Porsche Macan, everyone loves 'em! Does the new Q60 RS have the have the hydraulic steering option available? The DAS on the Q50 loaner cars I've had feels off - not near as enjoyable as the G's rack IMO.

@Tuckermaclain Oh man, nice choice. If anyone wants to see a vid representing just how well poised these cars are, check out The Smoking Tire's ATS-V review (I'd link it but they block YouTube at work - sunsabitches). He chucks the car around the canyon roads so effortlessly when he's seemingly going 100 mph.

 

 

DAS is your only option. Ditch the run-flats and the car is a different animal. The stock run-flats murder the feel of that car.

 

Did the M3 you drove have the adaptive suspension or the Competition Package? My G37 is pretty firmly sprung with my Tein Basis so I would imagine the M3 will ride better than where I am at now.

 

DAS is part of the PROACTIVE Package (Intelligent cruise, lane departure, blind spot, auto-level headlights, etc.) so you can avoid it, although the standard steering is still electric and not hydraulic. Still, reviews have indicated the standard electric-assist rack has better feel than the DAS.

Good call on the run-flats, though. Those things are awful.

 

Really? I heard the electric is similar to golf cart steering where as the DAS + anything other tire option makes the car tolerable.

I can't say anything regarding the electric steering personally but I can't say I've heard a positive thing about it.

 

I never liked the German cars. Every one of my co-workers who runs into money buys one. The Ats-V is a lot like the Saab 900T of the 80s to me. Attitude, and performance. Because of that I never drove the M3. The wastegate rattle was covered by a TSB. This one should do 1/4 miles in the 10's. It is a blast to drive. At the shaft it should be close to 700WHP. I have had no problems at all. Had Weapon X Motorsports in Cinci tune it and they got 593 on the Mustang dyno. My G with the stillen blower was much less. I'm 100% happy. The Cadillac Cue is fine when you learn the shortcuts. Its just different--like Mac is from PC. I don't mind CUE at all. The thing is a beast at stoplight races or on the free way. Had to get bigger, stickier wheels. 305/30-18 in the pic. Nitto NT R555R in the rear. Needed a 15mm Eibach spacer. I also have a second set of tires (you can see them hanging fronm the garage at the top of the pic. The rears are Toyo R888R in 30/295-19 on a CTS V wheel. They will handle the power well on digs. The Nittos are a much gentler ride being drag radials. Both work OK in the rain. Anyway, under full sprint, it's probably like a ZL-1. Lots of luxury inside though. You can get these used at a decent proce. Three tuners are available: NewEra Performance, Tapout Tuneing, and Weapon X. Wighout the tune they are making like 425 on the dydo--better than any blown G was doing. It is a sweet car. Magnetic adjustable shoch damping and many other goodies--like leather dashboard covering with baseball stitching. Used, its a Hell of a deal. I have had NO problems after 3 years, You guys might like it. If I was looking for a replacement for the G today I'd look hard at the Stinger and G70 with AWD.

 

I've never driven one, so I can't say for sure, but I could have sworn I read early reviews that said the steering was better without the DAS. Could have changed since then with revisions, though.

 

It’s been a little over a week and 400+ miles since I picked up a ’18 Golf R, and I wanted to give some comments since I’ve posted about the possibility of a R in this thread several times in the past. In reality, this is more a lateral move than an upgrade, so with that in mind, I’ll hit on the high points and my observations relative to my G37S.

Engine: Both cars accomplish about the same speed, but with completely opposite approaches. With an advertised 328hp @ 7000 and 269 lb-ft of torque @ 5200, the G37 makes most of it’s power at high rpm. It’s got great throttle response, as you’d expect for a NA car, but it really doesn’t “pull” until high rpm. The last 2500 rpm is exhilarating. Unfortunately, the engine is also coarse and unrefined, and it also makes plenty of NVH to go along with the high rpm, plus, it’s not exactly fuel efficient.

The R makes less HP @ 292, but more torque, 280 lb-ft @ 1850 rpm, and weighs about 350 pounds less. It’s a smooth engine, and the R gets different heads, pistons, turbo, fuel injectors etc over the GTI. There is a hint of lag in 1st, but as long as the revs are above about 2500 rpm, there is tons of grunt. It’s a less visceral experience than the G37 because the power delivery is less dramatic—it’s just there. I’d give the nod to 2.0 in the R for a daily driver as it has a more usable powerband and significantly less NVH.

Transmission: Without a doubt the G37 has a better transmission. You just cant make a cable operated shifter as direct and as mechanical feeling as a rod actuated system. The VW has light throws, and the clutch is wayyy easier to operate, but I prefer the analog experience in the Gs 6MT. I’m sure I can improve the experience in the VW, as there are probably a half dozen STS, but it will never equal the G.

Steering: I was really nervous about going from the G37S hydraulic steering setup to an electric setup. The sport ratio steering is fantastic, from turn in, to effort, to feedback, it’s the best steering setup I’ve experienced to-date. The R lacks some of the feedback—you can’t feel changes in the road texture as clearly—but it’s otherwise spot on. Light at low speeds due to variable ratio, then firming up considerably as speed increases. The G37 might have a slight edge, but the R gets bonus points for a nicer wheel—the leather, palm swells, and flat bottom are a nicer interface than my G.

Brakes: I hated going from the G37S, with those beautiful fixed piston calipers, and with NISMO pads, a MC brace and Motul RBF600, I had no complaints about the Gs brakes. Look past the sliding piston calipers on the R--the front rotors are only .5” smaller—and the VW has plenty of brakes. I think they’re actually better than the Gs, even if the look pedestrian in comparison. And they could be even better—there is an abundance of pad options, and the RS3 brake cooling ducts bolt on.

Handling: RWD vs AWD pretty much sums it up. You can feel the G37 being happier to rotate, but the Golf can start powering out sooner. I have a couple favorite corners, on ramps and back roads, and I’ve hit them all over the last week, and…..I find myself going just as quickly in the R as the G37. The smaller overall packaging and lighter weight are readily apparent and make it an absolute go cart. The adjustable suspension is really well sorted out from the factory—way better than the OE G37 setup, and probably close, but not quite up to my Gs setup. I’d give a the edge to the G37, but I anticipate PSS and a larger rear swaybar are going to go a long way on the R. Relative to the seats, the R seats are more heavily bolstered, and I find they keep me in place better than the G37 sport seats, while having essentially the same power adjustments.

Interior: While lacking memory seats and a power tilt/telescoping, the Rs interior is really nice. The materials, fit, and finish is easily on par with the G37. You have a 2008 vs 2015 design, and it’s more an example of how far cars have came that an economy car—albeit one that shares its chassis with Audi—have evolved compared to a near decade older design.

From an everyday, shuffle my kids to school, sit in traffic driving experience, I’m really appreciating things like blind spot monitoring, headlights that turn with the car, adaptive cruise control, Apple car play, the ‘auto hold’ so you don’t have to leave the brakes depressed when stopped, and functioning cup holders. The Fender stereo puts the Bose system to shame. My kids like the map/bottle pockets to stash their headphones and other assorted shi* and the rear HVAC has eliminated the complaining about the heat in the back. The R exclusive cockpit with the digital dash is the I love how the numbers on the tach get brighter as the revs climb and the Performance Gauges in the center stack are sweet and you can configure 3 of 5 gauges.


I miss my G37, and maybe I should have waited a year, but I don’t see the vehicular landscape or my priorities and budget changing much. Ultimately, I think I accomplished my goal of replacing the G with something fun to drive and securing another 6MT in the garage until 2024 or so. Hopefully, as mentioned in the past, that vacant spot in my 3 car garage gets something far less practical in a few years.

 

I've read there are reliability issues with the VW R - as there are with all VWs. Everyone I know who's had a VW has found that it spends more time than they'd like in the shop.

 

Meh, every car has it's horror stories--CSC and rear oil gasket on the G37 come to mind. My Dad recently traded in a '13 Turbo Beetle 'vert and in his 5 years of ownership, it only went back to the dealership for maintenance. I didn't find a significant amount of issues being posted on the VW forums. I think the MQB is pretty well sorted out at this point, and the car has a 6/72 bumper-to-bumper warranty.

 

Reads like a fair and honest review, Lego. And the car itself seems like the epitome of a high-end Hot Hatch. I'm sure it's a blast to drive. The nearest most recent VW I've driven was a Jetta Diesel 6MT, and strangely enough I really liked it; (Volkswagon's Diesel-gate, be damned.)

Kind of like my friend's old Porsche Boxster... great design, beautiful car, fun to drive, and undeniably cute. Thing is, personally, I don't want to own a cute car.

In the end, the heart wants what the heart wants, and I'm happy you were able to pursue that.

 

^^
This made me do a double take when I first read it, then I realized you were talking about the 6MT and not the 7AT lol...nice review, and congrats on the really sweet new ride...a guy on my street has had one with the same wheels and colour as you for a while and I oogle it every time I drive by...I'm not sure what your plans are for upgrades other than the wheels and tires, but I wonder if the RS3 calipers would be an easy bolt on.... that might make for some interesting stopping

 

I suspect most of y'all auto guys would prefer the 6 or 7 speed DSG. It's lightening quick, has standard launch control, and is disgusting with a simple tune, APR claims 0-60 in 3.9 seconds.

I hate the wheels

The Audi TTRS 4 piston brakes bolt on, and VWR has an optional 6 piston setup, and there are several other options. At stock power, on the street, the brakes are more than adequate. I won't go BBK unless I get a tune, which I'm not planning on, but who knows what I'll do in the future.

Wheels and PSS are going to be my "big" mod, but I'll likely ride out the OEM Continental summer tires first, and I'm going to go all in on shifter upgrades.

 

lol, the wheels aren't thaaaat bad in person, nice that there are multiple brake upgrade options from the OEM....3.9 seconds is silly fast