GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk5 => Topic started by: jphealy on 05 February 2009, 09:31
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I'm looking to buy my first GTI and I'm going to test drive a '06 MkV on Saturday. I've never driven one before so I'm pretty excited. Are there any suggestions on what I should be looking out for in the car?
Thanks for any help!
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Try starting with this as a general guide, car buying can be an emotive rather than a clear headed business purchase. Before getting wrapped up in the car presented, check all the docs,receipts,history V5,MOT etc check out. Do that before falling in love with the car, if any doubts or the seller cannot answer all your questions, walk away, its a buyers market, with plenty of choice.
As for Mk5 foibles, just search this site, for most info required.
Checklist I suggest complete sections 1 & 5 before falling in love :cool:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/CARS/buying/buyersguide_checklist.jsp
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How long is a piece of string? Which came first, the chicken or the egg? :lipsrsealed:
It all really just boils down to what you are personally after, and what spec GTI you are looking at. Because it was pretty much unanimously reported by ALL motoring journos and TV programmes that the Mk5 GTI really was the best in its class - so there should be no doubt that the GTI can 'deliver'! :wink:
If you have any specific areas of concern or doubt, then we might be able to help with a little more accuracy. :wink: :smiley:
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Hiya
Kerbed alloys I think are a good indication of how well a car has been treated.
Moisture in the third brake light in the rear spoiler, this is very very common and you should have it fixed before picking it up, I have had mine done and it was fine.
I would avoid a DSG as a second hand purchase in case anything goes wrong or make sure you have a good warranty in place, think it needs an oil change at around 40k.
Don't be put off by high mileage, had mine from new and has just got better and better with more miles put on.
Check seat wear, climate control (get is re gased as part of deal), boot seals can go so look for water in this area and check bonnet/windscreen for chips.
Nice options to have are:
18" Monza's
Rear Parking sensors
Zenons, if not upgrade to Philip Extreme, dipped beam is easy get a garage to do full beam.
Central Armrest, if ipod connector installed check for adapters.
Oh are the fastest colours are Diamond Black, Red or White all look better with the bigger Monza II's.
Hehe I bet a get a kicking for that! :-)
Si
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Thanks guys. This is the car in question: http://www.boynevalleycars.ie/Default.aspx?PageID=111
It's a basic enough spec, but the only thing missing that I would have liked are the 18" wheels. There isn't all that much choice in Ireland however, if I want to stay within budget. And I can always upgrade to the 18s in the future I guess.
Anything strike you about the car? One thing I noticed from the pictures: if you look at the pic that shows the stereo, it looks like there's a small gap on the right hand side of the stereo. Maybe I'm just going crazy. I'll see it on Saturday anyway.
One thing I like is that the garage sells all its used cars with a two year warranty. That's twice the warranty you get with the VW Genuine Used Cars.
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Sorry - looks like the link didn't quite work as expected. You should be able to find the car anyway. It's the only Golf they have.
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Looks ok. Exhausts could do with a clean! They look kinda rusty!
Did the Irish spec cars not come with dual zone climate then???
I see what you mean about the gap with the stereo - maybe the previous owner was running an aftermarket headunit/ Mine doesn't have a gap like that. Should be a relatively easy fix though.
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JP 2 things, I have to disagree on avoiding the DSG as a secondhand purchase, as long as the car is correctly serviced, it should be as agood as a manual, and without the potential of lead footed clutch work!
Second, WTF is that price...thats nearly 19K worth of the Queens pound notes for an 06 in poverty spec.
Get yourself on a ferry to Blighty man, you'd buy a new one for that now :nerd:
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Thanks guys. This is the car in question: http://www.boynevalleycars.ie/Default.aspx?PageID=111
It's a basic enough spec, but the only thing missing that I would have liked are the 18" wheels. There isn't all that much choice in Ireland however, if I want to stay within budget. And I can always upgrade to the 18s in the future I guess.
OK, first thing is the colour. Many peeps will rave about black - and if you have never owned a black car before, two important things to consider.
Firstly, a black car will absorb much greater amounts of heat from the atmoshpere, and it doesn't even need to be bright sunshine. This can make the car like an oven inside - so you just need to be aware of that. Secondly, black cars are the worst colour at showing up the general road dirt, but more importantly, any swirls or scratches from inappropriate vehicle cleaning/washing - so have a good look at the car in question, in daylight, and in dry weather. If it is raining, ask them to take it inside a valeting bay or workshop, and dry it off.
A couple of other points, no xenons - so candle vision at night unless you spend £20 on some Philips x-tremes upgraded bulbs, and no winter pack, so no heated washers and no electronic washer fluid level.
The exhaust tips need a cleaning and buffing with some Solvol Autosol! :tongue:
Check for 'white worm' on the tailgate release badge.
Check for 'pink' paint on the calipers - and whilst you are in those areas, check the thickness of the brake pads and discs for scoring or excessive wear. New front pads have 14mm of 'meat' and rears have 11mm - use this as a guide to check on the wear.
Check the tyres. The GTI really does NOT appreciate rubbish or 'budget' tyres - they really compromise the handling.
Check the side bolsters on the seats for wear of the seat coverings. Both leather and cloth can be affected from negligent or careless 'getting in and out-age'. :lipsrsealed:
Clutch pedal looks quite a bit higher than brake pedal - this does look rather suspect! :undecided:
YIKES - that is NOT a 'UK' spec, nor a German spec. Imports from northern Europe have that spec - ie, no "dual zone" climate control. Maybe this was standard spec for Eire, but I'd double check that it was an official Eire car rather than any import.
And no highline computer - so if you have the light/rain sensor, and need to change things like coming home / leaving home lights, it is a trip to the stealer or a mate with vag-com. :wink:
Ohhhh, just noticed it has a sunroof. They are a really nice option, and not cheap either. Just make sure it operates smoothly, and has the correct 'anti-helicopter' setting (yup, a serious check.). :wink: :smiley:
Anything strike you about the car? One thing I noticed from the pictures: if you look at the pic that shows the stereo, it looks like there's a small gap on the right hand side of the stereo. Maybe I'm just going crazy. I'll see it on Saturday anyway.
Yup, stereo looks well dodgy. My bet is that it had SatNav, and someone has swapped it for a lower spec radio. If you want to PM me the full VIN, I can lookup the exact spec from the factory. You will need a post count of 10 posts on this forum before you can PM - otherwise, just e-mail me from my little icon under my sheep! :lipsrsealed: I can also tell you what 'model year' the car is, because from 2007model year (available from June 2006), there were some cosmetic changes, partiularly noticeable on the audio equipment, with silver nobs and buttons.
One thing I like is that the garage sells all its used cars with a two year warranty. That's twice the warranty you get with the VW Genuine Used Cars.
But as usual - with all warranties, check the small print. Some can be about as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike. :wink:
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If you can hold out and try to find one for sale with a Highline computer, then you should. Really useful piece of kit.
If you buy that one, then get them to throw in some mats!
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Kerbed alloys I think are a good indication of how well a car has been treated.
Hmmmm. My alloys are kerbed, but I would vhermently dispute that my car as a whole has been mistreated! :shocked:
Moisture in the third brake light in the rear spoiler, this is very very common and you should have it fixed before picking it up, I have had mine done and it was fine.
But the crucial thing with this issue - is to actually check the alignment of the rear washer. Most are factory set at the '12 o'clock' position, ie, straight up directly at the brake light, but the official technical literature states they should be aimed at the '2 o'clock' position, away from the light.
I would avoid a DSG as a second hand purchase in case anything goes wrong or make sure you have a good warranty in place, think it needs an oil change at around 40k.
Sorry, but the DSG is a superb bit of kit, and is just as reliable as any other gearbox - manual or auto. Like any component on a car, if the DSG has been abused, ie regular launch control, or regular drag strip useage - then be prepared for an early DSG bath.
And the DSG must have an oil and filter change every 4 years or 40k miles, whichever comes soonest. If the car is driven hard, or has had a remap, it is wise advice to half, or even quater in extreme useage, this interval.
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JP 2 things, I have to disagree on avoiding the DSG as a secondhand purchase, as long as the car is correctly serviced, it should be as agood as a manual, and without the potential of lead footed clutch work!
Yup, agreed. :wink: :smiley:
Second, WTF is that price...thats nearly 19K worth of the Queens pound notes for an 06 in poverty spec.
Get yourself on a ferry to Blighty man, you'd buy a new one for that now :nerd:
I was gonna disagree with you on that point :embarassed: - because it is in Euros, rather than pounds sterling - but then I realised that the Euro is virtually at parity with the quid - so yes, extortionate price. :shocked: A basic early 06 car should be around £13-14k - maybe even less with some hard haggling. :wink:
Don't they have the credit crunch in Ireland? :evil:
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I'm not looking for DSG anyway. Not that I doubt its brilliance - but this would only be my second car, and I'm just not ready to give up a fully manual gearshift. I'd miss that clutch pedal!
Irish cars are always a lower spec than UK. You Brits don't know how good you have it! The dual zone climate is only an option.
Buying in the UK wouldn't save me much after the taxes payable in Ireland. The way it works for buying a new car is you pay the ex VAT price in UK, then you pay VAT (at the Irish rate, 21.5%) on the Euro equivalent of whatever you paid the UK dealer. Then you have to pay VRT (vehicle registration tax - an extra tax on all cars sold or brought into Ireland). The VRT rate depends on the emissions level of a car. For the standard GTI mkV it's 28%. So you pay 20% of the Irish retail price of the car (it's also payable on any extras).
If you buy used in UK (used defined as more than 6 months old AND more than 6,000 km on the clock), you don't have to pay the VAT in Ireland, but you still have to pay the 28% VRT on whatever Revenue decide the car is worth - which could be anything. They are a law onto themselves.
So when you consider the expenses involved in buying in the UK, and the hassle of having to sell my car privately here, rather than trading in - it's just not worth it.
Sorry for the long-winded explanation! I just need to vent every now and then. We get shafted buying cars in Ireland.
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Im gonna bookmark this thread for when I fnd my GTI DSG - TT surely does give tons of usual info!! ;)
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I would certainly like the highline computer, but almost no used cars I've seen have them. As I've explained, cars are expensive in Ireland, and that VRT is payable on extras - so most people nearly ignore the options list and just buy a very standard car.
Couple of questions on comments you've made:
That clutch pedal - should it be level with the brake pedal? 'Cause it does look higher alright. What might that be a sign of? Is it a problem?
How exactly do I check the pads and discs for wear? Is it easily done by hand and eye?
Should the exhaust be shiny chrome, or what finish should I be seeing?
It would be great if you (Teutonic_Tamer) could look up the factory spec with the VIN. Can you tell me where I'll find it when I go to look at the car?
About the price - I've spoken to the dealer on the phone and I think I'll be able to get him to accept €15k along with my trade-in (10 yr old 1.4 3dr Astra). I think I'd just about be happy with that, as long as I'm happy with the car when I see/drive it.
Thanks a million for all the great help by the way!
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The exhaust should be a shiny chrome - when its new anyways ;)
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Im gonna bookmark this thread for when I fnd my GTI DSG - TT surely does give tons of usual info!! ;)
Thanks mate. :smiley:
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I'm not looking for DSG anyway. Not that I doubt its brilliance - but this would only be my second car, and I'm just not ready to give up a fully manual gearshift. I'd miss that clutch pedal!
Irish cars are always a lower spec than UK. You Brits don't know how good you have it! The dual zone climate is only an option.
Buying in the UK wouldn't save me much after the taxes payable in Ireland. The way it works for buying a new car is you pay the ex VAT price in UK, then you pay VAT (at the Irish rate, 21.5%) on the Euro equivalent of whatever you paid the UK dealer. Then you have to pay VRT (vehicle registration tax - an extra tax on all cars sold or brought into Ireland). The VRT rate depends on the emissions level of a car. For the standard GTI mkV it's 28%. So you pay 20% of the Irish retail price of the car (it's also payable on any extras).
If you buy used in UK (used defined as more than 6 months old AND more than 6,000 km on the clock), you don't have to pay the VAT in Ireland, but you still have to pay the 28% VRT on whatever Revenue decide the car is worth - which could be anything. They are a law onto themselves.
So when you consider the expenses involved in buying in the UK, and the hassle of having to sell my car privately here, rather than trading in - it's just not worth it.
Sorry for the long-winded explanation! I just need to vent every now and then. We get shafted buying cars in Ireland.
Yikes, you do get shafted. What about if you bought north of the boarder - do you still have to go through all that tax rigmarole? :shocked:
Anyway, the car in question does seem overpriced, so if you do like it, I'd strongly recommend sitting down to some hard bargaining with them. :wink: :smiley:
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You should be able to pick up a 2006 GTI for ~11k in NI
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Doesn't matter whether it's NI, England, Scotland or Wales - or anywhere else in the EU for that matter! We still have to go through the same tax rigmarole. If I found one in NI for £11k, that would be about €12,500, plus about €5,500 VRT. That comes to €18k. I'm hoping to haggle this dealer down to that much at least.
I've had a look at pictures of other manual GTIs for sale, and they all seem to have the same pedal alignment (clutch set a little higher than brake) - so I'm not to worried about that.
Any answers to my other queries on how to check the brakes for wear, and where to fin the VIN?
Thanks again!!
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Not really much else to say other than black when its clean looks the total nuts ! Just make sure you keep on top of her and let her get too dirty and you will be happy :)
Black ftw ;)
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JP....sorry to hear your tax woes mate, thought it was only us Brits getting shafted on a daily basis....bet pushbikes are big on the Emerald Isle then :grin:
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Ha! They will be soon. Car sales are taking a serious hit at the moment. Over the last few years though, people went crazy buying cars. That's come to an end for the moment.
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I would certainly like the highline computer, but almost no used cars I've seen have them. As I've explained, cars are expensive in Ireland, and that VRT is payable on extras - so most people nearly ignore the options list and just buy a very standard car.
Highline is nice, but it isn't a 'be all and end all' option. Apart from it looking slightly better in the centre of the dash, most of its functions are just something that you would change just the once, and then forget. So the lack of a highline really shouldn't be a deal breaker. :smiley:
Couple of questions on comments you've made:
That clutch pedal - should it be level with the brake pedal? 'Cause it does look higher alright. What might that be a sign of? Is it a problem?
OK, ideally, clutch and brake pedals should be level, though in reality, they are often different - just down to the production process. However, that one does look quite a bit higher than any I've seen on a Golf5. OK, a high proportion of GTIs are sold with DSG, so manual GTIs arn't as common. But all Mk5 Golfs with a manual box have identical pedal postions - so use other manual Golfs as a comparison.
Abnormally high clutch pedal usually means the clutch itself is knackered, or very close to its end. Check the actual bite point - when starting from a standstill, and also on the move. A good test of a clutch is to be in a low gear, say 2nd or 3rd (not 1st, or you might get an ASBO :evil:), with foot completely off the clutch, and at low road speed (low revs on the rev counter - ideally around 1,500 rpm) - then accelerate hard. If you notice the engine revs suddenly rise much quicker than the corresponding anticipated rise in road speed, then the clutch is slipping. If there is no slip from this first test, try the same test again, but this time, when accelerating, gentally press the clutch just a little. If the revs rapidly rise, and you have only pressed the clutch pedal by say, roughly an inch - that is a sign that the clutch is on its way out.
How exactly do I check the pads and discs for wear? Is it easily done by hand and eye?
Crouch down by each wheel, and look through the holes of the alloy wheels. With the monza style of wheels you can easily get a good clear view of the pads resting in the calipers. Obviously, you can only really see the outer of the two pads, but this outer pad, along with the actual surface of the disc - should give you a good indication on the general health of the brakes.
Below is a pic of an old shape RS6, with knackered discs. You should be able to make out 'grooves' going round the disc, a bit like a ploughed field. If anyones disc ever looks like that, then shame on them!:
(http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t108/Teutonic_Tamer/200709.09RenoWldSerDon1.jpg)
This is a close up of a rear brake caliper of an RS4 - where, if you look carefully, you can see a 'grey' metal backplate to the pads (with the letter M at both edges), and look even more carefully between that grey backplate and the disc, and you can just see the friction lining. If this friction lining is below say 4mm thick, then I would use that as a strong bargaining point. If they are 2mm or less, demand that both the discs and pads are changed - or demand that £400-£500 per axle is knocked off the price:
(http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t108/Teutonic_Tamer/my%20B7%20RS4%20saloon/brakes/AudiB7RS4saloon-70.jpg)
Oh, and a close up of some 'Audi ceramic' Brembo 6-pot front brakes from my RS4 - purely for educational purposes! :cool: (OK, OK, I am a picture whore! :drool: :evil: :lipsrsealed:)
(http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t108/Teutonic_Tamer/my%20B7%20RS4%20saloon/brakes/AudiB7RS4saloon-76.jpg)
Should the exhaust be shiny chrome, or what finish should I be seeing?
Yup, bright and shiny - almost to a mirror finish.
Que pictures from polished tail pipes! :laugh:
It would be great if you (Teutonic_Tamer) could look up the factory spec with the VIN. Can you tell me where I'll find it when I go to look at the car?
OK, there are three main places the VIN is permanently marked on the car. One position I'm not willing to divulge (and I don't think it is appropriate for anyone else to either), because it is used by the police for criminal investigations. However the two VIN locations designed for 'public' use on a Golf5 are:
- On a plastic plate attached to the dashboard, viewable from outside through a small letter-box aperture the windscreen, on the passenger side at the lower edge
- On the front right inner wing member - open the bonnet, and it is partially under the foam seal near the black scuttle panel edge
Obviously, these two should match (apart from any leading and trailing asterixes), and if they don't - get the police involved, and they will check with the third hidden one. Also make sure that both vehicle 'data sticker's, one located on the inside cover of the service book, and the other on the inside boot floor pan, under the boot carpet - all match as well. Just incase you are not sure, a VIN consists of 17 digits, a mix of letters and numbers, with Volkswagens usually starting something like "WVWZZZ . . ."
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Hey TT, when Im ready to purchase, will you come with me??? ROFL!
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Yeah, maybe I should get you over here to Ireland to go with me too! Seriously - thanks T_T.
One other question from earlier: what's the correct 'anti-helicopter' setting you referred to, about the sunroof? I think I know what the helicopter effect is with a sunroof, but what's the 'anti-helicopter' setting?
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To my knowledge if you have the sun roof open, lower the passenger windows a fraction to realse the pressure in the car, this should stop the helicopter effect.
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Hey TT, when Im ready to purchase, will you come with me??? ROFL!
Where d'ya live?
Seriously, if anyone in East Anglia want's to gimme a shout, then provding I'm fit and well, I wouldn't mind helping out anyone.
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Im in Essex - just outside of Harlow (Church Langley) - a fair distance from ya I think :(
If I found a car near you for sale, I'd pick you up from your door, drop you back off, and pay for lunch - at least I'd know I'd get a well looked over car!! lol
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Moisture in the third brake light in the rear spoiler, this is very very common and you should have it fixed before picking it up, I have had mine done and it was fine.
But the crucial thing with this issue - is to actually check the alignment of the rear washer. Most are factory set at the '12 o'clock' position, ie, straight up directly at the brake light, but the official technical literature states they should be aimed at the '2 o'clock' position, away from the light.
Mines got moisture inside - is it worth hassling my dealer to fix, or is it something I can do myself? I can re-adjust the wiper spray direction, but how does the light come out?
Cheers
Andy