VW Golf MK7

nerobert

Hi all,

Just wondering is there anything to look out for in these cars or are they generally solid? I know VW has a decent name for reliability. I’m looking at the below two cars and just looking for a few opinions on them. What is the best engine choice etc. I’m trying to get insured for the first time so I’m swaying towards the smaller engines. Thanks

https://www.windsor.ie/used-cars/11184869-volkswagen-golf-tl-1.0-tsi-79-per-week/
https://www.windsor.ie/used-cars/10877507-volkswagen-golf-1.0-tsi/

drunkmonkey

I might be wrong but those look like MK7's even though they have 181 plates. The MK7.5 came out in mid 2017 and has updated body styling and interior.
Here a 181 Mk 7.5 https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/volkswagen-golf-hl-1-0tsi-6speed-110hp-5dr-straig/22865641
There an engine build date on the side of the engine, I bet those ones you posted say 2016 or 2017, I very much doubt they say 2018.

JoeA3

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I might be wrong but those look like MK7's even though they have 181 plates. The MK7.5 came out in mid 2017 and has updated body styling and interior.
Here a 181 Mk 7.5 https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/volkswagen-golf-hl-1-0tsi-6speed-110hp-5dr-straig/22865641
There an engine build date on the side of the engine, I bet those ones you posted say 2016 or 2017, I very much doubt they say 2018.

They're both 7.5's, just fairly base spec.

drunkmonkey

JoeA3 wrote: »

They're both 7.5's, just fairly base spec.

You could still get the button radio in the 7.5?

Pacifico

drunkmonkey wrote: »

You could still get the button radio in the 7.5?

First time i've seen it in a 7.5 alright!

JoeA3

drunkmonkey wrote: »

You could still get the button radio in the 7.5?

Thats the new generation radio in both those cars, albeit the most basic smallest screen version. You don't see it often because the large majority of Golfs sold here are Highline / Comfortline.

drunkmonkey

I see it now, does look different from the mk7 one. Does he still get apple car play and Android auto with that one?

Do they have the auto braking I think that might help with insurance.

JoeA3

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I see it now, does look different from the mk7 one. Does he still get apple car play and Android auto with that one?

Do they have the auto braking I think that might help with insurance.

I doubt it’s carplay compatible no.
I’m nearly sure they all have the radar cruise now, but it’s harder to tell from a photo on the 7.5 as it’s behind the VW badge.

Either of those cars should be very insurance friendly and easy enough on fuel too. The specs aren’t great in them but most of the essentials are probably there.

bazz26

Those two look like base Trendline models and smell of ex rental at some point in their life as only rental companies were really buying Golf base models, though it looks like someone stuck oversized alloy wheels on the second one. If you don't care about spec then I guess they are ok but if you like a few creature comforts then I'd spend a little extra on a Highline like this as you will probably get most of the difference back when you go to sell it on: https://www.carsireland.ie/detail.php?ad_id=2547873&r=s.php%3Fm%5B%5D%3D93%26o%5B%5D%3D812%26f%3D1%26yn%3D2018%26yx%3D2018%26g%3D0

colm_mcm

They look like Trendline with innovation pack.

drunkmonkey

Not that you mention rentals Hertz are flogging off their stock, bit of a saving to be had https://www.hertzcarsales.ie/used-cars/search/?make%5B%5D=Volkswagen&model%5BVolkswagen%5D%5B%5D=Golf&budget-program%5B%5D=pcp&pcp-deposit%5B%5D=1000&pcp-annual-mileage%5B%5D=10000&pcp-term%5B%5D=36&hp-deposit%5B%5D=1000&hp-annual-mileage%5B%5D=10000&hp-term%5B%5D=48&section%5B%5D=142566&pageId=1178243

colm_mcm

When they say price includes up to €2000 scrappage, what does that mean?

thomas anderson.

I have had an MK7 for the last 7 years (bought from new) and here are the issues I have had :
-3 shocks failed
-AC makes a loud whining noise
-Centre console screen pixels are dying
-Centre console folding drawer failed
-Centre console rolling drawer failed
-Both wing mirror glass fell out while driving
-Passenger door handle mechanism failed
-Drivers seat belt became frayed, had to be replaced

They are soft car all round. Engine wise though, its been reliable enough.

mk7r

Don't forget the water leaks....

thomas anderson.

Also Diesel tank door flap failed

PaulRyan97

thomas anderson. wrote: »

-Both wing mirror glass fell out while driving

They seems to be a recurring problem, happened to me there last week, glass just fell out as I was leaving work, on a 2016 Highline that I've had for the past year.

Other than that though I've had no real issues, though the 1.2tsi can be rather thirsty at times depending on how you drive.

thomas anderson.

PaulRyan97 wrote: »

They seems to be a recurring problem, happened to me there last week, glass just fell out as I was leaving work, on a 2016 Highline that I've had for the past year.

Other than that though I've had no real issues, though the 1.2tsi can be rather thirsty at times depending on how you drive.

Happens when you leave the demister turned on, it softens the glue. Terrible design in fairness, even complained to VW and their response was 'just don't forget to turn off the heater, that's €70 please for the new mirror'. Bought the next one off of micks garage

Toyotafanboi

What did you expect VW to do? Redesign the entire Golf 7 mirror glass for you?

Obviously it's an issue that shouldn't happen but now it has happened and it's understood why, is it not reasonable and most straightforward for you to just turn off the heater when not in use?

The Mk7 isn't without it's fair share of issues like most cars out there but most of your list of faults isn't stuff they are known for, you may have just been unlucky.

nerobert

Lads thanks for the advice on the cars, To be honest I didn’t even take much notice to the screens in them although I wouldn’t mind spending a bit extra for nicer spec I’m still having a look around. I thought I had my mind made up on the golf but I like the look of the new focuses after seeing them around.

I know the focus is a few grand dearer and more modern than the golf but how would they compare?

thomas anderson.

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

What did you expect VW to do? Redesign the entire Golf 7 mirror glass for you?

Obviously it's an issue that shouldn't happen but now it has happened and it's understood why, is it not reasonable and most straightforward for you to just turn off the heater when not in use?

The Mk7 isn't without it's fair share of issues like most cars out there but most of your list of faults isn't stuff they are known for, you may have just been unlucky.

Throw me a free mirror that, i dunno, would have a small clip on it that keeps it held in place. Or maybe better glue. And these issues are well known. How do I know this? Well, when I went to fix this issues it wasnt too hard to find a multitude of "how to take apart your MK7 golf" videos.

JoeA3

thomas anderson. wrote: »

Throw me a free mirror that, i dunno, would have a small clip on it that keeps it held in place. Or maybe better glue. And these issues are well known. How do I know this? Well, when I went to fix this issues it wasnt too hard to find a multitude of "how to take apart your MK7 golf" videos.

This is unsurprising. Replacing mirror caps (gloss black is the current fad) on these cars is a very common mod.

colm_mcm

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

What did you expect VW to do? Redesign the entire Golf 7 mirror glass for you?

Obviously it's an issue that shouldn't happen but now it has happened and it's understood why, is it not reasonable and most straightforward for you to just turn off the heater when not in use?

The Mk7 isn't without it's fair share of issues like most cars out there but most of your list of faults isn't stuff they are known for, you may have just been unlucky.

It’s not unreasonable to expect a mirror glass not to fall off. The rear demister has a function where it turns off automatically after a certain length of time. If VW choose to have a system that stays on all the time unless you move the position of the mirror switch - then maybe they should make a mirror glass that isn’t held on soley by glue that melts with heat.

It wouldn’t be unheard of to make a modified part, then do a recall.

thomas anderson.

JoeA3 wrote: »

This is unsurprising. Replacing mirror caps (gloss black is the current fad) on these cars is a very common mod.

Sorry. I should have been more specific. I should have said "how to take apart that piece of your MK7 golf that is now broken due to poor design and manufacturing practices" videos.

And just to be clear, I also have a 30 year old mazda as my daily run about which has never, ever given hassle (touch wood)

Philb76

Have to laugh at some of the posts on here when German stuff goes wrong and it frequently does as we have all experienced it's bad luck and uncommon those golf 7 had lots faults right from the beginning and glass falling out is disgraceful yet people are still willing to pay over the odds for one

User1998

Philb76 wrote: »

Have to laugh at some of the posts on here when German stuff goes wrong and it frequently does as we have all experienced it's bad luck and uncommon those golf 7 had lots faults right from the beginning and glass falling out is disgraceful yet people are still willing to pay over the odds for one

I mean I’d rather replace mirror glass than have catastrophic engine failure

DaveyDave

Philb76 wrote: »

Have to laugh at some of the posts on here when German stuff goes wrong and it frequently does as we have all experienced it's bad luck and uncommon those golf 7 had lots faults right from the beginning and glass falling out is disgraceful yet people are still willing to pay over the odds for one

People are paying whatever they're worth and they're happy to do so because most people will experience little to no faults. These issues are happening to a very small percentage of people.

There's millions of Golfs out there, just because you might find a few lengthy threads online about a particular issue doesn't mean they're any worse than any other car.

If you Google faults of any other model you will find something. OP is also considering a Focus, they should read about the EcoBoost engine troubles it had. Could be worse, Toyota's airbags were going off randomly...

Schorpio

Just going to add my 2 cents here. Have a 2013 Golf (mk 7) that I bought from a VW main dealer in 2016 with only 10k miles on the clock and a 2 year warranty. In that time I've had the following:

- Water pump leak (replaced under warranty)
- Turbo wastegate rattling loudly under acceleration (fixed under warranty)
- Ignition key barrel failed
- Front right shock leaked
- Wing mirror glass fell out

Regarding the wing mirror glass - I am religious about turning the heater on only when required, and turning it off again. And yet, one of mine still fell off. Luckily it happened at low speed tottering around a car park. I'm tempted to replace the other one because I've read stories online where the mirror has come off at high speed (motorway etc.) and damaged paintwork along the side of the car during its decent.

All of the above is just my own subjective experience, and with all of that said, I still like the car. Not sure I'd get another though.

Philb76

User1998 wrote: »

I mean I’d rather replace mirror glass than have catastrophic engine failure

They had there fair share of terrible engines with design problems I like vw and all cars have bother but reliability and quality is dodgy no better than a French car but for some reason it never sticks with VW my well maintained and serviced golf didn't even last 90 000 when it packed up

bs2014

Philb76 wrote: »

They had there fair share of terrible engines with design problems I like vw and all cars have bother but reliability and quality is dodgy no better than a French car but for some reason it never sticks with VW my well maintained and serviced golf didn't even last 90 000 when it packed up

Also don't forget the coolant and heater matrix problems with the diesel. VW don't even know the cause of it themselves only that its a huge money maker. The silicq bag inside the coolant bursting is one of the big causes.

I had a 7.5 highline, bought new in 181, it caught fire (from the front of the engine, where the grille is), cold engine, middle of the night, the Garda arrived (neighbour called them), at this stage the fire had not reached the cabin, fire brigade arrived (station is 8km away) by then the whole car was engulfed, completely wrote off approx 7k km on it. 2 fingers from VW and 1 finger from the insurance company. was my 5th VW and my last.

bs2014

Did your insurance not even cover you????

tossy

Deleted User wrote: »

1 finger from the insurance company.

Will i add the pinch of salt now ? Tell us why it wasn't covered by insurance ?

theintern

thomas anderson. wrote: »

Also Diesel tank door flap failed

This was a common problem in the first year of the MK7, but has since been fixed, so anything past 2014 shouldn't have this issue.

My 2 cents having had two MK7s, a 2.0 TDI and a GTI are that there are a few niggles, but generally they're good cars.

Personally I've had a few minor issues;

- boot leaked, due to rear vents

- metal backing plate on front brake discs came loose, making a terrible noise. This is something to watch for on UK imports. It's a thin piece of metal, and gets corroded due to UK salted roads.

- Water pump was replaced under warranty. This wasn't actually causing a problem, no pools on the ground, but I noticed some minor drips and insisted they do it.

Positive points are that I've never had a 'big' showstopper problem, as happened with a MK3 Focus where the clutch failed on me a couple of months after I got it and left me stuck in first gear on a dual lane road.

I really like the MK7, and would happily buy another.

bs2014

bs2014 wrote: »

Did your insurance not even cover you????

tossy wrote: »

Will i add the pinch of salt now ? Tell us why it wasn't covered by insurance ?

I had fully comp so it was covered, the reason I said 1 finger was that they gave me 23k for my 30k car, feckers.
I'm sure a few years ago they would replace with a new car if yours was written off in the first year, anyhow it did piss me off somewhat and there was no way to replace like for like (not that I would ever buy a vw again) with that money.

JoeA3

Deleted User wrote: »

I had fully comp so it was covered, the reason I said 1 finger was that they gave me 23k for my 30k car, feckers.
I'm sure a few years ago they would replace with a new car if yours was written off in the first year, anyhow it did piss me off somewhat and there was no way to replace like for like (not that I would ever buy a vw again) with that money.

Yeah, a lot of policies still do claim that they'll cover a new replacement within the first year of the car's life. I guess some of them don't. A lot of the manufacturers sell "GAP insurance" now too to cover these scenarios. Your car was 30k new, it wasn't new anymore.

What did VW say? Was the cause of the fire determined?

JoeA3

JoeA3 wrote: »

Yeah, a lot of policies still do claim that they'll cover a new replacement within the first year of the car's life. I guess some of them don't. A lot of the manufacturers sell "GAP insurance" now too to cover these scenarios. Your car was 30k new, it wasn't new anymore.

What did VW say? Was the cause of the fire determined?

VW said nothing they could do about it, no cause was determined, only info we have is where the fire started, with flames and sparking coming from the front grille, the Garda forensic guy took away a pile of ash from the front of the car for analysis :rolleyes: came back with nothing saying there was no crime committed so nothing else they can do, got a letter from them confirming same.
I know the car wasn't new, but, I could not get a similar highline golf with same kinda mileage less than 7k, for the 23k they gave me, so I took a 7k euro kick in the goolies. they did waive the excess 250, also got them to waive the excess on the missus' car, 3k worth of damage to her car from the heat of the fire. she could only claim on her own policy, cannot claim against mine as it was a fire. still with the same insurers and my policy actually went down to 346 (from 376) on renewal, so I guess I am just being a bit bitter about the settlement.
having said all that, I did love that Golf she was beautiful

noelf

When I bought my 1 litre Golf back in 2018 I took out a return to invoice policy just to be on the safe side if anything happened (€400) haven’t needed it yet 3years cover ..