SamDoe1

So I went and bought a Golf R.

The story starts with, as many of you know, my inability to put miles on my S2000. I've so far put 3000 miles on it in the past two years which isn't much and makes it a very expensive paperweight. With that in mind, I went out to find a car that was fast, fun, and practical to drive and started that search with a Focus RS. When it came out, I HAD to have it. The power, the looks, the color (blue), everything was perfect...and then I drove it. Within a few minutes on the road, I knew it wasn't for me. The ride was abysmal, the seats were probably the most uncomfortable seats I've ever sat in, and the interior was pretty terrible for a $43k (as tested) MSRP. On top of that, dealers were asking for MSRP or pound sand. So...the idea was put on the shelf for the winter and I drove the Jeep while the wife continued on with her Accord.

Once spring started rolling around, I started up again and looked online at the Civic Type R (pass, too childish) and Subaru STi (pass, too old) before ending up with the Golf R. For the 2018 year, everything is refreshed appearance wise (and new 7spd DSG, engine is same) and it now comes with a 6yr/72k bumper to bumper factory warranty. So I went out to drive a few of the older ones, dealership doesn't allow drives of new Golf Rs whatever, and fell in love. The power felt like 90% of the Focus RS while the ride, interior, and seats were 10000% better for a slightly lower price and, because I don't live on a racetrack, this was ok with me.

So I started the search for the 2018 Golf R (because update and warranty) and it was delayed to get into the US. 2018 models didn't hit the dealer lots until early April of this year and everyone was selling for MSRP or more. The cool part with this model is that there are no options beyond color and transmission so I hit up the interwebs, searched nationally, picked DSG trans (wife needs to drive and it's actually a lot faster than the manual), hit sort by lowest price, and contacted the top 5 dealers on that list. Of those five, only 3 got back to me and only one gave me a good price to start and would be willing to negotiate more so I gave them a deposit on the agreed upon price and booked a flight to Buffalo NY to pick up my new car and drive it home. So I flew out last Saturday and drove it back with the wife for a cool road trip home. Anyway, without further ado...here she is. 2018 VW Golf R DSG in Lapiz Blue.











This screen is going to drive me nuts with fingerprints...



I already bought a set of VW wheels to mount snow tires on and will just transfer over the ones from the wife's car since they are already the right size.

Well for those of you that made it this far, it's now to address the elephant in the room...what happened to my S2000.






























It's sitting in the third stall of my garage where it will continue to sit for as long as I can possibly keep it to be driven only on warm sunny days when the wail of the VTEC engaging is a sound to behold.
FWIW, the Golf R is a metric fuck ton faster.

TacoBello

Nice pick up! Many happy miles!

...and do yourself a favor and keep a microfiber cloth next to that touch screen

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

hmmm...no wonder you were in there sweating Adam's wheels.
You fucking fucker...I was like, did he give up the S2000...did he give it up!??!
Thank you LORD. You did not.
That said, what a sexy fucking gorgeous car. Conrats, man.

Get that bitch sealed up with some quartz stuff and some clear bra...keep that paint brand spankin new forever.

Congrats to the wife too...I'm sure she'll be driving it more. I would still have gone manual but that's because I am hard headed.

They probably sell a touchscreen matte thingy to keep the prints off...

SamDoe1

Thanks! So far it has just over 1000 happy miles and is now out of the break in period!

I found that they include a cloth to clean the screen with the car lol.

lol yup, I love the older Pretoria wheels over the Englishtown wheels the 2018's come with but it's all good. I'll probably get new wheels eventually.

I thought I'd keep you on the edge for the post haha. But no, not selling it unless someone offers me a stupid amount of money for it.

Will be doing a full wash and seal this weekend. On the fence about clear bra but we'll see.

Wife will drive the Jeep now, selling her Accord as it's getting up there but she'll drive this too when I need to go get stuff that won't fit in the Golf...or tow.

TacoBello

Honestly man, spend the money on the clear bra. It is worth it's weight in gold. Nothing takes away from a nice car than rock chips all over the front end. I know it's expensive and what not, but it's such a good idea to have. Especially if you want to keep that thing looking mint for years to come.

00TL-P3.2

Gorgeous color, not a huge fan of the directional wheels, but nice overall.
Those gauges are

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Very cool, man...what I loved most is that you 2 went on a trip and made an experience out of it.
That will stick with you much longer than the car will.

Jakes_tl

Says the guy that bought a automatic CTS-V wagon.

TacoBello

Costco

Awesome pick up man!

Been waiting for this moment. Finally something that won't be a garage queen

KaMLuNg

iTrader: (5)

beat me to it.

SamDoe1

Yeah, I need to get a quote on having one installed. Will do that in the coming weeks and definitely before winter.

Yeah, me either. I loved the 2017 wheels but they don't have options on these for anything other than color and transmission so this is it. The rest of the car is so awesome that I really don't mind changing wheels eventually.

Definitely. Was for sure a memorable trip. Especially the part when we woke up in Buffalo to head to Chicago and it was snowing outside. Car ships with summer only tires. That was interesting.

Definitely won't be! This is my daily driver now. S2000 is going further into garage queen status. Currently sits at 48600ish miles.

TylerT

iTrader: (1)

Love it! Beautiful car man and good choice on the DSG.

So, when is the big turbo going on?





Kidding.

TylerT

iTrader: (1)

Or am I?

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Jake, you dick.

HDNBenjamin

My heart sank reading the title...but you saved my day with the last paragraph..anyhoo, congrats on the Golf R. I love hatches, and the Golf R is definitely HOT! I love the color too! Enjoy with good health!

KaMLuNg

iTrader: (5)

first congrats on the R...

second... i have mixed feelings on clear bras... yes they can help prevent rock chips but when you do get a rock kick into the bra, instead of deflecting it usually implodes itself inside the film and the paint... when i first got the vagon i called around and to do front, qtr hood and mirrors was $1500-2000... my paint guy repaints front bumpers for $300...

not sure what the pricing is like out by you...

00TL-P3.2

Apart from the bitchin cluster & the wheels, what is changed from 16-17 to 18?

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Ironically...that was the same train of thought I ended up having.

SamDoe1

Thanks for the input, I'm on the same train of thought at this point but I'll get it quoted out and see what the deal is. I had the clear bra on my TL-S way back when and after a while, it just starts to look gross and is much more difficult to polish up than paint is.

7 speed DSG vs 6 speed DSG, front and rear bumpers, side skirts are now gloss black instead of body color, full LED headlights vs HID, full LED tail lights, LED DRL with built in LED turn signals, LED interior lighting, 8" infotainment display vs 6.5", all the safety features (adaptive cruise, blind spot, etc...) are now standard and the "eye" is hidden in the VW logo vs being on the bottom of the front bumper, 6/72 warranty vs 3/36, and I'm sure there are others but those are the big hitters.

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

the last one is the biggest hitter of all.

SamDoe1

Yup. These things don't depreciate much either so for the ~$2k-$3k I would have saved by going with a CPO 2015 or 2016, I got an extra 2-3 years of factory warranty (in addition to the CPO coverage) and was the first to fart in the seat.

00TL-P3.2

Thanks, curiosity got me browsing locally & the 16-17 Rs aren't badly priced, but the '18 comes with a lot of improvements.
Saw a few FoRS at surpricing prices, but I'd be a bit leery buying one of those used.

SamDoe1

I did a total rundown of every hot hatch on the market (I knew I wanted hot hatch and nothing else) before I bought this. Here's what I found:

Focus RS: Explosive performance, next level handling, sh1tty interior not becoming of a $42k car, terrible (really terrible) ride, the most uncomfortable seats I've ever sat in. Pretty rare but the resale value for such a rare car is pretty horrible. Likely because it's so #becauseracecar that people hate it after a year or two.

Focus ST: Same interior/seat issues but better ride. Fairly common, see them all the time. A number of people I work with have one. If you're ever sitting at a traffic light and a RS rolls up next to you, then you'd be:

Civic Si: Slow AF. No volume knob. Excellent transmission, good engine. Slow AF.

Civic Type R: The best performing hot hatchback on the planet today bar none. The transmission is reminiscent of the S2000 and the engine is a true gem. Unfortunately both the inside and outside were designed by a caffeinated teenager who just got back from NAPA auto parts with some stick on vents and stuff. Love the car, would never be able to be seen driving one. Also, no volume knob. You rarely see them on the road but, when you do, you can see it coming from a mile away because of the looks. Unknown resale value because it's still new, probably good though.

Subaru WRX: It's fine. AWD is good, engine is good, transmission is good, interior is meh. It's just fine. Also, it's quite expensive for what it is. Also, almost exclusively driven by "bros" who love the #rallylyfe and it's pretty common on the roads up here.

Subaru STi: Same interior/features as the WRX but ancient engine and transmission with sh1tty fuel economy and not nearly as fast. Also eats motors like snacks. The most common of the higher end cars, I see at least a couple every day and they are also entirely driven by "bros". Good resale value but still do not want.

VW GTI: Great little car, decent power, loads of torque, exceptional build quality, tons of features, great handling but FWD only. Also, as before, you'd be sitting at a traffic light when a Golf R rolls up next to you then you'd be:
This is THE hot hatch to get if you're in the market for one in the ~$30k ish range. Pretty common, probably because it's the best bang for your buck. Oh and now comes with a 6yr/72k bumper to bumper factory warranty so no worries on reliability.

VW R: Same as above but with extra 80 something hp, extra 50 something lb-ft torque and two more driven wheels. Everything come standard, only hot hatch (other than GTI and WRX which has CVT) to come with auto trans. Not as blisteringly fast as the Focus RS, not as sublime to drive as the Civic Type R, but is still way faster than any Golf should be and you'd be just fine being seen in one as an adult since it still looks like just a Golf. It's one of the rare cars that can bee #becauseracecar for as long as you want and then flip it off to be just a normal Golf when you don't. Also flies under the radar and isn't a cop magnet. Pretty rare, probably more so than the Focus RS and on the same level as the CTR. If I see more than one other Golf R a month, I've seen a lot. Resale value is spectacular. Same warranty as GTI so no worries on reliability.

RPhilMan1

Congratulations on the R. Love the color. Hope you enjoy it for many years to come.

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Great breakdown...
funny, I saw a CTR up close and although the styling IS very aggressive, it stands out and felt like it was very solid and well put together. All of it...I loved it.
Given how much I love my little beater A3 though, I can guarantee I'd be more in love with the R as well.

TacoBello

The faux carbon fiber body kit on the CTR is too much for me. I can handle everything else, but that kit completely ruins the car with how cheap and fake it looks. Awful. The R on the other hand... classy, all around. Dare I say understated, even. Yet perfect.

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

I don't think it's Faux...if it is, it's very real looking.

00TL-P3.2

Nice rundown Sam.
Pretty sure the R would be out of the budget, but a GTI would fit right in. May have to give one a look as an alternate to the M6 GTR. Will have to see how the back seat space is. Shame the GTI doesn't get some of the toys the R does. Those gauges are

TacoBello

are you kidding me?

No 35k car has a real CF body kit. Take a good look at it next time. It looks like someone wrapped the body kit in the crappiest CF wrap available to man. It's actually that bad. In reality, it's just textured plastic.

TacoBello

I was fairly surprised with how roomy the Golf is. Even with my ginormous 6'7" in the driver's seat, there was still a good amount of leg room in the back. I imagine the car might be a bit narrower and obviously shorter than a 6, but it might be worth checking out. Plus, the GTI is no slouch either, after a tune

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

It looked like a dry carbon to me...definitely didn't look cheap or vinyl to me...
then again, he had also bought all the CF real pieces that go over the mirrors and wing so maybe that's what I remember seeing.

SamDoe1

One thing to say: Boost is incredibly intoxicating. I drove the S2000 yesterday and was just waiting for the wave of torque to come...never did. The S2000 is an amazing package but driving a modern performance car makes you see how far things have come in the past 20 years.

It is solid and well put together...but I just can't get over the way it looks. If they made a toned down version with the same everything else, I'd be driving that right now.

Golf R is incredibly understated. If you see it driving down the road, it looks like a Golf SE. There are no flares, no flashy colors, no big wings, no giant red brakes, etc, it just looks (and drives) like a Golf...until you drop the hammer and the turbo spins up.

It's for sure fake. The vents and intakes are also all fake.

A new R will run you close to $40k if you want the DSG, a GTI can be had for low $30k's. The only "toy", aside from engine and AWD, that the GTI doesn't get is the cluster...and all the "R" badges lol. It has the rest of it though in regards to all the safety, lighting, and driving features if you get the Autobahn model. I'd imagine the back seat room will be less but it's certainly not bad. I've had a friend who's 6ft sit back there with me driving (I'm 5-8) and he had plenty of leg room.

TacoBello

Actually you're right- the mirrors I do believe are real CF. Same with the interior trim pieces. As far as the body kit is concerned though, the only other car I can think of that has one is the GTR Nismo- but that thing costs like 3.5 times what a CTR goes for I guess the NSX has the option too, but theyre more like add ons to that body, as opposed to entire panel replacements. (Side blades, rather than an entire side skirt).

If I remember correctly, when I sat in an R and GTI, with my seat adjusted to my size, I feel like a 14-16 year old could still easily sit behind me, with room to spare.

I was rather disappointed with the 6MT in the R. If anything, I too would likely go DSG... Which seems sacrilegious to me. How times have changed...

00TL-P3.2

Good to know. Saw a neighbor from a couple streets over go by in a newer GTI, could definitely be an option. Will have to find time to go test drive one.

Thanks again. it's been a long time since I've been in a VW, and those were tired trade ins when I was working at a Chevrolet dealership. At $40k, the R is out, but the GTI Autobahn looks to fall right in line, budget-wise, with the 6 GTR, but with a lot more aftermarket support.
Definitely agree on the low end torque with a turbo, one of the small things I noticed when I drove the G80 a while back, and I notice every time I'm in our Flex.

TylerT

iTrader: (1)

Torque makes my pants tight.

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Yeah man...the idea of a quick shifting paddle is tempting...
but nope...gotta shift.
maybe that's why half my cars are auto and half are stick and some days when I'm tired, I'm actually kinda happy I can go be fat and happy in an auto.

TylerT

iTrader: (1)

I kind of wish my Fit was auto ...

But nahhh, what's more fun than hooning in a small / underpowered car?

SamDoe1

Good luck dude, excited to see what you think.

Yup. Torque is pretty awesome.

DSG is a lot of fun. Don't regret not getting a manual at all.

Hooning the DSG is still a blast, definitely not like the slush boxes of yore.

Saintor

Well I had a Rabbit automatic too. It was a 1980 one. I tried so much to convert it in a manual (a real one).