Mk7 Golf TSI & TDI - Observations and Questions

[Eaglehawk]

It's a light car - LOL. What are they - about 1450kg?

1326kg for a 110TDI, I'm guessing not including liquids/fuel/passengers/breakfast.

[brad]

We will see how they look after a spirited (but totally legal) run through Kangaroo Valley on the weekend.

My favourites are jamberoo Mt Rd & Wattamolla/Woodhill Mt Rd

[Mountainman]

Has anyone got the clip ordered in and fitted yet to solve the wastegate rattle?

Nope because with over 8000km on it there is still no sign of the rattle.

[exzibit]

Nope because with over 8000km on it there is still no sign of the rattle.

You're lucky then. Mine had it from day one, and the sound is spectacularly annoying.

[Mountainman]

It's a light car - LOL. What are they - about 1450kg?

My 90TSI manual is only 1209kg.

[Mountainman]

Also after 8000km I have a long term fuel consumption average of 5.2L/100km. It only goes over 5 when cruising above 100km/h. A recent trip to Cairns and back averaged 5.1 and I did the 961.3km from Brisbane to Sarina on 49L with the MFD showing a range of 45km. The gauge was halfway through the red. So how much does this 50L tank really hold?

[cathaldinneen]

First Week Observations

After many false starts and a couple delays with delivery I finally took delivery of my MK7 last week. Here are a few observations after my first week (500 kays) with the MK7.

Styling

Exterior: Overall the car look much more aggressive and sporty than the MK6, with the lines in bonnet and the lower front grill/bumper. Also the position of the front wheel further forward has a nice look about it. The fuel cap and rear lights with their sharp lines I think all contribute to a sportier look. I went for the optional accessories 18" 'Rotary' wheels which I'm delighted with as they match the Limestone Grey colour so well.







Interior: I've got the Highline model and the interior is like the cabin of a cockpit at night. The ambient lighting in the footwells, behind the door handles, the strip down the door in the piano black inlay and around the main console are fantastic and really add a touch of class. I like the flat-bottomed GTI styled steering wheel for its leather feel, functionality and good looks, interesting that they have introduced this across the range. The centre consoles


Driving Experience

Gearbox: This is my first DSG and I'm very impressed. I'm not a fan of conventional auto's or the newer CVT's but coming from manual car's the DSG is not that far a move. The gear changes are seem-less going up the cogs and when coming down I quite like the engine breaking being provided. Thou there are times when I don't like it, for instance on take off it seem to change into 2nd too quickly and there have been time's when doing 60km/h ~ it coasts a bit in 5 gear and you have to tap the breaks to force it to come down a gear and get a good Rev range. Also if you want to drive it hard, drop it into 'Sports' mode and it'll REV as really high in each gear getting you off the lights really fast. I must admit, I'm still bedding in the car so have only tried this once.... OK twice


Diesel Engine: Torque, Torque and more torque !!! You won't be found wanting when overtaking or as I did today a nice drive up Mount Tambourine was like water off a ducks back. The car is still bedding in so fuel economy isn't as good as advertised, I'm averaging 6.3l/100k this is about 60% highway 40% city. I'm hoping for low 5l/100k when everything settles down.

Handeling: On the default 17" Highline wheels (which I am selling) the ride was firm but not too bad, upgrading to the 18" Rotary and Michelin PS3's has stiffed it up much more but not unbearable. Whatever suspension tech that was borrowed from the Mk6 GTI combined with the newly positioned front axel and precision steering makes this car eat corners. It was so much fun driving up Mount Tambourine today.


Other Notable Features

Park Pilot: Part of the Driver Assistance Package, it handles all the 'Happy Cases' fine, both bay and parallel parking. To be honest I've only used this to show my friends and family and can't see myself using it on a daily basis only if I'm parallel parking in a tight spot in the city in traffic.

ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control): Fantastic !! I was told to avoid using cruise as much as I can when bedding in the car but on the times I've used ACC, I've been very impressed how it handles cars coming in and out of your lane, braking and accelerating to match the car in front all within your defined speed-limit. I've read a few complaint on threads here saying that they don't like the steering wheel controls but I thinks they're extremely easy to use.

Road Noise: None, I find it hard to pick up any road nose at all, the car is really well sound proofed. I only noticed the sound of the diesel engine when let my girlfriend parking the car tonight when I checked our post box. It's very rare to hear engine noise in the cabin.

Bluetooth: It's great to actually link two devices via Bluetooth to the Entertainment system. I need to have my phone on all the time whilst my girlfriend streams music from hers. It's great having the phone book synced as well giving quick access to contacts in the console without having to touch the phone.

Sat Nav: Pretty good as in car systems go, I love the may the directions are also displayed via the MFD in the drivers view very handy.

Self-Dimming Rear View Mirror: Fantastic feature. Where I live there are plenty of speed bumps, so instead of getting blinded by the car behind the mirror dims to prevent this. It's these little attention to detail quality features that make a good car great.

Auto-Headlights: Have you pulled out of a petrol station or undercover carpark only to discover 5 min's later that your lights are still off ? Well lucky you the Auto-headlights is the perfect feature which detects when to turn your lights on/off depending on the conditions. I just leave my lights on auto all the time.

Things to do:

Tinting: Must get some nice tinting done in the next week or so. Haven't done enough local research into brands etc, any Brissie recommendations from MK7 owners would be great.

Chrome Tailpipes: Looking to try and get my hands on some black chrome Skoda yeti tailpipes. I've herd they are compatible with the MK7 but much cheaper.

Rear LED Number Plate lights: I've seen these on other German cars and they look fantastic. I've heard many stories about errors being displayed on the MFD etc so I'm worried about this install. Yet to purchase.

[brad]

My 90TSI manual is only 1209kg.

You sure? Everything I read on them says a touch over 1400kg kerb weight (car + full tank fuel + all fluids). Even the so-called "lightweight" Toyobaru BRZ/86 is ~1200kg.

I classify lightweight as <1000kg

[b c]

Thanks cathaldineen, good read and just making the wait harder - still, I should have mine in the next couple of weeks.

[cathaldinneen]

Thanks cathaldineen, good read and just making the wait harder - still, I should have mine in the next couple of weeks.

NP, The closer you get to delivery the harder it gets !!

[Mountainman]

You sure? Everything I read on them says a touch over 1400kg kerb weight (car + full tank fuel + all fluids). Even the so-called "lightweight" Toyobaru BRZ/86 is ~1200kg.

I classify lightweight as <1000kg

I'm just quoting the specs from VW (p40). My Mk7 90TSI manual is 1209kg according to them and my Mk6 90TSI manual was 1270kg. That's a tare weight so I assume it includes coolant, oil and brake fluid but not petrol. For a new Golf that would be less than 40kg. I do know that a couple of years ago Subaru started quoting both tare and kerb weights for their vehicles with the kerb being 40kg more than the tare. That was accounted for by the weight of fuel in the 60L tanks. They now use only tare (sounds more eco friendly in the brochures I guess).

But then the VW website and official brochure (and see if you can manage to get one of those out of a salesman's hands!) has some errors eg. they quote the length of the Golf at 4349mm but that includes the towbar tongue (p41 of the handbook says it's 4255mm) and that it has a wheelbase of 2620mm (the handbook says 2637mm) or the height as 1491mm (handbook 1452mm or 1476mm with navigation aerial) and say all models have the glasses compartment in the roof (my base model doesn't). If you look at the VW New Zealand website they get almost all of the specs (except width - they quote the 3 door width which is 9mm less) correct.

And I guess we might all have a different classification of "lightweight" - it's all relative. My first Mk1 Golf was a real lightweight - 805kg - and felt and sounded like it. It makes the Mk6 Golf R DSG at 1496kg almost porky.

[brad]

Thanks mountainman. Interesting info.

And yes, 1500kg for a Golf is nearing morbidly obese.

[pologti18t]

You sure? Everything I read on them says a touch over 1400kg kerb weight (car + full tank fuel + all fluids). Even the so-called "lightweight" Toyobaru BRZ/86 is ~1200kg.

Surprisingly a 86GTS is 1275KG. option the auto and its 1300kg!

Petrol Golf is from 1209 to 1265kg

[AJD]

The Mk VII may be among the fat kids of it's class (particularly the TDI) but I would prefer it to carry a little extra weight and be well constructed. For example, have a look at the door hinges and tailgate hinges in Kia's, Hyundai's and Fords compared to the hunks of metal in the Golf. Notwithstanding it's portly kerb weight, it still manages to drag itself around in a respectable fashion and again in the case of the TDI, is not lacking in power.

[jarryd]

hey guys just order my comfortline yesterday was just wanting to know if anyone went with the paint protection and other stuff they try and sell you ? I want a tint done but not sure if I want vw to do or if some one can suggest some one in Brisbane ?

thanks Jarryd