Buying Mk7 Golf Gti with 64k miles

[Chrisb2511]

Hello everyone, im new to the forum. I am buying my first mk7 gti this week. Its a 2015 gti with 64k miles on the clock, is there anything in particular I should look out for when I view and test drive it?? It has mostly VW service history apart from the last two but they have all been done at the correct intervals. Thanks for any help guys.

[Watts]

Hi and welcome to the forum!

Check the service history for a waterpump/thermostat housing replacement. These are extremely common failures and are expensive. I can't think of anything else in particular other than a thorough check that everything is all in order as you would for anyother car. Perhaps also the zenon bulbs, they last about 3 years so if they have been replaced they won't be far off going again. Very expensive to get a garage to do them but are a diy job if you are handy, about £100 a pair online and up to a couple of hours swearing to change. Always change in pairs too as if you don't, the other will fail soon after...

Great colour too by the way, TR is the best

[Guzzle]

If you post this on the Mk7 board you'll probably get more helpful responses, it tends to be just Watts and me that patrol this board 

http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?board=117.0

Besides the things mentioned above by Watts, you may want to check if it's a standard GTi or whether it is the Performance Pack version. This adds bigger brakes, an extra 10 bhp and a diff. If it's a PP version you may want to check if the diff has been serviced, likewise if it's DSG has it had the DSG service?

2015 was also the point at which there was a major spec upgrade, where things like keyless entry, winter pack and sat nav became standard. These should all be fitted to cars built after week 22 (end of May) 2015.

[Watts]

it tends to be just Watts and me that patrol this board 

So true

[Chrisb2511]

Thanks guys, I'll definitely check about the water pump and thermostat. Lights i can do myself if they need changing.  ill look on the mk7 page!

[mgregory]

Hi, I did a year ago almost exactly what you did — 2014 GTI PP 69k.
Noob to noob, I cannot recommend simply checking the life extender (plastic bag of system-destroying hell) in your coolant bottle if the fluid hasn't been changed. I was about a week away from having all my fluids changed when all hell broke loose and I was lumped with a £2.2k bill to replace everything when it burst! Best to just remove it.

Enjoy the car anyway! What have you driven before?

[fredgroves]

Mgregory, do you mean the plastic bag in the Cabin heater system? The one that destroys the heater matrix?

[fredgroves]

Here is the thread if you want to read it:

http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=285928.40

That one thing is probably the second most common Mk7 problem I have seen, the first being the water pump.

The "bag" problem is about a £2.5k fix (vs a 20 quid preventative fix!) and the water pump about £900.

If I was buying a second hand Mk7, I'd make sure both of those were addressed before buying it.