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Gertie GTD

ihmix

Ready to race!
Location
Milton Keynes
The current price in the US is $399 so I guess it would be around £299 for us when it reaches our shores. I hear what your saying. Would be great in the future if we have a problem with the car that I can plug in the dongle and get a good idea where to start. I think for long term ownership it's a no brainer. Will keep the forum posted on its development.


Golf GTD
Pure White
Dynaudio, Winter Pack, 19" Santiago Wheels, keyless, DCC.
 

James75

Go Kart Champion
Location
Exeter
The current price in the US is $399 so I guess it would be around £299 for us when it reaches our shores. I hear what your saying. Would be great in the future if we have a problem with the car that I can plug in the dongle and get a good idea where to start. I think for long term ownership it's a no brainer. Will keep the forum posted on its development.


Golf GTD
Pure White
Dynaudio, Winter Pack, 19" Santiago Wheels, keyless, DCC.

That would be good and I agree, i wonder in the long term how it will affect used examples, especially if people have tinkered but then, that could happen with any number of things i guess.

That seems good value though

James
 

James75

Go Kart Champion
Location
Exeter
So i am few weeks in now, well a couple, the engine is starting to loosen up, the initial tightness when first pulling away is starting to slacken off.

I've take an individual setting where everything is normal except the steering, which i have to sport, i like this setting, it's got good weight and feel, as much as these modern systems can. I've done a few runs on sport, it feels more responsive and there's a bit of a growl, it's quite good fun.

I've also started to learn the options, they seem to add something to car. The best option or most useful has to be Dynamic Light Assist, it's a piece of genius. It's like Cruise Control, once you have it, you'll never want to have a car without it again. It works really well, i know there will be more advanced systems in the future and within a few years it may look a bit crude but it's really good. I'd say to anyone who has the Xenons, tick the box.

The car is quite nose heavy, you can feel that weight, but it's still a wonderful car to throw around, sure it is predictable but it goes through corners with at silly speeds if you want. MPG is holding out well, mid 40's over all, happy with that, i expected no less.

My only real mod is the Traffic Sign Recognition, it's more a speed display, that said, i have had some different signs come up but it's not working quite the same as the manual, for example no adjustment for rain, that said, it's very useful to have the speed and signs on the MFD.

I love driving the car, the cabin feels special and it is so quiet, it's a lovely cruiser and when you put your foot down, the torque just rushes in, it feels assured and confident.

TSR it's already started a new game, how many signs can you discover on the MFD, here's today entry.
 

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James75

Go Kart Champion
Location
Exeter
First clean today and just done 1000 miles.

Okay so i've dome a 1000 miles, i am still getting to know the car but i thought it would be worth just adding a bit to the journal. So how does it feel, well it's looser, the flat spot and tightness has gone and the power is now coming along a lot smoother. In fact sometimes the power is almost too much. Stuck behind slow moving traffic, i have on occasion had to hold back, if it goes and the car in front is dawdling or just can't get away, then you have to reign the car back in. This has led to some jerky pull aways as i get used to the car and the power.

The car is certainly powerful, I can't claim to have a lot of car experience but i know this thing is quick, jesus on the motorway, if you've got people just being idiots and you want to get out of the way, drop it to fourth, plant your foot and it has gone. Likewise, if you're dealing with town or city traffic, it's perfectly quick enough to get through it and when it comes to Devon's many many hills it just demolishes them.

VW has also demonstrated on a car this size, you do not really need a controller on the console for the infotainment, it all works just fine. Voice Activation goes a long way to helping with that, the whole system has got used to myself and my partner and our voices, that's one Essex and one Yorkshire tone. I had initially planned to spec just the Discover Nav and add the voice activation, i'd recommend that, none of these systems are perfect but they work well enough. The Biggest problem for the Discovery Pro, in the UK at least, is the current lack of Carnet. If this was available, even with its subscription, it would make the Discovery Pro and a more tempting option, wireless hotspot, the ability to send destinations remotely to the sat nav, google street view mapping etc etc plus some remote car features.

Gertie is a joy to drive, she really is, the nose can feel a bit heavy, but this thing really goes round corners, the power for most driving, is always there. Find a Devon twisty road and you can really push it through the corners and have a lot of fun.

Nothing has fallen off yet (touch wood), nothing has rattled, the tyres are noisy and that is something i'd look to change. In reality the car is quite underwhelming, it does everything well, i've said before, it seems these days, cars have to scream and shout to grab buyers' attention. The Golf doesn't do that, and i guess that is why it would not suit anyone but when you live with it, spend time in it, all that attention to detail, all that design detail, it is really appreciated.

So far i am happy with the all the options i chose, without a doubt, Dynamic Light Assist (DLA) is the one i most enjoy, i simply won't be able to own another car without it. Again, you drive round Devon at night, it's amazing, the lights dip, mask, change, all according to what the lane assist camera sees. True, it can get caught out by a tall hedgerow but it's never caught out completely.

And talking of night... The interior, it's very very classy and smart at night, especially with the ambient lighting. I have also noticed that the car gets up to temp quickly, a bonus for heating etc, i see from the car menus the car has an auxiliary heater for the diesel engine, i presume this is the reason.

I don't know if you love a Golf or you stand back and admire, giving knowing glances to other owners. It's not a car that perhaps inspires or demands passion, it's too busy being all German and efficient but it is an enormously cable car. I know with the GTD that over the next 18 months, there will be a fast Ford ST Diesel and Peugeot are also throwing their hat in the ring, i suspect some of the future 'hot diesels' will be quicker, may handle better, i am not convinced that as a complete package they will beat the GTD. Then i have already said that i don't see the GTD as a 'hot diesel', it's far more than that, it has a far greater breadth of ability.

So 1000 miles in, it's a car that grows on, a strangely addictive car with supreme manners and refinement and when you need to deal with problems, it's the perfect getaway car.

James
 

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momonga

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
uk
V gorgeous, James. White always looks happy whatever the weather. I've ordered a LSG - they look very sad under recent weather.... a bit worried.
 

James75

Go Kart Champion
Location
Exeter
LSG is a sleeper colour, you have to see it to appreciate it, it's a very smart choice. It will be fine, it will benefit from the summer but it either way, suits the MK7's lines

James
 

Crispo

New member
Location
Nelson, S.Wales
The picture of your golf in waitrose next to the other golf shows exactly why I chose pure white. The front bumper stands out so much more.

Glad your enjoying the car James
 

Nyanga

Ready to race!
Location
West Sussex
James,

Thanks for latest interesting update & pics.

Did you wax / detail Gertie?
 

James75

Go Kart Champion
Location
Exeter
I got the dealer to the Autoglym pre delivery work, which seems okay and I gave it a polish today. In a few months I will pass it over to a company I used for my last VW to do a proper valet and I will do this probably twice a year with me cleaning it inbetween


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ihmix

Ready to race!
Location
Milton Keynes
Great journal James. Wow you soon got round to 1000 miles but not a total surprise considering the pleasure it gives to drive Gertie. Great pictures I have recently seen a white GTD with black mirrors and a black rear spoiler very cool looking. Keep up the good work, very enjoyable read.


Golf GTD
Pure White
Dynaudio, Winter Pack, 19" Santiago Wheels, keyless, DCC.
Order date:- 19-9-14
Bw confirmed :- 02-11-14
 

salmon

Ready to race!
Location
UK - SE
James, you mentioned road noise, specifically tyre noise. That is one of the few grudges I have with the vehicle. I assume you are running on Bridgestones?

I was a bit sceptical at first that the road noise was due to the tyres, thinking it might be the suspension setup (being lowered, shorter wheelbase compared to my previous car).

Initially when running in the vehicle I kept to a max speed of 70. You would assume 1000 miles would bed the tyres in, the noise became louder than what I was expecting, especially at a higher speed (80).

Not certain whether another brand of tyre would resolve the issue.
 

James75

Go Kart Champion
Location
Exeter
Thank you for the kind comments. I like the white, it looks much sharper than the black but it depends what look you want.

I think the tyre issue is low profile tyres on poor condition roads. As I said, it doesn't help that diesel is so quiet and refined that you hear it more. I can live with it, in a way I expected it. It's why if like other markets, VW had offered the 17 inch wheels In the UK I would have stuck with them. I am sure different tyre would make a difference. Will have a look to see what I have.

I think the suspension is really good. I am
Impressed how well it copes with bumps. I expected far worse.

James


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Nyanga

Ready to race!
Location
West Sussex
James,

What service pack did u get? 3 or 4 years? And why.

In running in, did u do the usual 3-4,000 varied revs for 1,000 k's? And to assist in this, did u switch between normal & ECO mode to vary revs?
 

James75

Go Kart Champion
Location
Exeter
I just got the 3 year pack, no particularly reason, I think they offered us a good price on it.

I've just run my car in as I drive. I haven't pushed the revs and it's been in normal and individual setting with the sport setting just once. I don't drive hard, so I've just carried on as normal. I did on my last VW, that was a commercial VW though. I don't suggest or advocating pushing the car but equally I have had dealers tell me, if you bed the car in from the start, it doesn't hurt.


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James75

Go Kart Champion
Location
Exeter
To add, I don't really use Eco. I might try it on my first motorway long run. As I said I have it in individual, normal every apart from steering which is in sport


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