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I owned a mk5 GTI Edition 30 230hp for 7 years and it was mostly reliable. The main issue was the large amount of oil it used from new. I part exchanged it for a mk 7.5 Golf R and have never looked back. After 6 years I’ve only had a couple of minor trim issues… apart from that a rock solid daily driver. I love it…so versatile and quick. 👍🇬🇧

Sounds to me like he’s bought a car that’s been stood. And inherited all the problems. Seized brake calipers isn’t a mk6 gti issue it’s a car that’s been parked a long time issue. Same with the noisy clutch and leaking stuff, seals go hard. Sounds like he’s been unlucky but buying cars based on the number on the odometer solely is not a good idea I’ve done a few times and damn you do seem to inherit the bills

Test drove one of these a few years ago, my wife was so unimpressed she didn't even look up from her phone 😂

Thanks Jay for the review. I drive a 2010 MK6 GTI 3dr Tornado Red too. I have owned it since 2012 and it has been my daily driver. It has 215K kms on the clock now of which I have clocked up 180K kms so I have some experience of owning one long term. I do all the mechanics myself and so this has kept costs down over the years, however, I always use genuine VW or OE parts (i.e. Sachs clutch, Bosch rear discs, ATE front discs etc.) I have kept detailed records of the extras I have had to spend. So here goes: Total costs excluding tyres for 11.5 years of ownership is €5790 (€500 per year) this includes: servicing (every 15K kms), timing chain tensioner, clutch+flywheel, 2 x wheel bearings, 4 x shocks+springs, inlet manifold, 4 x ignition coil packs, pcv valve, 4 x disc+pads, powder coating of original 17" alloys and a number of small cosmetic items No car is perfect and provided you are aware of each car/engine's foibles you can do a lot of preventative maintenance. Fingers crossed it hasn't let me down yet. I have really enjoyed driving it. My eldest learned to drive in it and hopefully, the rest of my children will learn to drive in it too.

I have a 2011 MK6 Golf R DSG, which I've owned from new and has now done 155kkm. It's been extremely reliable, with just normal servicing and tyre costs. I believe the R has a different engine to the GTI, which could account for my great experience. I had it tuned after the warranty finished, which really gives it the extra power and torque it should have. (in addition, Australian engines are slightly de-tuned for 'hot climate') The car still 'feels' new and drives well, the seats and paintwork are in excellent condition. I've taken good care of it, but it's my daily driver and I've also used it to move house a few times, carry work gear, and visit the rubbish tip! It's highly optioned with leather interior, dynaudio sound, adaptive suspension, and 19" wheels. I'm surprised you didn't mention the seats as I know you like a good chair Jay! - the Golf seats are some of the best I've had. The R is a great all-rounder, fast, practical, fun. If you ever come to Australia I'd be happy for you to take it for a spin :)

Sorry to hear about owners woes, hopefully all sorted now! Thanks J! 🙏🙏

Just recently sold my mk 6 after 11 years of ownership, only things that went wrong was the manifold and a few coil packs, best car I ever owned, looked stunning in candy white with shadow monzas, bi xenon headlights and led rear lights. Finally part ex’d it for a mk7.5 r

I gave up long ago on trying to buy cars based on reliability. Of all the cars I've owned the two that coat me the most money and time in maintenance are my Alfa 147 GTA and my Lexus IS200 auto. The Alfa was actully really good for about 3 years, but eventually as it started to approach 20 years old things started going wrong, and they weren't typically cheap. The lexus on the other hand gave me problems from day one and never stopped. The key difference is that the Alfa is an Alfa - you don't buy one for reliability, you buy one for joy of driving, and it fulfilled that to perfection. To this day it's still probably the most fun and enjoyable car I've ever owned, and somehow i was always able to stomach the repair bills because i knew how much joy the car brought me - it made it all feel worth it. The Lexus however i bought largely for reliability and to be relatively cheap to run, and it failed at both miserably. It was horribly unreliable and cost an absolutely fortune in parts, maintenance, insurance and fuel. Yet unlike the Alfa it didn't really bring me any joy. It looked nice and it drove OK enough, but it just wasn't fun or enjoyable in any way, and did nothing to put a smile on my face... which made the pain of keeping it on the road feel even more...well... painful. I'm the meantime I've also owned a Subaru Legacy twin turbo which was a nice enough all rounder and was a bit pricey on maintenance but not too bad. Then I've also owned an Alfa Giulietta QV, a Mercedes W204 C250 and an 8v Audi S3 sedan - and the latter three euro cars have all been pretty much flawless in terms of reliability. The three most reliable cars I've ever owned. What all this has taught me is... in the modern times no cars are particularly simple. Even cheapo japansae eco cars often have complex turbo motors, DSG/CVT style gearboxes, complex infotainment systems, etc which can all go wrong in so many ways and can cost you significantly money when they do. So it doesn't matter what you buy, you can never really be sure of how reliable it will or won't be. So at the end of you day you may as well by something that you're going to enjoy so that at least if/when those repair bills come in you can actually justify paying them knowing that the car brings you joy. Because otherwise you may buy a relatively unexciting car purely for the sake of being sensible, and you might still end up spending a fortune on repairing it. And when that happens it's far harder to swallow.

I got to use one of these for a month when I was on leave working at a used car dealer in Johannesburg back in 2014...I loved the thing...drove the MK5 when it came out and liked it, the MK6 felt like they`d addressed all of the niggles and issues with the MK5....drove the MK7 after and have to admit that was really good, but the MK6 I became very fond of... The only downside to any GTi in Johannesburg is that they are number 3 on the top 5 most hi-jacked cars list, so driving it around at night was a little nerve wracking...spent a lot of time with one hand on the steering wheel and the other on my concealed carry 9mm handgun...

Main issue with MK6 GTI was its engine with its famous timing chain, while MK5 GTI Edtion 30, MK6 GTI Edition 35 and MK6 R used different engine with belt, with proper maintenance these cars amazing, especially stage tuned.

Yup, you summed that up perfectly. I currently own a MK6 GTI and I'm now looking to sell it as I'm just waiting for the next thing to break. Ive had to replace the water pump. Ive had break calipers seize up. Ive had two coil packs fail at the same time. The drivers side window has recently stopped going up and down. The drivers side rear window had to have the cable and motor replaced. The air conditioning water wastage pipe or whatever you call it blocked and made the car smell like a sewer until I managed to get it unblocked, and currently the lining in the roof has started coming away and will eventually come to rest on my head if I don't sort it out. But... I absolutely love driving the car, it is somuch fun, feels so quick and handles brilliantly that there's part of me that doesn't want to part with it.... but I will.

Early ea888 suffers from excessive oil burning too because of the piston rings designed for maximum efficiency with a tighter clearance but over time they get carbon buildup in the rings and start burning oil

I had a mk6 gti and it’s a great car but I had a lot a issues that cost me around 15grand in just a few years after warranty. The way they drive is just so much fun now have a mk7.5 and it’s been real reliable no problems at 68000 miles now 🤞😊 I have faster cars and this one is more versatile 😊

I own a facelift A3 8P with the same EA888 Gen1 engine as the base mk6 GTI (not the EA113 from the Edition 35). In my ownership (7 years) the only major failure I've had was one dead injector. Thankfully I'm very mechanically minded and work on my own cars. Four new injectors (revised parts), a DIY carbon clean whilst the intake manifold was off and it's been fine ever since. I am a fan of preventative maintenance so I've refreshed the whole timing chain system myself - new chains, new tensioners, new sprockets, new timing cover. Mine is also DSG (DQ250) and so far it's been a mixed afair. It can be quite jerky when cold. When I did my first DSG service I drained red fluid - likely standard ATF. With correct DSG fluid the jerkiness improved. I'm about to do my second service on it and hopefully flush even more out. I will eventually have the gearbox remapped as it's behaviour could do with some improvements.

My GTI Mk6 (MY 2009, stock, no mods, a 5-door version, manual) developed a serious radiator leakage after only 60k km from new - so the radiator and the water pump had to be replaced. It had a very questionable build quality, especially for a Teutonic car (uneven outer gaps, back lights got annoyingly pale after just 2 years, etc.). It never felt like a true driver`s hothatch - too dull, unwilling to pivot around corners. I still regret wasting a reasonable amount of money on it. Perhaps the best bit was the fuel consumption - fairly decent for the show.

I currently own a 2013 MK6 GTI. First Volkswagen, and fell in love with it on the test drive. It’s been a little over a year now, with 82k+miles. So far, it’s been great.

Loved my 6 speed, 3 door, 2012 GTI. Had a couple of fuel pump failures in the 8 years I owned it (if I recall there’s a high and low pressure pump, both gave up in me at different times). Had a very small oil leak from a tiny plastic part, easy resolution on that. Traded it in on getting my Cayman so it definitely didn’t turn me off German cars. I think I got 145k km out of it, so felt like those were not huge failures. I do miss my cloth tartan seats, like them a lot more than leather.

It sounds like a car that’s just been sat unused for a while. My RS4 was (is!) the same: the first three months cost me £3000 in corrective work and servicing. Excellent golf pun at the end btw 👏🏼

I have owned and loved my mk 6 GTi. Early models had issues which were mostly ironed out. Mime was a 2011 model. It never missed a beat.

I own a mk 7. 5. Bought used with 30k miles, I've put 35k miles on it. No major issues yet, but I do all the maintenance on time. It's not modified, and it's good to drive. I like it for what it is. No, it doesn't blow my socks off, but I really don't need a super spicy car when I'm just driving to work or running errands. Beats most SUVs and other economy cars, I suppose.

Currently own a Mk6 Edition 35, Had it for 12 years from 18k to nearly 100k milage now. Owned 2 x Sciroco Mk2 (GTX and Scala), a Corrado VR6 and a Mk4 GTI going back to the mid 90s While it has not been problem free it has been no more trouble than any other VW I've owned. My kids have grown up in the back of it and only manged to take out the drinks holder. My wife has tried to destroy it by crashing it into a variety of stationary objects - repairs have been reasonable now it is past the age where it gets done at a VW dealership. I used it as a van to move all the furniture to two new houses... All the while it has kept the ability to hustle down Somerset A roads in a semi-serious and pleasing manner. Do I love it like the Corrado? No of course not, but then I still have my license. Is it cooler than my mint silver Scala rolling through North London in the 90s. No, but the brakes work. Is it as tedious and turgid as the Mk4 GTI? A car that got named 'Jonathan Boring Nose' and deserves all the hate in the world? No it's a lot of fun. I don't doubt the common problems, but with a combination good luck and good maintenance I've swerved most of them. It's been 'a good car' and it's still going.

I'm glad I have the MK V with the previous gen 2.0T engine. Other than having to replace the timing belt (not chain) every 100,000 miles, maintenance has been very easy. It now has 240k miles and has been very reliable for me.

Thank you for an honest and thorough explanation of all the different failure points of these cars. No sugar coating and like you said, it's a shame since they look good and drive really well. Test drove one and you could tell the chassis, suspension and steering had A LOT of money put into the development. But at that time these were already on the used market and were also becoming increasingly famous for their awful reliability in terms of the DSG being an expensive and common failure point, and besides the EA888 engine the 1.2 and 1.4 TSI engines were also known for their timing chain problems. I knew it was really bad when i had a look at the aftermarket warranty for the car i ended up buying (a Giulietta) and it specifically mentioned that it does not cover any problems related to the DSG boxes or 1.2, 1.4, 1.8 or 2.0 TSI or TFSI engines installed in VAG cars. WOW. That is why i have been a bit cross about you complaining about a non working washer fluid pump on a Giulietta in your review but completely overlooking how reliable they are in terms of costly powertrain repairs. With these you were screwed if you wanted basically anything else than a manual diesel one. And lets be honest, those diesels worked and returned great MPG because they were fitted with the dieselgate software so not a good look for VW there either. Another great looking car plagued with the same engine and gearbox problems is the Scirocco, really a shame. All those great designs and great driving cars made in these era are basically unobtanium if you wish to not keep a spare 5k for repairs in your account at all times. This car, no, to be honest not the GTI specifically but this era of VAG products in general have put off a lot of people from German cars. A friend got a 2008 Audi A4 MultiTronic 1.8 TFSI (so the same EA888 engine as this). It needed: Timing chain, (located at the back of the engine making it a costly repair) and some valve/headwork since some of the valves were bent , then less than a year later it started burning oil and needed new pistons (also a common failure point). The MultiTronic transmission started to cook it's fluid constantly, it would turn pitch black in 6 months of use. He did 3 fluid flushes and nothing changed. It started to shut off during him moving off from a set of lights due to the gearbox shedding itself to pieces. When he did get rid of it it had cost him way more than 10 000 euros in repairs and the dealer who took it from him laughed that all in all the car should be thought of as being worth 3 times what he is paying my friend if you added all the repairs together. He didn't just get rid of the Audi by the way, he lost confidence in all cars and now lives a car free life. Also the cooling lines for the transmission were replaced at least two times. The rear left door stopped opening from the inside (he told me that was a common problem on them). Sometimes when driving the car would start to scream that the brake fluid reservoir was empty. Both rear door speakers stopped working. The trunk started to rust around the handle. Front fenders started to rust from the inside. Coils were needed to be replaced at a fairly low mileage. The only thing that car didn't need was extensive suspension work, control arms or balljoint, tierods etc, never had to replace anything in that regard. Another good one was when the sales manager at my previous workplace got a Passat CC as a company car, 2.0 Diesel with the DSG. in 6 months that car ended up going back to the dealer three times for extensive repairs on the DSG box. He got fed up with it (since he needed the car to the sales work) and actually got encouraged to try a Jaguar XF, since "how could it possibly be worse". He didn't touch a VAG product ever since. This era of VW, is the time when they were just raking in the money by making subpar products as cheaply as possible (and cheating in emissions tests to get marketshare too), they sold well (when new) due to reliability status of the MK4 Golf era products still lurking around.

Current MK6 gti owner here. I upgraded from the MK5 to the MK6 because of modifications more readilly accessible in my country ( New Zealand ) and in my time of owning VAG products ( also have owned a C6 audi A6 with the 3.2 V6 ) I Have really only had one issue which was a very simple fix, the High pressure fuel pump on my mk6. It was so simple to do I even was able to do it myself which says alot. The timing chains are really only a issue for cars up to 2011 and I have replaced mine. As long as you stay up to date on maintanince and use good quality oils/fuel, you wont have any issues!

The MkIII had weird little details that were interesting, for one: door hinges like a vault. The Jetta's trunk also had elaborate hinges that folded outside of the trunk space instead of the ubiquitous goose-neck hinges that are now still in everything. They were slow but spunky and fun to drive. Good torque. Little Tikes interior quality. It was weird what they seemed to overbuild and then skimped out on. I kinda gave up on the brand after being stranded multiple times. When things failed, it was usually oddly catastrophic. Despite all that, it was an incredibly fun car to drive.

Great review and so true! You should really try a MK4 GTI to compare, especially one with the 2.8L VR6. In stock form, you will find it is softer riding than the MK5 and almost as quick. And it makes wonderful noises. I own year 2000 GTI VR6 GLX with the 5 speed manual. I’ve owned it for over 10 years after purchasing it from the original owner and it has proven most reliable only needing, apart from consumables, a water pump and the replacement of cracked suspension bushings front and rear. I only wish my 2009 Passat wagon (with the same 2.0L TSI engine as the MK6 GTI) was so trouble free.

I used to have a mk5 6MT, absolute great fun but lost it during a flood but now got the 6R also great. I really like these cars since they do a bit of everything.

I had a 2010 GTI, purchased new. I kept it for nine years and it was still great when I traded it in for a 2019 Golf R. The GTI spun a camshaft journal at 8250 miles, VW replaced the engine and turbo under warranty, and it was all smiles for eight more years. The engine and turbo they gave me were new, not reconditioned, and it only took two weeks to ship the crate from Germany to Arkansas and install it. The car never required anything beyond normal maintenance. So there are people who had good experience with MkVI GTIs. BTW the R has been trouble-free for four years.

I've had my MK6 GTI for over 2 years now, at 169,000KM and have had 0 personal issues other than a battery needing replacing. Previous owners did all the preventative maintenance on time. This EA888 Gen.1 can be good, but needs to be looked after. (Side note it seems the Australian ones seem to be more reliable in general).

+1 for plenty of issues with the Mk6 For me, I had issues with both the fuel system and timing. These things are not cheap to run, especially outside of Europe.

Had a MK 6, 6 speed and everything mentioned, I experienced. Owned it for 10 years. Fixed everything including two walnut carbon cleanings. Countless water pumps. Some replaced under warranty, some my dime, last one through through USA class action lawsuit. Let's talk timing chain tensioner. Replaced and reimbursed under class action. Still loved the driving experience. 86 K on the odo when I traded. NOW, I enjoy a 2021 MK 7.5. First dual clutch. The car's a killer. Also, with purchase, got a free warranty extension to 7 years. A Certified Pre Owned. The car had 5 k dealer miles on it. So far so good just turned 25 K. Not enamored with the MK 8. Too much ridiculous tech. The 2024/25 tones it down, however. After that, I believe it's all electric. The memories...

Welcome to the club. I own a Volkswagen sharan from 2010. It has set me back in repair costs allmost the same amount of money i paid for the car 6 years ago. But you come a point when you realise its better to keep it because its impossible to get enough money back when you sell it. Ps its really practical and nice to drive with the 2.0 tdi engine and dsg 6 speed automatic gearbox with close to 200hk. Yes it has received more ponys.

My father has imported MK4 GTI 2002 from America back in 2004. 1.8T with 132kwh, and the car has been driven daily without any major issues for almost 20 years. Regular maintenence and some hoses getting changed and thats it. It's not much compared to todays cars, but it still can put up a fight :)

I almost bought. Gti but ultimately settled with a wrx. Coming from bmw was fed up with maintenance

I found on the road XDS works well. Certainly worth having over an open diff. Most modern hot hatches can throw a £2k bill. Doesn’t take much.

I’ve had my mk5 gti for 12 years and had huge issues with callipers, each one replaced twice. Had seized door locks, seized boot, seized bonnet latch, nearly everything rubber replaced numerous times and a few broken springs. Drives great and nothing else has really taken my fancy and the amount of things I’ve replaced I would assume it’s good for another 130k miles

I have the A3 equivalent of this car with the same first gen EA888 and I feel the owners pain... New rear calliper's, Rear main seal with clutch and flywheel, blower motor and various small vacuum and coolant leaks. Desperately saving for a mk7 of some guise!

I have been an owner of Golf 6 GTI for almost 3 years now. Nothing but trouble with this car. I had to change intake manifold due to CEL, one coilover failed, PCV valve membrane ruptured, replaced timing chain as it had original tensioner, diverter valve failed, clutch made weird noises so I replced it together with dual mass flywheel, had to replace left drive shaft as car was vibrating.... and now as the latest problem car started to hesitate around 3000 rpm when accellerating under light throttle.... very annoying and I am going to get rid of it.

Thanks for the tip!

I've got a mk 6 2012 GTI and have had these issues: oil leak, faulty turbo inlet pipe that needed replaced because air was getting out and carbon build up. Been driving it for many years and I love it regardless. If you maintain it as with most cars it will be reliable. Cheers.

The thing is these cars are super rare now even in Germany, not only the GTI also the standard Golf 6. The production time was very limited compared to other Golfs. You see more Golf 4s than 6s on the street.

Great review and sums up the mk6 GTI well. Never got the love it deserved at the time IMO but is beginning to get some deserved attention these days. Each modern generation of Golf is more of an evolution than revolution these days, but wonderful cars if you appreciate the ‘do it all’ nature of the them. They may not be flamboyant and as styled as something like a Focus ST, but as a daily that delivers practicality, comfort, and a bit of fun when you want it, they’re up there for me.

My mk5 3rd 1.9 tdi with plastic wheels is the best car! I love it never misses a beat

We just imported a 2008 Manual Mk V with 70,000kms from Japan. The paint was unmarked although it hadn't been driven for awhile and was de-registered. The Auction cost for the car was 1800 but freight, ins and Tax pushed that to 5000. It needed a few mechanicals (fluids, Brakes, headlining etc) and it owes us around 7500. My sons first car and what fun it is. He is car mad and loves it. Great to drive. It did take 6 months to find though, being both manual and low kms.

I'm pretty sure you wouldn't even notice a 10 hp difference.

We've had our 2012 mk6 gti for over a year now. Bought on 145k now on 157k miles. Had it checked for timing chain and was all in spec. Other than pcv being replaced, a bit of oil use and its been trouble free. Been to the ring, uk camping trips, school run etc. Does everything well, not the most exciting, but very reliable and comfortable for our family.

Great video. I own a 2013 gti, in the US. Great fun driving, but tons of issues, water pump, fuel pump, and too many to list. All issues occurred under 70,000 miles. Got me stranded more times than I care for. For reference, I bought it for $28.5k and spent around $15k in 10 years of ownership. Truly a shame, it handles great.

Just bought myself a MK6 Edition 35 today. Perfect timing for this video! Mine seems a minter so far 😬👌

I bought myself a 2009 Mk6 GTI 5 months ago, it was on 163k and I've since done another 6k or so. Paid £4,500 for it, serviced every 7,000 miles with proof of the revised chain and intake manifold being done by VW. So far I've fitted new sparks and coils and I've had a full carbon clean of the intake. I've got some injectors to fit soon as well. Otherwise, I've been really happy, love how it looks and drives and I'm happy with what I paid.

It seems to me that almost every VAG car made after about 2005 has been very expensive to run and maintain. From the direct injection and timing chain problems to the DSG gearboxes, brakes, suspension and the electronics. Not the cars they once were.

I still own and drive my mark6 gti as a daily driver since bought it new in 2014. It came with the updated tensioner, all I had to do in ten years was the water pump and fuel pump. 125,000 miles today and runs like a dream. I do have carbon on the valves and have treated with crc twice, ho0ing to avoid a manifold carbon takedown. I recently changed the tyranny fluid and brakes and gonna hand it down to my son. I love my mk6

I’ve had mine for 2 years, done new coils, and high pressure fuel pump. Not the worst. Turbo has wastegate rattle but otherwise good. I’m just glad it’s a safe place for my family and fun to drive so happy to pay for it.

I absolutely loved driving my Mk6 GTI, but after several problems (water pump, fuel pump, timing chain tensioner, coil packs, brake pad wear sensor...) I had to give up by 100k miles. My Mk7.5 Golf Variant 1.8T has been slightly better, but I'm starting to feel problems coming again. Something tells me I'm also going to end up in something Japanese soon as well...

My mk6 gti cost me £4000 in 2 years. £1200 for timing chain tensioner, £1800 as the DSG mech unit was playing up then around £900 when 1 of the injectors went caput + some service stuff. Got an R36 now so hopefully that’ll be better!

Par for the course. Had a MK5 and spent 7 grand on maintenance in the span of just 2 years. And I overspent to get a supposedly good example. What a nightmare. Absolutely wonderful to drive, but like this gentleman I’m never ever getting one again.

I have owned a 2010 DSG Mk6 GTI since new. I also briefly had a 2009 Mk5 manual (last year for Mk5 in USA), owned from 65k-95k miles which was lost in a street accident. Both were joys to own tho the Mk5 needed interior trim part replacements. Now have over 140k on the Mk6. No coolant issues, though we had to change coil packs, intake manifold/carbon clean at 100k miles, rear coil springs (bottom ends snapped off), rear brake caliper seized and replaced, headliner reupholstered, these are the usual, but maintained it for all fluid changes to the factory specs and this car has been reliable and rewarding.

Nice vid Jay but tbh I think at least half the problems would be common to any car that's been sat around and fitting "progressive" springs to a Golf is a sign he's someone that's better off in something else anyhow.

Please review a mk4 R32

I had a Mk7 Golf R with the DSG. Outstanding car.

If you drive a mk4, make sure to try a PD varient. Theyre much better than the 2.0 (two point slow). Im building a hybrid turboed Bora at the minute, should be a reliable 240bhp ish when sorted. Cheap reliable motoring at its finest.

Hmm. They should try a French car. The grass really isn’t greener. 😂

I currently own a 2012 MK6 GTI DSG which i have owned for about the same amount of time as Harry has and i bought it for $19,990 AUD -> 10,258.97 pounds in august 2022 with 95,000 KM and currently has 100200 KM. This car has been very reliable for me and haven't had any major issues as harry has had. I did need to get the Purge Valve replaced which happened within the first week of ownership and later got this covered under the short warranty that was provided, and then i had the Ignition Key barrel which failed due to it not being fixed properly by a mechanic from the previous owner. I also had only got an oil change and brake fluid change early this year. In my year of ownership i have replaced all four tires with Michelin Pilot sport 5's and i have also added an ESS Intake for the MK6 GTI which adds some nice intake noises when in sport mode. I guess he bought a Dud example which probably was somewhat neglected. My car is possibly on it's original timing chains and the timing is still within spec. Overall the MK6 GTI is a great car and has been reliable based on my experience.

Been a MK6 GTI owner dor two and a half years. For sure is one of my favorite cars, and bought it for 9k, 61k on the odometer, before the huge markups started happening here in the US. Other than a waterpump, and neesing to also get the carbon build up clean, its been a quite reliable vehicle. Thankfully the first owner took care of it, and i had the first 8 years of service records. Only issue i had seen what rhe driver side window switch having been replaced 4 times in his ownership. With that said, currentlt driving around with a messed up driver switch thats broken in my ownership😅

I have a mk7 GTI as my daily and cant fault it. The only issue ive had was the boot lid filling with water after the drain pipe from the rear badge/handle came off. If you wanted to review a standard mk7 GTI you would be welcome to mine.

The timing chain and tensioner issues of VAG cars in this era is not to be understated. It affected all of the VAG sub brands and lots of different engines. The most annoying thing in my experience, is that dealers are not forthcoming and honest when you do try and get it rectified. The safest bet is to get a GTI Edition 35/Golf R/Leon Cupra/Audi S3 with the 'old' engine that uses a timing belt.

I’ve had a Mk6 Golf R for over 18 months. Black Pack (Black headlight bezels, 19” wheels and black wheel spats, full leather interior, Dynamic Chassis Control. It now has an RCD440 head unit with Apple CarPlay/AndroidAuto, aftermarket cold air intake, Superpro 26mm adjustable rear sway bar and adjustable end links, Ultra Racing front strut tower brace, DBA T2 slotted rotors and Performance brake pads all round, stainless braided brake hoses, and a custom Stage 1+ ECU and TCU tune. 193awkw and 396Nm atw. It’s an incredible machine to carve corners in. I’ve had zero issues in my time owning it.

I had two Mk 5 - R32 s. 60,000 in the first car and 90,000 in the second car. Just did the standard service at VW dealer and both cars were trouble free ! If you look after them they will look after you !! Derek R 😁 14:33

I’ve had a mk6 R for almost seven years now - barring a sagging headliner and the rear wiper fluid line breaking, it’s been as reliable as I can ask. However I do think I’m in the minority here…

Quality and timely consumer motoring advice packaged in a fun shirt.

I drive a manual 2013 MK6 GTI. Bought it new and have always kept it well maintained. I love it. It has cost me less than $500 to fix broken components since purchased. It has been unbelievably reliable, still looks great and drives like new. Fantastic car with amazing handling. No regrets on the purchase. A complete blast to drive. Fun from start to finish.

This is why in 2017, I decided to go with a Mazda3 2.5L manual. Not quite as quick, but, surprisingly fun and engaging to drive. The rear end is a very similar setup to an Audi A3. The ride is excellent and with Michelin summer tires, handling levels are very high. And at over 50Kmiles, not one issue. I'd heard too much about the lack of long term reliability of VW Golfs and the very high levels of maintenance with expensive repairs. I doubt I've spent more than $750 (oil, filters, intake/fuel cleaning, fresh brake fluid) so far over the 5 1/2 years of ownership. Unfortunately, the 2019s and on aren't the same car. Not nearly the 'driver's' car as the pre-2019s. A real pity....

First of all, I want to say thank you for the great Contant that you put a hold on to have been thinking about giving up on German cars but it’s something about the C 63 is a must have for me. I have been checking out a lot of videos on it. Also the M4, I think the C 63 is a more exciting car. I found a 2021 with low mileage. What’s your opinion?

About 4 years ago we borrowed a friends Mk6 GTI, we liked it so much I bought my wife a good daily mk5 GTI (same price as a ratty mk6), its been a terrific car and possibly a keeper.

I have a rare breed - a Golf V GTX A great blend of comfort with the power of a GTi Only problems so far are electrical gremlins

The steering wheel was good

I think this review is slightly unfair, this car is nigh on 14 years old, who knows how it has been driven and maintained over this time🤔

I was going to get one of these last year, planned on importing from Germany cause prices (would end up being 3k-ish € cheaper overall) ended up giving that idea up, bought a Civic EG4, sunk a bunch of money into it and got a pretty good looking and reliable little car for my daily driving needs and a bit of fun every now and then, it might not be fast, but it really is fun

Bought one last year, have been driving it daily short distances and long to work and back. I had to top up the oil 2 times in 30.000km and never had any problem. I'm doing a big maintenance this weekend (dsg oil and filter, engine oil and filter, carbon clean the intake) and next week I have the dsg remapped, maybe a small tune to get around 260-270hp. I see this GTI as a fun, fast car not a racer, that is well build and practical. A Megane RS, Civic type R or any other hot hatch is just too stiff on the road and even those are not reliable. Only thing I would have changed is a quicker steering rack and a new bluetooth module so newer iPhones work. Edit: rearview camera died on me but I managed to repair it myself with just a dip of soldering iron.

I used to have a 2014 passat and while it was reasonably mechanically reliable, the interior quality was atrocious. I spent my entire ownership of that car searching down various squeaks and rattles in the cabin. I do think they were cutting corners during that period for sure.

It's worth bearing in mind this is an early MK6. Generally in the old days, most would say stay clear of early cars of any brand and I still hold that true today. In fact, it's still the case and certainly true for the MK8 Golf. Anything between 20-22 plates are riddled with issues which don't seem to happen past 72 plate cars.

Mk6 2.0 TDI 4motion owner here, 170k milles, no major issues at all I get that petrol 2.0 might have issues (also DSGs), but the everything else about MK6 is very good in my experience

Jay.. you have a great channel, very interesting way of delivering content. Love your work. I had 14 VAG cars in the last 20 years. The first one was a Vw golf 2000 2.0 manual . It had problems too. I had a 2014 skoda superb i replaced pistons and the dsg died in the middle of the intersection with the kids in the car... I have a Tesla model 3 now and i will never go back to the crap called VAG.

Aside from the old Mercs (which really are indestructible), I've never understood the reputation German cars have. Growing up, every kid I knew whose family favoured VW, Audi or BMW always seemed to have some sort of Stockholm syndrome with the things as cash sinks: "they're so reliable if you maintain them!" I think in their minds constant, expensive repairs WERE maintenance.

Golf GTI's are so boring everytime I see one I want to yawn. Nothing "hot" in the Hot Hatch about them. Compare with a Megane 250RS, Focus ST or Astra VXR

I’ve only ever owned a mk7.5 golf R manual. Loved it. Had the usual water pump and thermostat issues but mostly reliable. That said, I got the feeling that it wasn’t going to hold on forever. Ending up selling it at 60,000km. Now in A45s. Even less confident in this one outside of warranty

Love the shirt!

If you are looking to get into a GTI platform, trust me, skip all the generations except the MK7/7.5. Thank me later…

These have got to be the most dull and bland looking hot hatch of all hot hatches.

My MK5 GTI was a fantastic car. I sold my 2007 GTI to a friend when he was desperate for a car due to a breakup with his former wife. When I sold. the car it had near 300,000 km on the dial. He drove the car for about 6 years when it finally gave out. What a great car it was. I miss her.🥶

Good job. I'm not a big fan of those cars, but I enjoyed watching that.

Bought a mk5 gti in 2010 at 76k miles. Now on 156k and still performs beautifully well. Not interested in any other mkx yet.

I’ve had my mk6 since new in 2009 and can confirm, yeah… it’s a needy car. The first 100k miles were basically trouble free, but after that I’ve replaced more than I’d consider reasonable for even a high mile car. I put up with it because I still like it.

I just bought a 2013 gti for 2k$ and really appreciate the much needed information on what to replace if I start seeing these problems still would love to see pictures of the said parts and how they will be in the car but overall amazing video!

I have owned a MK6 twincharged TSI it is very snappy and exciting but the plague of problems that come with it are as you have said such a shame of course not all examples are doomed to be a horror story but when they go wrong...ohhh its so wrong. Would I buy another one though of course😂💯such a great car and very good looking

My 2013 Golf R has 152k miles with no issues(I've started modding it infact). My 2012 GTI has 144k miles and I upgraded to a K04 turbo, downpipe, intercooler, coilovers and f/r swaybars last September at 134k miles. While I was having the k04 put in, replaced the injectors and the intake manifold, and she's been reliable as a daily driver for me. Anything man made can be hit or miss. Some cars have a bad batch over a few months like a C6 Z06 that had failures dropping valves in the heads. Over 7 years, the problems were just from 6 months worth of production, the rest were fine. With the mk6 GTI, you might have problems with the timing chain tensioner, you might not. What year you buy, and how well the maintenance was kept up, all make a difference.

Good review Jay! I have a 2010 MK6 GTI with 350,000km. As long as you’re on top of your maintenance, it shouldn’t give you much issues. The moment you slack off , it will bite you in the back real hard.

Hey so I actually recently bought a Golf 6 GTi with 190000 KMs, the car seemed awesome from the start and just as read on the forums I changed the coil packs, the car didn't consume a lot of oil and it still doesn't but it has what I consider a medium oil leak on the right passanger side. I sold my Audi TT MK2 and then bought this car... I regret it and I DO NOT recommend anyone buying it. Hold on to your money a little longer and save up to a GTi MK7 or buy the Edition 35 or R since the engines are so much better. (The car also has a boost leak somewhere)

Now we're talking about a car even I can relate to. When I was around 7-8 years old, my father got to test drive various WV cars and I think the Golf (MK 1) was already on the map then. I felt sick in all of them, as they were brand new :-) It's been a while since I've driven a GTI, but it has happened from time to time. There has been a lot of Golf and Caddy over the years. An odd model was a TDI GTI about 20 years ago. You realized what an overdrive cover was.... The king of hatchbacks!!

I bought a '12 3-door in black with 18k miles in mid 2014. Right after I got it the hatch struts failed, then had the obligatory 40k mile water pump replacement . Then my AC quit working, and my rear brake calipers seized. Even after the brakes were replaced things weren't right. After 3 years and 50k miles I was over it. The car didn't have enough personality to make up for the issues.