Ari Posted February 14, 2005 Report Share Posted February 14, 2005 Is there a new S3 on the market currently...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashbags Posted February 15, 2005 Report Share Posted February 15, 2005 All I can say is, are you guys all VW marketing execs in disguise? Or just lottery winners who throw away £25k on hatchbacks for fun? All I can say is that you musy have really friendly bank managers!!! Just answer me one question: do you think that £20k is now the standard figure for a decent hot hatch? Or do VW just set the price at what they think they can get away with? However, I do take the point that there's nothing else as good as this (new) on the hatch market for this money. I may just have to let the moths out of my wallet and try hard to overcome my tight 'ebeneezer' money-saving tendencies. So, what do you think the best options to have are on the new Golf? I mean, when I come to sell it after four years what will used buyers be looking for? Leather, Xenons, Winter pack and 18" wheels? Or do I need to give my bank manager a heart murmur and get him to cough up for Sat Nav too? Surely DSG isn't necessary as the manual box is pretty nice? The scary thing is, in the latest edition of Top Gear they did a group test with the new Golf GTI, Subaru Impreza and BMW One. They said that the basic Golf GTI will lose over £12,000 in 3 years. That's shocking!!! However, whatcar give the 3 year residuals as nearer 65% ... much better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisR32 Posted February 15, 2005 Report Share Posted February 15, 2005 But remeber, it usually means it will hold 65% of the standard list price. So that could well be 65% of the 20k - if you spec it up to 25k you'll start the negotions at around 13k according to the book! You usually put the options on for you - and you'll get nowhere near what you paid for them when it comes to part-ex/sell. If you part-ex back to VW you'll get a much better return on your options than you would at another garage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarMad Posted February 15, 2005 Report Share Posted February 15, 2005 Ok Ari... an alternative has arrived. Autocar has just this second dropped through the front door, and on the front cover is the new sport Focus, might be called the ST. On sale for 19k with a 2.5 Turbo 5 cylinder engine pumping out 217bhp and it will be with more standard equipment than the Golf re standard leather recaros for example. It will surely handle as well as the Golf and will almost certainly be built as well. No it doesn't quite have the label but I bet it will be a great car to drive with a great sporty 5 cylinder exhaust note ala Original Audi Quattro anyone should be a great car. Out this year for less you get more than the Golf GTI, anyone suprised ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ari Posted February 15, 2005 Report Share Posted February 15, 2005 Sounds fun, but whats a Focus (even a hot Focus) going to be worth in a couple of years? I can see it as a viable alternative, but I'd still pay an extra grand, live with 17 less horses, and have a VW on the drive personally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashbags Posted February 15, 2005 Report Share Posted February 15, 2005 Where do all you guys stand on the' Audi A3 is just an expensive golf' argument? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
activa Posted February 15, 2005 Report Share Posted February 15, 2005 [ QUOTE ] Sounds fun, but whats a Focus (even a hot Focus) going to be worth in a couple of years? [/ QUOTE ] The Golf would be my choice too but mainly 'cos I'm not convinced about the look of the new focus. Bound to depreciate as stated once the company car brigade get their hands on it.The only Fords that seem to have good residuals are the ones badged "RS"-people seem to worship that badge as if God-like!(Hence why Skoda weren't allowed to use it I guess) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RossG Posted February 15, 2005 Report Share Posted February 15, 2005 I would probably take the Focus (all other things being equal) because of the nice 5 cylinder engine note. That is where I start to baulk at nearly 20 grand for a hatch. I want at least slightly more than 4 cylinders I do really like the Civic Type R, and do disagree with you Ari, I thought the interior and build quality were just as good as any Golf I have ever been in. Loved the Type R drive too. Shame Mrs RossG found it a bit tiresome and boy racerish Don't always have to listen to her, do I? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
art15t Posted February 15, 2005 Report Share Posted February 15, 2005 I had the choice of a new Golf or a very well looked after High-spec R32. Feckit. I'll stay with me new R32 and move the snooper over from the old PUGWASHER ...cos the bar-stewards have already got me for 3 points and £60. ART Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RossG Posted February 15, 2005 Report Share Posted February 15, 2005 Out of that choice, I would take the R32 every day. Rare car in red, the R32 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Posted February 15, 2005 Report Share Posted February 15, 2005 I agree with Ari. He's saying that the golf is "overall" the the better choice. Sure, the Focus may be quicker, but it's a Focus and the build quality and residuals just aren't up to the golf. I like the look of the Focus ST (?), but I think still the golf beats it when you add everything up and average it. Sure the materials quality in the golf has dropped since the last model, but it's still better than a lot of them and after spending some time in one - it just felt solidly put together. I also agree with Ross. I'd rather a R32, but now will wait for the R36 as I prefer the new shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chav Posted February 16, 2005 Report Share Posted February 16, 2005 I think ford's are built well nowadays, since the focus came out really. i abused the hell out of my mondeo and it never died on me once. in terms of image though, its probably better to drive round naked in a C5. but you cant have everything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Posted February 16, 2005 Report Share Posted February 16, 2005 I bet you're speaking from experience here aren't you??! And no, I'm not refering to your Mondeo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashbags Posted February 16, 2005 Report Share Posted February 16, 2005 Just had a test drive in an Audi A3 with the same engine as the Golf GTI. Have to say that I liked the interior more than in the Golf ... plastics were much better quality and it felt more solid. Not sure if it's worth the price premium though as there's nowt to differentiate it from the bog 1.6 A3. Just read that the leather seats in the Golf GTI aren't even leather ... £1600 for bloody leatherette!!! Refer you back to my greedy germans comment. Did anybody else think that the honeycombe grille on the new golf gti felt really plasticky and easily breakable? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashbags Posted February 16, 2005 Report Share Posted February 16, 2005 I agree that Fords are much better built nowadays ... I had a Puma black for four years and it never missed a beat. Great engine and handled like a dream. Plus, as I looked after it, managed to get 50% of the list price back after four years (I do a great Arthur Daley impression). I wouldn't buy another Ford though ... it's an image thing. Plus you could argue that the Puma 1.7 wasn't a Ford engine (tweaked by Yamaha) and that's why it was so great to drive and so reliable. Have a test drive in a Cooper S works today; space isn't a priority for me and the 75% residuals after 3 years really appeal. £25k to spend on a car and I can't find owt that I like ... pah!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
activa Posted February 16, 2005 Report Share Posted February 16, 2005 [ QUOTE ] in terms of image though, its probably better to drive round naked in a C5 [/ QUOTE ] It's even worse now they've facelifted it!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ritey Posted February 16, 2005 Report Share Posted February 16, 2005 [ QUOTE ] I agree that Fords are much better built nowadays ... I had a Puma black for four years and it never missed a beat. Great engine and handled like a dream. Plus, as I looked after it, managed to get 50% of the list price back after four years (I do a great Arthur Daley impression). I wouldn't buy another Ford though ... it's an image thing. Plus you could argue that the Puma 1.7 wasn't a Ford engine (tweaked by Yamaha) and that's why it was so great to drive and so reliable. Have a test drive in a Cooper S works today; space isn't a priority for me and the 75% residuals after 3 years really appeal. £25k to spend on a car and I can't find owt that I like ... pah!! [/ QUOTE ] Sounds to me like you need to find an R32 and spend a few k at AMD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattR32 Posted March 8, 2005 Report Share Posted March 8, 2005 Ashbags - You tried a 350Z? If not, try one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted May 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2005 I have an interesting note to add to this 'long ago' review. Someone who works in my organisation bought a metallic blue one and waited a good while for delivery. They eventually took ownership in the second week in March this year. The car had leather, the Monza wheels, the DSG box etc - and basically they couldn't sleep the night before picking it up through anticipation of the car they had heard so much about. Well, half an hour ago, the said person popped their head through my office door and told me it was going to be sold. When I asked why they said they'd simply become bored with the 'lack of anything, other than hassle' about the car. This puzzled me. What they're saying is that since they bought it they have been challenged by, seemingly, ever Honda Civic Type R or other similar hatch on the road. Now I know we'll all get that to a degree, but they're also saying that after a month of ownership they realised that the car stopped giving any form of feel good factor. This is their thoughts, not mine remember. They said that when they get the car out of the garage on the morning they just don't look at it and think 'wow' - and that when they drive it they're getting the same feeling. He said it'd been compounded by the fact that a friend of his had bought a second hand (year old) Audi A4 Cab (didn't ask the size of engine) and that he just looked at it and though 'oh my god, that was cheaper than mine...' (must have been a 1.8T perhaps?). In closing he said that anyone he had spoken to always seemed to 'shrug off' his car - and would look completely dazed if he told them how much he'd paid for it. The words that I thinked summed it up though were that he said 'You can just get so much more for the money, I don't know what I was thinking'. These aren't necessarily my views although I appreciate that they do echo some of my initial concerns. Perhaps he is just the odd one out, but I thought I'd add the experience to the review. Incidentally....he's part exchanging it against an 18 month old 2.4 litre A4 Cab. He said he just looked at it and thought it couldn't even be compared to the Golf - and it's not costing him very much at all to make the change (it would appear he hasn't lost much on the Golf that's for sure). He did say he wished he'd come away with the 'final price' just before buying the GTi and looked at what else he could get - as he reckons he would have almost certainly not signed the papers if he had. An interesting view anyway I thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ritey Posted May 9, 2005 Report Share Posted May 9, 2005 It reflects my thoughts too, I've seen a couple on the road, and yes my uncle has had 2 R32's and yes I think they appeal to my young boy racer in me, but respecting the quality and the sound is key with the R32 its what makes it special, the GTI just comes across as grey in looks in style and sound, and slightly red when it comes to the price! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjb266 Posted May 18, 2005 Report Share Posted May 18, 2005 hey guys i've been looking at the GTI and have been following this thread.. i live in Australia and can get a 5 door (all thats available) DSG with a fairly high spec for about 18500pounds on the road. having owned a standar wrx for the last 2 years and recently driven the GTI... i think i prefer the GTI for luxury..ride quality and running costs..(insurance etc)... the 1 series BMW is about $5000 AUD more expensive with no grunt ...no 120d here... and all other Bimers are well over 65000AUD as are the audi's.... surely if you lived in Aus you'd have to consider it a good buy! ..no civic type-r here either.ever! cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesB Posted May 18, 2005 Report Share Posted May 18, 2005 Hi sjb and welcome I agree, it's horses for course. If you don't have the same degree of choice, then it makes the decision easier. It also sounds like the Golf might be a little more keenly priced in your neck of the woods. And in the end it's what makes you happy. You could argue that a large number of people on this forum have paid over the odds because they have gone for premium brand cars and bought them new, myself included, but IMO it's all about perceived value for the payer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonb Posted June 17, 2005 Report Share Posted June 17, 2005 There are a lot more powerful cars for a lot less £! SEAT Leon Cupra R - can do them for £16,650 - 225PS. New Vauxhall VXR is £19995 - 240PS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aswall Posted June 17, 2005 Report Share Posted June 17, 2005 [ QUOTE ] Just read that the leather seats in the Golf GTI aren't even leather ... £1600 for bloody leatherette!!! [/ QUOTE ] The bits you sit on are leather and the sides etc vinyl - Just like Audi and BMW ............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aswall Posted June 17, 2005 Report Share Posted June 17, 2005 Interesting thread. I was in the dilemma that I couldn't find anything I liked in £25-30k bracket and the GTI ticked all the boxes (apart from being front wheel drive). I have to get a new one as it's a company car and I actually think £26k for mine is a bit of a bargain, and I know I could have had the same engine in an A3/A4 and had better quality interior, but really have you seen them? When I'm old and grey and have cataracts I might consider an A4 as an alternative to a Volvo or Honda, but an A3? Sorry, the ugly stick just whacked it a bit too hard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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