1 year on in my MK5 GTI as a daily driver
Discussion
As I researched this purchase mainly on Pistonheads, I thought it only fair to provide my update.
All in, it's been a great car, 1 x break down, costs on cambelt, tyres, pcv and minor bits and pieces but potentially zero depreciation looking at the prices for 2007 cars in PH and Autotrader.
More here - http://fastgerman.com/forum/volkswagen-golf-gti-mk...
Still unsure on the oil consumption and smoke out the back with hard acceleration above 4k revs, but seems the norm on a Google search
All in, it's been a great car, 1 x break down, costs on cambelt, tyres, pcv and minor bits and pieces but potentially zero depreciation looking at the prices for 2007 cars in PH and Autotrader.
More here - http://fastgerman.com/forum/volkswagen-golf-gti-mk...
Still unsure on the oil consumption and smoke out the back with hard acceleration above 4k revs, but seems the norm on a Google search
Your oil consumption is double mine (approx half a litre every 2000 miles) but I get worse fuel consumption.
Urban driving it'll generally be 25mpg or so.
On longer runs quite often mid 30s mpg but never 40
Mine is mapped though so I can live with that.
The only thing annoying me at the moment is steaming up inside in the colder weather. Not managed to sort it yet but a new cabin filter and a proper clean if the insides of all the windows is my next step.
Fantastic all round cars though and pretty rapid.
Urban driving it'll generally be 25mpg or so.
On longer runs quite often mid 30s mpg but never 40
Mine is mapped though so I can live with that.
The only thing annoying me at the moment is steaming up inside in the colder weather. Not managed to sort it yet but a new cabin filter and a proper clean if the insides of all the windows is my next step.
Fantastic all round cars though and pretty rapid.
Steaming up could be (based on my experience with a previous Golf and Corrado), either a cracked heater matrix, damp in the car during winter only (shouldn't steam up in the summer), pollen filter or similar.
If you have a/c, that usually clears things up.
Do you have a cloud of smoke out the back when flooring it from 4k rpm? Mine in usually only noticeable the first time I do this. Maybe some sort of exhaust re-circulation or over fueling? I don't think it's been mapped.
If you have a/c, that usually clears things up.
Do you have a cloud of smoke out the back when flooring it from 4k rpm? Mine in usually only noticeable the first time I do this. Maybe some sort of exhaust re-circulation or over fueling? I don't think it's been mapped.
Mine uses no oil, or next no oil. I probably top it up once a year.
I also don't get your mpg, I think motorway (up to 80) is about 30mpg, pooling around at 50 can bring this into the 36mpg range. Around town it is about 18-22mpg.
I think I have had all the usual MK5 GTi issues, plus seatbelt sensor, tailgate wiring loom, interior light switch (on the roof). The first year was utter crap, and very expensive been ok since then. Bought at 80K miles now at 120K miles.
Still pulls nicely :-)
I also don't get your mpg, I think motorway (up to 80) is about 30mpg, pooling around at 50 can bring this into the 36mpg range. Around town it is about 18-22mpg.
I think I have had all the usual MK5 GTi issues, plus seatbelt sensor, tailgate wiring loom, interior light switch (on the roof). The first year was utter crap, and very expensive been ok since then. Bought at 80K miles now at 120K miles.
Still pulls nicely :-)
Nice write up, I really miss mine (also Black 5dr) 
I found it didn't seem to use any oil and this was a 2006 car with a BWA engine.
Fuel consumption was slightly worse averaging about 25mpg over 6-months. Other running costs probably about the same as you, which is quite expensive for what it is but offset by the complete lack of depreciation. However I fear that when the Mk6 gets cheaper (mines shedding about £100 a month according to CAP) it will knock back the Mk5. On the flip side maybe it's similar to E46 M3s where they've reached the point that owners won't really let them go for anything less?
All in all though they are utterly brilliant cars and the best hot hatchback any manufacturer has produced for years
I found it didn't seem to use any oil and this was a 2006 car with a BWA engine.
Fuel consumption was slightly worse averaging about 25mpg over 6-months. Other running costs probably about the same as you, which is quite expensive for what it is but offset by the complete lack of depreciation. However I fear that when the Mk6 gets cheaper (mines shedding about £100 a month according to CAP) it will knock back the Mk5. On the flip side maybe it's similar to E46 M3s where they've reached the point that owners won't really let them go for anything less?
All in all though they are utterly brilliant cars and the best hot hatchback any manufacturer has produced for years
I too get some smoke when you boot it above 4000rpm (when fully warmed up), again I put this down to a bit of carbon build up when having driven conservatively for a while or after doing short trips. I too use super unleaded. Same MPG and similar oil consumption but do around 20k miles per year.
SuperchargedVR6 said:
My Edition 30 averages 28mpg and the oil level drops so gradually, I have no idea what it's consumption is. Very little!
Great cars to own and drive. Apart from a cambelt and some uprated console bushes, all it costs me is fuel.
Have you still got your Corrado?Great cars to own and drive. Apart from a cambelt and some uprated console bushes, all it costs me is fuel.
Edited by SuperchargedVR6 on Friday 19th December 09:45
Wouldn't mind a low mileage Storm in midnight blue for the garage.
My GTI is off for a service tomorrow and having a few bits looked at. Trying to find a wheel exchange company as don't want to be using the 911 in these conditions for a week
fastgerman said:
SuperchargedVR6 said:
My Edition 30 averages 28mpg and the oil level drops so gradually, I have no idea what it's consumption is. Very little!
Great cars to own and drive. Apart from a cambelt and some uprated console bushes, all it costs me is fuel.
Have you still got your Corrado?Great cars to own and drive. Apart from a cambelt and some uprated console bushes, all it costs me is fuel.
Edited by SuperchargedVR6 on Friday 19th December 09:45
Wouldn't mind a low mileage Storm in midnight blue for the garage.
My GTI is off for a service tomorrow and having a few bits looked at. Trying to find a wheel exchange company as don't want to be using the 911 in these conditions for a week
Another 6 months on and decided it's a keeper along with my S4 and 997 :-).
I've been thinking of some tweaks to keep it up to date:
LSD - was surprised how rubbish the car was in snow and ice with 1 x wheel always spinning up. Fast exits out of corners could be improved also.
Alloy refurb or maybe some nice Ed30 wheels.
A good machine polish by an expert.
Dents and interior cloth touch ups by an expert.
Engine tuning / cleaning. On this topic, I tried an 'Italian tune up' on the way home last night. This consisted of driving for 15 mins with the revs at 4-4.5k rpm. Started better than usual this morning (no need to leave the key in the electrics position for 5 seconds) and no lumpy idle. I'd recommend this before paying for a top end clean / de-coke.
Overall and with the recent Pistonheads article, the MK5 GTI seems depreciation proof and with £1k a year to keep it perfect, seems a good daily without offending people in the office.
I've been thinking of some tweaks to keep it up to date:
LSD - was surprised how rubbish the car was in snow and ice with 1 x wheel always spinning up. Fast exits out of corners could be improved also.
Alloy refurb or maybe some nice Ed30 wheels.
A good machine polish by an expert.
Dents and interior cloth touch ups by an expert.
Engine tuning / cleaning. On this topic, I tried an 'Italian tune up' on the way home last night. This consisted of driving for 15 mins with the revs at 4-4.5k rpm. Started better than usual this morning (no need to leave the key in the electrics position for 5 seconds) and no lumpy idle. I'd recommend this before paying for a top end clean / de-coke.
Overall and with the recent Pistonheads article, the MK5 GTI seems depreciation proof and with £1k a year to keep it perfect, seems a good daily without offending people in the office.
Mine was a bit lumpy at cold start idle and changing the PCV didn't fix it, ended up swapping the plugs which were the original, 90k mile ones, and that's sorted it.
Walnut grit blasting is a viable alternative to the other decoking measures, it's much cheaper too though the only people who actually seem to do it are Mini specialists (same issues with the direct injection 1.6 Cooper S engines due to the lack of secondary injectors).
I've just swapped from Castrol Edge FST 5W30 to Mobil 1 0W40 as it's supposed to be better for these engines and in some cases has decreased oil consumption. My oil consumption is roughly similar to yours (possibly slightly less) but I do a lot of short journeys which explains that; yours is on the high end of acceptable.
Some people Stateside report good coking reduction from switching to Ester based oils like Redline, but it's phenomenally expensive here (£80 for 5 litres) and doesn't officially meet VW 502.00/504.00 standard.
Walnut grit blasting is a viable alternative to the other decoking measures, it's much cheaper too though the only people who actually seem to do it are Mini specialists (same issues with the direct injection 1.6 Cooper S engines due to the lack of secondary injectors).
I've just swapped from Castrol Edge FST 5W30 to Mobil 1 0W40 as it's supposed to be better for these engines and in some cases has decreased oil consumption. My oil consumption is roughly similar to yours (possibly slightly less) but I do a lot of short journeys which explains that; yours is on the high end of acceptable.
Some people Stateside report good coking reduction from switching to Ester based oils like Redline, but it's phenomenally expensive here (£80 for 5 litres) and doesn't officially meet VW 502.00/504.00 standard.
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