Wednesday 7th March 2012

PH Blog: Golf GTD eight years apart

What can change in eight years? Everything and nothing it seems

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I was one of the first to get the new Mk5 Golf in the UK, and thanks to an error on the company car option list I was able to spec the 2.0 TDI GT. Soon this error was realised and colleagues had to settle for lower spec and smaller engined versions of the Golf, but my flat red (I couldn’t afford any options) five-door (all that was available at launch) was delivered as promised. Being young(er) I immediately swapped the standard wheels for some 18-inch TT replica alloys and I was a happy chappy. Less than six months later I swapped back to the original wheels again, largely due to the fact that I wanted to tow a caravan ... but that’s another story.

Garlick and the Golf: steady evolution

So eight years later and I am in the latest version, and as you can see we have both changed. I still feel the same inside as I did in 2004 and the same is true of the Golf - literally nothing has changed in essence bar a few trim and detail upgrades. The engine sounds the same with the familiar VW common rail diesel noise, the seats are as I remember them to be and the mpg (late 30s) is almost identical too. It’s perkier, that’s for sure but overall it’s a very familiar experience for me, despite the passing years.  

OK so we both look a little different on the outside….The earlier Golf looks smooth and uncluttered whereas the new one is weightier and a little fussier (like me). Chrome and shiny bits are new for 2012 giving a heavier look overall (don’t you dare say anything) and it looks more grown up. I think we’d all like to look a little younger and maybe the Golf would too?  

So everything changes, yet it’s all very familiar. When something works well I guess there is no point in changing it. Fortunately I didn’t think the same about my hair…

Garlick

[Ved]

In first?

[The Moose]

I like how your head is cut off by the PH banner in the full size pic

[Snowman23]

One of the most profound things my Dad has ever said was 'as you get older your view of the world doesn't change, but it's view of you does'...not overly relevant, just reminded me of this.

I think it's funny how expectations change, I remember seeing a brand new mk 5 GTI when I was still at Uni, guy in his mid 20's driving it, I was incredibly jealous. I've now had my mk 6 for nearly 2 years and I've got serious itchy feet (and want to be 20, and back at Uni...)

[ali4390]

I took me ages to figure out how to get in here as there is no title showing on my screen for this topic?!

[jeremyc]

That tree has certainly grown in 8 years.

Can't quite see whether the trousers have changed colour ...

Edited by jeremyc on Wednesday 7th March 08:53

[Accelebrate]

jeremyc said:

That tree has certainly grown in 5 years.

Funny how a photo from 2004 can look 'old'.

[blearyeyedboy]

High 30's mpg?

When the GTi can do mid 30's, why go for diesel? Or were you "making progress" a lot, Garlick?

[TonyHetherington]

Interesting comparison

2004 as a number does not seem that long ago - but it's 8yrs, and so much has happened in that time in the car world!

[dapearson]

blearyeyedboy said:

High 30's mpg?

When the GTi can do mid 30's, why go for diesel? Or were you "making progress" a lot, Garlick?

My leon has the 2.0 TDI engine, though only in 140bhp guise. The highest mpg i've managed to squeeze out of it is about 53mpg, but that was on a long run at around 50mph. Cruising at 70mph on a dual carriageway gives around 42-44mpg. It really isn't great on fuel at all.

My old Golf 1.9 TDI with the 115 PD engine had much longer gearing and would do 50-55 mpg all day long. That's what i was hoping for from the Leon as the CO2 and manufacturer MPG figures backed that up.

C'est la vie

[LuS1fer]

I think the Golf is the one modern hatch that has successfully got better looking where everyone else has failed. Neither does it have stupidly small windows. Overall, it's a good-looking car in Mk 6 form and since I hate the back end of the Scirocco, all the better for it.

Still wouldn't have a diesel as a gift though.

[MikeGTi]

blearyeyedboy said:

High 30's mpg?

When the GTi can do mid 30's, why go for diesel? Or were you "making progress" a lot, Garlick?

My GTi will do high 30s or low 40s, at the speed limit.. over that and you're lucky to get mid-20s.

..I'm inclined to think I should have bought a GTD.

[rob.e]

Still can't park straight.

[paulmon]

One thing that certainly has changed is how much wedge you need to buy one. £18K ish in 2004 and £26K ish in 2012 .

[Paul O]

Enjoyed reading that, thanks

[Garlick]

blearyeyedboy said:

High 30's mpg?

When the GTi can do mid 30's, why go for diesel? Or were you "making progress" a lot, Garlick?

Inner London commuting was showing high 20's into early 30's.

A wet (and therefore not that fast) motorway run to the coast this weekend saw 39mpg. My Dad had a GTD for a bit and saw late 40's so with care a decent MPG is achievable, but normal driving see's late 30's as a rule....at least with me it does.

[dave stew]

Wifey had one of the first PD130 Mk4 Golfs in 2002 as a company car. It was one of the first 'high output' diesels. I remember it used to squat down on the rear suspension with a cloud of black soot as it went off. Six speed box and (IIRC) 236 lbs/ft.

[mwstewart]

Unsurprisingly really as it is essentially the same car Engine choice aside, pretty much all that got changed on the chassis was modified front strut top mounts which provide a little extra camber.

[blearyeyedboy]

Garlick said:

Inner London commuting was showing high 20's into early 30's.

A wet (and therefore not that fast) motorway run to the coast this weekend saw 39mpg. My Dad had a GTD for a bit and saw late 40's so with care a decent MPG is achievable, but normal driving see's late 30's as a rule....at least with me it does.

Thanks for the answer. Those figures for a long run surprise me (in a bad way) but the inner city results are pretty good.

[LordFlathead]

This is the man.. .

[bbackhouse]

"The engine sounds the same with the familiar VW common rail diesel noise"

Only the newer mk6 2.0 TDI's are Common Rail (CR) hence why they are referred to as the 2.0 140CR and 2.0 170CR. The mk5 2.0 TDI's (like your original) were Pumpe Düse (PD) referred to as 2.0 140PD and 2.0 170PD.

New newer CR engines are much more refined from my experience unless my 140PD is particularly rattly!