The Mega Mk7 Golf GTI/GTD/R thread

theintern · 23-03-2019 08:01PM

Comhra wrote: »

Well wear. Fantastic looking motor. Whatever you do, just mind those alloys and be ultra-careful parking by the kerbs. Enjoy.

One was kerbed so the dealer got it fixed before I bought. I've heard the Santiagos are a bit of a pain to mind alright. I'm hoping the parking sensors and reversing camera help avoid the majority of issues!

theintern · 23-03-2019 08:04PM

Actually, where are people getting their pressed metal plates from? I'd like something that's not the bog standard, but still legal.

hooch-85 · 23-03-2019 08:17PM

That's a beautiful car, excellent spec, one of my favourite colours on these too, was a great find. All the best with it.

JoeA3 · 23-03-2019 08:18PM

theintern wrote: »

Actually, where are people getting their pressed metal plates from? I'd like something that's not the bog standard, but still legal.

eireplates.com.
Great quality, next day delivery. He’ll do them without county or dashes too if you ask.

Car looks great!

vintagevrs · 23-03-2019 08:39PM

Quality. Great spec. A 2nd hand manual PP is what I would buy if I had to choose a performance golf. That one looks brand new, enjoy.

theintern · 23-03-2019 08:43PM

vintagevrs wrote: »

Quality. Great spec. A 2nd hand manual PP is what I would buy if I had to choose a performance golf. That one looks brand new, enjoy.

The guy who had it bought it new and just traded it in for a new R, so I think he looked after it. Found one tiny mark on the paint while washing it but that's about it so I'm delighted.

I was pretty impressed with the Autoglym rapid wax. Easy to apply because you don't have to dry the car first and brought up a lovely shine on the car.

ChuckLarry · 23-03-2019 08:44PM

The Santiago’s are the business
All the best with the new motor

23-03-2019 11:05PM

I appear to be in a bit of a minority on this but I think plastic plates look way better than pressed metal plates, I just don’t like the look of the metal ones at all.

JoeA3 · 23-03-2019 11:17PM

Plastic plates are naff. Dealers usually compound it by making an absolute hames of the font spacing, the sizing, then drilling them to the car (and cracking the plastic laminate in the process).

23-03-2019 11:21PM

As I said I just don’t like metal, they look cheap and old fashioned and just don’t suit modern cars imo.

theintern · 23-03-2019 11:57PM

Lance Tall Beagle wrote: »

As I said I just don’t like metal, they look cheap and old fashioned and just don’t suit modern cars imo.

I think this might be a perspective thing, for me plastic plates have been on everything for a good while and so they're common and naff to me, whereas metal plates are a bit different and interesting. But metal plates were on everything before plastic, so I can see how they are 'old fashioned' to plenty of people.

24-03-2019 12:01AM

Like we have a vintage car or two in the family and I think the metal plates really look good on them but on a modern hot hatch to me anyway the plastic looks much better but each to their own of course.

JoeA3 · 24-03-2019 12:16AM

This isn’t vintage car plates we’re talking about. It’s just a simple clean legible plate with well spaced fonts that doesn’t delaminate and look like sh1t within months... makes for a much cleaner smarter look I reckon.

For example...

SaintsYB · 24-03-2019 12:42AM

I was looking at getting plates like those before Joe. I read though that you must have the county name in Irish at the top of the plate. Have you had any issue with that before?

JoeA3 · 24-03-2019 12:54AM

SaintsYB wrote: »

I was looking at getting plates like those before Joe. I read though that you must have the county name in Irish at the top of the plate. Have you had any issue with that before?

Running plates like that for years, no issue. The NCT testers probably would take issue with it but that’s a problem far down the road.

SaintsYB · 24-03-2019 12:57AM

JoeA3 wrote: »

Running plates like that for years, no issue. The NCT testers probably would take issue with it but that’s a problem far down the road.

That's good to know. I had the NCT done just before Christmas so that issue won't arise until after I plan on getting rid of the car. I might just go ahead and get some of these done.

bazz26 · 24-03-2019 01:27AM

Put back on the old standard ones for the NCT.

Atlantic Dawn · 24-03-2019 01:36AM

I really can't understand people German plating their car, wtf connection has Ireland with Germany, they were feckers at every stage this country was on a downer. I'd associate anyone with a German style plate as being a traitor to the country, utter tools.

theintern · 24-03-2019 02:01AM

SaintsYB wrote: »

That's good to know. I had the NCT done just before Christmas so that issue won't arise until after I plan on getting rid of the car. I might just go ahead and get some of these done.

Seems the NCT is the only issue. Might get one of those holders for plates where you can swap in and out plates easily enough.

theintern · 24-03-2019 02:07AM

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

I really can't understand people German plating their car, wtf connection has Ireland with Germany, they were feckers at every stage this country was on a downer. I'd associate anyone with a German style plate as being a traitor to the country, utter tools.

I've never heard of someone being so patriotic about our number plates! They're German cars and the German plates are a bit different which makes the car stand out a bit, which to be fair is the reason for a lot of mods.

DaveyDave · 24-03-2019 02:43AM

Quick question on service costs. I was under the impression GTI, R etc weren't expensive to service? When I was driving the Cupra your man said the pads and discs are *really* expensive.

How expensive are pads and other consumables on these cars compared to regular models? Hard to gauge what his idea of expensive is...

If I was to look at something with almost 40k on it, would I need to look out for anything? DSG service on the 6 speed is 60k isn't it?

dastardly00 · 24-03-2019 10:41AM

theintern wrote: »

Actually, where are people getting their pressed metal plates from? I'd like something that's not the bog standard, but still legal.

+1 for www.eireplates.com

I got pressed metal plates for them last month. The plates I got have the standard Irish font, the county in Irish above the reg etc., i.e. they are legal. Trevor will do whatever you want.

I really like them and I think they look a lot better than the plastic plates with the Dealer's info on them.

JoeA3 · 24-03-2019 12:34PM

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

I really can't understand people German plating their car, wtf connection has Ireland with Germany, they were feckers at every stage this country was on a downer. I'd associate anyone with a German style plate as being a traitor to the country, utter tools.

No one said they were?? The pressed plates we’re talking about above have standard fonts. The German plates fad seems to have gone out of fashion thankfully.

Comhrá · 24-03-2019 01:22PM

JoeA3 wrote: »

No one said they were?? The pressed plates we’re talking about above have standard fonts. The German plates fad seems to have gone out of fashion thankfully.

Nothing impressed me quite like the 09 MO Toyota Corolla I remember overtaking me at high speed a few years ago sporting the German plates.

Neilw · 24-03-2019 03:10PM

DaveyDave wrote: »

Quick question on service costs. I was under the impression GTI, R etc weren't expensive to service? When I was driving the Cupra your man said the pads and discs are *really* expensive.

How expensive are pads and other consumables on these cars compared to regular models? Hard to gauge what his idea of expensive is...

If I was to look at something with almost 40k on it, would I need to look out for anything? DSG service on the 6 speed is 60k isn't it?

Rear discs and pads wear quickly, on cars with vented rear discs they corrode badly too. These would be on the R, PP Gti and Cupra.
I replaced discs and pads at about 25k Kms due to the pads being worn and corroded discs, think the job inc labour and genuine parts was about €290.

DaveyDave · 24-03-2019 10:28PM

If I was to look at a 161 model, would the brake fluid and diff oil be part of the third service? If not is it fair to expect them to be done?

Is it cheeky to ask for an early DSG oil change?

Neilw · 25-03-2019 11:44AM

DaveyDave wrote: »

If I was to look at a 161 model, would the brake fluid and diff oil be part of the third service? If not is it fair to expect them to be done?

Is it cheeky to ask for an early DSG oil change?

Brake fluid change was included in the service pack of my 161. DSG isn't due until 60k miles or something like that.

What's more important on an R is the haldex oil, mine was filthy at 20 odd Kms when changed. It was changed again at 37k Kms and the filter gauze was blocked and filthy oil.
VW won't clean the filter gauze so an independent is the only option.

I doubt there are many R's here which have had an annual haldex oil change and it is absolutely needed.

dar83 · 25-03-2019 02:13PM

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

I really can't understand people German plating their car, wtf connection has Ireland with Germany, they were feckers at every stage this country was on a downer. I'd associate anyone with a German style plate as being a traitor to the country, utter tools.

Haha.

theintern · 25-03-2019 04:19PM

DaveyDave wrote: »

If I was to look at a 161 model, would the brake fluid and diff oil be part of the third service? If not is it fair to expect them to be done?

Is it cheeky to ask for an early DSG oil change?

I told my salesman that I wanted the PP diff oil change done, and to make sure they did the brake fluid change. It wasn't quite due either of them, but he basically didn't know what I was on about and so just told the service department to do both and they did.

He's also enabling app connect for me. Everything is on the table when you're negotiating. I'd say try your luck and if they're keen to sell the car, they'll do it for you.

theintern · 25-03-2019 04:25PM

Update on my new (to me) GTI PP.

Had it out on some twisty roads in Connemara over the weekend and so got a chance to floor it a few times. To say I had a smile on my face would be an understatement. It was incredible, power just keeps coming. I know that you get used to extra power but it really feels like there's enough there for most any type of driving I'm going to be doing. I haven't tried the standard GTI brakes but the upgraded PP ones feel excellent.

I also love keyless, ACC and the reversing camera. And herself is happy because it has the dual zone climate control.

One very very happy GTI owner.

The Mega Mk7 Golf GTI/GTD/R thread

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