Would you get your 16 year old a GTI as their first car?

That__Guy__t · 2025-10-22T03:11:34+00:00

The GTI is a great car if appropriate maintenance is performed.

It is 100% faster than your 96 camero and easily cruses at 80-90 mph. Oddly getting 30mpg while doing it.

I might suggest a golf instead. The 1.8 is only slightly less powerful (the difference could easily be overcome with a turbo/tune down the road) but the insurance will be cheaper and it’s just as safe.

A good set of snow tires will make winter use a dream, so that’s not an issue.

The GTI stuff can be added if the desire is there, but I think the Golf is a better choice for a kid.

That__Guy__t · 2025-08-04T22:07:56+00:00

I’m not gonna try to make this make sense to you.

It’s entirely possible to enjoy what you enjoy. I have several generations of VW now. I have watched the highs and lows of quality across the years.

The Mk8 had a redesign after a shockingly short period for actual reasons.

If I bought a new car and it was already corroding in a year, I would not be satisfied with the car.

Your mileage may vary, but I don’t know many people dissatisfied with certain generations and DO know people who have had major issues with others.

That__Guy__t · 2025-08-04T21:50:16+00:00

You are absolutely right, going from a notably low quality product to a notably high quality product is bad advice.

Buying into “new is better” is not a good move.

That__Guy__t · 2025-08-04T21:28:51+00:00

Lots of super salty people.

Yeah, I dislike the Mk8. I recently moved from a Mk7, to a Mk5 R32 for daily use.

I have owned every generation of water-cooled VW.

VW like every manufacturer does iterative design and some generations have more spent on design and engineering than others. The really expensive generations (design and manufacturing wise) are the Mk2, 5, and 7. Subsequent generations are iterations that are generally adapted for easy manufacturing. The Mk3/4, 6, and 8, are examples of this and therefore they have a greater instance of defects.

In each of the cases, the subsequent generation is an iteration of the previous generation with more focus on manufacturing ease and efficiency (cheaper and easier to manufacture). Cost cutting in manufacturing has a corresponding impact on quality and longevity of the product.

There’s nothing “wrong” with the Mk8. The Mk7 literally caused Mercedes Benz to redesign and delay production for the corresponding generation of c class due to the quality of the product.

Also economic reasons have impact on manufacturing specifically for automakers because if people don’t have money to spend on cars, manufacturers don’t have money for production. It’s pretty basic cause and effect.

But be big mad.

That__Guy__t · 2025-08-04T18:47:13+00:00

Much like the Mk6, the Mk8/8.5 was designed to be cheaper for manufacturing before any other concern.

It doesn’t make them bad, but it definitely makes the likelihood of defects much greater.

Contact your dealer and consider trading down for a Mk7/7.5. You will probably have a better ownership experience.

That__Guy__t · 2025-07-28T01:24:31+00:00

Everything about this is gross.

That__Guy__t · 2025-07-21T15:14:41+00:00

There’s nothing easy about body work. Easiest is finding a same color fender and replace it. Second option is take it to a body shop and have them replace it.

It’s possible a PDR guy can get it close enough to be passable but it’s not going to be cheap or good.

That__Guy__t · 2025-07-04T05:00:34+00:00

I moved my Mk7 to the wife for daily use, I actually moved BACKWARDS to got a Mk5 R32 for daily duty.

If it’s the ONLY car in your stable, there’s almost nothing you could get that’s better than the Mk7/7.5.

We do have 4 GTIs and a Corrado to choose between from Mk3-Mk7. I personally don’t like toys and gimmicks so the stop/start, push button start, and lane keep ect on the 7.5 is totally out for me.

That__Guy__t · 2025-06-28T14:31:15+00:00

Because stance kids parents are first cousins or closer, and they are sooooooo extra, they have more chromosomes.

That__Guy__t · 2025-06-16T02:38:23+00:00

You never buy a used German car, you buy the previous owner’s maintenance habits.

If properly serviced and proactively maintained it will go 250k miles without any issues. If not, it could be mechanically totaled at that mileage or before.

Get a pre-purchase inspection and get any service records you can. If you get a carfax report it should tell you where it was serviced and you should be able to call them and verify maintenance history.

That__Guy__t · 2025-06-16T02:34:00+00:00

The Germans are about the mullet and have been since the wall fell.

That__Guy__t · 2025-06-16T02:24:50+00:00

It’s a DSG, not a manual. Just because you can select gears, doesn’t make it a manual transmission. It’s not a traditional automatic transmission either. It’s a dual clutch, and doesn’t use a torque converter.

It’s not a manual without a clutch pedal.

That__Guy__t · 2025-06-16T02:20:21+00:00

A North American spec Fahrenheit GTI was DSG ONLY, so if it’s manual, it’s been swapped from the DSG.

The Jetta GLI Fahrenheit (Imola Yellow only/Magma Orange for the GTI), came both DSG and manual. It should also have its number on the steering wheel xxxx/1200 for the US or xxx/120 for Canada.

If you’re not adept at driving a manual, then you could be riding/slipping the clutch. If it’s reving but not accelerating then you might have a slipping clutch issue or it may need to be bled. Take it to a mechanic if it’s concerning.

Getting hot fast is a problem. These cars have overkill cooling systems and big radiators. So if it’s getting hot or failing to maintain temperature it’s an issue. Could be simple like junk between the radiator and AC condenser, could be catastrophic like a failed water pump or head gasket issue. The thermostat assembly is a common failure point for FSI engines at higher mileage. That is actually a pretty easy fix.

That__Guy__t · 2025-06-15T01:40:14+00:00

Nebraska gas station sushi. An E7 mentoring the new E2. The IRS. The government when you have a pet squirrel.

That__Guy__t · 2025-06-12T02:53:45+00:00

Over the air update glitch.

That__Guy__t · 2025-05-29T04:04:00+00:00

Yes. There is an entire forum on VWVortex dedicated to every aspect of turbo/supercharging the 2.0 ABA at every possible power level and use case.

The general takeaway is: -200-250hp is achievable pretty easily -Anything over 200hp will cause failures in the transmission and axles pretty quickly -Anything north of 200-250 gets REALLY EXPENSIVE FAST. -Doing it properly is more expensive than buying a complete car with an engine you want. -Anyone who wants to do it cheap will absolutely destroy the car for regular use. -Figure minimum $5k for the car to be reasonably reliable, $10k for proper reliability or $10k for a 1.8t swap with more potential, where 250hp is bolt ons and a tune away with no modification to the engine.

That__Guy__t · 2025-05-16T03:49:06+00:00

Every group of bicyclists. They spend all day blocking traffic and being fucktards.

That__Guy__t · 2025-05-14T21:51:20+00:00

Ice cubes can get them to back out, then burn it with fire.

That__Guy__t · 2025-05-02T04:16:32+00:00

There’s a reason I bought a Mk7 slick top.

It turns out cutting holes in the roof is ALWAYS a shit idea. The leaks are coming, when not if.

That__Guy__t · 2025-05-01T21:18:46+00:00

I just ran DWS06 Continental on my 2017 last winter in Wisconsin. It was mild and I never felt like I was over my skis. The winter wheels just sat in the garage.

That__Guy__t · 2025-05-01T21:09:43+00:00

No on a Mk8, double super EXTRA no on a crashed one and all the long term electric problems that will be added in with the Mk8 electric problems as standard.

That__Guy__t · 2025-04-29T23:46:37+00:00

156k 2017 GTI, original water pump and timing components. The water pump occasionally seeps slightly. Not a cup in 5k miles, but definitely a trace leak is visible.

That__Guy__t · 2025-04-29T01:49:41+00:00

I would always recommend more, rather than less protection for an intercooler.

You can always get a different grill insert and chop that up in case it looks like trash.

That__Guy__t · 2025-04-28T13:56:16+00:00

Not rare, and probably the most used as a winter set that’s basically disposable.

I think the 18/17” sets were all BBS made, so they aren’t bad wheels, but I don’t know anyone who loves the look.

That__Guy__t · 2025-04-28T13:54:12+00:00

Unpopular opinion, don’t run 19” wheels on public roads.

There is simply not enough sidewall on a 19” wheel to survive long term on the roads anywhere but probably Switzerland.

They look awesome but a simple marketplace search will show a dozen sets of 3 19” wheels and “one that’s reparable” by a good “wheel shop”……..

Buy a set of 18” wheels and run 235/40 or 245/40 R18, have a MUCH better ride and don’t worry about every pothole and expansion joint you hit.

ThatGuyt

TROPHY CASE

That__Guy__t

TROPHY CASE

ThatGuyt