Mk7 Golf R Discussion Thread

[Mikey1]

The corporate discount is open to more than just the top ASX200 companies, I had it on my previous order that fell through and enquiry this time around as well and I never have or will work for one of those companies. Can't comment on the lack of an R benefit, but the discount I negotiated on my GTI turned out to be a lot more than my initial enquiry under the corporate discount - although this time around it was definitely well under 10% so there may be varied levels.

Well that's a revelation! Every corporate customer has a Volkswagen fleet manager, even if the one fleet manager looks after multiple clients. Just out of interest, do you work for a publicly listed company?

Given forum members thrive on feedback from others about pricing, can you share with us what actual percentage discount did you actually receive on your new GTI? Was this amount off the on-road price or the list price? Did you also receive a discount on the dealer delivery fee?

[Paul_R]

I'm going to have a good look at the S3. I'm not fussed on 19s and want a stereo I don't have to upgrade. Electric memory seats would be nice but neither car has them. Electric seats without memory is stupid so it's good the S pack seats are manual adjust. The S3 has heated seats though which is good if you live in Albury. Pity I can't get a discount for choosing manual over DSG. Suppose I'll wait for pricing and then talk to both dealers. Hmmm. There's another issue. Wodonga Prestige (VW) have excellent customer service but the Audi dealer is hopeless. Maybe I'll have less trouble with them if I buy an Audi. They were terrible when we bought the Mazda from them. VW drove 20kms out to the house for me to sign the papers so when I went in later it was a matter of here's the keys have fun. Mazda told us we'd only have to go in once, made us wait for 2 hours and then told us to come back later, by which time they had smeared grease on the head lining, the car was the wrong colour and the cargo cover still hasn't turned up 2 years later. Actually after remembering all that I think I'll stick with the Golf...

Just realised the R will have heated leather too.

[Dutch77]

Well that's a revelation! Every corporate customer has a Volkswagen fleet manager, even if the one fleet manager looks after multiple clients. Just out of interest, do you work for a publicly listed company?

Given forum members thrive on feedback from others about pricing, can you share with us what actual percentage discount did you actually receive on your new GTI? Was this amount off the on-road price or the list price? Did you also receive a discount on the dealer delivery fee?

No I am employed privately. Perhaps the system has changed and they haven't worked that out yet - on my mk6 order I did need to provide proof of membership to a qualifying professional organisation so maybe that's enough to keep me on the books now as corporate eligible.

In any case on the mk7 I was only offered a flat $2k regardless of options (on a GTI mind you). The final discount was around 10%. This was on the final price and not allocated on the order, just a one line deduction.

Given the pent up demand for the R and the general wind down of the anti-VW sentiment in the market then finding discounts might become harder for the first few months of release, and as you said they may not permit the corp discount either.

[Mikey1]

I'm going to have a good look at the S3. I'm not fussed on 19s and want a stereo I don't have to upgrade. Electric memory seats would be nice but neither car has them. Electric seats without memory is stupid so it's good the S pack seats are manual adjust. The S3 has heated seats though which is good if you live in Albury. Pity I can't get a discount for choosing manual over DSG. Suppose I'll wait for pricing and then talk to both dealers. Hmmm. There's another issue. Wodonga Prestige (VW) have excellent customer service but the Audi dealer is hopeless. Maybe I'll have less trouble with them if I buy an Audi. They were terrible when we bought the Mazda from them. VW drove 20kms out to the house for me to sign the papers so when I went in later it was a matter of here's the keys have fun. Mazda told us we'd only have to go in once, made us wait for 2 hours and then told us to come back later, by which time they had smeared grease on the head lining, the car was the wrong colour and the cargo cover still hasn't turned up 2 years later. Actually after remembering all that I think I'll stick with the Golf...

Just realised the R will have heated leather too.

Paul_R, your post is very amusing! My sister lives in Horsham, and she has issues with Morrow Mazda and avoids them whenever possible. I feel for country folk who don't have the option of another dealer in the same town. Now you have the first world dilemma of upgrading to a Mk7 R without the option of a Dynaudio sound system, and you probably won't be too impressed with the low resolution and slow response Discover Media system.

[Benz]

MK7 Golf R Evo Review

Figured many may be interested in the first real road comparison review of the Golf R.

My first post so hope this works!

Evo 195_8 HATCHES MODERNS - Evo

Enjoy.

[andrew7]

Agree with much of the above. Its a tough call but if you add leather to the R you're up at 57K which is only 3k less than the base "loaded" S3 with the far superior sat nav/MMI system, better looks (particularly interior which in the Audi is beautiful, and the exterior) and "prestige" factor (i.e you're not driving a "Golf'). You drop adjustable damping on the base s3 but a number of reviews say its either not necessary or in fact detrimental to handling (one of The Age reviews a few months back canned it (Matt Campbell I think). So, I'm leaning toward the S3 (need to drive both back to back to finalise the decision). (btw, I'd ommit "privacy glass" on both and have the whole car done for $400 aftermarket; also I like white so no issues with metallic add on costs; keen on 18's and in any case if I did want 19's VW should offer pretorias).

The downside to Audi (again per Paul above) is in my country city the local Audi dealer is crap; on the other hand the VW guys here are switched on and have a good sales and service team. Chances are I'll buy the Audi in Melbourne (or use my leasing co to negotiate the best price; in this way I avoid the other downside to Audi in Melbourne in that there sales team tend to be prentious prats).

[LWR]

Figured many may be interested in the first real road comparison review of the Golf R.

My first post so hope this works!

Evo 195_8 HATCHES MODERNS - Evo

Enjoy.

Thanks for posting. I reckon I'll get one!

[Dutch77]

As a side note on the Audis, I note a lot of talk about their MMI system. I noticed the mock ups of the new Audi TT interior show Audi looking at dropping the centre mounted screen and moving it to right in front of the driver with speedo and tachometer etc all on screen as well.

[Benz]

Pretty good review. Wonder when they will run the R against the A45? The A45 will be quickest but also much dearer at $82K some $20K above the Golf.
Look forward to that comparison though.
This one is a good start.

[Mikey1]

Agree with much of the above. Its a tough call but if you add leather to the R you're up at 57K which is only 3k less than the base "loaded" S3 with the far superior sat nav/MMI system, better looks (particularly interior which in the Audi is beautiful, and the exterior) and "prestige" factor (i.e you're not driving a "Golf'). You drop adjustable damping on the base s3 but a number of reviews say its either not necessary or in fact detrimental to handling (one of The Age reviews a few months back canned it (Matt Campbell I think). So, I'm leaning toward the S3 (need to drive both back to back to finalise the decision). (btw, I'd ommit "privacy glass" on both and have the whole car done for $400 aftermarket; also I like white so no issues with metallic add on costs; keen on 18's and in any case if I did want 19's VW should offer pretorias).

The downside to Audi (again per Paul above) is in my country city the local Audi dealer is crap; on the other hand the VW guys here are switched on and have a good sales and service team. Chances are I'll buy the Audi in Melbourne (or use my leasing co to negotiate the best price; in this way I avoid the other downside to Audi in Melbourne in that there sales team tend to be prentious prats).

Fairfax's Matt Campbell in drive.com.au did indeed prefer the standard non-adjustable suspension, but in all the other reviews that I have read or seen, the opposite is true.

On the issue of the interior, I must be the lone voice who prefers the Golf. I find the Audi too minimalistic in design. It's missing the following: sliding cupholder cover in centre console, no overhead sunglasses storage compartment, no driver's side flip down storage compartment, nowhere forward of the armrest/storage box is there to place your mobile phone. The Golf has a nifty hinged storage compartment below the dash/forward of the gear shift, where both a full size USB and 3.5mm Aux jack reside to plug your Android phone in to charge, etc. I also loathe the quilted/diamond pattern leather seat upholstery on the S Performance Package, which in my opinion does not blend in with the rest of the interior. Audi interior designers were probably inspired by the Bentley Continental GT Speed with it's quilted leather upholstery, which I do think blends in far better. Unlike the Audi, the pattern also appears in the sides and doors. Check it out at: Bentley Motors Website : Models : Continental GT Speed : Interior Design and Craftsmanship

Finally, in it's only non-Arctic Circle review so far, the handling of the Golf R is considered more balanced than the Audi S3. Refer YouTube video from German Auto Bild TV: VW Golf R vs. Audi S3 vs. BMW M135i - YouTube

[Paul_R]

On the rural dealers, my wife tells me her cousin bought an Audi (haven't seen it but I would guess a Q5) in Wagga Wagga. For servicing they apparently pick the car up from her work, leave her a courtesy car and return hers the next day. Wagga to Albury is 130 klms. That's service.

Edit starts here:

Right, turns out the cousin hasn't bought an Audi, nor does she have it serviced in Wagga either. I smelled a rat when we passed the cousins house this morning. The cousin has a CX 7 which gets serviced in Wangaratta! My wife thought that because our Mazda dealer sells both Marques that all Mazda dealers do! She actually said "my cousin has a 7 and gets it serviced in Wang".

Now I know there is no Audi dealer in Wang and I was talking about Audi at the time, so I'll leave the rest of you to draw the dots together...

[Longy]

On the rural dealers, my wife tells me her cousin bought an Audi (haven't seen it but I would guess a Q5) in Wagga Wagga. For servicing they apparently pick the car up from her work, leave her a courtesy car and return hers the next day. Wagga to Albury is 130 klms. That's service.

Edit starts here:

Right, turns out the cousin hasn't bought an Audi, nor does she have it serviced in Wagga either. I smelled a rat when we passed the cousins house this morning. The cousin has a CX 7 which gets serviced in Wangaratta! My wife thought that because our Mazda dealer sells both Marques that all Mazda dealers do! She actually said "my cousin has a 7 and gets it serviced in Wang".

Now I know there is no Audi dealer in Wang and I was talking about Audi at the time, so I'll leave the rest of you to draw the dots together...

Haha, I was going to say, there actually is an Audi Centre Wagga, 52 Dobney Ave Wagga Wagga.

[Lemonskin]

I saw a white Golf R on Friday night on King George's Road. Thank Christ it looks waaaay better in real life than in the pictures. And those wheels...

[andrew7]

Wheels looked ok are you saying Lemonskin? I've seen them painted gloss black (in NZ) and they looked much better.

[Lemonskin]

Wheels looked ok are you saying Lemonskin? I've seen them painted gloss black (in NZ) and they looked much better.

Yeah it had the silver wheels and they looked mint! But all R's look good with black wheels so I can imagine that would be good too.