About to buy - introduction

[Bl4ckGryph0n]

@Bl4ckGryph0n; it’s possible that the GTI+’s suspension was set to ‘Sport’ mode in the driver profile selection if you found the ride was overly firm. Owners of the GTI+ on the forum have commented on how compliant the suspension is ‘Normal’ mode.

The 1.0 115ps engine mated to the DSG transmission does seem to be a good combination. Did the dealer give any indication on current expected lead times for a factory build and when you might get your car?

Is the suspension adjustable in the GTI? Didn't see that on the specification nor options list...We tried both sport and normal mode.

As I said I'm used to much more powerful cars, albeit bigger and heavier, I found it very unsettling and bumpy. Even my daughters E reg GTI had a better ride...

[Bl4ckGryph0n]

Cannot say I share your experience with the new GTI. I came from a 2015 polo SE with 15" tyres to the new GTI with 18" tyres and love how comfy the new car is. For me it is comparable and going from a manual to a DSG has made city driving much more pleasurable and less jerky. Bear in mind that the tyres that come with the new Polo GTI is known to very hard and lack grip. Also, the tyre pressures that VW recommends on these cars is up at 41PSI which makes them rock hard. As like many other owners here, I swapped my tyres for MPS4 on day one of owning the car and put tyre pressures at a more reasonable pressure of 35PSI.

The only downside I have is much more tyre noise than my older car.

Regarding the sound of the vehicle, if you were testing a pre-WLTP GTI then it won't have the GPF that now comes on all new polos since late September 2018. The noise from the pre WLTP GTI's are noisier and give pops and bangs. To some, that is desired but if you want a quieter exhaust then the GPF GTI's will certainly suit you well. As for the soundackter, if it is too much for you, as your golf R it can be disabled or turned down using VCDS or something like ODB11.

Anyway, congrats on your purchase of the SEL and welcome to the forum. The SEL with all the kit will be a nice car! I test drove an SEL one almost a year ago and it is what sold me on buying another polo, however, I went with the GTI version based on many YT reviews.

Thanks...Yes it was a 19 plate so I guess post WLTP. I fully appreciate that some like the pops and bangs, I appreciate them as well when I have a spirited drive but as they are slightly artificially introduced they should have in my opinion a mode where that is switched off. Regarding the sound actuator, we did switch it off using the display but it was still giving a resonance. It may be the specific car I don't know, or maybe I'm just sensitive to it.

I don't think the salesperson has done you any favours on the set up of the Polo GTI, there's a lot of stuff there that could've been changed.

Was the demo on 18" or 17" wheels? If on 17", it'll have been on fairly comfy Michelin Primacy tyres. If on 18" tyres, likely stock Bridgestone Turanza tyres which are noisy, rock hard and lack traction and turn in grip.

After suffering Bridgestones on a number of previous VWs and knowing what a hindrance they are, I was first here to swap out to Michelin PS4 after the back end got away from me doing a pretty standard manoeuvre on the Bridgestones. PS4 are much grippier, it's much harder to initiate tramping from a standstill and they're softer/quieter. We have both an 18 reg pre-WLTP and 19 reg GPF equipped GTI+. The 2019 variant has no pops or bangs, and on the 2018 version, they're very subtle anyway.

If the soundaktor annoys and you want a softer ride, I'd have gone with DCC in normal (softer ride) and engine noise (soundaktor) in eco and left everything else in Sport setting (all within individual mode, and keeping DSG in D mode, not S mode)

Sounds to me that your test drive was in straight Sport mode with hard damping, soundaktor in the noisier output, on (probably) crappy Bridgestone tyres.

I came from a Golf R that I owned for almost 4 years, and apart from the stronger shove and unflappable 4WD grip, I prefer driving my Polo GTI+, the Golf was fast but a bit sterile.

If you put 200ps through front wheel drive and don't add an LSD, you will get tramping with a spirited start. Add in Bridgestone tyres and you tramp from 40% throttle in the dry and 30% in the wet.

You might want another go in a GTI with the individual settings to be sure your test drive hasn't been misrepresented.

It was on Parker 17" wheels...

I quite like the Bridgestone Turanza 005 tyres actually, but like with many tyres they can be very different depending on the size that is selected. PS4 are very good as well I agree but not going to swap out tyres on a brand new car...It is definitely a 2019 car and it had pops and bangs...We tried it in normal and sport, and custom. The dealer was actually pretty good....But according to the specifications the MK10 Polo doesn't have DCC or have I missed that somewhere?

[SRGTD]

@Bl4ckGryph0n; it’s possible that the GTI+’s suspension was set to ‘Sport’ mode in the driver profile selection if you found the ride was overly firm. Owners of the GTI+ on the forum have commented on how compliant the suspension is ‘Normal’ mode.

The 1.0 115ps engine mated to the DSG transmission does seem to be a good combination. Did the dealer give any indication on current expected lead times for a factory build and when you might get your car?

Is the suspension adjustable in the GTI? Didn't see that on the specification nor options list...We tried both sport and normal mode.

As I said I'm used to much more powerful cars, albeit bigger and heavier, I found it very unsettling and bumpy. Even my daughters E reg GTI had a better ride...

Yes, the GTI and GTI+ gets sports select suspension as part of the standard spec. There are two settings for the suspension - from page 12 of the current price list brochure;

‘Sports suspension, lowered by approx. 15mm, including Sports select adaptive shock absorption – allows choice of two preset modes: Normal and Sport’

[monkeyhanger]

It was on Parker 17" wheels...

I quite like the Bridgestone Turanza 005 tyres actually, but like with many tyres they can be very different depending on the size that is selected. PS4 are very good as well I agree but not going to swap out tyres on a brand new car...It is definitely a 2019 car and it had pops and bangs...We tried it in normal and sport, and custom. The dealer was actually pretty good....But according to the specifications the MK10 Polo doesn't have DCC or have I missed that somewhere?

I'm surprised at your conclusions considering you were on the Primacy tyres with the parkers (possibly massively over inflated if you found the ride skittish, but much better than the Bridgestones). The 215/40 R18 Turanza tyres are absolute junk on the Polo GTI+. On a warmish, dry, sunny day, I exited a very large 3 lane roundabout and put my foot down. I gave it 2/3 throttle, and the back end went, as a Golf GTD trying much harder sailed by. Decision was made at that point, the tyres (Turanza T001) had to go. PS4s transformed the car (comfort, grip, handling) and my confidence in it. For £320 spent, there's no way I wouldn't ditch the Bridgestones and suffer those for 20k miles they ruin the car. I did get £140 back for the part worn ones with 4k miles done. When my wife's 2019 model came, I had the tyres swapped out on collection day for PS4s and got £210 on ebay for the Bridgestones.

Previously suffered rampant tramping on my MK7 Golf GTD that came on Bridgestone Potenzas - I left them on and should have got rid of them. Then got a Golf R and that came on Potenzas too - I ditched those after a little sideways skittishness going slowly around a roundabout. Again, a change in tyres changed the car greatly. GTI/R on Bridgestones is like making Usain Bolt run in clogs.

DCC (not the full blown constantly variable option on the Golf, but a hard/sport normal/medium 2 setting options) is standard on UK GTI and GTI+.

In normal mode, you'll have experienced normal DCC setting. Not sure how you're hearing pops and bangs with a GPF equipped model - the GPF ensures that no unburnt fuel get ms through to ignite in the back end of the exhaust. None of that on our 2019 model and it's so subtle on the 2018 model that you wouldn't hear it without the radio on and windows open.

Your daughter will probably pay a fortune in insurance for that MK2 Golf GTI vs a newer model with all the mod cons and safety kit like ACC, despite it being considerably slower.

[Bl4ckGryph0n]

Ah interesting, so it is not DCC at all. It is something else. I must admit we didn't notice a material difference between that the settings at all whilst the AMG tuned airmatic on the GLC43 has a huge difference between Comfort, Sport and Sport+.

Ah well, the important part is that we didn't like the way it ride but to my surprise much preferred the non-GTI model even though it has much less power which is a first for us...

[Rosinfield]

Like said before the (lack of) comfort is what like and what you're used to. I come from a Fabia with lowering springs and sports dampers. Compared to that car, which I found pretty stiff but still comfortable enough, the GTI is very comfortable, even in sport mode.