Time to treat myself... MK7 Golf GTD or GTi?

[bmh98]

Hey,

My 2006 Fiesta Zetec has finally given up the ghost and I would like to treat myself to a nice new(ish) car!.

I am currently deciding between a MK7.5? Golf GTD and a MK7 Golf GTi, both with DSG gearboxes.

Examples :

GTi : 2016 GTI DSG - 5 door - FSH - 60k miles = £16k

GTD : 2017 GTD DSG - 5 door - FSH - 50k miles = £16k

I am starting a new job which will require a daily round trip (motorway) of about 55 miles, 4 days a week. (11k a year roughly).

I am aware that the GTD is well known for it's comfort and economy which is currently swaying me towards that. Saying that, I have also seen that the GTi can get around 35-40mpg on a long run so there wouldn't be a massive difference in fuel costs if I was driving to work in economy mode.


But... A GTi is a GTi and I do not want to regret not getting one once I have purchased a GTD.

Some of the things that are worrying me are that most GTi's have been ragged about by teenagers and I don't know too much about mechanics to be able to look out for certain signs on them.

Could someone please give me some food for thought / opinions and advice on what decision you would make in my situation!

Thanks in advance

[Olivera]

It would be GTI for me without a doubt. My Mk7.5 DSG could easily hit 45mpg on a run.

[the benno]

I’d go GTI if it was me, after all it’s a GTI and not a dirty diesel.
Most youngsters go for Golf R’s or S3’s cos they is faster en it !
One major thing to look out for on mk7’s is the water pump and thermostat housings leaking, usually a £1000 plus fix !
We had a 7.5 PP GTI fabulous cars

[BenS94]

I too would go GTI, but try to find either thats had the timing belt replaced already for peace of mind (VW changed this to 150,000 miles, no age limit, from 50,000 miles and every 5 years) as well as a DSG service.

[Disco You]

£16k will get you a mk7.5 GTI if you shop around a bit. But honestly I’d look elsewhere because £16k for an 8 year old golf is not good value at all if you ask me.

BenS94 said:

I too would go GTI, but try to find either thats had the timing belt replaced already for peace of mind (VW changed this to 150,000 miles, no age limit, from 50,000 miles and every 5 years) as well as a DSG service.

Mk 7 golf GTI has an EA888 (gen 3) which has timing chain not a belt…

[Mr Tidy]

11,000 miles a year just for your commute probably justifies a diesel once you add on some non-work miles, unless you are ever likely to want to go anywhere with an ULEZ - I'm assuming the GTD wouldn't be compliant!

But you really need to drive both to be sure.

In 2005 I was doing business miles and decided to buy a BMW 320td Compact as the business mileage rate for diesel looked better than for petrol. But in 2014 I bought a 325ti Compact, so the same car but with a straight 6 petrol instead of a 4 cylinder turbo-diesel. And it was just so much nicer to drive in every way. I realised I should have tried one of those back in 2005 as I wouldn't have bought the diesel regardless of business mileage rates and economy. Life's too short.

[jonwm]

In 2016 I was ordering a new company car and had added the GTD to the short list, never got it in the end as the wife said I'd spend all the time telling people it's a diesel GTI

I got an A5 instead and got her a cupra 290 to scratch the itch!

[Monster Mash]

I’d recommend a GTI, my 7.5 PP gets between 40-45mpg on a run and is a great all-rounder. Shop around, a car that’s been well cared for will always stand out.

Best option is to test drive a GTD and GTI then make your mind up from there.

[Drive Blind]

After 4 years in a GTD i moved to a GTI last year. 2016 GTD to 2019 GTI with the performance pack.

I do 20K miles a year and the sensible head says stay with the diesel. Long term average 50mpg in the GTD v 39 in the GTI. GTI is dearer to insure also.

I had 12 years in diesels and 'being sensible' so I justified treating myself. Also I bought a 3dr manual, probably my last chance to get a car like this.

The GTI is better to drive. Petrol engine better in every way over the diesel. Front end on the GTI has more bite, stronger brakes. PP cars have the trick diff that grips and goes where the GTD would be spinning away the inside wheel.

The right road and the right conditions in the GTI and I'm grinning ear to ear

[Belle427]

I'd probably vote GTI too but in all reality the GTD will do 90% of what the GTI does, a reputable remap on it would probably make it comparable and although not everyone does that I think it's a must for the sake of £300.

[GTEYE]

Mr Tidy said:

11,000 miles a year just for your commute probably justifies a diesel once you add on some non-work miles, unless you are ever likely to want to go anywhere with an ULEZ - I'm assuming the GTD wouldn't be compliant!

But you really need to drive both to be sure.

In 2005 I was doing business miles and decided to buy a BMW 320td Compact as the business mileage rate for diesel looked better than for petrol. But in 2014 I bought a 325ti Compact, so the same car but with a straight 6 petrol instead of a 4 cylinder turbo-diesel. And it was just so much nicer to drive in every way. I realised I should have tried one of those back in 2005 as I wouldn't have bought the diesel regardless of business mileage rates and economy. Life's too short.

Why would the GTD not be ULEZ compliant? Surely they’ll all be Euro 6 if it’s 2016 or on as suggested by the OP

[journeymanpro]

If going gti then make it a performance pack model.

[Gad-Westy]

Drive Blind said:

After 4 years in a GTD i moved to a GTI last year. 2016 GTD to 2019 GTI with the performance pack.

I do 20K miles a year and the sensible head says stay with the diesel. Long term average 50mpg in the GTD v 39 in the GTI. GTI is dearer to insure also.

I had 12 years in diesels and 'being sensible' so I justified treating myself. Also I bought a 3dr manual, probably my last chance to get a car like this.

The GTI is better to drive. Petrol engine better in every way over the diesel. Front end on the GTI has more bite, stronger brakes. PP cars have the trick diff that grips and goes where the GTD would be spinning away the inside wheel.

The right road and the right conditions in the GTI and I'm grinning ear to ear

At 15k miles per year (assuming the OP does a bit of personal mileage beyond the 11k commuting miles), the difference between 50mpg diesel and 39mpg petrol is less than £400 per year. I guess there would be a little hike in insurance cost and some differences in tax and servicing but overall I’d guess we’re looking at about £50 per month more for the GTi vs the GTD. I imagine it’s closer to zero if depreciation is factored in but either way as PH’er I’d always be prepared to pay a little extra for something I really want. If it were me I’d be looking for a well maintained mk7 GTi PP with tartan seats. Lovely cars.

[Alfa Pete]

GTEYE said:

Mr Tidy said:

11,000 miles a year just for your commute probably justifies a diesel once you add on some non-work miles, unless you are ever likely to want to go anywhere with an ULEZ - I'm assuming the GTD wouldn't be compliant!

But you really need to drive both to be sure.

In 2005 I was doing business miles and decided to buy a BMW 320td Compact as the business mileage rate for diesel looked better than for petrol. But in 2014 I bought a 325ti Compact, so the same car but with a straight 6 petrol instead of a 4 cylinder turbo-diesel. And it was just so much nicer to drive in every way. I realised I should have tried one of those back in 2005 as I wouldn't have bought the diesel regardless of business mileage rates and economy. Life's too short.

Why would the GTD not be ULEZ compliant? Surely they’ll all be Euro 6 if it’s 2016 or on as suggested by the OP

My old 2016 GTD was euro 6 and would be ULEZ compliant.

[Jamescrs]

I'd probably got GTD based on the mileage but be under no illusion i've seen probably more GTD's getting abused by young drivers than GTI's, GTD's are probably more common on the roads.

[pistolpete12]

spanner in the works here..

I myself do similar miles, and in the cars i normally do it in, Anything from my monaro to my MR2, had a leon FR not so long back
fuel costs all ranged about 40-50 quid a week

I have my MR2 and Monaro for fun
Now I daily a Golf GTE Mk7.5

I love it, my fuel inc charging it everyday at home cost is now about £12 a week. Its not slow, all the GTI perks, tank of 40l petrol easily lasts me the month, but like I say I do charge it at home everyday

Bonus now is my works installed chargers, so charging at 15p Per KW, and I can just get home on a charge. meaning I can go to and form work on electric, and have fun in GTE mode whenever I want.
Its a lovely car to drive and I am not a normal VAG fan, but this 7.5 GTE has got under my skin, I rarely drive the monaro and mr2 (although it is winter)
Had it a year now and for me that is a lifetime!

My long term average is 79mpg or something similar, I drive all various roads, and I am not light footed

Coming out to a preheated car, fully defrosted is lovely.

Its worth a look/test drive.. And try it in GTE mode, it'll make ya giggle

Edited by pistolpete12 on Tuesday 9th January 07:58

[BenS94]

Disco You said:

BenS94 said:

I too would go GTI, but try to find either thats had the timing belt replaced already for peace of mind (VW changed this to 150,000 miles, no age limit, from 50,000 miles and every 5 years) as well as a DSG service.

Mk 7 golf GTI has an EA888 (gen 3) which has timing chain not a belt…

Thats why I used the word either, and or

[dmsims]

I am going to agree with comments about the GTE

Faster than a GTD and doesn't sound like a bag of spanners

VW extended warranty is great value at ~£220 p.a.

[MattyD803]

I had a Mk7 GTD DSG from new back in 2015 for 3 years.....it was a really great all rounder and never missed a beat...but economy wasn't great. Over my 3 years and 26k miles, mostly on my steady commute (motorway plus a-roads), accepting that the engine was new/tight, the long term average was 45.5mpg.....no where near the 'book' figure and actually quite disappointing. Yes, you could 'eek' 50+mpg out of it now and again, but that simply wasn't the norm.

Due to the lack of noise and engagement, you'd regret not going for the GTi, which as you have eluded to yourself, would probably give 38-42mpg on a steady run. If you got for a Mk7, just make sure it's a Autumn 2015 car onwards, as these were fitted with 'winter pack' as standard.

If going for a Mk7.5, don't be lured in by cheaper 'ruby black' cars which is actually very dark red almost brown colour and really is not a nice colour in the flesh....reflected by the fact that it was very short lived in the production run.

[Sslink]

I have driven neither a GTI nor a GTD, but I have an Octavia VRS and used to have a Mk7 Golf GT (closest thing I could afford to a GTI/D at the time)

The Golf had the 2.0tdi engine but with only 150ps rather than the GTDs 180ish. It was also a manual for what that's worth.
It spent the majority of its time with me on the M60 and M62 travelling from Manchester to Liverpool 5 days a week circa 80 miles a day. It was a decent place to spend 2-3(sometimes 4-5 hours) a day. It would average 45-50mpg and I'd get ~500miles from a tank.

It wasn't however without it's problems. Problems echoed across the 2.0l TDI engines, EGR failures leading to rapid coolant loss. Heating Matrix blockage/failure (although that issue isn't limited to the diesels).

The Octavia VRS (MK7 GTI in a Czech frock) has been with me for just over a year. Commute is much shorter now at ~20 miles each way, my long term average MPG (as of this morning) is 38. It can with decent road reading and traffic return about 45mpg on a run, even with the wife, baby, dog and all the associated crap that goes with them. I get anywhere from 400 to 450 miles a tank (depending on how long I play chicken)

GTI
11000 Miles @ 35mpg (Unleaded UK avg 140.9p/l) = £2072
GTD
11000 miles @ 46mpg (Diesel UK avg 148.9p/l) = £1618

Well worth the extra £400.