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VW GTI (All styles)

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Comments

  • extech2extech2 Member Posts: 120
    I think an 07 GTI is still under warranty, and defective light bulbs are a part of that.
  • ylzylz Member Posts: 45
    Hello there. I'm buying a new car and I love the 2009 VW GTI but have heard some TERRIBLE things about Volks' reliability. People that have owned them have told me about all sorts of problems from transmissions to the brakes going. Will someone who has owned Volks please comment on this. Are they well made cars? Now I personally am NOT a fan of german cars just because they spend more time at the shop and have had great cars in hondas and nissans. But what do you guys knows about Volks or the GTI in particular? Anything would help. Thanks.
  • gogogodzillagogogodzilla Member Posts: 707
    I bought the GTI in the first year it came out stateside. Furthermore, I've also had to put it into storage for a full year...

    Neither of which is a good thing regarding cars. First year models tend to have more problems than later year models... and storing a car for long periods of time is never good on a car.

    Yet, outside of a few recalls... I've only had two problems happen:

    1. The engine inlet manifold broke (which didn't really effect my day to day driving, it just kept the 'check engine' light on).

    2. A rock punctured my radiator. (I can't blame VW for that... but I can blame the gravel truck)

    ---

    Just my two cents.
  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    http://www.jdpower.com/corporate/news/releases/pressrelease.aspx?ID=2007130

    Volksagen has about twice as many problems as lexus. That's not much when you really think about it. At 298 problems per 100 vehicles or 3 problems per vehicle. Shrug. Lexus is at 145. The industry average is 216.
  • qing615qing615 Member Posts: 2
    what i heard about VW is the problem mostly occur on the US based factories. Mainly manufacturing Jetta and Beetles. GTI and all the other models are imported from Germany, they should have a better quality control.

    I had my 09 GTI in Aug, so far, it's running fine. But ofcouse it's too early to tell.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,217
    What US based factories?

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  • upstatedocupstatedoc Member Posts: 710
    There was a factory in Pennsylvania, I don't know if it's still there. And of course they made V-dubs in mexico for years.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Chrysler started building a factory in New Stanton, PA (Westmoreland County) in the 1960s; however, they never finished it, and subsequently sold it to VW in the mid to late 1970s. VW started producing cars there beginning with the 1978 model year, and did so through late 1988 (including the production of a few 1989 models), however, that was when the dollar was very strong against the European currencies, and what with VW struggling with a sales decline, they shuttered the plant and sold it to the state of Pennsylvania. It sat empty for a couple of years and was eventually taken over by Sony. Unfortunately they seem to be having about as much luck as Chrysler and VW did with the facility, and are apparently on the verge of closing it yet again.

    Best regards,
    Shipo
  • upstatedocupstatedoc Member Posts: 710
    Thanks shipo!
  • ghetdo1ghetdo1 Member Posts: 4
    I got mine 2008 GTI (in Dec. 07) for $24,250. 3.9% for 48 months.

    DSG, sunroof, i-pod adapter, monster mats (actually pretty useful in winter or muddy times). 4-door grey.

    Update to my car (currently at 15k miles). The dash still rattles a bit, but I'm now used to it. No problems though, and I still love driving it. I got a roof and bike rack (through the dealership) for my mountain bike this summer. Although the rack has worked great, it is extremely noisy, especially with the sunroof open. I'll probably take the roof rack off in the winter time so I can go through the auto. car washes.

    One question I have to the peanut gallery, do people change their oil at 5k or at 10k (per service schedule)? I'm at 15k, and my dash tells me I need service. However, it explicitly states in the manual that the interval is 10k after the first 10k miles. My driving is mostly highway, so it won't qualify as "extreme" driving. I called the dealer and they recommened 5k oil changes, and also told me that the service manual is a "typo". I loath dealers.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Your dealer told you that your manual was a typo? Geez. If you want to have a little fun with them, ask them to put that in writing and then send it to VWoA. ;)

    FWIW, the reason your service indicator is recommending service at 15,000 miles is because your dealership didn't reset it for the 10,000 mile increment following the 10,000 mile service.

    Best regards,
    Shipo
  • gogogodzillagogogodzilla Member Posts: 707
    I've got a 2006 GTI (Mark V version). At the time I bought it, the dealership here recommended following the manual's service plan.

    And so far, they haven't changed their mind about it. IE: oil change/service every 5,000 miles.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    And so far, they haven't changed their mind about it. IE: oil change/service every 5,000 miles.

    Funny thing, I suspect that if you actually check your manual, you'll see that only the first oil change (or maybe two) were required to be at the 5,000 mile interval. From there on in, I believe that your manual recommends oil changes every 10,000 miles.

    Best regards,
    Shipo
  • allhorizonallhorizon Member Posts: 483
    Hello there. I'm buying a new car and I love the 2009 VW GTI but have heard some TERRIBLE things about Volks' reliability. People that have owned them have told me about all sorts of problems from transmissions to the brakes going. Will someone who has owned Volks please comment on this. Are they well made cars?

    A bit late of a reply, but I will answer. My two VWs, originally owned, have 270,000+ miles on them since new, with very low cost of ownership, and very few problems. My 1993 Golf has never stranded me, and my 2000 Passat has had only one significant problem, which was that the water pump failed early (common on that model year).

    The reliability of cars has increased steadily over the past decades, and so has VW's. It is at a point where in real terms, reliability of most of these cars is almost indistinguishable, and mute as a car buying point. Only magazines and organizations that make a living out of this are trying to exaggerate these minute differences in reliability. The 2.5l-engined VWs have received "recommended buys" from Consumer Reports, and above average ratings. The early MkV GTIs had slightly more problems, but for most of them, nothing serious to speak of. Later GTIs are rock solid. With 2008.5, all have a completely revised engine which so far has proven extremely reliable, wit none of the minor weak spots previously noticed. :)
  • leonfamleonfam Member Posts: 21
    Looking at buying a 2003 GTI. approx 60k miles. Gonna run it through the standard checks first. Wondered if this group had any comments on specific reliability areas I should watch out for.

    Definitely the urban rumor and Consumer Reports ratings suggest that the cars are unreliable. Thoughts? And how can I find out how pricey repairs are compared to a BMW?
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    More than almost any other car, late model VWs are sensitive to the type of oil used. If you are seriously considering a used VW, it is extremely important that you look at the maintenance records. If the car has not been fed with an exclusive diet of oil that is certified to meet the VW 502.00 oil specification (or 505.01, which is a diesel engine oil spec that is even more robust than the base oil spec), take a pass.

    http://www.audiusa.com/etc/medialib/cms4imp/audi2/aoa/company/aoa-specific.Par.0- 023.File.pdf

    Best regards,
    Shipo
  • jackforettejackforette Member Posts: 19
    Don't buy a used VW unless someone has a gun to your head. You will have problems galore. Buy a Honda instead. Trust me!!!
  • die4valordie4valor Member Posts: 31
    just picked up my 2009 gti. any resources on how to operate the ipod adapter? i'm starting to guess that it's not full integration...
  • urtenfifteenurtenfifteen Member Posts: 2
    I have an order with them for a nav system. Did a lot of research before dropping that kind of cash on a system. Vagnavs seemed to be set up to make the process easy with all inclusive kits and custom programming so that all that is required is a primarily plug and play installation.

    There has been one very frustrating problem however, as I was just notified that my order will not ship out right away and that it's going to be a few extra days. I think that everything should have been in stock, ready to program and ship. I had expected to receive it in less than a week, now I will have to wait a few long days more, which is like torture because I'm so eager to get this unit in place.

    But if the unit arrives with everything and as the website advertises then it should be a good deal and a great source for OEM upgrade navs.

    I will post here when the transaction is complete to give a more complete answer.
  • rv65rv65 Member Posts: 1,076
    Does it have Nav or not? Nav models need part number 000 051 446 C. Thats the special iPod cable your dealer can order you. The non nav model works like a CD changer. CD's 1-5 are playlists and then CD 6 is your songs. No text on this one. The 09's with Nav with that special cable get full on integration. Even shows the song titles.
  • urtenfifteenurtenfifteen Member Posts: 2
    Got my rns-e navigation unit from Vagnavs yesterday and so far all is well and I can confidently recommend them if you're in the market.
    There were a couple problems, one a slight delay, another a missing adapter. But both issues were handled promptly and well. The communication was good, they answered emails quickly and the quality of the gear was right on and the programming seems to have been done right.
  • umpark3umpark3 Member Posts: 2
    It's not quite true.
    the worst reliable car among VW line ups is 2007 Passat VR6 AWD which is from GERMANY. Touareg V8 is known as bad reliable car too, which is from GERMANY.
    GTI is not reliable car but it seems to happen to some people, not to all people who own GTI. So, if you are buying it, I strongly recommend extended warranty.
  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    Or save some dough and just expect to ditch the car before the warranty is up.
  • ghetdo1ghetdo1 Member Posts: 4
    Speaking of reliability, my 2008 (purchased in Dec. 07) had a glitch in the control module that caused the driver-side mirror turn signal to not function properly. Got it fixed under warranty and everything seems to work OK now. I still love to drive the car, but probably will ditch it after 100k miles because that's when my extended warranty (from Geico) expires. As for maintenance, I found a good local shop to do the scheduled repairs, because I don't really trust the dealers. Plus, they're less expensive and I can actually talk to the mechanic that worked on the car (versus talking to service rep.'s at the dealers). However, for warranty/recall service, I would still take it to the dealer.

    I have the IPOD kit and it works OK, although the song names don't get displayed. The only functionality is that you can scroll through different playlists on your IPOD. However, I've lost my IPOD and have been playing music on the CD/MP3 player. That displays the song name and seems to work better than the IPOD adapter.

    All in all, I'm pretty satisfied with the car. Love taking it out early morning and have some fun on the semi-empty highways.
  • rv65rv65 Member Posts: 1,076
    Looks like the MKV GTI is going out of production so the 09's are going to be rare. The Wolfsburg factory has converted the MKV lines to MKVI lines. MKVI is currently sold in Europe. In September the 2010 GTI MKVI will come out and it does look nice. It has some nice features like full iPod integration and bluetooth. Full iPod integration requires a special cable (p/n 000 051 446 C) but it does integrate the iPod. Currently the RNS-510 works with the Media-In, and it's special cable but new radios that are Media-In compatible are coming soon. Hope this helps.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    "Looks like the MKV GTI is going out of production so the 09's are going to be rare."

    More like, "Has long since gone out of production."

    I tried finding a MKV Rabbit 5-Speed back in October and dealer after dealer told me that all they had left coming in were automatics and that the production line had already been shut down. In frusteration I went out and bought a Mazda3 5-Speed instead. Annoying. :mad:

    Best regards,
    Shipo
  • rv65rv65 Member Posts: 1,076
    The MKV Jetta SportWagen is still in production. Well the MKVI is a different vehicle even though it's based on the MKV. The 2010 Rabbit MKVI is making some changes. It's going more upscale with new tech features like a HDD navi system, full iPod integration, multi function steering wheel, bluetooth, and a highline MFD cluster. Don't worry about it being the entry level vehicle. VWoA is bringing the Polo to do just that.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Jettas don't count as they're not slated for the change-over to the MKVI until well into 2010.
  • upstatedocupstatedoc Member Posts: 710
    Damn! My '08 GTI is already outdated! But it only has 6500k miles on it! Shipo, do you want to buy it? :P
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Sorry my friend, I just got the Mazda3, and while it is not as nice a ride as the Bunny and the GTI, it will have to do until I pass it along to my kids (both of whom will need to learn how to drive a stick if they want to drive it :) ). I'm thinking that depending on how things go for us financially, I might actually be in a position to let them drive the Mazada and get myself a nice MKVI GTI sometime in 2010. :shades:

    Best regards,
    Shipo
  • rv65rv65 Member Posts: 1,076
    2010 GTI 2-DR 2.0T MANUAL

    2010 GTI 2-DR 2.0T AUTO

    2010 GTI 4-DR 2.0T MANUAL

    2010 GTI 4-DR 2.0T AUTO

    2010 RABBIT GTD 2-DR 2.0L MANUAL

    2010 RABBIT GTD 2-DR 2.0L MANUAL

    2010 RABBIT GT 2-DR 2.5L MANUAL

    2010 RABBIT GT 2-DR 2.5L AUTO

    2010 RABBIT GTD 4-DR 2.0L AUTO

    2010 RABBIT GTD 4-DR 2.0L AUTO

    2010 RABBIT GT 4-DR 2.5L AUTO

    GTI colors showing are: Deep Black Pearl, Tornado Red, Candy White, Carbon Steel Gray

    Rabbit colors showing are: Candy White, Deep Black Pearl, Shark Blue, Black, Reflex Silver

    3 Option packages for the Bunnywabbit. Cold Weather, Sport, and tech package. The 2 door Bunnywabbit err Rabbit models now get a sunroof. This is preliminary information. GTD could be a Diesel Rabbit GT. It might be a GTI level model or a Rabbit GT with the 2.0L 140 HP model. There have been rumors of a GTD in europe with a 2.0L 200 HP Diesel. That would make a serious performance machine. Don't know why the Rabbit GTD has 2 auto models. Maybe they made a typo. Hope this helps.
  • goosegoose Member Posts: 77
    So you love the VW/Audi rides but are concerned about reliability. Yeah I'm one of those. Has anyone bought an extended warranty for their VW and had it pay for its self? What are your experiences?
  • patzelt1982patzelt1982 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2007 Altima with 50,00 miles. I really do not like many things about the car. Recently my water pump failed and blew the head gasket. Everything was completely replaced via warranty. The dealer said it is unlikely to have more problems and this was a fluke. The car was a rental before I bought it at 29,000 miles. Should I try to get out of this before the 60,000 mile powertrain is up?

    I'm hoping to get into something like a GTI without losing much money. Wondering if this is a poor decision financially. If it can be done reasonably without losing money. Also what is reliability/ cost to own of the GTI?
  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    Repair costs are much higher on a VW. Much. Very different cars. Call your insurance and ask about the rate hike you'll see going to a GTI too.
  • joem5joem5 Member Posts: 201
    On the GTI do you have to have the 18' wheels ,if you want a sunroof? My Type S runs like new but I need a Turbo because the mtn air 10 k above sea level is too much'.
    The 5spd Maxda 3 speed is tempting . I dont think they offer a sunroof,maybe to avoid the extra weight. I live in Maine summers, but I'm sick of storing cars. I tok the Mazda RSA tires as off there unsafe on snow and wet roads, I bought a
    Mazda 08 I new value,but a naturally aspirared car won't cut in the Rockies, Tetons or inTahoe. Alot guys have WRX's here no way I spend that kind of money for what you get. :shades:
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    As far as I know, the GTI option list for 2009 (which was dumbed down due to the cessation of the MKV production) requires you to opt for the roof and the 18" wheels as a package. That said, the dealers that I was talking with when I was Rabbit shopping told me that they'd be happy to swap the 18s for 17s, free of charge. Both dealers would then put them on a non-Roof car and mark it up a bit.

    Given that the GTI has not historically tied the roof and the wheels together, my bet is that when the MKIV becomes orderable, you'll be able to pick them once again as separate options. :)

    Best regards,
    Shipo
  • rv65rv65 Member Posts: 1,076
    The Rabbit GTD will have the 140 HP TDI not the 170 HP unit due to emissions. The 170 HP model doesn't meet emissions so yeah.
  • bfluegiebfluegie Member Posts: 21
    I have an 08 GTI. Has anyone noticed that when you have the heater on (blowing on the feet) or the defroster on (blowing on the windshield) that there is still a lot of air coming out of the dash vents? The service writer I spoke with said that's so the hot air can blow on the windows. :confuse: Personally, I think that is bogus. I thought the small vents on the roof pillars were to blow air on the side windows when the defroster is on. Granted, they don't blow a lot of air, but that could be because most of it is coming out the dash vents. Another reason I think that is bogus is that the GTI seems well thought out in most ways and it is just dumb to have to defog the side windows using the dash vents (which would also have to be adjusted from the positions used for air conditioning). Currently I am closing the dash vents when I want heat or defrost since I can't stand hot air blowing in my face.

    I took delivery July 1, 2008 so I didn't notice this until right before my first service. Otherwise, at almost 9 months and 9K miles I am loving the handling and performance of the car.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    It sounds normal to me, every car I've had for the last 20 years has used that technique for defogging the side windows, and those cars have been made in Germany, Japan and America.

    Best regards,
    Shipo
  • upstatedocupstatedoc Member Posts: 710
    I'll check it out in the AM. ;)
    It's lookin' to get down into the teens again overnight.
  • upstatedocupstatedoc Member Posts: 710
    Yep, air still comes out of the dash vents even if you have defrost or feet/defrost on. I just manually close the dash vents, still a pretty awesome car despite that defect? ;)
  • bfluegiebfluegie Member Posts: 21
    Hey, thanks for checking on the vents for me. I don't think I have ever had a car that did that. I will just continue to close the vents. It doesn't seem like the best engineering, but a small thing compared to the rest.

    I did just get a jolt this afternoon when I saw some white spots on the red hood. I expected to see water spots or something like that but instead I saw areas with no paint (is the primer white or is there a white layer under the paint?) I was pretty bummed since the car isn't that old and I don't remember any gravel or anything like that hitting the car. I know these things happen, but did it have to be so soon? :cry:
  • tabrantabran Member Posts: 6
    This vent issue is a constant aggravation for me, but in my case it is worse: Even when the AC/Heater is turned off, my GTI emits heated or cooled air through its vents based on its last setting. For example: if I turn the heater on during my trip home at the end of the evening, when I drive my car in the morning hot air will emit from the vents even though the circulation system is turned off. (Even if it is hot a Hates outside!) In order to rectify the situation I must turn the system on, temporarily, to adjust the temperature to LOW (AC), and then turn the system off to be comfortable. Then, at least, the vents are emitting cool air instead of more hot air....

    Love my GTI, but this issue is more than frustrating....
  • bfluegiebfluegie Member Posts: 21
    I haven't noticed the hot air blowing when the system is off, but I haven't turned it off when the temp was set to hot. I did just notice that air was blowing from the dash vents when the fan was off. I think most cars seal so well that cars built in the last 15 or so years do have continuous ventilation even with the fan off. I remember reading something about that in my 98 Explorer manual. However, the explorer ventilation did not blow through the dash vents, but I think through the floor vents. I also haven't noticed if the air was at the same temp to which the system was set. The air flow was a lot less annoying when blowing at the feet. If it was so cold out that it would have bothered me, the system would be set on heat anyway so it wouldn't be a problem.

    I do love my GTI, and after 9 months of ownership I would still buy the same car (well, maybe the 4 door if I'm feeling more practical). It took me a year and a half (off and on) of test drives to decide on the GTI and I was hooked the first time I drove the GTI (OK, I tested it a second time, but that was the actual car I intended to buy which I didn't drive the first time). This ventilation issue is annoying, but it doesn't make me hate my car.
  • rv65rv65 Member Posts: 1,076
    Golf 2.5 2 door $17,490
    Golf 2.5 4 door $18,090

    Golf TDI 2 door $21,990
    Golf TDI 4 door $22,590

    Golf GTI 2 door $23,290
    Golf GTI 4 door $23,890

    Here is the preliminary pricing of the 2010 Golf/GTI pricing. This can be changed at any time without notice. The new 2010 MKVI GTI will have some nice luxury features such as Bluetooth, iPod capable radios, and Dynaudio. It will come standard with the new touch screen RCD-510 head unit or you can splurge for the touch screen RNS-510. Hope this helps.
  • rv65rv65 Member Posts: 1,076
    image

    Here is a pic of the Euro spec RCD-510 aka Premium VIII for all of us Americans. Yes it does support full iPod integration via a MDI and part number 000 051 446 C which is the special iPod cable. It will have integrated Sirius, and HD radio. It will even do bluetooth audio streaming. Of course it has no nav and it has a 6 CD changer. It won't play DVD movies or DVD audio discs. It has an SD card slot though and it will play mp3's and WMA's. Just a pic of the Premium VIII radio. US version should look a little different.
  • fformula88fformula88 Member Posts: 30
    Hey, I was hoping someone could clue me in to the long term comfort of the GTI's seats. I recently took a 2009 GTI out on a test drive. Spent about a half hour behind the wheel on city streets, thruway, etc. I thought the car was a ton of fun to drive!

    My only question walking away was how comfortable the seats would be over a long drive, and as time goes on. I know all the reviews rate the comfort level high, but these seats were a lot stiffer in padding than I am used to having. I have owned a WRX in the past two which had some fairly stiff seat padding, and I really didn't feel they were at all comfortable. Granted, the GTI seats have many more adjustments such as lumbar to help tailor them better.

    Anyway, if you have one, do you find the seats to be comfortable? Do they soften up a bit with some miles?
  • upstatedocupstatedoc Member Posts: 710
    Were they the leather or cloth seats? I have the cloth and have a 40 min. work commute and they do fine. Now, the R32 I test drove had the leather seats and I felt they were more constricting.
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    Any word on the 2010 GTI and when is it coming out? VW doesn't have it available to "build" yet on their website. I'm very curious. I've got to drive one and a MINI Clubman S to see which car suits me better.

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • upstatedocupstatedoc Member Posts: 710
    Those two are in the same class?

    VW GTI=Sexy machine

    Mini Clubman=Box on wheels.
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