New Member, with "New Guy Questions"

Hello to everyone; I've been "lurking" and reading for a while, but this is my 1st post.

I am a middle-aged dad (2 kids), and am currently stationed in Japan with the Army for at least the next 18 months. As a former Scirocco ('77) and GTI ('00) owner that doesn't have wheels back in America, I am really considering getting a Golf R or GTI (and trying to convince my wife to get a Golf Alltrack instead of a minivan) when we get home.

I'd like to get your opinions and experience on a few questions:

1. How can you find a dealer that actually has new Golf-Rs in stock? I've played on the web multiple times, but most of the dealers the VW site pushed me to don't list any GOLF Rs in stock. I've already had quite a few salesman work me over e-mail to get into a GTI instead of a R.

2. For those that bought the R, was it work the $10K over the GTI for you? I am at a place in life where I can afford it, but can't really tell if the R is going to make me that much happier than the GTI. All-Wheel Drive for the Snow might be the decisive factor, if that really matters between the two cars.

3. If you were me (a trying to be responsible Dad); would you buy a used Golf R (less than 25K miles) or a new GTI?

Thanks for looking this over!

-Patrick

Jumptoc said:

Hello to everyone; I've been "lurking" and reading for a while, but this is my 1st post.

I am a middle-aged dad (2 kids), and am currently stationed in Japan with the Army for at least the next 18 months. As a former Scirocco ('77) and GTI ('00) owner that doesn't have wheels back in America, I am really considering getting a Golf R or GTI (and trying to convince my wife to get a Golf Alltrack instead of a minivan) when we get home.

I'd like to get your opinions and experience on a few questions:

1. How can you find a dealer that actually has new Golf-Rs in stock? I've played on the web multiple times, but most of the dealers the VW site pushed me to don't list any GOLF Rs in stock. I've already had quite a few salesman work me over e-mail to get into a GTI instead of a R.

2. For those that bought the R, was it work the $10K over the GTI for you? I am at a place in life where I can afford it, but can't really tell if the R is going to make me that much happier than the GTI. All-Wheel Drive for the Snow might be the decisive factor, if that really matters between the two cars.

3. If you were me (a trying to be responsible Dad); would you buy a used Golf R (less than 25K miles) or a new GTI?

Thanks for looking this over!

-Patrick

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I’m 27 with two kids and drive a gti. Snow tires will get you anywhere you need to go, completely transforms the car for winter driving (we used to live in NE OH)

As for pricing not only are gti easier to come by they also get very generous discounts. You can pick up a 2018 gti (7.5 facelift) for 3-4K off already and they came out this quarter. By the time you get home you could possibly get a 2019 heavily discounted.

I’ve always bought my cars base, three new Volkswagen over the last 6 years. Reason being options don’t hold their value well and I rack up mileage quickly and change cars pretty often. A used gti with 60,000 miles is worth almost exactly the same be it a base S Package or the top shelf Autobahn. It’s all user preference, but the base model has all the tech and comforts I need for a great value. Plus, I can’t leave anything along so I don’t feel as bad spending money on mods with the base model.

From the wife side of things I bought mine several Volkswagen in the past. She’s still not a fan of VW so I’m not gonna force it. Our next family car will be a Durango RT for her/us and keeping my gti as my daily.

There is no comparison, functionality-wise, between a small station wagon and a minivan. The minivan is an incredibly useful tool for the job of raising a family.

Never dismiss the right tool because of social pressure.

Jumptoc said:

How can you find a dealer that actually has new Golf-Rs in stock? I've played on the web multiple times, but most of the dealers the VW site pushed me to don't list any GOLF Rs in stock. I've already had quite a few salesman work me over e-mail to get into a GTI instead of a R.

Click to expand...

Everyone here is waiting for the 2018 Rs to hit the showrooms. For some unknown reason, they are stuck in the ports for quite sometime. Once they are out, cars.com is a good way to zero in dealer inventory.

Jumptoc said:

For those that bought the R, was it work the $10K over the GTI for you? I am at a place in life where I can afford it, but can't really tell if the R is going to make me that much happier than the GTI. All-Wheel Drive for the Snow might be the decisive factor, if that really matters between the two cars.

Click to expand...

I live is MI, all i needed is a set of snow tires and it drives like a champ. FWD + snow tires is not a match for AWD, i could not justify the premium. Also the difference is much more when you factor in the discounts offered with GTIs.

Jumptoc said:

If you were me (a trying to be responsible Dad); would you buy a used Golf R (less than 25K miles) or a new GTI?

Click to expand...

Personally i prefer buying new cars especially in this segment, unless otherwise i personally know the owner and the history of the vehicle.

adam1991 said:

There is no comparison, functionality-wise, between a small station wagon and a minivan. The minivan is an incredibly useful tool for the job of raising a family.

Never dismiss the right tool because of social pressure.

Click to expand...

My wife initially wanted an SUV, I was the one that talked her into the minivan. She later admitted that it was one of the best ideas I've ever had. (Beside marrying her, of course)

I was looking at the Autobahn GTI and the R. They both were very appealing and I probably would have loved the GTI but......my wife knows me too well. She said "get the R so I don't have to listen to you saying you wish you'd got it instead of the GTI."

You'll be well served by either car. For me the R was well worth the extra money.

1. R's in stock is just as waiting game. I ordered my 17 in sept 2016 and waited. I could've got a better deal in december or january when they try and unload outgoing model years. Most Rs in white or black didnt last a week on dealer lots around me.

2. The R is not a 10k better car than the GTI out the door. HOWEVER, if you intend to do a tune to at least a stage 1 remap. It is definitely worth the money. The stage 1 tune is way better without the front tires spinning to get traction and the internals are built a little better to handle the added power. So if you are just looking to commute get a GTI. If you feel like you might be a person who buys a commuter and also needs a sporty car or bike to hoon around from time to time. Knock both out with the R.

3. A low mileage R is already hard to find and typically a dealer will still want more than 34-37k. At that price id feel better to just get a new R anyway. So GTI if you dont intend to tune. or new R if money isnt limiting factor

Jack Straw said:

I was looking at the Autobahn GTI and the R. They both were very appealing and I probably would have loved the GTI but......my wife knows me too well. She said "get the R so I don't have to listen to you saying you wish you'd got it instead of the GTI."

You'll be well served by either car. For me the R was well worth the extra money.

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My wife said the same thing. We married well, you and I.

adam1991 said:

There is no comparison, functionality-wise, between a small station wagon and a minivan. The minivan is an incredibly useful tool for the job of raising a family.

Never dismiss the right tool because of social pressure.

Click to expand...

+1

I chose the R for the AWD and my wife has an Odyssey. Whether we are going somewhere with a large group, fitting a whole house full of insulation, or new cabinets for a bathroom, the minivan has been great. Reasonable cost, decent gas mileage and practically are the primary reasons but the fact your kids can’t bang their car door into another car is a nice side benefit.

Jumptoc said:

Hello to everyone; I've been "lurking" and reading for a while, but this is my 1st post.



I am a middle-aged dad (2 kids), and am currently stationed in Japan with the Army for at least the next 18 months. As a former Scirocco ('77) and GTI ('00) owner that doesn't have wheels back in America, I am really considering getting a Golf R or GTI (and trying to convince my wife to get a Golf Alltrack instead of a minivan) when we get home.



I'd like to get your opinions and experience on a few questions:



1. How can you find a dealer that actually has new Golf-Rs in stock? I've played on the web multiple times, but most of the dealers the VW site pushed me to don't list any GOLF Rs in stock. I've already had quite a few salesman work me over e-mail to get into a GTI instead of a R.



2. For those that bought the R, was it work the $10K over the GTI for you? I am at a place in life where I can afford it, but can't really tell if the R is going to make me that much happier than the GTI. All-Wheel Drive for the Snow might be the decisive factor, if that really matters between the two cars.



3. If you were me (a trying to be responsible Dad); would you buy a used Golf R (less than 25K miles) or a new GTI?



Thanks for looking this over!



-Patrick

Click to expand...

I’ll share the following from my experience,

1) Autotrader (already been mentioned) and play around with the VW app. I had my local dealer run a search statewide back in ‘16 when I purchased my R as I wanted it in a specific color with drivers assistance. They obviously said they didn’t have one and tried to offer another option, putting pressure on them and doing it close to the end of month worked (they need to meet their numbers) In 2-3 days they managed to find one about 400 miles from my location.

2) If where you are the weather ie snow, etc. is a factor then I wouldn’t even indulge a front wheel drive (thats me personally and I have nothing against FWD), true there are great snow tires out there that will work well on FWD but you can never compare the benefits or safety that one has vs the other.

I have a MK6 GTI and hands down its a fun car all around, when I purchased my MK7 R, the handling, comfort, brakes, power, etc. just confirmed that I made the right choice and the 10k was worth it.

I think if you would have asked this same question 5-6 years ago I would probably have said get a GTI, the difference with the MK6 R at the time would have not in my opinion justified the extra $8-10k back then... (power difference wasn’t that much between models as it is now)

3) It’s a matter of preference, I’d like to say that I’m a responsible dad even though the kid in me sometimes acts differently lol. If you get a good deal on a used R I would definately go ahead but make sure that they have NOT followed the manufacturers recommended schedule interval. This is a hot topic and for sure a lot of discussion invested on this already (some people might disagree) so be on the lookout for a vehicle that has had more frequent oil changes - 5K intervals at minimum...

Good luck!


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I am a (almost) middle aged Dad with two kids. I have a booster seat on the passenger side and a car seat on the drivers side. I love my R. Everyone is right about the timing sucking for you. 17's have sold and 18's are stuck in port. I used CarGurus to locate potential buys and found an R with 6K miles on it for a good price that I swooped up.

I was also between an R and a GTI - the price making me a little nervous. Personally, I have loved the wheels (Pretorias) and have loved the overall package of the R.

This is what made the difference for me: When I was looking to buy a GTI, I also had a folder in my bookmarks of all the things I would change about it to make it the car I wanted according to everyone's experience. Then I bought the R and deleted the folder. I'm still strongly considering an APR stage 1 or a JB4 because they turn the car into an absolute fucking monster and are cheap - but I'm waiting until the warranty goes up. No need to rush.

That maybe a more difficult decision for you as the 18's come with a 72K warranty, instead of a 36K. Seriously, I rode with a buddy of mine with a JB4 - he hit the gas and my periphery started to blur. It was that fast.

Jumptoc said:

1. How can you find a dealer that actually has new Golf-Rs in stock? I've played on the web multiple times, but most of the dealers the VW site pushed me to don't list any GOLF Rs in stock. I've already had quite a few salesman work me over e-mail to get into a GTI instead of a R.

Click to expand...

VW only imports a few thousand of these into the US each model year. That typically means that they don't last too long on dealers' lots. Thus, don't expect too much of a discount on 2018's, if any. What you may have to do is go and order one through the dealer and plan on waiting a while, as they come in batches from Wolfsburg.

Jumptoc said:

2. For those that bought the R, was it work the $10K over the GTI for you? I am at a place in life where I can afford it, but can't really tell if the R is going to make me that much happier than the GTI. All-Wheel Drive for the Snow might be the decisive factor, if that really matters between the two cars.

Click to expand...

While waiting for my R to come to the US, my dealer let me drive a PP GTI; it felt good, quite peppy and handled well. But it wasn't like the R when driven hard. In good weather, the GTI does pretty much what the R can do up to 9/10ths, and then it's the R all the way. So if you're a relatively safe, responsible, driver, the GTI will do everything the R can do . . . in good weather. But it doesn't need to snow to appreciate the R's AWD; in the rain the car still feels planted, and I say this having driven my R through several Godawful cloudbursts now, with my only worry being the view through the windshield. It's AWD system is really quite impressive in the rain and snow.

Jumptoc said:

3. If you were me (a trying to be responsible Dad); would you buy a used Golf R (less than 25K miles) or a new GTI?

Click to expand...

I don't know about you, but even though you love your children, they (plus your work responsibilities) have to be taxing at times. So I say consider the therapeutic qualities of owning the car you really wanted in the "responsibility" equation. You also might want to factor in the much slower depreciation of the R versus the GTI.

I bought a new 2017 GTI about a year ago, and I regretted not getting the R. Then when the GTI got totaled in a freak parking garage flood two months ago, I bought a new 2017 R that I was fortunate enough to find. I love the extra power and the AWD system on the R. For me, the R is worth the extra $$$.

Another Subaru convert here with no regrets. My three cents: I disliked the GTI loaner I drove because wheel spin came far too easily in 1st and 2nd gear. Love the R; I'd be reluctant to buy one used. My brother's Honda Odyssey is better than both for hauling kids and stuff and road trips with more than two full-sized people.

If you're looking at an Audi S3, then the Golf R has great value in comparison. If you're looking at the Golf R, then the GTI has great value in comparison.