All Things Mk7 R and GTI > Mk7 General Area

Golf R Purchase/must haves

<< < (2/2)

Toasted:
Hi there!

Your story sounds so similar to mine....

Always wanted the MK7 GTI as soon as they came out - love the looks and respect the heritage.
Drove one (non-PP) really liked it  - sale all lined up - pulled out due to seller dinging it (see my 'K03 Low Down Torque') Thread in MK5 General. Ended up buying friends MK5 K03 bog standard GTI as a stop gap.
Absolutely f***ing love it, yes it's not as quick as most other stuff in standard form but the easy drive-ability makes for a very fun car.
Anyway...ended up driving a couple of MK7 DSG R's due to expanding the options - mainly due to the fact they look awesome on Pretorias. The two I drove were quick, unmistakably, but I just felt there was something missing. This might be a personal preference for a manual as it left me feeling less involved. However there probably is an adjustment period and after that you will hate manuals...but that wasn't the case for me, I just wanted a bit more. Maybe it's the woolly feel from the throttle, which is evident in GTI's too - the MK5 does not have this trait, although this could maybe be mapped out?? - @GTImike: Did you experience this? Plus the cabin, as nice as it is, doesn't have the same aura as the GTI, the classic tartan seats and red accents make it a more inviting place to be - for me.
I ended up hanging on to the MK5 with the possibility of moving towards the ED30 as it's a bit more special. Fully agree with GTImike, although mine is not an ED30, I love driving it and feel more connected to the car, it has a special feel which is hard to put into words.  I guess newer cars are more cossetting and therefore more insulating from a fast road driving experience - maybe? The MK5 feels more agile,you can feel the weight difference and with the ED30 you have kudos too.
It's a tough one as I know, on paper, the R 'should' be the perfect car for sh*tty UK roads....but that is on paper, the real world spits out facts and figures and it all comes down to how a driving a car makes you feel - a lighter, nimble MK5 may give the driver more of an feeling of speed and connection with the road which maybe is that special feeling that is sometimes missing. Other manufacturers seem to keep that driver focused feel (RS Megane etc), but they do lack on everyday practicality and build quality.
The MK7 R (on Prets in Tornado Red :wink:) is still up there for me on all round ownership, and possibly more economical??? However, that is speaking from a non-owner, only a twice driver of the car. For cheaper fun, and relative exclusivity, a good specced ED30 is hard to beat, plus they probably won't depreciate as much, if you end up changing your mind!

titchy:
I was  over an R when it came to a change from mk5 gti I eventually plumped for a MK7 gti R a bit numb Got to say I got the MK7 on Xmas eve I love it its quick the quality is a leap from MK5 I love the dsg over the first 200 miles its averaging 38 mpg very mixed driving It doesn't fell as solid as the old car Everyone comments on the colour Ruby Black Overall very happy so far

pudding:

--- Quote from: Toasted on January 29, 2020, 03:25:28 pm ---The MK5 feels more agile, you can feel the weight difference and with the ED30 you have kudos too.

It's a tough one as I know, on paper, the R 'should' be the perfect car for sh*tty UK roads....but that is on paper, the real world spits out facts and figures and it all comes down to how a driving a car makes you feel

--- End quote ---

Those in a nutshell really. 

Agility is one of the MK5's endearing qualities.  It's certainly not light at 1350ish KG but it doesn't feel it's weight when hustling it around.

What I dislike most about the MK7 platform is the steering.  It's totally numb and fidgety, and the variable ratio rack feels horribly inconsistent for my tastes.  Way too sharp and over-assisted on some corners, and too slow on others.  If there's an option to set it to a fixed ratio (like the MK5's), it would improve things I suspect.

I've owned and driven plenty of 4WD VWs and the only day-to-day advantage is traction off the line, but again it's not that pleasant an experience as the front wheel(s) has to spin almost a full revolution before the rear diff engages, which can feel like a bit of shunting as the torque gets redistributed.  It's also a very basic system with no torque vectoring (that I'm aware of on the MK7? Defo not on the MK5/6) so it's not like the thing will sling shot you out of corners either.  Meh.  Not worth the 150Kg ballast imo.  In frozen parts of Europe perhaps, but not the UK.

MK7s do have their merits though, of course.  I am mega picky with cars though and most folk wouldn't notice the things I've mentioned.  I think the R's plus points are very easy and very substantial power hikes, a huge aftermarket parts choice, much better made than the MK5 (mainly in the interior and bodywork) and they are effortless and quick....just boring.

Oh and 7 speed DSG is horrible as well.  The 6 speed in the MK5/6 is better imo.  An extra cog just adds to it's confusion as to what gear to be in, and frankly it can be dangerous if left in auto and you want sudden power to overtake......I've been left floundering like a t1t alongside the car I was overtaking whilst the TCU pisses about with the gears.  Best to leave it in manual mode imo.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[*] Previous page