Comments on: New Car: 2008 Volkswagen GTI MkV

By: ML

ML — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 23:00:44 +0000

My first VW was a 2001 Beetle GLX. assembled in Mexico, but really loved it. Got tired of the stick in horrible Phoenix traffic and kids grew tall enough to complain about lack of headroom in the back. Traded that in for the new 2005 Jetta which really lacked the guts I had gotten used to in the turbo Beetle. The trunk latch had issues also. (I think partially made in Mexico also)
I now have a 2007 GTI 4 door with most of the bells and whistles. Made in Germany yeay! Love, love ,love the car. Very roomy inside. Fast, fun, great.. until I took it in to have it’s 15,000 miles service where they rotated the tires (I missed the 10,000 but everything was fine and great. )now my tires are sounding horrible. They are very loud and causing a lot of vibration. They say that;s just how it is on these cars. I don’t get it! cant believe it. SO I am looking for anyone out there with a similar problem. I have never had or heard of such an issue.
Im going to pick it up to see if the problem is fixed, we’ll see. thanks

By: Ryan

Ryan — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 18:29:55 +0000

Can’t go wrong with the MKV GTI. (Perhaps, other than it looks. Retarded minivan anyone?) I love mine. It’s combination of performance (0.90 G skid pad, 0-60 6.0 secs with DSG and launch control, best streeing wheel ever?), economy (28.0 mpg spirited driving), utility (hatchback with seats folded down really is spatious like a small minivan), and luxuary (with leather interior/sunroof/premium sound) is tough to beat. It’s looks grow on you and it doesn’t scream “Boy-racer, please pull me over Mr Officer”.

Also this car is very tuneable, which is part of the fun and will keep your interest in the car over the long haul. I prefer APR engine management software, which doesn’t affect mpg but increases HP to 252 and Torque to 300 lb/ft. Midrange punch is ridiculus. Suddenly for $850 you have a car that is much faster in real world driving than the R32 for $6K less and still maintains 30+ highway mpg. Automobile mag wrote: “The [APR chipped] GTI is the fastest traffic-beater in the world”. I would not disagree with them. “The 2.0T’s insane midrange punch and DSG’s ability to shift without losing boost work together to create an unbeatable combination when squirting through holes in traffic.”

This car will keep you coming back for more. Before my recent series of speeding tickets, I routinely got it up over 100mph on the freeway. It’s so fast and smooth that your confidence skyrockets almost as quickly as my insurance premiums.

With gas prices approaching $4.50, this is the all-around performer that you want in your garage.

By: haggis basher

haggis basher — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:42:28 +0000

Thats the difference! Mexico/Germany!!

That explains a lot in the quality of the cars from the US to Europe.

Personally I think VW’s are excellent (German built). I’ve owned MkIII and Mk IV Golf’s (plus several Polo’s) but when I then moved to a Mercedes I realized the VW’s were almost as well built as the Merc I had just bought but paid a lot more for.

By: jb

jb — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:47:22 +0000

i’ve got a 2004 jetta gli and i love it. it’s the 1.8t, however. one thing you’ll want to keep an eye on is your oil consumption. it may only be a problem with the naturally aspirated 2.0′s, but VW is on the record as saying that .84 quarts of oil EVERY 1000 MILES is within normal operating parameters.

good luck!

By: Doug

Doug — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:25:21 +0000

ps – I’ve had it a year and no problems – built in Wolfsburg not Tiajuana – be sure to get the 18″ Huf wheels, not the 17″s. Radio/CD quality is OK but nothing great. Better to listen to the turbo whine anyways!

By: Doug

Doug — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:21:11 +0000

I took over a lease on a 2007 GTI (lowered/body kit/CAI/Revo flashed) and it has been great – tight chassis, point and shoot steering, and lots of power (the “award-winning” 2.0 engine). Currently, they are a few thousand cheaper in Canada due to CDN$ exchange rate. Only downside for the kids is that it’s a 2-door not four, so they have to twist a bit to get in and out – but much better for me than the mini-van, and it does have good cargo capacity for its size. I’d recommend highly if you believe driving should be more than just getting from A to B.

By: Jeff Ventura

Jeff Ventura — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:13:09 +0000

Haggis,

I think the MkIII and MkIV Golf/Jetta platforms really hurt VW. They were built in Mexico and known for all sorts of issues, mainly electrical gremlins and assorted interior creaks and rattles.

The MkV chassis is a massive upgrade, designed from the ground up, and by everything I’ve read, it’s fantastic. Time will tell, I guess. This is my first German car, so I have high expectations.

By: Jeff Ventura

Jeff Ventura — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:10:59 +0000

Olly,

Yes, you can get the R32 here, but it’s expensive and it doesn’t do much in the MPG department. But it *is* fun. No question.

By: Mau

Mau — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 02:27:08 +0000

I own a 2001 GTI (I owned a 1997 before), and I feel very very jealous right now. Congratz!!!

By: haggis basher

haggis basher — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:30:04 +0000

I’ve always been a big VW fan, I’ve owned 4 of them and can’t understand the American perspective that a VW is a cheap and poorly built car. In Europe they are considered to be well above average build quality and the 4 I had certainly bore that out. Unfortunately VW’s are no longer imported here or I’d be driving Golf no.5.