53 minutes ago, Luckypants said:

I think you will regret the Golf R if comfort is a priority, it will be rock hard and fidgety on broken surfaces. I tried a LEON Cupra (similar to GOLF R) and found it WAY too hard on the road for our lanes.

 

Mate of mine (not a petrol head) got a shot of a golf R. Driving it normally he hated it. Driving it at speeds which were well on the side of naughty it started to work and make sense and he really enjoyed it.

He thought it would be hard work as an everyday car.

 

What about a JCW Clubman?

I have to say I've grown to really like my Clubman. But mine has the weird suicide door. And I like a bit of weird in a car.

Edited 31 July, 20187 yr by Aspman

On ‎24‎/‎07‎/‎2018 at 22:20, Offski said:

Toyota Auris Touring 1.8 Hybrid.

 

SEAT Leon ST 1.4 TSI 150ps DSG

SEAT Leon ST 1.8 TSI 180ps DSG.

 

I do like the look of the Seats. Found myself sidetracked by the 280bhp Cupra though ...

What about a Seat Ateca Cupra?

54 minutes ago, Aspman said:

 

Mate of mine (not a petrol head) got a shot of a golf R. Driving it normally he hated it. Driving it at speeds which were well on the side of naughty it started to work and make sense and he really enjoyed it.

He thought it would be hard work as an everyday car.

 

What about a JCW Clubman?

I have to say I've grown to really like my Clubman. But mine has the weird suicide door. And I like a bit of weird in a car.

I found the Golf R exhaust obtrusive when you don't want it to be.  Also it was a little harsh one some road surfaces.  Bloody good car though and as an estate it's a tempting buy. 

I think it's 60:40 biased between performance:comfort and the Golf GTI is 40:60.  I have a feeling the Clubsport would be Goldilocks....just right

Unless you really need Haldex and 3 year or 30,000 miles servicing of that then as well to give it a miss. (Skoda might say 40,000 miles at same time as the DSG so £279 & £79)

OK for going dogging maybe, so there you go back to an estate.  Useful for taking the dog a walking as well, but a dogs lead and collar is cheaper.

Have you seen the 2019 Suzuki Jimney. Its fantastic.

Same size as the current Jimny so if you get your large dog in the back of one of those then you are sorted but then it is a 2 seater only.

The dog will not be that comfortable.  Might as well get a Vitara.

Edited 31 July, 20187 yr by Offski

Retired? VW Golf R, Tesla?

 

Isn't there a law that states you can only drive a Volvo?

 

On 24/07/2018 at 22:00, tweenster said:

I'm planning to retire next year and am looking to buy another car as part of my assimilation into the Silver Surfer brigade. The Fabia vRS will be 8 and a bit years old by then so will be sacrificed on the part exchange altar. But what to buy? The simplest choice is a Golf R Estate as it ticks all the boxes, but it is actually more car than I need and despite many hours spent on the internet I always end up with the Golf or a VAG alternative. So what else is out there that I should be looking at?

 

My requirements are:

 

Petrol - There will be more short journeys than long journeys once I retire so it must be petrol.

Automatic - Mrs T and I much prefer a modern auto and have become lazy in our driving habits.

Estate - We have a large dog, a daughter that will be at uni by then and, hopefully, grandkids at some point in the future, so it needs to be able to carry a reasonable load.

Size - Not too big; no larger than an Octavia.

Performance - Needs to be able to pick up her skirts and show a clean pair of heels when required.

Comfort - We are retiring so we are getting on a bit, so it needs to be relatively softly sprung. We also live in rural Lincolnshire where the roads are **** and full of potholes so it needs to be able to cope with that as well.

Running costs - Must be reasonable. And I am, by definition, a tight git so hate spending money, so £500 a year on road tax will NOT happen!

 

So, what are the options? Grateful for any advice, preferably with experience.

You have already answered your own question......the only car to do that IMO is a Golf R estate. Awesome bit of kit and driven sensibly will return sensible mpg with plenty enough bhp to show lots of cars a clean pair of heels!

 

Not quite sure what you mean with respect to the Golf R  by "more car than I need" 

 

Size wise it's less than an Octavia estate, build quality is up there with the best, well put together with no rattles, unlike some  top dollar BMW's

 

Enjoy whatever you go for but some of the alternatives mentioned above do not fit the bill, how a Nissan Juke could be in there, I don't know. It is so small, especially the boot - no room for a large dog, luggage etc,it's a tall Micra!

 

Or try a Volvo with that 5 cylinder engine that goes well, think it's a T5 they can fly (Polestar) 

Edited 31 July, 20187 yr by Defenderben

A car for retirement, how about this?

 

https://youtu.be/zy5rkw4SeP4

On ‎31‎/‎07‎/‎2018 at 20:43, Defenderben said:

 

Not quite sure what you mean with respect to the Golf R  by "more car than I need" 

 

 

I don't 'need' 300bhp, nothing more than that.

 

So started looking at Golf GTI hatchbacks - still larger than the Fabia Estate.

 

However ...

 

Mrs T suggested a hybrid so I started researching them. Ended up looking at the Golf GTE but they are expensive, I don't fancy lugging around 300kg of batteries and the economy when using the engine to charge the batteries is woeful. Although the 31 mile electric range would be very useful for the short journeys and with our plan to install a solar roof on the house then charging the car would be free.

 

So ended up back with a Golf R, although I suspect a hatchback would suffice. But an estate gives more options. And with the price of 2-year old Rs being not that different from 2 year old GTIs, and less than the GTE, it does seem a more 'sensible' option. I can't believe that I said that a 4WD 300bhp car is the sensible option!!! :-)

 

No rush to decide; retirement isn't until next year.

1 hour ago, tweenster said:

 

I don't 'need' 300bhp, nothing more than that.

 

 

It's all relative. I'd say 300hp is adequate now

If I wasn't doing so many miles I'd be looking for an XFR jag with 505hp.

 

KISS is a pretty good idea with the VW Group and VW Group main dealers.

150 ps / 180 ps Euro 6 TSI engines are pretty good, and there are Estates with those engines in Skoda, SEAT, VW's and Audi's.

 

A VW Golf Estate with petrol, DSG & 150 PS is a pretty nice vehicle, nothing complicated not made of chocolate and can do twice the UK NSL easily.

KISS??? Keep It Simple Stupid???

Yes, no offence intended.

VW Group do add some useless tat and stuff & complications that is more trouble than it can be worth IMO, but do turn out some great engines and models quite often.

Usually just before discontinuing them and moving on to new tech that has its issues and instead of making advances with the tried and tested stuff.

Edited 4 August, 20187 yr by Offski

Holy Cow Batman - Just priced up a new Golf Estate, 150bhp with DSG and a bunch of options and it came to over £33K! Many of these options are standard on the GTI or R - Madness!!!

 

But I agree that it would be a lovely car!

 

I suppose finding a stock car with options is the way to go?

Edited 4 August, 20187 yr by tweenster

9 minutes ago, Offski said:

Yes, no offence intended.

VW Group do add some useless tat and stuff & complications that is more trouble than it can be worth IMO, but do turn out some great engines and models quite often.

Usually just before discontinuing them and moving on to new tech that has its issues and instead of making advances with the tried and tested stuff.

 

And none taken.

There will be cars built since the 1st June 2018 that will not be WLTP approved and in the UK or arriving in the next few weeks that can not be First Registered after the 31st August, 

so many RRP's & Asking Prices are a wish and a dream right now for Dealerships.

Those that get Pre Reg'd and are still sitting unsold by the end of the year and into 2019 will have to get priced sensibly.

 

Much Cheapness is just a short while away for New and 18 plate cars.

 

Switch to new WLTP emissions regulations may put pressure on new car supplies _ Latest News.mhtml

Edited 4 August, 20187 yr by Offski

A quick review of the options I ticked and I saved £5K!

On 31/07/2018 at 16:12, Luckypants said:

I tried a LEON Cupra (similar to GOLF R) and found it WAY too hard on the road for our lanes.

Not too sure about the earlier versions but my 290 BE came with DCC as standard.

On 31/07/2018 at 17:30, tweenster said:

I do like the look of the Seats. Found myself sidetracked by the 280bhp Cupra though ...

Just wait until you drive one...............

On 31/07/2018 at 17:48, Kenny R said:

What about a Seat Ateca Cupra? Cupra Ateca!

Sorted that for you!

 

13 hours ago, john999boy said:

 

Sorted that for you!

 

You Thank 

 

18 hours ago, john999boy said:

Not too sure about the earlier versions but my 290 BE came with DCC as standard.

That adjusts damping only. It cannot change the spring rate (too hard for our road) or that fact that it has VERY low profile tyres (much less give). I test drove the ST 4x4 version with DCC, one trip up the minor country road to my house told me that there was no way I could live with suspension that hard - even with DCC in comfort mode. Horses for courses, on the twisty A- and B-roads of N. Wales it would be a hoot - as a daily driver its bad back time. 

The OP cited comfort as a priority, I found the Leon Cupra uncomfortable.