When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I had a Mk5 GTI as my cruise around the city and IKEA car. Its 90% of compact SUV in terms of ability to carry big things, reliable if left stock, small and fun to drive. I had DSG and a Manual 981 Cayman S at the time. It was best bang for the buck city dual car for a bachelor LOL
I would do one again in a heartbeat. SUPER fun stoplight to stoplight car (0-40) loses some breathe at around 50-60MPH.
You want a fun "beater"? Skip all the frills and buy a GTI "S"; we bought a brand-new '17 ($27k MSRP) from VW Westborough at the end of 2017 for just over $20k. You will not find a better all-around car for less than $30k.
Stereo: The base stereo is decent, and sadly, probably on par with the Bose in my .1 C2S.
Big brakes and a fake LSD: I track my 911, so at least above average when it comes to car control. The "S" will push when approaching the limit, but I have never wished for a BBK or LSD when having fun on on/offramps.
Fake leather versus cloth: We have a four-year-old son (rarely eats in the car, and takes off his shoes) and the cloth interior still looks good. I think the GTI punches well above its weight in terms of interior quality, and this is coming from someone with leather interior in a 911
Transmission: We bought a DSG since it is my wife's car and she can't row; I would have bought a manual if it were my daily driver. The DSG is fun with the paddles, but rowing would be more engaging. Also, the transmission itself has a plastic-ish feel and I would not trust it long term.
GTI versus R: I might check out an R if it were my my only car, but still not sure. My wife can work from home on snow days, so we are still on the original all-season tires. I will buy a dedicated winter setup if we need to frequently drive in the snow.
Headlights: The "S" headlights are weak, but not a deal breaker. We live in sort of rural-ish area (setback houses, and very few street lamps) so it gets really dark at night, and brighter lights would be the one thing I would have upgraded.
911 v GTI: We now have a newborn, so I have only driven my 911 only a few times in the last month versus the GTI multiple times/day. The GTI is a fun, inexpensive car that handles well and can fit a ton of stuff in the back, but you will not consider it a rival to your 911.
My wife was doing a bit of longe range driving and we picked her up a manual S (with the Clark plaid). Put a JB4, wrap and muffler delete on it. What an absolute blast! I'm a huge fan of these. I'll probably pick up a R at some point...only weak spot is the clutch durability when running a JB4 on Map 2 or above. Such a sleeper vehicle and TONS of fun to hoon around in.
Well, after taking them all in, I’m the proud new owner of a 2019 GTI S in Dark Iron Blue metallic. And Clark plaid galore. The craziest part (to me) is that my Tundra value has held up so absurdly well that I’m picking up a new car (with a steep discount) AND getting a fat check. First time I ever got paid for buying a new car!
Since my 991 is graphite blue metallic, maybe I should call them “die blauen Brüder”?
As someone that is interested in a GTI, do you feel safe in the car? It is a slightly smaller car which is why I ask. I do understand that doesn't translate to safety always.
I currently have an S4, so eventually will be replacing that.
I was in your shoes just over a year ago. I wanted a hot hatch as an airport car and was set on buying a GTI. I test drove one several times but I just couldn’t fall in love with a FWD car. The GTI just does not hook-up as with all FWD cars. I opted to spend a little more for a Golf R but couldn’t find one in the right color and with the DSG within a 1,000 mile radius. I ended up getting an excellent deal that I just couldn’t pass up on a Audi S3. I failed to check the hatchback box but it’s perfect for my needs-fun, good mpg, and sleeper looks. The GTI is a great DD if FWD driving characteristics don’t bother you. I just need a certain amount of “fun” whether it’s a 5 or a 60 minute drive.
If I had to buy one, I’d get the version with the Fender stereo. It’s a sweet sounding system for the money.
Well, after taking them all in, I’m the proud new owner of a 2019 GTI S in Dark Iron Blue metallic. And Clark plaid galore. The craziest part (to me) is that my Tundra value has held up so absurdly well that I’m picking up a new car (with a steep discount) AND getting a fat check. First time I ever got paid for buying a new car!
Since my 991 is graphite blue metallic, maybe I should call them “die blauen Brüder”?
As someone that is interested in a GTI, do you feel safe in the car? It is a slightly smaller car which is why I ask. I do understand that doesn't translate to safety always.
I currently have an S4, so eventually will be replacing that.
I felt very safe in mine even with all the big rigs and bro dozers around. It feels extremely solid.
Those of you who say the cloth stains: have you owned a Mk7 GTI? I have two kids and in 2 years of beating on it, including on construction sites, had nary a stain. Did nothing but vacuum it.
Well, after taking them all in, I’m the proud new owner of a 2019 GTI S in Dark Iron Blue metallic. And Clark plaid galore. The craziest part (to me) is that my Tundra value has held up so absurdly well that I’m picking up a new car (with a steep discount) AND getting a fat check. First time I ever got paid for buying a new car!
Since my 991 is graphite blue metallic, maybe I should call them “die blauen Brüder”?
I'm in the market for a daily driver to replace the Toyota Tundra pickup that I bought in a suburban midlife fever dream 3 years ago. I really want a DD for the winter and for commuting/chores/etc... I know some of you are strong daily driver advocates for your 911s but not me. Mine is a warm-weather friend and she's put away for several months each year here in New England.
I'm all in for a VW GTI—fun, sporty, reasonable, practical, ticks all the boxes, and I've wanted one since I was a college lad and had a Jetta.
But here's my internal monologue of a debate about GTI trim, and two versions I'm looking at by my local dealer. I'm torn between getting the base model GTI "S" and the more lushly equipped "SE." The S comes with tartan plaid cloth seats and no sunroof (which can be an advantage since the sunroofs in these cars have a reputation for rattling and leaking); a modestly smaller infotainment system but still with Bluetooth & Apple CarPlay; and it even has electronic safety nannies like blind-spot monitor and crash detection/autonomous braking.
The SE has leather, panoramic glass sunroof (a lot like my Carrera S), a larger all-glass infotainment system (it's darn slick, even slicker than the one in my 2017 991.2) a very nice Fender stereo upgrade, and LED headlights. The S has old-school halogen
This There’s no excuse for accepting halogen headlights. Just on this alone, the LED equipped car is vastly superior in safety and driving satisfaction. Equipping modern cars with halogens is such a terrible cost cutting move. I loved my ‘98; GTI VR6 and would love another GTI. But the headlights on the US spec car of that generation were horrendous. I installed Euro spec Hella dual rounds on my car. What an upgrade. I can only imagine how they would have been with HID or LED technology. VW has made the choice easy for you. Get the SE
I prefer halogens to xenon or LED. I hate the really sharp cut offs of the fancier lights.
Had an ‘11 TDI sportwagen which I loved. Keep thinking of getting a Golf R (almost ordered a spektrum reseda green) or a sportwagen 4 motion. GTI interior is the nicest (R is too fancy) and obviously faster than the 1.8 sportwagen, but the one thing I did not like about the TDI was it was FWD. but no good colors for the sportwagen. So I continue to rock the Tacoma as a daily(ish) driver (hard to call anything a daily with 9 cars ....).
08-28-2019, 05:26 PM
There’s no excuse for accepting halogen headlights. Just on this alone, the LED equipped car is vastly superior in safety and driving satisfaction. Equipping modern cars with halogens is such a terrible cost cutting move. I loved my ‘98; GTI VR6 and would love another GTI. But the headlights on the US spec car of that generation were horrendous. I installed Euro spec Hella dual rounds on my car. What an upgrade. I can only imagine how they would have been with HID or LED technology. VW has made the choice easy for you. Get the SE
