MK6 GTI - Rattle upon acceleration - Resolved via TPI: 2021062/7

[Corey_R]

They are more exciting to drive too.

Sorry buddy. I just don't equate loudness with excitement. But if you do, all the more power to ya

[triode12]

Sorry buddy. I just don't equate loudness with excitement. But if you do, all the more power to ya

Why would you when blandness is excitement to you...

[Guy_H]

Just had a nice new (1600km's old) MK6 GTI DSG red here - test drive before & after flashing - no noise that I would be concerned about. Yes, it did make turbo noise, yes it did make exhaust noise & yes, it had intake noise, but nothing different to the other dozen or so MK6 GTI's I have driven. But yes, they sound completely different to a MKV.

G-Rig, look forward to doing the noise test on yours before the weekend - see if its any different to this one!

[Corey_R]

Why would you when blandness is excitement to you...

Not sure I understand that statement... my MKV Golf GTI with APR Stage I was quicker than a stock Pirelli.... my next car will be quicker than a modified Pirelli...

[triode12]

Not sure I understand that statement... my MKV Golf GTI with APR Stage I was quicker than a stock Pirelli.... my next car will be quicker than a modified Pirelli...

Being quicker or more refined doesn't necessarily equate to more excitement. Many MX5 owners will attest that the older, slower NA MX5 is far more exciting car to drive than the technically better NB and NC models. As a matter of fact, too much refinement is the reason why the latter models lack the "fun factor" of the NA.

The only MK6 I've tested that still hasn't been robbed of the MKV's "fun factor" is the Golf R I tested almost 2 weeks ago.

You don't have to go fast to have fun. It is the perception of speed- e.g. go-karts don't go that fast in reality but because you are sitting so close to the ground, you feel like you are going a lot faster than you really are.

[Corey_R]

Yes, but the old MX5 is a different car. The MK5 vs MK6 is the same chassis, similar engines, similar suspension - there just really isn't THAT much difference between them. Sure, the Pirelli is more exciting than the MK6 GTI. But then it was more exciting than the MKV GTI as well. But GTI vs GTI, there's just not that much diff apart from noise levels...

[triode12]

Yes, but the old MX5 is a different car. The MK5 vs MK6 is the same chassis, similar engines, similar suspension - there just really isn't THAT much difference between them. Sure, the Pirelli is more exciting than the MK6 GTI. But then it was more exciting than the MKV GTI as well. But GTI vs GTI, there's just not that much diff apart from noise levels...

The engines are not the same though - similar but not the same. I can't put my finger on it - there is a difference and it comes through in the drive. Not the Golf R though, this car has the MkV's fun factor - don't really want to admit it but it does.

[G-rig]

^Are you thinking of upgrading, Pirelli's would be pretty cool but shame we didn't get the ED30 here.

[triode12]

^Are you thinking of upgrading, Pirelli's would be pretty cool but shame we didn't get the ED30 here.

Maybe...it'll depend on the changeover price, but having said that I still can't get over the bland looks of the MkVI though.

[G-rig]

Then just keep the mk5 if you like it more.

Hard to say one is better than the other in all areas, just have to get what's good at the time.

[MurphyTheElf]

Maybe...it'll depend on the changeover price, but having said that I still can't get over the bland looks of the MkVI though.

Good to see somebody stand by their opinion. However, everybody I've spoken to in person prefers the look of the new GTI more - inside and out. And that includes 2 current MK5 owners. To me, the MK6 front actually looks more aggressive than the MK5. Although until the MK6 came out, I loved the look of the MK5 dearly and had major envy of any other owner out there. But, in my opinion, there's nothing like a nice new model parked side by side with the old one to make the old one look like an old boot. And the MK6 does this very very easily.

[G-rig]

From the concepts i've seen the MK7 looks crap, fairly generic like a Honda/Corolla, but think the MK6 is still pretty nice. No point making either party upset with their choices as they are both good. There will always be something new out. I was considering a MK5 again but they weren't exactly cheap enough to get one over a new model (the ones that are would be 05-06's out of warranty), and would have felt like less of an upgrade coming from a MK5.

[triode12]

Good to see somebody stand by their opinion. However, everybody I've spoken to in person prefers the look of the new GTI more - inside and out. And that includes 2 current MK5 owners. To me, the MK6 front actually looks more aggressive than the MK5. Although until the MK6 came out, I loved the look of the MK5 dearly and had major envy of any other owner out there. But, in my opinion, there's nothing like a nice new model parked side by side with the old one to make the old one look like an old boot. And the MK6 does this very very easily.

Perhaps they were being polite seeing as you were getting a mk6 or already bought one. The opinions I have been hearing (a lot) from MKV owners regarding the MkVI is that the front is ok but doesn't stand out against the lower models and the back looks like that of a Corolla.

I don't mind the front of the MK6 myself - at some angles it looks alright but there is no mistaking the MKV's GTI's aggressive and distinctive front end from the lower end MKV models.

I have to disagree with your assertion that the MkV looks dated against the MKVI. Give it a few years, and you will find that the MKVI's currently fashionable exterior and interior to have dated more than the MKV. As a matter of fact, the MKV's exterior hasn't dated at all.

But the real reason why I would not buy a MkVI GTI is the loss of driving character. The R goes a long way to solving that issue. I guess I could convince myself that it looks good if I were to buy one. I'd have $70K worth of reasoning to do so.

But hey, don't mind what I think, if your MKVI GTI is giving you joy. What does it matter what I think of it? It shouldn't should it?

[G-rig]

Most people are over those discussions about which is better. Just get one and enjoy, although i wouldn't spend 70k on a VW, I'd go the Audi route or something else.

Not many people with a MK5 are going to like the MK6 regardless, but it's not as bad as you're making out and there are some improvements too (the Bi-xenons are much faster and cornering plus they did away with the creaky air vent).

[Corey_R]

I was rather upset that they got rid of that 'creaky air vent' because I thought it's function of air dispersion was awesome. It didn't creak in my MKV! But I've hardly met any MKV owners who it didn't creak for, so maybe I was just lucky there?! I had plenty of other rattles though. But yeah, I personally DO think that the MKV looks dated. I also think that the MKV looks more bland. The MK6 has more lines than the MKV did (I mean, roundness was the entire design mantra of the MKV, so that's not surprising really). And all these peeps who complain that the MK6 GTI doesn't stand out as much as the MKV GTI did from its lower models - well, that's really the point. The MKV is the odd one out there and broke tradition with all previous models, not the MK6! But whatever, I think that they're both great cars. I just can't understand people saying how 1 is so much better over another when they're just so similar.