Golf R Estate

[scottos]

I was hankering after something with a big V8, i had a MK5 Golf R32 and had inquired about a Jaguar XFR but part exchange price was rubbish and i didnt want to sell private as its always a huge pain!

2 weeks later a wanted advert came up, basically wanting the exact spec of my r32, it was daft not to sell, so i did. The Jag had sold by this point and i took it as a sign.

Another on my list was the Lexus ISF, there was always good examples for sale but when i came to look there wasnt, typically! Another sign taken!

I always tend to gravitate towards golfs as daily cars and i was getting fed up paying so much in tax on the r32 and it was going to be the same on a big v8, even though its not a daft amount on the grand scheme of things. My grandad was the only person in the family into cars and always had gti's when i was little, when they were current. I'd always been against Golf R's after they ditched the 3.2 v6, i can now eat my own words, they are a cracking car!

Now i couldnt hack a normal hatch back, spending that much on a daily driver and seeing quite a few of them about. I'd always wanted to tick the fast estate box at some point and started noticing the estate version when looking at the cars for sale and quickly spotted one that ticked all the options and more whilst also being in budget! All in all the sale of my r32 and collection of this car in the same day went quite smooth other than it taking awhile for the money to go through and the 4 hour drive home gave me plenty of time to get acquainted with the car.

I've covered about 700 miles in it having had it a little over a week, i've done most of my favourite local roads and i can say im really happy with it, its crazy they can do what they do out of the box! Mileage will go back to normal soon i guess, i tend to cover around 12k a year.

I've got some plans for it in the future, with so much potential i think it's a shame to leave it standard!

Few pics:

IMG-20191006-WA0017 by Scott Osborne, on Flickr

IMG-20191006-WA0019 by Scott Osborne, on Flickr

IMG-20191006-WA0018 by Scott Osborne, on Flickr

IMG_20191006_114814 by Scott Osborne, on Flickr

IMG_20191006_115910 by Scott Osborne, on Flickr

Thanks for reading,

Scott

[Dave Hedgehog]

so are we taking bets on how long it will be before this shows up in the stolen car thread?

[tvrfan007]

Ah I do like a nice Lapiz blue R. Needs Pretorias though, I can find no love for those standard wheels at all!

I think VW really cheaped out though to not give the hatch design of the rear lights to the estate.

Happy hooning!

[Steff]

Nice, would go for one myself if it came with a manual gearbox.

[seawise]

we love ours - my partners daily, doing 20k miles a year in it as it's so damn good that other cars get left in the garage.

[I 8 a 4RE]

Nice. Thinking of one of these, would love to know what the height of the boot (floor to ceiling) is as I’m wondering if my Great Dane could sit / stand upright in it?

[roltyid]

Nice. Looking at one of these in the new year - will be interested to see your thoughts on it as a daily.

Already has upgraded discs I see - any other mods planned?

[Johnnytheboy]

Dave Hedgehog said:

so are we taking bets on how long it will be before this shows up in the stolen car thread?

Depends if he lives in Birmingham or one of the large northern cities, that seems to be where they all get stolen from.

OP: I have a blue 65 plate Estate just like this, it's a great car.

I have to say I have great respect for its abilities and it does everything I wish of it, but it doesn't make me giggle.

If there was one thing I'd like to improve, I find the back end a bit bouncy over undulations; have you found the same?

[Hitch]

seawise said:

doing 20k miles a year in it as it's so damn good

What are these like for fuel on the motorway? I do about 20k a year but the vast majority of that is moderate speed commute so hoping it is not too bad as I've got a lease going back in Jan and one of these is on the cards.

[Johnnytheboy]

By all accounts the mk7.5s (2017 onwards) with the 7-speed DSG box are markedly better on fuel on motorways.

[seawise]

Hitch said:

What are these like for fuel on the motorway? I do about 20k a year but the vast majority of that is moderate speed commute so hoping it is not too bad as I've got a lease going back in Jan and one of these is on the cards.

it's a 2018 car, so has the 7 speed box with 310ps - mid 30's if you keep it below 90 - high 20's including town, lanes, occasionally booting it, not a very big tank though (50 odd litres I think)

[scottos]

Dave Hedgehog said:

so are we taking bets on how long it will be before this shows up in the stolen car thread?

Funnily enough insurance stipulates a Disclok for this car because of how often they get stolen luckily though i live up north around a nice area rather than one of many big cities full of scroates. Hopefully ill be able to hang onto it a little longer than many!

tvrfan007 said:

Ah I do like a nice Lapiz blue R. Needs Pretorias though, I can find no love for those standard wheels at all!

I think VW really cheaped out though to not give the hatch design of the rear lights to the estate.

Happy hooning!

I agree on the wheel front, the standard 18's are a very strange wheel, however i wouldnt have thanked anyone for the Prets, they seem to crack like mad. The tyres are expensive and they dont ride as well either. I'll be sticking some vw cup wheels on or some nice Oz's. PS4's in 18's can be less than 100 a corner too so definitely sticking 18's.

Steff said:

Nice, would go for one myself if it came with a manual gearbox.

I never used to be a fan of dsg but its genuinely 10 times better for a daily driver, my last 2 cars before this have been dsg too. I've got an old car with manual gears for weekend blasts so is nice to switch it up.

seawise said:

we love ours - my partners daily, doing 20k miles a year in it as it's so damn good that other cars get left in the garage.

Very nice, love that colour!

I 8 a 4RE said:

Nice. Thinking of one of these, would love to know what the height of the boot (floor to ceiling) is as I’m wondering if my Great Dane could sit / stand upright in it?

I'll have a measure for you, the boot floor is adjustable too. I think you'd get away wit most dogs to be honest. One of the guys at work was curious for the same reason and when he came and had a look he was pretty shocked!

Johnnytheboy said:

Depends if he lives in Birmingham or one of the large northern cities, that seems to be where they all get stolen from.

OP: I have a blue 65 plate Estate just like this, it's a great car.

I have to say I have great respect for its abilities and it does everything I wish of it, but it doesn't make me giggle.

If there was one thing I'd like to improve, I find the back end a bit bouncy over undulations; have you found the same?

I can imagine over time it wouldnt make you giggle but i think they need a few bits doing to them to get that giggling. They feel quite clinical out of the box dont they?!

I havent found the same yet and have spent quite a bit of time on boucy b roads, it all feels very planted. I'll be putting some VW Racing springs on asap, see how i get on after that.

Hitch said:

What are these like for fuel on the motorway? I do about 20k a year but the vast majority of that is moderate speed commute so hoping it is not too bad as I've got a lease going back in Jan and one of these is on the cards.

Really good for what they are, mid to high 30's at 70/80 possible. Eco mode will de-couple the haldex and put you in a coasting mode when you're not on the throttle too and keep the revs low. I found on my commute it doesnt make much difference but thats 10 miles averaging 25mph.

Johnnytheboy said:

By all accounts the mk7.5s (2017 onwards) with the 7-speed DSG box are markedly better on fuel on motorways.

I'd love a try of a seven speed, i bought this second hand so a facelift 7 speed was roughly 10-20k more than i paid for this, which sounds crazy

[scottos]

roltyid said:

Nice. Looking at one of these in the new year - will be interested to see your thoughts on it as a daily.

Already has upgraded discs I see - any other mods planned?

It's excellent so far.

Well spotted, it has clubsport s 2 piece disks and ds2500's on at the moment! I'll be doing some exhaust and intake mods and going for the 'stage 2' map at some point.

Also some VW Racing springs and spacers for now but ultimately some motorsport type 18's.

[si_xsi]

Following, I think I have a bit of an additction to golfs, having owned 4 now! Mk4 Gt TDI, Mk 5 GTI and 2 x Mk 5 R32's. I recently sold the R32 for a Jaguar XF Sportbrake 3.0 S. We needed more space so a quick ish estate was chosen, these were on the radar but sort of dismissed as heard they were a bit dull to drive and was put off by them being targeted for thefts. Whilst the Jag is a very capable car, I miss the noise of the R32 and haldex grip in winter so looking at them again, interested to hear your views on ownership!

[Johnnytheboy]

There's a particular road I use with a mid-corner bump on it. in my Focus RS (mk2) I never even noticed it.

First time I went over it in the wagon, it nearly took off!

[seawise]

scottos - Very nice, love that colour!

thanks, it's Atlantic Blue - took a while to find one in that colour with leather and a sunroof, but without 19's - but found it eventually and very happy we are too. flies beneath the radar, great 'Q car'.

[SiT]

I really admire these, particularly as an estate car, watched many YT videos of people running these and reckon they are the perfect daily.

I too used to own a MK5 R32 and I loved that car so much, it had soul and theatre in every journey no matter what you were doing or how far you were going.

What concerns me is that the R is so accomplished, it has lost that little USP?? Your in a great position to comment on that having owner both but that’s the feel I get.

The R32 is getting on now but I still flick through the classifieds and find it very easy to justify another.

Enjoy your R.

Si

[Mark Benson]

scottos said:

Dave Hedgehog said:

so are we taking bets on how long it will be before this shows up in the stolen car thread?

Funnily enough insurance stipulates a Disclok for this car because of how often they get stolen luckily though i live up north around a nice area rather than one of many big cities full of scroates. Hopefully ill be able to hang onto it a little longer than many!

I seem to remember (from your 2002 thread) we live quite close to one another - my R estate was stolen from the drive in a break in last year. Last seen heading down the A1 and disappearing off ANPR near Bradford.

Keep safe.....

[BUG4LIFE]

Johnnytheboy said:

Dave Hedgehog said:

so are we taking bets on how long it will be before this shows up in the stolen car thread?

Depends if he lives in Birmingham or one of the large northern cities, that seems to be where they all get stolen from.

OP: I have a blue 65 plate Estate just like this, it's a great car.

I have to say I have great respect for its abilities and it does everything I wish of it, but it doesn't make me giggle.

If there was one thing I'd like to improve, I find the back end a bit bouncy over undulations; have you found the same?

Very nice car OP.

I'd love one, I think it would make a perfect daily driver. However, even though I'd be buying one that's a good few years-old, as I live in the West Midlands I've decided it isn't worth the risk. Pity

[I 8 a 4RE]

scottos said:

I'll have a measure for you, the boot floor is adjustable too. I think you'd get away wit most dogs to be honest. One of the guys at work was curious for the same reason and when he came and had a look he was pretty shocked!

Great, I appreciate that.
They do look spacious; most large estates nowadays drop off so hard there's hardly any space for the hound!
SUVs are difficult for the dog to get into and the high floor reduces space again.

Only real option is Touran / Sharan (which is what the dog has now) ... if only they did an R version of that, like Vauxhall used to do!!