[md80tom]

a $600 chip would do well too. The GTI does sit high but handling does not disappoint.

I don't want to sound like a biased VW dude like some say, but personally... I think the steering wheel is awesome haha. Better than some others I've had...

[Zeeman]

I actually considered buying one before I bought my 335 and test drove the GTI/Audi A3 pretty extensively.

Great power and great handling car, though torque steer is a bit of an issue as it is for all FWD cars. maybe a bit more pronounced in the GTI due to the turbo motor.

[footie]

Originally Posted by Zeeman

I actually considered buying one before I bought my 335 and test drove the GTI/Audi A3 pretty extensively.

Great power and great handling car, though torque steer is a bit of an issue as it is for all FWD cars. maybe a bit more pronounced in the GTI due to the turbo motor.

100% agree with you, though DSG's help with this is amazing. You can't get rid of it in first but the shift to second gear is so smooth that traction isn't broke again.

[e92leon]

GTi

[D_o_S]

My friend has the Edition 30... cool car, we chipped it to 271 HP and 370 NM torque... his vids:

http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...=0&oq=tomaspra

[SpecC]

hey ken, i've driven the MkV GTI on a test drive before. Salesman pulls up and just asks, "can you drive a stick?"

I get in and have one of the most fun drives of my life! This thing FEELS much faster than our cars (N52 engine) and it feels very stiff. I only compared that to my tC though. I would not like a front wheel drive car, but man if I had to choose between this or the Civic Si, i'd take this without any regrets.

No, I have not driven a Civic Si before, but I love turbos too much to turn away. I bet you've been trolling around the MkV boards too and probably have discovered a "procede" for the GTI. It all looks great... and then i thought about tire wear hahaha

Well, I do hope you'll choose the GTI, but we hope to see you back in a bimmer soon! Good luck with the new car, Ken!

[SoCali E36]

Originally Posted by footie

Here's a MkIV R32 vs GTi DSG

GTi DSG vs MkV R32 standing start

Here's an Edition 30 doing 270km/h
[u2b]e_Hs4Lr-310&feature=related[/u2b]

Do not underestimate these little cars, or should I say underestimate them at your pearl.

freakin wow! 167MPH

[stooken]

Originally Posted by footie

100% agree with you, though DSG's help with this is amazing. You can't get rid of it in first but the shift to second gear is so smooth that traction isn't broke again.

whats the DSG?

Originally Posted by SpecC

hey ken, i've driven the MkV GTI on a test drive before. Salesman pulls up and just asks, "can you drive a stick?"

I get in and have one of the most fun drives of my life! This thing FEELS much faster than our cars (N52 engine) and it feels very stiff. I only compared that to my tC though. I would not like a front wheel drive car, but man if I had to choose between this or the Civic Si, i'd take this without any regrets.

No, I have not driven a Civic Si before, but I love turbos too much to turn away. I bet you've been trolling around the MkV boards too and probably have discovered a "procede" for the GTI. It all looks great... and then i thought about tire wear hahaha

Well, I do hope you'll choose the GTI, but we hope to see you back in a bimmer soon! Good luck with the new car, Ken!

sigh! why did you have to write that review for? now i have to go test drive it.. and which MkV board do you go on?

i am not familiar with VW's at all so how is it in terms of reliability, maintenance and etc?

i know i'll probably end up in the SI just because everything is much cheaper but it wouldn't hurt to test drive the MkV.

[omg516]

I'd also take the GTI over the SI. Sure it won't be as reliable but I'd rather have the nicer interior, DSG, and utility of a hatchback. Not to mention the ability to significantly bump up the power with a chip.

[SpecC]

Originally Posted by stooken

whats the DSG?



sigh! why did you have to write that review for? now i have to go test drive it.. and which MkV board do you go on?

i am not familiar with VW's at all so how is it in terms of reliability, maintenance and etc?

i know i'll probably end up in the SI just because everything is much cheaper but it wouldn't hurt to test drive the MkV.

DSG is their auto tranny paddle shfiter system. it's bad ass that they have it on a 23k car!

my friend visits vwvortex a lot. i went to http://www.golfmkv.com/forums/index.php to look around after that test drive!

[BryGuy1086]

Dude I say GTI all the way and if you dont like the hatch then buy a GLI Jetta. The DSG is sweet! It's the same technology as the Bugatti Veyron except its a 6-speed instead of 7. It is a sequential clutch, it has a set of even gears and odd gears so as one is disengaging the other is engaging.

I have a 2001 330ci and I love my car but i would have to say that the GTI is if not the same amount of fun then definetly more fun than my e46.

I've driven a SI but overall build quality and handling of the SI do not compete with the GTI. Plus you can't get the plaid interior in the SI!!!

[stooken]

ahh dammit! i'm gonna go test drive it this weekend.

is there anything i should be aware of if i purchase this car? again, i've never driven or owned a VW so i have no idea what to expect.

[idyll]

I had the VW GTI MKV before going to my 328i and the car was a blast.. I had the DSG and it was really smooth and sounded great. I loved how solid it felt too; the doors were so much heavier than those on my E90 and sounded really solid when I closed them. The only things I did not like about this car were the sound system (worse than some of the Toyota's I've driven) and the rattles coming from the dash. The rattles went away by ~10k miles, but the sound system didn't. Fuel consumption was awesome as well.

I went to three dealerships to try to get the car, and the experience at all of them was probably the worst out all the dealerships I've been to. At the closest one to me the salesman must have been having a bad day because it took some convincing to let me take the car for a test drive (whereas at the BMW dealership the salesman let me go on a test drive all by myself) and he told me exactly where to go... 25mph back roads. The dealership I ended up purchasing the car at wasn't much better either.

[stooken]

Originally Posted by idyll

I had the VW GTI MKV before going to my 328i and the car was a blast.. I had the DSG and it was really smooth and sounded great. I loved how solid it felt too; the doors were so much heavier than those on my E90 and sounded really solid when I closed them. The only things I did not like about this car were the sound system (worse than some of the Toyota's I've driven) and the rattles coming from the dash. The rattles went away by ~10k miles, but the sound system didn't. Fuel consumption was awesome as well.

I went to three dealerships to try to get the car, and the experience at all of them was probably the worst out all the dealerships I've been to. At the closest one to me the salesman must have been having a bad day because it took some convincing to let me take the car for a test drive (whereas at the BMW dealership the salesman let me go on a test drive all by myself) and he told me exactly where to go... 25mph back roads. The dealership I ended up purchasing the car at wasn't much better either.

yeah i've been reading on the mkv forums about a lot of the rattles which do not sound convincing at all. sure, the car is probably a blast to drive but i don't want it sounding like it's gonna break down any minute. dash rattles. sunroof rattles. creaking noises from front chasis. and all these things occured a few thousand miles AFTER people purchased the cars.

[footie]

Dealerships most be pretty bad in the States, I can't say I have never experienced anything like this over here and on most of the occasions when wanting to test drive a car I have been offered the car for the weekend.

Maybe that is why we pay in pounds what you lot pay in dollar.

[Buschy]

I bought a gli when I sold my 335 and ordered my M3, and I hate it. I cannot stand the car at all. non whatsoever. I hate to say but its a piece o crap.
with that said its not to bad a car and everyone is liek man that nice.
BUT, after being in a bmw its crappy, your going to regret trading the 3 seires in shroty after trust me.

[idyll]

The rattles are really universal... Even the cars I test drove had those rattles. All coming from the dash and some from the sunroof. I hear you can take them to the dealership you got it from and they will remove some "part" that will make the rattles go away.. Something to do with the vents in the dash maybe? Mine didn't bother me enough to do that, and for whatever reason went away by themselves.

[mmm def]

Originally Posted by BryGuy1086

I've driven a SI but overall build quality and handling of the SI do not compete with the GTI. Plus you can't get the plaid interior in the SI!!!

You seriously think the Si does not compete with the GTI in handling?

[ALPINE6SPD]

Originally Posted by hunter399

I have a 2008 R32 and love it

They are really great cars

post pics of your car man. I am dying to see it. What mods do you have so far? I am sure it looks hot as hell knowing you.

[ALPINE6SPD]

Originally Posted by footie

Rightie oh, for a start the GTi is believe it or not a much more fun drive than the R32, that big heavy engine dulls the steering no end and you will find that the directional changes of the GTi much better too. It will handle and grip almost as well and being fwd it's also great in the wet with only mild understeer to cope with instead of oversteer which catches most normal people out when not expected. Performance wise it's not a million miles away from the R32 either and if you spec your car with DSG and meet an R32 manual you will be the quicker from a rolling start.

Enough of the comparisons, lets talk about living with the thing. As with every VAG product it incredibly easy to live with, I have had two and neither one has been to the shop apart from services. The economy is again incredible for a car with this type of performance, my wife who does mostly town driving and is a little heavy on the right foot gets an average of 32mpg and on a motorway run @ 80mph it will get closer to 38mpg. The steering wheel is lovely to hold and the flat bottom makes it all the more special. The seat grips well and are very comfortable, the heated seat provides good base and back heat without burning the hoop. The space in the rear is miles better than my S5 and better than an M3 as well. Options are cheap compared to BMW and the car has a more up market feel than almost everything else in it's price bracket, though it's not an Audi or a BMW.

Performance, it will run with a 330i, well up to 120mph anyway. And I believe it will top out on the speedo at 155mph, at bit optimistic but I believe a true 145mph is there for the taking.

Paint work is as good as any of the top brands and though some of the materials don't have the soft feel of an Audi or BMW, the fit and execution is every bit as good.

All round it's one hell of a car for the little cash being asked for it and I personally would pick it over a 130i, R32, S3, Civic Type R, the list goes on.

Hope this gives you food for thought.

you cant get an R32 with a manual in the US

[BryGuy1086]

Originally Posted by mmm def

You seriously think the Si does not compete with the GTI in handling?

When i drove it i didn't think that it was equal. Whats your experience?

[HLDC11]

i had a 2007 gti 4 door, its such a fun car to drive. u dont hv to drive at 60mph to feel you are going fast. it just feel really quick even its at 40mph or sth