The Mega MK7 & MK8 Golf GTI/GTD/R thread - Part II

GavRedKing

Ya, I seen that, couldn't be bothered to re-jig them if the site is going to mess them up initially. 😂

hooch-85

Met up with Joe Saturday for a look around his CS. It's a very impressive car in the metal. The rear end is very track focused with the big wing, it's makes the MK7 R look very sedate.

Everything works so well, the lights, wheels, brakes even the controversial decal look brilliant in person imo. The interior especially the seats are the nicest I've seen in a Golf in a long time. The dash looks very futuristic especially the digital dials.

Then there's the drive, all I can say is wow. VW have done an amazing job with these. The handling is amazing and the grip it has is phenomenal.

It's also very, very quick. Quicker than my MK7 R in the dry anyway for sure. The DSG box is seamless and changes are so quick.

Overall I'd agree with volkswizard's opinion that it's the best GTi yet and I have driven a mk7 Clubsport too.

I would really like to own one at some stage but they are definitely out of reach for me for a few more years, and possibly forever if the greens keep their agenda up to price ICE cars off the road. I've a few more years of enjoyment in my R yet.

Best of luck with it Joe, it's a serious piece of kit.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/K74at9U4taT21o7f7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/3xjiWjB21DmJuzhU6

https://photos.app.goo.gl/yeVXMeiSN5YmeRa48

https://photos.app.goo.gl/qSrJ3LXWd7Fhbu5T9

carsfan2

Two great looking cars guys.

the estoril alloys transform the clubsport’s looks and go brilliantly with the silver paint.

over a twisty road which car is quicker?

JoeA3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117940726#Comment_117940726

I don't think there'd be much between them once on the move. I think the CS would likely edge it in dry conditions anyway for sure.

One thing that struck me when the 2 were parked side by side is the MK7 appears smaller, even though in reality I don't think there's much between them. Sitting up front in the cabin too, the MK8 feels like its got more headroom, or the windscreen feels larger.

hooch-85

Thank god the windscreen is still in one piece, that kamakaze swallow or whatever he was got a quick death!

bazz26

Nice cars lads.

bazz26

Has anyone driven the regular Mk8 GTi in comparison to the CS or even Mk7.5? Some of the reviews I've seen seem to be lukewarm at best.

JoeA3

I notice VW have published latest prices to take effect from Oct 1st. Another €900 increase on the CS, that’s on top of a €650 increase back in June and the VAT going back up to 23% back in March added another grand or so too. Rumours that VRT hikes could add another couple of K onto one for January. Where does it end….

carsfan2

I think you were lucky Joe.

You beat the price rises, got zero percent finance and free servicing.

price increases will also help you on residuals.

Well wear by the way.

wotzgoingon

How can you tell a CS from a standard GTi. Seen one today on the Galway Dublin motorway between Galway and Athlone heading east. I have no idea if it was a CS? It had dual exhausts anyway but I'm not sure if the standard GTi has them.

JoeA3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117943158#Comment_117943158

Different front bumper, regular GTI has fogs, CS doesn’t. Much larger rear spoiler on CS, bigger brakes, side decals. Both cars have twin pipes but CS’s are bigger and oval versus circular.

DaveyDave

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117940875#Comment_117940875

I've only watched reviews of the standard model, they've had mostly good things to say about it, the handling seems to be a noticeable improvement. People seem genuinely enthusiastic about it after driving it, especially after expectations weren't too high. Some minor gripes like the lack of a gas strut, some concerns about the steering wheel buttons for example. It's also popular to hate on the infotainment even though everyone knows the heated seat shortcut now and in reality you'd use it very little for anything else.

Probably isn't worth upgrading at €52k+ but if it was a normal price and you could roll your PCP into a new one I'd say people would be happy to have one.

GavRedKing

On e you start adding a few extras to a "standard" GTi it starts making it a lot closer in price to a CS, it's a bit of a no brainer, if the maths add up, to just plump for the CS.

wotzgoingon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117943258#Comment_117943258

I think it was a standard GTi as afair the exhaust tips were round. Still a nice car though.

Zurbaran

@JoeA3 any issues with the tech so far? Not heard anything about the my22 cars yet regarding bugs etc so hopefully they have been sorted as I believe there is a slightly different head unit.

DaveyDave

I didn't know the R estate had the longer wheelbase. We're not getting it over here this gen right? Not that it sells.

https://youtu.be/nxWEDmIKpf0

GavRedKing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117947535#Comment_117947535

I've had no issues so far on mine anyway.

Only complaint is in the morning, if you want to mess around with the, NAV, heated seats or AC there's about a 20-30 sec delay before you can set anything up as the computer wakes up......other than that, no issues with it.

I had to turn off the park distance auto braking, if it detected anything behind and it felt you were going too quickly, it would slam on and nearly give you whiplash.

Zurbaran

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117947569#Comment_117947569

Good to know. Have you used the active cruise and will it allow you to pass cars on the motorway? A lot of the uk ones thought they were left hand drive so wouldn’t allow you to pass as it thought it was undertaking.

Might not be a thing yet with the weather still being decent but will it turn on the heated steering wheel and seats automatically if the set temp is much higher than the cabin?

JoeA3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117947535#Comment_117947535

Yes I’m afraid I’m having issues.

I still haven’t managed to “login” to the car with my VW ID. Just doesn’t work, despite multiple attempts and trying all suggested troubleshooting. Therefore I’m always in Guest mode on startup which presents me with a couple of annoying messages and also restricts some functions - mostly frivolous functions really, but it’s still annoying. If I don’t figure it out soon I’ll get back to dealers.

Zurbaran

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117947626#Comment_117947626

I’ve seen this one mentioned a load of times but don’t really understand what it means. I’m assuming if it logs in as it should it remembers your settings?

JoeA3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117947732#Comment_117947732

It’s connected services, similar to BMW connected drive. When it works you’d get live traffic data on the nav, you can do various things from an app on the phone, e.g. lock/unlock, check it’s position on a map, etc.

Its all a bit of a faff to set it up and I’m a techy guy… so god only knows how luddites get on with this.

bazz26

Did you try rebooting it Joe? That's usually the first step in the IT handbook. 😋

GavRedKing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117947600#Comment_117947600

I've not used the active cruise to over take, so couldn't comment on it but when i set the distance to the car ahead I had it far enough away that I was never really in a position to over take.

The heated wheel and seats came on the other night actually, I was finished work about 12.20 am and it was in single figures at the time and I forgot I had set it up automatically on the first day so it was a pleasant surprise. The seats are nice, not too hot and the wheel is cosy.

The heated seats in my Fiesta ST had only 2 heats, warm or fires of Mordor, at least in the CS they're not unbearably hot even at the highest setting.

JoeA3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117947776#Comment_117947776

Lol. Several times.

Agree with Gav on the heated seats/wheel. Really nice. The climate control has a “smart climate” section, I didn’t pay too much attention to it yet but yes I think you can do stuff like automatically turn on the heated seats/wheel when it’s cold out. Also found a handy shortcut - tap on temp sliders with 2 fingers turns on the heated seats.

Another feature I think is pretty cool is auto lights/unlock as you approach the car. So if you enable this, the puddle lights and DRL’s come on as you walk up to the car (say about 10 feet away) and then it unlocks as you get closer. You don’t have to touch the car at all to unlock it. Some might feel that’s a security risk but obviously you need the key on you for this to work.

Zurbaran

Thanks lads, some great info.

I had read that some are a bit worried about the approach unlock/light feature but there’s no evidence of it being hacked yet. Think I’ll take my chances till I hear of it being an issue. That is if I can even afford the car once it gets here, it gets more expensive by the day and it’s not even been built yet.. Dreading the possible vrt increase in the budget, haha.

hooch-85

Hi all, a group of us from the Golf R / TSI owners group are having a small meet on Sunday morning at 11 at Portlaoise Plaza (J17 M7) if any boardsies want to join.

It's not just Golf Rs either, we are open to all TSi engined cars so GTi's/S3s/Cupras will be in attendence. If any mk8 owners are at a loose end I'm sure we'd love to see one or two attend also.

DaveyDave

Hang on a second, automatic heated seats and steering wheel??? That's cool. I like the sound of the lights coming on when you approach.

MarkN

Looks cool Joe, best of luck with it!

JoeA3

Cheers Mark.

I finally got the Primary User registration to work tonight! What an unnecessary ordeal that all was. Long story short, I had logged a case with their support team, who to be fair are responsive and helpful when you call them. They emailed me today suggesting I try it again as they’d “reset” something on their end. And it worked. Excellent, as it’s cleared a few persistent annoying notifications I was getting every time I started the car and it also appears to have unlocked a few features such as live traffic data, dynamic road sign recognition.

GavRedKing

That live traffic in the NAV is very handy alright. I've used a few times to shave maybe a 1/2 mins off routes around Cork City, I'd be dubious of it but it does seem to pretty good.