Thinking about a Golf R? Production ends in August.

[JST]

Apparently next month is the last month to order, with production ending in August.

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthrea...on-of-R-ending!

[TD]

Do you know if this ended up being the case?

Also, did you get your R from Alexandria VW? Salesman recommendation?

[bren]

Wait until 1:00. You may be able to get a good deal on a very lightly used Focus.

[JST]

Originally Posted by TD

Do you know if this ended up being the case?

Also, did you get your R from Alexandria VW? Salesman recommendation?

I think production has ceased, but there are still plenty on the ground.

Yes, I got mine from Alexandria. The guy I dealt with was Andrew O'Brien. He was responsive and the level of BS in terms of getting the deal done was pretty low (though the car was a couple of months later than he estimated at the outset, which won't be an issue if production is done). I'd buy from him again.

Andrew O'Brien
Internet Sales Manager
Wes Greenway's Alexandria Volkswagen
andrew.obrien@alexandriavw.com
Main line : (703) 684-8888
Direct : (703) 535-3535
Fax : (703) 684-5170

[TD]

They have a car matching my specs in stock (white, sunroof, NAV).

I reminded myself over the weekend that the role I am looking for a new purchase to play is the ideal commuter car - which, for me, includes practical packaging and AWD.

So I'm back on thinking I'll get an R.

[equ]

Originally Posted by JST

I'd buy from him again.

But would you buy the same car, a Golf R again?

[JST]

Originally Posted by equ

But would you buy the same car, a Golf R again?

I would drive a Focus ST first. I might be tempted to go that route, given everything I've read about it and the significant cost difference.

OTOH, I really do like the Golf. It's by no means a perfect car, but for what I want to use it for (as a commuter that I don't have to give much thought to but that is still fun to drive and capable of carrying kids) it is nearly ideal.

It's fast but more importantly it's *interesting* to drive; it's got enough boy-racer in it to give me some satisfaction but not enough to embarrass. It's rare enough that it gets approving nods from the cognoscenti but anonymous enough to be "just a Golf" when I tell people what I drive.

The downsides are few and relatively minor. The nav works well for giving directions but the screen is too small and the graphics too wonky to really be helpful--it's too bad VW didn't fit the bigger nav screen. The lack of automatic headlights is disappointing, as is the lack of automatic windshield wipers and auto-dimming mirror; lame, perhaps, but many much more basic cars have them and they are nice to use. Some of those features can be retrofitted, though.

Really, other than that, there's not much to complain about. The gas mileage is only meh, but with a big turbo and AWD it's hard to complain about. The in-car entertainment/nav interface is not as good as the latest iDrive but is world's better than Sync; simple and easy to use, you can learn it in 5 minutes.

The Audi A4 is a nicer car (the S4 much more so) in every way, but it's also bigger and more refined--and I already have a 5 if I want those attributes. The BMW F30 also makes a lot of sense as a competitor (particularly for leasing), but for me the lack of steering feel and lack of trunk space (once you put the spare back there) plus the BMW's overall larger size take some of the shine off that car. Plus, I've had lots and lots of 3ers and it's nice to have a change of pace.

[Josh (PA)]

Originally Posted by JST

It's by no means a perfect car, but for what I want to use it for (as a commuter that I don't have to give much thought to but that is still fun to drive and capable of carrying kids) it is nearly ideal.

How would you compare to the E90s you've had when it comes to the above?

[clyde]

Originally Posted by JST

It's fast but more importantly it's *interesting* to drive; it's got enough boy-racer in it to give me some satisfaction but not enough to embarrass. It's rare enough that it gets approving nods from the cognoscenti but anonymous enough to be "just a Golf" when I tell people what I drive.

By name "just a Focus" will be nice. I'm not wild about the boy racerish looks of the Focus ST...but then, I'm not totally sure what's visually different about the ST from the regular 5 door hatchback Focus other than the wheels and grill area.

The Golf, OTOH, just looks like a car. A smallish car, perhaps, but something that fits in anywhere, anytime without calling attention to itself no matter what version: just a Golf, a GTI or an R. You have to know what you're looking at to know what might make it special. I really dig that about the Golf.

The in-car entertainment/nav interface is not as good as the latest iDrive but is world's better than Sync; simple and easy to use, you can learn it in 5 minutes.

Sync? Or MyFord Touch with Sync? And, if the latter, 3.5.1 or earlier MFT?

Just looking for a point of reference here, not a detailed discussion. Your comment made me think about my experience learning MFT and has me wondering what it would have been like if I was like a regular person and just in the car, tried to hook up my phone, set a destination and go rather than immediately jumping into all oit to see what it can do and how it works and if it does this, that and the other thing. As I think about it now, what came in my car may have been pretty nice and easy if I didn't already have an opinion.

[JST]

Originally Posted by Josh (PA)

How would you compare to the E90s you've had when it comes to the above?

It's got more space inside than my M3 did; more legroom and (especially) much more room for a rear facing child seat. This is in part because the M3 had thicker than normal front seats, but mostly it's just because the Golf has a taller, more upright cabin and better space utilization.

It's got more luggage room, too, because you don't have to carry a spare. Putting aside the spare, the E90 probably has a bit more trunk space, though obviously the opening is smaller than the Golf's hatch.

I like that with AWD and all-season tires I don't have to worry about a set of snows (in DC, at least). Changing tires on the E90s wasn't too big a problem, but it was a little bit of a chore.

It has a little better visibility than the E90s and is shorter, to boot, so it's better for urban driving.

Overall, the E90s were more refined and massively faster (at least in 335 and M3 guise), and likely handled better at the limit (I haven't autocrossed the R and probably won't), but for commuting the Golf is legitimately a better choice in many ways. An S3 with slightly higher spec and nicer trim would be even better--too bad we can't get that car here.