The Mega Mk7 Golf GTI/GTD/R thread

carsfan · 17-11-2014 4:40pm #1

Any body with either of these able to advise on what the real world economy is of these?
There is not much between them in purchase price.
The gtd 625 euro more.
I do 25000km a year and really would prefer the gti but my head tells me the gtd is what I should be looking at.
I've only driven the gti and found it very entertaining.
Dealer says resale is the same for both of them. There is only 90 euro difference in road tax and insurance the same so fuel costs are the main financial difference.

JoeA3 · 18-11-2014 3:18pm

I average around 32-34mpg in my MK7 GTI. This is a mixture of relatively short commutes to work (24km round trip), some city driving and very occasional motorway runs. I used to live much closer to work, in the city and while my journeys were a lot shorter, my MPG was much worse (25-26mpg). I still only average around 14000 kms p/a today though.

I had a MK6 GTD before this... with similar driving to what I'm doing now, I'd say my MPG would be 40-44 ish... i.e. there isn't a huge difference unless you do predominantly long journeys or motorway driving, which I don't.

When I bought the GTI, there was more like a 2 grand differential between it and the GTD which made the choice much easier!

MuppetCheck · 18-11-2014 4:05pm

I'm driving a Leon FR with the same engine as the new GTD. The only time I get less than mid-50s to a tank is when I have to do some town driving, regularly hits closer to 60. That's 90% N-Roads at around the limit and 10% in really heavy traffic.

Cane it up and down to work and it does 50, carefully breaks 60 with ease. Just to show what can be had if you're careful:

JoeA3 · 18-11-2014 4:38pm

I rarely got anything like that kind of MPG in the MK6 GTD. I suppose I was living in town at the time and doing a lot of stop-start city driving, therefore I hardly ever saw much more than 40-43 mpg! Diesel was clearly the wrong option for me back then.

I have seen 45mpg in this GTI, but that was on a leisurely trip out to Connemara on a lazy Sunday... so while it is possible to break 40MPG in the GTI, it's not really achievable consistently in the real world.

MuppetCheck · 18-11-2014 5:55pm

The weight loss on the MQB cars has made a big difference. I had a CR170 VRS and 44 was about all I got from that.

carsfan · 18-11-2014 6:04pm

Probably a stupid question but does the diesel seem fast and is it entertaining?
I've driven diesels the last 10 years and after having driven the petrol gti I was impressed.
It was properly quick when revved out and made a lovely noise.
Do you enjoy the diesel Leon?

MuppetCheck · 18-11-2014 6:16pm

It's not the same as what you're looking at but I drove a Mark V GTI recently and got straight into my Leon afterwards.

For normal driving the Leon felt faster. By normal driving I mean taking it to about 3.5k revs maximum. The newer diesel engine in them is pretty refined and more free revving than the previous ones. You can have fun on back roads but you do drive it a little different - you can be caught out in the wrong gear if you're not careful. There's very little lag and it's pretty linear. But when pushed the GTI just keeps pulling to the red line, whereas the diesel is finished at about 4.5k and you need to change up. To me that's an annoyance. There's less weight over the front end in the GTI which is also nice - you do feel it pushing on.

To me at your mileage I'd probably go for the GTI. It won't ruin you with running costs. I'm doing about twice your mileage so the diesel savings are very noticeable.

JoeA3 · 18-11-2014 8:31pm

carsfan wrote: »

Probably a stupid question but does the diesel seem fast and is it entertaining?
I've driven diesels the last 10 years and after having driven the petrol gti I was impressed.
It was properly quick when revved out and made a lovely noise.
Do you enjoy the diesel Leon?

The noise is mostly fake! There's a speaker under the wipers that generates that growl on acceleration. The diesel has this too, to make it sound more like a petrol I guess.

For what it's worth, I liked the GTD. It was very petrol like to drive. Very free revving and punchy throughout the rev range. It doesn't run out of puff after 3k revs like traditional diesels. It did feel a bit nose heavy and walkowy on roundabouts though. One of the first things I noticed with the GTI was it felt much nimbler on the bends.

carsfan · 18-11-2014 9:14pm

I didn't realise the noise was fake. I thought the exhaust sounded good too . Is this artificial too?
I drove the regular gti but would get the performance model which has a front diff that is supposed to improve the handling even more.
Vw have improved the spec of the cars and are offering 3 free service sand a free tech pack if ordered before the end of this month.
The dealer I am talking to says that the petrol is making a big comeback and he has sold no gtd models and a couple of gtis along with 3 golf r.

MuppetCheck · 18-11-2014 9:48pm

That sound actuator drove me nuts, it's now silent though:pac:

JoeA3 · 19-11-2014 11:35am

carsfan wrote: »

I didn't realise the noise was fake. I thought the exhaust sounded good too . Is this artificial too?
I drove the regular gti but would get the performance model which has a front diff that is supposed to improve the handling even more.
Vw have improved the spec of the cars and are offering 3 free service sand a free tech pack if ordered before the end of this month.
The dealer I am talking to says that the petrol is making a big comeback and he has sold no gtd models and a couple of gtis along with 3 golf r.

Exhaust note is real alright and very nice sounding... but hard to hear it unless you are idling or have the windows down at low speed. The cabins are so well insulated these days, hence VW putting this artificial yoke in!

Yeah the spec changes and offers that VW are doing now make it an attractive proposition. You know that the R is "only" around 4.5k over the GTI PP now too?

ianobrien · 19-11-2014 12:35pm

I'm another with a 184PS Leon FR (Identical to the GTD) and over the last 10,000km I'm getting about 5.1L/100km (approx 55mpg). It generally goes from 4.8L/100km to 5.4L/100km. I once managed to get 7.2L/100km (40mpg) when I used it as a course car in a rally and there was plenty of acceleration from stops and closed roads.

There are different engine/driving modes in these and in my experience, the eco mode uses an extra 2 to 4mpg. Ya I don't understand that either.........

Edit - I'm hearing/reading horror stories about the 2.0 petrol blowing turbos. I've seen that on various user forums.

carsfan · 19-11-2014 12:54pm

Golf r would be a step too far for me I think .
I don't think I would get the benefit of the extra performance for the outlay plus the road tax is 570euro.
I am already fretting over the economy of the gti so god knows what you would return with an r.
I probably wouldn't keep the car longer than 3 years so would be under warranty re. Turbos etc.

JoeA3 · 19-11-2014 2:50pm

carsfan wrote: »

Golf r would be a step too far for me I think .
I don't think I would get the benefit of the extra performance for the outlay plus the road tax is 570euro.
I am already fretting over the economy of the gti so god knows what you would return with an r.
I probably wouldn't keep the car longer than 3 years so would be under warranty re. Turbos etc.

The R would be a few MPG worse than the GTI, no question.
It also has a smaller boot if that's a concern - to accommodate the AWD!

Reliability wise, I've had mine back to the dealers once for a warranty job - squeaking front suspension mounts. Otherwise I've had no issues so far.

bazz26 · 19-11-2014 3:33pm

It always puzzles me that people can be very comfortable spending upwards of €35k on the car itself but are so apprehensive if it costs a bit more in motor tax or fuel consumption. Generally the biggest cost associated with a car especially a brand new one, is depreciation.

carsfan · 19-11-2014 5:10pm

Yes. It is irrational really to buy a new car but I suppose some of us like new cars. The mpg, road tax are what you are aware you are paying out whereas I suppose depreciation is hidden and a cost we forget about in day to day use.
My neighbour bought a 120k car recently and is delighted it costs 390 euro to tax.

bazz26 · 19-11-2014 5:28pm

Not saying it is irrational to buy new. If no new cars were bought then there would be no second hand ones. It's a nice feeling to own a car that someone else hasn't owned before you.

But my point really is that people seem to focus on the wrong costs - €570 v €200 motor tax, 30mpg v 40mpg. These are minute in relation to spending upwards of €35k on the car itself, yet they become the deciding factor when buying.

R.O.R · 19-11-2014 6:25pm

bazz26 wrote: »

It always puzzles me that people can be very comfortable spending upwards of €35k on the car itself but are so apprehensive if it costs a bit more in motor tax or fuel consumption. Generally the biggest cost associated with a car especially a brand new one, is depreciation.

Depreciation isn't something you've to open your wallet for, on a regular basis though, so that's only felt when selling the car.

Fuel however, is a large weekly cost if you are doing a decent mileage.

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly · 19-11-2014 7:33pm

carsfan wrote: »

My neighbour bought a 120k car recently and is delighted it costs 390 euro to tax.

Nice! What car did s/he buy?

carsfan · 19-11-2014 9:52pm

BMW 640d gran coupe. Very nice car.
I agree that depreciation is biggest cost of a car but people seem to prefer cars with lower daily running costs at every level of purchase.
I also think that if 2 cars cost the same new then generally the one with lower running costs will depreciate less.

MuppetCheck · 19-11-2014 10:00pm

To be honest, the GTD is overpriced for what it is. It's a warm hatch priced higher than the hot hatch GTI.

Used GTDs go for big money due to the mix of running costs and poke but GTIs also aren't selling as well as they used to meaning used ones ain't cheap either.

The GTD will be cheaper overall most likely but it comes down to if you want to spend the bit extra for the better car.

MisterDrak · 21-11-2014 11:10am

My Two Cent Worth...

Have my Mk7 Gti since Aug 2013, and now getting 32.2mpg from it, although I do very low mileage, with all of it being short start stop city driving.

http://imgur.com/EfH1IH2

carsfan · 21-11-2014 1:15pm

Mister dark, is yours manual or dsg?
What do you think of the car overall?
Tbh those figures are putting me off. I thought I would manage closer to 40. Maybe I would as my commute is 20 miles each way on main roads and a little town driving.
I would prefer the gti over gtd I think but am torn. I think gtd is so dear may as well buy a 320d bmw if that's the way I'm going

MisterDrak · 21-11-2014 3:56pm

carsfan wrote: »

Mister dark, is yours manual or dsg?
What do you think of the car overall?
Tbh those figures are putting me off. I thought I would manage closer to 40. Maybe I would as my commute is 20 miles each way on main roads and a little town driving.
I would prefer the gti over gtd I think but am torn. I think gtd is so dear may as well buy a 320d bmw if that's the way I'm going

I have the manual, but as I mentioned I do very little driving (6K) miles in the year, with all of it short urban journeys. With so little mileage I really don't worry about driving economically, and the associate costs.

Have to say I do love the car, I have the DCC extra, but leave in the softest setting for most of the week, bar Sunday mornings, when Its the full sport setup, (suspension, engine and steering).

Im probably not the best to ask about economy really. Thinking seriously about the Golf R, in January...

JoeA3 · 21-11-2014 4:01pm

carsfan wrote: »

Mister dark, is yours manual or dsg?
What do you think of the car overall?
Tbh those figures are putting me off. I thought I would manage closer to 40. Maybe I would as my commute is 20 miles each way on main roads and a little town driving.
I would prefer the gti over gtd I think but am torn. I think gtd is so dear may as well buy a 320d bmw if that's the way I'm going

You'll certainly get mid to high 30's if your commute is mainly N roads and you keep your speed at or under the limit and keep the revs down, etc, etc... but what's the point of a GTI if you can't push on a bit?

The MK7 is definitely more economical than previous generations (I had a MK5 too and it's noticeably better on fuel than that was). The MK7 has stop/start tech too although I'm a bit skeptical as to how effective that is. 30+ mpg on a 230bhp petrol car is pretty good IMO

But if you are that anxious about a few MPG then I think it's not the car for you.

MisterDrak · 21-11-2014 4:39pm

Here is the consumption figs for the Mk6 Gti I have before the Mk7. See the 7 in a few posts above...

http://i.imgur.com/CPv3UHc.png

blingrhino · 23-11-2014 4:49pm

i have a new "r " ordered for february.
i have set myself up for 30mpg as an average (mostly motorway driving)
Realistically 25mpg for the first month

carsfan · 23-11-2014 6:30pm

Did you test drive the golf r before ordering?
Are you getting any/many extras?
I will have to make my mind up this week as have to order before the end of the month to avail of vw 151 upgrade offers and I am getting a good deal on trade in for a golf. Think will go gti as I feel it will be much more fun driving.
Why did you go r over gti? Besides the obvious 300 bhp and 4wd!

sk8board · 23-11-2014 7:41pm

I'm also seriously considering a change from the 520d e61m to the mk7R.

Haven't been able to find a test drive car in dublin yet. I've read that some of the garages are getting demos in Jan.
Only option I'm touch and go on is the DCC. Is the standard ride ok for my motorway commute I wonder?
Rear view cam, keyless and the winter pack are cheap additions. The larger screen, leather and dcc are all 1.8-2k each, bit steep.

Had a mk5 gti before the E61 and that averaged 33/34 mpg again and again on my mostly m50 commute. From looking at the uk mk7r forum, that's easily achieved unless you're caning it.

My other 2 options are 1-2 year old 330d or A7 Quattro. I'm a one car family with two kids 6 and 8, so I don't need the estate space any more.

Interesting that your delivery is already February. Might hang on to test drive and order for July reg instead.

EDIT: btw my e61 average on the same commute as the gti is 43mpg. So you can expect to spend about 30% more annually on petrol. I'm happy with that given the performance you get.

carsfan · 23-11-2014 8:21pm

The recession must be over if we are all thinking of getting out of our diesel 520s and into petrol gti/r golfs.

sk8board · 23-11-2014 8:53pm

carsfan wrote: »

The recession must be over if we are all thinking of getting out of our diesel 520s and into petrol gti/r golfs.

Must be!
For me it's down to an 'amount' to spend on a replacement every 2-3 years.

The 520d touring is great and filled a necessary need for space, but the running costs are high, wheels and parts especially. It's blown two injectors and also recently blew the turbo in the 2.5 yes I've had it. I'm not a hard driver at all and it's the tame steptronic. Both times were on the m50 at 60mph tripping along to work at 7am.

EDIT: forgot to add, the run flats are €300 per corner, replaced 3 sets since I got it. And got them aligned every time. It's bloody melting them!

the diff between 35mpg and 43mpg isn't as big as the diff in performance, and hopefully a decent service pack & warranty.
Both were similar price before but now the R is nearly 10€k cheaper, albeit with a slightly lesser spec.

The Mega Mk7 Golf GTI/GTD/R thread

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