Ordered!
So it's done...
Order confirmed, The California Beach sold, price agreed... Forums have been read and reread.
We had a two week period where we chopped and changed our order, options are so personal, and to be honest, a standard GTD I feel actually offers great value for money, in some respects I feel the GTD offers better value than the GT, if only VW fitted Sat Nav as standard to the GTD.
I looked around at GTD's for sale, ex demos etc, the prices seem to exist only to cut down the wait. At the price we paid, I simply couldn't find any existing stock that come close the spec we wanted. This is compounded that many people go for the 'show' options, big wheels, dynaudio, leather, keyless.... Nothing wrong with these but I had no real desire for them.
I am buying this car privately so there was a desire to future proof it as much possible, come its mid life facelift, some of the current options will become standard, i would suspect almost certainly the standard sat nav. I also didn't want to be in the position that i have before where you regret picking options or you go down the retrofit route.
So after some thought I went for.
Pure White
Manual
Jacara Cloth
Rear View Camera
Discover Navigation Pro
Winter Pack
Lane Assist
High Beam Assist
Park Assist
The Discover Navigation Pro was the toughest choice but in the end, I thought it was useful to have, though I am not sure I can justify the extra cost. I will be interested to see if it goes online in the UK in the future. I did agonise over keyless, it feels and looks quite special, but the options had to end somewhere.
Colours were much of a muchness, some nice colours but none I thought were must have. I went for white because it should highlight the detailing on the wheels and compliment the more angular lines of the Mk7.
I have test drove the GTD, and it's impressive, I am not expecting a point and squirt sports car, I would have picked the GTi for that. I think there is a tendency to talk about the GTD as a 'diesel hot hatch', I get that, but if you want a hot hatch with all the thrills, then I'd pick the GTi. It's certainly impressive inside though, I hate the way manufacturers throw buttons at their dashboards and over design their interiors so that look quite fussy. Both Ford and Vauxhall seem guilty of this, it smacks of insecurity and a lack of confidence, I like the way VW keep it quite simple and quite classy. Sitting inside the GTD, it feels like a quality of product. Of course so it should be with a price rapidly hurtling towards 30k.
Now the wait and and an unhealthy relationship with the VW Tracker. We're been told October, but hey, who knows...
I intend to do a journal, because the real world driving experiences in this section have proved invaluable.
And yes, she is to be called Gertie.
James
So it's done...
Order confirmed, The California Beach sold, price agreed... Forums have been read and reread.
We had a two week period where we chopped and changed our order, options are so personal, and to be honest, a standard GTD I feel actually offers great value for money, in some respects I feel the GTD offers better value than the GT, if only VW fitted Sat Nav as standard to the GTD.
I looked around at GTD's for sale, ex demos etc, the prices seem to exist only to cut down the wait. At the price we paid, I simply couldn't find any existing stock that come close the spec we wanted. This is compounded that many people go for the 'show' options, big wheels, dynaudio, leather, keyless.... Nothing wrong with these but I had no real desire for them.
I am buying this car privately so there was a desire to future proof it as much possible, come its mid life facelift, some of the current options will become standard, i would suspect almost certainly the standard sat nav. I also didn't want to be in the position that i have before where you regret picking options or you go down the retrofit route.
So after some thought I went for.
Pure White
Manual
Jacara Cloth
Rear View Camera
Discover Navigation Pro
Winter Pack
Lane Assist
High Beam Assist
Park Assist
The Discover Navigation Pro was the toughest choice but in the end, I thought it was useful to have, though I am not sure I can justify the extra cost. I will be interested to see if it goes online in the UK in the future. I did agonise over keyless, it feels and looks quite special, but the options had to end somewhere.
Colours were much of a muchness, some nice colours but none I thought were must have. I went for white because it should highlight the detailing on the wheels and compliment the more angular lines of the Mk7.
I have test drove the GTD, and it's impressive, I am not expecting a point and squirt sports car, I would have picked the GTi for that. I think there is a tendency to talk about the GTD as a 'diesel hot hatch', I get that, but if you want a hot hatch with all the thrills, then I'd pick the GTi. It's certainly impressive inside though, I hate the way manufacturers throw buttons at their dashboards and over design their interiors so that look quite fussy. Both Ford and Vauxhall seem guilty of this, it smacks of insecurity and a lack of confidence, I like the way VW keep it quite simple and quite classy. Sitting inside the GTD, it feels like a quality of product. Of course so it should be with a price rapidly hurtling towards 30k.
Now the wait and and an unhealthy relationship with the VW Tracker. We're been told October, but hey, who knows...
I intend to do a journal, because the real world driving experiences in this section have proved invaluable.
And yes, she is to be called Gertie.
James
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