I've been over in Dubai for nearly 6 months now and I'm still renting a 1.6 Toyota Corolla which is pretty gutless and dull to drive so needs to go. My monthly budget for a new car needs to be the same as I'm paying for a hire car plus £100, so around £400 per month.

After seeing the hell my friend has been through with buying a used car and replacing the engine due to the previous owners lack of servicing I decided on a new car, I've never owned a new car and said I never would, but with the warranties and free servicing available from main dealers it seems crazy not to go down that route.

I've been to quite a few of the dealers and narrowed my search down, the Yank tanks are out, even at 30p per litre I'm not going for a V8 Camaro or Mustang, they sound amazing and are quick in a straight line but dreadful interiors and handle like the Costa Concordia.

So my search narrowed down to VW who are offering 5 years warranty, 3 years free servicing, 3 years free breakdown cover plus one years free insurance.

I've test drove the Golf R and Scirocco R, both had the fantastic DSG box which is just so smooth at shifting that you don't feel anything but constant acceleration when in auto, select the flappy paddles on the wheel and it becomes good fun, the down shift even blips the throttle for you to make it a smooth change.
The Golf is heavier with the 4WD and it feels heavier to drive, the Scirocco feels a little more sure footed in the corners, possibly because its slightly wider?

The Scirocco is only FWD but with 265bhp there was no torque steer at all, both cars have bags of torque from low down and although they don't feel quick as in a punch in the back the power delivery with the DSG is just smooth from nothing up to the audible bong to say you've reached the speed limit.

Interiors are fantastic on both, they come with "gulf spec" as they call it here so all the toys are fitted, all very solid feeling after the Toyota.

So really it comes down to looks, both cars parked next to each other I think the Scirocco is the prettier of the two with it's wider more squat look but I'm not sold on the rear! The Golf only comes in a 4 door over here and I think the 4 door spoils the lines of the car.

So which do you think is the better car? Which would you go for?


Or

Scirocco, less transmission losses and better looking (unless you'll be going over dunes and need 4WD?).

Still, at 30p/litre I'd still go Mustang V8 (in yellow) purely for the noise. I could afford to buy and run a Scirocco over here, but not a big V8!

Have a poll!

Which car? single choice
	Scirocco
	Golf
Votes accepted starting: 17/04/2012 15:21 You must vote before you can view the results of this poll.

Driven both and had the Scirocco as a company car for 4-5 months doing 130 miles a day.

Never once got out feeling tired or hurting. More fun and looks

Only one choice in my eyes......

As per previous thread, see below.

Good, I 'm glad most have opted for the Scirocco as I think that was going to be my choice, it's just from some angles the rear end looks a bit like a Volvo C30 crossed with an Astra?
I think the R's rear is slightly better with the diffuser look but there's something I'm not sure about


I think possibly the rear windows ?

Definately get the Scirocco

I love the look of them and still an eye catcher on the roads too

Haven't voted as I don't like either. The Sirroco - the curves and styling is too exaggerated. Looks like they carried on at the drawing board stage for about a week too long. I bet at some point it looked brilliant. Has the look of a squashed frog from the rear The golf is just erm, a Golf, could be almost any modern hatch Having said that I'm not sure what new cars I do like. Not seen anything interesting for a while. ooooh lies. All the new Merc range is nice (but probably expensive!)

Scirocco - it's like a Golf, but not a Golf.

So's the Golf.

Scirocco, of those two. I'd be in the yank tank personally though - petrol's going to run out soon, best use your share

Is there nothing else interesting out there with better-sounding engines? 370Z or similar? Approved used Golf R32?

If I was going to buy FWD brand new I'd save myself £15k and buy a new RS Megane 265.

Clicky

EDIT: That said, if I was looking to throw £25k at a brand new car I'd find it very difficult not to head to the nearest Toyota dealer and put a deposit down on a GT86. It maybe doesn't have the outright figures of the others, but you can guarantee it'll be far more rewarding to drive...

surely in Dubai it must be a v8, just on price of fuel alone! Can you not find a nice TVR . Last time I was out there I used the in laws supercharged range and thought I was in a little car! and all the TWAL's (Tw@ts with a Lexus), jesus.....

I'm not looking for a 4x4 though, they don't really interest me. I wanted something that costs similar to my hire car but looks nice, goes well and has a good package with it (warranty, servicing,etc) the vw's ticked all those boxes.
The big yank cars are two a penny over here, there's 3 Mustangs, a Camaro and a Challenger in my car park, they sound and look amazing but that's pretty much where it ends, dreadful round the bends and not that much quicker than the vw's.

No TVRs, I'm not buying a used car, too risky unless it's a dealer approved car, but there's not much in it between a used car with low milage and a new one.

Plus with delivery in late July early August, I'll get a good deal with the Ramadan sales, they will throw in a few extras and probably a better finance deal (which is already 2%).
Too late anyway, the deposit has been paid!!

Scirocco R in Rising blue, the price included 19" wheels, DSG box, leather seats, navigation and 300w stereo.
Delivery in Aug

Never owned a new car, the coupe was the newest car I'd bought at 3 years old.
I'm very excited!!

Nice work, look forward to your review

Nice one Jimbo and a beautiful colour too! (if it's the one I'm thinking of). Will be looking forward to a review of the car when you get it and again after a few months of driving it.

Nice one!

Received the conformation email from the dealer last night, they really do tick just about every box on the optional extras list and call it gulf spec.

The total price including £4K of extras in the UK would be just shy of £37K, I'm getting that package plus 2 years extra warranty on top of the standard 3 years, plus a years insurance for less than £27K!!

I don't understand how they can do it, are LHD cars that much cheaper or is it a case of rip off UK?

£37k for a Volkswagen doesn't sound like value to me. It looks lovely, but as I said I'd have saved myself a lot of cash and gone for the new Renaultsport Megane 265. In the UK they're offering these with 4 years 0% APR, 4 years servicing and 4 years warranty for £25k.

Not to mention the Megane is critically acclaimed as the best handling FWD car ever. You only have to look at Ring times to see that despite being wrong wheel drive it gets within a fraction of much more expensive "proper" sportscars.

It'll depreciate worse than the Scirocco, but taking into account the cheaper purchase price it still works out a winner. Anyway, the Scirocco is a handsome car and I've no doubt it'll be a good steer. Hope you enjoy it.

But I'm getting at 37K car for 27K with all the toys so surely that is value for money?
Besides, the Renault is ugly as sin and the ride is very unforgiving, it's a track day car in road car clothes.

That's exactly the conclusion I came to. The Renault is not a daily driver - It'd be a hoot for a few weeks, but then I know I'd tire of it. Too harsh, too noisy. It would probably destroy the Scirocco on the 'ring, but I don't take the 'ring to work. Also, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I'm unconvinced on that front, too.

The Scirocco is a fantastic all round package. I think mine is brilliant. Great choice Jimbo!

Is it possible to modify a car you don't actually own yet?

It is now

I just happened to be in an alloy wheel shop with a friend when these beautiful wheels caught my eye
ADV.1 Wheel
Brushed Titanium Finish
Scirocco R
I think they look stunning on the white Scirocco and the brushed titanium finish on the blue Porsche would look really good on the blue car I've ordered.

They look gorgeous on the white one.

Even I can't wait for you to get this car now

August can't come soon enough T!!

Although the temps in August get up to 50'C so I can't exactly sit drooling over it or even give it a polish without me evaporating. Roll on October through to April when the weather is amazing.

I can't wait saddo that I am, I have already bought some McGuires polish and one of those wash mit things.

How the other half live eh?

Awesome rims Jim.

They look like BMW CSL alloys

A very germanic style of wheel. Always looks the part on a German car.

Looks amazing. I assume you will be doing the suspension also?

Yes I am but undecided on what to do, either just drop it on some H&Rs or Eibach springs or go the whole hog and do the KW DDC coilovers?

The springs being the cheaper option but I've read some fantastic reviews on the new KW electrically adjustable shockers.

There is a little similarity with the CSL wheel but the ADVs are stunning, you can't see it in the picture but they are one piece forged with a brushed alloy finish.

I don't know if it will work for you, but German eBay keeps coming up trumps for coil over sets.

Seems cheap and the spring / dampers appear well matched.

The only thing to watch with coil overs is if the wheel is vastly different to stock in terms of size. I've found that the spring seat seems to be lower and therefore catches some wheels.

You'd have to get the offset and or wheel width wrong to suffer with that I think? The FKs really get good reviews, they plug into the cars electronic damper control system so you can select between soft, normal and sport by the push of a button on the centre consol, all clever stuff and I believe the future of adjustable damping.
Just a spring set would be a simple option, I don't like cheap coilovers or any cheap suspension, there's usually a reason for it as learned with FK coilovers!