Bought My New DD - VW GTI!!

[F80Dreamer]

Got some great forum feedback on a cheaper car I was looking for to be my DD, trips to airport, etc... so I can drive my M3 less, only on perfect days...

Ended up buying a 2017 4 door GTI, pretty much a base model, with 6MT.

Picking it up on Saturday...good peace of mind with the full warranty, in case any reliability issues surface. GTI has always been on my bucket list of cars I have wanted to own.

[48Laws]

I have a '16 I bought 9 months ago. It's a lot of car for only $23k. My dealer installed HIDs free of charge because I didn't want the S. lights are amazingly bright. No complaints with this car. Even beat my friend's SRT truck lol. Enjoy.

[KingOfJericho]

One of the best cars I've owned. Enjoy!

[R3dliner]

APR stg 2 time?

[MightyMouseTech]

Good choice, solid DD right there!

And respect for getting a manual.

[RobC2]

Nice. MK7 GTI is my daily driver too!

[PandaM3]

Congrats... I had a 2010 as a daily driver/ weekend tracktoy and it was one of the funniest cars I've had.

- Upgrade to the Audi R8 red top coilpacks which should keep it pretty reliable
- get the APR stage 2 tune... some VW dealerships will sell the APR stage 1 and keep you under warranty (kinda the same way Dinan does it)
- You can get the XDS coded to be more aggressive via Vagcom so it mimics a mechanical LSD even more convincingly.

Jermey Clarkson had a MK5 GTI as a daily and now has a MK7 GTI as a daily. Also Robert Downey has/ had a MK6 GTI as a daily too

[Nihilation]

I was very close to buying a MK7 GTI before my WRX. I wanted the lighting package, non-sunroof, plaid cloth seats, but with the high end stereo and navigation. Their options don't work that way so I passed.

Volkswagen gave us (RightFootDown) a 6MT (shocker!) MK7 Golf R press vehicle and we took it from DC down to Myrtle Beach and on to New Orleans. I think I enjoyed the GTI more.

[F80Dreamer]

Originally Posted by RobC2

Nice. MK7 GTI is my daily driver too!

Awesome!! Out of curiosity, how are you splitting the miles between the two on a given month...50/50?

[muddtt]

Originally Posted by R3dliner

APR stg 2 time?

Get a Jb1 or Jb4. It doesn't flag the TD1 code at the dealer.

[48Laws]

My dealers offers APR or HPA. Either one. Don't think it's an issue.

[angelr]

Lol, stage 2 + mk6 gti here.

[fbsm]

I really like the GTI as a DD

Congrats

[FriskyDingo]

I also DD a GTI. 2016 SE w/ Perf Pkg. Overall, one of my favorite cars I've ever had, and I've had 2 dozen. It's such an incredibly well-rounded package and for the money, you can't beat it.

Enjoy!!

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by 48Laws

My dealers offers APR or HPA. Either one. Don't think it's an issue.

Google TD1 code. Any changes to the computer will automatically generate the code, and the dealer must connect the car to the mother ship for any warranty work and it will flag the code. Nothing the dealer can do about it.

[48Laws]

Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech

Google TD1 code. Any changes to the computer will automatically generate the code, and the dealer must connect the car to the mother ship for any warranty work and it will flag the code. Nothing the dealer can do about it.

I think you misunderstood me. My dealer offers these sponsored performance packages so even if one throws a code, it's all good. No warranty issues.

[R3dliner]

Originally Posted by muddtt

Get a Jb1 or Jb4. It doesn't flag the TD1 code at the dealer.

In the VW/Audi world APR>JB4

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by 48Laws

I think you misunderstood me. My dealer offers these sponsored performance packages so even if one throws a code, it's all good. No warranty issues.

What I'm saying, VW will deny the claim. There is no way for the dealer to hide it from VW anymore.

[KingOfJericho]

Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech

What I'm saying, VW will deny the claim. There is no way for the dealer to hide it from VW anymore.

My car was tuned by the VW dealer with APR Stage 1 and they covered every warranty claim I had.

[Z K]

Originally Posted by PandaM3

Congrats... I had a 2010 as a daily driver/ weekend tracktoy and it was one of the funniest cars I've had.

- Upgrade to the Audi R8 red top coilpacks which should keep it pretty reliable
- get the APR stage 2 tune... some VW dealerships will sell the APR stage 1 and keep you under warranty (kinda the same way Dinan does it)
- You can get the XDS coded to be more aggressive via Vagcom so it mimics a mechanical LSD even more convincingly.

Jermey Clarkson had a MK5 GTI as a daily and now has a MK7 GTI as a daily. Also Robert Downey has/ had a MK6 GTI as a daily too

You can't do any of these things on an MK7.

MK7 has a completely different chassis, engine and drivetrain than previous VWs. Coil packs won't fit and the GTI comes standard with XDS on an more aggressive setting. Plus if you get the performance package, it comes with a mechanical LSD as standard equipment. This generation is the most aggressive GTI ever sold.

APR does make tunes for the MK7 though. It makes incredible amounts of power with even a stage 1 - much more than previous generations. Stage 1 takes the car to 320 hp with 380 ft-lb torque! Stage 1 MK7 > Stage 2+ MK6

[MightyMouseTech]

http://www.golfmk7.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7492

Now let's talk about how a VIN number get flagged with a TD1 code. I’ve read all sorts of thing that people have imagined up about how this works; from the dealership flagging the VIN because you have an intake all the way to tuners reporting your VIN numbers back to VW/Audi. How it happens is actually very simple, there is nothing a dealership does to intentionally throw you under the bus. The dealership does NOT have the ability to manually “flag” a vehicle that has been modified, the entire process of flagging a VIN with TD1 code is completely behind the scenes and unintentional and unannounced at the dealership level. The way warranty has worked since 2004 with Audi/VW is that you are REQUIRED by the manufacturer to submit a GFF (Guided Fault Finding) log online with any and all warranty repairs for engine, transmission, or electrical related warranty claims. If it’s a mechanical suspension problem there’s no reason to submit a GFF log but if it’s anything that throws a fault in ANY system a GFF log is required or the manufacturer will deny the warranty claim and the dealership eats the cost. If the dealer eats the cost because the tech did not provide adequate documentation, the tech does not get paid for the work they did. Obviously the tech does not want to work for free, therefore GFF log are ALWAYS sent in to ensure payment on warranty repairs. Anytime you run a GFF log or you perform an SVM (software) update the scan tool records all sorts of hidden data and sends it back to the manufacturer. That’s how a VIN gets flagged with TD1, it’s not the dealership telling on you, it’s the factory scan tool detecting something not factory in the software and reporting it back to the manufacturer.

I have heard the same from a couple VW and Audi techs I know.

[FriskyDingo]

I work at a VW store, and any ECU alteration throws the TD1 flag and is grounds for a warranty claim denial by VW if the issue can be connected. The dealer has no way to hide it or force VW to honor a claim, even if they are the ones who installed it.

Now, APR has just recently put out a flash that dealers can do in accordance with VW that does NOT void the warranty, but it's nowhere near as aggressive as their Stage 1, and my understanding is going to be well over a grand.


EDIT- It's called APR Plus.