SE or GT - Which one to buy

[icebun]

Guys,

I need some advice.

It's a toss between the SE or GT with the 2.0 (140BHP) TDI DSG five door model variant.

What is important to me is refinement.

Can anyone advice what the road noise levels are like on the GT (with 17" standard wheels) and the SE (with 16" standard wheels). I would love to know if there is a noticeable difference.

In addition, whilst the GT has the sports suspension feature, can any existing SE drivers (with standard suspension) comment on what they think of the handling?




Thanks.

[stevebracey]

Icebun,

I've test driven a few of the cars and recently ordered a GT but here are my thoughts...

There is additional equipment on the GT which is quite nice such as fog lamps (definitely lift the frontal appearance) and cruise control, chrome detailing around the front lower grille (look at an SE after a GT and the car misses it in my opinion), better upholstery, leather steering wheel with audio controls etc.

Refinement is very important to me too and at first it was my intention to have the 140 diesel and spec an SE up to a similar level to the GT. But the GT works out cheaper if you do this and has a couple of things the SE cannot have (the above mentioned upholstery and chrome lines at the front etc).

Another thing that makes a huge but subtle difference is the way the car "sits". If I had an SE I would have specified the Seattle alloys (17") that also come with slightly lowered sports suspension (GT spec I assume). With this option and a couple of others the SE then becomes a psuedo-GT but as I said above, actually works out more expensive than a GT.

I really agonized about whether to have 17" or 18" wheels on my GT and I test drove both. Like I say, refinement is very important to me and I questioned the salesman at length...I think he thought I was some sort of weirdo! In the end I went for ACC with the 18" wheels, my reasoning being that if at times I find the 18" wheels too hard then the ACC on comfort mode will compensate (around town for instance). The GTD I drove (on 18" wheels) was not noticeably noisier than a GT on 17"s so I was satisfied with that. And there is a "rightness" about the look of the Mk VI Golf on 18" wheels with the slightly lowered suspension.

In any event, the Golf VI with the 140 diesel is a car with great ability and refinement in particular is outstanding. Compared with other cars in its class you can't go wrong if refinement is what you are after.

Anyway, there are my thoughts. Go for the GT unless you are really hyper-sensitive to ride noise/refinement, in which case maybe the SE on 16" wheels will be best for you but to my mind (and eyes), the GT is the better package.

Good luck!

Steve

[icebun]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for your thoughts.

I now see what you mean about the chrome trim on the GT and how sitting lower down is more pleasing to the eye.

My current car is a Golf V Sport 1.9 with 16" wheels and sport suspension.

I drive on the motorway most of the time and the tyre roar drives me nuts, hence the initial question!

Can I ask a couple of more questions?

Q1/ With the 17" wheels, did you say that there is minimal tyre noise filtering through? eg you can hold a conversation at 70mph without shouting.

Q2/ With the Alcantara trim, do you find it easy to maintain and is the material breathable in the same way as cloth. What are your thoughts about durability over the long run?

Q3/ On the GT what is visibility like through the darker side and rear windows?

[Robbie G]

I agree with practically everything that stevebracey has said, but if refinement is the number one factor for you, then surely the SE is a no brainer. The ride in an SE is comfortable, quiet, leasurely, and forgiving. The ride in the GT is accurate, slightly more 'bouncy', reponsive, but still remarkably forgiving over the bumps.

If you decide that the GT is the package for you however, then speccing ACC would be wise, as it gives you the option to alter the ride to the point where it's as soft and forgiving as the SE for those long motorway stretches, where ride firmness and steering feedback is slightly less important.

I test drove a GT on 18s and the standard 17s, and found the 17s to give a slightly more forgiving ride. However the ride and handling was still excellent with the 18s.

Personally I've gone for a GT on 17s without ACC. If cash hadn't come into play I'd have gone for ACC but I don't think I'll miss it much as the default ride quality on the GT was right up my street.

If refinement is all you care about, then surely it has to be the SE.

As for your questions, I know you directed them at Steve but I'll offer my thoughts on question 1 anyway.

Q1/ With the 17" wheels, did you say that there is minimal tyre noise filtering through? eg you can hold a conversation at 70mph without shouting.

This is a quiet, refined car in all forms. It's quiet at 90 let alone 70. There will be a minimum amount of tyre noise apparent whether on 17s or 18s. You can speak at normal volume perfectly well at 70.

Not sure on the other two.

[stevebracey]

Hello again,

Robbie is quite right. Having read your first post again and now your second post it seems to me the SE might just be the right choice for you but there are one or two observations I would make...

I have never driven or even been driven in a Mk V Golf. When they came out I had just bought one of the very last Mk IV GT TDIs (130) so was quite vexed VW had really sorted the dynamics of the car out. Although much of the criticisim of the MkIV was unjustified in my opinion. However, when I sat in a Mk V in the showroom I remember vividly thinking "Oh dear, what have they done...where has the quality gone?" This only has slight relevance I would fully admit but the Mk V had a total lack of plushness for want of a better word. The upholstery has no pile to it and the dash was a slab of something or other and certainly not tactile. The reason I mention this is that plush seating and other coverings do absorb noise. The crusty old sales manager who was quite a character said how good the Mk V was but that it was a noisier car.

The above point ties in with the upholstery on a GT...it is plusher than the SE and although we are talking tiny differences it will absorb more noise. The GT seating is the only variant on the Mk VI that reminds one of the interwoven velour on a Mk IV in terms of, I don't know, what's the word, poshness!

I can't comment on the durability of the alcantara as I haven't got my GT yet but as a fabric in the automotive industry it has a very good reputation and is often used in higher end models.

In terms of motorway miles and overall noise levels that you experience in your Mk V, I wonder what tyres you have. Although the Mk V may not be the last word in refinement the car has a very good reputation and it cannot be right that you need to shout at 70mph. Worn tyres or perhaps a make not known for quietness might be partly responsible. I had an Audi A4 Avant on part worn Firestones and put Michelins on it and the car was transformed for the better in terms of road noise. As Robbie points out, the Mk VI is a refined car per se, regardless of the model and normal conversation would be possible in my view at any speed. I did notice a very slight deterioration on 18" wheels compared to 17" wheels. The 17" car had a fluid compliance to it that the 18" car lacked but there was only a very slight increase in noise on the 18" car. To be honest the only time road noise was even noticeable was on a road where new chippings had been put down and there was admitedly slight roar but not offensive and on good roads the cars are amazingly quiet. If you are on motorways then unless you travel much on noisy concrete stretches then I don't think you would have a problem.

The visibilty was no problem through the darkened rear windows, the difference is very subtle from the inside but still visually looks good from outside the car.

Sorry for my rambling on! Good luck with choosing. I would recommend that you explain your needs to a dealer and go out in an SE and a GT and see what you think....they're both great cars.

All the best,

Steve

[netherfield]

We have the GT on 17" wheels because having looked at the different wheel options,these looked the easiest to keep clean i.e. not many fiddly gaps to get to.

The noise level is very good,and in my opinion tyre noise is not always down to the wheel arrangment,it's down to the brand of tyre,this is from previous experience when changing to a different make of tyre.

Also picked heated leather seats,again previous experience,they warm you up a lot quicker in winter than any heater can.

And as stated their is no problem with the darkened windows,could be an advantage if you have small children,does seem to keep the glare and heat from the sun out of the back.

[Nightowl4933]

For me? The GT, and the engine would depend on your expected mileage. Over 16-20k pa I'd go for a diesel.

But that's only my opinion

Pete

[jonfun21]

I also debated whether to go for the GT or the SE, my previous car was a Mk IV GTI which had a fairly crashy ride (though probably needed the suspension looking at towards the end).

I do a lot of motorway miles, and given I couldn't stretch to the ACC / got offered a great deal on a SE I decided to go for the SE as it seemed more relaxed on long journeys. I did however spec a few things you get on the GT, such as front fog lights as other wise the car looks too dull from the front IMHO.

Had the car for 3 months now and very impressed all in all, especially with the fuel economy and ride compared to my last one.

[icebun]

Hey Netherfield,

Thanks for your comments. Couln't help noticing that your Golf appears to be in Tornado Red. Is that right?

I was torn between base Black or Red and those pics of yours look fantastic.

Are you aware of any need to look after this particular colour over say a metallic one? A lot of people I have spoken to said that this colour is prone to fading and all metallics tend to be more resistant to scratches.

Why I am hooked on red, I was thinking of having Scotchguard (or something similar) put on as a precaution against this.

What is your opinion?

[netherfield]

Hi Icebun,

Yes it's Tornado Red,and I have to agree it looks fantastic.

The car came from the dealer treated with Autoglym and they also supplied a bag of Autoglym goodies.

I'm not aware of any particular need to look after base or metallics,a lot of fading in my mind depends on how well you look after the paintwork,i.e. waxing and polishing.

For me,White looks great but soon shows dirt and Black much the same.

I wouldn't knock anyones choice though,we all have different ideas I guess.