Does your GTI or R attract the wrong attention

[REXman]

I think it also depends where you live.

+1. definitely. Where I live I never have a oroblem. But when I was a younger lad, I used to get pulled up all the time near where I used to hang with mates/girls etc. (See *hood.)

i reckon now its cause Im a boring old man who doesnt do anything remotely exciting, no minds too much.

I disagree.

I have owned several cars over the years.
One was a 2003 STI... the modifications were ADR approved APS equipment.

Wicked car, wicked mods at the time hey.. Loved that car!

One of the reasons I bought the Golf GTI is because it looks like just another fairly bland hatchback and therefore unlikely to attract unwanted attention while parked.

And thats what I'll end with too. i bought the Golf cause its sort of boriing to look at. Dont get me wrong, I love it. I love it a lot not just for drive but also its looks. Its all in the details with the little VW.

I also like its usually just people into cars who know what it is. Different sort of street cred. But cars that win "car of the year", "best this and that".. are usually not as low key as you think I guess.

But you could only describe the Golf R/GTI as a sleeper. It looks like a Corolla, but nicer.

Compared to say my wet dream the 2011 WRX STI!



I reckon the MKV GOLF onwards though has always looked pretty good.

[Vaku]

for my second job I work out at western sydney, I usually turn off my DRL's to avoid extra attention..
apart from that so far so good.

[mr gee]

I've had no unwanted attention by the boys in blue when I'm driving but jnr had been stopped twice. The first time, cop remarked that he had his fogs on (it was the DRL). The second, just a shakedown....check tyres,...check if he's a legit driver and if the car was his. All this for a stock look TSI

[R36FTW]

Probably just a bored officer, or you looked suss. Wait till you drive a car that actually gets attention, like an R34 GTR or FD RX7, then compare that to the cursory glance you receive in a golf; there is no comparison. You can rest assured you fly well under the radar in a GTI/R32 etc.

[Ideo]

Nah, not an issues in 5000kms.

I live around the corner from a major HWP base and I have had a couple of head nods from the boys in blue. Had a thumbs up from a guy in a new Jag XK who said he had one on order for general run around duties and had a good chat with a guy in an R32 who was looking at getting one.

Have had one issue actually, and it involved officers having their hands disturbingly close to their guns, but there is a good reason for that. Golf R at midnight on a Wednesday on a street with 4 banks and no numberplates on the car. Got pulled over for it (with good reason), they were more relieved than me when they realised I lived around the corner and had all the right documents on me. Was a bit worrying at first though.

It slips by pretty quietly and isn't an issue. And that's what I like about it.

[shakespeare]

No issues for me! Some second looks from other GTI or R drivers and the occasional hot hatch etc no police issues and no idiots (yet!) Have had a few surprised looks when I've given it a good squirt at the lights from HSV/FPV drivers though

I love the sleeper look, which is part of the reason I chose the R!

[Prodigy]

No issues so far for me, with either the boys in blue or any wishful thinkers at traffic lights.
Quite a welcome change to my WRX days.

I'm careful where i park it though as i still believe it will attract attention from idiots who have got nothing better to do than damage other peoples property.

[SteveK]

3) Clio RS 200 revving his engine off when I crawled pass him at a red light.
4) Traffic lights GP with an MKV GTI.
5) Countless head turns from MKV GTI/R32 and MKVI GTI drivers
6) Head nods from several other R owners

THIS.

It amazes me how many other GTI owners I've encountered who just want to race. I couldn't give a rats. I bought the car for me and feel no justification to try and compare it to anything else to make myself feel better about my purchase or my mods. If you're that unhappy as a driver that you need to feel better about yourself, then I feel sorry for you. This is not a generalisation, just my experiences since owning the R. In saying that, I do get a lot of nods from other R owners. You really don't want to label any particular driver but sometimes the species just evolves itself.

Last night, was driving home in the Tullamarine area. As I was passing through a set of lights they went amber. I'm well through when I look in the mirror and see some idiot fly through a well RED intersection, only to pull up next to me revving his 200SX. I mean really? You risk an accident and/or a speeding/red-light camera fine just to have a go.

Other than that, as Corey_R has stated, it is understated enough to the general population that it can go unnoticed as just another car.

Cheers,
Steve

[Footguy]

Only when I have "chingy" booming...

Was followed the entire way through Bundeena National park a few months ago. He passed me as we truned onto the highway on leaving the park. About 2km on from that, he had pulled over and was "lasering" me out his door...kinda opened his car door and pointed it back at me. Luckily was just rolling along taking it easy after a surf, but no doubt he was trying to ping me specifically.

It's more the obvious modifications that make you a target...I'm sure if you had 20 inch chrome rims on your golf and a 4 inch exhaust things might be a bit different.

[99_FGT]

The golf does fly under the radar very nicely, as long as you keep it subtle. Used to have a 99 Forester, lowered, 3"TBE, TD04 - would get pulled over monthly for "Random Breath Tests" in Brisbane. My Clio Sport 172, all round a quicker car - not a problem. The Golf, even waved through the roadside RBT's...
Al..

[MkVIGTI]

I have had no troubles either. Got stopped for some RBTs but that's the same with everyone else

[TomC]

It amazes me how many other GTI owners I've encountered who just want to race. I couldn't give a rats. I bought the car for me and feel no justification to try and compare it to anything else to make myself feel better about my purchase or my mods.

Totally agree here. In the past month the two worst acts of driving I've seen were from other GTI owners who were trying to provoke me to race. Seriously, I wanted to get out and smack them

I own a boring old (now, compared to the newer mk6) mk5 GTI and never had a problem, until two weeks ago. I had two people in commondores spit out of their window onto my bonnet while I'm just driving down a two lane road normally in the space of a week. Who does that?

[Johnbu]

commondores

drivers




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[xordis]

As a traffic copper for near on 15 years it never ceases to amaze me that people still use the old, I gotz a noice ride so da popo pixz on meh!

Let me give you the hot tip champ. Unless you drive like a complete knob you won't get noticed by the police. Over the years I've owned a rex. A rally spec evo5 and now the r and not once have I been pulled over just because of the car.

As for the rest. I park the R anywhere and unless someone knows what it is, it doesn't get a second look.

The best way to attract attention is to crack laps through a cbd or nightclub area on a Friday night and give it the herbs at every intersection ...god knows why 19 year olds think this is cool

What amazes me these days is the number of P platers who are these knobs.
QLD only enforced P platers to ID themselves in the past few years, but since they have it seems like 9/10 "knobs" on the road have a P plate.

You are right though. Cut 20 laps of the CBD and every cop in town is going to know who you are and you will get picked on.

As for R's attracting attention. I would dare say the GTI's would get way more looks than an R. (except for the fact you would get a sore neck in no time given the number out there)
An R is way more of a sleeper than a GTI. I wouldn't doubt if you asked people that 95% of them would claim the GTI is the top of the line model in the Golf range.

[TomC]

drivers

haha, not quite sure what you mean? Was that a question? If so, yes it was the driver, spitting out of their window as they drove by on the inside lane. Both times were in heavy traffic and both times the driver was weaving between lanes trying to get ahead (unsuccessfully).

And no, I was not having a crack at people who drive Holdens. That was just the model of car the nice young man was in both times!