Volkswagen Golf

ToriP

Has anyone got any thoughts on the VW Golf - Specifically the new shape (mk 7 I think) Match 1.4TSi Manual 122Ps?

I'm test driving one this week and it seems like a good car for the price but interested in others thoughts

Many thanks

DUTR

A colleauge has just purchased the 1.4 Match changed from a Honda Civic 1.6 and is well pleased with it, keeps raving about the newly found mpg.

Wallaby84

We are looking at this car too
Trying to decide weather to get new or mk 6 used and the best way to pay for a (new to us) car! Looking forward to reading more replies.

daveyjp

The 1.4TSi has been messed with a lot as VAG group once again designed an engine which wasn't fit for purpose, so do your research into which ones are best avoided.

VW dealers are not known for their generosity when it comes to sorting known issues.

DUTR

Wallaby84 wrote: »

We are looking at this car too
Trying to decide weather to get new or mk 6 used and the best way to pay for a (new to us) car! Looking forward to reading more replies.

I have the MK7 GTI since new and almost 2 years, due to the ADC radar at the front the insurance is muc lower than the equivalent MK6.

daveyjp wrote: »

The 1.4TSi has been messed with a lot as VAG group once again designed an engine which wasn't fit for purpose, so do your research into which ones are best avoided.

VW dealers are not known for their generosity when it comes to sorting known issues.

What do you mean messed with? It's a popular choice engine so plenty about from 105ps - 150ps.

ToriP

I initially was looking at the A3 but the Golf was a little cheaper and i'm told similar underneath.

I'm forgetting diesels as I do a lot of stop-start traffic, annually about 12-15k and had previous DPF problems

At first I liked the Mk7 GT 150Ps but there are not very many about and even though the styling is nicer, it doesn't come with electric folding mirrors (I park on a street where I have to fold them in-out all the time) and no standard parking sensors. Therefore finding a used model with these is tricky.

The match has both of these as standard and although looks a little less 'sporty/designed' and has less power I still think suits me fine from a functional point of view.

I read a little about Auto/DSG boxes and it seems the 7-speed isn't great for reliability but the 6 speed is. The manual however is said to be solid. When I chatted to the salesman he said he isn't aware of any issues but I should opt for whichever box I liked the most.

The used range - at Franchise dealer - and within 12 months old and up to 10K miles is £17- £21k. How much movement could there be with a used motor from them?

daveyjp

DUTR wrote: »

I have the MK7 GTI since new and almost 2 years, due to the ADC radar at the front the insurance is muc lower than the equivalent MK6.


What do you mean messed with? It's a popular choice engine so plenty about from 105ps - 150ps.

That will be the radar which slams the brakes on if a plastic bag gets blown across it?

As for the engine. It started as a turbo and supercharged engine. That proved completely unreliable, cost VW a fortune in warranty claims so they dropped the supercharger.

The first turbo only model had a chain cam. The chain was known to jump causing catastrophic engine damage at low miles, but often just out of warranty. VW UK wouldn't acknowledge the issue.

VW then changed the engine again and the current model has a cambelt. All are badged 1.4 TSi.

Only time will tell if it is reliable. I would be happy going back to an Audi, but at the moment the the 1.4TSi is still an experiment.

DUTR

daveyjp wrote: »

That will be the radar which slams the brakes on if a plastic bag gets blown across it?

As for the engine. It started as a turbo and supercharged engine. That proved completely unreliable, cost VW a fortune in warranty claims so they dropped the supercharger.

The first turbo only model had a chain cam. The chain was known to jump causing catastrophic engine damage at low miles, but often just out of warranty. VW UK wouldn't acknowledge the issue.

VW then changed the engine again and the current model has a cambelt. All are badged 1.4 TSi.

Only time will tell if it is reliable. I would be happy going back to an Audi, but at the moment the the 1.4TSi is still an experiment.

Nearly but not quite, there are several types of warnings before the brakes are applied, and there is a button on the indicator stalk to overide the system temporarily if there is a false positive.
Over a time all cars will have AEB, so the luddites best get used to the introduction.

loskie

worth looking at a seat leon too

motorguy

DUTR wrote: »

Nearly but not quite, there are several types of warnings before the brakes are applied, and there is a button on the indicator stalk to overide the system temporarily if there is a false positive.
Over a time all cars will have AEB, so the luddites best get used to the introduction.

I have a mk6 golf and was lent a mk7 1.6TDI match with this technology. Overall i thought it was excellent. Very good with cruise control as it could slow you down / speed you up in traffic on a motorway.

Couple of limitations i found of it though :-

Firstly, if you have the speed set to say 70mph and are in the outside lane of a motorway and come up to traffic doing 50mph it will of course slow you down. If you then chose to drop in to the inside lane, which i would often do if there is no point in being in the outside lane, and theres no traffic in front the car will try to resume you back to 70mph, so it looks for all the world like you've just tried to undertake the cars in the outside lane, rather than simply dropping back to the inside lane.

Secondly, i was in the inside lane of a roundabout and dropped to the outside lane tight in behind a car in front. The radar thought there was about to be an impact and did an emergency stop on me, much to my shock and to the people around me.

motorguy

ToriP wrote: »

Has anyone got any thoughts on the VW Golf - Specifically the new shape (mk 7 I think) Match 1.4TSi Manual 122Ps?

I'm test driving one this week and it seems like a good car for the price but interested in others thoughts

Many thanks

Overall, great cars, and you're wise to avoid the diesel variant if you're not doing starship miles.

Check the likes of drivethedeal and broadspeed to see what discounts can be got. Also see if there are any ex "management" cars available. There can be good savings on those.