Thanks lads.
Car is lovely, have now 200 kms on the clock and think it's great. Yes, it's a Reference, not a Style or FR, but it is extremely well specced for an Irish car, and esp for a base model. All the better for free!
Bear in mind my car history, as seen in the pics above, and you can see how highly I think of the Mk3. I wasn't immediately grabbed by it when I saw the first online pics, but I did think it looked nice, I just preferred the Mk2 looks. (I still prefer the Pre-facelift Mk2 over the facelift ones, FR and Cupra aside).
They also killed 3 of the things I love about my Mk2s, the hidden rear door handles, the vertical parked wipers, and the central rev counter. These are personal things that in no way reflect how good or bad the car is. Someone once said to me it looks like someone from Audi tried to draw the Mk2, the Mk3 being the result. Apparently, this is actually the case! Also, the car feels more Audi and less VW in it's blood, it's defo a step up in quality and smoothness, no bad thing especially as I consider the Mk2 to be a very good car anyway.
Even so, the car's looks are growing on me, it does look better in the flesh than the brochures, plastic wheel covers and all, and to have A/C and Bluetooth as standard in a base model that does not come from Korea is something rare here.
I like the car, it deserves to do well, and I hope it does.
I will still be driving my 2.0 TSi FR DSG, a ridiculous car for this country's road laws and taxes, and we'll sell the OH's Ibiza and she will use the Mk3. However, I feel less worried now when the time comes to say bye to the FR, that I might have to leave the brand. I can see a Leon ST FR in my future!
Car is lovely, have now 200 kms on the clock and think it's great. Yes, it's a Reference, not a Style or FR, but it is extremely well specced for an Irish car, and esp for a base model. All the better for free!
Bear in mind my car history, as seen in the pics above, and you can see how highly I think of the Mk3. I wasn't immediately grabbed by it when I saw the first online pics, but I did think it looked nice, I just preferred the Mk2 looks. (I still prefer the Pre-facelift Mk2 over the facelift ones, FR and Cupra aside).
They also killed 3 of the things I love about my Mk2s, the hidden rear door handles, the vertical parked wipers, and the central rev counter. These are personal things that in no way reflect how good or bad the car is. Someone once said to me it looks like someone from Audi tried to draw the Mk2, the Mk3 being the result. Apparently, this is actually the case! Also, the car feels more Audi and less VW in it's blood, it's defo a step up in quality and smoothness, no bad thing especially as I consider the Mk2 to be a very good car anyway.
Even so, the car's looks are growing on me, it does look better in the flesh than the brochures, plastic wheel covers and all, and to have A/C and Bluetooth as standard in a base model that does not come from Korea is something rare here.
I like the car, it deserves to do well, and I hope it does.
I will still be driving my 2.0 TSi FR DSG, a ridiculous car for this country's road laws and taxes, and we'll sell the OH's Ibiza and she will use the Mk3. However, I feel less worried now when the time comes to say bye to the FR, that I might have to leave the brand. I can see a Leon ST FR in my future!
