After about 5 or 6 years I find myself back in a Mk5 Golf GTI.
In between, and for various reasons, I’ve had an E46 320d, a stage 2 Mk4 1.8T (VW Driver Mag featured), and a B8 Audi A4 S Line TDI, in that order. As much as I try to be ‘sensible’ and buy a nice, economic family car, it’s just not me and I end up pining for another GTI. Having owned a couple of Mk2’s, the Mk4 and my last Mk5, it’s fair to say I do love these cars and can’t stay away.
The S Line A4 I bought the day after my 40th birthday, and 6 months later it was sold to fund my latest Golf (did someone say 'mid-life crisis?), a 56 plate, 53k, 3dr with satnav, xenons and 18” Monzas. I really wanted an Edition30, but my budget wouldn’t stretch to a low mileage one, so I opted for a low mileage standard car. Bought from a hot hatch specialist in Birmingham, I’ve had it 3 weeks now. At first it seemed like a step down from the Audi in terms of modernity, interior equipment, and most of all road noise! Not sure if it’s the Dunlops all round or the sound deadening, but it seemed so much more intrusive than the Audi, and louder than I remembered my last one being (It may just be a noisy wheel bearing, I'll have to check). After a while though I got used to it, and after one or two B-road blasts I was reminded why these cars are so great and why I just had to have another one...
Although not planning to modify this car, it wasn’t long before I thought about doing the first bit of maintenance with a slight performance boost, and changed the air filter for a K&N:
It’s fair to say it was due a new filter
I think it has made a slight improvement in throttle response, and the car seems to run smoother, though it wouldn’t have made enough of a bhp increase to notice. I’d like to get it on the rollers one day to see how it is, but for now I just want to get it looking smart and well maintained.
As it pretty much hasn’t stopped raining for the whole 3 weeks I’ve owned it, I took the opportunity of some nice weather and a day off, to give it the full cleaning works. I’m no detailer, but I do the best I can with basic detailing knowledge and some half decent stuff. So, it had a good wash with Meguires Gold Class, followed by a full coat of T-Cut Colour Restore Black, and all plastics were treated with Auto Glym Bumper Care, which does a pretty decent job, but I do have some Gtechniq C4 on order. The grille and lower honeycomb panel were quite faded and the Auto Glym worked well. The tyres were given a freshen up, but I can’t remember the name of the product. Took it out for a few pics this afternoon while it was still in great condition:
So that’s where I am so far. Future plans include general maintenance - changing the cabin filter and oil change, maybe a set of Ed30 Pescaras or another OEM style wheel. I'd also like to upgrade the stereo to an RCD330 or similar.
For now I’m just going to enjoy one of the best GTI’s VW ever made..
