Unless you need a back seat, 4wd capability and a nice interior, the Golf R is not going to be as fun to drive as the Z. The only reason you want a Golf R is that you need a do-it-all vehicle from going to track a couple times a year to taking wife and kids to a road trip and anything in between. It does everything well enough but does nothing great. I replaced my Z a year or so ago with a GTI and a Lotus Elise. They serve different purposes and cover all my needs.

I think the Golf R is one of the most overrated performance cars.

:iagree:

It's underrated....I've been driving my R more than my Z.

http://www.the370z.com/members/zero-...aily-drive.jpg

How does it compare to the Z? Wondering if I could get a non biased opinion about the R vs the Z. Right now, I have made up the mind to keep my current ride and just pay it off. Then save up some funds to go ahead and get a R if not something else. if the R winds up checking most if not all the boxes - then trade in the Z. My main fear is trading in my Z and then having complete buyers remorse afterwards and not being able to get my original car back (at least that is what the family tells me will happen haha).

Have you driven one at all?

Seems to me that the easiest thing to do would be for you to take one out for an extended test drive to see if it suits you. If you don't know in 20 minutes, then it's not the car for you. The looks won't sway you, and it won't get easier to live with over time.

Check all of the normal things - acceleration and braking, steering feel, access, seat comfort, heater (a/c depending on where you live - not here right now), visibility, audio and connectivity, storage (both luggage room and cubbys/cupholders), USB and charging ports. NVH. Check the ride on various surfaces (giving whatever allowance you want to for the tires that are on the car you test).

The only things that an extended test drive won't tell you would be the costs of ownership, which others can legitimately help you with.

I've thought about this as a second car

Everything i've read is that its a far overqualified daily driver, more power and handling than you'd ever need on the street, but not quite good enough to truly be a track fun toy

It's pretty expensive - otherwise i think i'd totally love one as a car for mondays through fridays to go to work. You can haul people and stuff and have some kick on the freeway

Leave the Z for the weekends

However, price keeps popping up. I currently daily a used IS300 thats paid off. Why would i take on 20-30K of extra debt + the cost of ownership?

Plus, i have more money to blow on the Z

i dont think i'd ever consider a Golf INSTEAD of a Z. merely in addition to

life changes in a blink, so $$ was may not make sense.
I have a problem with cars, and I sold my genesis in March
swore I make the Z a daily, but I ended up buying a 2005 mini cooper convertible.
on the in-expense side. works as a daily.

Thought if you want another toy, find something you can afford, and then have fun with it.

Z is a great little sports car...

When I was looking - unfortunately i wasn’t able to find one that was a manual. The only used one I found was a DSG. The salesman had me drive a GTI as well which WAS manual - told me that the shifter and transmission was the same as what is in the R, the shifting was definitely smooth but I definitely enjoyed the Z’s notchiness. The only R that I got to test drive was a used one and while the pickup was really good and it was very smooth - I wonder if the suspension could have been a little more tighter although the steering was great.

I guess there is a part of me that is wanting to know what a manual R drives like to see if the shifter is the same as the GTI. Also, wanting to know if a lower mileage R will be tighter in the suspension etc. Unfortunately a dealer around me is willing to let me drive a new one bc of fear of putting mileage on it etc (understandable but frustrating). The other part of me is thinking not what a R can do in it’s stock form but the mods that can be applied to make it much faster etc. I know in it’s stock form - the Z is definitely superior (at least my opinion) but after a few mods I think this car could be a great drivers car.

I think the end result is definitely one where I plan on keeping the Z - did a long road trip this past weekend and it was fun - LOUD but definitely fun. Sometimes i think one just needs to go out and drive what they have to remind themselves why they bought one to begin with.

Thanks everyone :)

I can’t get over that it looks like a mini-minivan. If they offered it in a coupe, I may be interested.

My sister was always telling me that it looked like a little roach haha....but i guess looks will always be subjective. I wil agree, if they brought the Scirocco here - that would be awesome and give you that ‘more of a coupe’ look. My GTI was a 2 door - and I definitely preferred the longer doors.

My opinion is not gonna help you a whole lot without you test driving the car. It is a great commuter car with good handling and performance. But it's hella muted. But these days people like mutemobiles. I don't. I like visceral cars. And the golf R is NOT visceral. You're better off in a wrx if you want a sports car feel. The EVO was the best in visceral feel though it was built kinda cheaply.

I would take the new Mazda3 2019 hatchback over this hideous vdub.

Yes.

There's no way I could convince myself that what I was driving was sporty or non-basic transport given when I look at a Golf (R or not), all I see is some type of Chevy Sonic / Dodge Omni hybrid. That, plus it's a VW... Hell man, that should be enough alone.

:iagree: