(Not the greatest pics I know)
I think the main problem I had with the now departed Scirocco was that it wasn't my previous cars in anyway. This probably had a lot to do with what those previous cars were and that it had an awful lot to live up to. They were a Focus ST with 280bhp (it had half the power of this) and a Clio RS200 with the cup pack (where it was always going to struggle in terms of handling as pretty much every car does). It also just didn't fit what I wanted and looking back it was a rush buy at the time, but you live and you learn. I don't know what I expected from a diesel automatic really.
Now what the Scirocco was was reliable. It never needed anything more than the yearly service and a set of wiper blades in the time I had it. And it did look good esp when I added the colour coded front grill, rear spoiler, Scirocco R rear lights, tints and 19s but it was never going to set the world alight with its 140 bhp diesel engine and DSG gearbox. It did return a genuine 54mpg though which was an upside but its not everything. So after just under two years of ownership I decided I just wasn't happy and needed a change.
So the process of looking for a new wagon started. Friends were drafted in with the only really criteria being that it had to be auto (for various reasons) and fairly fresh so we started to hit AutoTrader etc hard. My WhatsApp nearly exploded with suggestions from the mates some of which were useful others not so much. However they got me thinking long and hard about what to go for and I was soon looking at cars such as the Audi S3 saloon, Leon Cupra, Mercedes A45, BMW M235i etc. I made some very very serious enquiries about a Volvo V60 Polestar in rebel blue but decided against it as I don't need a car that big. A C63 Mercedes entered my head but at the age I could afford big maintenance items would need sorted soonish so it ws ruled out too.
Then finally at the start of Jan, after what seemed like months of looking something came up that I just couldn't say no to. It was a car i'd been in and driven (briefly) before so knew what they were like. Phone calls were made and after thinking it over in my head and sleeping on it for a night the deposit was placed. At this stage the car had just arrived into the UK and the dealer had yet to get it so no dates could be made for collection. But finally in late Jan I got the call I was waiting for, the car had arrived and arrangements were made to go collect it with flights and boats booked for the end of the month. A few days before I was due to head over to lift it I then got a few pics of it through via email from the sales man.
So on Thursday evening a good friend and myself flew to Manchester (we live just outside Belfast) where we were collected by our good friend who lives just outside Derby, who had agreed to put us up for a few nights. The following morning it was up early after a poor night of sleep (due to excitement) to head to the dealer to collect the new car.
And here it is as I arrived at the dealership:
(excuse my ugly mug in this pic)
I also need to get a few more pics.
It's a 2017 Golf R 3 door DSG , with discover sat nav, heated seats and all the other regular Golf R bits and pieces. Now I know many will say it's just another Golf R but for what I want from a car this seems to have it all. I've only just picked it up so I'm sure I'll form a proper opinion on the near 300 mile journey home over the next day or so but for now it's what I was looking for.
The big question is will I modify this? Not anytime soon I don't think, though thats mainly due to lack of funds at the moment. I can see a set of Pretorias finding their way into it at some stage though I do have a set of genuine VW Motorsport (AKA VW Votex) 19s in anthracite sitting from the Scirocco which I might try on to see what they look like if they don't need spacers and the windows will be getting tinted most likely, I also love the Oettinger rear spoiler for the R but it's not cheap but that would be it. Though they are famous last words.
I think it's far to say I'm a happy man
