Is your MkVI GTI 'the best car you've ever owned'?

[am1w]

So far this is the best car i've owned although some things are annoying me at the moment, esp in the warm weather.

Getting rapidly to 'The best car I have ever owned' once I have it re-mapped!

[Snoopy]

I like my mk1 better than then mk6  My mk1 is better engineered.

[PenguinGTI]

(3) Lack of mid-range acceleration - easily corrected with a re-map.

If I hadn't had mine remapped, I would probably have voted 'slightly disappointed', too. A remap is a must in terms of power, the only problem then is traction... which is why I miss RWD

+1

[R32UK]

(3) Lack of mid-range acceleration - easily corrected with a re-map.

If I hadn't had mine remapped, I would probably have voted 'slightly disappointed', too. A remap is a must in terms of power, the only problem then is traction... which is why I miss RWD

+1

+2 (RWD/AWD)

[Ess_Three]

I like my mk1 better than then mk6  My mk1 is better engineered.

Give your head a shake Snoopy lad...
Bendy bodyshell, twist beam rear end, no brakes, 2 candle-power front lights etc...better engineered?

The Mk1 is no doubt more of a hoot, and I very much doubt your Mk6 won't look quite as good in 28 years time...but engineering progress is hard to deny.

[Snoopy]

Give your head a shake Snoopy lad...
Bendy bodyshell, twist beam rear end, no brakes, 2 candle-power front lights etc...better engineered?

The Mk1 is no doubt more of a hoot, and I very much doubt your Mk6 won't look quite as good in 28 years time...but engineering progress is hard to deny.

I don't agree but not everyone looks at things the same way. As an engineer i think the mk1 GTI is better engineered
Twist beam rear end nothing wrong with that in such a small light chassis. Its only when you get bigger and heavier that a multilink helps more. Remember VW still use it on there small cars.
Light weight, less than a lotus elise, shells stiff enough if you don't play silly buggers with the shocks/springs or if you do,  you need to know what the limits are (BRM did many don't). Never noticed it twist unlike some other makes.
Brakes nothing wrong with the brakes its a journo BS, you look after the rear brakes and there adjustment they work fine. Otherwise they are as the myth says. Just not as over servo'ed as modern numb machines. People use to have muscles
I have read the design papers on the EA888 and control systems of the mk5/6 and the mk1 is far better engineered. The mk1 GTI was designed by engineers, the mk6 was designed by committee and accountants.

[RickS]

The MK6 is typically VW GTI, not brilliant in any one area but unbeaten as a whole package. Sometimes the only way to remind yourself of how good it is as a package you need to sit in an Astra or Focus. The subtleness of the quality just smacks you in the face when you get back in the Golf.  

Don't agree that it has no brilliant areas, what about:
The driving position and seats combined with the performance? What about the overall appearance of the car? In my opinion, the car is already a classic, being visually pleasing and satisfying from all angles  [There's no "bad" angle which you get with some cars] Also, you won't find any cars in the price bracket that offer this combination of looks, body hugging comfort, driveability and performance, isn't that brilliant? [Having said that I haven't driven similar priced cars of this type] but I can speak for looks, it's unbeatable in the price bracket. You can also short-shift whilst maintaining quick acceleration if you don't want to boot it to max, in fact it almost encourages quick short shifting.
Could mention more but don't want to go on about it too much. All in all a most excellent car, I voted for best car I've owned  

[Snoopy]

Don't agree that it has no brilliant areas, what about:
1)The driving position and seats
2)combined with the performance?
3)What about the overall appearance of the car? In my opinion, the car is already a classic, being visually pleasing and satisfying from all angles  [There's no "bad" angle which you get with some cars]
4)Also, you won't find any cars in the price bracket that offer this combination of looks, body hugging comfort, driveability and performance, isn't that brilliant? [Having said that I haven't driven similar priced cars of this type] but I can speak for looks, it's unbeatable in the price bracket. You can also short-shift whilst maintaining quick acceleration if you don't want to boot it to max, in fact it almost encourages quick short shifting.
Could mention more but don't want to go on about it too much. All in all a most excellent car, I voted for best car I've owned  

Just my views and so im not saying your wrong just putting my views on your views across, Different views imo are always useful.
1)Driving position needs more reach on the steering wheel. Driving position meens you cannot see the end of the bonnet thats also a design issue.
2) That stupid electonic drive by wire crap spoils it as does the floor mounted throttle.  The amount of times i have stalled it trying to pull away because the car cannot keep up with my foot movements.
3) Bland bland bland. Typical euro box bland. Its not the best looking car and has little style imo. I could like other manufactures do and blaim it all on EU rules about crash tests etc. But Alfa sometimes manage to produce a good looking car that does not look bland. Also park next to a fiat stilo and notice some of the design fetures VW pinched  a car that was slated on its looks by journos. 

[Ess_Three]

I don't agree but not everyone looks at things the same way. As an engineer i think the mk1 GTI is better engineered
Twist beam rear end nothing wrong with that in such a small light chassis. Its only when you get bigger and heavier that a multilink helps more. Remember VW still use it on there small cars.

Twist beam is cheap, always has been.
Multi-link/double wishbones are better, but dearer.
If cost (and packaging) wasn't a problem, then even VAGs light cars (Ha!...still heavy next to the likes of an ITR or early CTR) would use multi-link rears at the very least as it has such a huge impact on the overall chassis performance.

I agree about weight though...that's the key!

Light weight, less than a lotus elise, shells stiff enough if you don't play silly buggers with the shocks/springs or if you do,  you need to know what the limits are (BRM did many don't). Never noticed it twist unlike some other makes.
Brakes nothing wrong with the brakes its a journo BS, you look after the rear brakes and there adjustment they work fine. Otherwise they are as the myth says. Just not as over servo'ed as modern numb machines. People use to have muscles

Nothing wrong perhaps.
Just not as good as a more modern set-up.
That's progress...

Where bodyshells are concerned, still is best. End of.
From a still base, all else hangs and stays where you put it.

I have read the design papers on the EA888 and control systems of the mk5/6 and the mk1 is far better engineered. The mk1 GTI was designed by engineers, the mk6 was designed by committee and accountants.

An engine is an in-efficient old hector.
Anything you can do to improve the efficiency, is a good thing....especially if you can reduce wasted energy (unburned fuel) whilst doing so....and to improve the efficiency requires engineering progress.

So explain how a 8v 1.8 is more efficient (or if you prefer, 'better' engineered) than a 16v FSI engine running full computer controlled management, with variable valve timing and a turbocharger etc?

More power and less emissions = better engineering in my book.

[Ess_Three]

Here we agree:

1)Driving position needs more reach on the steering wheel. Driving position meens you cannot see the end of the bonnet thats also a design issue.

Spot on.

2) That stupid electonic drive by wire crap spoils it as does the floor mounted throttle.  The amount of times i have stalled it trying to pull away because the car cannot keep up with my foot movements.

Spot on. You can't blip the throttle as it's got lag measured using a sundial!
Give me a cable anyday...but then the electronic fun police can't intervene...fine by me. I'd rather have it without.

3) Bland bland bland. Typical euro box bland. Its not the best looking car and has little style imo. I could like other manufactures do and blaim it all on EU rules about crash tests etc. But Alfa sometimes manage to produce a good looking car that does not look bland. Also park next to a fiat stilo and notice some of the design fetures VW pinched  a car that was slated on its looks by journos. 

Agree to a point...
The Mk6 GTI is a very good (great?) car in a sea of utter drivel and blandness.
Not necesarily a very good car in the history of things with 4 wheels and an engine.