post your own colour GTI's

[OzGTI]

Hi LPD,

So if you know Melbourne you'll know the ride can be pretty jiggly - no German autobahn's around here.

I'm only thinking of chipping - I like things original also.

I'm in no hurry, it may or may not happen. I'm so happy with the car at present I think its just about perfect.

I usually hang onto my cars for about four years - but starting looking to replace it after about two - a 'so what's next on the list' kind of thinking. Chipping might slow down the process - give the car a new lease on life for the last year or two of its life we with me.

Someone else on TSN driving a near identical GTi lives about two blocks from where I am here. Can't remember the name at the moment. Haven't seen that car on the road yet but I'm sure I will soon.

I wanted black - the wife convinced me red was the go...I love the red now.

We are about to have a good weekend here also - off down to the Mornington Peninsula for a couple of nights - a bit of country driving should be fun.

Re the DSG. Yes, I think the DSG is a bit hesitant coming in and out of reverse. It is a weakness in an otherwide brilliant device, thankfully I don't spend too much in reverse. I also rarely use it in auto mode.

How are you at reverse parking? I always seem to be miles from the kerb in an effort not to damage the alloys!!

Cheers from Oz.

[OzGTI]

Red,

Nice assumption...VW might actually have two names for us.

One for the over 40's and a different one for the over 50's!!!

The DSG I drive alsmost excluvisely as a manual- combination of paddle and the gear lever. The only time it sits in D is if I'm sitting in traffic. In getting the DSG I was/am determined to drive it in the style of a manual rather than an auto. I didn't see, and still don't see the DSG as a compromised manual, though I appreciate the DSG as not strictly a manual. As we have discussed before I think the DSG is great - just different.

"Speak" soon

Ian

[peugeot6]

Reversing pretty good. Visability not that great though with both front and rear headrests restricting visability somewhat.

I ( about 99%) of the time use the paddles. Only used D once, a bit too lazy for me and I like to have control, plus it seems more like a manual then. Used Sport only a couple of times, far too frenetic for round town, and on the twisty bits only seemed to change up to 4th, when I would have liked it to select 5th or even 6th. The paddles are great to use, only problem I have found it when in say first and turning a corner, usually use the stick for those occasions. I kerbed ( posted a pic recently) the left front, thought I was miles away from the kerb, but no. May get it fixed or wait until I need to change the front tyres.

Enjoy your drive.

p.s. are you running on Shell Optimax? We don't have it here, so have been using BP Ultimate 98RON. Shame we don't have Optimax, now missing out on flybuys. Average MPG to date ( converted from metric) is 29mpg, town & country. Thought it might be a bit better. Now done 3k.

[OzGTI]

I haven't really found the right piece of road to use sport properly. Like you say, it seems to only want to go to 4th, because I can't find a place to travel fast enough.

I've got used to knowing where the + paddle is when I'm turning now - sometimes will opt for the lever in those circumstances but can now mostly use the paddle. Most turns I think are no more than a bit over half lock, so you soon get the hang of it.

Good to see the economy is improving, not sure it was you or another person but they were saying how disappointed they were with their initial fuel economy. The engine needs to loosen up a bit - mine has improved since I first got it, though probably not as high as 29mpg.

Enjoy your open roof motoring!