7R or RS3

[Msportman]

Priced a new 7R with options then entered them onto Carwow
Best deal I got was a 13.1% saving including this months £500 loyalty discount (reduced from £1000)
Dealer contribution remains.

I opted a high spec car which adds up to nearly RS3 base price but with the discounts available it's now closer to £33k

Options are

3 door Oryx white
DSG
Tints
Tech Pack
Sunroof
Adaptive chassis
Prets
Winter pack

My dilemma is although the RS3 in base form is slightly more its depreciation is likely to be much slower than the R and I deliberating whether all of the extras would be a waste when the car is 3 to 4 years old. I see the previous Gen RS3 still commands £25 - £30k for nice examples.
The sound of the four pot is addictive. I've tried both but tbh the R is the sharper tool if slightly slower but nothing a good APR map should sort on the R.
Just worried about the residuals especially as there rumour of a facelift in the press.

Your thoughts

[rich83]

RS3... no question

[skard]

RS3, seemingly I see a different 7R everytime I go for a drive.

[Adam0604]

I would defo be going for the RS3 as well

[S2 Ant]

Guess it depends on how much you want it to be brand new really... up to 12 month old Golf R's are now high 20's which represents a pretty decent saving and they're all well spec'd from what i've seen so far.

Having owned an older Audi Quattro though, the 5 pots do sound much better than a 4 pot!

[MC71]

New RS3 if money allows and R if not.

Ive driven 2 RS3's in the last few weeks (a new one and a 8P one) in my continued pursuit of the next Mistess and the new one is a lot better than the R BUT it bloody well should be, its a hell of lot more expensive. ive been offered an a new Mk7 R to my spec through Carwow (from my local main dealer) for £28900 and a new RS3, also Carwow, for closer to £40k.

As you say the 8P RS3's are now circa £25k-£32k for one but sadly the interior is now looking a little dated but still looks good if you find one with Recaro wingbacks and a few other options. That 2.5TFSI gives an effortless 400bhp with a mere stage 1 map and sounds immense even with a standard exhaust.

I still can't decide.....tough one! 

[bonelorry]

I would go for the RS3, Much more an exclusive car.

The MK7 R I tend to see at least 3 per day, The market is saturated with them due to the cheap Lease Deals! They are not really an exclusive car to own and as a result I reckon in a few Years they will depreciate quite heavily due to the numbers out there that will come up for sale at 2 and 3 Years old at the end of the Lease agreement.

[AJP]

Guess it depends on how much you want it to be brand new really... up to 12 month old Golf R's are now high 20's which represents a pretty decent saving and they're all well spec'd from what i've seen so far.

Having owned an older Audi Quattro though, the 5 pots do sound much better than a 4 pot!

Can't beat the noise of a 3b or ABY on full beans. Arguably the old 10vt was even nicer. Even my tired old kv B3 Coupe sounded special!

But yeah, RS3 all day long. If the mk7 R wasn't so damn common (due to lease details as mentioned) it'd be a tougher choice.

Usually if I'm out on the road and I see an obvious 'enthusiast owned' VAG I'll give them a little flash and a thumbs up. Number of times I've done that to a mk7 R to be greeted by a bemused, defensive stare from a middle aged lady says it all.

Lease deals. They've killed it. Haven't seen one obviously modded example yet.

[dan930]

Def a rs3...don't forget they hold there value too when it's time to sell

[rdfcpete]

Takeaway the Audi bias    (I don't particularly rate the latest Audi range including the 8V A3), for 33k with potential further discount even without any options, I'd take the RS3.

The Golf 7R seems a great car, but soon every car on the road will be a 4 cylinder "two leeta turbo m8 m999"  Just waiting for Merc to unveil the upcoming C63 AMG with a 2.0 4pot turbo 

Nice to be different not only because the RS3 is exactly that, slightly hulk-hatch different, but also because of the 5pot sound which is probably half the reason you'd buy the car over the less character-filled rivals. Only the M135i is close on sound as well as being not-your-average-commercial-hot-hatch with the 6cyl.

Evo mag recently did a Golf R Vs RS3 in which they said the Golf R came out on top for outright driveability, but unless you live in the pits at Thruxton, I doubt you'd notice that 5-10% every single day or week.

The 8V RS3 is surprisingly more masculine in person than in the pics too, bit like the BMW 1M for a 'short' car.

Take nothing away from the 7R because it is excellent, described as the Golf to have from the range by the journo's (until the Clubsport, probably  ). But, you'll see lots of R's on the road as said so if it was me on this one, I'd be different for good reason...

[GrayMK5GTI]

I'm slightly biased. .   

But most reviews suggest that the RS3 (as standard) is not as good to drive as the 7R. The steering has less feel, it's more prone to under steer, and is a bit. . . boring

The RS3 engine note is awesome, in fact the whole engine is awesome  , and so tuneable.

It's £10k more than a 7R - a whole third more expensive 

Definetly a heart over head decision. . Like buying any hot hatch I guess 

Evo review mentioned earlier:

Some more 7R stuff: http://www.topgear.com/car-news/hot-hatch/top-gear-drag-races-10-focus-rs-vs-vw-golf-r-vs-merc-a45-amg

http://www.topgear.com/car-news/best-2015/top-gears-top-five-hot-hatchbacks#1

Best Hot Hatch 2015: http://www.topgear.com/car-news/hot-hatch/hot-hatch-shootout-civic-type-r-vs-fiesta-st-vs-vw-golf-r#11

[bonelorry]

Not been funny but all these talk of reviews.....I would never ever buy any car based on a review of some overpaid magazine journalist. I would not wipe my backside on EVO magazine.

Regardless of reviews, Go out, Drive the car yourself and see how you feel about it. 

[rich83]

A set of decent tyres on the RS3 and it would sort most of the understeer out.

[GrayMK5GTI]

Another video. . This time on some roads:

[GrayMK5GTI]

Not been funny but all these talk of reviews.....I would never ever buy any car based on a review of some overpaid magazine journalist. I would not wipe my backside on EVO magazine.

Regardless of reviews, Go out, Drive the car yourself and see how you feel about it. 

I'm not crazy about Evo mag, but I have a little more respect for TG, although all magazines seem guilty of going crazy for a car at launch, then realising it isn't perfect after a few months. . I can see a few flaws appearing with the Focus RS after it's been a long termer


I agree about driving both, I only neglected to mention this above as he states in his last paragraph that he's tried both