GTI 1.4 owners

[daveb73]

Hi, I'm new hear so just thought I'd check in and see how many of you own an R6 GTI 1.4?

I've had my 2012 5 door for around 3 weeks now and am loving it - what are your experiences with this car, likes, dislikes, options etc.

As I said, mines a 2012 plate 5 door in white - I bought it as a one owner with just under 9k miles on the clock. It came with the optional sun roof, bi-zenons, headlight washers and upgraded stereo (the one with the big screen).

I've done just over 750 miles in it so far and it doesn't appear to be drinking any oil as yet (I know it's an issue with some of these) - I have a spare litre in the garage just in case...

Look forward to your comments, thanks

Dave

[Tooks]

Hi, and welcome!

I joined after buying a GTI too, very similar spec to yours but no sunroof, although I do have the winter pack which is great.

My early thoughts on the car are here;

http://www.uk-polos.net/view ... 56&t=62005

I've done a few thousand miles since then, and I'm still really pleased with it.

I disconnected the sound actuator, as I found it boomy and intrusive, and without it I can hear the supercharger more and the metallic and real howl of the engine at high revs is better in my view than the artificial sound actuator. I sometimes reconnect it just to check I prefer it without though!

My mpg has settled down to around 38mpg with a mix of rural roads and hard acceleration/fun, and can get over 44mpg on a 200 mile run.

Oil wise, I did have initial concerns over consumption, but with my driving style/journey patterns it has settled down to 1 litre per 2800 miles, which is more than I'd like and more than any car I've ever had, but it's well within the VW tolerances. I don't mind the fresh oil going in between services to be honest!

Performance stock is good, but with my TMC box on is excellent, I really notice the difference after 2100 rpm and it really pulls from 4500 rpm.

I came from a 265bhp Audi S3, and was worried I'd find the performance a bit lacking after that, but being a lighter car it doesn't feel all that much slower although it undoubtedly is I guess, even remapped. The main thing is, it isn't slow in comparison to the majority of cars on the road, and nor is it boring.

I've lowered mine on Eibach pro springs, which look better than stock, without looking too 'boy racer', and I've replaced a rear stock shock absorber which sprung a leak. I'm going to change all the shocks to Bilstein B6's soon I think, and keep the springs.

I'm also running a set of winter tyres at the moment, and the traction and particularly braking on snow and ice is excellent compared to the stock Dunlop summer tyres, I don't miss my quattro so much now. I'd highly recommend a set anyway.

Overall, nearly a year into ownership, it continues to impress me with its ability to be easy to live with whilst being playful when you want it to be. Very practical too, plenty of room in the back for my daughters baby seat.

[daveb73]

Hi Tooks - thanks for your reply, I really appreciate all the info, and your car sounds great There's obviously a lot for me to learn on these cars, can you tell me what you mean by the sound actuator? Also, I take it the TMC tuning box is kind of like a remap - how does this effect the insurance as I assume you have to declare it?

thanks again

[hornmeister]

Loving my 2013. Due for it's second service in a couple of weeks.

My mileage is quite low, 7000 ish. I've had the turbo sensor fail a couple of times which limited me to 3000 rpm but that seems to be fixed now.

As before oil consumption is a little higher than I'd Like, I've topped it up 3 times plus the one service where it obviously got a change. Fuel economy is excellent when I'm not a hooligan, very little beats me off the lights and I surprised how such a small car feels so comfortable and effortless at speed on the motorway.

Given my time again, I'd like adaptive cruise control and a heated windscreen. I also wouldn't get black due to watermarks after washing. Other than that it's perfect.

[Tooks]

Hi Tooks - thanks for your reply, I really appreciate all the info, and your car sounds great There's obviously a lot for me to learn on these cars, can you tell me what you mean by the sound actuator? Also, I take it the TMC tuning box is kind of like a remap - how does this effect the insurance as I assume you have to declare it?

thanks again

The sound actuator is comprised of a control unit under the near side scuttle panel, and a unit that attaches to the bulkhead/windscreen base. It basically adds a 'fake' engine note into the cabin, but I find it a bit boomy. The Golf GTI/GTD have them as well.

The TMC box is a remap yes, added about £20 pounds to my annual premium.

[daveb73]

Thanks Tooks. Do you think the TMC box is worth the money, how does it compare to having the car properly remapped with dyno time? Thanks

[Tooks]

Well, it's a point that many will argue, but the map and box achieve similar end results and essentially do the same thing, albeit in a different way. I think boxes have a lesser reputation with some because they confuse them with very cheap 'resistor mod' tuning boxes that are in all honesty pretty poor. There are bad mapping companies too though.

The TMC and other reputable boxes (DTUK/Racechip to name two) are most certainly not of that ilk, but are computers in a box that hold maps for the individual car model they are meant for.

I've used maps or boxes on all my cars for years now, and they both work.

I don't know how my TMC box compares to a remapped Polo GTI, as I haven't driven one. What I can say is that the performance with it on is very different to without, and I haven't suffered any adverse effects in nearly 18,000 miles with it on. TMC will also reflash it to other vehicles in the future got less than the cost of a completely new box.

I did enquire about remaps for it, but the companies concerned (some of whom I'd used before) were a bit vague about whether they'd have to remove the ECU and modify it to remap it. Some said it may take 2 days, and would be irreversible. I decided I didn't want to go down that road, and a box seemed more sensible. TMC were very communicative and seemed to know their stuff and I liked the idea of getting it out of the box and be up and running inside 20 mins. It's totally removable too, no trace, and you can alter the power settings via an adjuster.

For a standard car, I think the TMC box makes sense. On the GTI, it can only alter what the turbo boost, timing and fuelling are doing. It cannot alter the supercharger performance (nor can a map) as that requires mechanical changes. Fortunately, the GTI has plenty of low down shove anyway.

If my car had mods like a decay exhaust, big turbo, etc etc, then a custom map by a company that knows what they're doing and to get the best gains from your mods would be the better solution.

Horses for course they say.

[sambir]

Great car the Polo GTI. I think from 2012 onwards they stopped drinking oil.

I had two Polo GTI's one was from 2011, the other from 2012. The 2012 model needed 1 ltr oil very 1500km, the other nothing even after 20k did not even had to add 1 liter.

I love the GTI's especaially the DSG gearbox. Try to shift between 4500 and 6000 rpm all the time, then you will hear the DSG "FART" as they say

Nowadays i drive a manual 1.6TDI, i miss the dsg allot but did not trust to buy one with dsg before 2010 since these where the early models...

[RJW2012]

My first post so hello - having owned a 2001 Black 6N GTI (leather, not the frankly dodgy 'red' interior), 2006 silver 9N3 GTI and now a 2011 6R GTI I agree with pretty crazy oil consumption. I hadn't heard this before buying - I just wanted the latest Polo GTI (although eclipsed now by the 2015 model with the fancy 'sus stuff & a bit more BHP).

Any performance motor is going to burn oil, I'm living with it and using the same oil it's had in it since the factory, Castrol. It's not cheap but you know, for the sheer amount of fun to be had it's a small expense - go buy an AMG Merc and you have the same issues (bit of a s**t comparison but you get my drift).

I'm probably putting a litre in 800-1000 miles - dependent on driving style - usually triptronic. If you get to know DSG it's not that bad, maybe try making a few adjustments to your driving style if your not a fan.

Mines got the winter pack, daytime running LED's, RNS 315, etc. but for me best of all, it's Shadow Metallic blue... Come on, I know you kids like a Candy White, really, Black and I'll let you off.

To be honest, pound for pound in my experience the Polo is a great little car - the 2001 car was pretty far ahead for it's time; 6 CD changer, heated leathers, headlamp washes, VVT - it was quick. I just followed regular oil changes with this, had the gearbox reconditioned (main fault with these - well documented). Loved it, Black and Leather. Drove it for miles around Europe.

The 9N3 a real step up; torque and 3/4th gear high range pull under turbo was impressive (mine tended to run quite hot and having to turn the heater on in the car in the summer in traffic on the M25 is not ideal). You also would have caught me simply grinning behind the wheel saying 'I love this car.' Also had an expensive power steering pump failure with this, that aside no real issues - cam belt I suppose was the expense.

The 6R is a step up again - I never driven a mapped Polo, any genre. I'm thinking about Revo stage 1 with this but I've had problems with tuned cars previously so the jury's out - I hung around for the colour also to be honest; 20,000 miles on a 61 plate direct from VW. Never had any issues with DSG - think mine missed the recall for software - I've read of numerous issues with the earlier models & mines still under the VW extended warranty programme, we'll see.

You've got to be firm and not try and second guess it (tiptronic). S (sport) for me is lazy quick power, just pull it back (don't need to press the button). You do need to concentrate with DSG also, if you can't engine brake in a normal car you probably need to learn. The 2015 model has built in launch I think, that might be the Golf, not sure. I think the handling is spot on, I don't get all the talk of wooly steering and s**t - mine is precise, point it and it goes. It's not lowered and I'm running the original Dunlop Sport Max's.

I was hanging around for the mooted WRC (not the street) but according to some sources VW have scrapped it - 4WD 250BHP would have been alright wouldn't it. Love the Polo - too many BlueGT drivers on the forum though!!!




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