GTI fanboys, here's your chance.

[Bg8780]

The girlfriend is looking for her first new car. She has really started to like the MK7 GTI. There isn't much else on the market that she likes. I'm trying to find something that is practical for her and "cute" but still fun to drive. For the times we have to take her car for whatever reason I'm not stuck driving a Camry. I've mentioned the Focus ST and WRX but she really doesn't like either of those.

I've been doing a lot of research on the GTI and my main concern is reliability. Her parents are buying this car for her as a gift for completing grad school. Her dad is very keen on Consumer Reports...ugh... I've had to sort of be the GTI spokesperson to him and tell him all the good about the car. If he had his way, she'd be getting a Camry. Luckily, she hates the Camry. So in short, if we do end up getting a GTI and it has reliability issues this will turn into her dad saying "I told you so" and I'll look like an ass for recommending the GTI.

This car will also be running high mileage but also maintained properly. Her family for some reason does not trade in cars. They buy them, take care of them and drive them until the wheels fall off.

Most of the issues I have read have been on owner forums but that's like saying the twins have a major issue because of the DI seal threads.

SO! What are your honest opinions on the GTI? Will this car spend most of it's life being serviced by the dealer? Or will it be fun to drive and reliable?

[King Tut]

She doesn't need a GTI. The Jetta TDI would be a better choice for a chick.

[BlueDubbinTDI]

I'm definitely going to be trading in my 2010 Golf TDI for a mk7 GTI in a couple years. Cars don't get any better for the price.

[DarkSunrise]

My wife loves our mk6 GTI. She pretty much started driving it and never gave it back. No problems with about 25k miles on it now. She wants to run it into the ground, although I am a bit hesitant keeping it past the powertrain warranty to be honest. Not worried about the engine (TFSI/EA888 in the mk6 is reliable), but the dual-clutch trans will be expensive if anything ever goes wrong with it.

It's also a pretty good drive if you want to change things up and take it some days or autocross/track. Not like an FR-S/BRZ, but the torque and refinement are nice.

Also be prepared for the possibility of more tickets. With the refinement and quiet turbo, the speed can sneak up on you. My wife got one of these driving the car.

[n2oinferno]

The GTI is so reliable that my MKV was only in the shop for one whole month when it had a CEL at 30k miles! And the dealership/shop experience was so good that the owner initially offered me a whopping 16 thousand dollars to buy the car back from me when they crashed it on a "test drive" after they told me to come pick it up because it had been fixed! Imagine that, the car only depreciated 13,000 in the year and a half I had owned it! When they were tooting their horn about how VWs held the best resale value that year, they sure were accurate!

tl;dr to the above: Screw Steve White Volkswagen in Greenville, SC.

Would I buy another VW? I dunno. My wife really likes the Jetta Sportwagen and admittedly we never had any issues with her MKV Jetta Wolfsburg Ed. So the 2.5 at least was a good engine. Personally, when it comes time to replace the Camry I'd rather we get a Prius instead of a VW.

[Bg8780]

@King Tut yeah but then I have to drive a Jetta. Also, she doesn't like the Jetta.

Thanks everyone for the replies. Keep them coming. There really isn't much else on the market that is fun to drive and that she likes.

Sent from Moto X

[King Tut]

Originally Posted by n2oinferno

The GTI is so reliable that my MKV was only in the shop for one whole month when it had a CEL at 30k miles! And the dealership/shop experience was so good that the owner initially offered me a whopping 16 thousand dollars to buy the car back from me when they crashed it on a "test drive" after they told me to come pick it up because it had been fixed! Imagine that, the car only depreciated 13,000 in the year and a half I had owned it! When they were tooting their horn about how VWs held the best resale value that year, they sure were accurate!

tl;dr to the above: Screw Steve White Volkswagen in Greenville, SC.

Would I buy another VW? I dunno. My wife really likes the Jetta Sportwagen and admittedly we never had any issues with her MKV Jetta Wolfsburg Ed. So the 2.5 at least was a good engine. Personally, when it comes time to replace the Camry I'd rather we get a Prius instead of a VW.

Originally Posted by Bg8780

@King Tut yeah but then I have to drive a Jetta. Also, she doesn't like the Jetta.

Thanks everyone for the replies. Keep them coming. There really isn't much else on the market that is fun to drive and that she likes.

TDIs should have better resale value as well. If she really likes the Golf over the Jetta, then I still say a Golf TDI would be a better investment. Dose turbo diesel torques.

[Reaper]

This^

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[chrisl]

If she wants a fun car, the GTI is a great choice, but if you're the one angling for a fun car and she doesn't care as much, I agree with the comments above that a Golf TDI would be a better car. It has great low end torque, and it's hard to argue with the combo of better resale value and better gas mileage.

[Bg8780]

Thanks for pointing out the TDI guys. How is the DSG in this platform? No matter how much I try to convince her, she does NOT want a manual.

[dem00n]

Originally Posted by Bg8780

Thanks for pointing out the TDI guys. How is the DSG in this platform? No matter how much I try to convince her, she does NOT want a manual.

Forget the Jetta, get the Passat TDI. My brother drives to work and back, he only fills up fuel once a month.

My brother has one, it's nice car. The DCT is stupid fast for a commuter car like that. It can fit 5 people comfortably, it's also pretty damn good looking in blue. It has a lot of details other cars in that price range dont.

[gramicci101]

More importantly than all this other nonsense, what color is she looking at? It has to complement your car when they're both in the driveway.

[OrbitalEllipses]

Originally Posted by gramicci101

More importantly than all this other nonsense, what color is she looking at? It has to complement your car when they're both in the driveway.

wut

Originally Posted by Bg8780

So in short, if we do end up getting a GTI and it has reliability issues this will turn into her dad saying "I told you so" and I'll look like an ass for recommending the GTI.

Then you don't recommend it. You recommend HE make HIS little baby girl happy, by getting HER the car SHE wants. When the car SHE wants inevitably poops its pants, it's HER fault because she's a woman and makes decisions based on emotions instead of logic.

[King Tut]

Originally Posted by gramicci101

More importantly than all this other nonsense

I thought for sure this sentance would end with asking for pics of his girlfriend. Son I am disappoint.