Golf GTi Mk6 - I’ve finally decided

[Fun Bus]

After much debate I’ve settled on my next car being a Mk6 GTi. I’d like a 2012ish car, less than 60k miles and as well specced as I can find. I’ll be using it as a daily and doing about 15k miles pa. Some questions for owners and those who know about them please:

Did the MK6 have a facelift at some point in it’s life? Some have rear light clusters that look to be LED?

I’ve also been researching the EA113 and EA888 engines - the former being potentially troublesome?

Any forum recommendations and, of course, anything else I should be mindful of?

Thanks.

[SteBrown91]

MY11 GTI/GTDs had LED tear lights (there’s odd 10 plates around but it’s pretty much 60 plate onwards)

The ea113 is the mk5/golf r engine but was also fitted to the ed35. The EA888 was most troublesome up to 2010ish, after this timing chain setup was revised

MY12 cars (61 plate onwards) had leather as standard

[nottyash]

I own a 59 plate shadow blue 5 door manual.
Its a nice every day car. Ive got the tartan interior which I prefer as it livens the interior up.
I don't have the facelift lights, but you can buy them on ebay if you prefer them.
I have read about cam chain tensioner issues. Apparently there was a couple of changes to design and it was 2012 they actually fitted the revised one that never failed.
My car is low milage, only 57k, and I am thinking of having a new revised cam chain and tensioner fitted for piece of mind, but ive had no issues with the car.
The previous owner paid over £500 for a new intake manifold. Apparently they can fail.
Mine has the optional touch screen 6 disc in dash entertainment system which is worth having although the phone function doesnt work because it wasnt fitted. Itvdoes have the fancy reverse camera which pops the rear vw badge.
There was no cruise control, so I bought the stalk and had it fitted and coded in with vagcom. I also had it coded to display MPH on the multi function display, as UK cars dont have this. Its a nice feature, which I have on all the time.
They are extremely economical, I average 40mpg driving 50 mile trip and I dont hang around. Unbelievable when my 07 plate A3 quattro 2.0tfsi was only 28mpg.
They do handle well, they feel tight, but lose grip in slippery conditions very easy. It is quite torquey, and could do with a lsd.
Overall its a great all rounder, and reasonable money these days.

[Fun Bus]

I’d forgotten I’d posted this! Thanks for the replies.

I’m flying up to Edinburgh this morning to collect mine. It’s coming from GTi world which is an offshoot of the main VW dealer up their so an approved Das Welt car. I’ve not seen the car, just photos. I’ve never, ever bought a car blind but feeling really confident.

Very late 2011, 61 plate, 5dr in Tornado red. Manual. Whoever bought it new spent £31k on it. Touchscreen Nav, all the parking bits, 18” wheels, heated leather (standard at this age). No cruise so having that done retro.

It doesn’t seem real yet. The excitement will come when I see it for the first time later!