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GTI owner looking tro upgrade to a golf R, questions

ElectricEye

Autocross Newbie
Location
Central NJ
If the R had a sunroof I would trade in my GTI right now.

Ok let the flaming begin....:)

The sunroof on my GTI is more important to me than the power and all wheel drive on the R.
I'm realistic about how I actually use my car.
 

Backtrack2015

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Texas
You should get the car you want. I would have gotten the 19 GTI if it were not for the stalling issue. I was effectively forced into the R by a lack of other good options. I am really enjoying it, but I doubt I'm getting any more pleasure out of it than I would have from a 19 GTI SE/DCC. The only exception is the color, as I really do like the blue. I can see that AWD would be somewhat useful in snowy areas.

I don't know that I'd pre-invest in wheels/tires. You never know these days, things could change markedly in the next several months.
 

Lcavalletti

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
San diego
UPDATE:

Michelin Pilot Sports 4's installed. So far its like a new car.

vac steam cleaned the seats and im looking pretty good now, good enough that I may .
wait until the MK8 comes. Although that is years away it seems. So I may go from this to a used R once I am out of warranty.

I did realize it would drive so much better, but its really more than I expected and Ive only driven home from the tire shop. ;)

I do now have the option to sell the GTI with new tires and it could be a easier private party sale.

I am still going to test drive a 2019 R with 4K miles on it in the indium gray in the next few weeks,.
 

XM_Rocks

Autocross Newbie
Location
Austin, TX
UPDATE:

Michelin Pilot Sports 4's installed. So far its like a new car.

vac steam cleaned the seats and im looking pretty good now, good enough that I may .
until the MK8 comes.

I did realize it would drive so much better, but its really more than I expected and ive only driven home from the tire shop. ;)

Told ya! I just saved ya $20k. ;)

Wait till the glaze has been burnt off on those PS4S... in about 200 miles they’ll grip even better.

Woot!

Now get an 034 Insert, RocEuro Arm and mounts. :D

BTW, my friend has a 2016 Golf R and we’ve swapped cars on Lime Creek Road, totally made me love my GTI and the $10K I saved.
 

ATR

Drag Race Newbie
Location
Baltimore
Car(s)
'17 Golf R 6mt
UPDATE:

Michelin Pilot Sports 4's installed. So far its like a new car.

vac steam cleaned the seats and im looking pretty good now, good enough that I may .
wait until the MK8 comes. Although that is years away it seems. So I may go from this to a used R once I am out of warranty.

I did realize it would drive so much better, but its really more than I expected and Ive only driven home from the tire shop. ;)

I do now have the option to sell the GTI with new tires and it could be a easier private party sale.

I am still going to test drive a 2019 R with 4K miles on it in the indium gray in the next few weeks,.
I too am in the "told ya" camp :D

Keep it unless you really like the R enough to trade up. :cool:
 

Backtrack2015

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Texas
...BTW, my friend has a 2016 Golf R and we’ve swapped cars on Lime Creek Road, totally made me love my GTI and the $10K I saved.

Speaking of Lime Creek Road...I'm frequently out there in one car or another. I had the unfortunate experience a couple weeks ago of coming upon the remnants of a standard Mk7 Golf that had over-cooked the first tight turn. Luckily all the airbags deployed and the driver was shaken but not hurt. Stay safe out there!
 

mto386

Go Kart Newbie
Location
New London, CT
Car(s)
2016 Golf R
You really dont need awd in SD. A spare set of narrow snow tires will suffice for your snow trips, way cheaper than dropping 20k. If it gets so bad out that you need awd, most places will require chains anyway.
 

Lcavalletti

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
San diego
UPDATE: Test drove a 2019 Golf R at carmax of all places as the dealer here wont let me try one.

All I can say is WOW. I want one. Yes my GTI drives so much better with new tires, but the Golf R blew my socks off., Way more pickup, way more engaging drive, way nicer interior, way nicer sound. Im trying to justify the cost, and Im almost there frankly. The Golf seems like really a needle in a haystack here in the US, theirs really no other car like it IMHO. I may post my GTI now with new tires, for 20K, and put down another 10K and end up with almost the same residual on my loan as I have now. that's the plan anyway. Now the question is what dealer to try and haggle with. Are people still paying over invoice for the R? I was in a local dealer and they wanted over 50K for an R with some sort of ceramic coating lol
 

gti330ex

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Chicagoland
Could the R have been tuned? What's the difference w the interior?

Looking back at my pull experience from the other day, don't get many of these perfect opportunities, super loud tire screeching till about 60mph while feathering the throttle... boy did i wish i had gone with an R 4 years ago (was too stuck on longer top gear comfort, cloth comfort and the comfort of 2drs, unfortunately). Ohh.. and that was on 235 PSS, stage 1 HO. Was using the effective D technique to get it off the line too (all nannies off is what fked it up i think). Just wanted to say for tuned cars, R is the way to go. No tire will make the difference for the GTI, well at least nothing smart driving on. It's not just traction in snow/winter, but the 365 a year ability to just take off like a boss. If money is no issue, follow your heart.

Sent from my SM-G930U using Tapatalk
 

sterkrazzy

Autocross Champion
Location
United States
Car(s)
Turbo. Blue.
I've had 2 GTIs that both lasted me 6 years each. I kept them long enough that by the time I was ready to get rid of them they just weren't worth very much anymore. You're paying a bunch more for the R, but overall cost of ownership isn't that much different when you consider what your resale is going to be. Just something else to consider imo.
 

Colowyo

Passed Driver's Ed
I recently stepped up from a 2016 GTI Autobahn to a 2019 R. I was really happy with the decision. This week, I just got the APR+ installed. Now I'm REALLY happy with my decision. I seem to be in the minority in this thread, but if you can swing it, I say do it.
 

jimlloyd40

Autocross Champion
Location
Phoenix
Car(s)
2018 SE DSG
UPDATE: Test drove a 2019 Golf R at carmax of all places as the dealer here wont let me try one.

All I can say is WOW. I want one. Yes my GTI drives so much better with new tires, but the Golf R blew my socks off., Way more pickup, way more engaging drive, way nicer interior, way nicer sound. Im trying to justify the cost, and Im almost there frankly. The Golf seems like really a needle in a haystack here in the US, theirs really no other car like it IMHO. I may post my GTI now with new tires, for 20K, and put down another 10K and end up with almost the same residual on my loan as I have now. that's the plan anyway. Now the question is what dealer to try and haggle with. Are people still paying over invoice for the R? I was in a local dealer and they wanted over 50K for an R with some sort of ceramic coating lol


Just depends on what part of the country you are in. Lots of guys have reported buying new R's under sticker price.
 

ATR

Drag Race Newbie
Location
Baltimore
Car(s)
'17 Golf R 6mt
UPDATE:

Michelin Pilot Sports 4's installed. So far its like a new car.

vac steam cleaned the seats and im looking pretty good now, good enough that I may .
wait until the MK8 comes. Although that is years away it seems. So I may go from this to a used R once I am out of warranty.

I did realize it would drive so much better, but its really more than I expected and Ive only driven home from the tire shop. ;)

I do now have the option to sell the GTI with new tires and it could be a easier private party sale.

I am still going to test drive a 2019 R with 4K miles on it in the indium gray in the next few weeks,.
Sounds like you're sold on the R.

If you're willing to drive a ways start putting your feelers out at different dealerships to see who would be willing to sell you the R for a good price that your comfortable with. Also, I believe that this is a thread here for getting the best price on the golf R.
 

MK7Boostedbliss

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
nv
I've always wanted an R. My mk7 GTI is my 4th gti. The R was always too much a money stretch for me to justify....I've never actually driven an R. The way some guys on here make it sound maybe I'll always be a GTI lover. It's the fun tossable nature that's always brought me back to getting another GTI.

I got my 2017 PP GTI for $19k but used R models were still over $30k....
I had my mk5 before it so long is was paid off a few years. It was hard to go back to a $500 ish monthly car note. There would go my shooting allowance lol.

The mk7 addressed 2 shortcomings of my mk5 gti. With the performance package the LSD and golf R brakes 2 the mk7 or newer GTIs really bring the best GTIS to date.

That said the R has the AWD and that's always why I've wanted one. MUCH MUCH easier to put down big power down.

Tires can make or break a car. Hell you could get a winter and summer wheel and tire sets and be waaaay cheaper then the R lol.

Best of luck on your quest !

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