Your views on the new Golf R/ S3/ RS3
 

As the title suggests. Anyone have one. All opinions welcome. Please leave out any comments on price. Yes we all know they are not cheap cars.

Harry

The price................. Oh wait.............

All extremely nice cars to own. Nearly bought an S3 years ago. All got great build quality, and as everyday cars, they are great all rounders. Should all hold there values well.

All but the RS3 can have a manual gearbox. If you're buying new, I wouldn't go S3. The new A3 is coming out very soon.

Either a Focus RS or Megane RS would be the more options.

As Stilover says new A3 out soon so discount if buying new an S3 or an RS3. I would take an Audi over a VW & unusure if Golf is quattro, so that would be out. Used wise I would buy an S3. Some good deals on leases for S3 at the mo, so that might be another way ?

Richard

Golf R...poor replacement for the R32 (biased ;) ): Engine sounds like a constant fart in comparison, and to a point it is just a AWD Golf GTi with the boost wound up. Fine if you like that kind of thing, not fine for those after something different to the normal dirge of prosaic 4pot turbos (which is what the old R32 offered ). Which at that RRP, it doesn't deliver.

S3: As above, pretty much the same car. But more acceptable as the S3 has always been a AWD 4pot turbo.

RS3: Perfect, lovely engine note. Goes like stink. Only for it to be ruined by the DSG and being 5 door/avant only. So basically its for people who can't drive a car with a proper manual gearbox and have succumbed to cramping style for sake of practicality, which kind of defeats the point of having a performance car - non? Bearing in mind this car is aimed (and priced) to compete with the BMW 135M (or is that the TTRS's job? ).

I mean, what better excuse not have one's pride a joy crammed with sprogs and the missus's excessive shopping than 3 doors and a smallish boot. Seriously the RS3 should never have been offered like this as a sole option. Plus it would have looked so much better as a 3door. Shame.

So based on that S3 manual with bucket front seats and magnetic ride. Its stayed true to its marque. Is AWD, can be specced up. Boosted up and can be had in manual 3 door for those wanting to keep their missus and offspring firmly confined to the MPV/SUV....and I'll burn you a CD recording of my R32's exhaust note to mask the engine noise ;)

ALi-B (wanting to swap his current car for something a bit newer, but can't as no direct replacement exists :( )

What a boring looking car the s3 is though, the older model wasn't exactly a 'shout about it' car but it pulled off a good look with the slightly flared arches etc. The new model s3 could just be the normal a3 with only a badge to say different.

Have seen a couple Golf R's over the last couple weeks. Very hard to spot. Just look like any other Golf.

It will also be very hard to spot the new RS3, as I've already seen a few TDI Sportbacks with RS3 Alloys and a silly RS3 badge on the front. Will the real RS3 stand out?

Same with the S3. Unless you know your cars, you'd never know it it was an S3 or TDI.

At least with Ford, the RS doesn't look like the Zetec Sport. Have to give Ford credit for that.

If you're talking RS3 money then my money would go on a BMW 1M or 135i.

1M:luvlove::luvlove::luvlove:

Now that looks like a serious piece of kit.:notworthy:notworthy

Although, technically speaking, if you look at a 135M you should really look at a TTRS too.

That's where I'm currently at (well maybe next year when secondhand prices drop - I never buy new)

Saw an r32 , i think it was, being driven road a roundabout yesterday by a couple of lads

- more like flung round in fact , impressive engine note

I quite prefer it like that. It means I can park it in a space in a dodgy area and it not draw unwanted attention. The only thing that makes my Golf stand out is the stupid centre exit tailpipes (that leave black soot marks on your trousers if your reach into the boot :mad: ). I've actually debadged the front grille (just clips in) so when reversed into a space it looks like a normal Golf with big alloys. :)

Couldn't do that with my Impreza, and definetly couldn't do it with the Monaro (well, that was becuase the monaro would never fit in a normal space so stuck out by a few metres).

Thats one thing that puts me off the Focus RS (as well as the lack of AWD), the 135M and TTRS as well (ok the latter looks like any TT, but they are a bit to showy for my liking for an everyday driver).

After watching Top Gear last week, and reading a few reviews on the BMW 1M. I'm considering chopping in the 370Z for one.

Off work this week, so will call in at my local BMW dealer for a chat.

I changed my 997S for an S3 S-Tronic (DSG).

Its a nice car, fairly quick and so far its been reliable. Its no 997S but then again its half the cost.

I have free servicing on it and it does about 30mpg at a guess.

For me the S3 was the only car that would fit the requirement that I had, must be 4x4, must be quick and must have a good size boot for my GSD AND must fit in my garage.

Would have had an RS4 Avant but my garage is tiny and the S3 only just fits.

If I ever manage to move house I will have a garage that will fit an estate car and then I can get an RS6 or an AMG merc as my dog van LOL.