Anyone had a Golf R

[Stevie1982]

So dare I say it yet the A1 sold and has been replaced with a 65 plate Golf R. Always fancied trying one out so figured the time was right. Collected it on Saturday and quite impressed with it, usual issue with the DSG where drive shifts up to early and sport holds on to long yet other than that they are not bad cars.

Need to get hold of a VCDS cable to tweak a couple of bits. Set the exhaust flaps to open and turn off the enhanced cabin sound.

Anyone else had one or got any pointers on them?

Cheers

[BillTheButcher]

I had a 64-plate DSG for about 10 months. It was a really capable all-rounder but the engine's complete lack of character got on my nerves after a while so I PXed it a few months ago.

[Stevie1982]

You didn't look to have it mapped? Read this can really help improve it. What did you replace it with?

[Fatneck73]

I got a 17 plate 7.5. Boring. I use anything else, first. Very capable...but sole-less.

[BillTheButcher]

You didn't look to have it mapped? Read this can really help improve it. What did you replace it with?

I did consider a map and/or exhaust but the issue I had with the engine was lack of character not lack of pace. Neither upgrade would have helped with that.

I replaced it with a B7 RS4 which I had for a couple of months. Then I chopped that in for an 8J TTRS.

I got a 17 plate 7.5. Boring. I use anything else, first. Very capable...but sole-less.

[W8PMC]

Yes, currently got a 7.5R Estate as a 2nd car (cheap lease) & feel the total opposite to the above.

An OOTB epic car & couldn't be less soulless if it tried. Does everything superbly well, so if that means it's a bad car then it's proper <beep>, however i find it an awesome car & relish every moment driving it.

Pepped mine up with an APR Stage 1 & now at give or take 400bhp & 400lbsft, it's a proper weapon & puts a huge smile on my face.

[PSB1]

I got a 17 plate 7.5. Boring. I use anything else, first. Very capable...but sole-less.

Boring is actually a little too complimentary. I thought in the end, the drive train was so contrived and disappointing that I might as well be driving an EV.

[W8PMC]

I got a 17 plate 7.5. Boring. I use anything else, first. Very capable...but sole-less.

Boring is actually a little too complimentary. I thought in the end, the drive train was so contrived and disappointing that I might as well be driving an EV.

Wow, the polar opposite of my thoughts.

The only thing i can get close to criticise about the engine is the noise, but then it's a 2 litre 4 pot, so hardly a shocker it doesn't sound epic & it wouldn't in any other application. Actually witched off the soundaktuator in mine as that sounded worse that the actual aural output. The engine is about lively as i think i've ever experienced & the new 7spd DSG is a peach of a transmission, again as good as any DCT in any other car i've experienced.

I'm assuming yours wasn't the newer 7.5 & therefore wasn't the 7spd? Edit, just spotted yours was a 2014 so may not even have been the 6spd DSG & i'm guessing was a 6?

Having driven many C7 RS6's, i rate the whole driving experience of the R, more than on a par with the RS, albeit not as many trinkets but being so much lighter it's considerably more nimble & direct. Good job we all like & rate different things:)

[Broken Record]

I Had a golf R and traded for my B8 RS4, Its was mapped with a few parts added and running nearly 400bhp, quicker than the RS4 would hit triple figures in the blink of an eye, but it was just to clinical and I did not gel with it as it seemed to lack the noise and sense of drama that big block motors give you.
That said they are great performance cars which don't cost the world to run, a very good choice out of the cars in this bracket of performance 300bhp
I enjoyed my golf R for nearly 2 years until going 0-stupid speed a few seconds got boring, would recommend at least a map to bring it to life a bit

[PSB1]

I got a 17 plate 7.5. Boring. I use anything else, first. Very capable...but sole-less.

Boring is actually a little too complimentary. I thought in the end, the drive train was so contrived and disappointing that I might as well be driving an EV.

Wow, the polar opposite of my thoughts.

The only thing i can get close to criticise about the engine is the noise, but then it's a 2 litre 4 pot, so hardly a shocker it doesn't sound epic & it wouldn't in any other application. Actually witched off the soundaktuator in mine as that sounded worse that the actual aural output. The engine is about lively as i think i've ever experienced & the new 7spd DSG is a peach of a transmission, again as good as any DCT in any other car i've experienced.

I'm assuming yours wasn't the newer 7.5 & therefore wasn't the 7spd? Edit, just spotted yours was a 2014 so may not even have been the 6spd DSG & i'm guessing was a 6?

Having driven many C7 RS6's, i rate the whole driving experience of the R, more than on a par with the RS, albeit not as many trinkets but being so much lighter it's considerably more nimble & direct. Good job we all like & rate different things:)

Yes, 6 speed '14 plate. I have become a little OCD in may hatred of the Golf R perhaps. Maybe I was expecting too much, but it had been 'sold' as being a car that was inherently sorted, out of the box. The chassis didn't feel in any way more resolved than my B8 RS4 though. I think also, it made me realise that you 'feel' as much as hear the car. In that sense, the R didn't cut it. Not that I'm saying I need a VAG vibrator, just a some connection to the engineering.

As you say, how dull would it be if we had a common mono-opinion.

One good thing, it's given me an opportunity to wind up some the tw@ts on ph though

[W8PMC]

Boring is actually a little too complimentary. I thought in the end, the drive train was so contrived and disappointing that I might as well be driving an EV.

Wow, the polar opposite of my thoughts.

The only thing i can get close to criticise about the engine is the noise, but then it's a 2 litre 4 pot, so hardly a shocker it doesn't sound epic & it wouldn't in any other application. Actually witched off the soundaktuator in mine as that sounded worse that the actual aural output. The engine is about lively as i think i've ever experienced & the new 7spd DSG is a peach of a transmission, again as good as any DCT in any other car i've experienced.

I'm assuming yours wasn't the newer 7.5 & therefore wasn't the 7spd? Edit, just spotted yours was a 2014 so may not even have been the 6spd DSG & i'm guessing was a 6?

Having driven many C7 RS6's, i rate the whole driving experience of the R, more than on a par with the RS, albeit not as many trinkets but being so much lighter it's considerably more nimble & direct. Good job we all like & rate different things:)

Yes, 6 speed '14 plate. I have become a little OCD in may hatred of the Golf R perhaps. Maybe I was expecting too much, but it had been 'sold' as being a car that was inherently sorted, out of the box. The chassis didn't feel in any way more resolved than my B8 RS4 though. I think also, it made me realise that you 'feel' as much as hear the car. In that sense, the R didn't cut it. Not that I'm saying I need a VAG vibrator, just a some connection to the engineering.

As you say, how dull would it be if we had a common mono-opinion.

One good thing, it's given me an opportunity to wind up some the tw@ts on ph though

I'm normally not that bothered about others thoughts on a car if different to mine, but was surprised your thoughts were the polar opposite of mine. Some of that will no doubt be down to them both being very different variants of the same model as changes came with the 7 & further changes with the 7.5. Ignoring the styling & spec changes, the gearbox changed & some fundamentals with the engines, however not sure if any major difference exists with the chassis/suspension.

I've never driven a Hatch & tbh never driven any Golf before taking delivery of mine, but OOTB & more so now she's been enhanced, i've been amazed at how capable the car is, blisteringly quick in all conditions & excels in the twisties. Maybe if it wasn't a 2nd car then certain aspects could grate on me (cloth seats & a few creaks/rattles), but it offers up levels of enjoyment i don't recall having in any of the cars below & most of the below list i loved.

[marc1]

[PSB1]

You lost me at '2.0 L'. And round we go again .

[Covkiller]

I rented 3 on separate occasions from Avis in Berlin to Wroclaw. Made record times there and back. I absolutely wrung them out wherever I could on the Autobahn and on the glass smooth motorways in Poland. I really liked the R a lot and would have one, but not over my RS4, but in addition to i.e. the wife’s car. They were all fully loaded. The only small thing I didn't like was the piped in exhaust sound, but I'm sure that can be switched off. The transmission is fantastic and the self-drive feature, well lane sensing. is cool too. I rate it highly.

[Ben_r1]

Aren't they mega car thief magnets? I've heard so many horror stories of people being pulled out of these etc.

Very nice car but that'd be enough to put me off!