Put deposit for an MK8 Golf R today

[MCompact]

You are an amateur. I told my wife that some guys cheat to get over the midlife crisis; I track cars. She said: ahh, just do whatever you want.

Two quotes from my wife that partially explains why I have been happily married for nearly 37 years:
1. “Go ahead and buy the Speed Triple; if you are going to have a midlife crisis I'd prefer that you fool around with something on two wheels as opposed to two legs."
2. "If you really want that Lotus you should get it."(It was a supercharged Elise set up for track work; it sold the day before I went to look at it.)

 

[Carmudgeon]

Did the "Golf R with a trunk" (S3) ever enter the conversation?

 

[Ws6]

Two quotes from my wife that partially explains why I have been happily married for nearly 37 years:
1. “Go ahead and buy the Speed Triple; if you are going to have a midlife crisis I'd prefer that you fool around with something on two wheels as opposed to two legs."
2. "If you really want that Lotus you should get it."(It was a supercharged Elise set up for track work; it sold the day before I went to look at it.)

I never understood people who were with partners that told them how to spend their own money, lol! For what!?

 

[RooflessVW]

I never understood people who were with partners that told them how to spend their own money, lol! For what!?

I suspect there is a lot you don't understand

 

[Ws6]

I suspect there is a lot you don't understand

I'd hope so.

 

[97prizm]

Not sure if I did the right thing, but always wanted to have AWD hot-hatch. I wasn't used to changing cars that often, and never changed my car unless it was a necessity, until today. It's the first time I put a deposit on an MK8 Golf R just because I want to. I know it's probably the worst timing, but hot hatches are usually going for MSRP even before the covid. Due to the used market - brand new is the way to go nowadays if you are patient enough.

Buying the GLI last year was a necessity as my '09 Acura CSX was totaled, and I needed a car that can do-it-all (commuting, getting groceries and occasional track days) and it had to be below $40k OTD (it was an unexpected event and I wasn't financially ready), therefore I did not have the luxury to choose AWD hot-hatch or sports sedan, and there was no brand new MK8 or even MK7.5 Golf R available when I bought it.

I've been driving/tracking my FWD sporty sedans / hot-hatches for the last 10 years. Another reason why I went with GLI for more rear legroom and cargo space (compared to the GTI), but later I found that we always choose our other vehicle for family trips, so GLI just takes me to work once a week, and goes to track 5-6 times a year. We are still using rear seats occasionally, but not for long distances.

I chose Blue - DSG (wife can't drive manual) and no sunroof. Not sure why it does not have fancy color options like the GTI, but I like the blue. The sales guy was very surprised that I especially don't want a sunroof (it's optional here in Canada), it's because helmet is required on some tracks I need maximum headroom, and to be honest, I never use it and don't want to pay extra for a feature that I will never use.

The best part about having a car with a similar/same chassis is that I can move most aftermarket parts to the new car. Extra set of wheels, spacers, camber ball joint, etc they'll all fit with no problem.

Long story short, I'll be paying MSRP and no extra accessories, wait time is around 1-1.5 years, which I am in no rush at all. I will be driving the GLI until it's arrived. I still like the GLI and if I can afford I'd like to keep both, though I need to find a way to convince my wife for that lol (she still doesn't know that I bought it LOL)

It should look like this (without the sunroof):

View attachment 114740

Anyways, just wanted to share my thoughts - thanks for your time

DG

Nice. It's odd how Canada and the USA can get such different iterations of the same vehicle for being as close as they are to each other. I likely the bright mint metallic green they offered but it was a specialty as vw offered a sample to paint.

 

[pezzy84]

Nice - I have always had a soft spot for the GTI. Make it an R and I'm sold.

If they have a non-R GTI to go play with I would recommend doing that to see if you like the interfaces. Like the ID.4 they went to a bunch of touch capacitive controls and pretty much everything handled through the infotainment, to say reviews are not good on the new controls would be an understatement. You will get the hang of it but its still clunky as hell.

 

[Vermess]

Well, here is an update that there is no update, and VW keeps jacking up the MSRP. The MSRP is almost $5k CDN more since I put the deposit, and I started to think it might not be worth it (I'm obliged to pay the current MSRP when it arrives, so we do not know how much expensive it'll be). Some dealers stopped taking a deposit as it'd take 2-3 years.

I'm still not backing off as the used prices continue to be significantly higher if they keep delivering less than 50 Golf Rs / month worldwide (and would take years to take the delivery), I will probably have fun for few months and sell it at a profit when it arrives. If the market goes down, then I'll back off before the delivery and will get my deposit back. Either way, I won't be keeping it for long, not worth for a Golf to pay $60k+ CDN out-the-door, for the extra $5-10k I could have gotten a brand new S4 with much less wait time.

It's not just the Golf though, all hot hatches are overpriced and unnecessarily hyped up, they are meant to be an affordable fun cars in the past, but now OEMs want you to see it like a supercar and want you to wait / pay the premium for it.

For now I'm sticking with the GLI for a foreseeable future, and when the time comes, I am leaning towards moving to an EV like a Tesla Model 3 as a daily, and will buy/build more track-focused car (something like BRZ?) instead of having 1 car to do-it-all. I think that's going to make me happier in the long term.

Jesus dude, that sucks. I've heard about getting screwed, but this is next level of no dinner, no kiss on the neck, giving you the wrong number after they're done type of screwed.

On the S4 idea you have. Drive one first. I drove some newer ones as my 14 is still in pieces at the body shop.......I was disappointed. It felt to me like they cheapened it. Steering feels numb even by audi standards, she runs out of steam on the top end, not as responsive as the turbo bimmers or the supercharged s4.

Plus sides of the newer audi s4s, they're gorgeous. You can see dust half mile away with those headlights.

Brakes....if you don't wear your seat belt, you're going to have 4 rings and Alcantara fuzz imprinted in your forehead.

 

[dgunay]

Jesus dude, that sucks. I've heard about getting screwed, but this is next level of no dinner, no kiss on the neck, giving you the wrong number after they're done type of screwed.

On the S4 idea you have. Drive one first. I drove some newer ones as my 14 is still in pieces at the body shop.......I was disappointed. It felt to me like they cheapened it. Steering feels numb even by audi standards, she runs out of steam on the top end, not as responsive as the turbo bimmers or the supercharged s4.

Plus sides of the newer audi s4s, they're gorgeous. You can see dust half mile away with those headlights.

Brakes....if you don't wear your seat belt, you're going to have 4 rings and Alcantara fuzz imprinted in your forehead.

Thanks for the input, they really look upscale.

I had a chance to drive the M340i and S4, S4 feels much more comfortable and better daily driver in general. S5 makes more sense though with more accessible cargo space vs. a sedan where you have limited vertical storage space.

Most importantly, S4 still has physical buttons, much easier to live with (compared to both M340i and Golf R)

 

[dgunay]

Did the "Golf R with a trunk" (S3) ever enter the conversation?

It did not, and it won't. S3 is even smaller than the Golf R, and less usable interior space.

Not to mention it does not have the new Magna rear diff like the mk8 Golf R. I do not need a sedan that can't go sideways, I already have one (GLI).

 

[Carmudgeon]

It did not, and it won't. S3 is even smaller than the Golf R, and less usable interior space.

Not to mention it does not have the new Magna rear diff like the mk8 Golf R. I do not need a sedan that can't go sideways, I already have one (GLI).

Ah, so the S3 didn't get the trick differential?

Production and supply constraints aside, VW doesn't seem very interested in selling the R here, with one trim in only three colors, take it or leave it. I guess that suits them, and they can still sell every one they make, but still seems like a rather poor effort.

That's why I brought up its cousin, and close mechanical twin, which is in the same price ballpark as well. But understandably, the diff, it not the hatch vs. sedan can be a deal breaker, too.

Maybe if you wait long enough, you'll get a version with the revised controls. Someone described to me the newer VW mirror switch, and it just seems like a convoluted way they could cram a bunch of functions into a single switch, in addition to skimping on a couple window switches for the rear, to cut costs.

 

[Randol]

I really wish VW would bring back the 2 door GTI and Golf R.

 

[ET16]

I really wish VW would bring back the 2 door GTI and Golf R.

Agree.

 

[dgunay]

Ah, so the S3 didn't get the trick differential?

Production and supply constraints aside, VW doesn't seem very interested in selling the R here, with one trim in only three colors, take it or leave it. I guess that suits them, and they can still sell every one they make, but still seems like a rather poor effort.

That's why I brought up its cousin, and close mechanical twin, which is in the same price ballpark as well. But understandably, the diff, it not the hatch vs. sedan can be a deal breaker, too.

Maybe if you wait long enough, you'll get a version with the revised controls. Someone described to me the newer VW mirror switch, and it just seems like a convoluted way they could cram a bunch of functions into a single switch, in addition to skimping on a couple window switches for the rear, to cut costs.

The current S3 is the mechanical twin of the previous generation (mk7.5) Golf R, which is still great platform, there is nothing wrong with it. It's just not worth paying more for the older platform (which comes with a heavily fwd biased haldex system), even if it has an Audi badge. I'm sure it'll have the same fancy rear diff with the next gen S3.

I really hope VW will update mk8 infotainment, it just sucks the way it is. It's not just the interior, the whole dashboard is a downgrade from the previous generation in any way. Whoever says "you'll get used to it", they just can't admit the fact that it is one of the worst modern infotainment systems available, because they have nothing else to say.

 

[TomYoung]

Thanks for the invite, much appreciated

She found out, all good! I'm still alive, but she is not a car-person, so it doesn't make sense for her to sell 4 door sedan to a 4-door hatchback lol. She is definitely not happy after hearing the price tag for a Golf (it's not R for her) - and that's the reason why I picked it (versatility), instead of something like a Camaro SS. Both have the same price tag.

For those who don't know, explaining the price of a Golf R can be difficult, since it costs as much as V8 Chargers, BMW's, and is higher than most Camaros and Mustangs. We understand and wish you well with this very cool choice.

 

[SaberOne]

I test drove one of those back in 2014. I believe it was a V6 all tuned to the max. It was fun to drive but a little nose heavy.