What drew you to buy a Golf ?

[flappa]

I'm curious as to what made you decide a Golf was the vehicle for you ?

Is it because its the world's greatest car ?
Build quality that only the Lord himself could improve on?
Cause its "fully sik" ?

Well . . . here's my story.

I have never owned a Golf. Previously owned a 1974 VW Superbug, sweet ride too, especially for a first vehicle. Few friends with Family VW buses and I was lucky to drive a Golf while I was in Germany. Pretty much always liked the VW's, but never really thought about buying. GTI was always a pipedream.

We decided a few months back to upgrade our aging Nissan Patrol 4wd. Started looking at options, other 4wds, Pajero, Prado, SUV's Suby Forester, VW Tiguan, larger cars, Falcon XR6 Turbo, Dunnydore SIDI. Eventually decided on a new XT Forester.

Started to get quotes etc and was offered a crappy $6k for my Patrol (still selling the things for $16 - $20k), who is shafting who.

So we decided to look at a smaller car for my wife.

Really like the Focus XR5 but only comes in a manual, but the really cool Orange :cool:
Checked out the bigger XR5 Mondeo
Mazda MPS (another Manual only)
Mazda 3 PS25 seemed a really good compromise at a decent price.
WRX and Lancer Ralliart.

And then, sitting across the road at the VW Dealer . . . GTI.

My Wife INSTANTLY feel in love with a Black one. I knew of the GTI reputation, and this was an "auto". As soon as the Salesmen explained the DSG gearbox we were sold. I didn't want an auto, my wife didn't want a manual. This seemed the Ultimate compromise but . . . $$$$$

Although the $$$ were available the GTI seemed excessive, so the decision was made to purchase a Mazda SP25. Decent pricing $35k onroad, decent equipment levels, decent reviews, decent vehicle.

and then . . . it happened.

After visiting a Mazda Dealer I was walking back to work, when I could hear this vehicle approaching, rather rapidly. Green arrow at the lights it was . . . . bang bang bang as it went back through the gears , bang bang bang as it went back up through the gears . . . A red Golf GTI :cool:

I was sold . . . it was the noise . . . how sweet it sounded.

Then of course , Wheels Car of the Year, I think Top Gear awarded it Car of the Year, European Safest Car of the Year, typically ranked highly (if not always the best) Hot Hatch of the Year.

Made paying more for a Golf GTI over a Mazda really really simple.

So there it is . . . I bought a $50k Golf GTI because it sounds so bloody good . . . oh yeah and the fact its a quality and awarded car was a bonus.

[noowve]

Hi there, that was really an amazing story..

how i got on the VW brand was through a friend of mine as well as a colleague. he was driving a R32 back 2 years ago, told me how good the VW brand is.. my reply to him was, " Isn't VW more on the trucks and buses? he looked at me and i looked at him.. his reply to that was, are you serious? and i said i am dead serious. cut the story short, he suggested me to seat in his car, took me around for a spin, and told me how good the DSG gearbox is on VW.. immediately i was sold at that point.

So there you go, i will be placing a deposit for the new MK6 GTI end of Feb, and will update you shortly as to what option i will go for.

At this point in time, here are the options that i think i will be going for.

5 door DSG
Candy White
Xenon
Adaptive Chassis Control
18" Detroit Wheels
Leather Trim

Will

[neil]

Very simple decision for me.

When comparing medium size cars the TDI was the most fuel efficient auto due to the DSG
and a bonus was the safety rating.

[prise]

I have a Mazda 6 MPS coming off lease that I enjoy, but my driving mix is changing to more traffic and less k's so I wasn't going to novate the next car. I also wanted something a bit more modest for the next vehicle to save up funds for a kit car in the future but I didn't want to compromise on safety and comfort and still wanted a vehicle that had enough power for overtaking with 4 people on board. I also wanted the convenience of an automatic but couldn't stand the 'not connected' feel, loss of engine braking and loss of performance associated with a conventional slushbox.

To be honest I never paid the Golf much attention in the past thinking that they were overpriced for a small hatchback (never having driven one mind you) until I was on a business trip to the UK last year and drove a base model UK spec vehicle with the DSG gearbox. That was a revelation to me because normally the base models you get as rental cars are rubbish, but at the end of two weeks the car and in particular the gearbox and refinement (not the performance mind you as UK base models are gutless) had grown on me.

I then drove the 118TSI DSG model when I got back to Australia and was hooked. I also drove it back to back with the Mazda SP25 auto to get a calibration check and the VW's drove like a next class up. It comfortably accommodated my wife and two teenage sons so that was it.

The tastefully understated styling didn't sit well with my wife though - her first words on seeing the car were "that's a bit of a box isn't it" she then indicated a preference for a bright yellow beetle parked next door!

[flappa]

Thats very interesting because as I said, our choice was really between the SP25 and the Golf. I never actually got around to driving the Mazda.

Also funny about the Beetle. Although my wife clearly likes the Golf, when we went to the dealers on the weekend, the Salesmens desk was right beside a convertable black beetle with a Tan leather interior. I think she was a little disappointed we didn't buy that instead.

[obiwan]

Well I was on my way to buy a Mazda SP25, or maybe an MPS. Read all the reviews, yes Golf was the car to get, but at 10 to 20,000 more, maybe not. I had walked into the VW dealership the previous 2 weekends and got no attention from anyone. But that was the same at all the dealers before xmas, probably due to everyone wanting to claim the 50percent tax deduction.

But on this day my friend and I walked into VW on the way to Mazda. He being more assertive than me, grabbed a salesman and told him we're buyingyou a car today. The salesman took the 2 of us out for a test drive, it was so much fun, even got me to do launch control, had no idea that existed. When I drove the Mazda MPS a few weeks earlier it didn't give me the ear to ear grin the GTI did. I was sold, that was the car I had to have. So I signed the deal, and my friend that went along with me was offered a job there, and he started working there a week or two ago.

I never knew I liked cars. I have a whole new hobby now.

[roy]

it's quite simple for me and my missus...
we considered mazda3, subaru impreza, mitsubishi lancer and vw golf...
we were not loving golf at the first glance...but times went by and we found compared to others the new golf has quality interior, brilliant engine, quite good fuel consumption... and then it's COTY...both my wife and i are loving it...
decision is obvious and it only take 2 days to shop around and sign the contract.:google:

[iBoost]

I previously had a Mazda 3 MPS with a few mods and really enjoyed it. Before buying it I was looking at the Mark V GTIs and really wanted one, but the price was a bit much at that stage and the dealers didn't seem interested in negotiating. I ended up getting a great deal on a 18 month old MPS instead and went with that.

Fast forward 3 years later and I didn't need my own car as I travel on the train to work, so I sold it to use towards our house deposit. My wife only drives auto and has a little Yaris, which is a great car but doesn't have quite the performance I'm used to.

That's where my idea of the GTI came back, if we got a DSG we could have one really nice car and share it. The DSG is great in auto for my wife and good for me on the weekends. I'd been waiting for the Mark VI ever since seeing the first photos. We ended up going to look at a DSG one and had a test drive. I never intended to buy one that day, I just wanted to gauge how it drove and buy one in a few months. After the drive though, and knowing how long the waiting list was I decided to put a deposit down there and then. Now the long wait until June...

[MIRSAD]

Ok,

I am little bit older than most of You... so my story is little bit longer.

In 1976 first VW Golf was made in my first country (Bosnia) .... I was in high school at that time.

As student, I was living only few kms from VW factory when GTI and Scirocco where launched ... and my dream become more specific (not any Golf but GTI)

Just to clarify something - Bosnian are in love with everything that is coming (directly or indirectly) from Germany - especially cars ... and I was Bosnian - at least at that time.

Later when living in Europe (Bosnia & Germany) I was driving Golf 2 & 3.

In Australia my first new car was Toyota Corolla (something was wrong with wheel alignment they have to sent it to Eastern states for repair)...
So I traded it in for GolfV 1.6L (it was only $1500 more than Corolla Ascent (basic model plus second airbag & power windows), than GolfV 2L FSI. than 118TSI and finally my first GTI
It took me more than 30 years (and problems with supercharger on my 118TSI) to get my dream car.

[MurphyTheElf]

I was never a fan of FWD cars, so I'd always discounted the GTI. Then I hooked up with my girlfriend, who had a FWD car. Despite it being a 1.4l NA engine, I actually had quite a bit of fun zipping around the city - and I found I could drive it faster than my RWD roadster in the wet. So FWD was back on the menu.

A couple of years ago, on a whim, I test drove a few cars:
First, the Mazda 3 MPS - the power was amazing, but it torque steered to hell and the build quality wasn't great. Next, I hopped into a WRX. Power and handling was great, but I felt like I was sitting in a $15,000 car. Then I drove the MK5 GTI DSG. Loved the transmission, the power, the sound, everything. I put down an ambitious offer, even though I couldn't really afford it. The salesman knocked me back, so I ended up buying a cab chassis ute to help with my house renovation.

Fast forward to mid last year. We were in the market for a new car, but we wanted something with space for a dog, luggage and maybe a kid down the track. So we focused on small 4WD's and wagons.

First the Forester XS manual: what a gutless, tinny piece of crap. Next.

This was followed by the manual Mazda 6 diesel wagon. I really liked it. The torque was fantastic, the claimed fuel economy excellent and the build quality, while not great, was good enough. The main problem was that there were NO options available. Nothing. No stereo upgrade, no factory sunroof, no sat nav. You could on other Mazda 6 models, but not on the diesel wagon. Ridiculous policy considering the dash is identical. Still, not a deal breaker.

Then we drove an auto Tiguan 125TSI. We didn't particularly like the auto, so I arranged a test drive in a manual. In the meantime, I test drove a 118TSI. Considering the engine size, it goes like stink and the build quality is absolutely brilliant. I opened the boot and sized it up. I questioned the dealer about bringing my dog (a boxer) down to see if he fit. Long story short, he did - comfortably - and I decided there and then that the Golf was on.

Based on the MK5 GTI, and the overseas reviews of the MK6, I decided I didn't need to wait until Aus release before ordering one. When a fully spec'ed model became available, I put my name down and paid almost full price.

[bigmouthmedia]

I'm not that old, not that young - but i have been through a few cars.

In order (so you know the history) - 1978 Corolla Sedan, 1984 Corolla Sedan, 1991 Hyundai Excel, 1994 Nissan Pulsar Hatch, 2001 Suzuki Ignis (POS), 2003 Holden Barina (one of the best cars), 2006 Mazda3 SP23.

So I've run the gamut with sizes and brands, but ever since 2001 or so, I ALWAYS wanted a Golf, but just couldn't justify or afford it at the time - mebbe because my jobs were ordinary and low paying !

Well things have changed slightly, and I've finally indulged. It's also a business purchase so it wasn't totally on a whim.

I was really drawn to the comfort features, and the fact that it's a solidly built car - albiet at a premium price. But resale values are high for VW's generally, and I'm always drawn to something with gadgets (ie MFD screen, comfort indicators, auto lights, etc). The DSG takes a bit of getting used to in it's approach from a standstill - but hell - for a 1.4 Turbo, it speeds along once it gets it's legs :)

I did a s**tload of research and wavered between the Lancer RS (stands for Rat**** maybe ?) and the Holden Cruze. I was that close to the Cruze because it incorporates a lot of the Golf's features as standard. But the things that wrecked it's chances were :

(a) It hunts for gears when you're either going up a hill or in the high gears
(b) The seat angle adjuster is near impossible to get to past the seatbelt anchor
(c) No footrest - that's a big no no
(d) It's Holden

So I'm happy with Golfy and can't see giving it away anytime soon.

[gtimal]

Hi
I've had FWD cars ,RWD cars ,turbo charge & super charge car ,2 toyota's ,1mazda ,1mitsubishi ,1 honda ,3 fiats ,1 holden ,1 ford ,1 BMW , 2 nissans ,1 Seat and 4 Vdubs even a 56 oval .I have found the euro front wheel drive cars drive better than most .The wife and I don't have to worry about booster seats anymore so we decided to down size from the maxima to the Golf GTi :cool: time to have fun .

Cheers

[xblode]

Great reading :)

I drove an 84 Supra for years as a daily driver and when it began slowly dying, I started looking for my next car.

I looked at XR6 Turbos, XR8's, SS Commys, WRX's and one day, I saw a MK4 GTI in traffic. I always liked the look and decided to look them up. Didn't know a thing about VW's.

After about 3 months of research, I bought one and loved it sooooo much! I've also got an 1982 911 SC (which made me want to have two german cars in the garage) which is a great weekend car but I found that the GOLF was great for a weekend sprint down the coast and best of all, it didn't leave me exhausted like the 911 did with no power steering and a cable operated clutch.

That was years ago and the lease on the MK4 was close to done at the end of 2009 and the choice for the next car was easy! No real research as I read all the awards it's won.......MK6 GTI.

VAG cars for me, from now on :)

[HereGoes]

I spend a lot of time on the road so i really wanted something nice and comfortable. I started looking at the smaller BMW's and Audi's. They where just a lot to pay for so little performance.

I moved onto the "Hot Hatches" because the hatch fits in well with my lifestyle and the stuff i cram into my car from time to time and they should be fun to drive. I drove the WRX, Rally art, MPS and Civic R they where all good cars with some having better bits that others. Then i met the GTI...

The only reason i actually thought of it was a friend of mine had a MK5 and gave me a quick test spin. Loved that and was about to march out and buy it (this was in july) but found out a new GTI was going to come out in a few months. I just managed to hold back and wait and when she finally arrived and i took her for a spin it was love at first ride!

The cabin had the comfort and feel of the BMW's and Audi's but she actually had an engine to go with it. She was subtle and classy and handled as well as the WRX (for the level of driving i do anyway) so i bought her the Friday before they were released!

[elisiX]

Some great stories here guys. Im 27, and this would be my 7th car since 16.

97 Mitsubishi Mirage
00 Mits Lancer VR-X
02 Alfa Romeo 147
04 Holden Monaro CV8
06 Audi TTQ Coupe
07 Mazda 3 SP23 (2nd car)

Sold the TT, kept the 2nd car (SP23) in 2008.

It's now 2010, and I gave up my toy, the TT to buy a second property. That meant keeping the more sensible vehicle. I was getting the train to work for a year at the time and the TT just didn't get driven enough (only some evenings / weekend really). It's now come to the point where I 'need', ie; want something quick, luxurious and fun again. The SP23 has been an incredible car, absolute awesome value for money, but its no Euro. I think my sister will be taking this off me which will hopefully save the stress of selling on the second hand market.

Why the Golf and more specifically the GTI? It's the best value for money car in its class by a mile. Hell IMO it even plays with the cars well outside its class for a fraction of the cost. Everything you read about this car is golden just about - cant fault it. I was considering so many cars before ultimately deciding on the GTI (or the R). Everything from a Nissan 370Z (only 2 seats), to a TT-S (can afford one, but silly $$). At the end of the day, I wanted something safe, reliable, quick and value for money and I feel that the GTI meets all of that criteria for me.

For the Mrs and I, we spent a good few weekends test driving over 10 different cars. We very nearly went with the Z simply cause its brutal and fun, but the lack of seats meant it wasn't really an option. If I was single on the other hand.. lol shhh. Chances are we will be married with kids in the next 1-3 so I needed to buy something sensible without compromising too much on my needs/wants from upgrading from the SP23. The GTI feels like a great place to be - it has a wonderful cabin and a significant improvement over the MKV (flame suit on). The exterior has some small but significant and great improvements over the MKV also. The MKV GTI was another vehicle I wanted when we bought the SP23. If it weren't for $$, I'd have bought the MKV instead.

I'm really looking forward to getting back into a euro - and i've never tried VW before so it will be a great move I think. As i've mentioned a million times on the site so far, I might be switching to the R but that will be determined by final pricing more so than anything else. If it means waiting a little longer - than so be it. Either way, if I stick with the GTI I will not be disappointed. I am very happy to soon be the owner of a new MKVI.

[Corey_R]

In about 2004 I had my heart set on a Mini Cooper S Chilli (with JCW upgrades). I went and test drove one of them with my girlfriend and it was awesome - but in the end I just would not have been able to fit some things in the car that I needed to lug around from time to time (guitars, and their amps etc).

So I had a look at a BMW 120d. It was great in other ways. RWD in a hatchback is awesome. But it just didn't have the 'go' of the mini and the backseat and boot, whilst bigger than the Mini's still weren't great.

I checked out the Mazda SP23 and the MPS when it came out. Such 'average' cars in quality. Plus, what's up with the fuel consumption/engine size vs power on the SP23. Mazda should be embarrased of their fuel consumption when compared to the Golf. (On a side note, the SP25, whilst not having any worse fuel consumption, is worse on size vs power. Did they REALLY need to go up to 2.5L?!).

I checked out various Pugs, Renos, Astras and then saw the Top Gear episode where Jeremy Clarkson first drive the MKV Golf GTI. I went and test drove it and loved it....

But VW Australia only bought in the 5 dr saying they don't see a market for a 'sporty looking' hot hatch and that families are the buyers for a GTI (WTF?! lol). Anyway - by the time the R32 came out and with it the 3 dr GTI, I wasn't in a position to buy a new car.

Until August 2008 when I managed to get a full optioned (minus Metallic paint, as it was red) MY08 GTI with 8k on the clock. I took it over the European Autotech and had the APR Stage II (with quad exhaust) and Oettinger bodykit and Type RE wheels but on it. It was AWESOME. But I had it less than 5 months when a bus killed it in January 09.

At that point the MK6 GTI pictures were out, so there was no way I was going to get another MKV - so I bought a Black Polo GTI MY08 with 10k on the clock instead whilst I waited for the MK6 GTI to come out. But then the news of the R hit, and then the pictures, and now my heart is set on it.


Anyway - since I got the VW 'bug', my mother's partner has purchased a Tiguan, and 3 workmates and friends have purchased Golf's after I suggested they take a walk into a VW dealership. :)

[triode12]

The new MPS and SP25 are fugly as. It is little wonder they aren't selling as well as their predecessors.

[MurphyTheElf]

The new MPS and SP25 are fugly as. It is little wonder they aren't selling as well as their predecessors.

True.

http://www.carpages.co.uk/mazda/mazda_images/mazda3-mps-04-09-09.jpg = http://images.free-extras.com/pics/s/smiling_monkey-1621.jpg

[Frankenstrat]

What a great thread! I'm in the senior age category, I turned 60 last year. I've owned a Mini Minor, Mazda 929, Mazda 323, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Camry. Currently I don't own a car, I drive a company vehicle, a Toyota HiLux Ute, my wife drives a Nissan Pulsar Plus wagon.

In August last year, my boss said to me one day, "Come with me" and took me to a local Holden dealership and pointed to a Holden Cruze. He wanted to know if I wanted one instead of the ute. I wasn't overly impressed with it, it's too big for my liking. Next we had a look at a Holden Astra hatch, that's more like the size of car I'd be comfortable driving. He told me to have a think about it, so I did my research which lead me to Drive.com.au There was a hatchback comparison, and guess which one came out with flying colours?

My late father was German, and his last two cars were both Golfs. The last one in particular, a MkIV was his pride and joy, he was absolutely heartbroken when he had to part with it due to his not being able to drive any longer.

So with this in mind, I put it to my boss, "I could really see myself behind the wheel of a Golf". This was well-received, he used to own a Golf 4Motion that he apparently "enjoyed driving" in the UK.

It's taken quite a while but finally the wheels have been set in motion and I shall hopefully be making my way up to Wangara this weekend for a test drive and to get acquainted with Dermot Munro. My wife is also very pleased with my choice, so for me it's win-win. I get a great car and my company pays for it.

[mfl]

I have owned a wide variety of cars over the years and was also not a fan of FWD cars.

I grew up driving various early model Commodore V8s, auto and manauls and all of them modified. Last Commodore was a VTSS and that point as much as I liked my V8s the cars just got too big. – not to mention the fuel bills where hurting.

The next decade was being the sensible family man with a Vectra International (nice high revving v6, understeered in every corner). I try to forget the Focus, Astra and Camry company cars.

As aside I wrote to Holden complaining that they replacing their European cars with Korean ones and they told me that did not cater to minority customers like me. So after 6 commodores, 1 Vectra and 28 years of buying Holdens, I looked elsewhere

Then came a brief stint in Liberty Heritage that was so boring to drive that I had to get back into something exciting to drive had a look at a few hatches that could accommodate 4 people.

Had a look at:
Lancer Ralliart – no manual option, so off the list
Renault Megane 225 – nice, but pricey and I was concerned about Renault reliability
Ford Focus XR5 – powerful engine, cheaper, felt faster then GTI, but interior was still a Focus and slightly tacky.

Golf GTI – a different class of car, silver was available (wife’s fav colour) and cloth interior was liked by all. I liked the handling and power, Barloworld had one of the showroom floor and gave a good price and so that was it.

[ricksterrr]

Fantastic thread... really enjoyed reading everyone's posts here!

'Fraid my history of cars is definitely not as impressive as everyone else...

I've driven a 1990 Mitsubishi Lancer, 2001 Toyota Echo and currently driving a 2006 Honda Civic Sport

Back in my final few years of Uni when my interest in cars started growing, I remember watching Jeremy Clarkson's review of the MkV GTI on Top Gear way back in 2004 (when they were still doing proper road tests) which was where I first heard about the GTI. After reading numerous reviews of the GTI where it was showered with all manner of superlatives that you could imagine, I knew that it was a car that I wanted to aim for in the future.

Unfortunately, one could only drive a Maroon Red Echo for so long before all dignity is lost and so I ended up buying the Civic with the money that I had managed to save up at the time.

Around the same period a friend of mine purchased a MkIV Golf R32 and I was immediately impressed with its looks, quality, power and the absolutely orgasmic exhaust note. I also had a ride in a workmate's MkV Golf 2.0 TDI up to the Central Coast and I was equally impressed with it also. It only further strengthened my resolve in getting a Golf.

A couple of years later, with a few more years in full-time work and more money, I found myself yearning for something more exciting, more engaging and more fun to drive than my current Civic which turned my attention back to the GTI again.

I ended up researching the MKVI obsessively throughout late 2008 when it was revealed as a 'concept' at the Paris Motor Show and all through 2009. I think I have read every single MkVI GTI article and review published on the Internet!! I even had a pretty amusing incident (in hindsight anyway) where I thought I was going to be sued by a fellow member of these forums from the IT Law fraternity (who I shall not name) after I found a copy of the MkVI specs accidentally published on the VW website a couple of weeks before the official local release. Yes, turned out that I had completely overreacted and was way too paranoid.

The weekend of the local GTI launch, I went straight to my local VW dealership to check it out in the flesh and to book a test drive for the following day. After the test drive, I dropped a deposit on it. I was immediately impressed with the power, refinement, interior quality and the subtlety of the exterior design to differentiate it from the base models. As JC said in his review "It's a Golf, but somehow it's not". And the rest they say, is history.

Still waiting in agony for the car delivery!

(Apologies if I waffled on a bit too much here)

[xblode]

Ricksterrr, reading your post above makes me count the days till YOU get YOUR GTI. The force is strong with this one :)

[thewafflecaust]

My golf is my first car !

Choice was between the Fiesta Zetec, Focus XR5T, Golf GTI and the 118TSI.

I actually almost bought the Fiesta (in green no less!), its such brilliant value for money. But a weekend in the country in a 118TSI borrowed off a friend plus a girlfriend pleading for me to get a car she might be able to drive occasionally (she cant drive a manual) convinced me to get the Golf instead.

I've had it for a week so far and it's been joyous, but then again its my first car, i probably would have enjoyed a barina :banana:

[bigmouthmedia]

I've had it for a week so far and it's been joyous, but then again its my first car, i probably would have enjoyed a barina :banana:

I've had mine a week and a day - and i've already clocked up 1000km :)

[AdamD]

Okay, my car story.

I've ordered a MkVI GTI, which will be my fourth car and first VW. I started out with an '83 Honda Accord in high school, and bought a new Honda Civic (EK) in 97 when I started uni. Kept that car for eight years, until I bought my current car, an Accord Euro (CL9) in 2005. So yep, I like my Hondas. There's been a few in the family too, which I've driven and lived with extensively, and I have huge respect for the brand.

Despite the fairly mundane cars I've owned, I do consider myself a real car person. I drive whenever I can just for the fun of it. Several of my friends have fantastic performance cars, so I've always had a bit of an outlet when I've needed a bit of *real* fun. ;) I do a lot of reading on the subject, and people often come to me for advice when they want a new car.

I've been a big fan of the latest VW product (GTI in particular but all models in general) since the MkV Golf. To that end, my father and mother both drive MkV 2.0 FSI Golfs (Comfortline and Sportline respectively), and my stepmother has a Passat CC V6 on order, arriving in March. I plan on stealing the keys frequently. ;)

Since my first drive of a MkV GTI in '05, I've known a GTI is the perfect car for me: nicely quick, a great handler that rides well, polished and refined, well-equipped, classy and understated. I held off on a MkV because I tend to hold onto my cars for some time, and prefer to buy towards the beginning of the model cycle. Needless to say, I ordered my GTI on the first day a car was available for me to drive - launch day in October '09.

The one thing the Golf purchase has taught me so far: I *really hate waiting*. ;)

[ricksterrr]

Ricksterrr, reading your post above makes me count the days till YOU get YOUR GTI. The force is strong with this one :)

LOL - thanks!

Being on VWWatercooled in the meantime certainly helps with the long waiting period!

Keep the posts comin'!

[iBoost]

Good to see I'm not the only one using this forum obsessively while waiting for their GTI to arrive. It will be great once April rolls around so we can see some photos posted of your new cars, I'll still be waiting a couple of months longer though, so it may make it even more agonizing! ;)

Forgot to mention in my post earlier, I think I got my bug for VWs from my Dad. He had two Superbugs when he was younger and more recently (10 years ago) had a Type 3 1500 S sedan. I actually learnt to drive manual on that and went to quite a few VW car shows where it won a number of awards. My first time driving manual was also in an old $100 beetle in a paddock at the Hubertus Club at a VW car show.

Most of my cars have been Japanese (2 x Corollas, 200SX, 3MPS), but I did have one European car, a 206 GTi 180 Peugeot. It was a fun car but not in the same league as a GTI, and the build quality left a lot to be desired. In hindsight, I should have already bought a Golf GTI Mark V instead of the 3 MPS, but I'm glad I waited for the Mark VI. The wait is going to kill me though...

[Tux]

I blame my new Grandson! He's almost seven months old now and my wife is going to look after him a couple of days a week. We've had a Mini Cooper S for almost five years however being a two door meant difficultly fitting, and accessing, a baby seat. Therefore we had to look for a four (or five) door car.

We looked at the usual cars but I don't really like the new WRX model or the other Jap cars at the moment. I drove a two year old 2.0 litre Golf and it just felt nice to drive. I decided to drive the TDi and TSi models about the time the young fella was born. I liked 'em both but just procrastinated. A young bloke from my work test drove a GTI a couple of weeks ago and rang me, telling me to have a drive. Well I did so and the rest is history with us putting a deposit down today on a DSG 5 door GTI. So I totally blame my Grandson but I'm sure I'll forgive him.. ;)

Tux

[triode12]

Fantastic thread... really enjoyed reading everyone's posts here!

'Fraid my history of cars is definitely not as impressive as everyone else...

I've driven a 1990 Mitsubishi Lancer, 2001 Toyota Echo and currently driving a 2006 Honda Civic Sport

Back in my final few years of Uni when my interest in cars started growing, I remember watching Jeremy Clarkson's review of the MkV GTI on Top Gear way back in 2004 (when they were still doing proper road tests) which was where I first heard about the GTI. After reading numerous reviews of the GTI where it was showered with all manner of superlatives that you could imagine, I knew that it was a car that I wanted to aim for in the future.

Unfortunately, one could only drive a Maroon Red Echo for so long before all dignity is lost and so I ended up buying the Civic with the money that I had managed to save up at the time.

Around the same period a friend of mine purchased a MkIV Golf R32 and I was immediately impressed with its looks, quality, power and the absolutely orgasmic exhaust note. I also had a ride in a workmate's MkV Golf 2.0 TDI up to the Central Coast and I was equally impressed with it also. It only further strengthened my resolve in getting a Golf.

A couple of years later, with a few more years in full-time work and more money, I found myself yearning for something more exciting, more engaging and more fun to drive than my current Civic which turned my attention back to the GTI again.

I ended up researching the MKVI obsessively throughout late 2008 when it was revealed as a 'concept' at the Paris Motor Show and all through 2009. I think I have read every single MkVI GTI article and review published on the Internet!! I even had a pretty amusing incident (in hindsight anyway) where I thought I was going to be sued by a fellow member of these forums from the IT Law fraternity (who I shall not name) after I found a copy of the MkVI specs accidentally published on the VW website a couple of weeks before the official local release. Yes, turned out that I had completely overreacted and was way too paranoid.

The weekend of the local GTI launch, I went straight to my local VW dealership to check it out in the flesh and to book a test drive for the following day. After the test drive, I dropped a deposit on it. I was immediately impressed with the power, refinement, interior quality and the subtlety of the exterior design to differentiate it from the base models. As JC said in his review "It's a Golf, but somehow it's not". And the rest they say, is history.

Still waiting in agony for the car delivery!

(Apologies if I waffled on a bit too much here)


Are you the guy that turned up for last Sat's GTG in the Civic Sport?

[Hugh Ripper]

Owned a MY06 Subaru Impreza 2.0R for 4 years on a novated lease. Good solid reliable car and I love the AWD, but its pretty basic, has zero torque and its pretty cramped for a 6"3' gent. It came off lease Jan this year.

I started looking into new cars and I heard about the DSG gearbox. Being utterly sick of driving a manual in traffic, where I do the majority of my driving, the mix of clutch-less manual and auto really appealed to me. Further research indicated that the Golf GTi, while not the fastest or best looking car in its class, was generally recognised as a superior all-rounder with a torquey little engine.

Went for a test drive in November and was sold. Ordered it pretty much on the spot and picked it up 3 weeks ago! Loving it so far.

I'm also loving the astonished looks I get from other Golf drivers when they realise its a GTi MK VI. So few of them on the road. Have only seen one other so far.

[ricksterrr]

Are you the guy that turned up for last Sat's GTG in the Civic Sport?

Nope, wasn't me. I hope he wasn't waxing lyrical over VTEC in a VW GTG.

[Beaker]

I'm curious as to what made you decide a Golf was the vehicle for you ?

Is it because its the world's greatest car ?
Build quality that only the Lord himself could improve on?
Cause its "fully sik" ?

Well . . . here's my story.

I have never owned a Golf. Previously owned a 1974 VW Superbug, sweet ride too, especially for a first vehicle. Few friends with Family VW buses and I was lucky to drive a Golf while I was in Germany. Pretty much always liked the VW's, but never really thought about buying. GTI was always a pipedream.

We decided a few months back to upgrade our aging Nissan Patrol 4wd. Started looking at options, other 4wds, Pajero, Prado, SUV's Suby Forester, VW Tiguan, larger cars, Falcon XR6 Turbo, Dunnydore SIDI. Eventually decided on a new XT Forester.

Started to get quotes etc and was offered a crappy $6k for my Patrol (still selling the things for $16 - $20k), who is shafting who.

So we decided to look at a smaller car for my wife.

Really like the Focus XR5 but only comes in a manual, but the really cool Orange :cool:
Checked out the bigger XR5 Mondeo
Mazda MPS (another Manual only)
Mazda 3 PS25 seemed a really good compromise at a decent price.
WRX and Lancer Ralliart.

And then, sitting across the road at the VW Dealer . . . GTI.

My Wife INSTANTLY feel in love with a Black one. I knew of the GTI reputation, and this was an "auto". As soon as the Salesmen explained the DSG gearbox we were sold. I didn't want an auto, my wife didn't want a manual. This seemed the Ultimate compromise but . . . $$$$$

Although the $$$ were available the GTI seemed excessive, so the decision was made to purchase a Mazda SP25. Decent pricing $35k onroad, decent equipment levels, decent reviews, decent vehicle.

and then . . . it happened.

After visiting a Mazda Dealer I was walking back to work, when I could hear this vehicle approaching, rather rapidly. Green arrow at the lights it was . . . . bang bang bang as it went back through the gears , bang bang bang as it went back up through the gears . . . A red Golf GTI :cool:

I was sold . . . it was the noise . . . how sweet it sounded.

Then of course , Wheels Car of the Year, I think Top Gear awarded it Car of the Year, European Safest Car of the Year, typically ranked highly (if not always the best) Hot Hatch of the Year.

Made paying more for a Golf GTI over a Mazda really really simple.

So there it is . . . I bought a $50k Golf GTI because it sounds so bloody good . . . oh yeah and the fact its a quality and awarded car was a bonus.


Hey Flappa.

Like you I looked at most of those cars.

My thoughts.

XR5 Focus (quick on paper - not so quick when you drive it). It feels sluggish and I wasn't sold on the interior (very nice engine note and yeah it looks the part).

Mazda 3 MPS - quick! out of all those I drove it was by far the quickest off the line. Crappy steering feel, crappy ride and the torque steer was so bad I was sick of it after 5 minutes of giving it a hurry along. Very good equipment level stock though.

WRX - this was the only real contender to the GTI, but poor interior, lack of equipment and general ugliness, made it fall by the wayside (oh and for me its a big step down in performance from the XR6T anyway so why bother going for the 'fastest of the hot hatches').

Skoda VRS - nice car and could have gone this way, but why buy the copy when you can have the real thing for not much more.

Reno Megane - very nice to drive, nice equipment level, but man its been bashed with the ugly stick a lot.

Lancer Rallyart - as you well know I'm a big Mitsubishi fan, and my rally car was a Lancer - but this is biggest heap of rubbish I've ever driven - seriously Mitsubishi what were you thinking! Poor ride, poor handling, sluggish off the line and the DSG gearbox is nothing short of rubbish (they'd have been better putting the Trimatic box out of 1969 Kingswood into it.) I'm normaly very polite to sales people but on getting out of it and being asked what I thought, without thinking I said it was an embarssment to the marque.


That left Golfie - the GTI I drove was a bit poor performance wise (but I had just stepped out of a 270KW Falcon :) ) The ride was excellent, the handling excellent, the build quality is sensational (I drive a Falcon - they are all put togther by Joe and Fred with a hammer and nails).

I loved the GTI straight away - I'd really love the 'R' but can't wait or justify the cost. If I can slide it past my lease company I might chip the GTI on the sly to give it a little more jump. But otherwise there really wasn't a serious contender.

[cme2c]

My wife had had a 2007 Accord Euro Luxury for pushing 2 years. We started looking at cars, as it seemed thee were some deals around. She did find the Honda a bit too big, and wanted a hatch again (we traded a Peugeot 307 on the Honda). Safety is a big issue with us.

Our options were Corolla Levin ZR, Mazda3 SP25, Subaru Impreza, Lancer, Honda Civic Si and Golf.

The Honda was the fist eliminated. $40k+ and not even a rear wiper.

My wife has a quick check of build quality. Open and shut a door and the glovebox.

Goodbye Lancer and Impreza.

The Mazda wasn't bad, and we have a friend who is very happy with her SP23. Satnav was a must, however and the small screen and unusual input method in the Mazda eliminated that.

Then we drove the Golf. Blown away by the quietness. Surprised by the power. There's no way it sounds like a 1.4. Impressed by the front and rear sensors. The camera and automatic parking a bonus, So we ordered it. Wish there were more colours but we have had the 118TSI, DSG, Black, RNS 510, DynAudio, foglights, park assist, rear view camera and tint since September.

Getting 8.4l/100km in suburban driving as opposed to 10.4 -10.6 in both the Honda and Peugeot. Happy with that.

Got 5.8 on a country trip, and to think I was happy at 7.1 in the Honda under similar circumstances.

If there is one criticism of the Golf it is that it's so competent it's a bit boring. It can feel a bit isolated from the road. This does not bother my wife, who loves her Golf.

My wife complains that going over lane markers in my 206GTi Peugeot is like going over speed humps. Not boring, and a feel of "connectedness" to the road. But I have to try really hard to keep up with her boring Golf in a straight line.