Re : PH Carbituary | Volkswagen Golf R (Mk7)

Re : PH Carbituary | Volkswagen Golf R (Mk7)

Author
Discussion

Baldchap

7,505 posts

91 months

Monday 13th January 2020
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Have to be honest, when I test drove the 992 911 I found it monumentally dull. The Golf R I arrived in was a more entertaining drive.

Lovely interior though.

cerb4.5lee

30,182 posts

179 months

Monday 13th January 2020
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lasuze said:
I am lucky to have three cars in my fleet

911 GT3

Macan GTS

Golf R with DSG

Which do I enjoy driving the most?

The Golf without a doubt.
I've always thought that 911's seem overrated and this helps to prove the point for sure. If a Golf is more enjoyable to drive than a 911 then the Porsche can't be very good at all.

paralla

3,528 posts

134 months

Monday 13th January 2020
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According to this thread it seems like no better car exists than the almighty Golf R.

My 991.2 GT3 is manual, RWD, has a lower C of G, is 170 kg lighter, revs to 9000rpm and has 500bhp. All of these things make it more fun to drive than my DSG Golf Estate.

After a weekend driving the GT3 getting back in the Golf R Estate feels like I'm driving a Transit van in comparison. High seating position, lazy throttle response, boosty power delivery and dull sound.

It's hands down the best daily driver I've ever had but it's not the best car in the World.

Vocht

1,630 posts

163 months

Monday 13th January 2020
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View the R as the 911 Turbo S of the Golf world and it makes perfect sense, not disappointing in any area. Expect it to be the GT3 and it'll certainly seem muted and 'boring'.

Having ran Mk7 R for 2 years a while back, I didn't do this and was disappointed in the excitement it provided in day to day driving. However now I keep finding myself looking at them in the classifieds once again as It's just such a practical, comfortable and capable car, it's hard to overlook if you don't want to compromise in any area.


Jon_S_Rally

3,385 posts

87 months

Monday 13th January 2020
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This thread is as ridiculous as you would expect it to be. People upset about leasing, people who hate VAG cars for no particular reason, people who think every car in the world gets stolen, its very odd laugh

My time in the R was mixed. Like others, it lacked that ultimate dynamic edge and 'special' feeling for my tastes, but it's abilities as an all-rounder simply cannot be denied. Like someone else said, it offered people an almost unreal level of performance for a sensible outlay. It's a car that has had huge influence, regardless of whether it makes you angry or not, so it's demise deserves a mention.

Going to be interesting to see what the MK8 is like. I wonder if they'll get it that 'right' next time?

Chr1sch

2,585 posts

192 months

Monday 13th January 2020
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I can only agree with the sentiment of the article, I ran a Mk7 R for 2 years and 40k miles, and loved every minute. The interior became a little dated in comparison to more recently released cars but other than that it was the perfect all rounder.

Court_S

12,764 posts

176 months

Monday 13th January 2020
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Jon_S_Rally said:
Going to be interesting to see what the MK8 is like. I wonder if they'll get it that 'right' next time?
The Mk8 has some pretty big shoes to fill given the popularity of the Mk7 with buyers and press alike (irrespective of what is written on here).

With regards to the S3 comparisons, there are also certain buyers who see the S3 as the better / posher car due to the badge despite there not being a vast difference in price....and the fact that under the skin they're pretty much the same car. I work with someone who had an A3 over a Golf because it was posher despite the Gold being cheaper and better spec'd. They were also adamant that they didn't share components despite the power being identical banghead

Black S2K

1,462 posts

248 months

Monday 13th January 2020
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Court_S said:
Jon_S_Rally said:
Going to be interesting to see what the MK8 is like. I wonder if they'll get it that 'right' next time?
The Mk8 has some pretty big shoes to fill given the popularity of the Mk7 with buyers and press alike (irrespective of what is written on here).

With regards to the S3 comparisons, there are also certain buyers who see the S3 as the better / posher car due to the badge despite there not being a vast difference in price....and the fact that under the skin they're pretty much the same car. I work with someone who had an A3 over a Golf because it was posher despite the Gold being cheaper and better spec'd. They were also adamant that they didn't share components despite the power being identical banghead
That is always a quandary - will the legislators mess up the engineers' best efforts?

That colleague ought to he awarded an MQB in self-delusion! biggrin

Ruskins

221 posts

120 months

Monday 13th January 2020
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eftiem64 said:
Dull as ditchwater. Surely you only had one if you couldn’t afford an S3?
You are comparing Beige and Magnolia.

scottos

1,138 posts

123 months

Monday 13th January 2020
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I always enjoy reading the comments on Golf R articles laugh

For me they are the perfect 'enthusiast' daily driver for the UK (or other wet climates). People that say they are dull havent spent enough time driving one and nearly every journalist article on the cars says otherwise but people on the internet with no experience know better of course. I agree you could buy something thats more rewarding to drive but you'll only get that rewarding drive when the conditions are right and 80% of the time they arent.

I'm really a bmw fan boy but the m135/m140 isnt best suited to our weather. I like to go out for drives for the sake of driving and have some very good roads near me. If i got the m135i/ m140i, i'd have wanted to upgrade the suspension or at least fit a proper diff and i think i'd have still been frustrated enough not to bother going on drives out so much in wet/ greasy conditions (i've had this in the past with other powerful open diff bmw's). My previously modified edition 30 gti wouldnt get traction in the wet up to 70-80mph either, useless for the drives i like to do so that went for the journey for a mk5 r32 which was miles better.

Also worth noting you can adjust the haldex 4wd settings with OBD11/ VAGCOM on the mk7 golf r, same with the XDS electronic diff to make them a little sharper.

Court_S

12,764 posts

176 months

Monday 13th January 2020
quotequote all
Black S2K said:
That is always a quandary - will the legislators mess up the engineers' best efforts?

That colleague ought to he awarded an MQB in self-delusion! biggrin
I know...he was also convinced that there was no platform sharing between my vRS and his A3. Madness.

He paid £50 a month extra for five years for his A3 over the Golf GTD which came with stuff like adaptive cruise as standard. All for a badge.

900T-R

20,404 posts

256 months

Monday 13th January 2020
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Never really saw the point in cars like this. Appreciate what it does (make vast cross country pace painless to live on a daily basis) - thing is, that pace can seldom if ever be reasonably exploited on the road and the 99% of the time you're left with... well, a Golf; and the times you can go this fast without risking life, license and respectability, surely you would want something that makes doing so rather more of an event?

As for it being so good at the day-to-day stuff, well any modern hatchback is pretty painless to own and drive (and easy to go much faster in than you really should) these days...

Give me slower (in relative terms) and more exciting any day of the week

Ricky850r

12 posts

93 months

Monday 13th January 2020
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I had one as my daily for a year. Blue 5 door DSG. Excellent all rounder but lacks excitement in some areas. I'd have another one !

GTID

146 posts

117 months

Monday 13th January 2020
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Ran one for 2 years on one of the early mega cheap lease deals (what a peasant!)

Great all rounder, an effortlessly quick and capable car no doubt about it and the reason they are so popular.

But, echoing a lot of other posters comments it was never an "event". For example, I then moved into the previous generation TTRS and my very first drive through Dartford Tunnel on the way back from buying it put more of a smile on my face than the Golf R did at anytime in 2 years.

Gad-Westy

14,520 posts

212 months

Monday 13th January 2020
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900T-R said:
Never really saw the point in cars like this. Appreciate what it does (make vast cross country pace painless to live on a daily basis) - thing is, that pace can seldom if ever be reasonably exploited on the road and the 99% of the time you're left with... well, a Golf; and the times you can go this fast without risking life, license and respectability, surely you would want something that makes doing so rather more of an event?

As for it being so good at the day-to-day stuff, well any modern hatchback is pretty painless to own and drive (and easy to go much faster in than you really should) these days...

Give me slower (in relative terms) and more exciting any day of the week
I agree with you to a large extent and it's one of the reasons I never really gelled with my Cupra 300 but what are the credible modern alternatives that offer day to day comfort and practicality but genuine excitement at sensible speeds? I genuinely can't think of any which is indeed a shame but a sign of the times.

Tri_Doc

571 posts

133 months

Monday 13th January 2020
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I live in the middle of nowhere and theft isn’t as bigger concern as it might be for some.

I’m curious as to how many people who are commenting negatively about them have ever driven one, likely very few.

I bought a 16 plate R estate, 20,000 on the clock, for £20k. I have two kids, a Labrador and live down a flint lined track, with country commute consisting of entirely unnamed country roads. I’ve had an Impreza in the past, but as an all round package, for the running costs, I can’t think of anything better for what I need. I don’t do Trackday anymore but on road performance is superb and dynamically its never boring when driven very quickly down poorly surfaced country lanes, I’d go so far as to say it’s ideal.

Everyone’s allowed to buy/lease which ever car they want. The golf R is a brilliant formula and clearly worked well for VW. I plan on keeping mine for 10yrs plus.

900T-R

20,404 posts

256 months

Monday 13th January 2020
quotequote all
Gad-Westy said:
I agree with you to a large extent and it's one of the reasons I never really gelled with my Cupra 300 but what are the credible modern alternatives that offer day to day comfort and practicality but genuine excitement at sensible speeds? I genuinely can't think of any which is indeed a shame but a sign of the times.
TBH I don't know either - it seems that sort of car has evolved in an opposite way to where I wanted to go as a driver/owner. To be honest, I dropped out of that market segment after my Cooper S, which was great in a way put already felt a bit too much like the regular Cooper I left behind but with a 'fast forward' option rather than the altogether sharper, more exuberant drive that I sort of anticipated on. Almost lost my license in that car, too - which I wouldn't have held against the car had I felt I really was pushing it and bursting from adrenaline...

Dale487

1,334 posts

122 months

Monday 13th January 2020
quotequote all
Gad-Westy said:
900T-R said:
Never really saw the point in cars like this. Appreciate what it does (make vast cross country pace painless to live on a daily basis) - thing is, that pace can seldom if ever be reasonably exploited on the road and the 99% of the time you're left with... well, a Golf; and the times you can go this fast without risking life, license and respectability, surely you would want something that makes doing so rather more of an event?

As for it being so good at the day-to-day stuff, well any modern hatchback is pretty painless to own and drive (and easy to go much faster in than you really should) these days...

Give me slower (in relative terms) and more exciting any day of the week
I agree with you to a large extent and it's one of the reasons I never really gelled with my Cupra 300 but what are the credible modern alternatives that offer day to day comfort and practicality but genuine excitement at sensible speeds? I genuinely can't think of any which is indeed a shame but a sign of the times.
Thanks you two for convincing me that stretching to either a Golf R or Leon Cupra estate wouldn't have been worth the additional out lay over my Leon FR.

andrewparker

7,898 posts

186 months

Monday 13th January 2020
quotequote all
Dale487 said:
Gad-Westy said:
900T-R said:
Never really saw the point in cars like this. Appreciate what it does (make vast cross country pace painless to live on a daily basis) - thing is, that pace can seldom if ever be reasonably exploited on the road and the 99% of the time you're left with... well, a Golf; and the times you can go this fast without risking life, license and respectability, surely you would want something that makes doing so rather more of an event?

As for it being so good at the day-to-day stuff, well any modern hatchback is pretty painless to own and drive (and easy to go much faster in than you really should) these days...

Give me slower (in relative terms) and more exciting any day of the week
I agree with you to a large extent and it's one of the reasons I never really gelled with my Cupra 300 but what are the credible modern alternatives that offer day to day comfort and practicality but genuine excitement at sensible speeds? I genuinely can't think of any which is indeed a shame but a sign of the times.
Thanks you two for convincing me that stretching to either a Golf R or Leon Cupra estate wouldn't have been worth the additional out lay over my Leon FR.
Er, I hate to break this to you...

Gad-Westy

14,520 posts

212 months

Monday 13th January 2020
quotequote all
Dale487 said:
Gad-Westy said:
900T-R said:
Never really saw the point in cars like this. Appreciate what it does (make vast cross country pace painless to live on a daily basis) - thing is, that pace can seldom if ever be reasonably exploited on the road and the 99% of the time you're left with... well, a Golf; and the times you can go this fast without risking life, license and respectability, surely you would want something that makes doing so rather more of an event?

As for it being so good at the day-to-day stuff, well any modern hatchback is pretty painless to own and drive (and easy to go much faster in than you really should) these days...

Give me slower (in relative terms) and more exciting any day of the week
I agree with you to a large extent and it's one of the reasons I never really gelled with my Cupra 300 but what are the credible modern alternatives that offer day to day comfort and practicality but genuine excitement at sensible speeds? I genuinely can't think of any which is indeed a shame but a sign of the times.
Thanks you two for convincing me that stretching to either a Golf R or Leon Cupra estate wouldn't have been worth the additional out lay over my Leon FR.
Well I was careful not to be too critical as truthfully, these cars (and I'd include a load of others, not just VAG stuff) are really bloody impressive and extremely hard to fault. Dynamically, the Leon's biggest issue was traction on greasy roads and some rather old school uncouth behaviour when that traction was breached, but honestly, that aside, it's amazing how something so easy to live with can turn it's hand to dismantling a B-road at a truly alarming rate despite being driven by Hammy McHamfists. So, they're really bloody good so hard to not recommend, and I'm sure the Golf R et al are even better but I personally just don't feel comfortable with that level of temptation at my finger tips and I wouldn't say you necessarily feel like you played a starring role when you have given one a bit of spanking either.