Had a tdi diesel. Decided to redline it in neutraul right after starting on a -20c morning. For some reason the motor shat the bed... Seriously though, give your motor a few minutes to warm up in the cold, maybe 10 + mins in colder than -15c. Then drive the car at the easiest you can for another 10 or s minutes. Another thing is to cover your grill. I have 1/2" pipe insulation shoved into the grill and intercooler slats, it allows the car to warm up alot quicker, and stay at operating temp during Canadian deep freezes.

I have a 2018 BMW 328d out here in Colorado, so it’s done plenty of extremely cold starts, often as high as 9500 feet above sea level. I just push the start button, let it idle for 30 seconds, and then drive off very gently. Even after sitting unused for weeks in extreme cold, the start is usually indistinguishable from one in normal weather. It’s very rare that the computer delays the start for the glow plugs. And at 63k miles, I’ve noticed no deterioration in start quality. It’s a wonderful engine, very easy to live with. I did have to replace my battery after about four years, so that’s where there’s evidence of early wear.

This basic stuff

Can you do a video on how your car sounds when its warm and completely cold? We just bought a diesel and it sounds weird but how would i know tho

Hey your steering wheel is on the wrong side

It's amazing how many people don't know about with diesel cars.. Let the glowplugs warm up!

The oil consumption bothers me, such a great car though 👍

Hi i use truck oil in my gtd 2018 0.5 l drink oil on 5000km

I’ve just had this same issue but it happened on the motorway so I was quite alarmed. Warning lights went out after a stop start but came back soon after. I’ll be taking it in asap to check speed sensors etc. Thanks for the video.

No idea about the wipers! I struggle everyweek washing my screen when doing the car! Parking mirror is new to me too!

Have you had any dpf problems?

I'm in a dilemma Mike. My timing belt was due 6 months ago according to the old recommendations. The new recommendations says 140k miles no time limit. I'm at 35k miles. I'm thinking if for timing belt change I'm best to replace the crank seal and oil pump belt. Purely for preventative maintenance.

Individual- all bar one sport settings but I have the engine sound off as it’s a bit annoying. 😂

I recommend using an app on your phone to track 0-60mph. GPS is much more accurate. I bought myself a GTD last year, although it's Variant from 2018 with DSG, and doesn't have modes, automatic lights, folding mirrors - poor-man GTD spec. But it did gave me promised by VW 7.8s for 0-100km. I used free "Dragger-car" app from Google Play to record it. Launch control is what gives this, but I also had to do re-balancing for my wheels after that...

How often do you get tracking done? I toggle between sport & normal. Only use eco at car wash when i need to keep forwarding as the que moves forward. Ill give individual a go!

I do most of driving in Individual Mode at the moment. Set to sports for steering and normal for the engine. Which mode do you use, if any?

Just watched ..I've the same car, same colour same spec as you. MW65 is yours....MW66 is mine! I wash and Polish it inside and out every Saturday morning. I'm the second owner and I've had it 5 years now, buying it for my 30th birthday present to myself. Mine has just clocked 48,000 miles. 😊

My 1.9 pd always starts when it’s cold, I always let the glow plug light run its course then voila, up it fires, but let’s face it over here 🇬🇧 it rarely drops lower than -5.

You start your car the same way I do. This method is also effective in spring or summer. I repeat this 3 times before starting the engine. Warm-up time is about 5 minutes in winter and 1 minute in spring and summer. After the warm-up time, drive slowly. When the water temperature gauge starts to tick, increase car speed. i have hyundai ix55 3.0 euro5 diesel and it has DPF and HP EGR ,LP EGR, i drove this car approx. 420,000 km , and still in good condition. thanks for good information. from S.korea

How much am I willing to bet your still using the original factory fitted car battery? If you are it’s approximately 9 years old now. If I remember correctly it’s an 096 agm type with din ratings for ah and cca. I wonder what the actual ratings are of a battery this age compared to a battery of 3 years old or less. Have you considered the manufacturer designed and tested the car to be started normally down to -36deg.c.

Don't you have defa motorheater

THese modern VWs wait for the glow plugs when starting it directly. Also non keyless models do this. You turn the key and only starts after like 3 to 5 seconds when cold enough.

I've a 03 old saab 9 5 2.2 tid engine. I use spare key and start it remote lock it and let it run for ten mins in the frosty am with front heated screen. Change oil twice a year and drive it straight away

Manual is the best, bought a DSG and it's my last one in my entire life, complicated costly box

In some modern diesels now the plugs remain on after the car is started to aid warm up.

I love the gtd gearbox, such a precise shift.

"im not gonna force it", he says moments after nearly ripping the handle off 😂

Great information thanks. Got a diesel and it's been superb. Apart from my indicators that randomly stop working 😂

We never turn off the side mirror heating in our car

This may help: I have a mk4 tdi golf, it didn’t like starting in the cold (3degrees c) it would eventually. I didn’t check anything to fix it. Whilst on vcds I noticed the fuel temp was 39c on a cold morning after not using the car. No lights or errors, I just noticed the number. I changed the fuel temp sensor and it starts like better than it ever did on the coldest days. My glow plug light now stays on for longer, it was around 2 seconds, now 4-8 seconds.

2 years ago I was looking for a 2.0 diesel with around the 180bhp mark, and a manual. Was looking at Octavia vrs and golf gtds. Ended up getting a bmw 220d. My dad had a mk7.5 GTD previously. The BMW engine seems to be more reliable, not having any real common issues, whereas I know the golf can suffer from a poor water pump and heater matrix, and has a few quirks like the boot potentially filling with water. The bmw is the more comfortable car, at least for me, and feels better put together, but the golf definitely has more options. Either way though, they’re both really good, capable, nice cars that will last a long time if looked after properly. Sometimes wish I’d bought an auto, and sometimes wish I’d gone for a 1 series or golf from the 2 series not being the most practical. It does me perfect though and love the car, and its done 30k miles issue free with me, and is still super low miles since it’s only on 44k

I thought that was just common knowledge and the way to start a diesel, and if it’s very cold to give the plugs a couple of cycles. And most cars have heated mirrors but they come on through pressing the rear windscreen heat. VAG cars are a different switch

If. - or when - the EGR and/or DPF fail then you're going to be faced with big bills, plus the car will be in limp mode. I have always found VW mpg readings to be way out, I used to take off around 10% of whatever it was saying

Sweet car and great video!

Try opening the boot or the back door and getting in

I just send it

What about suspension, I want to buy MK7 have this Mode button, is there electric adaptive suspension or classic from normal trendline MK7??

You shouldn't do customizations with so low battery voltage, you can get control module bricked :)

I have a 2004 VW Polo with a 1.2L 3-cylinder petrol, with 65hp connected to a 5-speed manual. I've had it for 3 or 4 years, from 104,000 to 120,000 miles. I absolutely love it. Although there's a loud knocking from the front of the car when turning left and right now. I've asked 5 people what it could be, and got as many answers. One mechanic suggested driveshafts, and I'm going with that as my current theory as the noise only happens in gear with the clutch up.

when i had a 2002 1.9TDI vw sharan in cold weather as it didn't like it used to turn the key once wait for the glow plugs light to go out turn the key off and back on again then it used to start

My cold snap routine is to keep it in the garage overnight 👌🏻

2013 GTD 73K on clock doing 4-5 k a year. Around 500 ml loss every 6 months. I do service oils every 6 months as I do it myself quantum long life 3 Mann oil filter

I’ve never felt the need to do this. I’ve got an Audi with 180,000 miles on it. Preheating is automatically managed with push start. Perhaps if it was actually cold (the U.K. doesn’t know what cold is) it may be necessary.

Disable your power folding mirrors in winter

My biggest problem is the door won’t close when frozen. I can get it open but it just bangs and doesn’t catch on the door hoop. Many a time I’ve driven to work holding the door and a bungee cord tied around the door jamb and hooked onto the headrest…. The lock eventually defrosts after 15 mins of driving. Not good. (2014 VW Passat)….. any tips welcome..

How long would you say is best to idle for? I try to take best care of my car, 2008 Audi 2.0 TDI. My startup procedure is much the same as yours but I worry a little about the DPF as the engine is euro 4 and not the cleanest.

While not diesel, I turn my GTI on one click on ignition, temp lights etc to go out, then start. Let it do its inital higher RPM warm up stage, once it drops to below 1000, GENTLE drive until at operating temp. I learnt recently and since confirmed from the VW specs I goto that leaving her to warm up, is not so good on the engine ware, While good intention, they said it needs to just get to operating temp asap. leaving to idle for 5-10 mins is just putting cold ware on the engine. VW also say to just give it a moment and then gentle drive until operating temps are reached. Good to know, i've been doing the warm up stage for years :D

dont take uor car out that day

Hi Mike, been going through your videos over the past week, I must say they really are informative and well put together. Me and my wife have firmly decided a used gtd is our next car, on what we have saved I’ll be looking at around a 16 plate. Our last three cars have been Hondas and BMWs, I’ve not had a vw since we owned a vw t4 camper when our children were younger. The only concern I have, and I wanted to ask your opinion, due to the state of the roads do you think it’s possible to “downgrade” the alloys to a 17”. Looking forward to some more great videos. Regards. Gary.

I've got the exact same car i just get in and push the button and it always starts 🤷🏻‍♂️