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GTI to Golf R?

aloha_from_bradley

Autocross Champion
Location
AZ
I'm in a similar boat.
Have a 2015 S that I will have had for 6 years this May.
The car has been rock solid, but I'm ready for something else (this is the longest I have ever owned the same car by a long shot).
I know for sure I would want to move to the R (if I decide to stay in the Golf family)...but the big question for me is keep the stick, or succumb to flappy paddles....

You will miss the 3rd pedal sometimes... only until you rip through a few gears in the DSG. It... is... that... good...

This is my first "Automatic" car. I've owned at least 5 other manual tranny cars. This is the only auto I'd buy, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Key points are - you don't have to worry about upgrading your clutch if you want to make more power, and the car is just so much faster.
 

Wastegate13

Autocross Champion
Location
SoFla
I regret losing the handbrake.
Why?
If you want an upgrade with power then skip the R and get a R35 GT-R.
The cheapest GTR in the country is an 09 with 55k miles for 55k dollars. Not sure how comparing a car that’s over a decade older for significantly more money is hardly apples to apples.

OP, I went from a 2015 Gti SE bought new in 2014 to a 2018 R bought slightly used from a friend in 2018. Went low and slow with the Gti and had fun at shows and meeting people. It was pretty fun around town but I never went for more than a downpipe and tune as far as power. Seemed futile being fwd and also lacking the vaq diff, it wasn’t even available when I bought the car. My R is pure performance, intake, ic, downpipe, 450/925/mp4 fueling, Tbb dbv2 v2 turbo. The cars themselves are built to the same standard as far as quality goes, I’m not sure how people go from a Gti to an R and act like it’s a hand assembled rolls. They’re both golfs and both have some very nice materials and design. I LOVE the mib2 with the 8” screen over the 5.8” mib1 from my Gti. Both cars had fender and I don’t listen to much music anyway so that’s a wash. The digital dash is an ok feature, Having had it I don’t think I would miss it if the car had traditional gauges instead, I regularly drive my friends 16 R and I find the blue needles quite nice. The driver assistance pack which my Gti did not have is ok I guess. I don’t use the lane departure but the adaptive cruise is nice on the Highway especially in south Florida season traffic. The R is everything the Gti is plus more to me. Not once have I ever regretted the decision to upgrade.
 

Daks

Autocross Champion
Location
Toronto
Car(s)
GTI PP
You will miss the 3rd pedal sometimes... only until you rip through a few gears in the DSG. It... is... that... good...

This is my first "Automatic" car. I've owned at least 5 other manual tranny cars. This is the only auto I'd buy, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Key points are - you don't have to worry about upgrading your clutch if you want to make more power, and the car is just so much faster.
You pay for more for DSG out of the factory and you have to buy a DSG tune...

The manual vs DSG debate will forever rage on. DSG is faster, people that like manuals will always take the manual.
 

Dog Dad Wagon

Autocross Champion
Location
Go Birds
Car(s)
16 Touareg TDI
.
You pay for more for DSG out of the factory and you have to buy a DSG tune..
The manual vs DSG debate will forever rage on. DSG is faster, people that like manuals will always take the manual.

Yeah but the cost from the factory is lumped into payments so it’s negligible, to the tune of 10$ a month or something. And the DSG tunes are like $4-$500 these days. A clutch upgrade is a lot more than that. And you also have to do the bleeder block, the short shifter, super pin, solid bracket, solid bushings, clutch stop, and a weight shifter knob.

So the value proposition is definitely still there with the DSG.

but the argument will always live lol. I am one of those manual guys. On my 3rd 6MT VW, with a DSG GTI between the 2nd and 3rd that I regretted the day I bought it, and never managed to change that feeling despite trying pedaltuner, TCU tune, upper and lower mounts, etc.
 

Daks

Autocross Champion
Location
Toronto
Car(s)
GTI PP
.



Yeah but the cost from the factory is lumped into payments so it’s negligible, to the tune of 10$ a month or something. And the DSG tunes are like $4-$500 these days. A clutch upgrade is a lot more than that. And you also have to do the bleeder block, the short shifter, super pin, solid bracket, solid bushings, clutch stop, and a weight shifter knob.

So the value proposition is definitely still there with the DSG.

but the argument will always live lol. I am one of those manual guys. On my 3rd 6MT VW, with a DSG GTI between the 2nd and 3rd that I regretted the day I bought it, and never managed to change that feeling despite trying pedaltuner, TCU tune, upper and lower mounts, etc.
You don't HAVE to do all those things. I hear you on the financing though.
 

Dog Dad Wagon

Autocross Champion
Location
Go Birds
Car(s)
16 Touareg TDI
You don't HAVE to do all those things. I hear you on the financing though.

no you don’t have to do them. In fact I’ve never upgraded a clutch, short shifter, or a shift knob. I’ll I’ve ever done was clutch stop, return spring delete, bleeder block, and dogbone mounts for solidity. And I’ve been pretty happy with all of my 6MTs.
 

CarlosCanizares

Autocross Newbie
Location
Surrey, BC, Canada
Car(s)
Mk7 Golf R
Oh, but you can fix either car with a larger rsb and get lift throttle oversteer, I find that scares the spousal unit much more than e-brake shenanigans.
Them Scandinavians are so cool doing all those flicks like it's nothing. I bet they Genghis Khan'd that entire region like Genghis Khan.
 

ck23

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Austin, Tx.
Car(s)
19 R (DSG) - Lapiz
Alright I think you guys are convincing me! I’ve owned the GTI for 3 years and bought it used with cash, so owe nothing. I have put some money into which I know I won’t get back, but I have the itch for more power and think I might be better off getting the R as I’m already having traction issues with the GTI.

I drive it less than 5000 kms per year so fuel economy isn’t a big deal for me.

The one thing I constantly come across when comparing the two is that the GTI is lighter and more fun in corners. Is that something you guys notice/miss going to the R?

The R is better in every way, do it, you will not regret the decision. As for the fuel mileage, don't sweat it. I have a '19 R with a Stage 1 tune, spirited daily driving (60%hwy/40%city) yields about 23-25mpg. On the hwy (road trip) it's in the 28-32mpg range. I know it's a 4 cylinder, but it's AWD pushing mid to upper 300's in the HP area and is a blast!

If possible, get an '18 or '19, MK7.5 (facelift). Lots of nice upgraded features; virtual/digital cockpit, 7spd DSG (if you want DSG), nice refreshed look (aesthetics).
 

jimlloyd40

Autocross Champion
Location
Phoenix
Car(s)
2018 SE DSG
You pay for more for DSG out of the factory and you have to buy a DSG tune...

The manual vs DSG debate will forever rage on. DSG is faster, people that like manuals will always take the manual.
And the extra cost of the DSG and tune still isn't as much as a clutch replacement. I agree though buy what you want.
 

aloha_from_bradley

Autocross Champion
Location
AZ
You pay for more for DSG out of the factory and you have to buy a DSG tune...

The manual vs DSG debate will forever rage on. DSG is faster, people that like manuals will always take the manual.

You don't HAVE to tune anything. It's perfectly fine from the factory.

I'm a manual purest, but the DSG is just that good. I bought one. Like Dog Dad said, the difference is negligible after financing.

My buddy has a MK5 R32 with 170k miles and his DSG shifts like a champ. Says something about VW transmissions.
 
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