Mk7 Golf GTI Discussion Thread

[readerr0r]

Its not that big a deal to provide an option. BMW still offer a manual box on the 3 series as a no cost option, even though only 3% of all 2010+ 3 Series' on carsales are manual.

Meanwhile, 12% of all carsales MK6 GTIs are 3 Door...

[stickshift3000]

Its not that big a deal to provide an option.

To who? You or VWA?

It's pretty clear that they don't want to cannibalise the (slow moving) scirocco sales by bringing in another 3 door model.

[SuperHans]

Considering that when you order your GTI you have to wait 4 months for it to arrive because it is being built in the factory - it makes absolutely no sense to the customer to not be able to choose what you are getting.

Its already more or less a custom order

[team_v]

Considering that when you order your GTI you have to wait 4 months for it to arrive because it is being built in the factory - it makes absolutely no sense to the customer to not be able to choose what you are getting.

Its already more or less a custom order

I can understand that argument for paint but when you start adding extra parts to cars that would require adr complaince/testing and then having to store parts onshore it gets expensive.

[AdamD]

Considering that when you order your GTI you have to wait 4 months for it to arrive because it is being built in the factory - it makes absolutely no sense to the customer to not be able to choose what you are getting.

Its already more or less a custom order

VGA have paid big money to have the Scirocco complied and imported into Australia for sale. Offering another derivative of the GTI (a 3 door) that may impact on those sales doesn't make sense in such a small market. They need to recoup their Scirocco costs somehow, and having other models in their lineup cannibalising sales doesn't help.

[readerr0r]

VGA have paid big money to have the Scirocco complied and imported into Australia for sale. Offering another derivative of the GTI (a 3 door) that may impact on those sales doesn't make sense in such a small market. They need to recoup their Scirocco costs somehow, and having other models in their lineup cannibalising sales doesn't help.

They dragged their heals getting it here and they already axed the Golf R 3 Door for it. Money doesn't grow on trees, and the 10K difference between the GTI 3dr of a Rocco R isn't just child's play. They're practically different markets and I doubt there's much cross shopping between the two. The Golf Cabrio and EOS live in harmony and no one is having a cry...

I'll just grab the 3 Door Polo again, I can sit in the back of it unlike the Rocco and I get 20K in my pocket...

[mickbrown]

Aaaaaaaanyways...

Another article from our frynds over the tizman. Click here.

"You really do need to pay the extra $2k for the DCC, otherwise the standard ‘sporty’ ride would get a bit much around town or over broken roads."

Also read yesterday that NZ will pay an estimated $NZD5k for the performance pack, but VW are still in negotiations re: price.

In response to the issues above re: drive away cost once all extras are added, I think it's pretty clear that VW are dropping the price of the base model for perceived savings and are doing so by stripping off what some consider core features, i.e., Xenons with red pinstripes. I also consider them core features and the strategy is disappointing.

However, in the end, I don't expect to pay anything less than $50k drive away with leather, 19" alloys, DCC, Xenons. Yeah, I can currently get a Golf R for $52k, but I remember going to the dealer 12 months ago and sitting in a top-spec Golf R for which finance had fallen through. It was $69k. The day before that I sat in an S3 that was $78k. The jump in price from GTi to the R platform is beyond anyone seriously considering a GTi.

[pologti18t]

In response to the issues above re: drive away cost once all extras are added, I think it's pretty clear that VW are dropping the price of the base model for perceived savings and are doing so by stripping off what some consider core features, i.e., Xenons with red pinstripes. I also consider them core features and the strategy is disappointing.
.

How is that stripping core features if they have never been standard on a Aus spec GTI?
Would you like them instead to RAISE the base price of the GTI like they have in Europe?

If you want leather, HIDs, 19inch wheels and DCC why would you expect it to be less than 50K on road. NONE of the competitors are when specced to that level.

[team_v]

Aaaaaaaanyways...

Another article from our frynds over the tizman. Click here.

"You really do need to pay the extra $2k for the DCC, otherwise the standard ‘sporty’ ride would get a bit much around town or over broken roads."

Also read yesterday that NZ will pay an estimated $NZD5k for the performance pack, but VW are still in negotiations re: price.

In response to the issues above re: drive away cost once all extras are added, I think it's pretty clear that VW are dropping the price of the base model for perceived savings and are doing so by stripping off what some consider core features, i.e., Xenons with red pinstripes. I also consider them core features and the strategy is disappointing.

However, in the end, I don't expect to pay anything less than $50k drive away with leather, 19" alloys, DCC, Xenons. Yeah, I can currently get a Golf R for $52k, but I remember going to the dealer 12 months ago and sitting in a top-spec Golf R for which finance had fallen through. It was $69k. The day before that I sat in an S3 that was $78k. The jump in price from GTi to the R platform is beyond anyone seriously considering a GTi.

Core features i would consider are cruise control, power steering, air con and ABS/ESP.

Anything else is just an upgrade over what is already a requirement:
1) xenon's aren't essential since halogen has been fine for the last 20 or so years plus we have better street lighting now.
2) leather is just another trim of the seat you already get.
3) DCC is just a fancy suspension upgrade.
4) 19" wheels are not a requirement since you already get wheels.

You can't get more stuff in your car and pay less.
Since the majority of people want a cheaper GTI they make these objects available as an option.

Makes perfect business sense to me.

[DoggieHowser]

Didn't some guys get a very well spec-ed A250 AMG for 50k driveaway? At that time, it was also discussed that a spec-ed up GTI to 50k would take a severe beating on depreciation vs a "stock" A250.

In the UK, the brand new GTI goes for the same price as the old one and still comes with bixenon and 18" as standard

Perhaps if they want to make the PP attractive, load it up as standard with bixenon, ACC and Discover Pro (and maybe leather/sunroof). That means the car would be in stock without needing delays in custom ordering and doesn't take a beating for depreciation.

So you have 39k 44k and 49k for the GTI, PP and R which makes for a decent separation.

[pologti18t]

Didn't some guys get a very well spec-ed A250 AMG for 50k driveaway? At that time, it was also discussed that a spec-ed up GTI to 50k would take a severe beating on depreciation vs a "stock" A250.

A250 is 49,990 + ORC... They aren't discounting these to any great extent. So getting a "well specced one" for 50K drive away is unlikely.
I will have to check but leather, sat nav etc are all optional on the A250.

[Ryan_R]

Just keep in mind that the new S3 will be $11k cheaper (~$59k), so that means the Golf R will have to be cheaper (there are currently Golf R's on carsales.com.au at that price) if they don't want to lose those customers, which means the GTI will have to be cheaper since more would just get the R. It's a nice problem to have from our standpoint.

Let's just wait and see what gets announced and then make some noise afterwards if we don't like it. The new R should be revealed in Europe in September as well.

[andrew7]

Ryan R is spot on, with a well loaded S3 at 60k the R will need to be closer to $50k with leather and nav standard (topping out at 55k max with all the fruit). This leaves the GTI topping out with all the extras at say 45k, otherwise just get the R with more power and awd

[DoggieHowser]

A250 is 49,990 + ORC... They aren't discounting these to any great extent. So getting a "well specced one" for 50K drive away is unlikely.
I will have to check but leather, sat nav etc are all optional on the A250.

What I meant is that it is already well-spec-ed out of the door. And I thought some of the first batch buyers did get 50k driveaway. Al did pay a bit more to get Comand I think.

Leather on the Merc A250 is a manmade (they call it ecofriendly) version but it does look decent and I thought the micro fibre fabric was also quite a nice touch/feel to it. Bixenon, AMG 18" rims, RVC+ and sunroof are standard. And the electric seats have memory too which IMHO is a useful feature to have if you already have electric seats.

So if a Merc (which traditionally is priced a lot more than the equivalent Vdub) is going at 49k with these as standard...

[Ryan_R]

...good for them.

There are plenty of people who would rather spend the $2000 elsewhere.