Golf R 3 door/5 door speculation/information thread

[Corey_R]

I personally think that the $5300 is a mistake, as it would be what $4000 + LCT equals (which was what the recaro's cost in the R32). Having said that - since the R doesn't have leather by default, maybe the new cost IS $5300 + LCT, as that may also include having the rear seats and door inserts covered in leather or something?!

[Caillin]

Well, I hope you're right!

[obiwan]

Golf R 3 Door won't be detuned, only the 5 door

Heard last night from VW salesman that the Australian 3doors are not detuned, you get the full monty.

[Tim]

bahaha that would be funny if true

[Pauly]

Maybe this has something to do with VWA not wanting to import the 3 door originally, and since 'customer demand' has asked for this, VW have not prepared any 3 doors to have the lower speced engine?

Is anyone able to find out what other countries are considered by VW to have 'hot' climate, and see if they are in the same boat with 3 doors having more power compared to the 5 door.

It could also be a case of the initial batch of 3 doors will not be de-tuned, as they have been ordered very late in the piece compared to the 5 doors?

[G-rig]

Re: Golf R 3 Door won't be detuned, only the 5 door

Doesn't sound very logical unless the 3drs were ordered by mistake or something.

[Corey_R]

Heard last night from VW salesman that the Australian 3doors are not detuned, you get the full monty.

Maybe this has something to do with VWA not wanting to import the 3 door originally, and since 'customer demand' has asked for this, VW have not prepared any 3 doors to have the lower speced engine?

I'd be skeptical of this until I saw something in writing from VW Australia. Mainly why I'm skeptical, is unlike Pauly has implied, there is no difference in the engines between the 188kw/330NM, 195/350 and 199/350 cars. It's only an ECU difference.

Not that it matters to me. No matter which factory tune or car you get (R, S3, TT-S etc), an APR Stage 1 ECU will take you up to 240kw/435NM

[Pauly]

I'd be skeptical of this until I saw something in writing from VW Australia. Mainly why I'm skeptical, is unlike Pauly has implied, there is no difference in the engines between the 188kw/330NM, 195/350 and 199/350 cars. It's only an ECU difference.

Not that it matters to me. No matter which factory tune or car you get (R, S3, TT-S etc), an APR Stage 1 ECU will take you up to 240kw/435NM

By lower speced engine I meant the ECU difference you are talking about, sorry I was not clear enough.

[dave_r]

Another anoyance, only minor annoyance on the 3 door Golf in particular, is that it's a bit of a reach for the seat belt as the Recaro wraps around your shoulder. It's something that I could live with; although safety still takes precedence.

In regards to the safety aspect of recaros.
Has anyone actually done a comparison between the protection you would get by the extra bolstering on the recaros compared to the side airbag of the standard seat? I think id rather be strapped in tightly to a seat that could potentially offer more protection to start off with.

Well unfortunately perhaps, I can answer this with a sort of qualified answer. I've had 2 very serious car accidents. First one had front airbags and they really didn't do me much good, if you think its a nice fluffy pillow you'd be mistaken. More like Mike Tyson giving you one of his best shots!

The 2nd one, which relates to this discussion was in an R32 GTR which ended up on its roof. The car had no airbags and being an early 90's car, safety wasn't what it is now. Even still, the ambo's were absolutely gobsmacked at the condition of the car in relation to me having only a couple scratches (99% from crawling out and not the accident). They were certain that the buckets saved me and there wasn't any way I was going to question a pair of ambos who'd see that stuff all too often.

Doesn't matter too much, as Coreying said, if the seats end up being the price we've seen then no one in their right might would spend the money!

Not that it matters to me. No matter which factory tune or car you get (R, S3, TT-S etc), an APR Stage 1 ECU will take you up to 240kw/435NM

I'm liking this idea more and more. My current car has been fixed and I've been having a bit of fun. I think the stock power might not be enough to keep me entertained...

[Corey_R]

The problem with racing seats, seatbelts which don't let the driver move (and therefore not having airbags obviously), is what started happening in F1 and Nascar a decade or so back. You have a crash, there ain't a scratch on you, yet you're dead anyway. Basilar skull fractures is usually what happens. Hence why the HANS device was made mandatory in practically every type of motorsport. Since the recaro-style seats in combination with the harness do not allow any movement of the drivers body, the HANS device is required to stop movement of the drivers head. Unfortunately you can't do this in a road car, which is why I'm skeptical of the safety benefit of recaro-style seats in a road car. I've no doubt they would be beneficial to a point, but then maybe not...

I'm liking this idea more and more. My current car has been fixed and I've been having a bit of fun. I think the stock power might not be enough to keep me entertained...

Yeah - I'm probably going to do as Sharkie is, and going straight to Stage II... but I'd recommend everyone at least consider the Stage I

[elisiX]

The Recaro's are certainly nice seats. I've sat in them a few times - spent a day in an R32 fitted with them actually.

Dont know if I could justify their cost.

[elisiX]

Had a good chat this morning with the dealer again regarding the R - had intended on making the switch to the R from the GTI. We priced a car up based on both 3 and 5 doors, with DSG, Sunroof, Leather, MDI and Navigation.. came out to $75/77k respectively or thereabouts. I've been planting a seed with them for months about the switch to the R being based on some discount (even if not as high at 10% as I got on the GTI).

They're adamant that there wont be a discount - wouldn't budge. If that's the case, I will be sticking with the GTI. Plan at this point is to continue waiting unti the 20th May when my car is due to be delivered, and if pricing is out by then and some deals with discounts are being posted on the forum, ill push harder on this and make the move. With the options above, i'd be hoping to come in under $70k considering that the price I specified is based on the R32 and not Golf R.

[dave_r]

We priced a car up based on both 3 and 5 doors, with DSG, Sunroof, Leather, MDI and Navigation.. came out to $75/77k respectively or thereabouts.

But they'd be using the R32 prices as a base which include leather, so there is a 3k+ difference. 75/77 seems really high? I won't be paying a cent over 70k regardless of what spec the bloody thing is.

[Sharkie]

At $60K+ they've lost me as well ..... I've found a 09 S3 Sportback, pretty much full house with under 10K kms for $55 driveaway so thats the way to go for me methinks ....

[Sharkie]

Yeah - I'm probably going to do as Sharkie is, and going straight to Stage II... but I'd recommend everyone at least consider the Stage I

Drove the Stg3 APR S3 last weekend and it was awesome .... Stg1 AND Stg2 would never be enough for me now ...