3 door vs 5 door

[Das_Meister]

Argue the advantages here.

[JJ-R32]

3 door - looks wicked!
5 door - looks even more wicked (to my eye at least) :thumbsup: (and more practical)

[Das_Meister]

Why is the 5 door so much more practical? Do you really find it that hard to slide
the seat forward to get in? I'm 6'3" and I have more problems getting in some 4/5 door cars than the Golf.

Also with the 3 door, if you have something large to place in the back seat, (example a large CRT TV) its alot easier than the 5-door.

This is all from my experiences. BTW if you get either, you're still a winner.

:bowvw:

[newtogolf]

3 door - sportier and more coupe lookalike

5 door - practical. not ugly either

[Dude123]

3 door is sporty

5 is well OK

[cmdrfire]

3 door has a stiffer chassis and is better handling.
5 door is more practical (smaller front doors, plus tall passengers can get in without trouble).

IMHO 3 door also looks better; I don't like the 5-door GTI much.
My GTI is 3 door, and I've driven a Mk5 5-door R32, and the chassis with 3 doors is just that much stiffer.
Not so important though if you're not gonna take it on tracks or play too rough with it and you've got kids/skis/tall friends.

[GTi Fanatic]

Why is the 5 door so much more practical? Do you really find it that hard to slide
the seat forward to get in?:[/CENTER]

My first car was a 4 door and second was a 2... it isnt even about the passengers. the convenience of back doors is so great.
i prefer to throw my bags in the back seat driver side much more than setting it in the passenger seat.

i think the 5 door looks sweet! (nothing against the 3 door)

[Das_Meister]

Hey GTI Fanatic, what are popular setups/colors in Germany? What kind of GTI's do you see the most there?

[GTi Fanatic]

Hey GTI Fanatic, what are popular setups/colors in Germany? What kind of GTI's do you see the most there?

I have seen only black and red for the 5 months i have been here.

1x red 3 door
3x red 5 door

1x black 3 door
4x black 5 door

there is a black 5 door that i see every day on the way to work :bellyroll:
and a block in the oppisite direction a 3 door.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/lurs83/detail?.dir=119a&.dnm=b97a.jpg&.src=ph

Oddly enough the 3 door is there every day but they are from Koblenz not Koeln

[vdubGTi]

5 door is better looking and it also gives a more of a bigger car look and when suped up I think it looks better.

[Das_Meister]

GTi Fanatic: Thanks for the scouting report bro! Mad props to ya :w00t:

So, it looks like you've seen more 5 doors thenl

[MK5GTI]

In Australia, the 5 door is all you can get, although, there is talk that the 3 door might be available later in the year.

[GTi Fanatic]

GTi Fanatic: Thanks for the scouting report bro! Mad props to ya :w00t:

So, it looks like you've seen more 5 doors thenl

Yeah the europe scene is all about hatchbacks... golf being the top of the list.
there are many more 5 door gti´s in every gen. :biggrin:

[ChalkyWhite]

Prefer 5 door myself from two points of view;
throwing my work bags on the back seat much easier than the passenger seat.
The front doors are narrower on the 5 dr, so it's easier to get in and out in garages.

In the UK i've seen plenty of steel grey, one or two black and a couple of red. Absolutey no white, blue or silver. Oh, and no pink ones funnily enough.
Would love to see one in white. The photos look gr8. Laser blue is my favourite, but decided that after the car was ordered. :frown:

[91ABAGTi]

3 door has a stiffer chassis and is better handling.
5 door is more practical (smaller front doors, plus tall passengers can get in without trouble).

IMHO 3 door also looks better; I don't like the 5-door GTI much.
My GTI is 3 door, and I've driven a Mk5 5-door R32, and the chassis with 3 doors is just that much stiffer.
Not so important though if you're not gonna take it on tracks or play too rough with it and you've got kids/skis/tall friends.

Are you saying you actually could feel chassis flex in the MkV without racing slicks on it and track suspension? You have to be kidding right? Besides that, you compared a fwd to awd. The difference you felt was 1. the weight of the R32 2. the AWD. Don't get me wrong, traditional lines of thinking would suggest you're correct, but I assure you, body flex is not what you felt; more like body roll. Thank you very much $0.02

[snoopy]

I bought the 5 door for the main reason parking spaces in the UK are very small and the doors on the 3 door are HUGE and heavy. Getting in and out of the 5 door with its smaller doors from either the front or rear is easier.

[snoopy]

PS
I still think the 3 door looks far nicer but the practical side of the 5 door won me over. The 5 doors also made loading the rear with the seats down easier as you can open the door to help goods slide in easier over the folded seats.

[GTI2007]

I like the 3 door version much more because it looks so much more sportier then the 5 door version

[newtogolf]

ive been told that 5 doors sell more than 3 doors in the UK. dont see many 3 doors here, except for mine (when it is ready)

[Fudge]

There does tend to be more 5 door mk v's where I'm from than 3 doors, but not having a family nor a need to someone or items to be constantly in the rear seats, the 3 door was what I opted for and is the look I much prefer over the 5 door (don't get me wrong the 5 door is a great looking car, I just prefer the 3 door that little bit more).

[mk1-fan]

I prefer the looks of the 3door, but the 5door is more practical. Here in SA we only get the 5door version.:frown:

[Herby]

3 door- Sportier, bit more of the compact look

5 door-Heavier? I may be wrong though...feel free to prove me wrong


I have only owned 2 door hatches and my beetle so, don't think I'll be changing anytime soon...5 door just makes it into more of a family car.

[av_guy]

I love the look of the 5-door, as it displays the C-Pillar and IMO the lines of the car flow better too.

The 3-door is likely to be better at handling, with a more rigid construction and possibly a touch quicker with 2 less doors.

I prefer the 5-door - this is just my opinion, as I like the look and this is coming from somebody with a 2-door Coupe. My parents just placed an order for a 5-door Golf GTi with DSG in Steel Grey fully loaded - a beautiful killer car!

I believe each type of car has an advantage in what the primary use is going to be (or simply what you like/prefer).

I reckon I'll buy one after having my "beast" for 2 or 3 years :evil:

[peruski]

Why is the 5 door so much more practical? Do you really find it that hard to slide
the seat forward to get in? I'm 6'3" and I have more problems getting in some 4/5 door cars than the Golf.

Also with the 3 door, if you have something large to place in the back seat, (example a large CRT TV) its alot easier than the 5-door.

This is all from my experiences. BTW if you get either, you're still a winner.

:bowvw:
5 door will be far more practical for those of us with kids...Getting my sons in and out of my MKIV GTI wasn't the problem...getting back there to buckle their belts is a drag.

I have my wife convinced that a MKV R36 with DSG is the next family car for us...that is if VW brings the 5 door to the US.

[Bouston]

3 Door for me. It just looks better/sportier IMO.

[Brandon]

Yeah...I agree with most of the sentiments here....the 3 door is sportier, but the 5 door is more practical....and as mk1-fan said, here in South Africa we don't have a choice as only 5 door is available. I guess it made my decision easier. hehehe.

[Ant1974]

For me its the sportier 3 door. If had kids then would have the 5 door.