 as my company car, first of all an Indium Grey one and since June an Atlantic Blue one. In that time I've covered around 15,000 miles. I cannot fault these cars, they make such good everyday cars you wonder why on earth would anyone choose anything else. I'm getting around 30-34mpg so fuel isn't too bad but you've got the excellent performance when you need it. Overtaking on is exciting and safe as its over so quickly. The car carries people in comfort (more comfortable than my previous C-class company car!), is absolutely loaded with tech (the adaptive cruise and Dynamic lights actually work!!) and everyone comments on how nice a car it is.
Yes the Golf may be the sensible choice but there is a reason why the GTI is and always (hopefully!!) will be the King of Hot Hatches. I'm due to change in January again and I really hope i get another one.
Yes the Golf may be the sensible choice but there is a reason why the GTI is and always (hopefully!!) will be the King of Hot Hatches. I'm due to change in January again and I really hope i get another one.
Quite partial to a Golf GTI, but cant quite get my head round 41 grand for one, I have 30k in my head as how much a Golf R is, and the Golf R is higher up the range.
I know a Golf R probably costs more than that but that seems to be the price point they were at with M135i's etc.
Would like to see a back to back test, in fact would like to try both the R and this and see which is better, would be a really interesting comparison.
The GTI got overshadowed by the R but about two years back a resurgence seemed to start in earnest, not the GTI seems the more enthusiast/upmarket choice, especially with extra TCRness and some shiny grey primer, looks really sharp even though its a model about to be replaced. Though being of a certain age, TCR means a rather crap Scalextrix alternative, where the car stuck to the road and required no skill to go very fast, hmm, funny how history repeats itself....
VW should do a Golf R special edition, sponsored by a security company such is the number that get used in crime, my cousin videoed some chaps using one for a bank job in Cadishead a couple of weeks back, was found burnt out, might be part of the reason the GTi has come back a bit ? because its comparatively less use for crime ?
I know a Golf R probably costs more than that but that seems to be the price point they were at with M135i's etc.
Would like to see a back to back test, in fact would like to try both the R and this and see which is better, would be a really interesting comparison.
The GTI got overshadowed by the R but about two years back a resurgence seemed to start in earnest, not the GTI seems the more enthusiast/upmarket choice, especially with extra TCRness and some shiny grey primer, looks really sharp even though its a model about to be replaced. Though being of a certain age, TCR means a rather crap Scalextrix alternative, where the car stuck to the road and required no skill to go very fast, hmm, funny how history repeats itself....
VW should do a Golf R special edition, sponsored by a security company such is the number that get used in crime, my cousin videoed some chaps using one for a bank job in Cadishead a couple of weeks back, was found burnt out, might be part of the reason the GTi has come back a bit ? because its comparatively less use for crime ?
Elatino1 said:
They haven't had a car that could be called the King of hot hatches since the Mk1 GTi and it's unlikely they ever will again.
Depends on how you define "king" I suspect. The Golf isn't the fastest or the best to drive, so it may not be at the top of the list for most PHers, but it's probably the one that most 'normal' people would choose. Ultimately, sales are what matters and the GTI does pretty well there compared to many of the cars favoured by more extreme enthusiasts. I see many, many more Golf GTIs than I do Megane RSs and i30 Ns for example.The R for me on UK roads in UK weather conditions is my choice having many high powered FWD cars.
I have mine running stage 2 power meaning 400>
some minorr chassis tweaks to include Superpro Camber bush kit 034 Motorsport rear ARB some slightly stiffer VWR springs and a a Tarox BBK
Complimenting that for track use or summer use are Cup 2 tyres. It’s a real blast with fab turn in and feedback.
All done relatively cheaply if I’d gone the Audi or Merc route but now devastatingly quick for little outlay and with all weather capability. Certainly an M3/4 would be lost in the wet on a country road.
The Clubsport S would be my choice over most of the FWD stuff out there.
I have mine running stage 2 power meaning 400>
some minorr chassis tweaks to include Superpro Camber bush kit 034 Motorsport rear ARB some slightly stiffer VWR springs and a a Tarox BBK
Complimenting that for track use or summer use are Cup 2 tyres. It’s a real blast with fab turn in and feedback.
All done relatively cheaply if I’d gone the Audi or Merc route but now devastatingly quick for little outlay and with all weather capability. Certainly an M3/4 would be lost in the wet on a country road.
The Clubsport S would be my choice over most of the FWD stuff out there.
Edited by Msportman on Monday 7th October 16:14
Msportman said:
The R for me on UK roads in UK weather conditions is my choice having many high powered FWD cars.
I have mine running stage 2 power meaning 400>
some minorr chassis tweaks to include Superpro Camber bush kit 034 Motorsport rear ARB some slightly stiffer VWR springs and a a Tarox BBK
Complimenting that for track use or summer use are Cup 2 tyres. It’s a real blast with fab turn in and feedback.
All done relatively cheaply if I’d gone the Audi or Merc route but now devastatingly quick for little outlay and with all weather capability. Certainly an M3/4 would be lost in the wet on a country road.
The Clubsport S would be my choice over most of the FWD stuff out there.
I'd really like to try a modified Golf R. I always found my standard car a bit sterile somehow. It was hugely capable of course, but it didn't feel 'special' when you were just driving normally. I always wondered if, with a couple of minor tweaks to make it a bit more focused, if it might answer some of my criticism.I have mine running stage 2 power meaning 400>
some minorr chassis tweaks to include Superpro Camber bush kit 034 Motorsport rear ARB some slightly stiffer VWR springs and a a Tarox BBK
Complimenting that for track use or summer use are Cup 2 tyres. It’s a real blast with fab turn in and feedback.
All done relatively cheaply if I’d gone the Audi or Merc route but now devastatingly quick for little outlay and with all weather capability. Certainly an M3/4 would be lost in the wet on a country road.
The Clubsport S would be my choice over most of the FWD stuff out there.
Edited by Msportman on Monday 7th October 16:14
Baldchap said:
Elatino1 said:
They haven't had a car that could be called the King of hot hatches since the Mk1 GTi and it's unlikely they ever will again.
Apart from that period of about five years where the R won every hot hatch test. 
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