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Golf GTI


parrot

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So kids are growing up, beach house sold and the Nissan Xtrail which has done sterling service is a bit dull and frankly I'm over driving a manual in heavy city traffic.  Plus no one else in the family drives a manual, and daughter needs to drive an auto for her learners.  Yes I'm developing a story for the wife on why I need to buy a Golf GTI!  I'm thinking a 2015 which I gather is when they went to an improved motor and marginally enlarged interior I believe.  Hoping to get one with leather interior around $25K.

Anyone have any insight into these?  They have a timing chain rather than belt, but am seeing they need waterpump changes around every 50k.  I would be keeping mine absolutely stock.

I seriously considered a WRX, but family shouted that down as a thug car!  Plus they sound a bit of an effort to drive with not a lot of auto's around.

 

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"I seriously considered a WRX, but family shouted that down as a thug car! "

You dodged a bullet! Mate Rob on here has one he's trying to get going, but that means two motors both with run bearings..  Common problem with them.

Golf-  rocketship with strange, clever, opaque way of doing things! We swapped the whole Golf-R mechanicals & electrics into Josh's Mum's 1.4L Golf 6, there was some fascinating stuff in there. Beautifully made though, the $700 headlights are a work of art. Four electronic boxes in each headlight, all made in different countries.  Still, 4WD 2L turbo... 

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The Golf R is a step too far dollarwise, but the GTI  looks to be a very good car.  The latest I’ve seen is that after changing the transmission fluid, the DSG computer - no doubt there is more than one, need to be reset to adjust for the change in viscosity in order to operate properly.  Seems to be many things like that. I think I’ll be taking it to a dealer….

After I find one. Need to tiz up the xtrail first though. Think I might register the AE86 so I can drive that between cars

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GTI is rated by many to be the best all rounder car available in its class. Smallish, enough room for 4/5 people and very nice performance. 

My only experience with golf is a mate had a 2008 diesel turbo one with the first DSG. the car it self was brilliant but the DSG i didn't like that much. but apparently things have progressed significantly since and they are much better now. DSG was great at gear changes on road except, like all dual clutch transmissions, they suffer on low speed monouvers as basically the car is trying to guess what you want to do by riding the clutch. We drove it to sydney and back when it was basically brand new and it was very nice for long trips. Best test for them is to go to a busy round about and see how it reacts trying to sneak into a gap. There is deifinatly a delay between when you put your foot down and when the car goes. you get used to it relativity quickly but at first its pretty strange. I too could be just too picky cause there are plenty of them getting around and noone else seems to care. 

The DSG has a fancy gearbox oil that is quite expensive but i think its just a matter of getting it serviced when required and it keeps going. Probably not as expensive now as every car seems to have fancy gearbox oil. If i need a small run around car again (if work doesnt extend my contract that is up 30th june.......) I would be quite tempted on a golf or a polo. They seem to offer great value for $ and many of them have done stacks of kilometres and seem to keep going. 

 

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If you're thinking second hand I'd really highly recommend an oil consumption test done. If new rotate it for a new one before warranty runs out.

With a 1mm,1mm,1.75mm ring package on the vw/audi 1.8t and 2.0t aren't built for longevity. We have a fix at work(it actually kept us open over the real strict lockdowns) so even a second hand one with high oil consumption on the cheap is not a bad idea. I've just built a forged engine for a friends R. The factory gasket kit is poison though at almost 2k trade.

They can also have cam tension issues going by the amount of valve "kissed" pistons I've seen.

BUT don't let any of what I've said as a negative about the car itself. The GTI is my preference of the hot hatch department, it drives a lot lighter and more "flickable" than the R. 

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There is no doubt there are some killer parts prices if things go bad.  How do you get an engine consumption test done?  Sounds like something that would require the car for a few days which isn't really an option when buying.  I've snoozed the GTI forums on faceplant as all you see are a litany of fault codes and various other failures.  Although most of the people on there are taking them to various states of tune.  Of course they are not all like that, but varied stories of high oil consumption, leaking thermostats, DSG issues.

Took one from a dealer for a test drive yesterday as a learning exercise.  Lovely car but cosmetically a little rough.  The wheels are a sitting duck for curbing.  He wasn't happy when I pointed out the lake in the boot, or when I showed it to the other guy looking at it.  The DSG shifts were a little ropy too until it warmed up, then OK.  Went like the clappers.  No surprises they weren't offering much of a trade in.  Left salesman and used car manager scratching their heads looking in the wheel well.  So I think I will look to sell the xtrail privately, register the AE86 and drive that for a bit while looking for a good GTI.

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As far as I'm.aware alot of modern cars have some level of oil usage issue. Cause they run such rediculusly light oil for fuel consumption reasons. My wife's 2011 forestor is very bad, mates audi is quite bad too.

Edited by ke70dave
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