Hi there! - Help, can't decide between GTi or Edition 30

[Greeners]

Welcome fella! 

I can only echo what everyone else has said in that I'd go for the ED30. 

[DaveB@Vagbremtechnic]

Well I'm going to be the dissenter in the ranks and say GTI.....

[{Tin Hat mode //on}]

The reason I say that is that by the sounds of it you're coming from a 330Ci and in addition to the fact that you've already said you're probably not going to mod it then i would more than likely suspect that comfort might be on your list of priorities.

If I was you having had many sporting BMW's in the past and my last car being a Desert Biege PD130 with BBS RC's and a recaro biege interior (all factory), I would suggest go for a DSG GTi with every conceivable option and dont settle for anything less.

The leather in a GTI wont be as good as youre 330 but its pretty good and much better than the bloody tartan crap with red stitching everywhere that you get on the ED30 that they expect you to pay extra for.

My Gti is Black/Black leather/heated seats/winter pack/satnav/highline/MultiFunction steering wheel/19's/TPM and its not an unpleasant place to be. I remember my 330ci M Sport being a bit of a handful and the 325i Msport being the better car, its not like that with the golfs, the ED30 is a little faster admittedly but dynamically they are very similar and that to be honest is very good they're light years better than the Mk4.

The ED30 is a great blank canvas for some serious modding, but if you are not into this then just spend the extra money and get an ex demo from an enthusiastic sales manager who knows about speccing cars and enjoy it.

If you are desperate for the extra 30BHP you can drive into any REVO dealer and get it and another 15BHP on top free for 5 hours to see what driving an ED30 would have been like and if you like it its about £380 quid if you shop about.

Defo DSG (Its the best gearbox Ive ever driven this side of a warmed up F360), Defo Leather, defo xenons, if its got Monza II's great if it hasn't even better you can get some serious rimmage of here and elsewhere for £650-£800.Maybe a little more and go for 19's at the expense of some ride comfort.

25th Annis kept there values for a long time, not any more dont forget if you buy an ED30 then by the time you come around to buying your first road tax renewal the ED35 will be imminent (The anni is dead, long live the anni)

Your new car is out there, just needs finding now......

[{Tin Hat mode //off}]

[Aparoon]

I see what your saying there it kind of makes sense, but the ed30 isnt just another 30bhp... gti look plain in comparison, plastic bumper and valances and skirts.... pescaras on ed30... red stitching is awesome as are the half leather seats... Its still the better choice especially if you don't want to mod imo

[Greeners]

I for one would pay extra to NOT have leather as I hate it in a 'performance' car for the following reasons:

I like to feel held in and not slide around under hard braking/cornering etc

Leather feels, Hot in the Summer and cold in the Winter.....................

Just my two penneth but I like the mix of Leather/Cloth in the ED30 (even though my Recaro's are currently all cloth!  ). 

[Mako V12V]

In what way is a standard GTI more comfortable than an Ed30??  

And I really like the INTERLAGOS cloth and leather seats in the Ed30. Full leather seats aren't that amazing you know - higher maintenance - needs cleaning, leather needs 'feeding', it cracks and shows dirt. And unless the car has heated seats they are very cold in winter and either way get extremely hot in summer. Remind me how do you cool these down? Push a button on the dash??

[DaveB@Vagbremtechnic]

The only reason I mention it is that the guy is coming of a 330ci which if its got cloth would probably be the only one in the country so coming back to cloth (whatever your feelings on tartan good or bad) may feel like a backwards step, as he's looking for a 5 door due family reasons maybe ultimate cornering G and non bum slippage might not be as important as a good looking interior with a good contrast such a Metallic Black with Biege Leather complemented with a good spec satnav/xenons/sunroof

Whilst I appreciate the OP has come on seeking opinion, consider the background. 330Ci's are a very good car, very endearing in much the same way as most of us feel about our golfs, the new owner of my 330ci had to prise the keys from my white knuckle grip. He's having to downgrade (yes sorry!) to a golf becasue of family reasons peoples priorities are different.

Now he'll no doubt come back on and be a total petrolhead and make me look a knob  just trying to put an alternate view across

All leather in golfs is heated

Had my front and rear valances colour coded for £230

For somebody who doesnt want to mod ^^^^That^^^^^ DBP/Biege Leather/Satnav/Xenons/sunroof/Highline/MFSW/19" CH wearing stage 1 golf will give any ED30 a run for its money in the desirability stakes on any given day for the same money......

Just my £0.02, not having a dig at ED30's I think they're great

[danishmkvgti]

as soon as possible i'll replace that awful ed30 tartan with alcantara. it's my least favorite part of the car

[Greeners]

Family wagon or not I happen to think the Interlagos (Tartan  ) gives the Golf a bit of character and VW did it to give this modern car a link back to the MK1 and set it apart from the mundane rep-mobiles with there boring 'beige' Leather interiors! 

The GTI is as much about the heritage as it is the driveability and the fact it is a cracking all rounder.

Ultimately we will all have differing opinions, and the above just happens to be mine! 

[DaveB@Vagbremtechnic]

Family wagon or not I happen to think the Interlagos (Tartan  ) gives the Golf a bit of character and VW did it to give this modern car a link back to the MK1 and set it apart from the mundane rep-mobiles with there boring 'beige' Leather interiors! 

Interlagos/Tartan........Tomayto/Tomarto     

The GTI is as much about the heritage as it is the driveability and the fact it is a cracking all rounder.

I fully agree Nathan thats why I drive one or did you mean to write "ED30" instead of "GTI"   

Ultimately we will all have differing opinions, and the above just happens to be mine! 

Fully respect that 

[Greeners]

GTI/ED30 Tomato/Tomayto! 

[Pauli]

I have had both. ED30 all day

[Johnmacster]

Guys, sorry if I have started a heated deabte here, far from my intention!

Dave hit nail on the head, my 330ci is heathed leather etc and a very, very nice place to be and being the SSG is very comfortable to drive etc with serious overtaking speed when needed.

Due to values and the need for a house extension in spring this year the decision is made (for now!) and as I will now only spend 10k max the GTi is the choice.  Not certain I will get much options for that budget though and selling the 330ci private will have to be the way forward as not many GTi's in dealers at sub £10k for me to px against.

Cheers all for continuing comments and advice, appreciated.  Just need to find a buyer ASAP and a nice specced steel grey 5 door under £10k now......... not much to ask for 

[Garth]

I got my GTI coming from a 330cd coupe then convertible. The Golf is nowhere near as comfortable and has a lot more wind noise than the BMW. The 'leather' interior in the Golf is a bit of a con; even on the part-leather Ed30, very little of the leather is real. Only the front faces of the seats and head-rests are leather, the sides and backs are vinyl. The leather is also quite hard and not very smooth. Don't be expecting the same level of quality or comfort in the seats as the BMW!

I bought my GTI as I do 800 miles per week and I wanted a 'disposable' car as the BMW would have lost a fortune if I kept it for much longer due to the mileage. The golf was the most economical hot hatch I could get that still had an acceptable level of comfort and refinement. It is reasonably quick and handles pretty well, but there the traction is terrible and the front scrabbles for grip all the time. It's better in the snow than the BMW though, that's for sure!

If it hadn't been for the mileage, I would have kept the BMW no question. That said however, I do quite like the GTI and it's more friendly round town and in car-parks than the Beemer. Because of the type of driving I do, there is almost no scope for spirited driving, so the more powerful Edition 30 would be no use to me. I always planned on mapping the GTI, but I don't think I will bother as I can't take advantage of the power it has now, let alone more.

[Aldo]

I think the wide range of opinions on the Interlagos/Tartan Interior simply goes to prove that it's very much a matter of opinion.

For me the Tartan is THE only interior to have on a GTI/ED 30 as I do like the link it gives back to the heritage of the Mk1 GTI. Can't actually believe it when I hear people don't like it.

Suppose it would be a boring forum if we all liked exactly the same options/mods eh.

[jonnyc]

Yup, got to say you cant fault the ED30 for tenability, very little outlay will get you a seriously quick car..