GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: MA1694 on 20 June 2022, 12:10
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Hi everyone. I had a go in a manual mk7 gti yesterday and in all honesty felt a bit underwhelmed. Hardly felt any quicker than my mk6 gti even though it has 70Nm more torque. Also felt more artificial, hard to explain exactly how. I did like the gearshift though and the more modern interior. Build quality all good maybe slightly less solid than mk6 but not much in it.
Few questions I have:-
There was a faint rattle during cold start, are timing chains an issue on the Mk7 platform?
The test drive was for 10 mins or so and dual carriageways, I noticed the oil went up to 100C really quickly not sure if that's something or nothing?
There was a very faint whirring noise with the clutch up that went away with clutch down. The owner said it may be the release bearing but the clutch feel bite and shift was fine. However I'm not sure if the clutch would need replacing soon? Mileage was 83,000.
There was no record of water pump replacement or heater matrix. Were these an issue on every mk7 gti and something I should keep money aside for?
Thanks in advance.
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Hello there and welcome!
Regarding the faint rattle during cold start, its not something ive ever heard on my own, timing chains are not a problem on the Mk7 but obviously timely oil changes are key to keeping the chain in good condition. Ensure it has good service history with on time oil changes.
It is normal for the oil to heat up quickly. On MK7 cars, the exhaust manifold is water-cooled, so coolant gets to working temp pretty quickly also. Not an issue unless oil temp gets too hot. Mine is tuned and runs a bit cooler but i believe it used to run at 106 degrees prior to remap.
My car (2013) also has that whirring noise (only noticeable when car in a garage, next to a wall etc) from the clutch and disappears when clutch depressed. Ive had VW check this and they say it's normal. If the bite point it good and it changes gear smoothly I would say it's ok.
Regarding the water pump issue, this is a well known issue where there is a leak from the thermostat housing which is a plastic unit housing the pump/thermostat. I had this chaged out at similar mileage to yours. Definately keep money aside for this one and inspect for any leaks before puchase.
The heater matrix is not a big issue on the Mk7 and the removal of the silicate bag from the coolant expansion bottle if not something I have done. You can search the forum and make your own mind up on that one.
The Mk7 is a fairly reliable car and IMO is a far superior vehicle than the Mk6. (aside from the steering wheel which i prefer in the Mk 6 :grin:)
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Personally I would try a DSG as the manual has a very weak clutch and the DSG is actually faster 0-60mph. If you re map it you will need an upgraded clutch or it will slip but the DSG can easily hadle extra power and torque.
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Welcome to the forum. I still have a 2010 mk6 gti as well as a 2019 mk7.5 PP. Apart from less feel from the steering and poorer ergonomic seating in the mk7 I think the mk7 is generally a better car and I get better mpg with the mk7 even with the extra 35bhp. Not heard of timing chain problems but if there is stretch the ecu is programmed to identify the faulty timing before it causes damage. Water and oil temperatures go up quickly from a cold start. My oil temperature goes up to 106 at times - hot weathe or spirited driving - and the water is steady at 90. As said by carbon vw, the water pump is problematic. In the USA a class action has got vw USA to increase the warranty on the water pump to 8 years (only one free repair by a dealer in that time though!!) Only heard of clutch issues on the mk7 after a remap. Had to replace the DMF on the mk6 at just over 90k when I started to get a screech when cold although the clutch position and bite were still fine. There is a debate over heater matrix blockage causes. You need to read the comments on the forum and come to your own conclusions on that.
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The reason you can’t really feel the 70nm of torque is the fact there’s a load of dead travel in the throttle pedal. Cured by fitting a PedalBox. Although the power delivery does still feel very linear.
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I changed the expansion tank on my GTI to get rid of the silica bag, I’ve owned from new and only done 15k, but thought it a good idea. Only cost a few quid but you pays your money, you take your choice.
Also had a DSG service and LSD fluid change and filter clean at 3 years. Engine oil and filter changes every 6 months.
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Thanks guys, all in all the mk7 does seem a lot more reliable than the mk6. I've read it's a ~£600 job for the water pump and thermostat so will keep some money aside. I don't have the budget for a dsg but even then, always been a manual person. I have seen a few performance pack models but the owners don't seem to be clued up on servicing the lsd so I'm not sure if it's worth the extra.
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Just to ease your worries a little, i could never determine if the VAQ diff in my Clubsport had been serviced due to having no service book as it has digital service schedule (DSS).
I have checked the DSS but couldnt really decide if it had been done as it says it was due 2020.
Anyway, i decided to do it myself and can say the pump filter had only the smallest speck of debris on the screen.
The fluid has either been changed before, but VW dont remove the pumps and clean the screen filter, or my thoughts are the VAQ diffs run ALOT cleaner than the pumps in the rear diff of an R.
I would say if you find the car that ticks all the boxes, put £100 aside and get the pump done to satisfy yourself.
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Thanks guys, all in all the mk7 does seem a lot more reliable than the mk6. I've read it's a ~£600 job for the water pump and thermostat so will keep some money aside. I don't have the budget for a dsg but even then, always been a manual person. I have seen a few performance pack models but the owners don't seem to be clued up on servicing the lsd so I'm not sure if it's worth the extra.
I had my work done at a local independent that has a very good reputation. When I mentioned the LSD service to the Dealer that I bought the car from and had done the servicing for the first 3 years of its life, they weren’t sure it needed doing.
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A noise which stops when the clutch is pressed is usually the gearbox input shaft bearing.
Release bearings usually make a noise when the clutch is pressed, as they are not doing much with the clutch engaged.
The GTI should feel reasonably fast, unless you are coming back from a seriously quick car. I came to the GTI from a remapped BMW 330d with 320bhp and the GTI didn't feel too slow in comparison.
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Hi everyone. I had a go in a manual mk7 gti yesterday and in all honesty felt a bit underwhelmed. Hardly felt any quicker than my mk6 gti even though it has 70Nm more torque. Also felt more artificial, hard to explain exactly how. I did like the gearshift though and the more modern interior. Build quality all good maybe slightly less solid than mk6 but not much in it.
Few questions I have:-
There was a faint rattle during cold start, are timing chains an issue on the Mk7 platform?
The test drive was for 10 mins or so and dual carriageways, I noticed the oil went up to 100C really quickly not sure if that's something or nothing?
There was a very faint whirring noise with the clutch up that went away with clutch down. The owner said it may be the release bearing but the clutch feel bite and shift was fine. However I'm not sure if the clutch would need replacing soon? Mileage was 83,000.
There was no record of water pump replacement or heater matrix. Were these an issue on every mk7 gti and something I should keep money aside for?
Thanks in advance.
I was about to trade in my GTD for a GTI (Thank god I didn't as it was just before the fuel price increase). It had about 65k miles and when we got back from the test drive the car was smoking like crazy from the exhaust. The power is very underwhelming, but a stage 1 map is almost a necessity and transforms the car. You won't be underwhelmed with a good stage 1 map... oh and a stronger rear engine mount insert to stop the tyres from hopping and banging all over the place in 1st and 2nd. An insert is the best and cheapest mod to a car in my opinion.
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Each to their own
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Underwelming?? I'm pretty sure 245ps is more than enough for the majority of people on here for 99% of the time.
The rest is just pub talk.
I have 290 odd and probably use 20% of that on a daily basis.
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The only times that I can sometimes find my 230bhp PP lacking is when overtaking the many slow arses around this area.
Where as my 330d would just rocket past without a sweat the GTI takes a bit more planning and more careful selection of gears.
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The benefit of c.480 ft/lbs torque on tap
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The benefit of 6 cylinders versus 4.
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The benefit of about 330bhp (was remapped) vs 230bhp and RWD to get the power down...
The Golf is much better in other areas though. It is lighter and better suited to the country roads here in Oxfordshire, and is a better family car due to having more space and more doors.
Fuel economy was about the same, obviously the petrol engine sounds better and is smoother.
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Its an interesting observation with the oil temperature. I have a GTD and a b9 S4 (ignore the signature - brief flirtation with the dark side). And even in the GTD the oil temp shoots up to around 100 quite quickly and stays up at that level.
The S4 on the other hand takes a good bit longer to get up to temp and then only goes up to 100 when caning it, even then it drops back down very quickly. Of course it has a much bigger volume of oil in the engine and I suspect a more industrial cooling system - but shows that the oil is worked very hard in modern 4 pots and changing the oil regularly is critical.
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Too long oil change intervals are the cause of many problems on modern cars. Usually the timing chain and tensioners are amongst the first things to suffer. Dirty oil doesn't lubricate as well, and contaminants in it can attack plastics making them brittle. Hence why some marques have had issues with plastic timing chain tensioners breaking up.
They do serve the purpose of making a car look cheap to run and service for the first few years of it's life however which makes lease/hire companies happy. Just pity the owners who buy the car later in it's life.
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I don’t think you can really appreciate a mk7 gti on a test drive,
It’s not that sort of car.
It’s a car to be appreciated over time, perfectly suited for daily duties and very enjoyable to drive.
I’ve thought about stage 1 map now and again, but have not done it yet for the reason that madstaff gives- I would very rarely use more than 245ps in a c1300kg car
I’d agree with OP’s comments on gear shift- very slick and satisfying- and on build quality-
It’s really not far off mk5/6 quality in my experience- mine is 3.5 years old and no rattles/squeaks at all from the cabin.
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Just curious how does an 18 year old get insurance for a golf gti performance is it not a clean fortune