GOLFMK8
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GOLFMKV

Newbie: Looking at 2011 GTI

alpha3

Go Kart Champion
^^^ Yes. A very handy item indeed. Especially if you want to know what's wrong with the car before you take it to the dealer or a specialty shop. I personally just have a suspicious nature, I guess. Don't mind paying. But hate being taken. Plus, as a previous poster said, VAGGOM lets you do some additional goodies if you take the time to look them up. Very easy to do, too.

For example, I programmed the ability to open/close the windows from the key fob. Didn't come that way from the VW factory, and I've got a top-of-the-line Driver's edition.
That windows-close feature is VERY handy....especially here in south Florida. Sunny one second, a monsoon downpour the next.
 
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Boscogn

Go Kart Champion
In terms of tech if you could spring for a 2016+ u'd get backup camera, drive assist sensors, Android auto (Apple play should be feasible too?) plus u still get 220hp turbo. Has bigger touch screen too. I have a 2013 and can look over my shoulder before changing lanes and behind me when backing out but have dash cams and parking cam battery pack with digital boost Guage and radar detector all hard lined and led everything /shrug.

For maintenance check my build thread in my signature(desktop browser only) i got lots of good info there. Basically with those miles and year you want to know about carbon cleaning and dsg service if dsg + timing chain tensioner the humble mechanic on YouTube has a good video on how to check it easily without hardly any effort. I would be surprised if it still had original water pump and that's warrantied to 120k miles anyways.

Edit: VagCom is fun you can program many things. Also I'm a systems engineer and could be dubbed techie but think most of the driver assist is garbage but for a new driver could be really beneficial.

Sent from my HTC6545LVW using Tapatalk
 

zrickety

The Fixer
He doesn't think so..

Still need to understand the high maintenance mentioned..
I would disagree, and our friends across the pond will tell you...The GTI is a great car. I've had no real problems with mine and it's over 150k on the original water pump and I believe the original chain. Modded to the moon. Do early oil changes and enjoy it.
 

TheCor

Ready to race!
Just some additional insight coming from a 2013 with 99600 on the clock to date...

I do all of my oil changes at 5k - recommended interval is 10k. It has always consumed a small amount of oil, but nothing excessive. MAYBE half a qt every 5k.

I've changed the manual gearbox fluid twice with Redline MTL, shifts perfect. Clutch is in great shape from what I can tell, and I don't drive it gently.

I am on my original water pump and manifold, never any problems there. I did change the PCV valve as preventative maintenance around 70k at the same time I had a carbon cleaning done. I got a progressively roughly rougher idle over some time and it eventually started throwing codes. Carbon cleaning made it feel new again.

I've never used VAGCOM and while I have nothing bad to say about it, you can also just get a $20 VW/Audi code reader on Amazon like I have for reading any potential codes and save some coin.

The only part I have had to replace to date was my trunk release mechanism, and its 10 minute job. My experience has been to go with OEM parts on this car when replacing something...I bought a cheaper PCV and the seal leaked; I bought a cheaper hatch mechanism and it failed 30 days later, but the OEM parts have been perfect.

You can also cheaply add Apple Carplay to this generation GTI by purching the RCD330+ headunit on ebay out of Chinese vehicles. I think I paid $200 shipped and it was plug and play for me. Its an actual VW part, the plastic and back lighting matches perfectly. You would never know it didn't come with the car.

I've never owned a single vehicle as long as my GTI before and it says a lot. I enjoy driving it everytime and it runs as well as it did the day I drove it off the lot.
 

jaxxone007

Passed Driver's Ed
Dont buy a vagcom, get obdeleven, does 90% of the stuff for only 70$. I would never reccomend a GTI for the 1 car, as any problem can pop out of the blue:coils& sparkplug is something you need to have in your trunk and be ready to swap them out when engine runs funny not to mention these big problems that you need to change them at one point at least once: chain tensioner, pcv valve, intake manifold,water pump.
GTI is for someone that has the knowledge to fix most of these problems by themselfs or else its a money pit. I LOVE working on my gti and modify it, but that being said its my side car, and when i take it on a long road im prepared for anything so i carry some spare tools and parts in the trunk:)

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Boscogn

Go Kart Champion
Really if you don't plan to tune or mod everything it'll be very reliable. As long as tensioner is replaced with new one and carbon cleaning every so often (50k-100k depends on driving habits and conditions) and maintenance is maintained. I have 97k miles on my car and make trips out of state. Never had a bad coil or leak of any kind. Water pump shit the bed early and got replaced with revision with no further issues. I've been in two minor accidents and still runs great.

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lilonespaz

Drag Race Newbie
i was able to stop the mod bug on my GTI.... buy buying a bike. Its SO much faster.
 

-=Jeff=-

New member
get a 2013 or newer, you will thank yourself later.

What do I gain on a 2013 other than being newer? I found one but I am also curious on the models.. which is the lowest and which is the highest?

I see, Wolfsburg, Autobahn, SE, etc
 

Crusader10143

Passed Driver's Ed
What do I gain on a 2013 other than being newer? I found one but I am also curious on the models.. which is the lowest and which is the highest?

I see, Wolfsburg, Autobahn, SE, etc

2013 has all the recalls and problems corrected; water pump, tensioner, intake, etc.
 
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