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Model specific boards => Golf mk6 => Topic started by: Mew on 05 May 2010, 21:12

Title: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: Mew on 05 May 2010, 21:12
Just driven past a nice mk6 gti in Oxford with a young lad driving on L plates. Alright for some eh! :grin:
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: Snoopy on 05 May 2010, 21:15
I would hate to learn to drive in a manual one, mine does some funny things at times when pulling away, the revs drop and the thottle slow to respond.
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: Gene Hunt. on 05 May 2010, 22:10
Just driven past a nice mk6 gti in Oxford with a young lad driving on L plates. Alright for some eh! :grin:
...........god knows what the insurance is ?????????. My son is 17 & learning now & wants a GTI. The other day found a  mint mk 3 GTI 8 valve for 1.695 pounds. Insurance for a 17 year old tpft was !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 7.500pounds!!!!!(good post code as well) & most companies won't let them pay monthley cause there under 18 even if you were daft enough to pay it.
I've told him when he passes to just get a cheap small car & build up his ncd.
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: Jimble on 05 May 2010, 22:15
I would hate to learn to drive in a manual one mine does some funny things at times when pulling way revs drop and the thottle slow to respond.
Couldn't agree more snoopy, mine is just like that, i reckon it's just gonna take a bit of getting used to and i haven't had much chance of late, i dread to think what it must be like for novice trying to get to grips with everything else as well! :sick:
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: Spooner on 05 May 2010, 22:18
In my opinion thats a bit of an irresposible parent.  207hp at the feet of a learner?  One slip or mis-judgement and deaths could occur!
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: bzqtang on 05 May 2010, 22:19
some people have more money than brain
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: PenguinGTI on 05 May 2010, 22:50
In my opinion thats a bit of an irresposible parent.  207hp at the feet of a learner?  One slip or mis-judgement and deaths could occur!

unfortunately you don't need that much power to cause deaths. On balance though perhaps fitting a 1.4 golf with GTI brakes and suspension and tires might prove safe - surely the GTI can stop better than a standard golf?
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: shrocco on 05 May 2010, 22:51
In my opinion thats a bit of an irresposible parent.  207hp at the feet of a learner?  One slip or mis-judgement and deaths could occur!

200brake and 1300kg is hardly going to set the road on fire.
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: Jimble on 05 May 2010, 22:56
In my opinion thats a bit of an irresposible parent.  207hp at the feet of a learner?  One slip or mis-judgement and deaths could occur!

200brake and 1300kg is hardly going to set the road on fire.
In your hands perhaps, but not some numpty noob!
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: Spooner on 05 May 2010, 22:58
Im just playing devils advocate.  In OUR hands - yeah, not a problem.  Think back to when you learnt to drive, and the fumbling and mis-pedalling you did?

My Yammy R6 bike could easily kill both me and a pedestrian in the wrong circumstances, and thats less power and a lot less weight.
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: PenguinGTI on 05 May 2010, 23:03
Spooner I know this is way off topic but I notice from your sig that you have had an impressive collection of Veedubs. May I ask however was there something about the mk5 that scared you off?
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: Jimble on 05 May 2010, 23:04
Im just playing devils advocate.  In OUR hands - yeah, not a problem.  Think back to when you learnt to drive, and the fumbling and mis-pedalling you did?

My Yammy R6 bike could easily kill both me and a pedestrian in the wrong circumstances, and thats less power and a lot less weight.

Exactly!
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: bzqtang on 05 May 2010, 23:06
first car when I was 18, AUDI A3 Sportback 2005  :rolleyes:
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: Spooner on 05 May 2010, 23:08
Spooner I know this is way off topic but I notice from your sig that you have had an impressive collection of Veedubs. May I ask however was there something about the mk5 that scared you off?

Hehe - Not at all, I was going to get one last summer.  Instead I thought sod it, i'll get a new one instead.  One of my mates has got a Mk5 R32 - lovely lovely car.
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: PenguinGTI on 05 May 2010, 23:14
here's the big iffy. Think you made the right choice?

I learned in a 1.6 golf 5 and then in a 1.2 corsa with BSM. I can honestly say around towns there wasn't much performance wise between the two but the Golf had better brakes etc. I defo think new drivers should get some increased driving aids for the first while. I also say an article in Auto Express about a key that limits the car's speed until the driver is experienced enough (over a certain age iirc). This could be a good solution (although you can still crash at 30mph)
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: Spooner on 05 May 2010, 23:30
I dont regret not having a mk5 in the slightest!  I'm loving the 6.  Best car I've ever owned.  Another mate just bought a new A5 diesel convertible - I defo prefer my Golf - but then again I've always had a thing for the VW hatchback.

As for learners / new drivers, anything that helps with road safety is a bonus.
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: VWKev on 05 May 2010, 23:48
Ok, its not the most logical choice of first car to drive, but I wouldnt want to be in any other car when it comes to safety. 97% rating with the GTI. So if an accident does happen, you got a good chance of walking away rather than being maulled in a sh!tty fiesta or something.
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: PenguinGTI on 06 May 2010, 00:09
And if your the 3% who die then well... you died in a GTI. Better than dying in said fiesta.
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: VWKev on 06 May 2010, 00:44
 :laugh:

I like it.
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: p3eps on 06 May 2010, 07:06
There are a lot of kids round my way who get handed brand new cars complete with insurance from their rich parents for their 17th birthdays!  Its been happening since I was 17 (15 years ago  :shocked: )
I remember a guy getting a brand new Subaru Imprezza P1 and writing it off within 3 weeks!

Personally I had a 1986 'D' Reg Ford Fiesta 1.4S as my first car!  It cost about £1200 and was £750 to insure it 3rd Party Fire and Theft!
 :laugh:
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: olly1 on 06 May 2010, 12:24
Teaching my Lad in a Golf GTD 5 Door
My hand is always on the handbrake! but he finds it easy to drive.
Insurance for Just me was £233.00 / year with my lad on insurance £1485.00
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: jaxx on 06 May 2010, 12:51
I would hate to learn to drive in a manual one mine does some funny things at times when pulling way revs drop and the thottle slow to respond.

Its the electronic throttle - takes a little getting used to.
Notice that on takeoff the ECU amplifies the throttle input to get going smoothly - especially annoying when in traffic as this can cause the car to jerk.

Once moving, the same level of input barely registers on the rev counter.
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: Snoopy on 06 May 2010, 17:42
I did find when i was learning to drive more powerful cars easier to drive than the basic 1.0 type. I was using a 1.6 escort mk3, 1.1 golf mk1, and a cooper S
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: ErikGTI on 06 May 2010, 17:56
In my opinion thats a bit of an irresposible parent.  207hp at the feet of a learner?  One slip or mis-judgement and deaths could occur!

200brake and 1300kg is hardly going to set the road on fire.

I do not know if you are in the role of the troll now or want to deliver a contribution.
If you are a troll I am glad that you are being rebuilt ..(.if I read your avatar correctly)....

If not....there are a lot faster cars but you must admit that the higher the speed the worst ending to an accident....and that is all there is to it... :wink:
An accident with a GTI that will not set the road on fire will still  be different compared to the average car and a collission with a higher speed might not set the road on fire but a great chance to set the youngster on fire...hence the incredible insurance uplift..... :wink:
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: DDRFan on 06 May 2010, 21:43
i'm very surprised somebody is learning to drive in a GTI - but if this is the sole family car and it's just Dad taking out junior for a bit of additional practice, any practice is good

i wouldn't agree purely learning in a GTI though.
i know when i first started driving my GTI i notice that at very low revs about under 1500rpm, the throttle is slow to respond. i'm still used to the more instant naturally-aspirated characteristics of my old car where revs were instant in more or less anywhere, but in the GTI, it seems the turbo does have a little lag, and when i'm pulling out of junctions i don't really have enough revs. i suppose experience will make you adjust, but a smaller engine is more easier to control i think.

having said that i find the GTI overall is a very very easy car to drive and makes it a whole lot easier for a learner to just get behind the controls and concentrate on watching other traffic and other stuff. the gearstick is really light, gears just slot into place, the clutch is light, the steering isn't too heavy, it's weighted pretty good for most things from parking to motorway driving, visibility all round isn't too bad


most of us though do start off with the crappy cars. i'm pretty lucky in that the cars i drove weren't that crap, they ran pretty well and never broke down or anything like that, but they were small engine cars and the brakes haven't got over 9000 calipers, and when you first drive by yourself, this is where most of your driving habits will develop, and starting off in small engine you will learn the car can't cross every gap and brakes aren't strong enough for this distance so you back off, and these things will be more likely to stick in your brain and you come to appreciate things more when you change car for a more powerful one, and i think we end up better drivers for it.

if you went from a GTI to say a Polo 1.4, i would imagine this would get a driver frustrated as they would be thinking "where's the power?!" "why don't the brakes work?!" that might be dangerous.

just my 2pence :)
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: p3asa on 06 May 2010, 22:28

..........the steering isn't too heavy, it's weighted pretty good for most things from parking to motorway driving, visibility all round isn't too bad


When I first got in to the MkVI I found the steering really hard to get to grips with. There is very little feedback and for me it is so woolly. A few times when going at speed on the motorway I felt as if I was drifting in to the central reservation and the steering was slow to react. 

I've since read it is adaptive and changes its characteristics depending on the speed it is going. Also its magnets that operate it!! Is this correct?

I thought it was just me but I bumped in to an old work colleague the other week and after chatting for a bit turns out he had got a MKVI Golf. Says his wife won't drive it (bonus) as the steering is so unresponsive. He likened it to turning right at the traffic lights but you are half way across the junction before the car decides to turn.

I know that's an exaggeration but I knew exactly what he meant.  Thankfully now I'm used to it especially at speed!!
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: Jimble on 06 May 2010, 22:45
^No idea how it works but i found the opposite with mine, it's seems almost twitchy on the motorway.
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: DDRFan on 06 May 2010, 23:16
...

When I first got in to the MkVI I found the steering really hard to get to grips with. There is very little feedback and for me it is so woolly. A few times when going at speed on the motorway I felt as if I was drifting in to the central reservation and the steering was slow to react. 
Well your experiences are different to mine, i don't know whether i'm just less susceptible to these things, but i've just got used to the steering, maybe it was just the crappy car i had before my new one, i find i can swing the car into corners that my other car would never be able to do. i suppose every driver is different and has different tastes.
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: am1w on 06 May 2010, 23:33
Very interesting: p3asa's comment.
I found that the steering response was really awful in 'comfort' mode and I felt I was driving a pudding. Was slightly better in 'normal' mode.
Then I carefully checked the tyre pressures and they were at 2.45 instead of 2.6. At 2.6 I have now found that the steering reponse is now pretty good with a more acceptable feel in 'comfort' mode, the handling has improved considerably and the noise levels are much lower.
It would therefore seem that the car is quite tyre pressure sensitive. I am sure most experienced members have known this.
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: Snoopy on 07 May 2010, 17:34
Our ibizas steering is not nice as its fully electric so maybe the steering different on different models. As what is talked about above is how i feel driving the ibiza. I told myslelf i would not buy the GTI if its sterring was similar infact i test drove alot of cars whos steering was like the ibiza before settling for the GTI. On the ibiza you can adjust the amount of assistance by vagcom but even at its least its still all over the place on motorways.
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: am1w on 07 May 2010, 19:20
^No idea how it works but i found the opposite with mine, it's seems almost twitchy on the motorway.

On motorways, slightly twitchy in 'normal' mode, very twitchy in 'sport' mode, perfect in 'comfort' mode. I am now always in 'comfort' mode.
Title: Re: Anyone in here learning to drive in a gti?
Post by: ErikGTI on 08 May 2010, 08:40
I do hope the pupil is not learning to drive in a remapped one......he'll be easily in trouble... :lipsrsealed: :evil: