aldfort

I think the US market can get a manual version?

A quick look on Autotrader suggests many dealers have Mk8R's up for sale above list.

Racing line have a lot of nice bits to improve the under bonnet look.

The range of the keys is more than you might think. The comprehensive instructions from @Booth11 work. However I'd put the primary key in a tin or your safe while setting up the secondary user secondary key. In particular if you used the 2 key method to register with WeConnect.

Yes it does if the engine can adapt it's settings to make use of it. The Golf engine certainly can. Simplistically the car can adjust the timing for maximum power so it will make optimum use of the fuel. By the same token you can get better fuel economy when you drive gently, but I think in that case the car adjusts the fueling. A lot of folks think the additive package is better which helps to keep the internals of the fuel system and the inlet tracts in better condition. We always use it.

Major updates that could stop the car working are best done at the dealer.

Just done a wash today and a further coat of Poorboys wheel sealant on the wheels. Full clean under the bonnet (I use car shampoo and then Bumpercare.)

On the subject of names we've had "Rocky" , "the git" , "the breadvan" "huggy" to name just a few.

If you don't like the std R logo puddle light there are a whole range of even more extreme things it can be replaced with. Mrs A, who is probably re-living her misspent youth, loves them and also only recently discovered they were fitted.

Our front passenger leather seat is fully manual.

I fully expect to get lynched for saying this but tuners who are starting to get to grips with the Golf Mk8 are all seemingly looking at fitting adjustable coil-overs. We may consider the same once the factory warrantee runs out.

We've engaged the parking brake in all possible ways. It does not seem to matter. Generally if it's me I stop, engage N activate the parking brake, Engage P. Stop the car (turn off the ignition) with the Start/Stop button. Mrs A stops, engages P and then presses Start/Stop (turns off the ignition). Parking brake comes on in both instances.

We connect is an incidental. The only thing it's useful for in our view is live traffic via the built in Sat Nav. We enabled it without the App so we can't do all those really useful things like flash the lights or beep the horn remotely. It does mean we have to remember where we parked though! 😉 If you connect your phone then using Google Maps is better for live traffic IMHO. On the plus side you won't be bothered with the worry of the globe being greyed out and VW will not be able to track your every move. Also software updates will need to be done by the d

The buttonless cockpit seems to rely on the fact that you'll have set most things up before moving off. The working assumption of VW designers seems to be you'll use the steering wheel controls to adjust anything else while on the move. If you actually use it this way then it's fine. If you have voice commands then you can talk to the car and get it to do quite a few things without needing to press a button. That's assuming it's in the mood of course, if it's having a sulky day then you can go whistle!

If the car can use 98 octane E5 then buy that. If not why does anybody buy an R. You could buy a lower powered variant of the Golf. Putting standard fuel in the car will blunt the performance. As to will it run on E10 yes it will it has to be compliant with the ULEZ law.