Mk5 GTi - known faults

[courgette]

Hello All

I'm considering buying a 55-plate GTi.

It's done 40k miles, which has included several track days.  It's had a cambelt and ABS pump.  Keen to hear from you what I should be looking for when viewing/driving car + to get an insight into common/known faults etc.

Many thanks
Courgette

[Poppa Dom]

If it is at 40k, has it had the 40k service done - quite a big one. Is the car manual or DSG - DSG oil needs changing at 40k. If it has been looked after well and been tracked it may have been changed early - check the logbook, if it has it's a good sign of a caring owner! If it has been tracked, check brake set up carefully - rotor/pad wear. Some early GTI's did have steering rack issues so check this out too. Go through all electrics thoroughly for piece of mind, check boost/dv. Ideally if there is someone with VCDS get them to scan for codes when viewing car, doing some logging if a test drive becomes an opportunity. Not sure what the interval on the cambelt is, seems a bit early? Am sure others will step in.

[VC]

welcomes 

[courgette]

It's a manual.

It has been serviced at least twice.  Cambelt done at 40k in accordance with schedule.  It's on it's 2nd set of oem brakes.

What would be a fair price privately?  It has cloth with xenons?

[danishmkvgti]

40k miles is early, service book says 100.000 miles i believe?

Known weak spots engine wise:
DV
PCV
Aircon pump of the brand Xezel
coilpacks/spark plugs

from the top of my head, remember the are not often occuring just some things that are known to be weak, i would,'t trade my 2,0 TFSI for anything,,,, almost 

[courgette]

Cambelt is every 4 yrs, not 100,000.

Waterpump is normally changed at 2nd cambelt change, so at 80k.

[T88OMM]

Welcome along matey 

[danishmkvgti]

Cambelt is every 4 yrs, not 100,000.

Waterpump is normally changed at 2nd cambelt change, so at 80k.

In this part of the world where we use the metric system, it's 180.000km   mine got changed at 160.000km including waterpump change 

[xxx_mojo_xxx]

Might be worth checking the mount attached to the subframe supporting the exhaust.  They can break under hard acceleration, etc.