Golf R Ownership experiences
Discussion
Hi Folks,
Probably been done to death somewhere else but I'd really like to hear owners reviews of the Golf R.
I'm contemplating selling my 5.0l XKR and replacing it with a Golf R. Might sound mad but frankly I need a car for all occasions and living in Scotland the roads are seldom ideal for using the 510 bhp RWD beast to anything like its full potential. I spend too much time with the rear end losing traction and frankly something more sure footed would be more fun more of the time I think.
I also want to get back in to manual - the auto is OK but I miss the involvement of a great manual gearbox. What is the manual box like on the Golf? Nice and precise allowing you to snick through the gears with a lovely mechanical feel, or is it a bit stodgy? (Hated the manual gearbox on my old E46 M3 for instance. It worked well but there was distinctly cartilaginous in terms of feel)
Sooo, am I mad, or will I find the Golf R a hoot to drive?
Anything else important I need to know?
Cheers
TD
Probably been done to death somewhere else but I'd really like to hear owners reviews of the Golf R.
I'm contemplating selling my 5.0l XKR and replacing it with a Golf R. Might sound mad but frankly I need a car for all occasions and living in Scotland the roads are seldom ideal for using the 510 bhp RWD beast to anything like its full potential. I spend too much time with the rear end losing traction and frankly something more sure footed would be more fun more of the time I think.
I also want to get back in to manual - the auto is OK but I miss the involvement of a great manual gearbox. What is the manual box like on the Golf? Nice and precise allowing you to snick through the gears with a lovely mechanical feel, or is it a bit stodgy? (Hated the manual gearbox on my old E46 M3 for instance. It worked well but there was distinctly cartilaginous in terms of feel)
Sooo, am I mad, or will I find the Golf R a hoot to drive?
Anything else important I need to know?
Cheers
TD
Don't get the Golf R. It's is boooooorrrrrrriiiiiinnnnngggg and has those stupid 4 exhausts. The interior is rubbish and looks like it was designed by the same person that Hitler employed to design his logo.
If you really must, then get the Audi S3 instead. Looks better (except the exhausts), has a nicer interior, doesn't look as chav as the Golf and just feels like a nicer place to be. The Golf is dull and boring inside, doesn't sound or look anything special, and just looks like you don't really care about cars so bought a Golf.
OR - switch it for something more suitable to your roads like a 4x4.
If you really must, then get the Audi S3 instead. Looks better (except the exhausts), has a nicer interior, doesn't look as chav as the Golf and just feels like a nicer place to be. The Golf is dull and boring inside, doesn't sound or look anything special, and just looks like you don't really care about cars so bought a Golf.
OR - switch it for something more suitable to your roads like a 4x4.
I'm assuming by "4x4" that Hi Stu X means a Land Rover or Range Rover etc.? The Golf and the S3 are both haldex equipped.
Anyways... refraining from using a Nazi reference, I agree that the interior of the S3 is nicer than the Golf. I've driven both and the Audi felt like a more quality car. Looks better in my opinion as well.
Anyways... refraining from using a Nazi reference, I agree that the interior of the S3 is nicer than the Golf. I've driven both and the Audi felt like a more quality car. Looks better in my opinion as well.
Hmm, interesting feedback. Was not expecting that but I can see where you are coming from on the design front I suppose.
Have been a big fan of fast Audis ever since I had my old 2.7 BiTurbo S4 but had got the impression that the Golf R battered the S3 in the reviews. Guess that's why you need to drive 'em rather than read about 'em.
As for the 4x4 thing, well we have 2 already so am after something sporty but with the necessary grip to deal with the frequently crap road conditions up here.
Any other suggestions?
TD
Have been a big fan of fast Audis ever since I had my old 2.7 BiTurbo S4 but had got the impression that the Golf R battered the S3 in the reviews. Guess that's why you need to drive 'em rather than read about 'em.
As for the 4x4 thing, well we have 2 already so am after something sporty but with the necessary grip to deal with the frequently crap road conditions up here.
Any other suggestions?
TD
TorqueDirty said:
Hmm, interesting feedback. Was not expecting that but I can see where you are coming from on the design front I suppose.
Have been a big fan of fast Audis ever since I had my old 2.7 BiTurbo S4 but had got the impression that the Golf R battered the S3 in the reviews. Guess that's why you need to drive 'em rather than read about 'em.
As for the 4x4 thing, well we have 2 already so am after something sporty but with the necessary grip to deal with the frequently crap road conditions up here.
Any other suggestions?
TD
What about an RS3?Have been a big fan of fast Audis ever since I had my old 2.7 BiTurbo S4 but had got the impression that the Golf R battered the S3 in the reviews. Guess that's why you need to drive 'em rather than read about 'em.
As for the 4x4 thing, well we have 2 already so am after something sporty but with the necessary grip to deal with the frequently crap road conditions up here.
Any other suggestions?
TD
CerberusRogue said:
What about an RS3?
There's a new RS3 in the works, apparently. Facelift looks, more gadgets in the cockpit and an aluminium 2.5 engine block which should lighten it up and hopefully alleviate the front-end heaviness that still plagues the car. It's pricey to buy but it holds its value well so cost of depreciation shouldn't be any worse than a Golf over a given time period, probably better. Hopefully it will be coming in Saloon format as well as the current Sportback, I know there will be a 'sedan' version in the US so probably one here too.As for the Golf R, I have one and love it. Can't comment on the manual gearbox as I have a DSG but it's a great mix of daily driver and 'fast car'. It's primarily front driven so it won't ever have the sort of RWD handling characteristics that you would get from a proper sports car - but the Haldex means that you can put the power down when road conditions are less grippy than normal. Also great fun accelerating out of corners. The engine is decent but you do need to work it to get the performance - under normal A-road cruising conditions it doesn't feel too eager to respond but once you get it above about 3000 it feels very responsive.
It's basically a cracking everyday hatch (the Golf is probably the benchmark for hatchbacks) that can also go very, very quickly when required to and doesn't look like a boy racer fantasy.
I like mine but not blown away. Key gripes for me are quality and comfort. The seat is positioned quite high and it isn't possible to drop it that far (this is referenced in some of the reviews). I was expecting the firm ride but I get back pains on a longer trip. It's not much good for anyone over 6 foot imho. Having said that I did manage to take it to south of france over the summer. Also the gearing doesn't suit faster motorway runs.
Coming from an Audi the quality is a big step down. I've had a fair few niggles / faults. App connect only works once in four times for making a voice call. There is a rattle from the speakers. The noise generator also rattles...
This was my first petrol car in a while and I was probably expecting too much from the noise. I think I would just dig deeper next time and get a v6 or v8...
Coming from an Audi the quality is a big step down. I've had a fair few niggles / faults. App connect only works once in four times for making a voice call. There is a rattle from the speakers. The noise generator also rattles...
This was my first petrol car in a while and I was probably expecting too much from the noise. I think I would just dig deeper next time and get a v6 or v8...
Have you thought about a B8 S4 intead? The Supercharged V6 trumps the Golf/S3 for engine character and with the optional sports diff it can be quite good fun to throw down a twisty road. It also has "proper" Quattro permanent 4wd and for ~£1500 MRC will extract similar power to the XXR if thats your bag.
Edit, just re-read your OP and realised you said you wanted to get into a manual car again. Only pre facelift S4's (2009-11) had a manual option so might be a bit too old for what you're after.
Edit, just re-read your OP and realised you said you wanted to get into a manual car again. Only pre facelift S4's (2009-11) had a manual option so might be a bit too old for what you're after.
Edited by LocoBlade on Wednesday 7th September 20:16
I narrowed my search down to a Golf R, S3, Subaru STI, Focus RS Didnt like the look of the S3, STI lack of dealers and old tech, high tax and low mpg.Focus RS is a good car, no discounts and a year to wait.
Loved the R, drove great and liked the driving position. Good deals on the net so stuck a deposit down.
What they didnt tell me was theres issues with parts at the factory, so my initial 12 week wait could be 5 or 6 months, which isnt so attractive.
Loved the R, drove great and liked the driving position. Good deals on the net so stuck a deposit down.
What they didnt tell me was theres issues with parts at the factory, so my initial 12 week wait could be 5 or 6 months, which isnt so attractive.
Just to add a bit of balance (maybe)
I love mine & I thinks it's one of the finest all rounders I've even driven. Perhaps I'm a different shape to everybody else on this thread (
), but I find the driving position & accommodation a perfect fit.
It's a comfy mile muncher (although, to be fair everything seems like that compared to the TVR
) with plenty of grip & go. Not that it matters a jot to me, but the mpg is decent at 34 ish on average.
I love it
I love mine & I thinks it's one of the finest all rounders I've even driven. Perhaps I'm a different shape to everybody else on this thread (
), but I find the driving position & accommodation a perfect fit.It's a comfy mile muncher (although, to be fair everything seems like that compared to the TVR
) with plenty of grip & go. Not that it matters a jot to me, but the mpg is decent at 34 ish on average.I love it
As a fast allrounder it is a perfect fit for Scottish roads. The grip is exceptional and its pretty decent on tyres and fuel. I have covered 11,000 miles in 7 months in one, I wouldn't listen to the usual hate brigade. Watch the Chris Harris video against the m235i and Evo video against the RS3.
I really like mine, I use it as my daily so it covers everything from great B roads to boring early morning motorway very well considering it is based on a family sized hatchback.
Mine is a manual as I prefer manuals. It isn't the greatest manual box I've driven (the wife's ND MX-5 is by some margin) but it is decent. The clutch on the other hand has a plastic restrictor in one of the pipes that needs to be removed to enable faster changes. Bonkers that VW would go to the effort to make the R one of the few cars they current sell that allows you to properly turn off all the traction systems and they intentionally hamstring the clutch like that with 50 pence worth of plastic.
Unless you want something more Q car or need the extra room, if it was me I'd be looking at the TTS or the new TTRS.
Mine is a manual as I prefer manuals. It isn't the greatest manual box I've driven (the wife's ND MX-5 is by some margin) but it is decent. The clutch on the other hand has a plastic restrictor in one of the pipes that needs to be removed to enable faster changes. Bonkers that VW would go to the effort to make the R one of the few cars they current sell that allows you to properly turn off all the traction systems and they intentionally hamstring the clutch like that with 50 pence worth of plastic.
Unless you want something more Q car or need the extra room, if it was me I'd be looking at the TTS or the new TTRS.
I found mine to be brilliant, covered 22k in 12 months and averaged 20.3mpg - worked out from fuel receipts and actual mileage and litres lol.
Great in Scotland with our greasy wet roads and equally as good sitting at 170 on the autobahn!
It was between the S3 and the R for me but I felt the R to be a sharper drive, almost like the S3 had been refined a bit too much and I also wasn't keen on the dash in the S3.
I've covered a fair bit of mileage in both manual and DSG R's and I really couldn't get on with the manual...plus you get launch control with the DSG
Great in Scotland with our greasy wet roads and equally as good sitting at 170 on the autobahn!
It was between the S3 and the R for me but I felt the R to be a sharper drive, almost like the S3 had been refined a bit too much and I also wasn't keen on the dash in the S3.
I've covered a fair bit of mileage in both manual and DSG R's and I really couldn't get on with the manual...plus you get launch control with the DSG
sumo69 said:
34 - I am lucky to hit 24!!
That's what I was thinking! I have the almost identical engine in my S1, and I get:20mpg - Giving it absolute death
25mpg - Giving it a lot of revs, a lot of the time
30mpg - Normal run out with spurts of speed
Mine does only have 3,000 miles on it though, so that may get better. That's running on 97RON.
TorqueDirty said:
Hi Folks,
Probably been done to death somewhere else but I'd really like to hear owners reviews of the Golf R.
I'm contemplating selling my 5.0l XKR and replacing it with a Golf R. Might sound mad but frankly I need a car for all occasions and living in Scotland the roads are seldom ideal for using the 510 bhp RWD beast to anything like its full potential. I spend too much time with the rear end losing traction and frankly something more sure footed would be more fun more of the time I think.
I also want to get back in to manual - the auto is OK but I miss the involvement of a great manual gearbox. What is the manual box like on the Golf? Nice and precise allowing you to snick through the gears with a lovely mechanical feel, or is it a bit stodgy? (Hated the manual gearbox on my old E46 M3 for instance. It worked well but there was distinctly cartilaginous in terms of feel)
Sooo, am I mad, or will I find the Golf R a hoot to drive?
Anything else important I need to know?
Cheers
TD
You will really miss that XKR Probably been done to death somewhere else but I'd really like to hear owners reviews of the Golf R.
I'm contemplating selling my 5.0l XKR and replacing it with a Golf R. Might sound mad but frankly I need a car for all occasions and living in Scotland the roads are seldom ideal for using the 510 bhp RWD beast to anything like its full potential. I spend too much time with the rear end losing traction and frankly something more sure footed would be more fun more of the time I think.
I also want to get back in to manual - the auto is OK but I miss the involvement of a great manual gearbox. What is the manual box like on the Golf? Nice and precise allowing you to snick through the gears with a lovely mechanical feel, or is it a bit stodgy? (Hated the manual gearbox on my old E46 M3 for instance. It worked well but there was distinctly cartilaginous in terms of feel)
Sooo, am I mad, or will I find the Golf R a hoot to drive?
Anything else important I need to know?
Cheers
TD
I'd be in an F-type AWD manual myself if the price was right.
Golf Gti and winters (so much nicer than the ChavR).
V8A*ndy said:
You will really miss that XKR
I'd be in an F-type AWD manual myself if the price was right.
Golf Gti and winters (so much nicer than the ChavR).
This man speaks a lot of sense. Go for the less powerful F-type, since like you say, it's hard to exploit the power these days; particularly in Scotland.I'd be in an F-type AWD manual myself if the price was right.
Golf Gti and winters (so much nicer than the ChavR).
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