MkVI GTI Buying Advice please

[Soup Nazi]

Hi Chaps
Im looking at picking up a 2010 (Built Sep 09) Mk 6 GTI. Its owned by a family friend who is about to trade it. Its a 6 spd manual and only done 45000km. It appears immaculate. Ive been doing some reading regarding the direct injected engines (I have always had diesel's) and in particular the carbon build-up issues in the intakes and on the valves. Does this model suffer from this problem?

Anything else I should be wary of would also be appreciated.

[Lucas_R]

Yes it does suffer from the carbon deposits on the intake valves - but with only 45,000km it wouldnt be an issue yet. Use a spray cleaner like the Nulon top end cleaner each service to help reduce it as much as you can. I sold my Mk6 GTI about a year ago and it had nearly 90,000km on it at that stage and had zero symptoms of carbon deposits. Mine was also an early Mk6 (built late 09).

Things to keep in mind if buying an early Mk6 GTI.

- timing chain and timing chain tensioner (crap design well known to fail and kill engines). I had to replace mine with the revised parts.
- water pump leaks/failures (also very common)
- inlet manifold failures (moving flaps inside the manifold break/get stuck and the car runs like crap).

[Soup Nazi]

Yes it does suffer from the carbon deposits on the intake valves - but with only 45,000km it wouldnt be an issue yet. Use a spray cleaner like the Nulon top end cleaner each service to help reduce it as much as you can. I sold my Mk6 GTI about a year ago and it had nearly 90,000km on it at that stage and had zero symptoms of carbon deposits. Mine was also an early Mk6 (built late 09).

Things to keep in mind if buying an early Mk6 GTI.

- timing chain and timing chain tensioner (crap design well known to fail and kill engines). I had to replace mine with the revised parts.
- water pump leaks/failures (also very common)
- inlet manifold failures (moving flaps inside the manifold break/get stuck and the car runs like crap).

Thanks for the info
So I guess to spray the valves with Top End Cleaner its a manifold off job?? It looks to me that with intake swirl flaps and intake carbon buildup the new generation of gassers is suffering from similar issues as more modern Diesel's. Thats a bit dissapointing as I was hoping to get away from that stuff. I wonder if the latest 1.4 litre 110 TSI has same issues?

[Umai Naa!!]

Just about all direct injection motors suffer from it.

Best thing to do is empty a can of upper engine cleaner into the intake at every service, to keep the build-up to a minimum.

But if it were me, I'd buy a later build one, or an Edition 35.

[Soup Nazi]

Yeah normally I wouldn't buy a second hand performance car, most get a flogging. In this instance I know the current owner and its been driven conservatively and garaged each day and night. 35's are rare and any that are on the market are quite a lot more expensive than what i'm paying for this should I buy it.

[Lucas_R]

You can spray the top end cleaner in without removing the inlet manifold. I do have some photos somewhere but cant find them at the minute. Its only about $15 per can so not much of a cost to help keep the buildup under control.

They are good little cars, just the early ones had some issues which will quite possibly arise at some point - so keep an eye on those things and keep some $ put aside in case one of those things fail.