Have i made a buying mistake?

[monkeyhanger]

To go from a stop to a crawl, you need to let go of the footbrake and let the DSG engage 1st to start rolling itself before applying any throttle. Otherwise you let your foot off the brake and mash the throttle as nothing happens instantly, waiting for the bite and then it bites hard. Not a bother for a soft crawl in my GTI+ in Sport mode.

[monkeyhanger]

If you want a light throttle response then put it into Eco mode. If you think Normal is too sharp then don't even try Sport.

It's usually best to wait for the car to bite and roll before you're giving any throttle to just crawl anyway - if you try and hurry the car, it feels like it makes you wait longer.

[stevereeves]

Play about with the settings, just drive the car without thinking about what it's doing differently and hopefully get used to it. I don't tell folk what to do and I'm pretty sure DSG isn't for me....

[stevereeves]

I hear that, for the same reason (injury) I'm forced to drive cars only, motorcycles are sadly no longer for me. I doubt I could use DSG as I need to be inch-perfect length-wise when parking in my garage, I'd obviously have a bit more room with a Polo but I've lost somw interest due to still quoted ridiculous delivery times, 20+ weeks....

[stevereeves]

Thanks, but s'ok my injury occured years ago just get the odd twinge of regret when visting my biker mates. Still, life goes on. I've said a few times that comparing delivery times & price, Polo v Golf, a Golf makes a sensible option as does Audi A1 & Seat Ibiza. Reckon a good few potential owners have been put of Polos for the reasons mentioned here, shame as I had one as a loan car while my Goff was serviced, and I quite liked it....

[monkeyhanger]

The Golf GTI looks seriously expensive next to the Polo GTI+, for the most marginal gain in performance, comparable levels of equipment, and a marginally bigger cabin -both cars accommodate our 2 adults/2 kids family, the rear bench in our Golf R is about 2" wider, which a 5th person might appreciate but as our 2 child seats are so bulky I would only be able to put a stick thin midget in the middle in either car.

My pre-facelift R looks prehistoric next to the new tech in the Polo GTI+, especially the active info display and far better infotainment screen (much bigger and far more responsive touchscreen). To be fair though, the GTI+ compares well with the Golf, having the highest level of standard equipment, the lesser Polos are less comparable with the lesser Golf's because there is so much more standard equipment across the whole Golf range than the whole Polo range.

Getting a middle of the range Golf might make more sense than a middle of the range Polo with less standard equipment.

Getting a brand new shape Audi A1 is a bit of an unknown right now, the configurator has only been up a month, although shipping times will be considerably shorter if it's being built in Germany or Spain. Audi have changed tack recently. Instead of staying competitive with VW by offering a sparsely equipped A1 for the same price as a well equipped (comparatively) Polo, they are now loading them with equipment and charging £4k more than the Polo equivalent.

Seat Ibizas are still hard to come by unless you want a 1.0TSI engine.

Golf vs Polo? If you have the patience, there's nothing really in it between either GTI except £5k saving on the Polo (That's inclusive of the generous deposit contribution on the Golf). For lower down in the range, you'll still pay more for the Golf but will get more standard equipment and it'll come quicker.

The Golf is due an upgrade- MK8 due later this year (next year for performance models). Body shape shouldn't change radically, but expect newer kit in the spec as standard (although they charge most models for the active info display, they are cheaper than a set of dials and all those individual indication/warning lights to manufacture - everyone will have them soon enough).

Apart from the 4WD traction to put down it's power, I generally prefer driving my Polo GTI+ to my Golf R. The Polo feels better screwed together (more taut and less rattly over poor surfaces).

[monkeyhanger]

Thanks, but s'ok my injury occured years ago just get the odd twinge of regret when visting my biker mates. Still, life goes on. I've said a few times that comparing delivery times & price, Polo v Golf, a Golf makes a sensible option as does Audi A1 & Seat Ibiza. Reckon a good few potential owners have been put of Polos for the reasons mentioned here, shame as I had one as a loan car while my Goff was serviced, and I quite liked it....

TBH I am of the opinion (grumpy old man alert!!) that all delivery times are ridiculously too long. I accept there are many engine options, a huge amount of personalisation and additional spec options available but seriously is every made to order?

I also accept that VW were caught up in the emissions issues but buyers of VW cars are generally a loyal bunch and I don't believe VW compensate for this loyalty.

I accept delivery lead in times in weeks but when it stretches to MONTHS and in some isolated cases over a YEAR.................are we better off chosing another brand?

VW give you nowt for loyalty, I'm on my 9th new one. They make good cars that are well laid out and good to drive. There is great demand there, which means VW can mess most customers around and get away with it. For those with the patience, most will love their car when they get it. High gearing, low torque and having to drive the car like a motorbike (milking high revs) is here to stay for 1.0 engines across all marques, the larger engines are not so badly affected. I'd still personally have a 1.6TDI over a 1.0 TSI if economy is your primary concern.

[monkeyhanger]

Economy isnt primary concern.
Important but not lifechanging.
That said my Golf 1.4TSI does return high 30 mpg around town compared to low 20's in the Polo.

I fear going back to Diesel because of what the Government might do.

I don't think the Government will aim to punish you for buying choices already made - they've never retrospectively pushed car tax up for diesels, nor are they actively seeking the scrappage of pre-DPF taxis or buses. Some major cities may ban you from their congestion tax zones if you don't have current tech. As we've seen (and I've known for years), direct injection petrol engines produce harmful soot and now we have GPFs coming our way. Bosch/Lucas have some tech coming in that is going to reduce NOx output hugely - making diesel clean again (particulates and NOx sorted).

If I were doing 50 miles a day return commute, I'd buy a Golf GTD in a heartbeat. The VAG 2.0TDI unit is pretty much the best performing 2 litre unit out there - my old one was happy to sit at 80 on the motorway, aircon working hard in the Summer heat and still return 61mpg on a long trip. A tuning box transformed it and the clutch was resilient, unlike the chocolate clutvh on my.R that occasionally slips in cold weather, with no modification.

My Dad travels a lot for work and keeps his around 6 years. His 2013 GTD is up around 145k miles right now with no post-warranty issues to date. Always found diesel tech more reliable the petrol tech.

[Andy Beats]

TBH I am of the opinion (grumpy old man alert!!) that all delivery times are ridiculously too long. I accept there are many engine options, a huge amount of personalisation and additional spec options available but seriously is every made to order?

I also accept that VW were caught up in the emissions issues but buyers of VW cars are generally a loyal bunch and I don't believe VW compensate for this loyalty.

I accept delivery lead in times in weeks but when it stretches to MONTHS and in some isolated cases over a YEAR.................are we better off chosing another brand?

I got my Polo from stock.
Our Kia Sportage was two weeks.
Cars are there quickly if you shop around and are less fussy about colour/spec.
That's the trouble, all this customisation has gone to peoples heads
"Ooooh but I want the folding mirrors AND the Fiji Blue....waaaaaaaaaaaah"

[silverhairs]

I think my pathetic 1.5 miles to work commute probably don't make buying a diesel a good buy.

Should have purchased a "twist and go" moped for the 1.5 miles

[Andy Beats]

Not a bad idea. Absolute bugger though when I have to drive to Cornwall to see clients...lol

Have you honestly not even considered an electric car?
A 1.5 mile commute isn't good for any internal combustion engine, electric cars don't mind.
You'd be doing it in a clean manner, with fuel costs of pennies per week.
Your trips to Cornwall wouldn't be a problem either, like of a Kona electric is doing an easy 200+ miles between charges.
So you'd need to stop once each way for a rapid charge, that's it.
It's an Americanism I hate, but a 'comfort break' of 1/2 an hour.

[Andy Beats]

Yes I have. Certainly for my daily commute................
However, I can't yet persuade myself that a £35K price tag is affordable. For any long trips I do (and there are plenty) I am also a nervous tyre who would fret about restricted range and the possibility of not being able to find a convenient charging outlet.

Don't buy an electric vehicle....as much as a fun of them that I am, I wouldn't recommend buying one as the tech is advancing at a rapid rate.
Buying one in Scotland is slightly more appealing in that government is offering 6 years 0% finance loans, but I'd still say PCP is the way to go in that it allows you to hand it back and walk away at the end.
The nerves about range quickly disappear once you actually get one and you realise what a whimpering ninny you were.

[Andy Beats]

I have always brought my children up to try before making disparaging remarks, otherwise how would you know. I think I should take some of my own advice.

Yeah, go try one.
Have you ever driven one, out of interest?
I really miss a lot about my Leaf, the superb acceleration being one.
But my wife, unfortunately, absolutely hated the way it looked and refused to drive it.
I can't wait to get back into an electric car, unfortunately the deals they were doing on them when I got mine (£199 per month) have disappeared and they're now much dearer.
If you've never got used to the cheap deals though, less of a problem.
Of course, the ideal solution for you might be a PHEV.
You could commute all week on electric only, then the petrol for longer distances.

[silverhairs]

There was a spread in one of the daily news papers, and this woman didn't have a fast charger at her home, if she wanted to fast charge she had to get her husband to go with her just she run out of power, (as it was many miles away) as she had used it to a low reading. it was a two page spread, and to be honest, not worth the bother or worry. I think it was in the Daily Mail if members wish to read it, it was in a couple of weeks ago. I think she's gone back to petrol.
The countries not yet set up for all electric cars, and their too much money.

[roywolfey]

Looks like Grudgey got a new car.
https://www.motorline.co.uk/volkswagen/ ... -plus-dsg/