Think I'm Going to Buy a New GTI

[SakhirM4]

Originally Posted by FriskyDingo

On a side note, I'm shocked at the number of intelligent and positive responses here. Nice to see so many others bolster my impressions of the GTI.

It's always amazing how responses that agree with an OP and support their views become "intelligent and positive"

[Never_Enough]

Originally Posted by FriskyDingo

On the right car, sure. There's just not much in my area, and I'm really picky.

Then you need to look harder/expand your area.

[Z K]

Originally Posted by eluded

They are great little cars. No backseat room. Slightly dangerous due to the size. But I won't support a cheating, lying, Deceitful company like Volkswagen.

Yet you have a profile pic from an Audi S4? It's the same company.

[WHL102]

I was looking around before the new year and there were some great deals and incentives on GTI's. Discounted MSRP + Conquest Cash ($1,500) really had me thinking about paying off the last 12 months of my lease and getting into one.

The saner half of me realized I could probably wait 6 months, finish using up my lease miles, and then start shopping when I had less negative equity to flip over.

I was looking into a 4-door, DSG, SE, w/ Perf. Pkg. in Reflex Silver. Quite a few still around me form when I was looking back in December.

[Viffermike]

A cut-and-paste post of mine in the 2Addicts forum, edited for context, from July 2015:

Unless you have an actual, real, physical, in-the-sheetmetal-in-front-of-me Performance Pack-equipped MkVII GTI in your crosshairs (sounds like the OP had one, but I bet it's gone now!), don't try to find one exactly like you want. Not only will you be waiting a long time for it, you will almost certainly have a monstrously frustrating dealer experience obtaining it.

I test drove a 2015 GTI in late 2014 and was hot, hot, HOT to get a Performance Pack-equipped version. Do a search for my screen name both here and on VWVortex.com; you'll get the long version of my story that way (and I'm not the only one who dealt with all of this) -- I even had a conversation with VWoA's Regional Sales Manager about this ... But in a nutshell:
- I put money down on a PP GTI in early January 2015. I'd still be waiting for my car if I'd stuck with it. Why?:
- VWoA, VW dealers, and most VW factories are not set up to respond to customer orders AT ALL. They operate on a regional allocation system almost exclusively. In other words: you can't 'order' a car. You have to wait for an allocation.
- VW dealers are loathe to trade allocations with other VW dealers, especially for a relatively low-profit car like the GTI.
- Dealer allocations are almost completely based on past sales of specific models. That means you'll need to find a dealer who's sold a ton of GTIs to have a hope. That also means that VW dealers are set up to move existing stock, as opposed to pre-sold orders.
- VWoA severely underestimated the demand for the PP GTI in 2015, even after the car mags fawned over it in the spring of 2014. There's absolutely no explanation for that other than VWoA simply not wanting the business.

About a year ago, word was that VWoA would significantly increase PP GTI production for 2016. I hope that's happened (Looks like they, in fact, did) ... but after what I learned about VWoA's current business practices during this experience, I will never buy a VW product again unless its business model completely changes to be much more consumer focused.

Short version: you can't order a VW in the U.S.; you have to wait for one to pop up. At the time, the kind of GTi I wanted -- a 2-door silver PP with the DCT and the highest option level -- had only been ordered via an allocation 13 times out of thousands of orders.

I ordered a 228i M Sport instead. I've never looked back, and never will.

[Z K]

Originally Posted by Viffermike

A cut-and-paste post of mine in the 2Addicts forum, edited for context, from July 2015:

Unless you have an actual, real, physical, in-the-sheetmetal-in-front-of-me Performance Pack-equipped MkVII GTI in your crosshairs (sounds like the OP had one, but I bet it's gone now!), don't try to find one exactly like you want. Not only will you be waiting a long time for it, you will almost certainly have a monstrously frustrating dealer experience obtaining it.

I test drove a 2015 GTI in late 2014 and was hot, hot, HOT to get a Performance Pack-equipped version. Do a search for my screen name both here and on VWVortex.com; you'll get the long version of my story that way (and I'm not the only one who dealt with all of this) -- I even had a conversation with VWoA's Regional Sales Manager about this ... But in a nutshell:
- I put money down on a PP GTI in early January 2015. I'd still be waiting for my car if I'd stuck with it. Why?:
- VWoA, VW dealers, and most VW factories are not set up to respond to customer orders AT ALL. They operate on a regional allocation system almost exclusively. In other words: you can't 'order' a car. You have to wait for an allocation.
- VW dealers are loathe to trade allocations with other VW dealers, especially for a relatively low-profit car like the GTI.
- Dealer allocations are almost completely based on past sales of specific models. That means you'll need to find a dealer who's sold a ton of GTIs to have a hope. That also means that VW dealers are set up to move existing stock, as opposed to pre-sold orders.
- VWoA severely underestimated the demand for the PP GTI in 2015, even after the car mags fawned over it in the spring of 2014. There's absolutely no explanation for that other than VWoA simply not wanting the business.

About a year ago, word was that VWoA would significantly increase PP GTI production for 2016. I hope that's happened (Looks like they, in fact, did) ... but after what I learned about VWoA's current business practices during this experience, I will never buy a VW product again unless its business model completely changes to be much more consumer focused.

Short version: you can't order a VW in the U.S.; you have to wait for one to pop up. At the time, the kind of GTi I wanted -- a 2-door silver PP with the DCT and the highest option level -- had only been ordered via an allocation 13 times out of thousands of orders.

I ordered a 228i M Sport instead. I've never looked back, and never will.

If you've bought any non- high end car before (Toyota, Honda, VW etc), you'd know that it's very rare to be able to order a car built as you want it.

You pretty much have to find the car from a dealer and purchase whatever they have in the lot. They'll try to "search" for one for you but unless it's from another dealer in their same dealer group, they won't be able to get it for you.

The best bet is to ask a lot of dealers and search around for the particular car you want. Spread your web wide and you might be able to find that specific car.

[eluded]

I have double standards

Originally Posted by Z K

Yet you have a profile pic from an Audi S4? It's the same company.

[Viffermike]

Originally Posted by Z K

If you've bought any non- high end car before (Toyota, Honda, VW etc), you'd know that it's very rare to be able to order a car built as you want it.

In the U.S. yes. In Europe, no. At least in the case of VW. This is a VWoA issue, not a VW AG issue. In Europe, one can order a VW and track it online in much the same way we can order and track BMWs here.

Besides: ordering is only part of the issue. Not only does the OP have to find his ideal GTI, but he has to have his dealership use an allocation to claim that ideal GTI, no matter where it exists -- at another dealer, on a boat, on order. The GTI is one of VW's lowest-profit cars. That won't make it any easier.

Originally Posted by Z K

You pretty much have to find the car from a dealer and purchase whatever they have in the lot. They'll try to "search" for one for you but unless it's from another dealer in their same dealer group, they won't be able to get it for you.

Not true; they can have a car transferred from any VW dealer in the country. I verified this specifically with VWoA. The problem is that the dealer has to trade for it -- and few dealers are going to want to give up, say, a Tiguan or a Passat for a GTI because a Tiguan is a significantly higher-profit vehicle.

Originally Posted by Z K

The best bet is to ask a lot of dealers and search around for the particular car you want. Spread your web wide and you might be able to find that specific car.

Yes, that's the best bet in the U.S. Even with expanded availability, it may still take a while depending on the options the OP wants.

[Z K]

Originally Posted by Viffermike

Not true; they can have a car transferred from any VW dealer in the country. I verified this specifically with VWoA. The problem is that the dealer has to trade for it -- and few dealers are going to want to give up, say, a Tiguan or a Passat for a GTI because a Tiguan is a significantly higher-profit vehicle.

Yes, dealers can do a trade. Very few will negotiate on a trade or maybe even mark up the car for sale. I always get from dealer stock unless its a special order car and I can pay under MSRP.

If you think a GTI is hard to get, try getting a Golf R. Most places are marking it up from MSRP if the dealer has one at all.

[FriskyDingo]

Originally Posted by SakhirM4

It's always amazing how responses that agree with an OP and support their views become "intelligent and positive"

Not what I mean at all. Even people who have had differing opinions have been respectful and easy going.

Until you.

Originally Posted by BoostedRide

Then you need to look harder/expand your area.

I just don't think it's just worth it, at this point. Searching for used cars when you're an enthusiast is just taxing.

[FriskyDingo]

Originally Posted by Viffermike

A cut-and-paste post of mine in the 2Addicts forum, edited for context, from July 2015:

Unless you have an actual, real, physical, in-the-sheetmetal-in-front-of-me Performance Pack-equipped MkVII GTI in your crosshairs (sounds like the OP had one, but I bet it's gone now!), don't try to find one exactly like you want. Not only will you be waiting a long time for it, you will almost certainly have a monstrously frustrating dealer experience obtaining it.

I test drove a 2015 GTI in late 2014 and was hot, hot, HOT to get a Performance Pack-equipped version. Do a search for my screen name both here and on VWVortex.com; you'll get the long version of my story that way (and I'm not the only one who dealt with all of this) -- I even had a conversation with VWoA's Regional Sales Manager about this ... But in a nutshell:
- I put money down on a PP GTI in early January 2015. I'd still be waiting for my car if I'd stuck with it. Why?:
- VWoA, VW dealers, and most VW factories are not set up to respond to customer orders AT ALL. They operate on a regional allocation system almost exclusively. In other words: you can't 'order' a car. You have to wait for an allocation.
- VW dealers are loathe to trade allocations with other VW dealers, especially for a relatively low-profit car like the GTI.
- Dealer allocations are almost completely based on past sales of specific models. That means you'll need to find a dealer who's sold a ton of GTIs to have a hope. That also means that VW dealers are set up to move existing stock, as opposed to pre-sold orders.
- VWoA severely underestimated the demand for the PP GTI in 2015, even after the car mags fawned over it in the spring of 2014. There's absolutely no explanation for that other than VWoA simply not wanting the business.

About a year ago, word was that VWoA would significantly increase PP GTI production for 2016. I hope that's happened (Looks like they, in fact, did) ... but after what I learned about VWoA's current business practices during this experience, I will never buy a VW product again unless its business model completely changes to be much more consumer focused.

Short version: you can't order a VW in the U.S.; you have to wait for one to pop up. At the time, the kind of GTi I wanted -- a 2-door silver PP with the DCT and the highest option level -- had only been ordered via an allocation 13 times out of thousands of orders.

I ordered a 228i M Sport instead. I've never looked back, and never will.

Kinda what I'm running into. I ideally want a 4DR 6MT S w/ Lighting and PP. They don't exist. Literally. There's not a single new one in the country. So then I said I'd compromise and get a DSG car. Still none. So I said I'd take either trans and would be willing to forgo the Lighting Pkg. None within 800 miles. It's insane. To get a car with Lighting and PP, I have to at least go with an SE, and there's very few of those out there.

So I'm now looking between an SE w/ PP (I can always upgrade the headlights) and a base S w/ nothing at all just to go the cheap route. So, idk.

[Z K]

Originally Posted by FriskyDingo

Kinda what I'm running into. I ideally want a 4DR 6MT S w/ Lighting and PP. They don't exist. Literally. There's not a single new one in the country. So then I said I'd compromise and get a DSG car. Still none. So I said I'd take either trans and would be willing to forgo the Lighting Pkg. None within 800 miles. It's insane. To get a car with Lighting and PP, I have to at least go with an SE, and there's very few of those out there.

So I'm now looking between an SE w/ PP (I can always upgrade the headlights) and a base S w/ nothing at all just to go the cheap route. So, idk.

Where do you live?

I feel like a lot of allocation things are due to where they send the cars and where they expect certain cars to sell. Here in San Francisco, you see as many Golfs as Hondas and Toyotas. I see GTIs in all sorts of configs and some Golf Rs on a daily basis. I'm betting my area gets a lot of orders for the GTI. A local dealer had a ton of GTIs sitting in their back lot. I went and test drove a GTI 6MT with PP. I had my pick of all sorts of configs and a rainbow of colors.

Now if you're in the midwest, they probably don't get many of them since they arent known to sell as many... it's all about distribution and where they think the cars will sell.

[FriskyDingo]

I'm in STL.

[Z K]

Originally Posted by FriskyDingo

I'm in STL.

Come on down to California!

[FriskyDingo]

Wrapped the deal up tonight! Got a Carbon Grey SE w/ Perf Pkg.

[turbo_joe]

Originally Posted by FriskyDingo

Wrapped the deal up tonight! Got a Carbon Grey SE w/ Perf Pkg.

Now buy a downpipe and get APR Stage 2 software

[TSM330i]

Originally Posted by FriskyDingo

Wrapped the deal up tonight! Got a Carbon Grey SE w/ Perf Pkg.

Congrats!

These will be of more help to you now:
http://forums.vwvortex.com/forumdisp...5-Golf-GTI-VII
http://www.golfmk7.com/forums/index.php

[KingOfJericho]

Originally Posted by FriskyDingo

Wrapped the deal up tonight! Got a Carbon Grey SE w/ Perf Pkg.

Nice! Which trans?

My GTI was a manual which I found to be buttery smoothe while my CC is DSG (and my first non-manual car). I don't mind the DSG but I think a GTI/R should be manual, IMHO.

[turbo_joe]

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

Nice! Which trans?

My GTI was a manual which I found to be buttery smoothe while my CC is DSG (and my first non-manual car). I don't mind the DSG but I think a GTI/R should be manual, IMHO.

The CC runs a different trans tune than the GTI/R

The trans in the GTI/R is much more crisp shifting and a lot faster.

[KingOfJericho]

Originally Posted by turbo_joe

The CC runs a different trans tune than the GTI/R

The trans in the GTI/R is much more crisp shifting and a lot faster.

It could be the fastest shifting automatic on planet earth but I still think the GTI/R should be a manual.

[turbo_joe]

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

It could be the fastest shifting automatic on planet earth but I still think the GTI/R should be a manual.

I feel you, my mkvi GTI was a manual def the way to go.

But for the R I prefer the DSG. Haven driven both the DSG is just that much quicker.

[Em135eye]

I can't stand DSG; I've driven four cars and one van with it and was deeply unimpressed.
Hesitates when pulling away, won't shift multiple gears, awful in auto mode.

My ZF 8AT is way better.