SA Newish owner of MK 6 GTI

[Jaffs]

Hi, I've been lurking around for a while reading up on various things about GTIs before buying a MY13 Mk VI GTI with DSG a couple of months ago (title saying Mk IV is wrong ��). It had just under 84000 km and was in very good condition, except for a bit of ordinary wear and tear on the paint. So much fun to drive. I have since been reading even more, including on this forum, to suss out stuff around servicing etc. I knew I was in for higher maintenance costs than my '96 Lancer but its crazy expensive to get it done at VW specialists. I'll try to do much of it myself and recently did oil, oil filter, plugs, fuel filter, and K&N air filter. Learnt a lot from reading and watching youtube vids. Need to replace the brake fluid and then it'll be sweet for a good while.

[h100vw]

Fixed that title for you.

Welcome to the forum!!

[Jaffs]

Fixed that title for you.

Welcome to the forum!!

Thanks for doing that. Appreciate the welcome too.

[h100vw]

Make sure you use a quality oil filter, Ryco ones always come apart on me and dump the whole contents of the filter down the engine. Also dont let the oil level drop too low. The chain tensioners are sensitive to oil pressure loss.

If the wastegate is rattling, give the bracket a bend to take up the slack.

Otherwise, a tidy MK6 is a nice drive.

[Jaffs]

Make sure you use a quality oil filter, Ryco ones always come apart on me and dump the whole contents of the filter down the engine. Also dont let the oil level drop too low. The chain tensioners are sensitive to oil pressure loss.

If the wastegate is rattling, give the bracket a bend to take up the slack.

Otherwise, a tidy MK6 is a nice drive.

Cheers for the advice mate. I have used Ryco and there was one on it already. What do you recommend instead? One from dealer is like $50. It doesn't seem to use much oil but I will always keep an eye on it. Wastegate had already been sorted. It's a bloody beautiful thing to drive. Big step up from my '96 Lancer that's for sure ��

[Jaffs]

Three years and 50000 km later and I still love this car, even if I had to spend around $6200 on it lately. Had the timing chain, guides, tensioner, cam bracket etc. replaced ($1850) because the old tensioner (revised version) was almost at maximum. Then I had the DSG clutch kit replaced along with dual mass flywheel and rear main seal while they were there ($4350, of which $1450 was the DMF alone; included new DSG fluid and filter).

The timing chain replacement gave peace of mind and wasn't noticeable, but the clutch kit and DMF were like night and day. No thumping into D from N (when motor was cold), no vibrations when taking off, perfect gear engagement (never really was an issue but seems smoother), no clunk when accelerating/decelerating in first or second. These things were seemingly a combination of the clutches leaking pressure and the DMF being worn. DSG now feels like I imagine it must have from brand new. Highly recommended if you have any flywheel or DSG clutch related issues and have a lazy $5K to drop (I also used to get false neutrals in R but more often in D - no telling if they are gone yet but I bet they are).

Might be a bit early to tell, but I think the new DMF has gotten rid of a vibration when the motor was idled up after a cold start (I initially thought it may have been a misfire - like a rough idle from a dirty intake) and also a bit of a rattle/knock when the car would start sometimes.


Other than that, I recently replaced the diverter (cut off) valve ($90). Might have been leaking boost a little (no CEL or anything) but mostly because it was leaking a little bit of oil from the electrical connector. Also did front calipers and ceramic brake pads (ATE, $500) a little while back, and replaced all the coil packs ($60 ea) after one failed. Other than replacing both head light bulbs in quick succession, it's been tyres, usual servicing (most of which I do), and PULP 98.

[Lucas_R]

Nice one - it should feel like a new car after all that maintenance, and you will have peace of mind that you have replaced all of the main known issues on the car.

[Jaffs]

Thanks Lucas. Drives like magic mate. I usually hang onto my cars for ages, so it was worth getting it done sooner rather than later, especially once the DMF started clunking.

[Jaffs]

Actually, the last major issues I'm expecting are a water pump and perhaps a new inlet manifold (and valve clean I guess) once the runner adjuster or some other plastic POS shags itself.

[Lucas_R]

Yes I would be banking on both the waterpump and inlet manifold needing to be replaced at some stage. I had a Mk6 GTI a few years back and was convinced mine was a "Friday afternoon" built car - constantly had minor mechanical issues (minor as in still expensive, but didnt cause the car to break down as such). Timing chain, tensioner, PCV valve, faulty ignition switch, rear main seal, wheel bearing, inlet manifold - all in a 5yr old car with less than 80,000km's.

Feel free to read up on that car here if you want: My other German fling: Mk6 GTI

Thankfully my current car, a Mk7 GTI, has been faultless.

[Jaffs]

Cheers Lucas. That's a pretty ****e run of luck for 80000 km.