So, I’ve taken the plunge.
I’ve ventured forth from the normally aspirated VW GTi’s, which have been the foundation and spear head of my adolescent and middle aged motoring life. I’ve left familiar, proven territory in the quest for a newer car based on the established reliability, driveability, and the whole reason as to why we have these cars, fun!
I’ve never owned the pioneering Mk1 GTi. I’ve always wanted one, more so when I was younger, and they were newer, but always out of my price range. So the humble MK2 is where I first sat in the driving seat in 1993 of a 1984 3 door 8v model. I’ve been hooked ever since owning a total of 12 GTi’s over the years. I’m currently saying good by to the car the MK5 has replaced, and that’s a MK3 8v GTi in tornado red. It’s 16 years old now and has been a great car. I’ve had ABS issues with the MK3. Often seen as a bit frumpy, it’s not fast by any means, but it is certainly characterful and I’ll be sad to see it go, especially as I’ve furnished it with some Fulda winter tyres, it’s keeping me on the move over this last week or so.
So the new car is a 55 plate 5 door mk5 GTi in silver. Front wheel drive with 197 bhp, I’m a bit sceptical. I’ve not had the chance to drive it much due to the snow and a knackered battery.
My previous turbo experience has come from the classic Subaru impreza turbo. Sound engineered car, with wafer thin body work. The VW will be better built than this, surely? Well, I’m not sure. The MK2 and MK3, yes, but this MK5? Time will tell for me, but my plastic air intake is broken, and whilst changing my bulbs over it’s apparent that the head light lenses are plastic, not glass…..
It’s a lovely car, a nice place to be. Handles well as you all know, so I’m very happy on that basis. Sounds like a tractor on idle which is pants, but has a great throaty rumble in the low rpm which is where I do most of my lazy driving these days…
I’ve read the horror stories of cam followers and the legendary failure of the DV and PCV and only hope the sale of my trusty 90k mile MK3 isn’t an expensive mistake….. time will tell, but VW’s are built to stand the test of time aren’t they?
Look forward to catching up with you all the forum.
Cheers
Spadds
PS does this mean that Club GTi is for the older models only now or is it a separate forum altogether?
Can I put my Club GTi stickier in the mk5 I wonder?
