Golf GTI: the good, the bad, the weird...and appreciation thread

[Dubya]

-Rear headrests not being adjustable as it limits rear visibility

I noticed they were adjustable on the R; is it really so that they do not adjust on the GTI?

-No internal boot release

You'd still have to lift up the hatch anyway, no? Otherwise it can be unlocked from inside . . .

The only regret is that there wasn't a car with RVC available as part of the EOFY sale. Like others, I think it should be standard and the cost added to the price of the car.

Amen to that!

It would also be nice if VW would delete the front number plate holder (not found on lesser Golfs) and add a tilt adjustment to the driver's seat.

[Maltopia]

Pressing unlock twice to open all the doors is a security feature which can be disabled in the MFD Settings. Have a look in the manual for the details.

I don't mind the feature, I have it on my Grand Voyager. It is just you have to press very quickly in comparison to my GV. I wouldnt have minded another 20 milliseconds to hit it a second time

[Flighter]

BAD:
Automatic wipers - bit random aren't they?
No light around ignition.
Water dripping in through window and doors sometimes when you open them.
..and to be really picky..the fact it needs to run on 98 ron.

Otherwise I'm enjoying it. No regrets with my purchase at all

I agree with everything quoted.

On auto wipers, my first MkVI was just fine, but my new one is positively psychotic. Sometimes they behave OK, but usually that is short lived and they suddenly start sweeping at breakneck speed. It's a problem because by that stage there is so little water on the screen between sweeps that the wipers drag and shudder their way across the glass. Resetting them will usually just start the same process over. Maybe an enquiry to my dealer is in order.

No light around the ignition; never had a problem getting it in until last night (must be falling testosterone levels, if you know what I mean). I do think that sort of thing should be standard in this day and age though.

Water dripping in wouldn't be a problem if I had one of those lovely reversing cameras, and at least 98 RON is clean as far as Au fuels go.

All told though, great car.

[Ryan_R]

Pressing unlock twice to open all the doors is a security feature which can be disabled in the MFD Settings. Have a look in the manual for the details.

I've never found it hard to locate the ignition at night time, since the whole car interior lights up so well. Maybe it's because of the the colour of my seats and trim.

[Maltopia]

Love:

-Look and feel of the car, including amaqzing performance
-MDI functionality and how it picks up MP3 info and displays it on the screen
-Auto lights
-Comfortable steering wheel, D shape is fab
-Little mini indicator on the driver's side of the wing mirror
-Storage nook for the log book and manual
-Air vents for rear passengers

Dislike:

-Small leaves accumulate in the gap between the window glass and the window seal
-Back gets very dirty, especially after sitting in the rain as the water drips down and pools on the rear bumper bar
-MDI takes up too much space in the storage area behind the hand brake
-No lifetime memory on fuel economy (memory 2 resets at certain kms and hours)
-Lack of light around ignition area and the fact that it is hard to see behind the well appointed steering wheel means I always miss it at night time
-Rear headrests not being adjustable as it limits rear visibility
-Volume control on the RXX-510 being on the left
-No internal boot release
-Have to press unlock twice VERY quickly to unlock other doors

Overall, I love the car and am very glad I got it. The only regret is that there wasn't a car with RVC available as part of the EOFY sale. Like others, I think it should be standard and the cost added to the price of the car. Once you have had RVC, you don't want to go without (same with good BT, parking sensors, or a dishwasher or smart phone)

[Dubya]

Reverse camera - This would be an essential purchase in every car i get from now on. And the golf one is awesome - clear, works well in low light. I feel blind driving a car without one now.

I don't have a Mark VI yet but when I do it will have the RVC.

I believe the argument for paying $500 extra to have the RVC in the GTI (in which the necessary RCD510 or RNS 510 is already present) is so compelling that VGA should specify the camera in just about every GTI imported even if this would make the RVC a mandatory extra-cost option. Perhaps it would cost even less if VGA included it in the standard GTI spec.

I would probably be in a Mark VI GTI now were it not for the fact that the closest car available had every factory option I wanted except for the RVC! I was close to signing but in the end I was not prepared to compromise on the camera. . . a no-brainer given the low cost courtesy the large LCD being standard kit in the GTI.

Now if only VGA would specify a tilt (manually) adjustable driver's seat while they were at it . . .

[rs73]

does it need RNS510 satnav in order to be able to have the reverse camera, or is there anyone have it with RCD510?

[Corey_R]

- Wastegate Rattle at around 2000 rpm. Sounds a bit cheap IMHO. Anyone know if there's a fix planned?

Turns out to actually be the downpipe and not anything to do with the Wastegate...

[entice]

the reverse camera in the golf is the best I have seen.. Not affected by weather at all, and doesn't get muck and dust etc on it..

on the other hand, if it ever did, i am unsure how to clean it! (i suppose this is where I'd have to RTFM).

Also, it makes the golf's poor reverse light issue redundant....

[jwastrel]

The Bad

- Wastegate Rattle at around 2000 rpm. Sounds a bit cheap IMHO. Anyone know if there's a fix planned?
- Park assist not that accurate, although im getting used to it. Still quicker to park manually.


The Good

- Easily accessible grunt - don't need to to rev the hell out of it to get results.
- Beautiful manual gearbox. Slickest ive used.
- Handling - grippy and predictable.
- Versatile - I managed to fit 3 surfboards and 3 people (inc. driver) in the car, fairly comfortably too.
- Reverse camera - This would be an essential purchase in every car i get from now on. And the golf one is awesome - clear, works well in low light. I feel blind driving a car without one now.
- Economy - pretty good for a sporty hatch.

JW

[Tux]

With the almost universal adoption of hydraulic controls, floor mounted brake (and clutch) pedals were fading away over half a century ago.

Floor mounted accelerator pedals remained because they work better and don't tire the driver's right foot.

Having driven many examples of both setups from about 1918 on (and even a few earlier than that), I can vouch that the change made sense.

Idle, I thought I had seen lot's of changes in my 37 years of driving but I must say that I enjoy the info and point of view you bring. I was only sitting in my GIT the other day thinking about how things have changed since I started driving..no carpet, often no radio, lots of rattles and body roll, not much power or brakes for that matter! Yep, and there I was in this modern marvel were the wipers and lights turn on by themselves and I can listen to hours and hours of music in better quality than I had in my lounge room back then... Sorry to go off topic but I really appreciate how good my car really is..

[rs73]

With the almost universal adoption of hydraulic controls, floor mounted brake (and clutch) pedals were fading away over half a century ago.

Floor mounted accelerator pedals remained because they work better and don't tire the driver's right foot.

Having driven many examples of both setups from about 1918 on (and even a few earlier than that), I can vouch that the change made sense.

Interesting... so most other modern car makers with either brake and accel (auto) or clutch (on manuals) all have top mounted pedals might be just a case of cost savings getting them all in 1 pedal box. Usually these are found in japanese car makers, while euro cars tend to have floor mounted accelerator...

but that said, my wife doesn't like floor mounted accelerator that much as she felt she need more leverage to push it down due to the location of the hinge at the heel. while top mounted accelerator pedal have more leverage due to the distance between the top hinge and the pedal's foot pad allows her to use less effort to depress it...

I'm still not 100% used to floor mounted accelerator yet (being a previous owner of 1 Suzuki, 2 Toyotas, 2 Mitsubishis and 2 Nissans), as sometimes I felt like I am not depressing the accelerator, maybe the way I place my heel away from the bottom of the accel pedal, or should it work better if I place my heel right at the bottom edge of the accelerator (the hinge)?

[Idle]

another weird thing... accelerator is floor mounted but brake is top mounted? why didn't they go all the way eg all floor mounted?

With the almost universal adoption of hydraulic controls, floor mounted brake (and clutch) pedals were fading away over half a century ago.

Floor mounted accelerator pedals remained because they work better and don't tire the driver's right foot.

Having driven many examples of both setups from about 1918 on (and even a few earlier than that), I can vouch that the change made sense.

[Transporter]

It's quite normal to me.

[rs73]

another weird thing... accelerator is floor mounted but brake is top mounted? why didn't they go all the way eg all floor mounted?