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Volkswagen GTI Maintenance and Repair

ngiordanongiordano Member Posts: 4
well it appears that history has repeated itself for me. My last new VW was a 95 GTI vr6. In a nutshell it was a lemon, everything about the car's delivery condition and subsequent need for service was terrible. Fast forward to 2006 March 29. I after having purchased like 6 new cars since the 95(none of which were VW) buy a new GTI. Mistake number 1. I wanted a pk 1, XM with port options installed and nothing else. So I put a deposit down on a car that was at port so i could get the port options. After being told that we can't get the options and the car was slow in shipping(delivery) i decide to take the GTI on the lot that "supposedly has all the same stuff, less port optiuons and has 18" wheels " so I don't miss out on the $500 loyalty. I know that is where i went wrong. anyway so here is my list of problems with my new car with less than 100 miles;
Radio volume hunts
scufs on door panel, seat trim
chips, scratches on paint
paint flaws
wrong radio on delivery
dealer purposely withheld window sticker
sunroof rattle
sunroof liner tight(hard to close)
trunk doesn't seem to unlock
steering wheel has rugh edges(flaws in leather that catch hands like grit)
poor radio fm reception
horns sound loose when used (blow the horn and it vibrates the whole car)
remotes don't work too well(if at all)
windsheild has a 3" scratch and will need replacement
rattle from center dash
alarm honks when it feels like it when you lock up
grease (under coat?)is dripping from the sills in my driveway
car dings all the time (i know rtfm)
car had oils at delivery...but no washer fluid
1 spring spacer out, other i took out
dash doesn't seem to fit al that well around base of windsheild
did not see any wheel lock key (i better not have locks...did not look)
the interior fabrics although the same, oddly seem different
no way is the speedo accurate
shifter boot isn't flush with console
antenna isn't straight(it isn't aligned straight to center of car)
had car not start when i turned the key...infact it didn't do anything
I am completely and absoluetly disgusted with VW. I have to wait for a zone rep to appove repairs on a car that was driven home from the dealer and once to my job (has now 177 miles).The field rep isn't coming till the 27th of this month so I am out a car till then...they are goinna be over the time before it is fixed. period end of story, game over. How pathetic is it that I buy a new car and can't use it for over a month because some rep has to "approve" paint and windsheild repair?
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Comments

  • 600kgolfgt600kgolfgt Member Posts: 690
    Two things:

    1) Take the car back for a refund and buy something else.
    2) It's not polite to submit the same post in multiple forums.
  • ngiordanongiordano Member Posts: 4
    I tried, the dealer says "too bad". I posted it here with the same options as anyone else has with a post...did it go on another forum here? good if it did, people should know about VW's defective products and crappy service. They don't care about my problem...they got what they want, my $
  • allhorizonallhorizon Member Posts: 483
    Not sure what the state of your memory is, but you definitely did originally and purposefully posted this in several Edmunds VW forums – there is no question about it. And in other boards, as well.

    For future reference, when someone states incongruent laundry lists and sounds like a car evangelist, few readers pay attention to details.

    Scratches on the windshield that are an integral part of the air bag system (?) and justify leaving the car in your drive way so you can claim it is not drivable for 30 days --- that just does not make common sense.
  • ngiordanongiordano Member Posts: 4
    well, when glass is scored deeply...it breaks on that score (that is how glass is cut). The windsheild is a sunstantial safety item in a car...you just don't know it, it contains the airbags in a plane that is determined by it's plane...if it breaks in a way not specified...the bags will not work to their best effect. I posted everywhere and will continue to. I want EVERYONE to know just how good VW is. Bottom line is that VW doesn't care that tey are selling crap, defects and just give lip service to people like me who got screwed.
  • jitteryjoe_246jitteryjoe_246 Member Posts: 49
    When one of your complaints is "the interior fabrics although the same, oddly seem different" or "scufs on door panel, seat trim" I don't think the dealership is going to take you seriously. Never put money down on a car before you see it, and get EVERYTHING you specify in writing (especially options!). Seems like most of the issues you could have noticed if you looked over/test drove the car before buying. In fact, before you buy another car check out this website: http://www.carbuyingtips.com/ it has many tips that may help you avoid repeating history.

    Research the dealership and research the car:
    If the dealership is terrible, you probably could have found this out ahead of time by searching for user reviews on the internet. Also, if you read over the GTI forums before you bought your car, the radio volume and reception issues would not have been a surprise. Even the lack of sensitivity of key fob buttons on VW's are common knowledge. You have to deliberately press the button for about half a second to lock/unlock or open the trunk. The key fob sensitivity is low to prevent accidental commands while it is floating around in your pocket.

    A well informed buyer is often a happy buyer.

    FYI: Your laundry list of complaints and posts in multiple forums just makes you sound like a lunatic.
  • ttbuyerttbuyer Member Posts: 45
    Had a VW once. Never again. They are awful cars sold by an indifferent company. German engineering, indeed.
  • ngiordanongiordano Member Posts: 4
    Well, my original posting was edited ...that is why it seems a bit hard to follow. I posted it exactly as it said I could...that is my fault I guess, this board is quite different than any other I have used. I know that the remotes are purposely made to avoid wrong commands(it only works when it wants) ...I am fully aware on how everything on the car works(I have had many vw's and even worked at a dealer some years ago); I just love how people take a manufacturer's lemon and turn it around to blame the buyer (that makes sense, because my crystal ball should have told me) . if you had gotten burned as I did, you would be singing a different tune. I am in no way a lunatic...I am a really po'd person who feels that a big company has screwed me...and I am gonna post it everywhere I can so that they feel it.
  • mattgg1mattgg1 Member Posts: 191
    ngiordano -

    You appear to be one of the most clueless car buying consumers I have seen in these forums. Based on your post, you must be blind or completely ignorant. Let me explain...

    Eleven (11) of your complaints could have been avoided if you had just performed a visual inspection of the car prior to buying it. It would have taken only minutes to spot these obvious flaws. You are entirely responsible for all of these issues:

    scufs on door panel, seat trim
    chips, scratches on paint
    paint flaws
    wrong radio on delivery
    dealer purposely withheld window sticker
    windsheild has a 3" scratch and will need replacement
    shifter boot isn't flush with console
    antenna isn't straight
    dash doesn't seem to fit al that well around base of windsheild
    did not see any wheel lock key (i better not have locks...did not look)
    the interior fabrics although the same, oddly seem different

    Seven (7) of your complaints could have been discovered without even starting the car. You should have taken ten minutes to sit in the car try out/operate all of its features/functions prior to buying. These are entirely your responsibility:

    steering wheel has rugh edges(flaws in leather that catch hands like grit)
    poor radio fm reception
    horns sound loose when used (blow the horn and it vibrates the whole car)
    remotes don't work too well(if at all)
    sunroof liner tight(hard to close)
    trunk doesn't seem to unlock
    alarm honks when it feels like it when you lock up

    Three (3) of your complaints could have been discovered by a 10 minute test drive. These are your fault:

    Radio volume hunts
    sunroof rattle
    rattle from center dash

    This leave you with only 3 legitimate complaints, which could quickly and easily be taken care of by the dealer.

    grease (under coat?)is dripping from the sills in my driveway
    car had oils at delivery...but no washer fluid
    1 spring spacer out, other i took out
  • The "grease" is actually great stuff that prevents corosion. In hot weather on new cars it will sometimes ooze out, but it is not a problem per se...just indicates it is there and they probably got more than enough in.

    I'd say your dealer is more to blame for most of this than VW. I have had a great experience with all my VWs...but I think the dealers I have used are exceptional. Consequently, I have loved all the cars.
  • imontoyaimontoya Member Posts: 29
    Something like this can be resolved by going to a different dealership and, as stated before, being a careful consumer. I have had 'dealer discretion' items taken care of on my cars by being very diplomatic and persistant. I would also recommend contacting the VW corporate number but only after you carefully write things down and think about what really is appropriate to bring to the attention of VW and that dealership.
  • albert8albert8 Member Posts: 8
    I had been comparing the redesigned 06 GTI AT to 06 RSX AT and Honda SI. Does anyone having problems with their redesigned 06 GTI? Which one is better? Any suggestions or tips...

    Thank you.. :confuse:
  • lmp180psulmp180psu Member Posts: 399
    Here's a comparison test from Edmunds comparing the Si and GTI:

    http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/Comparos/articleId=109825
  • albert8albert8 Member Posts: 8
    Thank you...What about the 06 VW GTI(AT) vs. 06 RSX(AT)?
  • nmrtnmrt Member Posts: 56
    obviously what you have to understand is that all the advice you get here are people's OPINIONS. so, keeping that in mind, i will not try to tell you mine -- mine is biased, i own a 2006 1.8T GTI. instead, i will tell you that so far there have been four comparions of the new 2.0T gti/jetta gli (has the same engine as the gti) with the new civic si and other contenders.

    1) by edmunds.com: they compared the 6-speed gti with the si. the si won.
    2) by car and driver: they comapred the dsg gti with the civic si. the gti won.
    3) by motor trend: they comapred the dsg gti with civic si. the gti won
    4) by car and driver: they comapred dsg jetta gli with Pontiac G6 GTP, Mazdaspeed 6, Acura TSX, Honda Accord EX V-6. the gli won.

    but your question was about dsg gti with the rsx AT. i woudl think that the rsx (AT) with 160 horses will not have the oomph to compete with the gti. the rsx (AT) will also be a LOT LOT cheaper than the gti. a valid comparision woudl be between the gti and the rsx - type s. but i guess, that this is an aging car at the end of its production. acura is looking to replace the rsx with a new model sometime soon. i have driven the type s. but i woudl take the gti without a second thought. as far as the gti and the rsx (AT) go, the gti, in my opinion, is the hands down winner.

    hope this helps. and dont get too confused. drive both cars. decide what your heart tells you and buy that one. then come back to the computer and see what the critics and everyones else thinks of your car. if they all agree that the car you bought is the best in it class, then, well, you couldnt be happier. if they disagree, well then, tooooooo bad, they are plain WRONG. then go drive your car with a big grin on your face because it will always make you happy! :)
  • fgslrfgslr Member Posts: 5
    You should remember that the auto in the GTI is the DSG transmission which is actually a manual trans that has an auto shift ability. It does not have a torque converter like a regular auto trans. I just bought the new GTI with the DSG trans (my wife doesn't drive a manual shift car) and we both love it. She can put it into Drive and run around town without ever worrying about shifting and I can put it into the manual mode and shift with the steering wheel paddles and never miss the clutch! The DSG is faster shifting than any manual trans and in auto mode it is as smooth as any automatic I have driven.

    The RSX will have a regular autostick, will be down on power, and will be way down on torque vs a GTI. But like it has been said before on this forum, drive both and buy the one you like best. Take all the negative (and positive) things said on any of these forums with a grain of salt. All of the forums regardless of the car, have people that can't say anything good about it and people that can't say anything bad and will defend the car against any critic. Buy what you enjoy the most.
  • sprsnicsprsnic Member Posts: 55
    I bought the New GTI MkV last month and every time I sit in the car and drive it for more than 15 minutes my lower back starts to hurt. It feels as if my back is being stretched too far. Stupid me didn't take the car on a longer test drive. Now I want to get rid of the thing and I will probably lose a lot. Does anyone else have this problem. The seats seem really snug. I am only 5'5'' and am in shape, but for some reason the side bolstering of the seats press against my rib cage. Am I that wide? It is really weird but nontheless I shouldn't have expected anything better from VW. They are known to have problems. :lemon:
  • sprsnicsprsnic Member Posts: 55
    I would check out the Civic SI it would be much better made and has a kick [non-permissible content removed] navi and stereo unit that will smoke the GTI's. Also it will be cheaper.
  • voochvooch Member Posts: 92
    As far as the seats go, I feel the exact opposite. They are far better than the seats on any other car I've owned. Most of the cars I've owned have had sport seats with decent side bolsters so I'm used to it. You may just be "that wide" or just not used to sport seats =) I would think anyone stocky or overweight would find them uncomfortable.

    I have the cloth seats which aren't as body hugging as the leather though.

    Have you tried messing with the lumbar?

    I'm not sure that purchasing a car that doesn't fit you makes it a lemon or is VW's problem though...
  • sprsnicsprsnic Member Posts: 55
    I am used to sport seats. I have owned an s2000 and integra type r and didn't have any problems with my back. I have tried using the lumbar feature and it makes it worse. Another thing I noticed with, yes, this lemon car is the speedometer off. I checked it against some other cars and it is off by 8 miles. It reads 8 mph faster than what it is acutally going. :mad:
  • albert8albert8 Member Posts: 8
    Hey, Thanks for some suggestion.
  • allhorizonallhorizon Member Posts: 483
    Sorry to hear that, sprsnic, especially since VW seats are consistently rated as some of the best ones out there. Did you get the leather seats? Seat comfort is very subjective, but perhaps you need to play around a bit more with your seat positions, steering wheel positions, and lumbar support.
  • jitteryjoe_246jitteryjoe_246 Member Posts: 49
    I was cleaning out my car yesterday and I noticed significant wear on the driver's side floor mat where my heel rests. I've only had the car a month (1k miles), so I was a little perplexed (especially since I only wear sneakers). My mats are the standard ones - anyone else seeing this? The material just seems too spongy or something. If it keeps up, anyone have a favorite type of aftermarket mat?

    On a totally different topic: Anyone have any favorite interior cleaning product for the dash and door plastic in VWs? On my old car I always used armor all, but have never been really happy with it.
  • gpangpan Member Posts: 5
    hey guys, this is a repost of a message i posted elsewhere. i suppose this ought to be the correct forum for this - sorry if you're seeing this twice.

    i just bought the consumer reports summer car buyer's guide, and it predicted that overall reliability for the new MkV GTI would be below average. it looks like it was based more or less solely on its electrical issues, and something they called "body integrity", "body hardware", and "fuel."

    being a non-vw owner, i have no idea what kind of electrical issues vws have. i've heard that the worst of it actually is only that the check engine light comes on when you don't tighten the gas cap enough, for some reason. do any of you new MkV owners have any similar issues with your GTIs yet? i know it's only been out for like three months stateside, but i was wondering if you've had any problems at all.

    second, can someone tell me what "body integrity" and "body hardware" means when consumer reports writes it?

    many people have said that reliability-wise, the GTI "takes care of you if you take care of it." i test drove this car and love it, but i don't want to have to do much more than your normal preventative maintenance for at least 50k miles. i know that this isn't a camry and it's built to perform, but i'm a commuter who works long hours and can't always pay attention to every little detail of the car.

    i was also wondering about the real-world gas efficiency of the vehicle. there probably has been a lot of posts about this already, but consumer reports' june issue gave them 25 mpg in mixed driving. given that i drive roughly 75% hwy, could i expect the same kind of performance? would it be worthwhile to own this car, esp given the premium fuel?

    thanks!

    also, thanks to jitteryjoe for pointing me in this direction. sorry for reposting.
  • jayreecejayreece Member Posts: 1
    I have a Mk2 gti 16 valve DOHC. I was driving in heavy rain and ran through a large puddle. The car stopped and wouldn't start for four hours. After getting it going it was fine for a week, then suddenly when I started it all the electrics went, windows, wipers, headlights fan. I still had indicators and dipped beam.
    The odd thing was that when i pulled the full beam lever the lights came on and all the electrics started working again until i let go of the lever. How weird.
    Has anyone got any idea what could be wrong? I've checked all the fuses could it be a relay?

    Thanks for any help

    Jay
  • allhorizonallhorizon Member Posts: 483
    gpan,

    I think the consensus so far is that the reliability of the MkV is decidedly better than the previous generation(s). Those tended to fluctuate quite a bit - some people reported many problems, others few. My two VWs have a combined mileage approaching 250,000, with very few problems after some initial teething. Also, I have never had any electrical problems. The two items most owners complained about (coil packs and window regulators) were taken care of by VW, and they are no longer an issue. Regular maintenance is enough, it is just important that you have the maintenance actually done, and use the right spec oil specified by VW. In my Golf, I do oil changes every 10,000 to 15,000 miles, and have had no problems. YMMV.

    By the way, VWs warranty is great. Just try to find a good service place (which does not have to be the one you are buying the car from). Some are unfortunately still quite bad.

    As far as premium gas is concerned, perhaps calculate how much money the difference is, over a year or so. I think it is completely negligible compared to the purchase price. The GTI has a high performance engine, and I would not recommend skimping on gas. You would get less performance and likely worse mileage. Speaking of which, many users have reported over 30mpg highway; the EPA numbers are easily achieveable. If you know how to drive saving gas, you can easily beat EPA numbers in VWs.
  • voochvooch Member Posts: 92
    As far as mpgs go, that's my only real complaint. I get around 19mpg doing 90%+ city driving, sitting in traffic. I consider that quite horrible. That's more along the lines of what a 6 cylinder would get, yet its a smallish 4. It seems to burn tons of gas when idling. I had a Celica before the GTI and it got 25-26mpg doing the same driving. So to me, 19 really really bites. I drive it fairly hard sometimes though, but I did that with the Celica too.

    The RX8 was on my list and it dropped down a few notches on that list because of the horrible real world mileage. Little did I know that the GTI is the same.
  • allhorizonallhorizon Member Posts: 483
    So, when do you change gears in your MkV GTI? The general rule of thumb to conserve gas is to accelerate close to wide open throttle (WOT, at the minimum 1/2 to 3/4 --- don't feather the gas pedal!), but to change gears very early - below 2000 rpm, if possible. Not as low as to damage your engine, though (above ~1400 rpm under load, although 1200 rpm is fine for coasting). Gas engines are most efficient under WOT at low rpm. The turbo changes things a bit, but not much if you stay below 2000 rpm.

    Perhaps you could try this for a few days, and report back.
  • jitteryjoe_246jitteryjoe_246 Member Posts: 49
    MPG with the DSG transmission:
    23 in hard city driving
    25-28 in suburbia
    30-33 highway.

    I just took a 900 mile trip this weekend and it got 30.5 mpg at 75 mph through the PA and NY hills. I've been pleased with mileage so far.

    vooch - don't know what to tell ya :confuse:
  • kurtamaxxxguykurtamaxxxguy Member Posts: 1,798
    Thanks for the DSG info. That MPG's very similar to what my raggedtey, enthusasist-despised fwd Malibu Maxx makes with its old-tech V6 engine and archaic 4 speed auto. It burns 87 oct, btw.

    Do GTI's have high rolling resistance? Is your GTI an R32 (those have fantastic resale value, btw !)?

    Maybe the '07's VW's will do better? Maybe VW will reconsider and bring over the turbo/super charged Diesel they have in Germany they won't sell here? :shades:
  • voochvooch Member Posts: 92
    With the Celica I changed gears at 3-4k rpm, but it is a different beast. I change gears in the GTI at around 2500 to 3k rpm. I do go straight from 3rd to 5th when I can. There's almost no point to 4th heh. I usually try to cruise at around 2k, which is far far lower than the Celica and they redline at about the same I think.

    I will try your WOT suggestion though.

    The majority of my driving is to and from work, which is only 4 miles away and is pretty much gridlocked both ways. When I'm out farting around, I can get low 20's to mid 20's per run. But on a full tank, combined with the deadlock driving I do it averages to about 19 it seems. On the highway I can get around 30 mpg per run. The Celica just seemed to get better and better mileage, but it had 40k miles on it. Hopefully when it is fully broken in I can break 20 mpg with my normal driving.
  • jitteryjoe_246jitteryjoe_246 Member Posts: 49
    vooch,

    I've noticed the GTI gets poor mileage when the engine is not warmed up. If you have a later model Celica your engine has an aluminum block. The GTI on the other hand is a cast iron block, which takes longer to heat up.

    I have a 4 mile drive to work as well, and I've noticed that mileage doesn't get respectable until about mile 3 (watch your instant mpg display). Since the GTI is fun to drive, I've changed my route so I now have an 8 mile drive to work. It's a dumb argument to drive farther to get better mileage, but like I said I'm doing it for the fun.

    Also take a long trip someplace. Get it on the highway for a few hundred miles and punch it a few times. I noticed better mileage after a couple of excursions. Guess I freed up the engine a bit.
  • carfanatic007carfanatic007 Member Posts: 267
    I'm sure that the GTI is a fast little car but I wouldn't call 200 hp with 207 lb torque a "high performance engine". Many cars available today have much more HP and torque. I have owned a 1998 GTI VR6 and the 2001 GTI. The VR6 was far superior to the Turbo 1.8. The only thing nice about this particular model is that it is made in Germany vice Brazil. I wonder if this will be the only year that happens? Does anyone know? Or will VW continue to make the GTI in Germany?
  • jitteryjoe_246jitteryjoe_246 Member Posts: 49
    I believe we have been talking about the new 2.0T FSI engine on the mkV GTI's...

    For a four cylinder 2.0 liter turbocharged engine, 200 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque are performance numbers. There aren't that many cars running four bangers that can hustle to 60 in 6.7 seconds (ok, so the srt4, evo, and sti are freaks). Sure there are lots of v6 and v8 engines with more hp and torque, but they have a lot more displacement to work with. If you felt the need for better numbers you could even chip the 2.0T engine for 30-50 more hp (while voiding your warranty).

    In addition, the new 2.0T engine is far superior to your old VR6. The edmunds library cites the VR6 as having only 172 hp and 173 ft-lbs torque and a zero to 60 time of 7.1 seconds. I wouldn't judge the new GTI based on the prior 1.8T mkIV

    http://www.gti-vr6.net/library/specs/Edmunds_1998_VW_GTI_VR6.htm

    I'll stick with my 2.0T thank you very much.

    In the event that the mkV R32 makes it over to america it will be sporting the next gen. VR6.

    ...Powered by a 24-valve 3.2L V-6 that generates peak torque of 236 lb.-ft. (320 Nm) at 3,000 rpm, the R32, which debuted at the 2005 Frankfurt auto show, will be available with VW's Direct-Shift Gearbox dual-clutch transmission...

    http://wardsautoworld.com/ar/auto_vw_highlights_lean/index.html

    If VW makes good on it's word, you can party with the new R32 summer 2007. Since north america usually gets the europe vw table scraps, it will probably be some bastardized version.
  • mheinsmheins Member Posts: 4
    I got my 2006 GTI 2.0T manual trans. a couple of weeks ago, and I *really* love most everything about this car. I've got about 1000 miles on it now, and it recently feels like I've lost some low rpm torque since I got it. I thought at first it might be my imagination, but I've since done some unscientific tests, and I do believe there's an issue. What I do to test is put it in 4th going up a gentle slope, and adjust RPM to 1800. I then "get on it", and pay close attention to the acceleration I feel and the RPM. It definitely starts out weak. At about 2300-2400 acceleration picks up very quickly, and then seems to maintain a constant acceleration through 5000. As far as I can remember, it feels like the performance above 2500 is the same good performance it had when I bought it. Gas mileage is good, and I don't hear any unusual noises when testing.

    I plan to talk to the dealer about it, but wanted to know if anyone else had experienced similar, or had ideas on what might cause this.
  • allhorizonallhorizon Member Posts: 483
    I'm sure that the GTI is a fast little car but I wouldn't call 200 hp with 207 lbs torque a "high performance engine". Many cars available today have much more HP and torque. I have owned a 1998 GTI VR6 and the 2001 GTI. The VR6 was far superior to the Turbo 1.8. The only thing nice about this particular model is that it is made in Germany vice Brazil. I wonder if this will be the only year that happens? Does anyone know? Or will VW continue to make the GTI in Germany?

    Well, yes, performance is relative to engine size (displacement), and the 2.0TFSI rates very well, which got VW/Audi yet another Ward's Auto award...

    Of course, this engine is underrated, with close to 200hp/lbs-ft wheel (rather than crank), as many dynos have shown. It has already been sold in ~225hp versions in the European A4, and close to 260 lbs-ft is the norm for simple and inexpensive tuner ECU re-flashes. At any rate, don't underestimate the significance of the direct injection technology.

    I have not seen any plans to move production of the left-hand-drive (right-side-of-street) MkV Golf/GTI outside of Wolfsburg. The MkVI will be arriving shortly (late 2008 Germany production) - so that will be the time to stay tuned for.
  • sillysaucesillysauce Member Posts: 1
    My 97 vr6 starts just fine but if I try to drive and get the rpms above 3200 it conks out and will not restart for a minute or two.When I turn the key after it stalls it wont even turn over a little bit.Also when it does restart after the stall it shakes vioently untill its warm the its fine.If I start it up and let it run untill it reaches normal operating temp everything is fine.Theres also the occasional stall when its warm if I'm not on the gas say at a red light it stalls but will restart just fine.If any1 has any ideas I would greatly appreciate it. PS this is a year round problem
  • frank908frank908 Member Posts: 48
    The MkIII platform was the first to use the VR6 powerplant, which debuted in a 12V version. The engine was initially marketed as a DOHC engine, however this is a point of contention due to the unique design. Yes, there are two overhead cam shafts, however there is only one cam shaft over each bank of cylinders. The next generation of the VR6 engine, used in the MkIV platform, in 2004, was a true double overhead cam engine, with one camshaft controlling the inlet valves and the other controlling the exhaust valves, while still using two cam shafts over the one cylinder head. The 24V engine also features other technical improvements, such as variable valve timing and a variable geometry inlet manifold, that enables it to extract another 20HP from the same displacement, giving it a total of 200 horspower. :P So the VR6 is just as fast as the new 2.0 T and it sounds a whole helluva lot better getting there too without any turbo lag at all. Don't get me wrong, the 2.0T is a awesome engine and it has more torque ta boot!
  • danadanedanadane Member Posts: 1
    My 2001 GTI has what I thought was a serious problem. It stopped abrubtly a week ago, and a message appeared where I normally see the temp and mpgs... it said in big letters, STOP. It proceeded to beep at me while flashing the word. Now thefirst mechanic has said it is the timing belt which blew the pistons and damaged valves. The problem is that it sounds like he didnt even take a good look cause he said he can just tell.....? But a friend of mine has informed me that my car doesnt even have a belt its a chain.Any input?
  • orbit9090orbit9090 Member Posts: 116
    The solution to all of you peoples VW :lemon: reliability problems is to trade-it-in on something that won't break so often.

    When you REALLY get tired of visiting the VW dealership for this-and-that defects and :sick: breakdowns, take a step-up to the plate and invest in an Acura or a Honda...and then you can do without the snooty :mad: VW dealership attitude too.

    By the way, Acura's 4-cyl makes 200 HP without a turbo (TSX) and 240HP with a turbo (RDX). :shades: The Honda Civic's base 4-cyl (140hp) makes about 17% more hp-per-cyl than VW's noisy 5-cyl...and the Japanese achieve WAY better mileage.

    Now you know.

    image
    The upcoming Civic Si 4-cyl is rated near 200hp.
    ----------

    "Yes, dear, rabbits do make cute pets...but who has the time for all that maintenance."
  • voochvooch Member Posts: 92
    Allhorizon, I tried driving using WOT and it does seem to make a difference. I've found that the real problem seems to be stop and go driving. As long as I'm moving and not sitting in traffic the mileage is respectable. But the GTI does not like to be sitting motionless then move 10 ft, repeat. I can get in the low 20's as long as I'm not in stop and go traffic. I guess the Celica just did much better in stop and go traffic. Thanks for the tip though.
  • gputzgputz Member Posts: 49
    I think the consensus so far is that the reliability of the MkV is decidedly better than the previous generation(s).

    Be careful when drawing conclusions. This is still a new car and it's way too early to speak to long-term reliability.... and that's what really matters.

    I hope you're right, but I'll need a lot more validation from owners.
  • waiwai Member Posts: 325
    What brand and octane of gas do you fill up?
  • mheinsmheins Member Posts: 4
    I always use 91 octane (premium).

    Additional information on the issue: I have verified by using an accelerometer based performance product that the torque curve is pretty sloped up to about 3000 rpm. I've also determined that apparently it's not just my car, because I test drove another one at my dealer's, and as far as I could tell, it accelerated the same way.
  • waiwai Member Posts: 325
    93 Octane will get the most out of your GTI. The dealer's car you tested might only fill in any gas lower than 91.
    BP Ultimate with an Octane of 93 has been tested as the best of other major brand as Shell, Exxon and Sunoco.
    Try a tank to see if there is any difference.
  • wonderwmnwonderwmn Member Posts: 1
    Hi-
    I'm new to this forum, and have a question regarding the care and maintenance of turbos.

    I will be purchasing a 2006 or 2007 VW GTI, and I'd like to know what I should do as good preventative maintenance to ensure that the turbo is well taken care of. I have heard that I should let the engine continue to run for 1 minute after stopping the car, or that I should get a turbo timer that will do that for me. Is this absolutely necessary, and is there anything else I should be aware of?
    Thanks in advance!
  • fgslrfgslr Member Posts: 5
    I believe the owners manual on the 2006 GTI says that you don't need to run the car after stopping unless you just stopped from high speed as on the freeway. Under normal driving if the engine is at normal temp. you should be OK to turn off the engine after stopping. I also have a turbo diesel truck and it says to run after stopping until the exhaust temp is around 300 degree's, which happens at about 30 seconds after stopping. I would not invest in a turbo timer for these new turbos.
  • boardheadboardhead Member Posts: 4
    as a car guy w a bachelors in mech eng, I am aware of the hi throttle load efficiency theory, and I have an 01 gti turbo. not sure if this theory applies to turbos, have u tested it? do u accelerate briskly but shift up quickly? I admit i tend to accelerate slowly but shift up so that higher gear starts at 2K. would love to know what the VW engineers think!! ps mucho problems w my car, I'll save that for another forum or question.
  • boardheadboardhead Member Posts: 4
    How do we know if one has been issued? will the dealer admit it? I certainly dont trust those chumps! my engine ck light has come on recently, I had the codes read and it's my air sensor (a $300 part, oh joy). anybody have their air sensors replaced?
  • 600kgolfgt600kgolfgt Member Posts: 690
    > take a step-up to the plate and invest in an Acura or a Honda.

    To me, driving a Japanese car is like submitting your form, checking in your identity and becoming one of the masses...

    "I drive a Japanese car. Me too. Me three...etc. etc..."

    The reliability of the VWs I've owned are equal to the Japanese offerings. The Japanese have been good at copying someone else's design features rather than being the pioneer. For example, when VW/Audi brought drive-by-wire technology to their models in the late 1990s, they were ridiculed. Honda just started to use drive-by-wire recently and nobody says a word - because in their eyes, Honda could do no wrong. The same thing is happening to VW again with the criticism of their electromechanical steering. Guess what - I predict that Honda and the other Japanese makes will soon follow suit. But once again - its all right if they do it. VW is unreliable, VW is a piece of junk, blah, blah, blah.

    To me, the Germans are the innovators. Anything else is a compromise. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
  • rorrrorr Member Posts: 3,630
    "The Japanese have been good at copying someone else's design features rather than being the pioneer."

    There is a lot of truth to that statement but I think you draw the wrong conclusions.

    Yes, in many ways the Germans ARE the innovators. And yes, in many ways the Japanese ARE good at copying someone else's design features.

    But what you leave out is the fact that AS IMPLEMENTED, these innovations end up having a fair number of bugs as initially introduced on German cars. Which is fine if you want to be on the bleeding edge with new innovations. But the Japanese take those innovations and work the bugs out.

    Perhaps this is one reason why folks become leary of new 'innovations' on German cars but don't worry about the same thing appearing on a Toyota or Honda.
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