VW Up! GTI 5 Door
Discussion
A 3 vs 5 door debate could go on forever. Let's all agree that doing both 'a la Veloster' would be the worst idea.
A brief up!date (sorry) as I gave my dad a lift the car yesterday afternoon. It's fair to say he was sceptical of my decision to buy an up! but he was more impressed when he saw it. To be fair, it's a much bigger looking car than the standard up!
He was impressed by the refinement, the ride, the red glow under the dash and the seat heaters. He wasn't a fan of the engine noise.
Just clocked over 400 miles as well, not a single issue to report so far.
A brief up!date (sorry) as I gave my dad a lift the car yesterday afternoon. It's fair to say he was sceptical of my decision to buy an up! but he was more impressed when he saw it. To be fair, it's a much bigger looking car than the standard up!
He was impressed by the refinement, the ride, the red glow under the dash and the seat heaters. He wasn't a fan of the engine noise.
Just clocked over 400 miles as well, not a single issue to report so far.
I had known all that that I’d have a few hours free this afternoon so I had been keeping an eye on the weather forecast. It looked good this morning so I decided to go for a little drive.
There’s a town called Newcastle about 30 miles south of Belfast at the bottom of the Mourne mountains and it is the start of the High Mourne Senic loop, a 20 mile trail through the mountains with some twisty roads, a little bit of single track lanes and some spectacular scenery, especially with the low winter sun lighting up the scattered clouds. Barely saw another car on the route. Time to put the up! through its paces. The big thing that stood out was the flexibility of the engine. It’ll pull easily from 1,500rpm so it’s possible to leave it in 3rd gear if the twisys demand maximum concentration. The ride continues to impress with only a large pothole really catching it out. More on that later
The up! really is a great car for these types of roads, the narrow size meaning you can place it easily on the single track roads and don’t have to worry too much about what’s coming the other way on the narrower 2 way sections. The engine was great, pulling strongly and emitting that cheeky growl with every acceleration. It still really looks the part and I still haven’t seen another GTI on the road so I’m happy with the exclusivity.
Some photos:
And the evidence of the pothole that caught me out. This’ll buff out, right?
There’s a town called Newcastle about 30 miles south of Belfast at the bottom of the Mourne mountains and it is the start of the High Mourne Senic loop, a 20 mile trail through the mountains with some twisty roads, a little bit of single track lanes and some spectacular scenery, especially with the low winter sun lighting up the scattered clouds. Barely saw another car on the route. Time to put the up! through its paces. The big thing that stood out was the flexibility of the engine. It’ll pull easily from 1,500rpm so it’s possible to leave it in 3rd gear if the twisys demand maximum concentration. The ride continues to impress with only a large pothole really catching it out. More on that later
The up! really is a great car for these types of roads, the narrow size meaning you can place it easily on the single track roads and don’t have to worry too much about what’s coming the other way on the narrower 2 way sections. The engine was great, pulling strongly and emitting that cheeky growl with every acceleration. It still really looks the part and I still haven’t seen another GTI on the road so I’m happy with the exclusivity.
Some photos:
And the evidence of the pothole that caught me out. This’ll buff out, right?
My biggest issue with my Up GTI after two weeks of ownership is the amount of bell ends it is attracting. I don't think I've been out in it yet when I haven't experienced someone tailgating me or driving aggressively around me. It's actually starting to do my head in.
Love it apart from that. Had a drive up on to Marsden Moor yesterday and it was a lot of fun!
Love it apart from that. Had a drive up on to Marsden Moor yesterday and it was a lot of fun!
andrewparker said:
My biggest issue with my Up GTI after two weeks of ownership is the amount of bell ends it is attracting. I don't think I've been out in it yet when I haven't experienced someone tailgating me or driving aggressively around me. It's actually starting to do my head in.
Is there a badge delete option?silentbrown said:
andrewparker said:
My biggest issue with my Up GTI after two weeks of ownership is the amount of bell ends it is attracting. I don't think I've been out in it yet when I haven't experienced someone tailgating me or driving aggressively around me. It's actually starting to do my head in.
Is there a badge delete option?skip_1 said:
Is this people that know what it is. Having driven plenty of small cars I've found they attract people seemingly try to bully them, perhaps subconsciously.
I think it’s probably a bit of both, however a few people I work with who drive Aygos and Ups have referred to it as “small car syndrome” and say they forever have people doing the same sort of thing. Last night I had someone in a white GTD sit right on my behind in heavy traffic, then decide that the best place to overtake was on a roundabout, cutting me up on the exit.
A small up!date, as the car reached it's running in mileage of 933 miles (1,500km) earlier in the week. I had a pretty rough day in work so decided to give it "the beans" on the motorway on slip. It absolutely rocketed up to speed and caught me a little bit by surprise. I'll have a bit of fun with that in the future :wink:.
Debating whether or not to change the oil, VW recommends it after 10,000 miles or a year. Car also needs a wash. It's Starling Murmuration season in Belfast so we're treated to a spectacular sight of thousands of the birds flying in formation over the Albert Bridge. Unfortunately, the paintwork is treated to something else. Autoglym's Bird Dropping wipes are doing the trick but I'll be hoping to get a good deatiled wash in this weekend.
Debating whether or not to change the oil, VW recommends it after 10,000 miles or a year. Car also needs a wash. It's Starling Murmuration season in Belfast so we're treated to a spectacular sight of thousands of the birds flying in formation over the Albert Bridge. Unfortunately, the paintwork is treated to something else. Autoglym's Bird Dropping wipes are doing the trick but I'll be hoping to get a good deatiled wash in this weekend.
Appreciate this is your thread but thought I’d update since I received some great advice in here. Hope you don’t mind.
Had a test drive of a five door black car.
It looked nicer than I thought it would in black. I’m keen on red, partner is keen on white, but just think as good as it looks in white with red that white is going to be dirty too quickly. Like a mental block and think the red shines better and pops.
Only options I’m interested in are park pack and climate. Panoramic roof would be nice but the car felt light enough inside anyway, so not sure about the weight and heat gain. Car pulled nicely and I was surprised how quick it arrived to 60 on the dual carriageway and as mentioned here it felt quite refined and wind noise was minimal. Clutch action was light, gears was nice and slick with that vague VW feel that I’m used to with my manual car so should have felt right at home. Not sure if it was the route, as I did ask for some country/twisty lanes but they were all 40mph zones but felt something missing so hoping it was just the test drive and I never had time to gel with the car. Appreciate I’d just jumped out of a Golf R but I drove my MK1 MX-5 and that felt buzzy and this should be everything of those cars comibined to one. Think I just find it hard to relax in a test drive environment and 15 minutes wasn’t enough. So might ask to go on a chosen route of my own for an hour and pay petrol or something as the car should tick all the boxes for us. Cars are available, but with climate it’s a factory order and we’re happy to wait.
Please don’t take this as hating on the car, I really liked it but just didnt love it from the off, but suspect it’s me as everyone raves about them and I think I’m too used to the turbo shove and need to get used to an N/A daily again. As previous car was a MK7 ST, so need to adapt my mindset and driving style.
ETA: Not sure why I thought the car was N/A when I wrote that.
Had a test drive of a five door black car.
It looked nicer than I thought it would in black. I’m keen on red, partner is keen on white, but just think as good as it looks in white with red that white is going to be dirty too quickly. Like a mental block and think the red shines better and pops.
Only options I’m interested in are park pack and climate. Panoramic roof would be nice but the car felt light enough inside anyway, so not sure about the weight and heat gain. Car pulled nicely and I was surprised how quick it arrived to 60 on the dual carriageway and as mentioned here it felt quite refined and wind noise was minimal. Clutch action was light, gears was nice and slick with that vague VW feel that I’m used to with my manual car so should have felt right at home. Not sure if it was the route, as I did ask for some country/twisty lanes but they were all 40mph zones but felt something missing so hoping it was just the test drive and I never had time to gel with the car. Appreciate I’d just jumped out of a Golf R but I drove my MK1 MX-5 and that felt buzzy and this should be everything of those cars comibined to one. Think I just find it hard to relax in a test drive environment and 15 minutes wasn’t enough. So might ask to go on a chosen route of my own for an hour and pay petrol or something as the car should tick all the boxes for us. Cars are available, but with climate it’s a factory order and we’re happy to wait.
Please don’t take this as hating on the car, I really liked it but just didnt love it from the off, but suspect it’s me as everyone raves about them and I think I’m too used to the turbo shove and need to get used to an N/A daily again. As previous car was a MK7 ST, so need to adapt my mindset and driving style.
ETA: Not sure why I thought the car was N/A when I wrote that.
Edited by Birdster on Tuesday 12th February 19:50
I'm approaching 4,000 miles now
What you've got to accept with this car, is that it supplies no ego or status boost whatsoever.
All it's concerned with is fun.
On occasions you will be, burned off by idiots in their Fabia RS diesels and plonkers in their Fiesta STs, you will be sneered at by idiots in their 3.0 diesel A4s, you will be swarmed upon by van drivers, you will be harassed by the odd mum in a big old X5.
The car will not pander to your lack of confidence. If you need 300hp to feel like you've arrived, its not for you. If you need to take off from the lights at Sainsburys in 4.9 seconds, then ditto. If you need a 4.7metre barge with adaptive cruise and folding wing mirrors, then it will disappoint.
Its fizzy, 995kg, fun. You drive it for *your* fun.
Not really sure where you got the ego boost or burning off at lights etc. As I don’t really consider what people think about me when I pull up at the lights and neither do I care what others think about the car that as I drive, as I already mentioned that I own a MK1 MX-5 and just laugh off the hairdresser comments, but thanks for the snap judgement.
PorkRind said:
I'm sure I recall not being able to Turn off the atc fully, bit of a let down?
To be honest, it comes in so late I don't think it's an issue. It is possible to fully deactivate it via VCDS if you were inclined though.I've just changed the tyres on mine to Goodyear Eagle F1s and it has improved the car a lot. Turn in feels much more positive and the car really grips with no sign of any understeer.
I am hoping to get in one of these in around 18 months. I currently have a lease ending mind next year, and I am not looking to lease again. I am hoping that there will be a number available to purchase outright at the time I am looking to purchase. 95% of the miles I do are me alone, so no need for a big car.
A couple of questions;
- I am 6ft 3 - will I fit? I have sat in one in a showroom and it seems spacious enough
- My commute is B road (average speed of about 40mph) of around 60 miles per day - how are people doing for fuel?
- Is it comfortable? Can you do a 1 hour stint without any back ache?
- How does it handle pot holes?
A couple of questions;
- I am 6ft 3 - will I fit? I have sat in one in a showroom and it seems spacious enough
- My commute is B road (average speed of about 40mph) of around 60 miles per day - how are people doing for fuel?
- Is it comfortable? Can you do a 1 hour stint without any back ache?
- How does it handle pot holes?
georgefreeman918 said:
A couple of questions;
- I am 6ft 3 - will I fit? I have sat in one in a showroom and it seems spacious enough
- My commute is B road (average speed of about 40mph) of around 60 miles per day - how are people doing for fuel?
- Is it comfortable? Can you do a 1 hour stint without any back ache?
- How does it handle pot holes?
I'm 5'10" and I fit in fine. You'll need to go and sit in a demonstrator though. - I am 6ft 3 - will I fit? I have sat in one in a showroom and it seems spacious enough
- My commute is B road (average speed of about 40mph) of around 60 miles per day - how are people doing for fuel?
- Is it comfortable? Can you do a 1 hour stint without any back ache?
- How does it handle pot holes?
Part of my commute is 45 miles of A/B single carriage roads at 50mph. And i see 55+ mpg on this.
I drove to Manchester last week 2.5 hours and it was very comfortable and nice (cruise control)
Pot holes, it bangs around and because its so light, you notice it. Avoid them.
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff