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GTI to Golf R?

aloha_from_bradley

Autocross Champion
Location
AZ
I’ve got a 2019 GTI and test drove a few used R’s before buying and did again so recently just to check it out. I love the quad exhausts and the engine tuning on the R a little bit more - laggier is almost adding character, and the gearing on the manual is SO MUCH BETTER. Digital dash I could take or leave, but building in Germany seems to be a huge benefit as my Mexico-built GTI has had so many freaks and rattles.

You said you’re modding down the rod, so this won’t apply- but driving the R it felt so quick 0-40 and then barely ahead of the GTI from about 60 on. Sure enough, I checked Car and Driver and they had GTI’s going from 70-100 in about 7 seconds and R’s in 6.5. APR on the tune site lists their dyno as showing the GTI really only is about 25 hp & lbft down. Random, but was anyone else surprised by how similar they are speed wise above 50 or so?

Regardless, enjoy the R. Chris Harris did an excellent video with it vs the BMW 2 series. While the R is never a car that’s worth nearly 50% more than the gti (used R’s with 10k miles can be 40k, used GTI autobahns are high 20’s), it’s got excellent resale and is surely a great package. Not sure how well it’ll age with the MK8 GTI being even faster than it is, though - and with the MK8 R coming with the twin clutch AWD.

You're not feeling engine tuning, but rather turbo lag. Sure the tuning is different, but the bigger turbo on the R is less responsive lower in the power band. The K04 spools faster.

Sure, the R is only .5 of a second faster 70-100, but you're so far ahead when you reach 70 MPH that the extra half second is just icing on the cake. Especially if you're driving a DSG. Use it in manual mode and rip through 1st - 3rd. Leaps and bounds above trying to find front end traction. I've heard story after story of people who decided on the GTI over the R for so many different reasons, the bottom line is price. Some just can't swallow it.
 
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bentin

Autocross Champion
Location
Austin, TX
Car(s)
23 Golf R - 3 Pedals
It's really not about price. Factor in the better resale of R's and it's really not a benefit to buy the GTI, yet here I am, two in a row. I've owned plenty of more expensive cars than either the GTI or R, I wouldn't hesitate to pay for something I enjoyed more.

Having said that, if the torque vectoring and rear power transfer of the Mk8 really are the improvement that early signs say, I'll likely grab a second year one, it also doesn't hurt that my chances for new manual cars are disappearing quickly, and there is a pain threshold and the 911 GT3 Touring is sadly, well within that threshold.
 

aloha_from_bradley

Autocross Champion
Location
AZ
It's really not about price. Factor in the better resale of R's and it's really not a benefit to buy the GTI, yet here I am, two in a row. I've owned plenty of more expensive cars than either the GTI or R, I wouldn't hesitate to pay for something I enjoyed more.

Having said that, if the torque vectoring and rear power transfer of the Mk8 really are the improvement that early signs say, I'll likely grab a second year one, it also doesn't hurt that my chances for new manual cars are disappearing quickly, and there is a pain threshold and the 911 GT3 Touring is sadly, well within that threshold.

Price is undoubtedly the leading factor. Sounds like you can afford to make the switch if you want to, but if price wasn't a factor than everyone would have an R. So what you're saying is price isn't a factor for you, specifically. Which if that were the case, there are plenty of really good used cars out there. Go drive an M2.

The MK8 is going to be in a different class performance wise. Just get a first year model if that's what you like. Still an MQB car. The most likely thing to go wrong would be electronics, which would be covered under warranty anyway. The future years just introduce more paint colors and refreshes making it enticing to trade up. Not worth waiting if all you think about are the potential changes that could come later or bug fixes down the road.
 

bentin

Autocross Champion
Location
Austin, TX
Car(s)
23 Golf R - 3 Pedals
Price is undoubtedly the leading factor. Sounds like you can afford to make the switch if you want to, but if price wasn't a factor than everyone would have an R. So what you're saying is price isn't a factor for you, specifically. Which if that were the case, there are plenty of really good used cars out there. Go drive an M2.

The MK8 is going to be in a different class performance wise. Just get a first year model if that's what you like. Still an MQB car. The most likely thing to go wrong would be electronics, which would be covered under warranty anyway. The future years just introduce more paint colors and refreshes making it enticing to trade up. Not worth waiting if all you think about are the potential changes that could come later or bug fixes down the road.
15 cars were weak content compared to the following years, that's my main reason for waiting for the second year, since the plants are already producing first year cars for the EU.

I came from years of BMWs and M Cars. I want to like the M2, but it's too heavy and the rear windows not going down is a deal killer for my dog. A 911T would be nice, but I've got a six year old and space would get tight in a hurry, and again with the fixed rear windows.

Ideally I'd just do something like a Caterham for a fun car and keep the GTI or Mk8 R for responsible moments. Or even an ND Miata, which would at least allow me to use it for my monthly visit to my office, 200 miles away. The Caterham would make that a bear.
 

scotthilly

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Chicago, IL
Car(s)
2019 GTI SE
What made you go with the GTI over the R? Just price differential and value for money?
Yeah - I could get a new GTI SE w/Experience (DCC & Fender) for $27k and 0% financing or a 10k miles, used Golf R for $37k and 3%. Couldn’t really justify the extra cost, and I’m a college student so even the $27k was probably more than I should’ve spent.
 

scotthilly

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Chicago, IL
Car(s)
2019 GTI SE
You're not feeling engine tuning, but rather turbo lag. Sure the tuning is different, but the bigger turbo on the R is less responsive lower in the power band. The K04 spools faster.

Sure, the R is only .5 of a second faster 70-100, but you're so far ahead when you reach 70 MPH that the extra half second is just icing on the cake. Especially if you're driving a DSG. Use it in manual mode and rip through 1st - 3rd. Leaps and bounds above trying to find front end traction. I've heard story after story of people who decided on the GTI over the R for so many different reasons, the bottom line is price. Some just can't swallow it.
I mean.. that’s true? But being further ahead to 70 doesn’t really make a difference. I meant on highway speeds flooring to pass it wasn’t much faster than the Gti, and it isn’t.
 

Mk_GTI

Go Kart Champion
Location
Hellinois
Car(s)
2018 Golf R
Yeah - I could get a new GTI SE w/Experience (DCC & Fender) for $27k and 0% financing or a 10k miles, used Golf R for $37k and 3%. Couldn’t really justify the extra cost, and I’m a college student so even the $27k was probably more than I should’ve spent.
The used R will hold it's resale value far better that the GTI. Total Cost of Ownership in the end, the R winds up costing the same or less. Something to keep in mind. Did the calculations when I was car shopping two years ago and that made my decision to buy a one year old CPO Golf R instead of a brand new GTI much easier.
 

aloha_from_bradley

Autocross Champion
Location
AZ
I mean.. that’s true? But being further ahead to 70 doesn’t really make a difference. I meant on highway speeds flooring to pass it wasn’t much faster than the Gti, and it isn’t.

I disagree. Most highways have 55MPH - 65MPH speed limits. Only on open freeways in-between cities where you get 75MPH speed limits would this even be a factor. Not to mention, half a second is a long time. That's a lifetime at a quarter mile track. Who's doing 70-100 MPH pulls anyway? Rarely do I drive that fast, and it's on small stretches on highway with high speed limits where I know I can't be caught. Even then it's risky.

Most people are driving street light battles from 0-60 or less, or they are taking their car to a quarter mile track. My point earlier on how far ahead you would be by 70 MPH rings true more so in that situation than anywhere. Most quarter mile runs top out at 100ish MPH. You will never see 100 MPH during an auto X day, and might only see it once a lap on a long stretch at a track.

I'm not trying to have the GTI vs. R argument. Like I said before, I've heard so many reasons why people pick the GTI over the R. Some say it's because the GTI is lighter and you can make them faster with tuning. Others say there really isn't that big of a difference between the two cars. Bottom line is price.
 

DThissen

Ready to race!
Location
Toronto
I had a 2015 GTI and currently have a 2019 R. I found the GTI was more fun to drive in terms of there was a bit of drama. You couldn't just plant your foot all the time, where as the R is more or less point and shoot. You can also feel that the R is a few hundred pounds heavier.

That said I don't regret getting the R, but I do miss the GTI from time to time.
 

Fourflys

New member
Location
Bremerton, WA
Car(s)
2016 Autobahn DSG
The used R will hold it's resale value far better that the GTI. Total Cost of Ownership in the end, the R winds up costing the same or less. Something to keep in mind. Did the calculations when I was car shopping two years ago and that made my decision to buy a one year old CPO Golf R instead of a brand new GTI much easier.
if buying new, sure... but similar to many other higher end cars, buying used appears to be a no-brainer for the GTI camp... let someone else take the depreciation!
 

virpacalis

Go Kart Newbie
Location
near Philly
Car(s)
'17 R DSG
Two cents more: Liked the resale value of my STI, bought new and gladly owned for more than ten years before I bought a new R. Looking forward to the resale value of the R that I also expect to gladly own for ten years or so. AWD is tons of fun not just in the snow but even more often from a dig or on wet roads. Next time it'll probably be electric for me, but I'll want another AWD sleeper that has great bang-for-the-buck value.
 

aloha_from_bradley

Autocross Champion
Location
AZ
if buying new, sure... but similar to many other higher end cars, buying used appears to be a no-brainer for the GTI camp... let someone else take the depreciation!

That's the beauty. With the R, there is no depreciation. At least there hasn't been for me in 2 years of ownership.
 

Hyperlite

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Vancouver
I had a 2015 GTI and currently have a 2019 R. I found the GTI was more fun to drive in terms of there was a bit of drama. You couldn't just plant your foot all the time, where as the R is more or less point and shoot. You can also feel that the R is a few hundred pounds heavier.

That said I don't regret getting the R, but I do miss the GTI from time to time.
This is exactly why I’m torn about the decision...I love the feeling of tossing my GTI into medium/high speed corners and having it ride on rails. But it’s very frustrating from a dig or off a low speed turn when you put your foot down and all you get is traction lights or wheel hop. And that’s in the dry, if it’s wet at all, forget about it...
 

sterkrazzy

Autocross Champion
Location
United States
Car(s)
Turbo. Blue.
This is exactly why I’m torn about the decision...I love the feeling of tossing my GTI into medium/high speed corners and having it ride on rails. But it’s very frustrating from a dig or off a low speed turn when you put your foot down and all you get is traction lights or wheel hop. And that’s in the dry, if it’s wet at all, forget about it...
WOT in 1st/2nd with wet roads is pretty fun. After so many years of having fwd it's a trip being in the middle of a downpour and not being able to break traction from accelerating.
 
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