Well it arrived today, after some negotiation, the delaer's met us physically half way.
First Impressions.
Well it glitters and gleams in it's Diamond Black (the "protection" given it was a bargaining chip) and almost squatting on it's 18" alloys - which are very pretty. It has few options, the wheels being one and reverse sensors being the other.
Once inside, I was struck by the lightness of everything, the 6 speed (manual) box is a delight and the pedals and steering are perfectly weighted, easy to get comfy in the very attractive GTi seats - they are an echo to a happier past when the checked seats first appeared in the original Gti. As previously stated the plastics are not up to BMW standards and even "my" venerable old 3 series. The wheel is slightly strange, being flat (probably to accomodate middle aged stomachs) at the bottom, but the soft feel leather is nice. Strereo is good with MFD type display and channel selection. The interior "mood" is less sombre than Beemers of old.
Difficult to believe that it has 200bhp under the bonnet, certainly no inkling of this is communicated to the driver, in fact it feels almost rwd certainly miles ahead of the low end Focii I've driven as hire cars. Road noise is high but not as jiggly as I expected in these wheels - not my idea, but now I've seen them they are OK.
The dual climate is more difficult to set up than the BMWs I've owned, not quite happy with that. The car's computer is rather confusing, again compared to the set up on the old shape 3 series and I honestly prefer the iDrive. Not come anywhere near thrashing it yet but there is a nice gruffy exhaust, otherwise runs silently.
SWMBO will have to force the keys from me, I do like it though.
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Oh and an Autoglym gift bag in a "canvas" type bag in the boot. Oh yes forgive the " 's" after delaers above an irritating error.
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Now careful with that bird poo. Enjoy it!
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So says a sticker on the windscreen, waiting for SWMBO to nod off after Corrers then have some fun it it !
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>>Difficult to believe that it has 200bhp under the bonnet, certainly no inkling of this is communicated to the driver, in fact it feels almost rwd certainly miles ahead of the low end Focii I've driven as hire cars. >>
I quite liked these though you have put me off, under powered, uncommunicative, and light years from a Focus which is one of best FWD chassis ;-)
Dont worry I know what you mean, or I think I do - lack of torque steer.
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I notice on the weeks best deals section, you can get these from Motor Provider for £17.5k
Why so cheap, are these not UK specification or something?
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Yes- lack of torque steer and that strange dead around the middle feeling I had in the old shape Focii I had given to me (one was a 1.6 petrol and the other low bhp diesels) this may be a feature of lower end Focii, they gave me a new shape diesel last week and this feels far better. I couldn't fathom what all of the fuss was about with the Focus, it never appealed to me in its old guise.
The salesperson told us to run this Golf on 95 RON but we have decided to run it on Shell V.Power and its had its first fill on the way home. Don't like the lights, maybe I've been spoilt by bi-xenons.....SWMBO reckons they're better than the MINI.
The MINI is being collected tomorrow by my Sister who is replacing an aging Puma. The VW has a hard act to follow with the MINI pile of miles on it since we had it in 01 over and above service items it's only had a wheel bearing and a couple of minor bits. Total reliability, even the original wiper blades lasted 40k.....
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Running it on 98 RON or better is a must- shows how little the salesman knows or is willing to say in my opinion. The engine will run in 'fuel stratified injection mode' given high octane fuel and thus give better economy and power, using 95 RON is a false economy.
The MKV boasts fantastic bi-xenon lights if you specify them, far better than those that were fitted to my E46 BMW for example.
Other weak points on this car are the DV valve (which is known to fail whether standard or modified) and minor trim problems ie bits drop off!!!! I've also read tales of steering rack faults but I think a newer car won't suffer from these.
My better half also runs one of these and we had it mapped using REVO software. It's possible to switch this, the highest power map I use when driving it gives around 260bhp and makes it a very nippy little hatch indeed. When SWMBO is in the drivers seat I generally set it to 230bhp with smoother power delivery. This upgrade has transformed the car but of course makes warranty in some areas invalid.
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Took it for a spin today (an errand) 100 mile round trip. basically country roads there and dual back (choice).
First long run I've had in it in ages, its loosened up now that MrsP has put some miles on it. It was pouring down when I started out and I found the wipers irritating, at speed(!) water gathers at the offside of the windscreen in an aerodynamic pattern reminiscent of the Severn bore. The auto wipers are difficult to set to "Satisfactory", I've got used to the climate control now, dial it in and forget. First part of the drive was through a busy village and then the open road. Phenomenally fast almost motorcycle point and squirt, hugely capable overtaking machine, dodging into gaps left by Sunday dawdlers, slight torquey flavour to the steer today, could be the wet roads and white lines we crossed, took it along one of my favourite roads and it rewarded me with one of the best drives in ages, I overtook a van(slug) near a bend I would have never risked in my own car (but easy on the bike) - it felt and was safe.
Coming downhill into the town of my destination I found myself behind a newish A4 2.0 TDi, it was making enough progress but my modifying of bends must have shaken the driver as he pulled over to let me pass, I would have been happy enough on his tail though.
Trip back along a quiet dual was boring, missed CC I've had on most recent cars.....it aches for it.
Laughed out loud at the car today, probably helped along by Desert Island Discs - Ricky Gervais and I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue. "If the HSE come down on you like a ton of bricks, would they prosecute themselves". Brilliant car, Brilliant drive, Brilliant roads, Brilliant radio - both programmes available on "Listen Again" - treat yourself.
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PU - very interesting as always. Do you have any views on GTI petrol versus GT TDI 170? Mrs PU may have preferred petrol but your BMW is a 535D isn't it?
I think I'd go for the Octavia as despite the children being grown-up it's surprising how often we still need the space - but the engine choice is the same between the petrol and diesel vRSs.
The petrol must be a lot more refined, but it must need filling up more often and I think you have to use super-unleaded. But I've tried a petrol vRS and there was no lack of torque, and it didn't need to be revvedall the time to give plenty of shove.
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She wanted petrol, she was very concious of the cost saving in all kinds of taxes and fuel of the diesel, but in a moment of what must have been sheer recklessness for an accountant she went for a petrol engined car. Funnily enough I "chased" a VRs today, a little bit of harmless fun. The BMW is far quieter inside, put it like this I had a text on the move, I never heard the phone vibrate, you can in the Beemer. Oh and the other thing no Bluetooth...It had 30 litres of VPower this afternoon at £1.02 a litre ! No need to rev the GTi, its there in every gear.
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Give you an idea of the MKV GTi- I wasn't much faster in my B7 RS4 than our remapped GTi round the Nurbugring. It's that good.
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I've just re-read, i think if I was self editing that the phrase "sheer recklessness" would be replaced with "gay abandon" the original phrase comes nowhere close to what she must have experienced.
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PU - you did sign that thing about moderators sharing their cars with eachother didn't you?
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Copy the e-mail through and the Landie's yours for the weekend !
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Yes, and you can borrow my Defender 90 the following weekend. I might even hose it out!
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>>Give you an idea of the MKV GTi- I wasn't much faster in my B7 RS4 than our remapped GTi round the Nurbugring. It's that good.
Just like to add my vote to the positive effects of remapping of this particular engine. My Octavia vRS has been transformed by the addition of 50 bhp and torque bumped up to 300 ft lbs.
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Do I honestly sound like a mud and dark green kind of girl.
I want the GTi... but I'm getting a bit excited by the new Fabia vRS in 2008 too, by which time it will only be pennies to get out of the Golf's lease. Hmmm!
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