Golf GTi Mk5 vs Mk6 - prices converging?

[Maracus]

the-photographer said:

If it helps I can list the preventative maintenance I have just carried out on a newly acquired 2006 GTI.

[the-photographer]

Maracus said:

the-photographer said:

If it helps I can list the preventative maintenance I have just carried out on a newly acquired 2006 GTI.

Right, this is for a 2006 nine year old private car, one owner, city life, 28,000 miles. A dealer car should require less!

• £400 cambelt and waterpump (under mileage, but over the 5 year Audi/4 year VW recommendation)
• £50 battery
• £50 PCV Rev R
• £35 DV Rev G
• £50 aircon service
• £50 wheel alignment
• £20 wiper blades

Cosmetic

• £100 interior valet, very impressed, looks new now
• Free, ashtray was jammed
• £50, rear cupholders
• £500, damaged wing (not rust problem, just dented, was negotiated in price)
• Free, wheel refurb (previous owners cost)
• £5, aerial

Brakes are OK and the tyres are all 6mm.

Most of the points could be relevant to ANY nine year old car, but I understand why people rotate through multiple new car leases to avoid this stuff. I cope because its partly a hobby.

[Maracus]

Any rattley suspension refreshing.

[the-photographer]

Maracus said:

Any rattley suspension refreshing.

No, not at this low mileage, it had to inspections (VW + specialist) and no comments about suspension

[Maracus]

the-photographer said:

Maracus said:

Any rattley suspension refreshing.

No, not at this low mileage, it had to inspections (VW + specialist) and no comments about suspension

That's good news.

I had two have both rear drop links replaced at 60k. Not expensive though.

[Naldrett]

Thanks for the info, very useful. Seems if you steer clear or the DSG and don't land one with too much of a rust issue, most problems are well known and straightforward / relatively cheap to fix.

Any views on leather vs cloth? Love the look and history of the checked cloth but can't help but feel the leather will wear better and give the car a more premium feel?

[bigvanfan]

Naldrett said:

Thanks for the info, very useful. Seems if you steer clear or the DSG and don't land one with too much of a rust issue, most problems are well known and straightforward / relatively cheap to fix.

Any views on leather vs cloth? Love the look and history of the checked cloth but can't help but feel the leather will wear better and give the car a more premium feel?

I'd go for the cloth, mine has the option buckets in leather and if they were cloth it would be my perfect spec

[99Chimaera]

I currently own a 2008 Golf GTI in tornado red with leather and DSG with flappy paddles, but no xenons which would have been ideal for me. The car has been superb and the gearbox is amazing and is a great all rounder. I would go for cloth OP as while the leather looks nice it is not best quality.

Edited by 99Chimaera on Friday 21st August 17:06

[the-photographer]

Naldrett said:

Thanks for the info, very useful. Seems if you steer clear or the DSG and don't land one with too much of a rust issue, most problems are well known and straightforward / relatively cheap to fix.

Any views on leather vs cloth? Love the look and history of the checked cloth but can't help but feel the leather will wear better and give the car a more premium feel?

Here is the compromise;

Cloth, on older cars its hard to find the cloth in good condition, drivers bolster gets the most abuse and it can hold smells.

Leather, its only part leather on the GTI and again driver bolster rubs and the side non-leather bolsters crack.

Here is my one, but you will have to look hard to find one in similar condition (for a nine years old)

[va1o]

Yeah I went with cloth on my GTI and GTD. The tartan effect is nice and adds character to the car. Leather a little dull and doesn't seem to age well.

[Naldrett]

One of the better-priced examples I have found with the kind of history and ownership I am after (lots of the former, less of the latter):

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

Quite basic spec but I think the silver suits the car well and it is on 17s which I want.

There's a lot of similar cars up at £8k I am finding, even more. And it seems very few have satnav or xenons which I would like ideally.

[the-photographer]

Naldrett said:

One of the better-priced examples I have found with the kind of history and ownership I am after (lots of the former, less of the latter):

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

Quite basic spec but I think the silver suits the car well and it is on 17s which I want.

There's a lot of similar cars up at £8k I am finding, even more. And it seems very few have satnav or xenons which I would like ideally.

Nice colour, history, interior looks well maintained.

Or here is one from a dealer http://usedcars.volkswagen.co.uk/Vehicle.aspx?wflw... with every extra except satnav, 18" wheels and leather.

Edited by the-photographer on Saturday 22 August 08:41

[Naldrett]

Nice car at the dealer - thanks for the heads up. Love that blue colour too, very subtle. And good spec.

Just not sure if I could justify the £2k premium over the private one I shared for a year older car (even one with a year's approved warranty and a few more toys).

Oh, and it is DSG which I was trying to avoid given the chances of going wrong at that kind of age (or am I worrying unduly?). Car will be used on mix of local, heavy traffic and motorway weekends away, so in other respects DSG could be a good choice - I've seen an old Fifth Gear episode where Jason Plato raves about that 'box. I did test drive one once and was not sure what to make of it, coming from a manual. I suspect like most of these boxes, they do take some getting used to and adapting to a certain style. Are the paddles only an option by the way?

[the-photographer]

Naldrett said:

Nice car at the dealer - thanks for the heads up. Love that blue colour too, very subtle. And good spec.

Just not sure if I could justify the £2k premium over the private one I shared for a year older car (even one with a year's approved warranty and a few more toys).

Oh, and it is DSG which I was trying to avoid given the chances of going wrong at that kind of age (or am I worrying unduly?). Car will be used on mix of local, heavy traffic and motorway weekends away, so in other respects DSG could be a good choice - I've seen an old Fifth Gear episode where Jason Plato raves about that 'box. I did test drive one once and was not sure what to make of it, coming from a manual. I suspect like most of these boxes, they do take some getting used to and adapting to a certain style. Are the paddles only an option by the way?

Yep, its your money!

The only problem with the dealer one is DSG. If you are patience then the perfect one will appear, in the meantime go and see that private one you found.

[va1o]

The DSG box is excellent, my 55-plate was still on its original and showing no issues at 8 years old with just under 100k miles. Sold it now but assuming it's still running well! The dealer car will have a 1 year VW warranty so really nothing to worry about

[Rob_T]

for what it is worth i can offer very positive experiences of the mk5 gti. i bought mine from new in 2006 (import) and have covered 104,000 miles in it since. main dealer serviced every year and it drives as tight and as well as the day i bought it. dsg box still perfect, colour satnav working fine leather interior still looks good and solid - a bit of wear on the drivers seat obviously but nothing terrible. managed to bash the wing mirror whilst parking (wife obviously did this) so that needs to be replaced. couple of dents in the body which can be sorted out. i have the monza 2 alloys that have been a disaster with white worm so i am looking to get them powder coated although undecided on the shade. I was looking at selling it and getting a mk7 but i could probably spend a few hundred pounds tidying it up cosmetically and i would have a lovely 'new' car that mechanically has been bullet proof. webuyanycar offered me £3500 which i thought was a sensible price.

[Naldrett]

Thanks for sharing your positive experiences. I know the internet tends to exaggerate the divide between positive and negative experiences, but I must say that the MkV Golf GTi in particular must be one of the worst for this. There are many evangelists and also a large number of those that have had very bad experiences. And the DSG in particular seems to divide opinion itself.

Seems to me that looking out for one that has had annual servicing is as key as anything. That and looking for low ownership - there seem to be a number of one owner cars out there despite many being close to 10 years old, and people just don't hold onto cars that long if they are dogs. And if there are impending issues I think most people try to trade in, so buying privately is also probably quite a good option.

So, my ideal car:

Silver, blue or grey
5 doors
Manual (I think, but could be open to a well-maintained DSG)
Xenons
Cloth
Satnav
17 inch alloys
Upgraded sound (RD500?)
Rear parking sensors
Sunroof
Later plate ('07-'09) - early model issues resolved, rust less likely?
1 or 2 owners
Full history with annual servicing and invoices if possible

Budget: up to £9k

Think I'll be waiting long?

That VW dealer one ticks most of the boxes except no nav and a bit earlier than I was aiming for

[SteBrown91]

Naldrett said:

Thanks for sharing your positive experiences. I know the internet tends to exaggerate the divide between positive and negative experiences, but I must say that the MkV Golf GTi in particular must be one of the worst for this. There are many evangelists and also a large number of those that have had very bad experiences. And the DSG in particular seems to divide opinion itself.

Seems to me that looking out for one that has had annual servicing is as key as anything. That and looking for low ownership - there seem to be a number of one owner cars out there despite many being close to 10 years old, and people just don't hold onto cars that long if they are dogs. And if there are impending issues I think most people try to trade in, so buying privately is also probably quite a good option.

So, my ideal car:

Silver, blue or grey
5 doors
Manual (I think, but could be open to a well-maintained DSG)
Xenons
Cloth
Satnav
17 inch alloys
Upgraded sound (RD500?)
Rear parking sensors
Sunroof
Later plate ('07-'09) - early model issues resolved, rust less likely?
1 or 2 owners
Full history with annual servicing and invoices if possible

Budget: up to £9k

Think I'll be waiting long?

That VW dealer one ticks most of the boxes except no nav and a bit earlier than I was aiming for

Forget nav and sensors they are rare to find and easy to retrofit. Again with the upgraded sound you might be waiting around and its nothing special just 2 extra speakers and a small average amp. Mk5s didn't have Dynaudio. Your better fitting aftermarket stuff

[Witchfinder]

If fuel economy is an issue for you, don't get the Focus. If not, definitely get the Focus.

[va1o]

Yeah I wouldn't seek out one with Nav or an upgraded stereo as both will be dated now. Very easy to retrofit one of the Mk6 units (RCD 510 etc) cheaply.

Agree that the later models (07 onwards) are worth looking for as they did have a fair number of improvements. But watch out for the UAE imports, big batch of those registered in 2007 when they were actually built in 2005 and sat around for 2 years.

Going back to the DSG vs Manual argument, other consideration is a Manual could very easily need a new Clutch at this sort of age, but the DSG is unlikely to do so unless it's abused or seriously high mileage.



EDIT: Having said all that, for £9k a Mk6 is still your better bet! E.g. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

Edited by va1o on Monday 24th August 18:43