Mk6 GTI Low mileage vs Mk7 GTI High mileage

[Hifty]

Finally shortlisted a couple of cars after far, far too long researching...

I've found 2 that are similar in pricing and close to me (the Mk7 is £1000 more)

Mk6 GTI ('11 plate)
45k mileage
Full VWSH
heated Leather

Or

Mk7 GTI (Performance Pack with LSD) ('13 plate)
95K mileage
Full VWSH

Which would you choose? Is the Mk7 that much better than the Mk6?

[Car-Matt]

Hifty said:

Finally shortlisted a couple of cars after far, far too long researching...

I've found 2 that are similar in pricing and close to me (the Mk7 is £1000 more)

Mk6 GTI ('11 plate)
45k mileage
Full VWSH
heated Leather

Or

Mk7 GTI (Performance Pack with LSD) ('13 plate)
95K mileage
Full VWSH

Which would you choose? Is the Mk7 that much better than the Mk6?

Mk 6 every day of the week

[Hifty]

Car-Matt said:

Mk 6 every day of the week

Thanks Matt. Can you clarify? From local discussions, people seem to be telling me the Mk7 is faaaar better than the Mk6 in every way, and that's without the PP..

[A4 cabrio]

The mk7 is a much better car than the mk6, the mk 6 was built on the old mk 5 platform & the mk7 is way ahead in terms of tech & handling.

If the cars are DSG then you need to check that they’ve had the DSG oil change, 40k or 4 years, the mk6 should have had 1 in 2015 & due another shortly, the mk 7 should have had 2.

I’d go with the mk 7 but only if the service history checked out

[ZX10R NIN]

I'd say go for the MK6 if you take the £1000 you saved, add some choice upgrades & you'll have more performance than the PP MK7 & still have a car with 50k less on the clock.

[Hifty]

A4 cabrio said:

The mk7 is a much better car than the mk6, the mk 6 was built on the old mk 5 platform & the mk7 is way ahead in terms of tech & handling.

If the cars are DSG then you need to check that they’ve had the DSG oil change, 40k or 4 years, the mk6 should have had 1 in 2015 & due another shortly, the mk 7 should have had 2.

I’d go with the mk 7 but only if the service history checked out

Thanks, that's what I've been hearing..

I won't be going down the DSG route as I've heard a few horror stories of DSG outside of warranty.. That said, I think I'd prefer manual GTI anyhow.

I prefer the look of the Mk7, and by the sounds of it, it's the better car, but like ZX10R NIN says, I'm tempted to buy the Mk6 and spend the savings on a few upgrades like a remap/speaker upgrade.

Bahhh, not an easy decision!

[ZX10R NIN]

Hifty said:

Thanks, that's what I've been hearing..

I won't be going down the DSG route as I've heard a few horror stories of DSG outside of warranty.. That said, I think I'd prefer manual GTI anyhow.

I prefer the look of the Mk7, and by the sounds of it, it's the better car, but like ZX10R NIN says, I'm tempted to buy the Mk6 and spend the savings on a few upgrades like a remap/speaker upgrade.

Bahhh, not an easy decision!

that's exactly what I'd be doing remap speaker upgrade with some added sound deadening (it would be rude not to) while the doors are apart.

[jam_up]

A4 cabrio said:

I’d go with the mk 7 but only if the service history checked out

I agree with this.

I have a mk6 GTI DSG ('11) myself and it's a brilliant car but it falls short on a lot of kit as standard. Mine is spaced with convenience pack (folding mirrors, auto lights, auto dimming mirror) and winter pack (auto lights, headlight washers, heated seats) but almost all of these are standard on the Mk7, plus additional things like xenon's, adaptive cruise, infotainment system... etc. I'd therefore be tempted with the mk7 if it's a daily.

[gtidreamer]

I'd say it depends how long you'll keep it and how many miles you think you'll do in that time. If it's a long term car without too many miles you'll soon get over spending an extra £1,000 for the mk7 and will have the car you prefer but if you do 20,000 miles a year and will keep it 2 years the mk6 might cheaper overall.

[PomBstard]

Mrs PB has a 2011 GTI - the biggest bugbear for me is the complete lack of feel in the brakes. The rest is a fairly tidy piece of kit, but those brakes really mar it for me. If the Mk7 feels better to drive, I’d go for that. Otherwise, as others have said, save the cash and upgrade a Mk6 with whatever takes your fancy.

[Car-Matt]

Similar price, the mk6 is 50k miles newer.....I cant understand why anyone would go for the mk7........any nuances in a better handling package will be negated by the fact the bushes and shock absorbers will be mostly shagged after 95k ......

[A4 cabrio]

Car-Matt said:

Similar price, the mk6 is 50k miles newer.....I cant understand why anyone would go for the mk7........any nuances in a better handling package will be negated by the fact the bushes and shock absorbers will be mostly shagged after 95k ......

Bar the mileage, the exact same thing could be said about the mk6 though. If the OP was doing <10k miles a year the MK7 is a much better car in all departments.

[Hifty]

Glad to see the answer isn't too obvious.. I guess it all comes down to personal choice?

I will be doing around 10-12k miles a year with a daily commute of 30miles on nice country roads.

I'm hoping to go and see both tomorrow, but still unsure where to go. I'm leaning towards the Mk7 just because of the looks, but if I don't feel too much in the drive, I may well just go for the Mk6.

Thanks for all the info folks!

[markrtw]

Also don't forget to budget to replace the cam chain tensioner with the mk6. They fail unpredictably and destroy the engine. The replacement is a revised design.

[Hifty]

markrtw said:

Also don't forget to budget to replace the cam chain tensioner with the mk6. They fail unpredictably and destroy the engine. The replacement is a revised design.

Thanks Mark,

The Mk6 has just had a new 'uprated' timing chain fit. Would that include the tensioner as well...? (Apologies if that's a stupid question)

[anonymous-user]

I've not owned either but I had a couple of mates with one of each. The MK6 felt like a facelifted MK5 to me, whereas the MK7 felt like a properly new, fresh car. More of a looker and nicer inside, but a huge amount of that is personal choice.

If the history checked out I'd go for the MK7 all day long personally, but I've never been shy of a higher mile car.