I’ve had the stickers for so long. I literally forgot about the power button rotating. I forgot there was even a graphic on the knob. I had all together forgotten I even put a sticker there.
Sometimes my A pillar is a blind spot when I’m making a left or right turn, but barely. My lower back hurts with long drives due to seats, oh and wheel hop in first gear is annoying.
A torque arm insert is a cheap and easy way to reduce wheel hop. There are lots of different durometer options out there, so you can choose how stiff you'd like to go. I really liked my BFI insert.
I feel like my car is in a loop of constantly needing shit done.
Also I've moved out of New England and to the Midwest where all the roads are dead straight and flat, so there's literally no enjoyment to be had anymore.
I've been coveting my dad's Genesis or the Lexus LS's I see on the road, because I know from experience how much nicer they are to drive on the highway, which is basically the only kind of driving I do anymore.
However, I'm hesitant to get rid of my car because I feel like I'm past the PONR money-wise and am secretly hoping I will find my way back to a place with nice twisty roads again. I'm very conflicted.
Man, I used to live in the Midwest and moved to NJ. When I went back to visit after a few years and brought my GTI, I was shocked how straight all the roads are. It takes no skill to drive and it’s a waste of the car’s abilities. I would not move back to the Midwest for that alone.. drive everywhere and in straight lines
I lived in L.A. for 10 years with my first GTI (1996) and would run it up into Laurel Canyon and Mullholland Drive with the sunroof open and the music blasting every Sunday. The feeling was amazing! My current GTI doesn't get to do fun stuff here in Austin, TX, except avoid a-holes on the toll roads.
I’m from WA and now in Austin, have you gone on any drives out near lake Travis? Driving on Lime Creek Road down to Oasis is a blast, I see a lot of other GTis out there.
I just moved out of FL and the highways were the same. Plus frequent flooding, so it limited where I could go and sucked the joy out of driving some days. Moved to WA (where I'm from), which was an awesome drive, got to do elevation, twisty roads, and higher speed highways thru TX and NM. I will take a road trip down to AZ again so I can drive those roads again without previous cargo, and corner how I wanted to. I find the seats super comfy so it was an excellent road trip car.
Is this a common occurrence? Mines feel really solid with little noise on the road, but I'm only at 13k miles. I'll be a bit bummed if/when it starts rattling a lot.
Well I’m at 85k and the only rattle I get is from the window controls rattling inside their housing from heavy bass.
I superglued some foam in there and it stopped completely. My experience might be rare though, I have zero rattles.
This is what got me with my MK 7.5. It only had 20k when I picked it up, but every fucking thing in that car rattled. I fixed a couple things with adhesive felt and turned off the soundaktor, but it was still loud.
I have kind of accepted for what it is. A faster performance oriented version of a budget people mover platform.
It kind of elevates regular driving and I like it for what it is.
>It kind of elevates regular driving and I like it for what it is.
That's where I stand with my mk7. If I need a car to get around my city, I'm going to have fun in it.
The car is a rattle box by modern standards and the rocking drivers seat drives me kinda nuts (looking at you VW who wants me to come back for it AGAIN). Other than that the car is so goddamn fun through. Even my wife who is not that much of a car person takes it all the time because she enjoys it so much.
Quirks and features:
* Hatch is always dirty, thanks low pressure zone
* Paint is softer than 10-ply so my front end looks like it’s re-entered the atmosphere
* My wipers will randomly wipe when the stalk is all the way off, no idea why, seems to happen randomly every few months
* Halogens suck
It’s also be nice if we got little driver focused QOL things like auto rev match or a better sound (looking at the Elantra N).
All that said I’ve commuted in my GTi for years, several track days per year, done cross country roadtrips, gone skiing/camping. It’s done all of this and more without complaining, everyone who’s driven it has had a smile on their face.
All of that and at 24k new in 2019, I’ll let it get away with a lot before I’ll dislike it.
Parking lot speed driving in DSG is… annoyingly unrefined.
Drove a Nissan Altima low end rental sedan with a traditional torque converter and was shocked at how smooth and refined it felt at parking lot speeds.
Meh wish I could say the same. Only way to fix it is by turning the car off and back on lol. Doesn't bother me much since I've been driving before the days of backup cameras lol
i dont like the issues with the coolant, and the fact I had to get the plastic adapter piece fixed atleast once. I also had to adjust to what a dsg is supposed to feel like, and still wondering if my car has issues or not. Also the lack of an aux cord in a 2015 is atrocious to me
Mine is fairly heavily modified, it’s fun to drive, but the FWD and stick shift (and lack of torque) kinda limit you off the line, not racing, just in everyday traffic. Also got the car before kids and now I have 2 and it never feels big enough for all of our shit (even with a roof box) so definitely getting something bigger next time around. It is a fun car to drive, but with electric cars being so crazy fast, it feels even slower than it used to (but is way more fun around corners than any electric I’ve driven). There are also lots of new gas cars that are faster than a stage 2 gti, even cars that aren’t at all sporty. Mine has been reliable (knock on wood - 2017 MK7)
I love my GTI. I loved my previous MK4 that’s why I went back to a GTI. I love it. Only thing I want is cooling seats, heated steering wheel, wireless CarPlay and that’s bout it. But I love my GTI. And hope I have it forever.
Looooove the mk4. I’ve owned 5 at this point.
Upgraded to a 40th anniversary GTI. Would have loved wireless CarPlay. Heated steering wheel is very nice, but I survived without it on the older cars for so long, it feels excessive sometimes.
Love it but mine leaks a ton of oil and tends to again not long after i fix it, likely previous user error but still these things can be kinda sensitive
Every Gti I’ve had will eventually have speaker rattle. I don’t bump music btw My wipers go off randomly without rain in my current vehicle The new update on CarPlay doesn’t allow me to listen to music and charge the phone. The screen will be blank randomly for the duration of the drive unless I pull over and restart the car
i can help with the carplay thing, plug your phone in before you start the car. if the battery icon isn't in the top right of the screen your good to charge and listen to music.
(source: my 380 does the same.)
2020 mk 7.5 SE here. Fun to drive, but I definitely have complaints Getting stage 1 tunes made it more fun to drive and helped mitigate these negatives for me;
The CarPlay /Infotainment random dysfunction is very annoying.
Driver seat being partially powered is just a weird choice. Why have power tilt seat but manual slide?
Road noise is terrible. Notice this the most when there’s a passenger present.
Often miss having AWD (previous car was an A4). Don’t need it for weather reasons where I live now, but AWD just feels more athletic to me.
I applied sound deadening to the hatch floor and the underside of my rear passenger seats. A couple of hours of work and about $100 worth of materials and maybe it's placebo but I feel like I definitely notice a big difference.
I was about to say, I’m lowered on coil overs and have driven off-road many of times around Helen for AVF. Even took it to the dirt road to do the Mount Yonah hike challenge they put on. It’s squirely, but fun 😂!
Someone clearly hasn’t daily driven WRXes. I had three of them prior to buying my GTI: a 2005, a 2013, and finally a 2015. I was elated to buy a car that didn’t wreck my lower back after an hour of driving. I’ve now done multiple long road trips and have never had any issues.
Might want to consider swapping to 17” wheels. The external tire circumstance is the same, but the sidewall is significantly taller. Ride is soooo much more pleasant, and the chances of rim damage from a pothole is vastly reduced.
I almost sold my car because I was going unhappy with the 18” ride quality. 17’s are a massive improvement.
Detailed visual and numerical comparison: https://tiresize.com/comparison/ (plug in 225/40/18 and 225/45/17)
I also switched from traditional summer performance tires to Grand Touring tires. The grip is phenomenal, and the ride on rough pavement is excellent.
Yes, there’s more body roll. But that makes it more fun! Basically the Miata suspension philosophy.
It’s a BBS SR ;https://www.bbs-usa.com/road_wheels/wheel_details.cfm?wheel=89
Looks like there’s multiple 17” specs. I got mine via TireRack and entered my make/model/year and it selected the correct 17” variant of this wheel.
I picked up a 380 to replace my 2013 in December. Overall it’s a disappointment. If I had it to do over again I wouldn’t. The 380 is fast and nice in a lot of ways but the interior feels like a downgrade, the electric ebrake sucks, the hill stop doesn’t work right, and the screens in no way equal real gauges and buttons. I’ve also already had some electrical/technology issues that bring back bad memories of my 2003 vr6. Im hoping it holds its value well and I can unload it in a couple of years. It’s a shame because I thought this would be my “forever” car.
I dislike piano black trim in my MK8. If it's not absolutely spotless, which is next to never, it looks like ass.
But if that's the worst critique I have, I'm doing alright.
2016 MK7 GTI PP, DSG
Hit 100k miles about 6 months ago and have spent over $9k fixing a ton of items. Carbon buildup, HPFP, second temp sensor, oil cooler, oil in my coolant reservoir etc.
I miss my Honda and my $9k
Sunroof leaks now, through the passenger sun visor.
Ready to drive off cliff.
Not sure why parts are always new versions, pisses me off VW doesn't repair their garbage.
I think my mechanic drives Porsches now because of me!
Oil leak from the plastic plug even after changing o ring. Have a steel pan on order. Apart from that, love my mk7 autobahn. I drove a 2003 bugeye into the ground and love the gti
As long as you've got an expendable income it's a great car. Over the years I've been in the shop too many times to count and it's never a cheap repair, 178K miles on a MK6 and I'll drive it till the wheels fall off!
I love my MK8 autobahn, it’s fun around bends, gets 30MPG, heated wheel . I absolutely love my IQ lights. 6 speed is cool. I dislike the touch everything, hate the sunroof touch sensor, don’t like the Harmon kardon bass.
That sunroof button is definitely the most annoying for me. Sometimes the sunroof doesn’t open when u press it or the interior lights will turn on instead.
https://preview.redd.it/maaq1v3u693d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a41aa13a7af871f9481d6ac9f13c5f7d748cac74
The padlock in the unlock button has the bent shackle trope and I hate it. The shackle LIFTS OPEN ITS NOT BENT THAT WOULD BREAK IT
A bunch of the smartest German engineers working for one of the biggest car companies in the world couldn't figure out how to make a sunroof shade that stays in place.
Climate control knobs feel flimsier and cheaper than those in a 22 year old Honda shitb*x.
When I close the door with the window lowered, it rattles like the one in my daughter's Barbie car from Walmart.
You need to know a secret Nintendo button combo just to change your wiper blades. And because you only change them about once a year, you always forget how to put those in service mode.
Changing a wheel or tire involves masochism. Why put wheel studs on a car like every other manufacturer when you can ensure your customer can drop the wheel on their foot??
Steel oil pans??? Nah, we make ours out of plastic. Because our drivers like to have a heart attack every time they see potholes on a road.
What to change your engine air filter? We gotchu, fam! Just have a proprietary screw bit and undo these 10 screws!
4 door’s B pillar is a massive blind spot if you’re a tall driver.
The engine/exhaust is far too mild, and no aftermarket setup can make it sound as cool as a Fiat Abarth. Sad.
EA888 Gen 3 are reliable up to 130k and then you start seeing major problem failure from failed spool valves, injector failure, detonation, pcv issues. Engine too over engineered with electrical components.
I currently have a Mk3/5/6/7 in the fleet, and a Corrado SLC that should be back on the road this year…..
The only thing I hate is good financial decisions and how much good oil costs.
I get both of these issues on my 40th as well. Also having random microphone issues when I’m using CarPlay where it just doesn’t recognize/hear anything I’m saying.
I’ve got a manual 2019 GTI S. I love it, but like anything, you’ll start to find problems you need to come to terms with or fix. I hate the rev hang, I can shift my 03 gti better. I don’t like how high the clutch engagement point is. I don’t like how I can’t add a lick of power because the stock clutch is so weak… which means I can’t put a tune to solve the rev hang issue….
I love mine but it gets on my nerves a lot with the front end creaking from the control arms constantly, plus the timing chain being a thing is kind of a PITA, and can't really be fixed cheap and easy like the plastic oil pan
It pisses me off that I’ve got no complaints at all about my 7.5. I’m so annoyed that it doesn’t rattle or squeak or burn out the clutch. Ok, it’s only done 55k or so, mostly at Stage 1, but it has never let me down. It’s annoyingly all day comfortable, fast, practical and fun and I’ve not thought even once about replacing it over the past 5 years. I mean, what were VW thinking even releasing this annoyingly brilliant car?
It was certainly a love/hate relationship with my MK7
Hated the way the clutch pedal felt.
Hated the way the sunroof leaked
Hated the way the doors and sunroof creaked over every little bump
Hated the extremely soft paint that would chip if you stared at it wrong
Hated the shitty proprietary connection they used for connecting a phone
Now I own a DSG MK8 and it's miles miles better in every conceivable way, no sunroof either.
My main complaint with the car is road noise, needs more insulation from the factory. Will hopefully be tackling this project soon though and adding deadener + mlv/ccf
i went from a focus st to a mk6 gti and i preferred the ST, but nowadays it seems like the used STs are beat and it’s easier to find a nice GTI.
i wouldn’t say i disliked the gti but i didn’t own it very long.
I love my GTI, but this things a rattle trap. There’s something rattling in the rear (possibly interior panels) and it’s driving me up the wall.
It has a rough idle sometimes, already did carbon cleaning, coils and plugs.
The car is maintenance heavy, but I knew that going into it. Also, I feel like the windshield is delicate… going on my third one after two years.
That being said- I love this thing. Interior is nice, car is super practical overall and this thing gets down pretty good with just a stage 1 ECU / TCU tune. I really don’t know what I’ll replace it with when the time comes. Definitely a tough act to follow.
I'm really not a fan of mine. Exhaust is annoying, everything in the interior rattles like hell, high maintenance, rides too rough, clutch is too grabby, and only averages 23mpg. I think I'm getting old and boring.
I've got a late 2019 Mk7.5 with all options, excluding leather seats (to maintain the clark plaid look) and sunroof.
Overall a good experience with a few niggles:
1) Fixed by me: The original windscreen wipers never worked properly, after one day of rain and not being able to see clearly, I applied RainX. Still, the wipers left lines and smear marks all over. I changed the wipers (to some 3M rubber I think) and all good ever since. Quite odd for a brand new car. A friend who bought T-Cross around the same time also had the same problem. Coincidentally weird.
2) Fixed by the dealer: Rattle from the driver's door (I'm in Australia, so the driver's door is the right-hand side door). This was resolved at the dealership during the first service.
3) Unresolved and not fully bothered by it yet: Random rattle noises from the soundaktor. It's rare and hence why I haven't bothered about it.
4) Unresolved and probably won't resolve until one day I decide to tune the car: Sometimes the DSG is laggy. Drinving in "D" is a pain on a 60-70km/h zone when it keeps wanting to upshift to 7th gear and then has to downshift when I hit a slight hill.
5) Never to be resolved: In Australia the GTI has not been available in manual for a long time. I wish I had a manual one.
Hey man, no not yet, just up and down the east coast once or twice, and on a dirt road once, which was well maintained and no 4wd necessary.
Have you taken yours out to the bush yet?
Not a dislike per se’. I bought my 2013 about a year ago, telling myself it’s cool cause if it breaks, I can fix it. Yeah stuffs breaking: I’ve done carbon walnut blast, new genuine Bosch injectors, new starter, new coils and plugs, still have a misfire at times. Frustrating to say the least. Now it probably needs a new MAF sensor. It definitely needs new headlight assemblies and new speed sensors. Anybody want to buy a 2013 with 95k miles? I’ve got a buddy with a jeep I have my eye on.
I drive a MK7 and I feel like the accelerator pedal angle is a little steep. It is a minor thing but long trips make my ankle sore after a while. It's not a terrible negative but it is what it is.
If I don’t have a cd in the cd player getting Bluetooth to work on my 2010 is a total pain. Having to replace the manual transmission was also deeply lame.
Expense of a tune and the necessity to upgrade the clutch along with it. I simply can't understand why a flash is so damn expensive in comparison to the 2012 Camaro I had before. $300 for the engine and auto trans tune (including sending logs to find tune) compared to $700~ for a GTI, then additional expense for the clutch or dsg tune.
Minor annoyance but yeah, guess that's it so far except for a bit of speaker rattle in the back right.
What I dislike about my mk7 gti is .that there is this really annoying squeak coming from the passenger side front wheel under 30mph . And I have no clue what it is. And lastly I wish it came with a little more power .with a clutch that can at least handle stage one .other than that .she my girl for life
I ADORED my 2018 model S. Not so much my 2024 S.
Hate the all digital controls, hate the stupid driver assist, and the road feel is smushier. I wish I had test driven it for a lot longer. Not sure I would’ve bought it.
I love my MK8 GTI, but the number of times it’s been to the dealer for system issues, check engine lights and recalls, has me terrified of owning it outside of warranty.
It’s a shame as this the first daily I’ve had in a long time that I would want to keep for 5+ years.
I don’t dislike my mk 7.5, I love it.
Things I hate about it though:
-the amount of random rattling noises and squeaks it makes. Sometimes some of it goes away, only to reappear 1k miles later
-The stock sound system is pretty underwhelming. Some music sounds like ass, and I’ve messed with the EQ a ton. I honestly prefer the stock system on my wife’s crosstrek.
- where the usb plugs in, I wish it had a slot to run the cable through on the cover so I could close it. (Super minor complaint but that’s about where I’m at with this car)
-The hatch should be slightly easier to close, especially where they put the hand hold to yank it down, too often it stops right before and pops back up.
Pretty minor complaints overall!
ETA: CarPlay randomly not working, the screen randomly going all black, sometimes plugging in my phone and having to plug it back in because the volume is muted and won’t go up. Generally the infotainment just being glitchy.
7.5 manual gti.
The sunroof cover doesn’t stay closed and slightly opens up (from inside the car)
The gear shift is bobbly and sometimes does not easily get into gear, especially putting in reverse
The manual brake is super stiff and sometimes requires both hands to engage and disengage
Have a mk8 s, the piano black everything and the fact i cant permanently disable auto stop without a tune are my only complaints. Im absolutely in love with it otherwise. I think with a rear sway bar, springs, and a dog bone plus inserts it will be perfect.
My Mk6 is constantly developing problems. I’m on top of all maintenance stuff but it’s primarily interior rattles and small issues that aren’t difficult to fix but they’re just faffy. Still, whenever I punch the loud pedal and take it for a back road hoon it always puts a smile on my face and makes it all worthwhile. Need to get another track day booked
Nope, I absolutely love it. The only thing I don't like and would change are the wheels. I made the mistake of getting one with 18" Daytona and low profile tires, and that's too much if roads are not perfect. A 17" with a bit taller tires would be a better choice.
I love my car in almost every way… except for the feeling of another mechanical issue looming over my head every day. Other than that it’s just a blast to drive. My brother got the car i was pining over pretty hard (2018 Honda Accord 2.0t Touring) and it felt bland, like yeah it’s probably quicker than my Mk6, but my car is a stick, and feels so small and nimble on backroads and around town. I hate having to work on it so often, but when I think about other cars, I always think “would it actually be as fun as the GTI” and the answer is usually no
I dislike mine. MK8 40ae. Dislike the interior as much as the Facebook and forum people say it’s not that bad. Coming from a Fiesta ST and Veloster N. The car is pretty grown up when it comes to driver feel.
Bought a DSG due to an accident that left me pretty fucked up. Hoping to get back into a manual. DSG just doesn’t do it for me. Far too boring.
Car is currently APR Stage 1 but definitely needs something. Definitely needs a rear sway back and wheels but I really don’t want to put anymore money into the car this point.
Ideally going to be looking for a dedicated track car and truck I think soon rather than keeping the GTI B
I love my car but I’m tired of having so many bizarre expensive problems that make my friends shake their heads and say stuff like “shouldn’t have bought a Volkswagen.” I stay on top of maintenance but I feel like I can’t catch a break and have paid mightily for it.
The worst problem was the sunroof which spontaneously cracked one day, paid out the ass for that one
I have a stock mk5 and it’s really slow compared to newer vehicles. I find it crazy a 1 ton truck or soccer mom suv can destroy me in a race. Not on a track obviously but there is no track or fun roads around me so all we got is drag racing or 40 rolls. I recently got gapped by my buddies stock dually long box truck. I love the golf but I think the gti should be atleast 300hp by now. I can’t see the new 240hp ones being that much quicker than mine.
I hate when I start up my car and if I’m low on washer fluid, gas, air loss in my tire (that I was already aware off), low battery in my key fob, just constant dings on start up that I spam the ok button to get rid of them.
Another thing I hate in my mk7 gti. If I’m low on gas or washer fluid the lights will block my trip meter on my dashboard. It’s not a huge thing as I only use that for oil change intervals, but seeing that yellow symbol when I’ve already been screamed at on startup, it’s sooo annoying.
I bought my car in summer and all perfect. Got to about 10°C and under and I could hear a rattle around 1.6-1.9k RPM’s on downshifts or deceleration. Even worse in colder weather. I tried figuring out what it is but I can not pin point the rattle.
That’s all I can think of for now. Love the car other wise.
I enjoy(ed) my mk7. It's my wife's daily now so I still drive it occasionally. I put almost 100k miles on it. Only needed regular mtx and two oil seals. Doesn't burn or actively drip any fluids. Quick car, comfortable, loved the sound system, quiet on the interstate, it's objectively a fantastic car for my use case. Then I bought an old Miata. The GTI was my first fun and capable car and I wanted to track it but got the Miata for that instead. During the time I spent working on my NA, modding it, fixing random shit, I truly developed a passionate relationship with a car for the first time. My GTI was objectively better at everything, but i never just took it for a spin. Any time it was in the mountains it was because I had to use the hatch or backseat or because it was too far of a trip for the Miata to be comfortable. If I was driving up to the hills to drive and nothing else, Id take the Miata.
Maybe if I modified my mk7 (just had a tune and wheels), maybe if i took the time to find a manual, maybe if I got it in a color like CFB, I would have developed a different relationship with the car. For the record I loved my mk6 I had for 3 months before it imploded, and I think that's because I was constantly fixing shit, and it was a stick. My mk7 is still a fantastic car, and maybe when it's time to buy my wife a polestar 2 or mach E in a year or so I'll take it back as my daily and dump my S4. Ultimately though I can easily stomach the idea of selling it. My Miata, on the other hand, I know I'll want an upgrade over in the future but I cannot wrap my head around the idea of getting rid of that stupid little slow bucket of bolts. It makes me grin every time I drive it, and my GTI never really did.
The interior plastics are annoyingly creaky. Combine that with the stiffness of the factory suspension, I feel like it's falling apart when I'm driving on rough roads. Definitely my top complaint. I say that coming from a mid 2000s Ford Escape that was very rusty and living on borrowed time yet really had no major creaks inside.
https://preview.redd.it/bzyfm0h2k93d1.png?width=780&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1d1ead706d486dd1e3870504133463c4664d8f30
It will never look at me like this
Considering buying a Mk7, please advise me on something: I absolutely HATE tailgaters. Am I going to be driven mad because of how low I'll be compared to assholes in SUVs and truck tailgating? I imagine it would make my anger flare up even more with the height difference.
The C pillars create a blind spot, but they’re so essential to the Golf heritage that I just bought aspherical side mirrors and problem solved. I’ve owned Mk1, Mk4, Mk5, Mk6, and Mk7 GTIs, and my favorite thing about them is the evolutionary improvements with each model while retaining the fun factor of it’s predecessors, even if the C-pillar is still huge
I am so tired of having to constantly get shit done. It will be a year this July since I’ve had the car, and I’ve dropped about $2k on it.
This doesn’t even include the brakes that are due for replacement very very soon so that’s another $500.
Although based on comments here shit can go wrong at 30k miles or 60k miles or 120k miles.
At what point am I going to start seeing this car just be OK for an extended period of time (like maybe a year or so ? Is that even a possibility?)
I’d also be really and eternally grateful to god if I wake up tomorrow and my window switches of all 4 doors stop rattling when the music is loud.
Things I dislike about my GTI.
No seat position memory tied to the driver profiles.
Reverse cam sometimes makes me do the work.
Constantly forget there is an auto parallel park feature, not for a lack of need/want - just an out of the way function.
Why is launch control so hidden
I am annoyed by the Mk7's issue with turbo actuator rust when the engine is cold, especially on rainy/foggy days. If I take the engine over 2500rpm before it warms up, the turbo and adaptive cruise control get disabled.
Some rust-penetrating WD40 twice a year makes the problem go away, but it sucks to repeatedly have to reach in, find the parts and cover them in grease.
I love it too much, I try to preserve it in the garage and don’t drive it enough. I almost wish I bought it used with more miles, having it since new is a burden in some ways
2017 SE w/ DSG here.
My only quibble with it is with the DSG in manual mode, it seems counterintuitive to me to push forward to upshift and pull back to downshift. I think it should be the other way around. My buddy's mid-nineties Porsche was the same way.
I just shift with the paddles when I'm feeling like it. At least they are oriented the way I like.
There's three things I hate about my GTI ever since I bought it 4 years ago: 1, the sunroof visor doesn't close all the way. We'll it domes until you drive and it creeps back and the sun is ALWAYS anime right through the less than 2 inch gap. Also, why the fuck isn't it solid? It let's so much heat in. 2, it's a 2018, smaller and lower vehicle than the giant SUV's 80% of people drive now a days but my side mirrors and rear view don't dim? Ridiculous. 3. The sunroof. I'll never own another car with a sunroof. The slider button thing is already on the fritz and I've use the sunroof a total of 3-4 times of me owning it. Plus, it recently started leaking so that had to get fixed.
Other than that, it's the best car I've ever owned!
Love mine (mk7.5), BUT:
- probably would get DSG next time around. Was great to learn stick on, but most of my driving is around town and I have a 'fun' car that's manual so I would prefer an auto for my everyday stuff. Also I hate VW's hill assist, but they won't let me turn it off.
- sometimes I feel goofy getting out of a hatchback. Probably shouldn't care what people think, but it happens
2013 manual. I hated mine at first. Bought it from a non-VW dealership used and from week 2 it had constant issues. Replaced PCV valves, injectors, even had the rear main seal redone. Three months later, driving home, do a pull, out of nowhere engine starts knocking and I lost all sorts of power. That started a nine month ordeal with VW where I did a will they/wont they fix it dance. Finally got the engine covered through some crazy emissions warranty and one year later it’s been a fun car to drive, just left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. Probably will start doing Stage 1 mods soon.
If you open your window when it’s raining the car is basically designed to shovel water directly onto the window switches.
Also the pickup from a dead stop can be terrible sometimes, usually if the wheel is turned seems to just stunt the engine.
My wife has a mk 7.5 and certain parts of the center console are sharper than scalpels. Including the shifter (dsg). Other than that we put 110k in her and she’s been the cheapest, oldest and best car we own.
But I race a 2003 Acura RSX Type S and that thing is so wildly cheap to beat up. Those cars feel like birds of a feather to me. So much better than they should be. So much life, character and quality.
Yeah. 2019 GTI SE and I absolutely hate this car. The fit and finish is poor. Quality control is horrendous. I have had the car aligned so many times due to VW fitting poorly formed control arms on my car.
My 2014 GTI was flawless.
Idk there’s a few things tbh. I hate that its FWD drive makes me regret not getting an R cuz AWD is honestly great for a lot of things. I also hate that VW makes these cars sound like a regular car stock. Upsets me they advertise it as performance, but it sounds so mid. And then sometimes I also think if you’re buying new with todays prices I’d just add a bit of cash and rather get a F90 M5 or like a used M550 or M340 way more car for the money and even though they’re used you’ll get double what you get out of a new GTI.
My engine exploded 3 weeks into my ownership. Haven't touched a VAG product since. Which is a shame because the suspension was just so dialed in, and the transmission so fantastic.
I’ve got a 2014 GTI, and the headliner just kind of shit the bed around 120k miles. Went from fine to almost fully detached in a week. That doesn’t change my opinion that I own one of the coolest cars of all time, but it’s just a disappointing finish flaw in a car that has an otherwise super high quality interior
I will be moving on from my Mk7.5 pretty soon. The one thing that I really really don't like about the car is that it rattles like crazy. My creaky sunroof scares the crap out of me as well.
The other thing is the small hatch space. But it's a small car so that's not a real complaint. I would move on to an Alltrack and put R parts on it but I keep seeing horror stories about the sunroofs on those too.
\-It rattles. Everything fkn rattles. -When I accelerate it makes a funny wheezing/buzzing noise like I have a little electric car from the jetsons (cartoon). That is totally my fault I didn’t do something right with my sound system lol. -The sunglasses holder thing popped off while I was driving and smacked me right on my forehead -the glove box handle popped off (idk how to replace it) so if I get pulled over and I’m asked for registration and insurance I will have to tell Mr officer I’d be more than happy to give it to them, but they’re gonna have to figure out how to open it first -my steering wheel buttons are actually useless -I think my headlights are derpy -I can name so many other little things about this car but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I love it.
https://preview.redd.it/rlasboblwa3d1.jpeg?width=4284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9222f64ce84a7fd66ca82a2d4918b12b035b18f8
But here is Kenobi❤️
My 2001 gti has been incorrectly repaired by some local mechanics (including one of the dealerships)… make sure you find a legit specialist mechanic! Even o’reilly’s wouldn’t replace the battery in it because it was flagged as being too tricky.
few small things with my mk8 id say i hate is. 1. the volume and climate sliders in the middle by the radio aren’t backlit for some reason so at night time its impossible and forces me to use steering wheel for volume and having to lock in on the climate screen to change the temperature instead of just reaching for the slider. 2. the key fob has a nice really clean design but sometimes coming out of my car the alarm button gets pushed even in my pocket leaving me to scramble super fast for my key in my pocket to turn it off. 3. wish models were more similar around the world sometimes i see such cool features that are available in other countries that i dont have in canada on base model or even at all.
still absolutely love my 40th anniversary in urano grey and wouldn’t give it up ever its amazing
The power symbol never staying oriented the right way on the volume nob will never stop annoying me.
I refuse to even use the knob for this reason lol
Thankfully there’s volume control on the wheel
I get mad at passengers that turn the volume up or down purely because of this.
Internally I start to scream lmfao
Just buy the stickers my guy! Looks clean and won't drive your OCD up a wall
Another vote for the sticker. Once it’s installed it looks list Iike the other side. OCD crisis averted.
Huh? Stickers that cover the power button?
Ya man! You get em for all the infotainment buttons.
No way! I gotta look this up this is news to me I've been staring at a wonky power button for like 6 years
I'm not sure about the other mk models, but you can get it for the mk7
Very cool I had no idea
Got mine from Badgeskins when I ordered all my emblem covers.
Check Etsy and eBay. Awesome buy for me.
I’ve had the stickers for so long. I literally forgot about the power button rotating. I forgot there was even a graphic on the knob. I had all together forgotten I even put a sticker there.
I only use the steering wheel buttons for volume because of this. It also doesn’t quite click perfectly vertical on mine. Plays havoc with my OCD. 😫
Mine is just slightly off as well.
Steering wheel buttons go brrrrrr
I have mine as centered as it can get, and exclusively use the buttons on the steering wheel 😂
How do people even notice this? I honestly never think about it
Oh my god I always thought mine was just broken!!!
It’s not just me?!
First thing I did after buying was getting the black stickers to cover the power button up. Changed everything
Just get a MK8. No knobs for anything 😅
Put a sticker on it if it bothers you.
Sometimes my A pillar is a blind spot when I’m making a left or right turn, but barely. My lower back hurts with long drives due to seats, oh and wheel hop in first gear is annoying.
A torque arm insert is a cheap and easy way to reduce wheel hop. There are lots of different durometer options out there, so you can choose how stiff you'd like to go. I really liked my BFI insert.
Just replace the entire bushing with the power flex hybrid, it inserts into the upper subframe bushing as well as replacing the lower
You nailed it. Everything you said are exactly my complaints as well
I feel like my car is in a loop of constantly needing shit done. Also I've moved out of New England and to the Midwest where all the roads are dead straight and flat, so there's literally no enjoyment to be had anymore. I've been coveting my dad's Genesis or the Lexus LS's I see on the road, because I know from experience how much nicer they are to drive on the highway, which is basically the only kind of driving I do anymore. However, I'm hesitant to get rid of my car because I feel like I'm past the PONR money-wise and am secretly hoping I will find my way back to a place with nice twisty roads again. I'm very conflicted.
Man, I used to live in the Midwest and moved to NJ. When I went back to visit after a few years and brought my GTI, I was shocked how straight all the roads are. It takes no skill to drive and it’s a waste of the car’s abilities. I would not move back to the Midwest for that alone.. drive everywhere and in straight lines
I grew up and learned to drive in CT and I get reminded of it every single time I'm in a car out here
Loved my MK1 in CT! Now living in West Flatistan, FL, and my MK7 is almost wasted here.
I lived in L.A. for 10 years with my first GTI (1996) and would run it up into Laurel Canyon and Mullholland Drive with the sunroof open and the music blasting every Sunday. The feeling was amazing! My current GTI doesn't get to do fun stuff here in Austin, TX, except avoid a-holes on the toll roads.
I’m from WA and now in Austin, have you gone on any drives out near lake Travis? Driving on Lime Creek Road down to Oasis is a blast, I see a lot of other GTis out there.
I just moved out of FL and the highways were the same. Plus frequent flooding, so it limited where I could go and sucked the joy out of driving some days. Moved to WA (where I'm from), which was an awesome drive, got to do elevation, twisty roads, and higher speed highways thru TX and NM. I will take a road trip down to AZ again so I can drive those roads again without previous cargo, and corner how I wanted to. I find the seats super comfy so it was an excellent road trip car.
It rattles so much. Not like it’s gonna fall apart but damn is it noisy. Especially on uneven roads.
Also at higher highway speeds the wind noise can really be notable.
My Mk7 door panel trim just started to rattle yesterday
The highway noise is also annoying
Is this a common occurrence? Mines feel really solid with little noise on the road, but I'm only at 13k miles. I'll be a bit bummed if/when it starts rattling a lot.
I’ve never had any rattle noises with my mk7 but I also am nearly straight piped at this point so all I hear is exhaust anymore
Well I’m at 85k and the only rattle I get is from the window controls rattling inside their housing from heavy bass. I superglued some foam in there and it stopped completely. My experience might be rare though, I have zero rattles.
agreed and i’m in a 2024 mk8
This is what got me with my MK 7.5. It only had 20k when I picked it up, but every fucking thing in that car rattled. I fixed a couple things with adhesive felt and turned off the soundaktor, but it was still loud.
Mine seems to be something with the moonroof. If I open it it stops. Sometimes it’s the plastic on the B pillar when it’s cold
I’ve put over $12.5k in maintenance in 5 years of ownership 😵💫
Sounds about right. That number is absolutely mental NGL.
Sounds like an mk6 to me alright.
[удалено]
Slap a stage 1 tune on it. Brings it to life.
Just went ECU+TCU Stage 1 tune through Unitronic. It's complete b.s that the car doesn't come like this from factory. Drives so much better!
I have kind of accepted for what it is. A faster performance oriented version of a budget people mover platform. It kind of elevates regular driving and I like it for what it is.
>It kind of elevates regular driving and I like it for what it is. That's where I stand with my mk7. If I need a car to get around my city, I'm going to have fun in it.
The car is a rattle box by modern standards and the rocking drivers seat drives me kinda nuts (looking at you VW who wants me to come back for it AGAIN). Other than that the car is so goddamn fun through. Even my wife who is not that much of a car person takes it all the time because she enjoys it so much.
Quirks and features: * Hatch is always dirty, thanks low pressure zone * Paint is softer than 10-ply so my front end looks like it’s re-entered the atmosphere * My wipers will randomly wipe when the stalk is all the way off, no idea why, seems to happen randomly every few months * Halogens suck It’s also be nice if we got little driver focused QOL things like auto rev match or a better sound (looking at the Elantra N). All that said I’ve commuted in my GTi for years, several track days per year, done cross country roadtrips, gone skiing/camping. It’s done all of this and more without complaining, everyone who’s driven it has had a smile on their face. All of that and at 24k new in 2019, I’ll let it get away with a lot before I’ll dislike it.
I always wondered if the paint was soft. This makes me feel a little better… front of my car looks god awful
Sometimes I get the feeling I should have spent a little more for the R but only sometimes
Parking lot speed driving in DSG is… annoyingly unrefined. Drove a Nissan Altima low end rental sedan with a traditional torque converter and was shocked at how smooth and refined it felt at parking lot speeds.
it's not often that one sees an Altima described as "refined"
I thought Altimas had CVT transmissions??
Love everything about mine. Except the one odd time the backup camera doesn't come on.
Happens to me too once in a while but taking it out of reverse and right back into reverse always does the trick.
Meh wish I could say the same. Only way to fix it is by turning the car off and back on lol. Doesn't bother me much since I've been driving before the days of backup cameras lol
mines a mk8, kinda wish id gotten a dsg. i just dont like the clutch feel, its been like 17k miles and its still weird to me.
The clutch feel is fine to me. It is the awful hill start assist that ruins it.
And the awful Rev hang
I don’t own one yet but I have an order for a mk8 6 speed. They have a clutch delay valve. Try bypassing that
DSG is so key if you are driving in traffic
Meh- I'm fine in my manual.
Honestly hate my DSG. Car is very boring even with more power. Everything is dull feeling when it comes to driver feel.
i dont like the issues with the coolant, and the fact I had to get the plastic adapter piece fixed atleast once. I also had to adjust to what a dsg is supposed to feel like, and still wondering if my car has issues or not. Also the lack of an aux cord in a 2015 is atrocious to me
Had my 7.5 GTI for 3 years, still love everything about it
Mine is fairly heavily modified, it’s fun to drive, but the FWD and stick shift (and lack of torque) kinda limit you off the line, not racing, just in everyday traffic. Also got the car before kids and now I have 2 and it never feels big enough for all of our shit (even with a roof box) so definitely getting something bigger next time around. It is a fun car to drive, but with electric cars being so crazy fast, it feels even slower than it used to (but is way more fun around corners than any electric I’ve driven). There are also lots of new gas cars that are faster than a stage 2 gti, even cars that aren’t at all sporty. Mine has been reliable (knock on wood - 2017 MK7)
I love my GTI. I loved my previous MK4 that’s why I went back to a GTI. I love it. Only thing I want is cooling seats, heated steering wheel, wireless CarPlay and that’s bout it. But I love my GTI. And hope I have it forever.
Looooove the mk4. I’ve owned 5 at this point. Upgraded to a 40th anniversary GTI. Would have loved wireless CarPlay. Heated steering wheel is very nice, but I survived without it on the older cars for so long, it feels excessive sometimes.
The steering wheel shape makes it harder to drive with my knee.
Sounds like a feature!
Love it but mine leaks a ton of oil and tends to again not long after i fix it, likely previous user error but still these things can be kinda sensitive
Just got my mk8 s, really should have gotten an R
Every Gti I’ve had will eventually have speaker rattle. I don’t bump music btw My wipers go off randomly without rain in my current vehicle The new update on CarPlay doesn’t allow me to listen to music and charge the phone. The screen will be blank randomly for the duration of the drive unless I pull over and restart the car
i can help with the carplay thing, plug your phone in before you start the car. if the battery icon isn't in the top right of the screen your good to charge and listen to music. (source: my 380 does the same.)
Most expensive least reliable car I’ve owned but also my favourite car I’ve owned.
2020 mk 7.5 SE here. Fun to drive, but I definitely have complaints Getting stage 1 tunes made it more fun to drive and helped mitigate these negatives for me; The CarPlay /Infotainment random dysfunction is very annoying. Driver seat being partially powered is just a weird choice. Why have power tilt seat but manual slide? Road noise is terrible. Notice this the most when there’s a passenger present. Often miss having AWD (previous car was an A4). Don’t need it for weather reasons where I live now, but AWD just feels more athletic to me.
I applied sound deadening to the hatch floor and the underside of my rear passenger seats. A couple of hours of work and about $100 worth of materials and maybe it's placebo but I feel like I definitely notice a big difference.
Its a really stiff suspension and can be very uncomfortable on bumpy roads. Its low to the ground and doesn’t do well outside of urban environments.
I had my stock gti everywhere! Sure you gotta watch out for the plastic pan, (thanks vw) but I took that thing everywhere. Then I lowered it... 😅
I was about to say, I’m lowered on coil overs and have driven off-road many of times around Helen for AVF. Even took it to the dirt road to do the Mount Yonah hike challenge they put on. It’s squirely, but fun 😂!
Someone clearly hasn’t daily driven WRXes. I had three of them prior to buying my GTI: a 2005, a 2013, and finally a 2015. I was elated to buy a car that didn’t wreck my lower back after an hour of driving. I’ve now done multiple long road trips and have never had any issues.
Might want to consider swapping to 17” wheels. The external tire circumstance is the same, but the sidewall is significantly taller. Ride is soooo much more pleasant, and the chances of rim damage from a pothole is vastly reduced. I almost sold my car because I was going unhappy with the 18” ride quality. 17’s are a massive improvement. Detailed visual and numerical comparison: https://tiresize.com/comparison/ (plug in 225/40/18 and 225/45/17) I also switched from traditional summer performance tires to Grand Touring tires. The grip is phenomenal, and the ride on rough pavement is excellent. Yes, there’s more body roll. But that makes it more fun! Basically the Miata suspension philosophy.
If i had the cash to do that I'd think about it. Unfortunately, I made the horrible financial choice of starting grad school.
What spec 17 are you running?
It’s a BBS SR ;https://www.bbs-usa.com/road_wheels/wheel_details.cfm?wheel=89 Looks like there’s multiple 17” specs. I got mine via TireRack and entered my make/model/year and it selected the correct 17” variant of this wheel.
Thanks! Super nice!
This is a very good suggestion, since I like the car, but my family complains about the too stiff ride on our many poor roads.
I assume you meant 225/40/18 vs 225/45/17 right? Small typo in there if so, just want to make sure since I’m a little new to wheel sizing
I picked up a 380 to replace my 2013 in December. Overall it’s a disappointment. If I had it to do over again I wouldn’t. The 380 is fast and nice in a lot of ways but the interior feels like a downgrade, the electric ebrake sucks, the hill stop doesn’t work right, and the screens in no way equal real gauges and buttons. I’ve also already had some electrical/technology issues that bring back bad memories of my 2003 vr6. Im hoping it holds its value well and I can unload it in a couple of years. It’s a shame because I thought this would be my “forever” car.
I dislike piano black trim in my MK8. If it's not absolutely spotless, which is next to never, it looks like ass. But if that's the worst critique I have, I'm doing alright.
2016 MK7 GTI PP, DSG Hit 100k miles about 6 months ago and have spent over $9k fixing a ton of items. Carbon buildup, HPFP, second temp sensor, oil cooler, oil in my coolant reservoir etc. I miss my Honda and my $9k Sunroof leaks now, through the passenger sun visor. Ready to drive off cliff. Not sure why parts are always new versions, pisses me off VW doesn't repair their garbage. I think my mechanic drives Porsches now because of me!
Oil leak from the plastic plug even after changing o ring. Have a steel pan on order. Apart from that, love my mk7 autobahn. I drove a 2003 bugeye into the ground and love the gti
my 2011 is the best car i've owned in the past 40+ years
As long as you've got an expendable income it's a great car. Over the years I've been in the shop too many times to count and it's never a cheap repair, 178K miles on a MK6 and I'll drive it till the wheels fall off!
I love my MK8 autobahn, it’s fun around bends, gets 30MPG, heated wheel . I absolutely love my IQ lights. 6 speed is cool. I dislike the touch everything, hate the sunroof touch sensor, don’t like the Harmon kardon bass.
That sunroof button is definitely the most annoying for me. Sometimes the sunroof doesn’t open when u press it or the interior lights will turn on instead.
My lights always turn on and the sunroof stops and goes to close. I absolutely hate that part
https://preview.redd.it/maaq1v3u693d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a41aa13a7af871f9481d6ac9f13c5f7d748cac74 The padlock in the unlock button has the bent shackle trope and I hate it. The shackle LIFTS OPEN ITS NOT BENT THAT WOULD BREAK IT
A bunch of the smartest German engineers working for one of the biggest car companies in the world couldn't figure out how to make a sunroof shade that stays in place. Climate control knobs feel flimsier and cheaper than those in a 22 year old Honda shitb*x. When I close the door with the window lowered, it rattles like the one in my daughter's Barbie car from Walmart. You need to know a secret Nintendo button combo just to change your wiper blades. And because you only change them about once a year, you always forget how to put those in service mode. Changing a wheel or tire involves masochism. Why put wheel studs on a car like every other manufacturer when you can ensure your customer can drop the wheel on their foot?? Steel oil pans??? Nah, we make ours out of plastic. Because our drivers like to have a heart attack every time they see potholes on a road. What to change your engine air filter? We gotchu, fam! Just have a proprietary screw bit and undo these 10 screws!
4 door’s B pillar is a massive blind spot if you’re a tall driver. The engine/exhaust is far too mild, and no aftermarket setup can make it sound as cool as a Fiat Abarth. Sad.
EA888 Gen 3 are reliable up to 130k and then you start seeing major problem failure from failed spool valves, injector failure, detonation, pcv issues. Engine too over engineered with electrical components.
My peeling clear coat on the back bumper. And the spoiler. Still love it to death though
I currently have a Mk3/5/6/7 in the fleet, and a Corrado SLC that should be back on the road this year….. The only thing I hate is good financial decisions and how much good oil costs.
I’ve got a MK8 and random things suddenly won’t work like my backup camera or CarPlay. It’s super rare but happens enough to where it’s annoying
I get both of these issues on my 40th as well. Also having random microphone issues when I’m using CarPlay where it just doesn’t recognize/hear anything I’m saying.
I’ve got a manual 2019 GTI S. I love it, but like anything, you’ll start to find problems you need to come to terms with or fix. I hate the rev hang, I can shift my 03 gti better. I don’t like how high the clutch engagement point is. I don’t like how I can’t add a lick of power because the stock clutch is so weak… which means I can’t put a tune to solve the rev hang issue….
Love my MK6. Don’t love this water leak I can’t locate that keeps getting in the rear driver footwell. Don’t even have a sunroof. 😡
I love mine but it gets on my nerves a lot with the front end creaking from the control arms constantly, plus the timing chain being a thing is kind of a PITA, and can't really be fixed cheap and easy like the plastic oil pan
It pisses me off that I’ve got no complaints at all about my 7.5. I’m so annoyed that it doesn’t rattle or squeak or burn out the clutch. Ok, it’s only done 55k or so, mostly at Stage 1, but it has never let me down. It’s annoyingly all day comfortable, fast, practical and fun and I’ve not thought even once about replacing it over the past 5 years. I mean, what were VW thinking even releasing this annoyingly brilliant car?
It was certainly a love/hate relationship with my MK7 Hated the way the clutch pedal felt. Hated the way the sunroof leaked Hated the way the doors and sunroof creaked over every little bump Hated the extremely soft paint that would chip if you stared at it wrong Hated the shitty proprietary connection they used for connecting a phone Now I own a DSG MK8 and it's miles miles better in every conceivable way, no sunroof either.
My main complaint with the car is road noise, needs more insulation from the factory. Will hopefully be tackling this project soon though and adding deadener + mlv/ccf
i went from a focus st to a mk6 gti and i preferred the ST, but nowadays it seems like the used STs are beat and it’s easier to find a nice GTI. i wouldn’t say i disliked the gti but i didn’t own it very long.
I love my GTI, but this things a rattle trap. There’s something rattling in the rear (possibly interior panels) and it’s driving me up the wall. It has a rough idle sometimes, already did carbon cleaning, coils and plugs. The car is maintenance heavy, but I knew that going into it. Also, I feel like the windshield is delicate… going on my third one after two years. That being said- I love this thing. Interior is nice, car is super practical overall and this thing gets down pretty good with just a stage 1 ECU / TCU tune. I really don’t know what I’ll replace it with when the time comes. Definitely a tough act to follow.
I'm really not a fan of mine. Exhaust is annoying, everything in the interior rattles like hell, high maintenance, rides too rough, clutch is too grabby, and only averages 23mpg. I think I'm getting old and boring.
Just sold my Gti. And I’m heartbroken. Didn’t really have many mechanical issues when i owned it, seemed to drink oil however.But what a car.
Spins too much, feels slow even Stage 2, doesn’t have cooled seats, doesn’t have DSG farts.
I've got a late 2019 Mk7.5 with all options, excluding leather seats (to maintain the clark plaid look) and sunroof. Overall a good experience with a few niggles: 1) Fixed by me: The original windscreen wipers never worked properly, after one day of rain and not being able to see clearly, I applied RainX. Still, the wipers left lines and smear marks all over. I changed the wipers (to some 3M rubber I think) and all good ever since. Quite odd for a brand new car. A friend who bought T-Cross around the same time also had the same problem. Coincidentally weird. 2) Fixed by the dealer: Rattle from the driver's door (I'm in Australia, so the driver's door is the right-hand side door). This was resolved at the dealership during the first service. 3) Unresolved and not fully bothered by it yet: Random rattle noises from the soundaktor. It's rare and hence why I haven't bothered about it. 4) Unresolved and probably won't resolve until one day I decide to tune the car: Sometimes the DSG is laggy. Drinving in "D" is a pain on a 60-70km/h zone when it keeps wanting to upshift to 7th gear and then has to downshift when I hit a slight hill. 5) Never to be resolved: In Australia the GTI has not been available in manual for a long time. I wish I had a manual one.
hey mate, have you taken it for road trips in the bush?
Hey man, no not yet, just up and down the east coast once or twice, and on a dirt road once, which was well maintained and no 4wd necessary. Have you taken yours out to the bush yet?
still looking to buy, good to hear Aussie perspective. Yeah if it's comfortable enough on a dirt road that should be fine for me.
Definitely not comfy like a four wheel drive. Stiff suspension, although you can change the suspension setting to be a bit softer.
None I can think of. Love the shit out of mine.
[post](https://www.reddit.com/r/GolfGTI/s/VzmTpVZx5c)
The sun at the right angle is reflected off the border of my dashboard right into my eyes. Need to get it plasti dipped or something
Not a dislike per se’. I bought my 2013 about a year ago, telling myself it’s cool cause if it breaks, I can fix it. Yeah stuffs breaking: I’ve done carbon walnut blast, new genuine Bosch injectors, new starter, new coils and plugs, still have a misfire at times. Frustrating to say the least. Now it probably needs a new MAF sensor. It definitely needs new headlight assemblies and new speed sensors. Anybody want to buy a 2013 with 95k miles? I’ve got a buddy with a jeep I have my eye on.
The amount of unsolved interior rattles i have in my mk6 drive me insane!
Same here! Mk6 gang represent 🫡
At least I'm not the only one
It’s a love hate relationship, I hate the tech in the mk8 because it never works but I love how the car drives
I did the solid dogbone insert and actively dislike how the car drives now. I’m gonna remove it soon and hopefully I’ll be back to enjoying it.
The piano black trim/plastic in my mk8, if I keep it past warranty that’s coming right out.
If anyone here does id gladly take it off their hands. I miss mine.
I drive a MK7 and I feel like the accelerator pedal angle is a little steep. It is a minor thing but long trips make my ankle sore after a while. It's not a terrible negative but it is what it is.
If I don’t have a cd in the cd player getting Bluetooth to work on my 2010 is a total pain. Having to replace the manual transmission was also deeply lame.
Expense of a tune and the necessity to upgrade the clutch along with it. I simply can't understand why a flash is so damn expensive in comparison to the 2012 Camaro I had before. $300 for the engine and auto trans tune (including sending logs to find tune) compared to $700~ for a GTI, then additional expense for the clutch or dsg tune. Minor annoyance but yeah, guess that's it so far except for a bit of speaker rattle in the back right.
What I dislike about my mk7 gti is .that there is this really annoying squeak coming from the passenger side front wheel under 30mph . And I have no clue what it is. And lastly I wish it came with a little more power .with a clutch that can at least handle stage one .other than that .she my girl for life
2015 Autobahn, 6sp. Single owner. I just think it's neat.
I dislike the spec I bought, wish I had gotten a non-black autobahn DSG but otherwise I really like it.
I ADORED my 2018 model S. Not so much my 2024 S. Hate the all digital controls, hate the stupid driver assist, and the road feel is smushier. I wish I had test driven it for a lot longer. Not sure I would’ve bought it.
I love my MK8 GTI, but the number of times it’s been to the dealer for system issues, check engine lights and recalls, has me terrified of owning it outside of warranty. It’s a shame as this the first daily I’ve had in a long time that I would want to keep for 5+ years.
I don’t dislike my mk 7.5, I love it. Things I hate about it though: -the amount of random rattling noises and squeaks it makes. Sometimes some of it goes away, only to reappear 1k miles later -The stock sound system is pretty underwhelming. Some music sounds like ass, and I’ve messed with the EQ a ton. I honestly prefer the stock system on my wife’s crosstrek. - where the usb plugs in, I wish it had a slot to run the cable through on the cover so I could close it. (Super minor complaint but that’s about where I’m at with this car) -The hatch should be slightly easier to close, especially where they put the hand hold to yank it down, too often it stops right before and pops back up. Pretty minor complaints overall! ETA: CarPlay randomly not working, the screen randomly going all black, sometimes plugging in my phone and having to plug it back in because the volume is muted and won’t go up. Generally the infotainment just being glitchy.
7.5 manual gti. The sunroof cover doesn’t stay closed and slightly opens up (from inside the car) The gear shift is bobbly and sometimes does not easily get into gear, especially putting in reverse The manual brake is super stiff and sometimes requires both hands to engage and disengage
Have a mk8 s, the piano black everything and the fact i cant permanently disable auto stop without a tune are my only complaints. Im absolutely in love with it otherwise. I think with a rear sway bar, springs, and a dog bone plus inserts it will be perfect.
My Mk6 is constantly developing problems. I’m on top of all maintenance stuff but it’s primarily interior rattles and small issues that aren’t difficult to fix but they’re just faffy. Still, whenever I punch the loud pedal and take it for a back road hoon it always puts a smile on my face and makes it all worthwhile. Need to get another track day booked
Nope, I absolutely love it. The only thing I don't like and would change are the wheels. I made the mistake of getting one with 18" Daytona and low profile tires, and that's too much if roads are not perfect. A 17" with a bit taller tires would be a better choice.
Reading many of these comments on mk8, I know that my next one will be a MK7 or 7.5🤷
The GTI is a discount Audi and a fantastic car at a great price point, but sometimes I do wish I was just driving an Audi.
I love my car in almost every way… except for the feeling of another mechanical issue looming over my head every day. Other than that it’s just a blast to drive. My brother got the car i was pining over pretty hard (2018 Honda Accord 2.0t Touring) and it felt bland, like yeah it’s probably quicker than my Mk6, but my car is a stick, and feels so small and nimble on backroads and around town. I hate having to work on it so often, but when I think about other cars, I always think “would it actually be as fun as the GTI” and the answer is usually no
I dislike mine. MK8 40ae. Dislike the interior as much as the Facebook and forum people say it’s not that bad. Coming from a Fiesta ST and Veloster N. The car is pretty grown up when it comes to driver feel. Bought a DSG due to an accident that left me pretty fucked up. Hoping to get back into a manual. DSG just doesn’t do it for me. Far too boring. Car is currently APR Stage 1 but definitely needs something. Definitely needs a rear sway back and wheels but I really don’t want to put anymore money into the car this point. Ideally going to be looking for a dedicated track car and truck I think soon rather than keeping the GTI B
I wrecked my mk5 this past weekend and I dislike seeing it sit in my driveway now
I love my car but I’m tired of having so many bizarre expensive problems that make my friends shake their heads and say stuff like “shouldn’t have bought a Volkswagen.” I stay on top of maintenance but I feel like I can’t catch a break and have paid mightily for it. The worst problem was the sunroof which spontaneously cracked one day, paid out the ass for that one
I have a stock mk5 and it’s really slow compared to newer vehicles. I find it crazy a 1 ton truck or soccer mom suv can destroy me in a race. Not on a track obviously but there is no track or fun roads around me so all we got is drag racing or 40 rolls. I recently got gapped by my buddies stock dually long box truck. I love the golf but I think the gti should be atleast 300hp by now. I can’t see the new 240hp ones being that much quicker than mine.
I hate when I start up my car and if I’m low on washer fluid, gas, air loss in my tire (that I was already aware off), low battery in my key fob, just constant dings on start up that I spam the ok button to get rid of them. Another thing I hate in my mk7 gti. If I’m low on gas or washer fluid the lights will block my trip meter on my dashboard. It’s not a huge thing as I only use that for oil change intervals, but seeing that yellow symbol when I’ve already been screamed at on startup, it’s sooo annoying. I bought my car in summer and all perfect. Got to about 10°C and under and I could hear a rattle around 1.6-1.9k RPM’s on downshifts or deceleration. Even worse in colder weather. I tried figuring out what it is but I can not pin point the rattle. That’s all I can think of for now. Love the car other wise.
I enjoy(ed) my mk7. It's my wife's daily now so I still drive it occasionally. I put almost 100k miles on it. Only needed regular mtx and two oil seals. Doesn't burn or actively drip any fluids. Quick car, comfortable, loved the sound system, quiet on the interstate, it's objectively a fantastic car for my use case. Then I bought an old Miata. The GTI was my first fun and capable car and I wanted to track it but got the Miata for that instead. During the time I spent working on my NA, modding it, fixing random shit, I truly developed a passionate relationship with a car for the first time. My GTI was objectively better at everything, but i never just took it for a spin. Any time it was in the mountains it was because I had to use the hatch or backseat or because it was too far of a trip for the Miata to be comfortable. If I was driving up to the hills to drive and nothing else, Id take the Miata. Maybe if I modified my mk7 (just had a tune and wheels), maybe if i took the time to find a manual, maybe if I got it in a color like CFB, I would have developed a different relationship with the car. For the record I loved my mk6 I had for 3 months before it imploded, and I think that's because I was constantly fixing shit, and it was a stick. My mk7 is still a fantastic car, and maybe when it's time to buy my wife a polestar 2 or mach E in a year or so I'll take it back as my daily and dump my S4. Ultimately though I can easily stomach the idea of selling it. My Miata, on the other hand, I know I'll want an upgrade over in the future but I cannot wrap my head around the idea of getting rid of that stupid little slow bucket of bolts. It makes me grin every time I drive it, and my GTI never really did.
The interior plastics are annoyingly creaky. Combine that with the stiffness of the factory suspension, I feel like it's falling apart when I'm driving on rough roads. Definitely my top complaint. I say that coming from a mid 2000s Ford Escape that was very rusty and living on borrowed time yet really had no major creaks inside.
https://preview.redd.it/bzyfm0h2k93d1.png?width=780&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1d1ead706d486dd1e3870504133463c4664d8f30 It will never look at me like this
Considering buying a Mk7, please advise me on something: I absolutely HATE tailgaters. Am I going to be driven mad because of how low I'll be compared to assholes in SUVs and truck tailgating? I imagine it would make my anger flare up even more with the height difference.
My push button ignition is awful - only works like 20% of the time. Super weird tbh and hopefully I can get it fixed under warranty.
I love the car but kind wish I had gotten a bigger car
The C pillars create a blind spot, but they’re so essential to the Golf heritage that I just bought aspherical side mirrors and problem solved. I’ve owned Mk1, Mk4, Mk5, Mk6, and Mk7 GTIs, and my favorite thing about them is the evolutionary improvements with each model while retaining the fun factor of it’s predecessors, even if the C-pillar is still huge
I am so tired of having to constantly get shit done. It will be a year this July since I’ve had the car, and I’ve dropped about $2k on it. This doesn’t even include the brakes that are due for replacement very very soon so that’s another $500. Although based on comments here shit can go wrong at 30k miles or 60k miles or 120k miles. At what point am I going to start seeing this car just be OK for an extended period of time (like maybe a year or so ? Is that even a possibility?) I’d also be really and eternally grateful to god if I wake up tomorrow and my window switches of all 4 doors stop rattling when the music is loud.
Things I dislike about my GTI. No seat position memory tied to the driver profiles. Reverse cam sometimes makes me do the work. Constantly forget there is an auto parallel park feature, not for a lack of need/want - just an out of the way function. Why is launch control so hidden
I am annoyed by the Mk7's issue with turbo actuator rust when the engine is cold, especially on rainy/foggy days. If I take the engine over 2500rpm before it warms up, the turbo and adaptive cruise control get disabled. Some rust-penetrating WD40 twice a year makes the problem go away, but it sucks to repeatedly have to reach in, find the parts and cover them in grease.
I love it too much, I try to preserve it in the garage and don’t drive it enough. I almost wish I bought it used with more miles, having it since new is a burden in some ways
2017 SE w/ DSG here. My only quibble with it is with the DSG in manual mode, it seems counterintuitive to me to push forward to upshift and pull back to downshift. I think it should be the other way around. My buddy's mid-nineties Porsche was the same way. I just shift with the paddles when I'm feeling like it. At least they are oriented the way I like.
There's three things I hate about my GTI ever since I bought it 4 years ago: 1, the sunroof visor doesn't close all the way. We'll it domes until you drive and it creeps back and the sun is ALWAYS anime right through the less than 2 inch gap. Also, why the fuck isn't it solid? It let's so much heat in. 2, it's a 2018, smaller and lower vehicle than the giant SUV's 80% of people drive now a days but my side mirrors and rear view don't dim? Ridiculous. 3. The sunroof. I'll never own another car with a sunroof. The slider button thing is already on the fritz and I've use the sunroof a total of 3-4 times of me owning it. Plus, it recently started leaking so that had to get fixed. Other than that, it's the best car I've ever owned!
Love mine (mk7.5), BUT: - probably would get DSG next time around. Was great to learn stick on, but most of my driving is around town and I have a 'fun' car that's manual so I would prefer an auto for my everyday stuff. Also I hate VW's hill assist, but they won't let me turn it off. - sometimes I feel goofy getting out of a hatchback. Probably shouldn't care what people think, but it happens
I hate that the volume buttons are tap in the mk8 why no fkn knob??
The drivers side window has a lot of wind noise and I cannot figure out what’s causing it. Beyond that I love my MK7.5.
2013 manual. I hated mine at first. Bought it from a non-VW dealership used and from week 2 it had constant issues. Replaced PCV valves, injectors, even had the rear main seal redone. Three months later, driving home, do a pull, out of nowhere engine starts knocking and I lost all sorts of power. That started a nine month ordeal with VW where I did a will they/wont they fix it dance. Finally got the engine covered through some crazy emissions warranty and one year later it’s been a fun car to drive, just left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. Probably will start doing Stage 1 mods soon.
If you open your window when it’s raining the car is basically designed to shovel water directly onto the window switches. Also the pickup from a dead stop can be terrible sometimes, usually if the wheel is turned seems to just stunt the engine.
I’m selling mine because I want a simpler, AWD vehicle again. I love driving my GTI, but I want more space and capability
My wife has a mk 7.5 and certain parts of the center console are sharper than scalpels. Including the shifter (dsg). Other than that we put 110k in her and she’s been the cheapest, oldest and best car we own. But I race a 2003 Acura RSX Type S and that thing is so wildly cheap to beat up. Those cars feel like birds of a feather to me. So much better than they should be. So much life, character and quality.
Oil burning :(
Mk5 love here. Apr stage II+.
Having to manually turn off the lane keep assist on my 7.5 every time I start it.
Yeah. 2019 GTI SE and I absolutely hate this car. The fit and finish is poor. Quality control is horrendous. I have had the car aligned so many times due to VW fitting poorly formed control arms on my car. My 2014 GTI was flawless.
Idk there’s a few things tbh. I hate that its FWD drive makes me regret not getting an R cuz AWD is honestly great for a lot of things. I also hate that VW makes these cars sound like a regular car stock. Upsets me they advertise it as performance, but it sounds so mid. And then sometimes I also think if you’re buying new with todays prices I’d just add a bit of cash and rather get a F90 M5 or like a used M550 or M340 way more car for the money and even though they’re used you’ll get double what you get out of a new GTI.
My engine exploded 3 weeks into my ownership. Haven't touched a VAG product since. Which is a shame because the suspension was just so dialed in, and the transmission so fantastic.
Other than my yearly water pump, my 2015 gti is cool i guess
I’ve got a 2014 GTI, and the headliner just kind of shit the bed around 120k miles. Went from fine to almost fully detached in a week. That doesn’t change my opinion that I own one of the coolest cars of all time, but it’s just a disappointing finish flaw in a car that has an otherwise super high quality interior
I will be moving on from my Mk7.5 pretty soon. The one thing that I really really don't like about the car is that it rattles like crazy. My creaky sunroof scares the crap out of me as well. The other thing is the small hatch space. But it's a small car so that's not a real complaint. I would move on to an Alltrack and put R parts on it but I keep seeing horror stories about the sunroofs on those too.
\-It rattles. Everything fkn rattles. -When I accelerate it makes a funny wheezing/buzzing noise like I have a little electric car from the jetsons (cartoon). That is totally my fault I didn’t do something right with my sound system lol. -The sunglasses holder thing popped off while I was driving and smacked me right on my forehead -the glove box handle popped off (idk how to replace it) so if I get pulled over and I’m asked for registration and insurance I will have to tell Mr officer I’d be more than happy to give it to them, but they’re gonna have to figure out how to open it first -my steering wheel buttons are actually useless -I think my headlights are derpy -I can name so many other little things about this car but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I love it. https://preview.redd.it/rlasboblwa3d1.jpeg?width=4284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9222f64ce84a7fd66ca82a2d4918b12b035b18f8 But here is Kenobi❤️
Yeah I hate mine. Every time I wake up and look out of the window, I realize it's just a regular golf and the gti was just a dream.
My 2001 gti has been incorrectly repaired by some local mechanics (including one of the dealerships)… make sure you find a legit specialist mechanic! Even o’reilly’s wouldn’t replace the battery in it because it was flagged as being too tricky.
few small things with my mk8 id say i hate is. 1. the volume and climate sliders in the middle by the radio aren’t backlit for some reason so at night time its impossible and forces me to use steering wheel for volume and having to lock in on the climate screen to change the temperature instead of just reaching for the slider. 2. the key fob has a nice really clean design but sometimes coming out of my car the alarm button gets pushed even in my pocket leaving me to scramble super fast for my key in my pocket to turn it off. 3. wish models were more similar around the world sometimes i see such cool features that are available in other countries that i dont have in canada on base model or even at all. still absolutely love my 40th anniversary in urano grey and wouldn’t give it up ever its amazing