WowHi Fccukers! Love you long time. Just bought another car. Thought I’d share my thoughts. Still haven’t felt that lovin’ feeling since I sold my Plus, but this one has gave me the nearest feels.
So I bought a Mk5 Golf GTI after the coop, review here:
ClickyI was happy with it, in fact I kept the car for 7 years. It was anonymous, it was reliable, it was quick. In fact, it was the best car I’d owned. At being a car that is! Couldn’t hold a candle to the coop as something I looked back at in the car park. As a conversation piece. Being part of an exclusive club that only we held the key to. I grew up, had kids, and the Golf was there like that favourite jumper you always donned after a shitty day. In short, it just did it’s job. But it was nearing it’s 17th birthday. Rust was showing on her wings, as grey hairs were appearing on my beard
I guess we all rust eventually.
A replacement was needed. 10k was acquired. coupes were scoured, on Auto Trader, eBay and the dark web. In the end though, that pesky heart won over the brain
and I went with a safe choice that I could transport three young offspring reliably that could still raise a smile: a MK7 Golf R. (Trappy entered the chat). A brief summary:
Looks: I think she looks good. Flawless Lapis Blue metallic. 100k miles but a former Dr owner. A few stonechips on the bonnet and one 2mm dint on the driver’s door, the previous owners looked after her better than I could. Yes, it’s a Golf in a frock, they’re everywhere, the exclusivity can never match the coupe, just something you need to live with after 15 years of coupé ownership.
Features: 20 years of progress brings benefits and drawbacks. Creature comforts like Adaptive cruise control, dual climate control, driver modes that change the throttle, engine response, exhaust note are welcome. The ‘Soundaktor’ that pipes in artificial engine sound, less so.
Performance: I have a manual so the 0-60 and 1/4 mile times sacrifice performance for interaction, the standard engine produces 300ps. It’s faster than a standard 20VT but on par with a G-Tech or ‘stage one’ Coupé, once past 60mph. With the 4wd Haldex system it’s probably half a second faster.
Tuning: This is where the relentless march of technology really pulls away from Fiat’s finest. A simple remap of the Golf’s brain has yielded An extra 95BHP, taking the power to 385 horses. The remap took an hour and cost less than £500. It was no slouch before but has catapulted the performance to the kind of Barbz/Mavric/Nigel levels of 1/4 mile time I dreamed of salivating over the dream builds of fccuk yesteryear. It is almost fairground fast with a sub 4 second 0-60 for a manual car. All whilst lumping 2 car baby car seats in the back!
Do I love the car as much as my last five coupés? No way! Whilst the performance blows my mind, it’s just another car, the coupé remains one of those memories in my mind we all cherish. Maybe it’s rose tinted spectacles and a yearning for a time when I was young, carefree and had a permanent coupé paranoia
Keep the faith, thanks for reading and cherish your Coupés. I’ll be back one day
Pinin
