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      03-15-2017, 10:08 PM   #1
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2017 VW Golf R ?

I love my 228i but I'm seriously considering the 2017 Golf R. I realize it's getting a facelift for 2018, but I prefer the analog gauges. A couple of drawbacks - no sunroof or homelink. I know the Golf R does hold its value. So question - anyone with thoughts on the R or experience with recent VWs? My 228i has been solid as far as no major issues in 3 years....VW gremlins have me scurd.
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      03-15-2017, 11:21 PM   #2
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No issues with our 2016 Golf R so far at 21,000km (13,000 miles). Compared with our 2010 135i, it feels less stable at speed and overall is not as much fun to drive, the paint also has chipped quite a bit compared with the BMW at an equivalent number of kilometres. It is very competent on low traction surfaces, but doesn't have enough camber and heats the brakes up rapidly when on the track. Bearing in mind my criticism, I call the R a real SUV, as it is quite sporting and has good utility, possibly the most competent all round vehicle at a reasonable price. If you want a vehicle that performs very well in everyday life, has AWD, prefer a manual transmission and need decent load carrying capabilities, there really isn't any competition (the Focus RS is quite compromised in hatch shape, so looses a lot of utility).
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      03-16-2017, 03:05 AM   #3
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I'm fairly certain you can add homelink. There's an A3 retrofit kit you can use.
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      03-16-2017, 09:03 AM   #4
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I feel like a lot of guys that are looking to make a jump out of their 228i either jump to an M235i or the Golf R. The R is an awesome car. Looks good, sounds good, tons of performance mods out for it as well. But if I had the means to get the M235i over the Golf R, I would have to go with the M235i. I might be a little biased too haha!
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      03-16-2017, 09:10 AM   #5
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I think if you ask the real VW gearheads they will tell you the GTI is the smart money play if you're looking to go this route...
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      03-16-2017, 10:17 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BEM-S4 View Post
I think if you ask the real VW gearheads they will tell you the GTI is the smart money play if you're looking to go this route...
Yep! It's really a great deal if you get the sport trim or higher (has a slight tune, an LSD from factory, Golf R brakes, and can be had for much less).

You could easily take the leftover money and add a bigger tune, maybe a turbo upgrade and some wheels. Also OP you mentioned you were disappointed in the lack of a sunroof, the GTI comes with one

Don't get me wrong the Golf R is a great car (I still want one) but the extra price and lack of available LSD was a deal breaker for me when I was shopping for an Mk7.

Last edited by donkey; 03-16-2017 at 11:03 AM..
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      03-16-2017, 10:21 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BEM-S4 View Post
I think if you ask the real VW gearheads they will tell you the GTI is the smart money play if you're looking to go this route...
Besides the tune/haldex awd and a couple other bits the R is manufactured in Germany compared to all of the GTI's major components including engine being manufavtured and assembled in mexico

40k for the R is a tough nut to choke on.......and I wish they would bring the 2 door back

Dont like that 4 door personally
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      03-16-2017, 10:33 AM   #8
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Any moral considerations with VW? I sold both an Audi and a Porsche in the last six months. Perhaps BMW and other car makers will be tarnished as well, but I'd like to think that the company I'm supporting is not committing fraud and being sued worldwide for endangering our health. So while I have a choice...
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      03-16-2017, 10:52 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fbsm
Quote:
Originally Posted by BEM-S4 View Post
I think if you ask the real VW gearheads they will tell you the GTI is the smart money play if you're looking to go this route...
Besides the tune/haldex awd and a couple other bits the R is manufactured in Germany compared to all of the GTI's major components including engine being manufavtured and assembled in mexico

40k for the R is a tough nut to choke on.......and I wish they would bring the 2 door back

Dont like that 4 door personally
$40k is tough especially when you can get a sport GTI for literally half that. There are like 10 listed near me for under $23k down from $29k.
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      03-16-2017, 11:12 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BEM-S4 View Post
$40k is tough especially when you can get a sport GTI for literally half that. There are like 10 listed near me for under $23k down from $29k.
The thing I balk about on the GTI is that butt ugly plaid seating material.....every time I look at one I expect the radio to default to a station playing the bloody bagpipes

And the stock wheels.....fugly......

You cant excape those seats or get a sunroof until you upgrade to the SE which is 31,700 MSRP...and even then you're stuck with those butt ugly wheels that look more like a meat slicer than wheels.

True car shoves the price down to about 28k.......ymmv.....but those rims need to GO

And the Autobahn edition is just false advertising.....it should be the "cuotas" edition
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      03-16-2017, 11:14 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fbsm
Quote:
Originally Posted by BEM-S4 View Post
$40k is tough especially when you can get a sport GTI for literally half that. There are like 10 listed near me for under $23k down from $29k.
The thing I balk about on the GTI is that butt ugly plaid seating material.....every time I look at one I expect the radio to default to a station playing the bloody bagpipes

And the stock wheels.....fugly......

You cant excape those seats or get a sunroof until you upgrade to the SE which is 31,700 MSRP...and even then you're stuck with those butt ugly wheels that look more like a meat slicer than wheels.

True car shoves the price down to about 28k.......ymmv.....but those rims need to GO

And the Autobahn edition is just false advertising.....it should be the "cuotas" edition
See I love the plaid seats really think they make the interior pop. If I'm going VW I want old school. In for a penny in for a pound.
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      03-16-2017, 11:22 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BEM-S4 View Post
See I love the plaid seats really think they make the interior pop. If I'm going VW I want old school. In for a penny in for a pound.
I love plaid.....just not as a seating surface for my car



A 2 door S model with a sunroof and faux leather would be ideal imho.

The fact of the matter is that the VW GTI is one of the only manufacturers that even provides me with the ability to check off all the boxes on my list of potential DD's

Hatch
MT
Sunroof
Leather/facsimile seats
Heated seats
FWD (or xdrive)

If BMW offered the 140 in the US I would jump on it.....probably despite the Auto

The only other car that comes close is the Mini Cooper S or JCW

Interesting car, especially with the B48 engine but its a bit smaller than I would like.....but could probably tolerate it

I suspect I would have a lot fewer issues with the GTI over 150-200k
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      03-16-2017, 11:35 AM   #13
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The purists will puke all over me but I do miss our 2008 R32. That was a fun little car.
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      03-16-2017, 11:50 AM   #14
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I'd rather an Focus RS over a golf R
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      03-16-2017, 12:24 PM   #15
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I had fun in my old golf, but holy crap did that car have so many issues. My brothers Passat too. I'd stay clear from vw.
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      03-16-2017, 01:05 PM   #16
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I'd rather an Focus RS over a golf R
And I'd rather an R than a FocRS. The RS rides like crap and have much less utility. Just me though
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      03-16-2017, 01:09 PM   #17
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Completely off topic, well sort of I guess. There's a dealer (forget who) maybe in Virginia selling a heavily discounted brand new 2015 X1 35 or whatever they call the good one with the big engine. Old body style before they went to the mini-based crap. Anyway that with a $750 Dinan stage 1 tune (it's on sale) would hand most cars their asses and it's less than the R.

Like I said not exactly where we started. It similar with added utility of wagon etc.
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      03-16-2017, 02:50 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 50Lombardy View Post
Any moral considerations with VW? I sold both an Audi and a Porsche in the last six months. Perhaps BMW and other car makers will be tarnished as well, but I'd like to think that the company I'm supporting is not committing fraud and being sued worldwide for endangering our health. So while I have a choice...
my only moral consideration was the former Department Of Justice getting 3 billion from EPA fines to use on political activism, oh - and VW opening a billion dollar factory in Mexico not the US.

OP, the R is a good enough little car but it needs an APR tune to be truly fun. Stock it felt extremely underwhelming vs my 240i

APR has a $30 a month replacement warrenty if you want to go the 'safe' route.

Quote:
Originally Posted by BEM-S4 View Post
Completely off topic, well sort of I guess. There's a dealer (forget who) maybe in Virginia selling a heavily discounted brand new 2015 X1 35 or whatever they call the good one with the big engine. Old body style before they went to the mini-based crap. Anyway that with a $750 Dinan stage 1 tune (it's on sale) would hand most cars their asses and it's less than the R.

Like I said not exactly where we started. It similar with added utility of wagon etc.
the problem with the otherwise great last gen 35i M x drive is the ridiculously small trunk space. We ended up getting a new 2017 x1 which isn't anything like as fun but the old one has LESS cargo space than the much smaller Golf!!
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      03-16-2017, 03:05 PM   #19
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the problem with the otherwise great last gen 35i M x drive is the ridiculously small trunk space. We ended up getting a new 2017 x1 which isn't anything like as fun but the old one has LESS cargo space than the much smaller Golf!!
Yeah my consideration for such factors is minimal at best. Within 5 miles of my M235 convertible (bad trunk, decent for vert though) I have access to a 328 sport wagon and a big GL Benz. So my threshold for "good trunk" is basically anything that's better than my convertible and if not great who cares have other options.

I honestly would have bought that car already to replace GF's 328D but it doesn't have Nav.
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      03-16-2017, 05:20 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BEM-S4 View Post
Yeah my consideration for such factors is minimal at best. Within 5 miles of my M235 convertible (bad trunk, decent for vert though) I have access to a 328 sport wagon and a big GL Benz. So my threshold for "good trunk" is basically anything that's better than my convertible and if not great who cares have other options.

I honestly would have bought that car already to replace GF's 328D but it doesn't have Nav.
Yup, this is our 2nd car (3rd if you include the beater) and needs to carry around 2 very large, often very muddy rottweilers so we had to go with the FWD model

It's a little bizarre how hard people on the X1 section of this forum try so hard to convince themselves that the new one is a 'real BMW' when it's clearly not, especially compared to the hydraulic steering e90 based last gen with the M package.
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      03-16-2017, 06:14 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr Carrots View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by BEM-S4 View Post
Yeah my consideration for such factors is minimal at best. Within 5 miles of my M235 convertible (bad trunk, decent for vert though) I have access to a 328 sport wagon and a big GL Benz. So my threshold for "good trunk" is basically anything that's better than my convertible and if not great who cares have other options.

I honestly would have bought that car already to replace GF's 328D but it doesn't have Nav.
Yup, this is our 2nd car (3rd if you include the beater) and needs to carry around 2 very large, often very muddy rottweilers so we had to go with the FWD model

It's a little bizarre how hard people on the X1 section of this forum try so hard to convince themselves that the new one is a 'real BMW' when it's clearly not, especially compared to the hydraulic steering e90 based last gen with the M package.
We looked at the current one it's nice enough for what it is - but you're right it's not the same as the old one. For its target audience it's perfectly fine, but it's no X1 35.

We drove the current X1, 335 GT and 328 sport wagon. GT is garbage, I'd get one for GF realtor since so versatile and great for clients w giant back seat but no fun to drive. X1 was meh, biggest issue was I could not sit in the front seat. I'm 5'6" and fit so I should really be comfortable in most if not all cars, but they just hit me in a really awkward spot and I couldn't feel my legs after a while. Some people love the seats though, go figure.
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      03-16-2017, 07:11 PM   #22
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Upgrade to a 235i ������
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