Am I being unrealistic??

[MeatHelmet1981]

How much was the DSG box as an option originally on a MK5 GTi?

Seems that the manual cars are better spec'd that the DSG ones. Also a lot of manuals seem to have leather seats.

After looking at what options were available, I think I'd like a 3 door, DSG, with multi-function steering wheel, xenons and the tartan GTi seats, and not mega mileage.

I'm not fussed about what size the wheels are, or if it has satnav, or if it has cruise control.

Can't find a single one on the autotrader around or below £5k. I can find plenty of cars, but none that tick all my boxes.

Am I wanting too much? We're these options part of different packs?

[shoaybmakda]

Xenons and MFSW are quite easy retrofits if you want to consider them. On a DSG, MFSW is a simple retro fit and you can always fit DEPO headlights.

My local resident retrofitter @RetroRaz is a dab hand at fitting these bits as well as cruise control if you wanted it.

For 5k you might get some which are touching the higher end of the mileage spectrum but always worth keeping an eye out you get the odd few that come up cheap.

Good luck in your search @MeatHelmet1981

[RetroRaz]

Thanks @Shoaybmakda

There's some good ones on the mk5 golf parts page on Facebook that come up sometimes. At 5k i would say you could get one with decent mileage and spec. Just got to wait sometimes. I know people who have looked for a year until they found one. Not trying to put you off lol but just keep looking.

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

[MeatHelmet1981]

Cheers guys.

After a lot of reading tonight, and a lot of owners thoughts, and my father-in-law's input on the DSG box, I think i'll consider both.

Also reading a lot of threads on here about various modifications that can be made. Maybe not having xenons isn't that big of a deal? MFSW is probably something I would like with the car, rather than having to add it.

So the spec I'm now after is DSG/Manual, 3dr, MFSW, sub 100k mileage (or pretty close) FSH. Not fussed about cruise control, or leather, I'd rather not have leather, but if the rest of the spec is there, i won't discount it.

Let the search commence 

[mkmg76]

MFSW retrofit is a 20 minute job if the car is a DSG.

Cruise is about an hour and can be done at the same time as the MFSW as the airbag has to come off for both.

Xenons I've never retrofitted but i'd imagine a couple of hours as long as you have all of the parts. It's just bumper off, swap lights, bulbs etc., fit adapters & replace and code.

What I'm saying is buy the best condition car you can find and don't obsess too much on spec. You can alter all of that afterwards if you wish.

Good luck with your search. 

[pudding]

If I bought my Eddy again, I'd get the most basic spec imaginable!   My manual came with Xenons, Cruise, Sunroof, Arm rest and a Winter pack thingy.

Breaking down these 'must have' options:

Xenons - they wobble over bumps, the housing is slightly bigger than halogen lamps so the bumper doesn't fit quite as nice, they're a b1tch to change sidelight bulbs in, Revo intakes rub on it and truthfully, they're not even that bright.  They just look better, and that's it.

Cruise - I never use it.  Roads are too busy.

Sunroof - rattles when fully open.

Arm rest - creaks and rattles.

Leather - doesn't age as well as cloth and makes irritating noises.

Basic ftw.  Everyone wants these things - and you won't get them all for £5K, up your budget or keep saving - but living with them is a different matter.

[colesey]

IIRC both DSG and leather were @£1500-1750 extra when I ordered my car back in 2006. I wanted a manual but would not take leather again. The tartan cloth is part of the iconic image of the GTi and is more comfortable, whereas the Vienna leather of that era (which my wife wanted) turned out to be of relatively poor quality given the cost.

[mk1mad]

Takes a while to find a specific car, I was after very similar 3 door, DSG , tartan , non sunroof with xenons in shadow blue. Managed to find  a car which ticked all boxes apart from xenons took 6 months of looking.

DSG was a £1500 option.

[shoaybmakda]

http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,113955.0.html


A lot of car for the money but it’s a 5 door.

[Ripstop]

And another view... I was being very lazy when I looked as I didn't want to retrofit very much... time and skill poor basically. Most of this comes down to personal preference but I think if you relax your requirements a tad you may see more cars in scope. My must haves were:-

Factory xenon's (I can't stand piss poor halogens) already built in
Cloth seats, Girlfriend hates slippy slidy leather and it's cold on her arse when you first sit in them 
NOT tuned so no stage 1 or Intake manifold updates. I personally think the original does a decent job in standard form
Winter and Luxury pack with puddle lights , heated seats etc

The others where I wasn't fussed which it came with were
5 door whch didn't really bother me... sometimes people do sit in the back... hard to believe I know 
Sun roof which worked (Bonus) but hardly use.
Cruise control .. I have actually used it on a few trips up the M6 (Goddam 50 mph restricted speed zones!)
Miles.. as long as it had a decent history (paperwork and service record) and was in good nick. I bought at 90k and the engine still felt "tight"
Satnav (MFD2) - I upgraded this recently to an RNS 510 after a Canbus change)

I also took the view it was a keeper and I would spend money on it... which I have on essentials, brakes all round, suspension, cam chain, thermostat and sump filter. I regard this as an essential attitude as you feel really good when they are done and happy about the car. Either buy already sorted and more expensive or be prepared to spend to bring it up to scratch. 5k suddenly becomes 8k and maybe you could have bought a nice example off the bat for that money.

[MeatHelmet1981]

 Cheers for all the input and advice guys. I've refined my requirements somewhat 

I've been doing a lot of reading and will probably go for a Manual over a DSG, mainly because I'll be using the car more on twisty roads and rarely use it in traffic. We have a Mk6 5dr Golf TDi for that sort of stuff.

I have been using the Wife's Mk6 TDi on and off since I sold my Type R and must say, I think if I bought a GTi without a MFSW i would definitely miss it. I know it can be retro-fitted, but I'd rather it be there to start with.

I am quite mechanically minded, I do all the serving and maintenance on my FireBlade myself, so know my way around the spanners. So retro-fitting things would probably be something I look at later on. But it would be nice to have some things already there as a base.

Xenons are a nice to have, I have NightBreakers in the 'Blade and they work really well, so reckon I could live without xenons.

Leather interior and sunroof I would rather not have, but wouldn't be a deal breaker.

Has to be a 3 door, think they look a lot better than 5dr. We have the TDi for people moving.

Cruise I wouldn't use, dont use it in the TDi, don't like it.

Not bothered about colour, don't think there is a colour the GTi comes in that I don't like, which is unusual for me, i'm normally quite specific on the colour of my cars! Had to be a black Type R, and my previous Clio 16vs had to be either Black or Naples Red!

So, I'll concentrate on the important things first, the service history, the condition of the car, and if the essentials have been done or not, like the cam follower etc.

Think i'm gonna like this forum. My kind of place 

[P3T3R]

Like others have said be patient and what you're after will appear eventually. Playing devils advocate I'd definitely recommend DSG, worth trying both out for yourself to see which you prefer, plus you always have the manual option with DSG.

[MIJ_JAGGER]

+1 on DSG

[Dave_d]

I'll jump on the dsg bandwagon too. Gotta love the dsg farts on the twistys 

[Sutaka]

I've owned several manuals and the odd slushbox auto but I can safely say after owning a DSG Edition 30 I wouldn't want to go back to a manual. As for finding the right one your best bet is searching forums like this rather than Autotrader; which is quite frankly filled with part ex dogs that dealers are trying to offload for more than they are worth.

What you will find with a MK5 is that if the car you want doesn't have the options that you desire it is possible to retrofit things for less than you would think. I have since had fitted to my car cruise control, rear parking sensors and an RNS510 copy with a newer canbus unit.