Mk7 Golf GTI Discussion Thread

[Matt P]

I had a 7sp dsg on my Audi, nothing but trouble, 2 clutch packs and metatronic unit, under 30,000km.

7 speed is the problem

The 6 has significantly less issues

[dening]

I have had my GTI PP for nearly 4 months, and have done around 2800km, about a month into ownership I noticed a metallic sounding 'rattle' when accelerating under load coming the engine bay. Soliatre had the car for a day and believed the sound was from the gearbox. They took diagnostic readings and sent them off to VW Aust, when I picked the car up they informed me they just received a response from VW Aust - replace with new gearbox and metatronic unit! Hats of to VW Aust, maybe they are finally getting the message.

Today I picked up my GTI with its new gearbox and associated components. So far in the limited driving today, it sounds a lot quieter.
I also have been experiencing another intermittent rattle from behind the instrument cluster, - sounds like a Geiger counter, really annoying, said that was from a loose plenum chamber. Being intermittent I won't know if it is fixed.

That said I'm back at the dealer tomorrow morning, upon reassembling the subframe, somehow my steering wheel is now offset, hopefully a quick adjustment to the tie rods should sort it out. Also, I noticed my air box is all scratched up from their tools, guess I should get that replaced too- sounds pedantic, but it went in without a mark on it.

I've had the same things. All intermittent which is most annoying to get it demonstrated. Mine is going into Solitaire soon for a few days just so they have time to hopefully replicate them.

[aj555]

I've had the same things. All intermittent which is most annoying to get it demonstrated. Mine is going into Solitaire soon for a few days just so they have time to hopefully replicate them.

PM me and I'll give you the name of who to deal with at Solitare as he was most helpful.

[wasabiz]

Mk7 Golf GTI Discussion Thread

I took a gamble with my car today, went in for service with the tune still on. They couldn't find any fault code as I asked them to do a full system check. Looks like warranty is still on!!

Edit: my traffic function still works. And they gave my car a full clean, really happy with it.

[evaddirb]

30 Days into ownership and must say after many years driving 170+ KW AWD diesel Touareg's I find wheel spin on pull away quite annoying.
Any tips on how to drive around the issue without compromising performance......................practice I guess?

[daveee]

30 Days into ownership and must say after many years driving 170+ KW AWD diesel Touareg's I find wheel spin on pull away quite annoying.
Any tips on how to drive around the issue without compromising performance......................practice I guess?

Sounds like you just need to get used to regulating your right foot. I also noticed quite a lot of wheel spin and wheel hopping the first time I drove a demo GTI PP hard away from the lights. I find the GTI is a lot easier to get away than my last RWD V8 (2 big black lines and lots of smoke/noise).

You could always trade it in for a Golf R.

[donweather]

30 Days into ownership and must say after many years driving 170+ KW AWD diesel Touareg's I find wheel spin on pull away quite annoying.
Any tips on how to drive around the issue without compromising performance......................practice I guess?

What tyres (brand) have you got? I've been told they can make a reasonable difference.

Other than tyre brand, sounds as though if you want to reduce it then you're looking at modifications such as dogbone inserts and lower control arm bush replacements. Again, these don't eliminate it completely, but they do reduce it to only occuring at higher revs. Also try turning traction control off as this does help also.

[wasabiz]

Sounds like you just need to get used to regulating your right foot. I also noticed quite a lot of wheel spin and wheel hopping the first time I drove a demo GTI PP hard away from the lights. I find the GTI is a lot easier to get away than my last RWD V8 (2 big black lines and lots of smoke/noise).

You could always trade it in for a Golf R.

I was bitten by a bug when I test drove my friend's s3. Been thinking of trading my PP for it for weeks now.

[daveee]

I was bitten by a bug when I test drove my friend's s3. Been thinking of trading my PP for it for weeks now.

Ouch! yes expensive to upgrade. Most of the early Aussie mag reviews favoured the PP over the R for a daily driver saying it felt more nimble and sometimes faster by seat of pants feeling the car gave compared to the R. I probably would have signed away if I had a chance to drive the s3 too

[Jimi]

So they 'fixed' my soundaktor rattle by turning it down. That was not entirely satisfying but I'll see if I miss the noise much. Was hoping they'd fix it at the source

Dashboard rattle "found and insulated" but I got 20m down the road before I could hear it....

[Dutch77]

I was bitten by a bug when I test drove my friend's s3. Been thinking of trading my PP for it for weeks now.

Must admit the S3 sedan is a likely candidate for my next vehicle, although I do intend on keeping the GTI for a few years first - the biggest depreciation hits already taken place and the Speaker of the House would kill me if I just pulled the trigger.

I am amused by someone struggling to get a GTI without wheel spin though; maybe I'm just not interested in traffic light drags but the only wheel spin I've seen in six months was out of cambered hairpins on the VWW cruises (part of the 0.1% time I refer to the trick diff being relevant to non-track drivers when they bang on about the PP).

[amatsd]

Ahhh wheel spin... something I've long forgotten about!

(New S3 owner here)

It's kinda odd because being my 1st AWD, if I was asked about it, I'd probably answer I don't really know if I notice a big difference but then again, when I think about it, I've never had anything remotely close to wheel spin and totally forgot about it until reading this thread.. so I guess I'm just used to it now!

[jase1972]

I would get it around 2500rpm under acceleration - I posted a you tube clip in the R tread.
They said it was the plenum chamber. Because it is intermittent I won't know for sure if it fixed.

Hi aj555, just thought I would let you know that the vibration like yours is back. So the cable fix did something but I think I might have tried to convince myself it was gone. I am taking mine in again tomorrow. I would be interested to hear how you went.

[aj555]

So far so good, the sound hasn't returned, not sure what they did, probably looked for anything loose secured it.

[Dutch77]

Do anyone have any recommendations for seat covers to suit the GTI, in particular throw over ones?
Need to fit something during the week while driving the car to and from work

^ I'd be actually quite interested in finding something easy to fit/remove for when I go rock climbing and end up covered in chalk!

If you or anyone else is still looking it might be worth checking out these guys: Australia Made Sheepskin, Townsville – Woolly Fleece Australia Pty Ltd

I drive past their shop in Cairns and finally watched one of their adverts and they do neoprene covers, supposedly a generic cover but also the potential for custom as well. Might be worth a look, they're manufacturing in Townsville I think so supporting a local company as well.