Golf GTI Mk 7 - two months in review

[Adrian E]

Picked ours up on Sunday and very happy with it - just over a year old and specced with:

Carbon grey metallic
tech pack (so Discover Pro nav and Dynaudio package)
DSG
Performance Pack
Vienna leather
DCC
factory swing out towbar

[Brave Fart]

johnwilliams77 said:

Feel much the time
You own yours otutright? Cash purchase?

Much the same I guess you mean?
Yes,owned outright, I used Drive The Deal and got around £5k off the list price, including VW contribution which you still get even if you pay off the finance straight away.
Right now, there isn't anything else I'd change it for in this price range - as said, the GTI is as good an all-rounder as it gets.

[johnwilliams77]

Brave Fart said:

Much the same I guess you mean?
Yes,owned outright, I used Drive The Deal and got around £5k off the list price, including VW contribution which you still get even if you pay off the finance straight away.
Right now, there isn't anything else I'd change it for in this price range - as said, the GTI is as good an all-rounder as it gets.

Correct - same!
Really nice car

[beancaker]

Slightly off topic, but does the GTI have window/sunroof remote closing via the key fob lock button as standard? Manual refers to this, but I cannot get this feature to work. Only option in the 'car' menu is to enable convenience opening, which I have done - but no joy with this either!

[Adrian E]

beancaker said:

Slightly off topic, but does the GTI have window/sunroof remote closing via the key fob lock button as standard? Manual refers to this, but I cannot get this feature to work. Only option in the 'car' menu is to enable convenience opening, which I have done - but no joy with this either!

We don't have a sunroof, but the windows definitely have convenience open/close on our Golf. Have you tried using the door handle to activate them? If you leave the window open, press and hold the exterior handle and after several seconds the windows should start to close, but you have to keep your finger on the sensor until they're full shut. That at least proves whether they're active or not!

On our S5 the MMI gives the option split by front windows/rear windows/sunroof under separate menu options.

For remote operation you again need to hold the button for a while before they start moving

[beancaker]

Adrian E said:

beancaker said:

Slightly off topic, but does the GTI have window/sunroof remote closing via the key fob lock button as standard? Manual refers to this, but I cannot get this feature to work. Only option in the 'car' menu is to enable convenience opening, which I have done - but no joy with this either!

We don't have a sunroof, but the windows definitely have convenience open/close on our Golf. Have you tried using the door handle to activate them? If you leave the window open, press and hold the exterior handle and after several seconds the windows should start to close, but you have to keep your finger on the sensor until they're full shut. That at least proves whether they're active or not!

On our S5 the MMI gives the option split by front windows/rear windows/sunroof under separate menu options.

For remote operation you again need to hold the button for a while before they start moving

Thanks Adrian, I don't have the door sensor/keyless access. Maybe I'm being too impatient, will try holding the key fob button longer.

[Adrian E]

beancaker said:

Thanks Adrian, I don't have the door sensor/keyless access. Maybe I'm being too impatient, will try holding the key fob button longer.

I thought it was standard, or is it only on 5 door version?

[Doofus]

Adrian E said:

I thought it was standard, or is it only on 5 door version?

I have it on my 3dr, but it was an option when I bought it (December 2013).


As were most of the other bloody things that I paid extra for, that became standard less than six months later...

[Bungleaio]

The extras may have come as standard but they uplifted the cost of the car to match it so don't worry you weren't ripped off.

[Tipp Ex]

Doofus said:

Adrian E said:

I thought it was standard, or is it only on 5 door version?

I have it on my 3dr, but it was an option when I bought it (December 2013).


As were most of the other bloody things that I paid extra for, that became standard less than six months later...

It used to be optional on both 3 and 5 door, it then became standard on both, but some time later they dropped it on the 3 door while keeping it on the 5. My 3 door was delivered from new in November (will try and remember to write about my experience with it when I have a bit more time) and doesn't have keyless. I don't recall it even being an option but I'm okay with using a normal key though so not particularly bothered.

[Doofus]

Bungleaio said:

The extras may have come as standard but they uplifted the cost of the car to match it so don't worry you weren't ripped off.

I'm not sure that's entirely correct. Mine is heavily optioned (everything except sunroof and auto parking) and was something like £34 or 35k before discount

[Bungleaio]

Likewise but I went for the autopark as I didn't want the empty button position. When I was looking to buy I had a quote at list price but when I actually ordered things like the keyless were made standard but the overall price was pretty much the same.

[beancaker]

beancaker said:

Thanks Adrian, I don't have the door sensor/keyless access. Maybe I'm being too impatient, will try holding the key fob button longer.

You're correct, it works - I just needed a little more patience!

[macajc88]

Agree with many of the comments on here.

I've owned my GTI with performance pack 16 months now and recently replaced the standard fit Bridgestones for Michelin PS4 all round. These have made a big improvement to the overall grip and I now feel the benefit of the VAQ engaging when accelerating hard out of tight corners.

I might give a pedal box a try when the weather improves as I've read elsewhere these transform the car's characteristics without a remap. They make the throttle much more responsive by removing the 'dead spot' of pedal travel in the first inch or so.

Otherwise it's fantastic and the first car I've owned where I've not found myself wanting something else - must be a good sign!

[Doofus]

macajc88 said:

Otherwise it's fantastic and the first car I've owned where I've not found myself wanting something else - must be a good sign!

I came to mine from a string of Mercedes and BMW. In fact, I wason my second 640 Coupe when I bought the Golf, and got rid of that about a year later. I've had the VW for three years now, and that means it's well overdue for a change, but I really, really like it. I was going to buy a Clubsport, but pulled my order late last year when I took a fancy to an Abarth 124.

I can't convince Mrs Doofus to offload the Volvo for a new Fiat, and I already have a roofless car in the garage, so the Abarth probably won't happen, and I'm just not ready to get rid of the Golf yet...

[Patch1875]

Doofus said:

macajc88 said:

Otherwise it's fantastic and the first car I've owned where I've not found myself wanting something else - must be a good sign!

I came to mine from a string of Mercedes and BMW. In fact, I wason my second 640 Coupe when I bought the Golf, and got rid of that about a year later. I've had the VW for three years now, and that means it's well overdue for a change, but I really, really like it. I was going to buy a Clubsport, but pulled my order late last year when I took a fancy to an Abarth 124.

I can't convince Mrs Doofus to offload the Volvo for a new Fiat, and I already have a roofless car in the garage, so the Abarth probably won't happen, and I'm just not ready to get rid of the Golf yet...

I'm getting itchy feet now after nearly 3 years probably the longest I've had a car in a while.

No idea what's next but I'm using the car less now so might get something cheaper.

[Alfa Pete]

Thanks for sharing. I'm just over a month into ownership of a Golf GTD. Experience so far very similar to yours. A great all rounder, decent refinement,yet still good to drive.
It's a much better car than the Merc A200d which preceded it. Probably as good as my previousbF30 320d for covering the miles.

[Alfa Pete]

Thanks for sharing. I'm just over a month into ownership of a Golf GTD. Experience so far very similar to yours. A great all rounder, decent refinement,yet still good to drive.
It's a much better car than the Merc A200d which preceded it. Probably as good as my previousbF30 320d for covering the miles.

[Mitch16]

Thanks for all the comments and shared views, testament to how good the car is we are being relatively 'picky' about the negatives.

Sounds like either Goodyear F1 or Michelin PS4 are a better tyre than the standard Bridgestone, I may change mine in the next few months so will keep you updated. Seems about £400 all in for the Goodyears.

Hoping to get the car play etc set up this weekend!

[Doofus]

I got through nine tyres in seven weeks, when my car was less than six months old. £200 per corner, and I was torn between selling the car and pushing it into the river.

I'm still on OEM P-Zeros and I'm not bloody changing them again until I have to!