Golf R Purchase/must haves

[chimp400]

Hi guys
I’m having trouble making a decision!
I have a max budget of around £17k and have always been a Gti fan, I’ve had a Mk 2 16 valver years ago and a Mk 5 Within the last year.(wish I’d kept it and modded it)
The R appeals to me as it’s perfect as an every day car on our wet and greasy roads.
The problem I have is I keep looking at cheaper edition 30s and Audi S3s and think they will be just as much fun for the money.
I have another car in the garage as a weekend toy so the other car would be a daily.
I was set on buying a focus Rs Mk 3 but the prices and mixed reviews by owners has put me off, which is why I’m now looking at the R.
I’ve not ruled out a Gti but personally I can’t see past the extra grip and grunt or the R.
Tough decision, has anyone had similar thoughts?
Cheers for the advice.

[J4k3]

I used to own a mk3 focus Rs, I personally didn’t rate it so got shut after 3 months, I now own a manual mk6 golf R stage 2+ and haven’t looked back, it pretty much ticks all the boxes for me in terms of what I want out of a car! I personally don’t rate the s3’s, my friend has a 10 plate dsg s3 and I find it boring to drive and not as exciting as the golf, feels more refined, less exciting and less involving to drive compared to my R even though they are very much the same car! If the car your looking for is going to be a daily then maybe an s3 will fit your bill more if your after comfort and refinement! I personally find them a bit numb and boring to look at but each to there own! Gti is a good shout though I used to own one and found it to be more or less a perfect all rounder!

[chimp400]

Thanks for that, I actually like look of the 6R but they are pretty rare. Probably a good compromise when you look at the prices of a good ed30.

[pudding]

Thanks for that, I actually like look of the 6R but they are pretty rare. Probably a good compromise when you look at the prices of a good ed30.

Yes, very rare, if you specifically want DSG, 3 door, cloth interior and grey or black paintwork. It's a bit of a searching exercise!   ED30 prices seem to be falling.  They're a great car for every day hooning and they're also not a huge investment sat outside waiting to get nicked either, which is precisely the problem with Golf Rs if you live in a crime ridden part of the country.

[GTImike]

Just my 2p's worth.

Had an Edition 30 DSG for 7 years, pretty much from new, loved it, modded it to stage 2 and wasn't tempted by much else in my ownership and put 60k miles on it. Owned it far longer than any other car and at last count have owned about 50 in my

I then bought a nearly new 2017 prefacelift Mk7 R with a manual box and couldn't gel with it at all, I lasted 6 months or so before I eventually traded it in.

It was plenty capable and I spent a few quid on mods like a stage 1 JB4, it was rapid and probably a good bit quicker than the Edition 30 across any given road but no where near as fun.

Maybe it was just me getting a bit older but I'd look at an S3 over the Mk7 R

[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 ) 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]

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

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.