Buy a higher mile mk7.5r or lower mile mk7r? Why?

[fishrising]

Looking to get into a used R, and straight to a stage 1 ECU and TCU tune with an intake and turbo inlet pipe. Followed not too too far (6-12mos) by a cat’d down pipe, high flow valved exhaust, charger cooler, rear sway bar and stage 2 tune. Eventually wheels and suspension too. Someone just beat me by 4 hours with a deposit on a 2015 and now my deeper research has me thinking should I be wanting a mk7.5 versus a mk7? Anything newer is out of my price range for a fun project car, and as an extra car for my family.

 

Like for like (color, DSG, DCC, NAV, etc, same general price, proper maintenance, etc) would you be looking for higher a mileage 2018 or lower mileage 2015-2017? For example: 2018 with 85,000 miles or 2016 with 50,000 miles? And why would you choose the one you do?

 

Intent is to be a spirited “almost daily” driver. To enjoy spirited driving, and the occasional autox or track day. Is not meant to be a regular track car. Also the wife will be driving it too, so still want it to be relatively comfortable (noise and feel) in the normal/comfort mode. Eventually this will be my son’s daily driver. I will cross that bridge when it comes to figure how to “limit” it for a 16yo male, potentially beyond just trusting him. He is going to help build it, pay for some mods, and learn something. So hopefully he will keep this car a long time, if even as just a fun car, as he gets older and can afford his own car of his choice for daily driving and future family needs. I did this with my Dad, to a 1978 super beetle convertible. All kinds of engine mods, body work, etc. We had fun doing it, I learned a ton, and had fun driving it. Still kicking myself for selling it…

 

Anyway, back to the question: like for like (color, DSG, DCC, NAV, etc, same general price, proper maintenance, etc) would you be looking for higher a mileage 2018 or lower mileage 2015-2017? For example: 2018 with 85,000 miles or 2016 with 50,000 miles? And why would you choose the one you do?

 

And yes, I’ve been reading and searching, and am continuing to do so…thanks in advance!

[Bodyboarder81]

That’s a long plan and lists even before you’ve bought anything !! 
 

if I were you I’d buy the best condition, lowest mileage, newest one you can and just enjoy for a while . Then save for the mods . As you say , you are intending to keep for a long time , May as well get the best you can to start with 👍🏼

[NRW]

Folk are usually well mannered and polite on here.  So I’ll be the one to notice the elephant in the room here.
 

True Legend.  
A stage 2 car for a newly qualified driver.  Who will promise not to go fast in it.  But will no doubt be an expert driver in no time. 

Have a think about boring things like insurance and A brake upgrade might make the list too.

Clearly One for us to follow, what could possibly go wrong?😂

[fishrising]

Folk are usually well mannered and polite on here.  So I’ll be the one to notice the elephant in the room here.
 
True Legend.  
A stage 2 car for a newly qualified driver.  Who will promise not to go fast in it.  But will no doubt be an expert driver in no time. 
Have a think about boring things like insurance and A brake upgrade might make the list too.
Clearly One for us to follow, what could possibly go wrong?

Appreciate the concern, thank you. But how would you answer my original question? Newer higher mileage? Or older lower mileage?

I’m torn between wanting the lower miles versus 7spd DSG and newer styling. I can’t decide what’s more important to me, but currently leaning towards lower miles.

[SRW]

2 hours ago, NRW said:

So I’ll be the one to notice the elephant in the room here.

I didn't get past the first sentence when I first read it, I thought a stock R was quick enough for most to start with, going straight to stage 1 then stage 2, good for bragging rights at the local chav car meet.

 

Young inexperienced driver........Neil put it in a nut shell "what could possibly go wrong?" 🤣🤣

 

 

[NRW]

The very idea of a young driver in a Stage 2 R with standard brakes is indeed cause for my concern @fishrising.  If you didn’t want comments then better not post on a public chat forum. 
The 7.5 has the better standard Nav/music/Screen. 
7sp DSG - gives Very relaxed cruising in top.  Over 3k revs and you lose your Licence in UK. 

Many think the Dark Grey interior preferable.  Some think earlier analogue dials gives less to go wrong with age🤔
Optional Performance pack brings limiter removal along with brakes from GTI Clubsport. S. 
Wherever you end up mate, think hard about a £2k spend on decent brake upgrades.   It’ll help you keep the car for a long time. 
Good luck. 

[Dollyman]

8 hours ago, fishrising said:

“limit” it for a 16yo male, potentially beyond just trusting him.

It's 17 in the UK to drive on public roads with talk of it being raised to 18.

[fishrising]

The very idea of a young driver in a Stage 2 R with standard brakes is indeed cause for my concern @fishrising.  If you didn’t want comments then better not post on a public chat forum. 

[fishrising]

The very idea of a young driver in a Stage 2 R with standard brakes is indeed cause for my concern @fishrising.  If you didn’t want comments then better not post on a public chat forum. 
The 7.5 has the better standard Nav/music/Screen. 
7sp DSG - gives Very relaxed cruising in top.  Over 3k revs and you lose your Licence in UK. 
Many think the Dark Grey interior preferable.  Some think earlier analogue dials gives less to go wrong with age
Optional Performance pack brings limiter removal along with brakes from GTI Clubsport. S. 
Wherever you end up mate, think hard about a £2k spend on decent brake upgrades.   It’ll help you keep the car for a long time. 
Good luck. 

Point taken. Never said he would be driving it as a stage 2, said I’d cross that bridge when we get there. Thanks!

[NRW]

9 hours ago, fishrising said:

1 hour ago, Dollyman said:

It's 17 in the UK to drive on public roads with talk of it being raised to 18.

Yep. A strange anomaly has existed a while for chaps Younger than 17, ie. Age 16 up, a youth with physical disabilities that seriously limit ability to walk (and pass the criteria for Mobility Allownce/ Disability Living Allowance/ Personal Independence Payment …Phew!) can learn to drive a car on a Provisional Licence!
So, A 16 yo in an R with Hand Controls would  be legal if Insurance was obtained out of mineshaft deep pockets. 😂😂

But this neither was, nor was not specified in the original post😀

[gazza5]

Get the newest car you can - the 7.5 has some nice to haves, but it isn't the end of the world if you end up with a 7.

 

However stage 2 makes for a very quick car, these cars in standard form are quick, and in the wrong hands become lethal. There are tonnes of newspaper articles (online) detailing people who have stolen a R and assumed as its 4wd (its not but thats another thread entirely) ended up wrapped around a lamp post / side of a house etc.

 

Modern cars hide speed bloody well, 80mpgh in my rover 25 or mates metro, you felt it, 80 in a golf R quite frankly is nothing, the cars not even breaking a sweat.

[purplepulser]

I would go with what others have said on this, and to buy the best you can get for the money. 7.5 has a nicer gearbox, along with the virtual dash, etc. If you go for the 7.5 between 2017-2018 you will get 310hp, prior to and after this period (generally speaking) you will get 300ps. Won't make a massive difference but a technical difference nonetheless. A mk7 is also very good if that's what you end up with.

 

Now lets talk about that elephant. 

My son passed his driving test last year. Do I let him drive my Stage 1 R? Absolutely not. New drivers need to build up experience first, and progress from there. I might let him once he's got 3 years experience under his belt.

As mentioned above, just because a vehicle features AWD doesn't mean the driver can take liberties with the laws of physics. I'm not even going to guess the likely insurance premium for a 17 year old male with zero NCD for an R let alone one that's modified.

[orb ytl]

i was in the same predicament

i was initially about to purchase a black mk7.5 and ended up with a low mileage white mk7, and im more than happy with my choice

i came to the conclusion i didnt really want digi clocks, i plan on keeping the car for ever and that tech gets old real quick, analogue dials will always look cool imo

i also prefer the exterior styling, i think you can differentiate them more from other golfs a little better

i always thought they restyled the 7.5 and made it look more like a GTD/GTI

for me personally it just didnt make sense paying the extra money for a 7.5

it might not be popular opinions on here but them are the reasons i made my choice

 

 

 

 

 

[Jace]

I can say that a stg2 R is a dangerous piece of kit in the wrong hands, especially young unexperienced ones & having owned mine for 18mths I can say it still frightens me at times how fast it can accelerate . Prior to it I had a stg2 Scirocco which was equally mental but just 2wd.

I would say go for the 7.5 if you can find a lower mileage one for sensible money, I bought my 18plate estate in March 2021 from a VW main dealer for £23k with 19k miles on it,  but I know those prices are no longer the normal & you can pay that for a 2015 7.0 now

 

the 7.5 IMO is the one to go for, 7spd DSG, better interior, better VDU & visually no lunch box stuck in the lower front grill.

[NRW]

38 minutes ago, orb ytl said:

analogue dials will always look cool imo

..haha. You are not totally alone. For a while after the 7.5 was introduced, VW gave the option at order point to go Analogue dash😀

I didn’t, but I’ll remember if/when I go all pixelated or Black.