Golf GTE - Looking to buy used

kapisko1PL · 06-07-2020 1:25pm #1

Hello Guys,

I am looking to buy a used Golf GTE (2016/2017). It is going to be my first hybrid and I want specifically this model as it does appeal to me so.

I have heard that the 2015/2016 models had to had the battery replaced due to water getting inside the battery packs but is there any other things I should be on the look out for?

What would you consider a high mileage for this car?

What is the engine's reliability like?

Does the dual mass flywhell cause any issues?

I found a nice Golf GTE with keyless entry, reverse camera etc. (trim that is very rare here in the ROI). It is a 162 reg BUT the car has done 110k km (a bit too much I think?) Priced at 17,000.

Any opinions on the GTE from previous/current owners would be greatly appreciated.

User1998 · 06-07-2020 2:52pm

I had a 2016 GTE with 110k miles (175k km’s). 110k km’s is nothing. I wouldn’t worry about the battery. When you test drive the car make sure its fully charged and try out all driving modes and make sure the car charges correctly. I didn’t do this for either of the GTE’s I purchased but it would be a good idea. The electric motor has a warranty until something like 100k miles anyway.

Its a really good car, in the few months I owned it I never had any issues and the 1.4 tsi is generally quite reliable. I’d make sure it has a full service history and if the DSG oil hasn’t been changed definitely factor that into your purchase. I sold mine a while back and upgraded to a 171 facelift version a few days ago

kapisko1PL · 06-07-2020 3:19pm

User1998 wrote: »

I had a 2016 GTE with 110k miles (175k km’s). 110k km’s is nothing. I wouldn’t worry about the battery. When you test drive the car make sure its fully charged and try out all driving modes and make sure the car charges correctly. I didn’t do this for either of the GTE’s I purchased but it would be a good idea. The electric motor has a warranty until something like 100k miles anyway.

Its a really good car, in the few months I owned it I never had any issues and the 1.4 tsi is generally quite reliable. I’d make sure it has a full service history and if the DSG oil hasn’t been changed definitely factor that into your purchase. I sold mine a while back and upgraded to a 171 facelift version a few days ago

Class. How much is a DSG oil change?

Also, since it's half ICE, how much does it cost to replace the timing belt (chain?) and how much have you paid to get it serviced?

Were you getting a good MPG out if it?

User1998 · 06-07-2020 5:22pm

Its fairly expensive I think its €250-€350 but its quite important. I didn’t get it done myself as it was already done. Servicing costs are the same as a 1.4 TSI Golf. Timing belt around €400.

MPG varies so much with Plug in hybrids. The more you drive in E Mode the less fuel you use. My long term average was 150 MPG, but I hardly ever used the engine. If you are willing to charge the car every day and use E mode a good bit you should get 80+ MPG. If you don’t charge the car and never drive in E mode the best you will get is 50 MPG which still isn’t bad for a 205 horsepower petrol car

kapisko1PL · 06-07-2020 7:54pm

User1998 wrote: »

Its fairly expensive I think its €250-€350 but its quite important. I didn’t get it done myself as it was already done. Servicing costs are the same as a 1.4 TSI Golf. Timing belt around €400.

MPG varies so much with Plug in hybrids. The more you drive in E Mode the less fuel you use. My long term average was 150 MPG, but I hardly ever used the engine. If you are willing to charge the car every day and use E mode a good bit you should get 80+ MPG. If you don’t charge the car and never drive in E mode the best you will get is 50 MPG which still isn’t bad for a 205 horsepower petrol car

Perfect thanks, I got more answers from you in one day than I got on the internet when looking.

Also, if I run it in hybrid mode, how often would you have to recharge? Say I do 50km daily, on the M50, would you have to recharge every night?

User1998 · 06-07-2020 8:13pm

I’m almost certain when your driving at motorway speeds the battery level doesn’t go down all that much because its the engine doing most of the work. Weather you’d have to charge every night I’m not sure, I don’t think you would have to

Infernal Racket · 06-07-2020 8:19pm

Don't be that person who drives a 205bhp car at 35 miles per hour trying to save electricity though. I've passed a few of those in GTE"s recently

Pacifico · 06-07-2020 8:56pm

Rare car these days...did you purchase here or the UK?

kapisko1PL · 06-07-2020 9:23pm

I would use the 204HP to the full potential but living in Dublin with the traffic one could save some amount on fuel too when running in electric

I have emailed VW about the battery cost and servicing plans for the GTE but have yet to receive a reply. Also heard some bad things about the TSI engines as well as the DMF on these engines. But I guess there's a bad story with every car.

Infernal Racket · 06-07-2020 9:44pm

kapisko1PL wrote: »

I would use the 204HP to the full potential but living in Dublin with the traffic one could save some amount on fuel too when running in electric

I have emailed VW about the battery cost and servicing plans for the GTE but have yet to receive a reply. Also heard some bad things about the TSI engines as well as the DMF on these engines. But I guess there's a bad story with every car.

I just picked up a GTD today having toiled for the last few months about getting the gte. I live in the country so diesel won out this time.

User1998 · 06-07-2020 9:54pm

Pacifico wrote: »

Rare car these days...did you purchase here or the UK?

I purchased both of mine in the UK. I think you’d be mad buying one here, you have about 3 of them to choose from

kapisko1PL · 06-07-2020 10:21pm

User1998 wrote: »

I purchased both of mine in the UK. I think you’d be mad buying one here, you have about 3 of them to choose from

There seems to be a bit more than 3 on done deal. I think with time people want to switch to a different car and because they were discontinued there is more of them appearing for sale as used. Although I wonder how much I could save importing one from the UK. Is it even worth it?

kapisko1PL · 06-07-2020 10:21pm

User1998 wrote: »

I purchased both of mine in the UK. I think you’d be mad buying one here, you have about 3 of them to choose from

There seems to be a bit more than 3 on done deal. I think with time people want to switch to a different car and because they were discontinued there is more of them appearing for sale as used. Although I wonder how much I could save importing one from the UK. Is it even worth it?

User1998 · 06-07-2020 11:04pm

Yeah there were none for sale in Ireland when I imported mine, only a small few of them for sale now. I just bought a 2017 facelift model from the UK and there was only one for sale here, the GTE never really caught on over here. I’d say the new mk8 model will be more popular in GTE form.

Theres similar mileage 2016’s in the UK for less than €16k after travel and VRT, not huge savings in fairness

charlieIRL · 09-07-2020 10:32am

Infernal Racket wrote: »

Don't be that person who drives a 205bhp car at 35 miles per hour trying to save electricity though. I've passed a few of those in GTE"s recently

A GTE passed me on the M4 coming out of Dublin yesterday evening and they certainly weren't on battery power!!!:eek::)

kapisko1PL · 09-07-2020 10:37am

Actually, since the 1.4 is turbocharged, how does the engine cope with stress when you're in electric and then need that extra bit of power when the engine is cold? Same for the turbo, say you're driving around in the gte mode but then drive into town and the engine switches off since you're in the 30 zone. Turbo has no cooling then. Does the oil pump work in electric mode too, cooling the turbo?

kapisko1PL · 27-08-2020 1:44pm

For anyone looking to replace the hybrid battery in their GTE I just got quoted @€;8450 + vat after ringing one of the vw dealers in Dublin. I think I'll stick with a conventional ice at this stage. Used gte might not be the best idea!

Gumbo · 27-08-2020 1:45pm

kapisko1PL wrote: »

For anyone looking to replace the hybrid battery in their GTE I just got quoted @€;8450 + vat after ringing one of the vw dealers in Dublin. I think I'll stick with a conventional ice at this stage. Used gte might not be the best idea!

Why did you need to replace the battery?
Your post is like saying don’t buy a petroleum car. I just rang the dealer and it’s costs €8450 plus VAT to replace an engine!

You should never need to replace an engine unless very unlucky, same goes for the battery.

kapisko1PL · 27-08-2020 2:45pm

I didn't need to replace the battery, I rang them to get a cost estimate. Having two powertrains in one car is obviously higher risk than going with just a conventional ICE especially when buying used. A lot more things to go wrong. Why would anyone buy a car without checking the cost of replacement parts anyways? If an ICE breaks, tough, go into any mechanic and they'll fix it for you. Not with the GTE unfortunately if the hybrid system is fckd. And that specific model had recalls made for the batteries due to water ingress so not sure if it was done by the previous owner or not.

unkel · 28-08-2020 12:42pm

Gumbo wrote: »

Why did you need to replace the battery?
Your post is like saying don’t buy a petroleum car. I just rang the dealer and it’s costs €8450 plus VAT to replace an engine!

You should never need to replace an engine unless very unlucky, same goes for the battery.

+1

The full battery and drive train on pretty much any EV has an 8 year old warranty anyway, at the end of which the car is 8 years old and typically not worth all that much. Not sure if this applies to the leccy bits of most PHEVs too.

User1998 · 28-08-2020 3:36pm

kapisko1PL wrote: »

I didn't need to replace the battery, I rang them to get a cost estimate. Having two powertrains in one car is obviously higher risk than going with just a conventional ICE especially when buying used. A lot more things to go wrong. Why would anyone buy a car without checking the cost of replacement parts anyways? If an ICE breaks, tough, go into any mechanic and they'll fix it for you. Not with the GTE unfortunately if the hybrid system is fckd. And that specific model had recalls made for the batteries due to water ingress so not sure if it was done by the previous owner or not.

So before buying a car do you check how much an engine replacement costs? The hybrid system has a 100,000 mile warranty and is far less likely to cause trouble than the engine itself

Soarer · 28-08-2020 4:23pm

kapisko1PL wrote: »

For anyone looking to replace the hybrid battery in their GTE I just got quoted @€;8450 + vat after ringing one of the vw dealers in Dublin. I think I'll stick with a conventional ice at this stage. Used gte might not be the best idea!

That's a ridiculous post in full.

Everything from the battery price to the dismissing of the GTE due to a problem that rarely/never occurs.

kapisko1PL · 29-08-2020 12:51pm

In my case I want to keep the car for +10 years and I really doubt the battery will hold up as long. If I could keep about 70% of capacity after 14 years (162 reg) I'd be happy.

Golf GTE - Looking to buy used

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