2019 Golf R

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Dec 5, 2003
Messages
3,718
Location
New England, USA
Anyone have one? Curious to any longer term experience.

Over the past month I've driven some interesting cars; Evora, last gen Corvette, A8L and the Golf R. The Golf had me grinning like a kid.... I've owned several VW's up through the early 90's (learned to drive in a Vanagon) but had lost touch with the brand's offerings.

I was surprised how 'pure', for lack of a better word, the R is. It is fast, tossable, and the brakes are fantastic if not too touchy. I'm not a fan of FWD, so not much interest in the GTI, but this is a different beast.

We just bought one for my Wife, keeping the long n the tooth S4 for this Winter.
 
I have a 2017 All Track...25,000 + miles. Runs like a top. Never been in to the dealer for any warranty work; I bought it new. Has the 1.8 l engine and it burns no oil which I change every 5000 miles as it is DI. This is the fourth VW I have had since 2013 and none required any warranty work. Two were the diesels. One I had VW buy back to get the All Track and the other I had retuned and just traded it in on a 2019 Passat witha 6 year, 72,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty.

I really like the brand and am pleased with the quality, the performance and the reliability. I am also VERY pleased with the local dealership.
 
Lol, dont let Edyvw know you think a car with fwd based awd and 60/40 weight distribution handles awesome.

It's basically a detuned audi rs3, with all of the maintenance and reliability foibles that brings with it. I'd personally check out other vehicles if you want legit long term use.
 
I think overall VW gets a bad rap reliability wise. My experience with their Diesel's could not have been more positive. (1979 Diesel Rabbit). If "Dieselgate" had never happened, and you could buy a Jetta TDI the same way now, as before that whole stink started, I'd most likely be driving one.
 
Originally Posted by billt460
I think overall VW gets a bad rap reliability wise. My experience with their Diesel's could not have been more positive. (1979 Diesel Rabbit). If "Dieselgate" had never happened, and you could buy a Jetta TDI the same way now, as before that whole stink started, I'd most likely be driving one.

That's because the government ruined diesel. Diesel in america is dead. VW just chose not to comply, so theirs were legit until they got caught.
 
I think VW, Chrysler, and others have figured it out on their latest models. The little baby Duramax in the Colorado seems to be great, too. I just wouldn't pay the premium for one and I wouldn't dare have it as a short trip vehicle. I just don't see the economics of these new small diesels. The fuel is more expensive than gasoline where I live, so that negates the fuel economy gain. The maintenance is more expensive, and you have to add DEF. No thanks. Really, the only advantages are the power and range. I thought about waitng for the diesel for my JL Wrangler, but I'm VERY glad I didn't. The 3.6 has been bulletproof, has plenty of power, and can be very cheap to maintain. Plus, they didn't offer a manual transmission with the new 3.0.
 
Originally Posted by Ws6
Lol, dont let Edyvw know you think a car with fwd based awd and 60/40 weight distribution handles awesome.

It's basically a detuned audi rs3, with all of the maintenance and reliability foibles that brings with it. I'd personally check out other vehicles if you want legit long term use.


It is probably better than 40/60 which we enjoy
grin.gif
For real world, off track, fun, it doesn't matter and is arguably better.

Long term reliability isn't our primary concern, and yes we know what to expect.

Thanks all.

On diesels; We have a '17 RR HSE with the TDV6, and despite a large thirst for DEF, LR seems to have it figured it out. Interesting that DEF consumption increased significantly after a software update which I suspect was a reaction to the VW diesel affair. The vehicle gets ~28MPG highway, ~23MPG average and gets ~18MPG towing a 4K pound boat and trailer. My previous gas one never really got more than 19MPG period. I wont be happy when I cant get my DD in a diesel.
 
Originally Posted by wings&wheels
Originally Posted by Ws6
Lol, dont let Edyvw know you think a car with fwd based awd and 60/40 weight distribution handles awesome.

It's basically a detuned audi rs3, with all of the maintenance and reliability foibles that brings with it. I'd personally check out other vehicles if you want legit long term use.


It is probably better than 40/60 which we enjoy
grin.gif
For real world, off track, fun, it doesn't matter and is arguably better.

Long term reliability isn't our primary concern, and yes we know what to expect.

Thanks all.

On diesels; We have a '17 RR HSE with the TDV6, and despite a large thirst for DEF, LR seems to have it figured it out. Interesting that DEF consumption increased significantly after a software update which I suspect was a reaction to the VW diesel affair. The vehicle gets ~28MPG highway, ~23MPG average and gets ~18MPG towing a 4K pound boat and trailer. My previous gas one never really got more than 19MPG period. I wont be happy when I cant get my DD in a diesel.

It's actually not.

[Linked Image]
 
Originally Posted by billt460
I think overall VW gets a bad rap reliability wise. My experience with their Diesel's could not have been more positive. (1979 Diesel Rabbit). If "Dieselgate" had never happened, and you could buy a Jetta TDI the same way now, as before that whole stink started, I'd most likely be driving one.


Yes I base all my car buying decisions based on how reliable they were 40 years ago. By the way, when you said "before that whole stink started" - was that pun intended?
 
Originally Posted by rooflessVW
Enjoy! The Golf R a monster! Fun to drive, practical, it checks all the boxes!


Thank you!



I feel like we are coming full circle, when Wife and I met back in the Dark Ages, she was driving a Jetta and I was driving a 1600-2.
 
Enjoy an congrats! I love the Golf R, but it was a little outta my price range at the time so I guess my GTI will have to do for now. They're great daily drivers, nimble and easy to park. With the seats down they can haul a good bit, I've brought home my HF 21 gallon compressor and S10 bumper and body parts in it with plenty of room to spare.
 
I love the spunky lil critters, they really are fun to drive. If there was just a tuner to eliminate the stability control nannies I would buy one.

But a superb configuration, they can haul your stuff and haul [censored] too!
 
I had a GTI as my last ride and contemplated an R.

I needed a bit more room and I found myself driving like a hooligan. It was a fun 15 months. It was to the dealer multiple times and the long term feeding and care was going to be too expensive.
 
Originally Posted by SteveSRT8
I love the spunky lil critters, they really are fun to drive. If there was just a tuner to eliminate the stability control nannies I would buy one.

But a superb configuration, they can haul your stuff and haul [censored] too!

Time to put your money where your mouth is!

The nannies can be switched off via coding and there are tunes available for the ECU, TCU, and Haldex.
 
I've always liked some of the VW's except for the fact that they are umm VW's.
 
Originally Posted by billt460
I think overall VW gets a bad rap reliability wise. My experience with their Diesel's could not have been more positive. (1979 Diesel Rabbit). If "Dieselgate" had never happened, and you could buy a Jetta TDI the same way now, as before that whole stink started, I'd most likely be driving one.

From what I understand, dieselgate wasn't about reliability at all... it was emissions.

The "bad rap" you referenced comes from the quality of vehicles they produced.
 
My buddy has one. The LED headlights are nice. It's a fast little thing but all my knowledge and wrenching is on imports. Euro's are a bit out of my league and I tell him every time he asks me to help him throw on a mod.
 
Originally Posted by Ws6


It's basically a detuned audi rs3, with all of the maintenance and reliability foibles that brings with it. I'd personally check out other vehicles if you want legit long term use.


Ummm ... NO.

The Audi RS3 has a MONSTER 400 hp 5 cylinder turbo, with no relation whatsoever to the 288 hp 4 cylinder turbo in the Golf R ... which is a pumped up version of the GTI engine.

To the OP ... congrats on the stealth, uber practical new Golf R. I have driven the Focus RS, Golf R, WRX STI and Civic Type R. The Golf R is the sophisticated one in this group. Better real world suspension settings, nicer interior, more cargo space etc. And still VERY quick.

Just be careful with the wheels, especially if you went with the 19 inch rubber band tires. Those wheels bend. Frequently.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top