UK-POLOS.NET - THE VW Polo Forum

Sorry if this has already been covered, but got a couple of questions. We are on the brink of possibly buying a GTI+ and I wonder what owners' thoughts are on the firmness, choppiness of the ride, especially in the normal suspension setting? We are coming from a Mk7 GTI/R Golf and Troc background which have a longer wheelbase and a "bigger" car feel, which in turn makes for a sporty but relatively smooth and comfortable ride. Also, is the black roof painted or a decal? Thanks.

Having just came from a mk7 R to a gti+, I can confirm the ride in the gti is ‘softer’ in both normal and sport. The black roof on mine also looks as if has been painted and is not a wrap.


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Can’t comment on the ride quality of the GTI / GTI+ as I’ve got a previous generation GTI.

The roof is described in the price list brochure as a ‘gloss black roof decal’, so it’s not painted. It’s a £50 option on the GTI+, and that £50 cost also includes black door mirror caps (the black roof costs more on the non-plus Polo GTI as it’s bundled with 65% rear window tints that are standard on the GTI+). I dare say it’d cost significantly more than £50 if it was painted if you take into account the additional time and labour required to mask off the rest of the body, prep the roof for painting and a second trip to the paint spray booth. To put the cost of the black roof into context; to specify the black (presumably painted) roof option on the Golf GTI TCR costs £555 - which presumably does reflect the additional work and time involved in preparing and painting the roof a different colour to the body shell.

I said painted roof because mine had what looked like glue marks where it had been masked off. Only noticed these first time I washed it. Black roof is a no cost option on Mini Cooper/ S.


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£50 is a bargain!
Cost me significantly more than that to get the roof on my Mini wrapped in a nice carbon effect.

Blackpug wrote: Thu Jun 06, 2019 3:18 pm Having just came from a mk7 R to a gti+, I can confirm the ride in the gti is ‘softer’ in both normal and sport. The black roof on mine also looks as if has been painted and is not a wrap. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for your reply. My Clubsport's roof is painted so I'd hope the Polo would be as well. And good to hear that the suspension seems to be okay.

TurboTrev wrote: Fri Jun 07, 2019 1:08 pm

Blackpug wrote: Thu Jun 06, 2019 3:18 pm Having just came from a mk7 R to a gti+, I can confirm the ride in the gti is ‘softer’ in both normal and sport. The black roof on mine also looks as if has been painted and is not a wrap. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for your reply. My Clubsport's roof is painted so I'd hope the Polo would be as well. And good to hear that the suspension seems to be okay.

As per my previous post earlier in this thread; for £50 it’s unlikely to be painted - it’s described as a Gloss Black roof decal in the price list brochure. Link to the price list - Black Roof Pack option, including the description of what’s included, is on page 15;

https://origin.volkswagen.co.uk/assets/ ... celist.pdf

VW charged £295 for the black roof option on the Golf Clubsport; page 25 in the April 2017 price list brochure (link below). If the Polo’s black roof option was a painted roof, then you’d expect the cost to be closer to the price VW charged for the black roof on the Clubsport as the Polo’s roof isn’t that much smaller than the Golf’s roof;

https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/assets/com ... celist.pdf

TurboTrev wrote: Thu Jun 06, 2019 2:56 pm Sorry if this has already been covered, but got a couple of questions. We are on the brink of possibly buying a GTI+ and I wonder what owners' thoughts are on the firmness, choppiness of the ride, especially in the normal suspension setting? We are coming from a Mk7 GTI/R Golf and Troc background which have a longer wheelbase and a "bigger" car feel, which in turn makes for a sporty but relatively smooth and comfortable ride. Also, is the black roof painted or a decal? Thanks.

I have the normal suspension with 18inch Brescia wheels and panoramic roof.( the real black roof).

On the recommended 2.6 bar tyre pressure it’s quite comfy.
Turanza tyres are touring tyres for comfort etc.

Nobody else, other than Blackpug, with a black roof able to offer their opinion on whether it is a decal or painted? Thanks.

I do like the ride quality compared to my old 6C. Lumps and bumps previously I'd grimace and think this is going to hurt but it's a breeze in the new one.

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johnpolo2 wrote: Sun Jun 09, 2019 6:15 pm I do like the ride quality compared to my old 6C. Lumps and bumps previously I'd grimace and think this is going to hurt but it's a breeze in the new one.Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

Thanks for your feedback, it's looking hopeful that the ride is not too firm. Anyone else got any feedback on suspension firmness and the black roof - painted or decal/wrapped?

I don't have a GTI only a basic SE but the ride quality is awful - it's on 16 inch wheels but the tyres are Falken 'Reinforced' and hard as nails even on standard pressures. Can't wait to swap them they are nearly worn out anyhow at 14,000 miles not brilliant. Never had reinforced tyres before on any car it's not necessary with a small hatchback.

Even with the sportier suspension setting I don't think the suspension is too rough. It is a firm ride but that's how I like it personally.

I don't have the black pack so can't comment from personal experience but it does say it's a decal in the price list and for £50 I wouldn't expect it to be anything else.

As for the ride quality, it is firm but but very damped, even in sport mode, I find it more comfortable than my previous Leon FR.

TurboTrev wrote: Thu Jun 06, 2019 2:56 pm Also, is the black roof painted or a decal? Thanks.

Blackpug wrote: Thu Jun 06, 2019 3:18 pm Having just came from a mk7 R to a gti+, I can confirm the ride in the gti is ‘softer’ in both normal and sport. The black roof on mine also looks as if has been painted and is not a wrap.

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TurboTrev wrote: Sun Jun 09, 2019 2:20 pm Nobody else, other than Blackpug, with a black roof able to offer their opinion on whether it is a decal or painted? Thanks.

To clear up any uncertainty over whether the black roof pack option on the Polo is a decal or painted, I can confirm it’s definitely a decal. Realistically, with this option costing only £50, it was unlikely to be anything other than a decal.

My local VW dealer currently has a Reef Blue GTI+ with the black roof pack option on their demonstrator fleet. I was driving past the dealership this morning and it was parked out the front of the dealership so I stopped to take a look.

The decal doesn’t go right to the rear edge of the roof - picture below of the rear driver’s side corner of the roof shows this. You can also feel the edge of the decal which also confirms it’s not a black painted roof; IMO it would have been better if the roof decal extended down into the panel gap between the edge of the roof and the tailgate to make it less obvious it’s a decal. Also, for completeness, I think the top section of the tailgate between the roof and tailgate spoiler should also be covered with a black decal - like the black painted roof on the Golf Clubsport at the link below;

https://www.caricos.com/cars/v/vw/2016_ ... es/13.html