The Mega Mk7 Golf GTI/GTD/R thread

dastardly00

DaveyDave wrote: »

I was offered €500 discount/trade-in for that Cupra to help me make a decision. Step in the right direction but I'm looking at another car soon.

I can live without digital dash, keyless or reversing camera but it also doesn't have adaptive cruise/front assist so not so sure...

I drove from Galway to Meath and back again on Saturday and I used adaptive cruise control the whole time on the motorway. It was my first proper time using adaptive cruise since I got the GTI a few weeks ago. It made the journey so easy; I can see it being a must-have for me in the future.

(I had to drive about 35 km on a R road also so I had it in Sport mode then and gave it the beans :D:D)

JoeA3

I thought it was a must have too but my current car doesn't have it and tbh you just get used to not having it. I don't do an awful lot of motorway spins though so that's probably a factor for me.

tossy

ACC is a godsend, it doesn't like snow though.


Edit for the righteous few who will say you shouldn't use ACC in the snow - snow falling not initially sticking no one in front of me on motorway for some distance.

DaveyDave

I could probably live without ACC but it would be a shame to go back.

In saying that, I have first dibs to look at one for €1,000 more with LED headlights, ACC, sunroof, keyless and a few other extras, probably out if the budget though. I wonder if Brady's would come down more knowing that one is much better specced.

vintagevrs

Have you owned a car with ACC before? I had a Golf with it, and now back in a car without it and don't miss it at all. I use normal cruise nearly everyday but never warmed fully to the active cruise. I often "cruise" past cars, and in the Golf that then involved more work by trying to figure out best way to overtake the car if that makes sense.

Anyway, I think I am in the minority. I also realise that as I don't like digital dashes and I dislike the way a lot of interiors are going with OTT lighting and screens. I turn the screen off in my car at night when not in use. I also don't like the auto dip headlights. Maybe I am just odd, or else getting old

ILikeBoats

vintagevrs wrote: »

Have you owned a car with ACC before? I had a Golf with it, and now back in a car without it and don't miss it at all. I use normal cruise nearly everyday but never warmed fully to the active cruise. I often "cruise" past cars, and in the Golf that then involved more work by trying to figure out best way to overtake the car if that makes sense.

I'd be the same. Wife has acc in her q5, it just confuses me when I want to overtake, have to move into overtaking lane quite early in order to not slow down? Maybe I'm just using it wrong! I prefer the normal cruise.

hooch-85

I find if you set the distance to the lowest level it doesn't apply the brakes until you are pretty close to the car in front. I find the emergency braking system more annoying as it can engage a bit too early at times.

DaveyDave

ACC will keep your speed if you indicate when approaching a car to allow for passing. As soon as I start to feel it slow I'll indicate to move over.

The acc profile you set effects the acceleration/braking too. Eco is very easy going/slow, Sport is faster acceleration and late on the brakes. Normal is, well, normal.

vintagevrs

Yeah I know about the different settings. Probably fine on a motorway but just not great on quiet national roads. For example, it'll cruise up behind a car but I don't want to pull out yet onto the wrong side of the road. Then when you get close it brakes, then you indicate and it kicks down a gear and accelerates. I just find plain cruise easier and less hassle. Same as those feckin auto dip lights. I'd rather do the dipping myself. Her Seat has them as did the Golf, and I don't like the way they have to see the other car before dipping. I'll dip sooner, cus you know I'm sound like that.

JoeA3

lol vintage...

It’s funny what becomes a “must have” once you get used to having it. Thing is, most of this stuff is nice to have rather than must have (or in Vintage’s case, prefer not to have).

My current wagon has electric memory seats. I would have considered something like that completely frivolous but I must say it’s a brilliant feature to have when you get accustomed to having it... particularly when the wife is 5 foot nothing and sits on the steering wheel when she takes my car... so it’s nice to be able to go back to my comfortable position at the touch of a button.... first world issues, but nice all the same.

As for ACC I’d echo some of the issues vintage had with it. It’s a good system on a free flowing motorway but has flaws otherwise. The needless false alarm emergency breaking also caused me a couple of brown pants moments.

SaintsYB

I went into a dealer today to see what kind of trade-in I'd get for my car and see what the monthlies would be like for a brand new manual GTI PP.

The specced car came out at €44.5k (metallic paint, tech pack, Brescias and Dynaudio). Was offered €13.8k for my own car. With a €950 deposit from myself, it came out at €412 p/m. I must say it seems very tempting.

JoeA3

SaintsYB wrote: »

I went into a dealer today to see what kind of trade-in I'd get for my car and see what the monthlies would be like for a brand new manual GTI PP.

The specced car came out at €44.5k (metallic paint, tech pack, Brescias and Dynaudio). Was offered €13.8k for my own car. With a €950 deposit from myself, it came out at €412 p/m. I must say it seems very tempting.

Just be aware you’re going in with max deposit (30%) and have a think about what you’ll do in 3 years time.
- Keep it - you’ll need to refinance / pay off the ~16k balloon.
- trade up for another new one - you’ll likely need to come up with a few grand to make up the 30% again.

SaintsYB

JoeA3 wrote: »

Just be aware you’re going in with max deposit (30%) and have a think about what you’ll do in 3 years time.
- Keep it - you’ll need to refinance / pay off the ~16k balloon.
- trade up for another new one - you’ll likely need to come up with a few grand to make up the 30% again.

That's true alright. I think what I'd more likely do is sell the car privately and use some of that for the deposit. I have no plans to change realistically for 7/8 months, maybe even this time next year.

DaveyDave

Have you heard the stock sound system in the Golf? It's pretty good to be fair. If you turn up the bass on the equaliser it gets really punchy without distortion or washing out the mids/highs.

SaintsYB

DaveyDave wrote: »

Have you heard the stock sound system in the Golf? It's pretty good to be fair. If you turn up the bass on the equaliser it gets really punchy without distortion or washing out the mids/highs.

I have heard it and I was pretty impressed by it to be fair for a stock sound system. I haven't heard one with Dynaudio but I always have music on in the car which is why I'd like it.

ChuckLarry

JoeA3 wrote: »

Just be aware you’re going in with max deposit (30%) and have a think about what you’ll do in 3 years time.
- Keep it - you’ll need to refinance / pay off the ~16k balloon.
- trade up for another new one - you’ll likely need to come up with a few grand to make up the 30% again.

Is there any benefit in 3 years time for trade in to choose a lower deposit?

Salesman has advised me not to go full deposit but the lower payments seem more appealing to me even if it means stumping up a few extra grand in deposit money

SaintsYB

ChuckLarry wrote: »

Is there any benefit in 3 years time for trade in to choose a lower deposit?

Salesman has advised me not to go full deposit but the lower payments seem more appealing to me even if it means stumping up a few extra grand in deposit money

This is what I wonder about. Is it better to have a lower payment to save more per month for the GMFV or is it better to have a lower deposit to not have to save as much in the first place? It seems like six of one, half a dozen of another to me.

vintagevrs

If it's zero pc interest it makes no difference at all. If there is interest involved higher deposit means borrowing less so less interest but in the grand scheme of the cost of ownership this is minute.

The sales man wants you to put in a deposit which would be ball park how much equity you have in three years time. This means higher monthlies now, but you might then get used to those. Come three years then he can ring ye up and say he can get you into a brand new car for "nothing". Just trade in and keep paying the same monthlies. 6 of one though.

ChuckLarry

vintagevrs wrote: »

If it's zero pc interest it makes no difference at all. If there is interest involved higher deposit means borrowing less so less interest but in the grand scheme of the cost of ownership this is minute.

The sales man wants you to put in a deposit which would be ball park how much equity you have in three years time. This means higher monthlies now, but you might then get used to those. Come three years then he can ring ye up and say he can get you into a brand new car for "nothing". Just trade in and keep paying the same monthlies. 6 of one though.

Yeah that makes sense when you look at it that way

JoeA3

The salesman is trying to make life easier for himself and hopefully retain you as a customer beyond this car.

PCP is often marketed / sold to people as a mechanism to roll into a new car every 3 years without any upfront cost (barring the monthly payments). In VW's case, the balloon / GFMV figure is pitched at a level that should leave you with around 20% equity in the car after 3 years but certainly not as much as 30%. So if you go in with 30% now, that's fine, so long as you plan ahead and realise you'll need a pot of cash in 3 years time to make up a shortfall in your deposit if you go with 30% again.

Going with 20% now means less of a shock to you and one less irritated / angry customer for the dealer in January 2022. I'm sure a lot of salesmen deal with many pissed off customers who went into PCP with max deposit 3 years ago without fully understanding the consequences.

The bigger the deposit you put in, the less interest you'll pay too, but with 1.9% finance, the overall interest is small regardless.

Obviously, the trouble with going with a lower deposit means your monthly for that GTI starts to look costly, probably close on 600 euro p/m with a 20% deposit, which is saucy, but it's a more accurate representation of the car's affordability to you imo.

hooch-85

SaintsYB wrote: »

I went into a dealer today to see what kind of trade-in I'd get for my car and see what the monthlies would be like for a brand new manual GTI PP.

The specced car came out at €44.5k (metallic paint, tech pack, Brescias and Dynaudio). Was offered €13.8k for my own car. With a €950 deposit from myself, it came out at €412 p/m. I must say it seems very tempting.

What's the spec of the car you are trading in?

drunkmonkey

DaveyDave wrote: »

Have you heard the stock sound system in the Golf? It's pretty good to be fair. If you turn up the bass on the equaliser it gets really punchy without distortion or washing out the mids/highs.

It's not great, if buying new I'd definitely opt for something better, I've been reading up on the helix VW system it's about €350 from Germany haven't priced the dealer but it's meant to be a big improvement and you keep the spare wheel just need a longer bolt for it.

Neilw

SaintsYB wrote: »

I have heard it and I was pretty impressed by it to be fair for a stock sound system. I haven't heard one with Dynaudio but I always have music on in the car which is why I'd like it.

Dynaudio is excellent, well worth the money if you like your music.

JoeA3

VW stock sound system is OK, I never felt it lacking. Compared to BMW, where the stock system is incredibly poor - it's akin to listening to music via your phone's speaker, so you're pretty much compelled to upgrade to their Harmon/Kardon system (BMW's Dynaudio equivalent).

I've heard good things about Dynaudio though and you do get those nice silver frames on the A-pillar tweeters... so it's totally worth it

tossy

Dynaudio is a good system my only gripe is they only give you a 3 band graphic equaliser, that's a bit of a joke.

drunkmonkey

Pricey enough to pick up second hand, one with the speak covers etc was 1k on eBay last week there's one for a Mk7 there now for about 700, and a fender system but I don't know if that'll work here for about 600.
Anyone knows if there's a totaled mk7.5 with the dynaudio in the country?

JoeA3

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Pricey enough to pick up second hand, one with the speak covers etc was 1k on eBay last week there's one for a Mk7 there now for about 700, and a fender system but I don't know if that'll work here for about 600.
Anyone knows if there's a totaled mk7.5 with the dynaudio in the country?

It's not a straightforward retrofit... not for the faint hearted. I've seen it done but you're talking about taking your interior apart.

That helix system is probably a good compromise.

drunkmonkey

Wouldn't bother me ripping it apart...looks straight forward enough I've a bit of experience at it.

SaintsYB

hooch-85 wrote: »

What's the spec of the car you are trading in?

It's a manual 151 BMW 116d Sport. 101k kms on the clock.

hooch-85

In that case, it's not too bad an offer I guess, what did that car retail for when new?

I thought it was a GTi/GTD you were trading.