3dr VS 5dr GTI - Why do 3dr look so bad?

[RIS00]

Its a shame that a car as good as this is restricted by having only 2 doors. Its not a coupe' its a hot hatch, and the more practical the better. There are a number of reasons why only 6-8% of a all GTIs produced are 3dr's

Probably cause there are only 6-8% of people are under 25 that would rather something for the looks rather than practicality. Like my self

[Tim]

this thread is gonna end in tears i reckon!

[DaveMack]

So ... should I close it now? And leave all that pent-up rage simmering in the background? Or encourage it to continue by making an outrageous statement?

Dave

[Golf Houso]

Probably cause there are only 6-8% of people are under 25 that would rather something for the looks rather than practicality. Like my self

The looks are just a personal preference, arguing based upon personal preference and opinion is really really pointless, and it "looks good" is not a real reason why the 3dr is better than the 5dr.

Do you have a ligitimate reason why its better?

[majormick]

It's been mentioned before, but:

- Still made in Wolfsburg, Germany
- $1500 Cheaper
- Greater torsional rigidity
- Lighter (30kgs?)
- Different from 92-94% of other mk5 GTI's out there. Also, when it comes time to sell, GTIs will fall closer into the budget of the younger set looking for a hot hatch. To them, back doors will be unnecessary.
- Aesthetics

Then again, I'm biased. Getting my new 3dr in just over a week

[RIS00]

The looks are just a personal preference, arguing based upon personal preference and opinion is really really pointless, and it "looks good" is not a real reason why the 3dr is better than the 5dr.

Do you have a ligitimate reason why its better?

The comments below:

It's been mentioned before, but:

- Still made in Wolfsburg, Germany
- $1500 Cheaper
- Greater torsional rigidity
- Lighter (30kgs?)
- Different from 92-94% of other mk5 GTI's out there. Also, when it comes time to sell, GTIs will fall closer into the budget of the younger set looking for a hot hatch. To them, back doors will be unnecessary.
- Aesthetics

Then again, I'm biased. Getting my new 3dr in just over a week

[blue_reality]

I agree with the financial incentives, country of origin etc but my interest lies in why they actually don't look that great.

All the ingredients are right - just something about them seems too short.

I just had a 16 hour flight back home from LA and had some time to think about it.

I think that that the 3 door looks closer to a Honda Civic than the 5 door and I can't stand the look of the Honda Civics (older models particularly)

They look unbalanced (in terms of aesthetics - not in terms of suspension etc) and they look small, weak and very feminine. Now I'm not a muscle car guy (though I did have a Mustang in the states (2 door!) but I think the 3 door looks much more feminine than the 5 door. They have a very long front, and the rear doesn't really have the space to develop the lovely lines of the car.

I think it could be a distortion of the mathematical ratio of 1.618:1, famously known as Phi.

(Phi is a mysterious number which has some related quantities and shapes, and it appears in the proportions of the human body, and other animals', in plants, in DNA, in solar system, in art and architecture, in music, etc.)

Before I owned one I had a GTiR (2 door), 180SX (2door) Silvia (2 door) Jeep (2 Door) and MK4 GTI (5 door)

I usually always love a 2 door much than a 5 door but I think the 3 door GTI's have got it wrong somehow and I'd love to know why.

Anyway before my jet lag really kicks in I have to go and pick up my beautiful, masculine, perfectly proportioned 5 door from the garage at work.

[Tim]

I dont know if you saw much of the rest of the thread through your jetlag. But apparently a lot of people disagree with you. Its a subjective thing i guess. there is no right or wrong when it comes to taste.

i know i prefer my honda civic look-a-like to your toyota corolla look-a-like

[blue_reality]

i know i prefer my honda civic look-a-like to your toyota corolla look-a-like

HAHA!! Nice one.

[BarneyBoy]

Who cares about everyone's personal preference? It's like arguing about which colour is best, or which transmission is better, or (god help us) which chip upgrade is best - it's all about choice.

And the fact that there IS a choice of 3 or 5 doors is what's important.

Had there been only a 3 door GT/GTI available when I bought mine, would have struck the Golf from my list of contenders. I wanted/needed a 5 door and couldn't consider a 3 door at all. Thank goodness there was a 5 door available, otherwise I'd be driving a Ford or a Honda!

[gerhard]

Thank goodness there was a 5 door available, otherwise I'd be driving a Ford or a Honda!

Cough, splutter, Ford or Honda geez - have you been saved from a fate worse than death

[Purgi]

There's sod all difference in looks let alone to suggest one looks great and the other looks bad because its front door is a little longer, there's no seam for the rear door and the rear window shape is a tiny bit different on the 3dr.

I think you've been spending too much time at 35,000 feet. The air is thin up there.

[Chardy]

its really simple - the less doors you have, the bigger your penis.

for females, the less doors you have, well it doesnt really matter as long as you have boobs to look at - so chicks can drive either 5 or 3 door.

end of arguement.

[gti]

I'm getting the 5dr...I've been driving a 3dr for too long now...but it's been a great excuse on limiting passengers.

[Mischa]

Who cares about everyone's personal preference? It's like arguing about which colour is best, or which transmission is better, or (god help us) which chip upgrade is best - it's all about choice.

and things to do with choice are the best to argue about, because the arguement never stops... endless fun

and since you asked: silver, manual, custom code