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Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: wallythewelder on 29 January 2022, 13:04

Title: Has my Gti been lowered?
Post by: wallythewelder on 29 January 2022, 13:04
I'm new here, so forgive me if this has already been covered. Picked up my 2018 Gti mk7.5 performance from the main dealer recently. Hardly any miles and what wonderful machine. I think it looks lower than others I've seen, even next door's R looks higher, so I got the tape measure out. 335mm from centre of wheel to the arch, front and rear. 635mm from the road to the arch, front and rear. Not a problem but the dealer didn't mention it at all. Any comments welcome, thanks.
Title: Re: Has my Gti been lowered?
Post by: rwleigh on 29 January 2022, 13:38
I'm new here, so forgive me if this has already been covered. Picked up my 2018 Gti mk7.5 performance from the main dealer recently. Hardly any miles and what wonderful machine. I think it looks lower than others I've seen, even next door's R looks higher, so I got the tape measure out. 335mm from centre of wheel to the arch, front and rear. 635mm from the road to the arch, front and rear. Not a problem but the dealer didn't mention it at all. Any comments welcome, thanks.

Just popped out and measured my front arch to ground and it's 655mm so I suspect you may be right.

I believe a CS is a little lower as standard than a PP model? Could be wrong though.
Title: Re: Has my Gti been lowered?
Post by: wallythewelder on 29 January 2022, 14:11
Thanks rw. 👍
Title: Re: Has my Gti been lowered?
Post by: DCmk3 on 29 January 2022, 15:58
Can you see what colour the springs are? If they are not black
Title: Re: Has my Gti been lowered?
Post by: wallythewelder on 29 January 2022, 16:07
I'll have a look if I can, she's tucked away in the garage atm. Might have to wait till Monday. 👍
Title: Re: Has my Gti been lowered?
Post by: joe6 on 29 January 2022, 16:50
I'll have a look if I can, she's tucked away in the garage atm. Might have to wait till Monday. 👍
Glad you are enjoying the car. Springs should be colour coded so that would also be evidence.
Title: Re: Has my Gti been lowered?
Post by: wallythewelder on 29 January 2022, 17:01
Thanks, I'll get under there ASAP. I've done a bit of research and it seems that 335mm height should be 365-370mm as standard. So I think the answer is yes, by about 30-35mm. 😜
Title: Re: Has my Gti been lowered?
Post by: oryx3dr on 29 January 2022, 19:53
Thanks, I'll get under there ASAP. I've done a bit of research and it seems that 335mm height should be 365-370mm as standard. So I think the answer is yes, by about 30-35mm. 😜

You should be able to tell visually just by doing the finger test between the tyre and the wheel arch. If you can't get more than 2 fingers in there then it's likely been lowered.
Title: Re: Has my Gti been lowered?
Post by: wallythewelder on 30 January 2022, 13:57
Thanks! I can't even get one pinky in there. I just got a steel rule and laid it flat along the top of the tyre and the gap is about 1mm.
Title: Re: Has my Gti been lowered?
Post by: SRGTD on 30 January 2022, 14:58
Thanks! I can't even get one pinky in there. I just got a steel rule and laid it flat along the top of the tyre and the gap is about 1mm.

@wallytgewelder; as you bought your car from a main dealer (presumably a VW main dealer), then would it be correct to assume the dealer was selling it under VW’s Approved Used scheme? If so, it would’ve needed to have passed VW’s 142 point check before it qualified as VW Approved Used vehicle.

I’ve had a quick look on the Web for a copy of VW’s Approved Used 142 point checklist that the dealer would use to certify a vehicle as VW’s Approved Used but I couldn’t find one. What I did find was a checklist for the Das Welt Auto used car scheme, which was the forerunner of the Approved Used scheme, and one of the items on that checklist (‘General’ section, first page) was ‘Is the vehicle free from after-market modifications?’ Any ‘No’ answers rendered the vehicle ineligible to be sold under the Das Welt Auto scheme. Link to the checklist below;

https://studylib.net/doc/18424217/multi-point-checklist

Assuming the Approved Used checklist includes a similar check for after-market modifications, then it would seem the checks carried out by the dealer you bought the car from aren’t very thorough. What else might have been skimped on when your car was prepared for sale? It raises the following points;
It would be interesting to see a copy of the 142 point checklist document that was completed for your car………… :whistle:
Title: Re: Has my Gti been lowered?
Post by: Guzzle on 30 January 2022, 15:47
I would raise the matter with the selling dealer ASAP. The sooner you mention it, the more recourse you'll have if something goes wrong.
Title: Re: Has my Gti been lowered?
Post by: wallythewelder on 30 January 2022, 19:23
Thanks SRGTD, that's a very thorough and fair assessment. Yes, it was a VW main dealer and yes it is Approved Used. My documentation  merely states that the 142 point check was carried out, a tick in the box if you like. Yes, the insurance issue has me concerned because, in essence, I've lied to the insurance company in stating there are no modifications. I'll keep you posted as to what the main dealer has to say about this.
Title: Re: Has my Gti been lowered?
Post by: Rudedog on 30 January 2022, 21:19
Same here with the documents, I bought my 1 year old car in August 2020 and I certainty didn't get a check list broken down into points, in fact the only proof I have of my extended 2 year warranty is the £500 added to the invoice in small writing at the bottom... will be interesting what service say if I ever need to use it.
Title: Re: Has my Gti been lowered?
Post by: mcmaddy on 31 January 2022, 08:17
Thanks SRGTD, that's a very thorough and fair assessment. Yes, it was a VW main dealer and yes it is Approved Used. My documentation  merely states that the 142 point check was carried out, a tick in the box if you like. Yes, the insurance issue has me concerned because, in essence, I've lied to the insurance company in stating there are no modifications. I'll keep you posted as to what the main dealer has to say about this.
to the best of your knowledge it doesn't have any modifications. Once you find out for certain then you have a dilemma, tell your insurance or if required put the car back to stock. Millions will buy a second hand car and have no idea if it's been modified or not.
Title: Re: Has my Gti been lowered?
Post by: wallythewelder on 01 February 2022, 20:14
An update. The dealer has agreed, as a gesture of good faith, to fit standard vw springs and return the car to "factory set-up".
This is a great result for me, warranty and insurance wise. I can always lower it later on, after the warranty runs out, if I suddenly feel all "boy-racer"-ish! 😅 👍
Thanks again for all your comments and advice.
Title: Re: Has my Gti been lowered?
Post by: fredgroves on 01 February 2022, 21:49
That's a good result!

I got stitched up with a modified car that I didn't realise until it was written off... Only cosmetic pen mods but none the less ended up with an argument I didn't need...
Title: Re: Has my Gti been lowered?
Post by: wallythewelder on 01 February 2022, 21:55
That does make me feel very lucky, Fred.
Fingers crossed they'll do a good job, vw trained technicians and all that🤞
Title: Re: Has my Gti been lowered?
Post by: wallythewelder on 03 February 2022, 00:30
OK, so this confirms it. She's in on Friday.
(https://i.postimg.cc/d1R4GTsr/20220202-134117.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: Has my Gti been lowered?
Post by: Exonian on 03 February 2022, 05:45
H&R’s, at least they’re not cheap junk!
You’ll get a few quid selling those.
What’s the ride like on them? I had a few sets of H&R many many years ago and they rattled my brain out  :grin:
Title: Re: Has my Gti been lowered?
Post by: madstaff on 03 February 2022, 08:45
H&R at least they were decent.

I had H&R springs on my MK2 16v many years ago and i thought the ride was quite comfortable, although IIRC they were progressive rate springs.

Are they letting you keep them once removed??
Title: Re: Has my Gti been lowered?
Post by: wallythewelder on 03 February 2022, 14:21
H&R’s, at least they’re not cheap junk!
You’ll get a few quid selling those.
What’s the ride like on them? I had a few sets of H&R many many years ago and they rattled my brain out  :grin:
Yeah, it's a pretty hard ride, one of the reasons I suspected it might be lowered. Although I've not had Gti before so didn't know what they're supposed to be like!🤔
Title: Re: Has my Gti been lowered?
Post by: wallythewelder on 03 February 2022, 14:24
H&R at least they were decent.

I had H&R springs on my MK2 16v many years ago and i thought the ride was quite comfortable, although IIRC they were progressive rate springs.

Are they letting you keep them once removed??
I haven't asked tbh. Perhaps I'll tackle that issue when I drop it in. 👍