MY12 Model changes Golf

[kaanage]

I'd say virtually no one considering purchasing a lower spec model would be remotely interested in ACC anyway.

That makes me a virtual nobody then, I guess I'm glad I got my Comfortline when it was available

Looks like VAG want me to buy an Audi rather than a VW for my next car

[Mariani]

Don't mean to be a party pooper and change the subject around discounts / price / tight ass behaviour

Has anyone noticed the sports bodykit on the new Blue Motion is identical to the GTI 35 edition? Could it become the standard?

Mic

[Corey_R]

very unlikely.

Bluemotion always have additional aerodynamic features as well as lowered suspension...

[Finance_Analyst]

I just hope VW remembers that GTI and R customers are on the whole enthusiasts that LIKE having lots of options

Somehow I doubt that is the case. In absolute terms, the GTI is a sub 40k car which, with pricey options like leather, sunroof and nav, bring the cost to well over 50k (even early 60k with a few more on top) prior to discounting. As much as I love my GTI, I would not spend the extra 10k to get options which, in my opinion, are of little use (sunroof was never used on my old Subaru, sat nav is a waste of money as you can get a Tom Tom for a couple of hundred bucks and leather is just a rip off). Come selling time, those options don't add squat to your final selling price (although it may make it easier to sell) I would prefer to get a base R over a highly spec GTI, hence my only option was the 18 inch Detriots, while the bluetooth was a freebie. I think VW intentionally order their cars with lots of options as they can make more margin on them and force customers to take it or else wait 5-9 mths for a more basic car. Sales 101 again.

And when you look at the R, with a few options, the RRP can get up to $70k. By then, you land yourself well into Audi S3/BMW 135i territory, which, for a lot of people (maybe not on this forum), seems like a lot of $$$ for a VW. Just my 2 cents.

[Mr_Bob]

Before buying the R, I priced an S3 with a few options, and was quoted $84K.
That did include the motorsport seats, but not much else that didn't come standard on the R.
e.g. i seem to recall that the flat bottom steering wheel was $800 extra? (standard one is ordinary)

I expect it was RRP, as i was tyre-kicking and didn't negotiate, but i was shocked.
That's $30K more than my R, for a different badge and some swanky seats...

[Corey_R]

Yeah, the "optioning a VW gets you to Audi / BMW territory" has been done to death in the past. It's not true though and is obvious once you start looking at options and inclusions on the 135i and S3 vs the R. In every case this has been bought up, the argument has been supported by "non-negotiated fulled optioned on road R prices" vs negotiated base spec S3 prices without onroads, or even 2nd hand S3 or 135i prices.

Just like Finance_Analyst's post above. The "RRP" without onroads or options for the Audi S3 is $70,900 and that doesn't include some of the options which are standard on the R (such as the flat-bottom steering wheel that Mr_Bob mentioned, or metallic paint etc).

When I went to an Audi dealer an optioned an S3 to be as similar spec to my R as possible, the cost was in the $90k range. Now whilst there is more margin in the Audi product than there is the VW, there was no way I was going to get anywhere near the driveaway price I paid for my Golf R...

When Oranges are compared to Oranges, the argument doesn't stand up.

[Maverick]

Somehow I doubt that is the case. In absolute terms, the GTI is a sub 40k car which, with pricey options like leather, sunroof and nav, bring the cost to well over 50k (even early 60k with a few more on top) prior to discounting. As much as I love my GTI, I would not spend the extra 10k to get options which, in my opinion, are of little use (sunroof was never used on my old Subaru, sat nav is a waste of money as you can get a Tom Tom for a couple of hundred bucks and leather is just a rip off). Come selling time, those options don't add squat to your final selling price (although it may make it easier to sell)

That's all fine if you view the buying of a car as like an investment and want to maximise your return on it but for others it's the complete package of items like leather, the RNS 510, RVC, Bi-Xenons that makes the car complete for them.

I would prefer to get a base R over a highly spec GTI, hence my only option was the 18 inch Detriots, while the bluetooth was a freebie.

That argument has been done to death many times and it comes back to you are you willing to miss out on all the extras that you get with a GTI of the same price.

I think VW intentionally order their cars with lots of options as they can make more margin on them and force customers to take it or else wait 5-9 mths for a more basic car. Sales 101 again.

VW don't order the cars, the dealers order the cars and I can assure you that most cars ordered are base models (I doubt this has changed recently) as these cars are the easiest to sell. It's very hard to get a fully optioned GTI especially not where you want a specific colour or don't want the sunroof. There are many thousands of variations available with the GTI so keeping stock of them all is next to impossible and the dealers buy what they can sell quickly and optioned up cars are generally special order.

And when you look at the R, with a few options, the RRP can get up to $70k. By then, you land yourself well into Audi S3/BMW 135i territory, which, for a lot of people (maybe not on this forum), seems like a lot of $$$ for a VW. Just my 2 cents.

And if you look at the S3 fully optioned you're getting up into base model Porsche Boxster territory and if you look at the Porsch Boxster fully optioned you're getting up into ......... that argument is pointless and futile.

[SilvrFoxX]

That's all fine if you view the buying of a car as like an investment and want to maximise your return on it but for others it's the complete package of items like leather, the RNS 510, RVC, Bi-Xenons that makes the car complete for them.

That argument has been done to death many times and it comes back to you are you willing to miss out on all the extras that you get with a GTI of the same price.

I agree but the reverse is also true so it is a bit of a circular argument

VW don't order the cars, the dealers order the cars and I can assure you that most cars ordered are base models (I doubt this has changed recently) as these cars are the easiest to sell. It's very hard to get a fully optioned GTI especially not where you want a specific colour or don't want the sunroof. There are many thousands of variations available with the GTI so keeping stock of them all is next to impossible and the dealers buy what they can sell quickly and optioned up cars are generally special order.

My experience when ringing around all dealerships to find a low spec R was that this is not the case, the Dealer do order in fully specced units over low end stuff. cause thats where the margins are

[Mr_Bob]

My experience when ringing around all dealerships to find a low spec R was that this is not the case, the Dealer do order in fully specced units over low end stuff. cause thats where the margins are

I also expect that high margin = better room for negotiation = better perception of a good deal = faster moving car.
(even if the buyer doesn't want all the options)

[SilvrFoxX]

Could be , I was just guessing really.. I mean dealers are not shady by design

[Finance_Analyst]

And if you look at the S3 fully optioned you're getting up into base model Porsche Boxster territory and if you look at the Porsch Boxster fully optioned you're getting up into ......... that argument is pointless and futile.

Didn't realise that this point would become a prickly issue at best. All I am saying is that, whether a GTi or R is basic or fully spec, they all look the same to the common man/woman. As a result, a base S3/135i for roughly the same price (or only a few quid more as BMW love discounting their cars big time) as a fully spec R will still look more impressive to a non forum member and 90% of the general public. If image is everything (and in some professions, it is), then this is where it does rear its ugly head and most will opt for the bigger badge of the blue and white propeller or four interlocking rings. For me, I don't care if the guy in his BMW 320i looks more impressive than I do in my similar priced GTI (as BMW are doing a whale of a deal on these now), but if you are in real estate/property especially, it kinda does matter I think...

[SilvrFoxX]

I was with you up to the end of the first sentence.. then I got lost.. now where are my mushrooms, that might help

[ThatsMe]

Been reading here for a couple months, decided to join and heres my first post.

I can confirm MDI and Bluetooth are both standard on the MY12.

The dealer also said that if i want to order i have to by tomorrow or i cant order until next year, really??

[Finance_Analyst]

Which dealer in Brissy you dealing with? I found they were all pinheads at best, so I went to the GC for some true honest customer service.

[MiiLos]

The dealer also said that if i want to order i have to by tomorrow or i cant order until next year, really??

Thats bulls***.. when i was looking i got the story by a couple of dealers that if i didn't put the money down right there and then, was mid February at the time, that i wouldn't get the car till October. The reasoning i was given was that all dealerships in Australia have reached their allocated limits on orders. Ended up signing the papers about 3 weeks later with another dealer and my car is now on a boat and I should have it in July.