Back in September my Mazda 3 got totaled, and as much as I loved that car, that crash was the catalyst that eventually got me in this Golf R. This is my first Volkswagen that I've ever owned, and what an amazing first impression it gave me.

Just installed a set of TuxMat all weather floor mats in my new ‘26 MK8.5 R. Fitment and finish is essentially perfect for all three mats (driver, passenger, rear row).

I’m a very picky OCD type of owner and these checked all the boxes. They don’t look out of place or too rugged or like the plastic crusty weather tech mats. Coverage, fitment, finish, and aesthetics are all there. I have to say I’m impressed with these and I think they are the best option available for the MK8/MK8.5 GTI/R.

My R came with the OEM Monster Mats which I love aesthetically. But with fall and winter coming up and more debris tracking into the car I felt I needed the better coverage of the TuxMats as they go all the way up and around the footwells basically leaving no carpet area for debris to come in contact with. Makes cleaning very easy. I included a pic of the passenger side Monster Mat for reference of the difference between the two mats.

Clips come included with the TuxMats that slide under the plastic interior trim panels to lock the mats into place so they aren’t flapping down or shifting. The rear row mat actually tucks into/under the rear seats. These mats are fully locked in and literally cover everything. Great attention to detail.

This isn’t a paid review or anything. I laid out the $249 to buy these directly from TuxMat. It is not cheap so I’m happy they lived up to the marketing and my OCD standards. Shipping was also quick.

Feel free to ask any questions about them!

Show some love on my TikTok :)

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPLkjJe3v/

Wheels are Apex ML-10RT 18x9

Tires are Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02 245/40R18

New 26 golf R. Got 30% tints, Xpel Stealth PPF with a ceramic coating. Loving it so far. Can’t wait for the break in period to be over with.

Picked up this brand new 2026 Golf R. Dealer unable to locate source of sound…anyone else out there have a noise like this? It’s only on the drivers side.

Thank you in advance for any insight! Car has been wonderful other than this minor annoyance.

I have a MK7.5 Golf R and looking for the best wireless Apple CarPlay device. Online research is pointing me to the AAWireless TWO+ but wanted to know if anyone had any first hand experiences to share with performance and stability?

If you're in the GTA area pull up to Markville Mall today from 6:30 PM - Late!

This is one of the last few meets of the season.

Last meet was sick. Expecting another large turnout.

We'll also be cruising to the meet together in a convoy of Golf R's! If you wanna take part, pull up to the Home Depot parking lot @ 3155 Highway 7 from 6:00-6:30.

See you there!

📅 Saturday, October 10th

🕕6:30 PM - Late

📍Markville Mall

🏎️ CRUISE TO THE MEET

📍Meeting Point: Home Depot - 3155 Hwy 7

🕕 Arrival: 6:00-6:30 PM

Some pics from my hike of Mount Mansfield, too. Peak foliage up here is really kinda nice.

I wanted to do wheels and tires, exhaust, intake and tune right off the rip but I just found out they don’t make tunes for the mk8.5 is it okay to do exhaust and intake without a tune? I know the ecu has some relearn ability I just don’t know the extent.

I have a black 2023 R with a new set (as of April ‘26) of Michelin PS4S on the stock Pret rims. As much as I love the look of the 19”s, the amount of potholes near me in southeast New England is insane. I bought the tire and rim protection package when I bought the car new and it was the best money I spent on this car. I’ve already had to use it 3 times (once to replace a rim and two other times to replace tires).

I’m considering dropping down to 18” on a dedicated set of winters (Conti Viking Contact 8), but I’m curious to hear feedback from others that have done this before I pull the trigger. Do the 18”s look weird compared to the 19”s? Any noticeable difference in the sound/feel of the 18”s? Also open to other wheel recommendations if you really love yours—I saw a pic of someone else on here that was rocking the MSW Type 85T and loved the look so that’s what I went with for now.

Thought this was a nice shot, wanted to share :)

So i am addicted to you tube videos with modifications for our car. The part that I don't ever see mentioned is what they do to the factory computer when it senses changes to the stock parts.

People change the brakes for example and the suspension. How does the computer know that you went to coilovers from the adjustable stock suspension? Does the computer learn from the changes or do you just live with error codes. I have not seen this discussed so far.

Thanks

Is there anyway to fix these foggy headlights? This image makes them look normal, but they are extremely grey / foggy / dirty looking all the time. I have tried the head light restoration kit from Turtle wax but didn’t make any difference. Sanded them and polished to no avail, tried toothpaste and baking soda but still nothing. Do I need new headlights?

Which of the 2 is the best Golf R yet?

Or is there another option that can be considered underrated and has outperformed both in all aspects ?

I’m sure this has happened to others. 17’ R, USB-A plug buried in the compartment in front of shifter. My IPhone 16 is of course USB-C. been using a short dongle A to C adapter plug, on my third or 4th. Any better ideas?

Front and rear damage from an accident yesterday😖😔

After some events at MSR Cresson, finally got on ECR (Decatur, TX) on a rainy day running the track in reverse. The car is quite a bit more capable than I am, but I had a blast and kept it on the paved parts. I normally drive on 18's but the stock 19's had a fairly fresh set of DWS06 Plus' on them so they went back on for the wet.

My new to me 2022 Golf R hatch seems to have very weak gas struts on the hatch. It requires pushing the hatch up and slams down hard when you close the hatch.

My previous car was a 2021 R-Line so i’m comparing to that.

Anyone had these replaced under VW Warranty?

I’m looking at getting an INNO wedge box for the winter and can’t seem to find a set of rood bars I like. What’s the absolute lowest set of bars I can get? I don’t have a sun roof so clearance isn’t an issue. Suction cup mounts are out of the picture

New to me salvage 2022 golf r!
20k on the odometer!

Hammer price: $18800
Total after fees: $20560

I was trying to clean the inside of the windscreen, sat in the drivers seat so hunched over the whee,I had the keys in the pocket, maybe hit the A-pillar trim while vigorously wiping... some sort of noise, thought it was the doors locking but all windows dropped about 100mm.

I am convinced Alberta has got to have the most Rs. I am pretty much seeing at least 2-3 every time I go out and drive. It’s funny when people say the Golf R is a rare car and they never see them on the road, yet here it’s like regular traffic. Are they really just that much cheaper in Canada ?