SHOULD YOU BUY A VW GOLF GTI MK6 IN 2023? | Reliability | Performance | Running Costs |

[@shoxy84]

Had mine for almost 3 years now did the timing chain soon after purchasing for piece of mind but has only needed a front wheel bearing and front coil spring. Never see many MK6's about plenty of MK5 & MK7s. Still a good looking car that is aging very well

[@JoeTalksCars]

I didn’t do the chain when I got mine due to the low miles but I did do the tensioner which is prone to failure. Other than that it’s been solid

[@Captain_Brown_Beard]

@@JoeTalksCars Chains still stretch from the soot the turbo throws into the oil.

[@bobdole5350]

​@@Captain_Brown_BeardCould you explain why excess carbon in the oil would cause the molecular structure of chain steel to 'stretch'? Thanks

[@urbandadtv]

never got back to you huh?.. lol smh@@bobdole5350

[@wakaflockaproject]

That's why regular oil changes are important ​@@bobdole5350

[@BadPhD777]

I bought my 2013 MK6 GTI in 2019 with only 37,000 miles on it. It now has 63,000. I thoroughly enjoy the car and it has been very reliable. For the last two Septembers I have gone on 8 day roadtrips totalling about 3,500 miles each. I drive the twistiest backroads I can find (I live in Oregon, USA). There's also plenty of fun roads local to me so I can go out for a 30 minute drive or a few hours.

[@THEMIKE0087]

I did actually buy a Mk6 GOLF GTI 35 Edition this year. Model is from 2011. Very lovely to drive and stable and solid and joyful :D LOVE IT

[@johncschwartz4885]

I have a 2012 GTI MK6 / 2 DOOR. I bought the car new in 2013. For me, it has been an excellent car, fast, fun to drive and trouble free. I had the same intake manifold problem as you described but had it fixed by VW on a recall. You should look into that. I live in the US so I am not sure it would be the same in the UK. At the time I had that work done, I had them de carbonize the intake valves while they were in there. They were surprisingly bad at 47000 miles. After that was done, I ended up doing a stage 1 tune to my car. I got it from a company called Integrated Engineering. The specialize in VW and Audi cars. Great people to deal with! The results are amazing! No hardware changes just a computer "flash tune." It took about 20 minutes with my car hooked up to a battery charger and my laptop! WOW! What a difference! This is how these car should have been delivered! It turns the MK6 into a rocket! They claim approximately a 57 horsepower increase..... The difference is like night and day! The only problem is the clutch is the weak point! I am in the process of upgrading that now.

[@Onnbekendd]

I am also looking at a golf 6 gti. Have you ever suffered from oil consumption? that's what I'm concerned about

[@johncschwartz4885]

Mine only has 57,000 miles on it so I have not had any oil consumption problems. Check the PVC valve on any that are using oil. They can cause rear main seal to go out if plugged.

[@youtubejunkie8053]

I have 178k on my ‘14 GTI and she doesn’t burn a drop of oil. I change every 5k with Castrol Euro blend running 17-18 psi with a Cobb AP

[@geebee6737]

I bought a 2011 MK6 1.6 diesel Bluemotion back in 2015 so had it now 8 years and there's nothing out there I's swap it for. It still returns 80mpg on longer motorway journeys and other than a new battery it's been super reliable. I've upgraded the brakes and suspension , put all weather tyres on as I do a lot of motorway miles and UK weather not that great , updated the head unit so I now have bluetooth ,sat nav , telephone and rear parking camera.....100k on the clock and it drives like brand new.

[@EnjoyingGoodMusic]

Got a mark 6 up here in northern Sweden, wife and her family told me to get a big 4wd but my GTI captured my heart immediately. It fits both the baby stroller and child seat and is fun as hell to drive, i literally can't wait until next summer we are driving through Norway and it's going to be a blast🎉

[@algreenhough]

Had this car 5years bought with 65k on and now done 100k. Full VW serv history, however I've had to change timing belt and tensioner, sump, clutch, pcv valve. I had the inlet manifold light keep coming on on me so eventually I paid vw for the diagnosis. They couldn't find anything but stripped down exhaust and put back said see how it goes and......it's gone! No charge just diagnostic £60 vw were brilliant on this as they had the car 24 hrs. It is a brilliant car to drive, sounds great, still looks good and performs well. Did a bit of work to it when I bought it but been really good since.

[@rabross4703]

Just bought a late 2012 96k fvwsh every 10k...absolute peach and a brilliant driver...drive mk5gtis for ten years...no issues...came across this and said I'd try it..only fault is horrendous road noise from the tyres

[@krisbrown5322]

I just recently bought a 2011 mk6 gti and I have huge road noise issues. But what's crazy is when I turb to the right the noise level goes down. Crazy.... 🤷‍♂️

[@richscrinsonphonegg8842]

Tyres.

[@michaelw6277]

I bought my mk6 brand new in 2009, the week they started rolling off of the boats in the USA. I bought the first manual clutch car that was available at my local dealership. To date I’ve put 163k miles on it Aside from a few warranty repairs and coming within a few days of being declared a lemon due to an electrical gremlin hat involved flying in an engineer from VW to diagnose, the first 100k miles were entirely trouble free. It was, sincerely, more reliable than my Toyota Camry. For me the 100k mile point was when the old car problems started to pop up, which can be extra vicious because it’s a German car. That said it’s not a difficult car to work on, prices for parts are generally reasonable, and there’s plenty of independent shops that specialize in Volkswagens to choose from for when I don’t care to tackle a repair. At about 100k I opted to refresh the suspension as it was basically shot: new dampers, new front control arm bushings, and new trailing arm bushings. Not long after my car’s air conditioner died and required major repairs (condenser, compressor, etc), which was not cheap. My ABS module also failed but I believe that had something to do with a painfully hard hit taken from an object I ran over on the highway (I’m surprised the car wasn’t further damaged). In the last 30k miles I’ve had to replace the coil packs, high pressure fuel pump, fuel injectors, and alternator. I’m also due for my second valve cleaning as the car is stuttering and misfiring. Otherwise I’ve done some suspension and brake upgrades to make the car feel more like the sports car I’d like it to be but can’t buy because I need space to haul multiple kids around in. The reason I’ve held onto it is that it’s just such a nice car to drive and the interior is a space I still enjoy being in. The interior is that old style analog which I greatly prefer with a basic audio interface which I also prefer. All the physical knobs and switches allow me to focus more on driving and less on interacting with a tech toy. Despite my suspension upgrades the car is still very pleasant to cruise in and very sharp and willing when the mood strikes. The engine, with its microscopic turbo, is just so nice to use right in the middle of the rev rang with a fair amount of pop even on the factory tune. Would I recommend it? Honestly, I don’t know. It’s a fantastic car to drive but it comes down to one’s tolerance of mechanical uncertainty. If you stumble across one that has been well looked after I absolutely would, but those are getting harder and harder to find as the car ages. The problem is that a neglected one will cause a lot more pain than an equivalent Honda or Toyota. Still though… nice cars, I love mine even if it has caused some frustration over the years.

[@MrBigbangbuzz]

Had mine 8 years ago.. best car I’ve driven

[@JoeTalksCars]

I’ve driven so many cars since starting KZbin and I still would agree this is one of the best still.

[@Adam_Bell32]

cheeky Skyfall shot at the end I took my mk5 R32 to the same road last year

[@JoeTalksCars]

👍 yup. Love it, surprised how quiet it was!

[@DNT88_]

We bought a 2022 arkana , and even that is more smooth and the engine is more fresh ... we still like driving the mk 6... this car don t compare with new models... is like a tank the golf... in 11 years we never had big problems.

[@JustinStrife]

I have a 2012 Autobahn Edition GTI with DSG, APR K04, IC, DP, and APR ECU/TCU tunes that just turned 148k miles this month. Maintenance is key. Had to replace the intake manifold and injectors when I went to k04 at 134k miles. Still on original engine and DSG and runs flawless. I picked up a 2013 Golf R with 152k miles last year and slowly modding it. Small issues here and there, but nothing expensive(everything is under 100 dollars to replace). Knowledge goes a long way.

[@Vikturus22]

I have had mine for 13 months now. I paid the equivalent in pounds $3500 ( $7000 nzd ) and I have done quite alot of work to it to make it mine Stage 2 IE tune Cobb exhaust IE intake GFB Diverter valve PS5 Tyres ( also put Mk7 GTI wheels on ) Bilstein B6 shocks EBC brake pads and rotors HPFP upgrade R8 coils and new plugs replaced all the fluids I also replaced the timing chains and did a carbon cleaning and it runs incredibly! 280hp for a 2l is fun! and it is the perfect daily imo ( No issues since doing all the work I did all this work over 2 days lol )

[@JoeTalksCars]

Wow! Thats amazing! They drive fantastic as standard so I can only imagine how good it is! Thanks for the comment! I do plan to get this car on the channel a little bit more!

[@glensainsbury428]

Hi Joe, great film. I have just bought a 2012 mk6 gti and it is about the same spec as yours. It is a very under the radar golf gti and there is not much out there apart from the cam chain horror stories. If you want your exaust tips to look as good as new, I can recommend wd40 and some scotch brite.

[@JoeTalksCars]

Oooh good idea with the exhaust tips! Need to get them looking better. They are a fantastic car, done 60,000 miles in ours and never put a foot wrong.

[@Chapaz95]

I got mine in November 2022 and done a few mods to it and I love mine. More so it come from Japan so the car is immaculate and like new underneath

[@JoeTalksCars]

Nice! is it imported into the UK from Japan? That's so cool!

[@Chapaz95]

@@JoeTalksCars yeah was imported in June 2022 and I’m the first UK owner

[@JimMcBob42069]

I had a fault for intake manifold flapper on my mk6. It was from improper reinstallation of the vacuum solenoid for the flapper actuator. It was dark and i was tired. Even with it backwards the car ran better and stronger than before i got all the carbon out from behind the intake valves. After i figured out my mistake and cleared codes with an android app, i was very very pleased. Fix your intake. You are missing alot of low down torque. And carbon

[@JoeTalksCars]

Interesting! Did you have to replace the whole manifold? I really don’t fancy that. Looks like it will need doing.

[@JimMcBob42069]

My car had revised intake manifold installed under warranty by the original owner. Im the 4th lol. I only replaced the manifold gasket and the injector seals. I got the solenoid backwards. After a week i noticed my solenoid looked different than the ones in KZbin videos. Fixed it, cleared codes then OMG mind blown. Idle is instantly butter smooth and the power was surprisingly more than when I bought it.

[@joshuac9779]

Brought a 2013 / 2012 august built. They say mk6.5. Still a mk6. 150kms on it. Feb 2024. Went to go buy a new car. 5 yrs repayments plus interest. Felt sad. Saw mine on market place. My mate mechanic said wait. I brought it…. After thoughts were. Did I buy a lemon.it still flew. Few things weren’t right. Fixed them one at a time. Well not me but the bro. It is one of the nicest cars to drive. But so many easy fixes and they are all on KZbin.

[@JoeTalksCars]

Love my mk6. Think I’ve got lucky with how reliable it is too!

[@zombietaichi2069]

That’s weird, followed you because I too bought a 2006 Cayman S… three weeks ago I bought a 2013 Mk6 with Unitronic stage 3 tune (as daily driver)… to just see this video and you too owning a Mk6. Guess like minds know a good thing when they see it! 🤝👏

[@JoeTalksCars]

How strange! I’ve had about 3 or 4 people on here say that too! Yeah it’s a good 2 car garage. Both great in their own ways.

[@justinbrowning9127]

Really good video. Thank you

[@JoeTalksCars]

Thank you!

[@jcbell78]

Just stumbled across your vid. Bought a cheap mk6 gti dsg with a dsg fault (mechatronics) last year, fitted another mechatronics from a breaker coded it and touchwood it’s been a great car ever since. It’s a decent spec one with Xenons etc it has been mapped so now 265ps and great fun but at the same time wifeys run about and owes me the grand total of £4600. 👍🏻

[@JoeTalksCars]

That’s great! They do seem to be very good value and map well. This is my family/daily so I promised I’d leave it alone. The temptation is really strong tho 🤣

[@jcbell78]

Well worth a decent stage one map from the likes of R-Tech, more smiles and no change to daily usability.

[@chrisbaxter5041]

Nice location for filming good luck with the channel you deserve more subs for all your hard work 👍

[@JoeTalksCars]

Thank you! Really appreciate that! Love making videos, love the progress of the channel and where it is going.

[@bettersteps]

The VW MK6 GTI is the last of what I consider what a real GTI should be. Today, they've lost their raw and basic reason for being: an inexpensive and reliable sports-hatchback. It's fun to drive, fast and has a very high-end feel to the driving experience.

[@JoeTalksCars]

I have said that for years. Infact speaking to somebody at VW UK they said the same. The GTI Mk6 is the sweet spot

[@1blackballed]

Just picked up a brilliant looking mk6 tdi and in 2023 it looks like new both inside and out. 2l engine so still had plenty punch although obviously not as much as the gti.

[@EddieRicks-i8v]

I miss my mk6 but so many times ℹ visit my dealership for repairs 😢 my mk7.5 is been way more reliable 😊

[@RickGTI2019]

Great review, video, and presentation. Thanks, RickGTI….. 🌴

[@JoeTalksCars]

Thank you! It has proved very popular on my channel. Love my GTI

[@CarFocused]

Great video Joe 👍🏻👍🏻

[@JoeTalksCars]

Thank you! New lens needed testing.

[@BogusBolloks-mf4wq]

For me its my Golf 4 GTI😊 Would like a Golf 6R though.

[@Shabookhan-jc3mz]

Hi have you ever done a carbon clean,and what is your mileage. #Great video thanks

[@JoeTalksCars]

Thank you! no I haven't, never been sure about how good those things are. Have you?

[@ujay888cc]

Nice car. Nicely pitched video. I had a MK5 GT TSI and a 7.5 GTD. Both suffered badly with drumming or humming from rear wheels along with uneven tyre wear. Have you experienced that?

[@JoeTalksCars]

Thank you! Really appreciate that! Love my GTI. The noise I’ve never had but maybe this is down to wheel bearings? Mine have just started to go on the front so I get a little noise now

[@eddiericks6554]

I had this gti mk6 and I had so many problems but it drove well lol my mk7.5 had not had any issues waiting to see how the mk8 holds up before I make my move lol 😆

[@JoeTalksCars]

Really? It does seem that people have had a lot of issues with the mk6. I’ve been lucky but the inlet fault is still present. The mk8 looks great but all that touch screen rubbish 🤢

[@Onnbekendd]

What kind of problems did you have?

[@danielcox3913]

Hi Joe, Great vid, great car. Any rust at all? Do you know if the mk6 rusts as bad as the mk5? Thank you

[@JoeTalksCars]

Thank you! So mine lives by the sea and not overly looked after, it has the tiniest amount of bubbling near the rear badge. Wheels are badly corroded but just need a refurb. Can’t be as bad as the mk5 from what I’ve heard. 👍

[@Feal.MTinta]

ur lense in an anamorphic one huh 💥

[@JoeTalksCars]

Sure is. Dabbled for a while but not used it much.

[@ArcadiaVibe]

I bought my 12MK6 at 129k and Im at 149k now. I love it and wouldn't trade it for the world. I've spent around 4k in maintenance and oil changes and will be replacing the timing chain soon. Had an MK5 with some boltons and loved it. The MK6 stage 2 is just so crisp. Unless youre rich or do work on them yourself, stay away.

[@JoeTalksCars]

I’ve found mine to be incredibly affordable and I do no work myself. Fabulous cars, would love to remap mine one day but I’m trying to resist as I’m Over the whole modified car thing.

[@Canadian_Gamer]

I just bought a MK6 last night, exact same spec, colour, and wheels as yours. I find these are more attractive than the MK7 and MK8. Volkswagen is asking a kings ransom for a MK8 lol

[@JoeTalksCars]

Nice! Enjoy it! Love mine, ultimately will need to swap it but I have some plans to modify it a little before then.

[@Stuart-Grant]

GTI gives you Miles of Smiles for certain.

[@JoeTalksCars]

It really does! Fabulous car

[@chroniccrypto75]

I’ve had my mk6 Ed35 for about two to three years and not a issue at all I think the issue is people tune the ass off them which messes with the reliability. Anyway great video

[@JoeTalksCars]

That’s probably bang on. This is totally stock and although tempting to remap it, I won’t 🤣

[@chroniccrypto75]

@@JoeTalksCars yeah I’m tempted also but I’m 48yo and I actually drive like a old lady most times the ed35 is powerful enough for that 😆

[@uros9151]

ED35 has Golf V engine inside, unlike EA888 in Golf VI, which is known to have some reliability problems😢

[@chroniccrypto75]

@@uros9151 mk6 golf R engine because of the k04 turbo which I prefer.. Also I know what engine I have 😂

[@JustinStrife]

@@JoeTalksCars Don't be afraid of remapping these cars. Mine was Unitronic from the previous owner, then I went APR K04 on my 2012 GTI. She keeps on going as my daily driver.

[@shivammanchanda4]

Hi Joe. Is it worth buying a decent MK6 in early 2024? With 100,000 miles on board.

[@JoeTalksCars]

I would say so! Mine has done 80,000 and never put a foot wrong

[@shivammanchanda4]

@@JoeTalksCars thanks for the quick response mate. I had a few doubts on buying a 12 years old car (like age, mileage, obsolete parts etc.) I suppose it’s good to go when all the imp parts are alright. I didn’t have any other car on mind so i’d wanna go with it. Your videos were really helpful and informative.

[@MarcHardcastle]

I’m beginning to wonder if they have car washes in the UK.

[@JoeTalksCars]

Not for this car 🤣

[@harisdevedzic3167]

Have a Mk6 TDi 4motion, 2010 model, wouldn't change it for any other car of that period, except maybe Mk6 GTi 😅 Generaly very well made cars, mine has 170k milles, still rock solid, no issues , mostly your standard maintainence

[@JoeTalksCars]

That’s great to hear! Why are the Mk6 so hated on. Mines been faultless, looks great still despite being from 2010. Glad to hear you’re is going well!

[@harisdevedzic3167]

@@JoeTalksCars in my opinion it's because people don't maintaine them regulary, they think "oo it's Golf, what can go wrong", well it can if you drive like a maniac and don't change what needs to be changed (regular services, etc). I only had issue with DPF which I had removed, but many other cars have the same issue. And AC compressor broke , refurbished used one was like 150£, nothing major. With petrol engines you do need to be more careful.

[@nope.c]

My Mk6 had the noise maker under the rain tray.. I pulled it the week I bought the car and killed it with fire! I think Mk5s had the noise pipe.

[@JoeTalksCars]

Really? I actually don’t mind it. The fact it’s not synthetic makes it easier to cope with.

[@mikecurtis3300]

Joe just found your channel and like the content. I’m looking for a Cayman so have been very interested in you thoughts and comments. Have you now sold your Cayman, and how is the hunt for a new car going. Would love to see some film on the cars you are considering.

[@JoeTalksCars]

Thank you!! No I still have the cayman :) not going anywhere just yet. I do however have a new one on order. Not due to 2025 at the earliest. Sticking with Porsche and having a new Cayman. Hoping to keep that for a while before swapping to a 911. That’s the plan anyway:)

[@julian987r4]

@@JoeTalksCars well this is news. Can you do a video on your configuration please. Would love to see what you have ordered

[@AK_0000]

Hi joe did u upgrade the chain tensioner for the later version ?

[@JoeTalksCars]

I did:) wasn’t a huge bill and definitely worth it for piece of mind.

[@AK_0000]

@@JoeTalksCars how much did it cost im looking to buy one currently has 70k miles but if I buy one that hasn’t had it done how much will it cost me? Do most have it done by now ? Ps it will be my first every hot hatch now my insurance isn’t the price of a transatlantic holiday

[@dbuploads]

I’m thinking about MK6 my friend bought one himself and first week the car broke down and he payed around 1300€ to fix it and that scares me the most. And I would like to know is there a problrm to go on trip around 680km from one country to another

[@adrandavies170]

mk 5 for me ED30, to many timing chain problems with the mk6

[@JoeTalksCars]

I had mine upgraded. Shame they are plagued with issues. This one has been incredible

[@awaismahmood540]

What about the seat leon fr basically the same car isnt it?

[@JoeTalksCars]

Yeah but seat vs a Golf GTI. The GTI badge is legendary.

[@xanzfx2502]

Cinematic view is killing my eyes lol

[@JoeTalksCars]

Really? I mean I haven’t done it since this but I did quite like the look

[@xanzfx2502]

@@JoeTalksCars not that bad lol, maybe like put in like some parts 🤔, like the ones where you show car and switch to normal when you’re showing something else. (Advise from someone who knows about editing btw lol)

[@SuleymanCelik-p8d]

I have the engine light as well, is it the p2015 obd2 code? Riding for the past 1 month, not sure if i should change it.

[@JoeTalksCars]

yep, that's the one I think. Inlet manifold is very very expensive hence why I have left it for now.

[@heartwilson.8943]

Not great on fuel, no matter how you drive it . But I do prefer it from the mK5 nevertheless .

[@JoeTalksCars]

38mpg I can get on a steady run, it’s good on fuel but then again I’m comparing that to my Porsche, that does 18 🤣

[@roberthart377]

Thinking of buying a mk 6 gti adidas edition 27k on the clock with history im wondering about what i should do after buying the car !! ie cam chain or ect if you could help me out with any advice much appreciated 🙏 rob

[@JoeTalksCars]

So with that miles I wouldn’t touch the chain. Do what I did and swap the tensioner only. The chains don’t need doing until 100k or something daft. Expensive job too. Just a new tensioner and a service.

[@law.otaku.sinpayi..9013]

what would you choose for the same price between megane rs 265 RB7 and this golf gti mk6?

[@JoeTalksCars]

I’ve had a RS Megane. It was the R26 but in all honestly the GTI made me get rid of it. The build and reliability of the VW makes you hate the Renault.

[@wwilll]

Your MK 6 also has an electric diff lock

[@JoeTalksCars]

Does it? I didn’t know that actually. Thought that was new on the Mk7

[@dylanmatthews1484]

I'm considering on buying a Sirocco 2.0 GT TFSI 2010 , But I've also been considering the k6 golf gti 2010 , Which do I buy ? Both cars same engine , sirocco looks more sporty but only 2 doors and golf 4 door , Love both cars , i used to own a 2004 golf GT Fsi which was fun , also owned a Mk4 golf 1.6 petrol . Any suggestions? Thanks for the video content.

[@JoeTalksCars]

Weirdly I’ve heard the sirocco are very unreliable, I find this weird as it is essentially a golf in a fancy dress but they did discontinue it so it can’t have been the most popular. I’d say get the GTI, you won’t be disappointed.

[@newenso2780]

Scirocco is superior in every way the only real issues where in the 1.4 and they where sorted quickly from factory.@@JoeTalksCars

[@skomy_o]

yes with decent price

[@JoeTalksCars]

Can pick them up for 8k so pretty good value now.

[@wynhughes9072]

I expect there are not many unmolested Mk6 GTI's around at he moment. I have had a few GTI's over the years never a mk5 or a Mk6 though. Had a MK7 performance and that was a great car. Traded it in for my current Audi S3 which in my opinion is a better car. But if I had the space I would love to have another mk7. But as with the Mk6 I suspect there are not many original spec cars out there.

[@JoeTalksCars]

You would be correct. I’ve not seen many, such a nice car to own and drive. I want to try and give it some more love however, it’s a little battered at the moment. Life gets in the way of detailing your daily.

[@juliansantos2650]

If your reading this consider a mk7.5. Mk6 is a disaster although I do love my car there is way to many issues

[@JoeTalksCars]

I do hear that a lot. I must have got very lucky with this. 100,000 miles now and just passed its MOT again.

[@newenso2780]

(One Word) Scirocco

[@somedude9934]

As someone who owns one, no.

[@NoName-st6zc]

I don't really know how the prices are where you live but here, the Mk6 GTI is pretty much the most retarded choice you could make when it comes to buying a modern era GTI. The Mk5 is way cheaper and essentially offers the exact same, of course in an "uglier" shell as most people would say, but the biggest problem with the Mk6 GTI is that a good example is way too close to an Mk7 GTI and the Mk7 GTI is probably the best GTI every build, objectively speaking at least.

[@loslogo]

Mk7 is much better true peak.

[@helpfulhelper2561]

Pretty slow cars nowadays without a tune.

[@JoeTalksCars]

Yeah but quick enough to be fun

[@koolkidkoala.p441]

welcome to

[@jafaem]

11k ... Not a lot of money !!! FFS , millennial's.

[@JoeTalksCars]

For a 210bhp hot hatch. A Golf GTI. 11k these days does not go far. It’s all relative and I feel it’s good value.

[@Greenmould]

Buy the GTD. better all round.

[@JoeTalksCars]

If you like a car to sound like a canal boat.