Adding options later?

[swayman]

Hey Guys,

So I'm thinking very carefully about buying a new GTI. The stock GTI is doable price wise, but with all the options I'd want the price is pushed to unobtainable.

Here's a list of the options I would want on my purchase, could anybody point out if there's an opportunity to be able to add particular options after buying the car, or if there's an aftermarket alternative I can look at?

18" Detroit Wheels
Adaptive Chassis Control (I'm assuming this is definitely something to be ordered with the car)
Bi Zenon Headlights
Park Assist
RVC
Electronically Adjustable Drivers Seats
Media Interface
Bluetooth
RNS510 Satellite Navigation

Any help would be much appreciated, I just dont know if I should wait longer so I can get everything in one go, or order sooner and add on later..

Thanks guys!

[team_v]

Hey Guys,

So I'm thinking very carefully about buying a new GTI. The stock GTI is doable price wise, but with all the options I'd want the price is pushed to unobtainable.

Here's a list of the options I would want on my purchase, could anybody point out if there's an opportunity to be able to add particular options after buying the car, or if there's an aftermarket alternative I can look at?

18" Detroit Wheels
Adaptive Chassis Control (I'm assuming this is definitely something to be ordered with the car)
Bi Zenon Headlights
Park Assist
RVC
Electronically Adjustable Drivers Seats
Media Interface
Bluetooth
RNS510 Satellite Navigation

Any help would be much appreciated, I just dont know if I should wait longer so I can get everything in one go, or order sooner and add on later..

Thanks guys!

Easy answer, just buy the stock one.


You don't need the upsized wheels, they are aesthetic.
Aftermarket wheels can be purchased later and there are tonnes of 5x112 wheels available.

ACC isn't really necessary, just a fancy suspension/damper control which you will rarely use.
You can purchase an aftermarket coilover system which will do the same thing with a little more effort.

Bi-Xenon's are nice but the stock housings with uprated bulbs are just as good imho.
Not really possible to retrofit unless you are willing to pay about 3x the original price.

Park assist is a gimick that hardly anyone uses.
Not sure if it can be retrofitted.

RVC isn't necessary and can be retrofitted apparently.

Electric adjustment isn't needed, how often will someone else be driving your car?
Don't think it can be retrofitted.

MDI isn't needed, just use a SD card.
Can be retrofitted though and is cheaper form ebay uk.

Bluetooth can be purchased aftermarket at a cheaper price most of the time.

RNS510 can be sourced form ebay uk for AU$1150 landed.

[Corey_R]

18" Detroit Wheels - You can purchase aftermarket wheels, or even pick up a set of genuine Detroits at any time. However, $1200 for these as a factory option is pretty good. You may not be able to purchase them later at this price, and definitely won't be able to from a dealer (although that may be offset a bit by being able to sell the 17" wheels)
Adaptive Chassis Control - Yeah, if you wanted this, at this stage you have to get it from the factory. I'm not sure of anyone fitting this aftermarket.
Bi Zenon Headlights - Xenon's have a long list of parts which need to be added to make them legal (self leveling, headlight washers etc). If you want these, get them at purchase.
Park Assist - This is another thing you'd need to get at purchase. Although you could get front and rear parking sensors at a later time, it'd cost you the majority of the Park Assist cost, and it wouldn't park itself.
RVC - This can be added later, but unless you install it yourself, it's cheaper to get factory fitted as the labour would well and truly push it over the factory price.
Electronically Adjustable Drivers Seats - Again, if you replaced a standard drivers seat with an electric one at a later date, it'd cost you more than adding this option from the factory.
Media Interface - the dealer install is more expensive with this as well.
Bluetooth - MY11 Bluetooth is $550. The dealer installed version is ~$2200. You could get a Skoda kit, but it'll still cost you around $800 to $1000
RNS510 Satellite Navigation - This one you can install later for cheaper. However, the GPS antenna will need to be fitted in the dash etc instead of as a "Sharkfin" on the roof.

[fergus]

Hey Swayman
On the wheels - bear in mind that if you go to 18's, you'll be paying substantially more for your tyres as well. This might not be an issue if you are doing low km, but if you do medium to high km, you're better off with the 17". The benefit is incremental anyway and imho opinion, there are much better looking wheels in 18" than the Detroits. The side profile of the car looks "odd" with so much wheel and so little tyre.
Xenon's - I've had both. The amounts that manufacturers charge for this option is ridiculous - the standard lights are pretty good.
Park Assist - I wanted this too but at the end of the day, how often are you really going to use it ?
RVC - this option is worth it and for the money, much better to get factory fitted.
Electric Seats - you can only get this with Leather. IMHO, the tartan looks better and really, you can manually slide the seat much faster than it takes to adjust electrically.
MDI - again - low cost, so I'd do that too.
Bluetooth - ridiculous waste of money - not value for what it is unless you are sitting in your car taking/making calls all day
RNS510 - This option is great but the Ebay option is best - you can get this for half price and buy it later when you can afford it.

In summary, after seriously considering everything you listed, I ordered basic spec DSG with RVC & MDI. That only costs about $700 - 800 over the basic price and remeber at resale, you get bugger all for options - they are just considered "bonus's" but don't really add a huge value. A dealer won't add a huge amount to your trade in value for having all those options.

[peedman]

Well dont forget ultimately this is your car and i assume you'll be driving it for a few years so you may as well get the options you want, not what others think are useless. Heres my 2c

The only two i would cross off it Detroits and RNS510 and as mentioned you may not be able to buy the Detroits for as cheap but there are plenty of other wheels which look as good if not better than them. RNS510 you can ebay but you will need someone to change CANBUS codes. You can then sell your RCD510 for $300-500.

About the xenons, i want them but for the price they arent for me. You might feel differently but im young and can see well in the dark

PS: With all those options listed you are getting close to golf R money too.

[fergus]

Swayman
Just remember that we'll all have an opinion just like you so all you can do is "sift the wheat from the chaff" and work out what's important to you. Just absorb what everyone says and then apply it to your own requirements and budget.

[Maverick]

PS: With all those options listed you are getting close to golf R money too.

And? A base model R is not the same as a loaded GTI.

[pologti18t]

All the options are just a case of guilding the lily for the GTI.

[Maverick]

All the options are just a case of guilding the lily for the GTI.

And it's different adding options on the R why?

[REXman]

He's obviously implying that If for the money of a loaded GTI you could get a base R. Which is a fair call. Depends on what you want though.

As for the options, the wheels, Bluetooth, MDI and Sat Nav you can add/work around to add later. As for Park Assist, awesome If your disabled etc.. but its not really necessary for an able body person god forbid. Definitely high on the cool factor but for $1500 Its something my mother would get. Then again not everyone can park properly I guess..

Either way, a GTI is awesome and even a stocka with rims and xenons on it is just perfect. They are an awesome car - Get it!!

[Spec83]

First option I would tick would be the Xenon headlights

[pologti18t]

And it's different adding options on the R why?

Huh, where was the reference to the R?
Guilding the lily = its already great to start with.

[Pepe]

Xenons a must, you won't be able to do those later without much pain and a lot of dosh.

In regards to the Detroits, I was in the VW dealer at Hornsby this morning and there was a stack of 4 of them (3 in box, 1 on display) which had a sign that said they were on sale for $2800 including tyres, down from $4300. Not sure if that's just that dealer though. Still more than twice the price of ticking the box at order time though, but I guess you'll get a few bucks for the 17s on fleabay or something.

[Maverick]

He's obviously implying that If for the money of a loaded GTI you could get a base R. Which is a fair call. Depends on what you want though.

Why would someone who wants certain options (let's say RNS 510, Dynaudio, DCC and DSG) be interested in getting a base model R instead?

The base model R doesn't have the RNS 510, Dynaudio, DCC or DSG so unless they desperately want a bigger turbo and AWD at the expense of all the other options why on earth would the R come into the equation.

[dave_r]

Why would someone who wants certain options (let's say RNS 510, Dynaudio, DCC and DSG) be interested in getting a base model R instead?

Yeah not sure I understand the comparisons between loaded up GTI's and base R's except for dollar value.