2021 Golf GTI Clubsport - buying advice

[Deep Thought]

I may be in the market for a 5 door hot hatch in the very near future and the mk8 Golf GTI Clubsport has piqued my interest.

Came across this one -

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310173...

It ticks all the boxes for me, however i have noted that this car is cheap for a 2021 Approved Used car with those miles.

They've had it since October and its had various price adjustments over that time, but still isnt selling.

Is there any spec option thats a "must have" that its missing, that i'm missing?

[CG2020UK]

Looking at it the features it might be worth checking are:

Heated seats: though appears to have these as it has heated wheel and 3 zone climate control so assume so. Might be worth confirming.
Reversing camera: wouldn’t bother me this one but might be a deal breaker.

No mention of Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) though personally wouldn’t bother me as I think it is more important on the Golf R.

As long as you like the colour it looks good to me.

[Drive Blind]

dare i suggest its the vape vents, blacked out badges, roof spoiler, paddle extensions, budget tyres ?

[Deep Thought]

CG2020UK said:

Looking at it the features it might be worth checking are:

Heated seats: though appears to have these as it has heated wheel and 3 zone climate control so assume so. Might be worth confirming.
Reversing camera: wouldn’t bother me this one but might be a deal breaker.

No mention of Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) though personally wouldn’t bother me as I think it is more important on the Golf R.

As long as you like the colour it looks good to me.

Yes, i'd picked up on the DCC missing, but like yourself it wouldnt bother me (i dont think).

I liked the colour, yes.

[Deep Thought]

Drive Blind said:

dare i suggest its the vape vents, blacked out badges, roof spoiler, paddle extensions, budget tyres ?

Vape vents.

Yes, you make a good point there. Not a good sign.

I thought the roof spoiler was standard issue on the Clubsport, must check that out.

Missed the paddles. Not a good sign.

Didnt spot the tyres. Not a good sign.

[Deep Thought]

Thank you both.

Better to have stuff like that pointed out before i jump on a flight to the mainland from NI.

Theres one available locally here. More expensive and black but i'll maybe go look and get a feel for them and do my homework more.

Thank you

[popeyewhite]

Deep Thought said:

Thank you both.

Better to have stuff like that pointed out before i jump on a flight to the mainland from NI.

Theres one available locally here. More expensive and black but i'll maybe go look and get a feel for them and do my homework more.

Thank you

There's absolutely nothing wrong with the one in the link you've posted. Get rid off the spoiler and those stupid things on the windows. No one sells a car with a good set of new tyres on it! If you look at a bunch of cars on AT one of them has to be the cheapest, just check it over properly first if you have a look.

Those alloys are awful as well lol.

[ED209]

Is the engine cover missing?

[macron]

What did they do to fk up an engine cover!?!?!!!!!!!

https://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=289...

[georgeyboy12345]

Deep Thought said:

Is there any spec option thats a "must have" that its missing, that i'm missing?

Yeah, it’s not a mk7.5

[MattyD803]

Heated seats and reverse camera were removed as standard equipment when the Mk8 Golf GTi relaunched in early 2021, including the Clubsport model. Both would have been optional extras, as would have DCC naturally. Various reviews online at the time suggested that DCC was a must on the Mk8, due to the crashier ride especially on the larger wheel option.

The engine cover was removed from all EA888 Evo4 engines as part of a safety recall (fire risk)....I believe a replacement cover is slowly being rolled out....

I'd avoid that specific car like the plague....those paddle extensions and 20p 'clubsport' sticker on the centre console would suggest to me that it's probably had a harder than normal life thus far.....the spoiler however, is the standard clubsport offering.

Edited by MattyD803 on Tuesday 20th February 08:42

[Deep Thought]

popeyewhite said:

There's absolutely nothing wrong with the one in the link you've posted. Get rid off the spoiler and those stupid things on the windows. No one sells a car with a good set of new tyres on it! If you look at a bunch of cars on AT one of them has to be the cheapest, just check it over properly first if you have a look.

Those alloys are awful as well lol.

I guess its down to an indication of "the type of owner" it had. Also the budget tyres suggest perhaps maintenance on a shoestring.

If the car was 20 miles down the road i'd go have a look but its a day off work and a flight so not so easy.

If it was otherwise ticking the boxes then yes it would maybe be worth a next step.

I do take your point though - physically theres nothing there thats not correctable.

Yes, the alloys.... I think VW had the "perfect" alloy with the Pretoria wheel on the mk7. They dont seem to have hit that yet on the mk8.

[bennybeats]

If you're set on a MK8 there are plenty of clubsports from main dealers on the VW site for similar money.

But I can't help but think for the money a 7.5 TCR is the better buy...

[Deep Thought]

bennybeats said:

If you're set on a MK8 there are plenty of clubsports from main dealers on the VW site for similar money.

But I can't help but think for the money a 7.5 TCR is the better buy...

Yes, i might broaden my search to look at those.

This one happened to appear in my searches regularly and has low miles, is Approved Used etc. I also like the silver in them.

I'll maybe have a look again at the TCR.

Weirdly the mk8 looks are growing on me.....

[Terminator X]

popeyewhite said:

Deep Thought said:

Thank you both.

Better to have stuff like that pointed out before i jump on a flight to the mainland from NI.

Theres one available locally here. More expensive and black but i'll maybe go look and get a feel for them and do my homework more.

Thank you

There's absolutely nothing wrong with the one in the link you've posted. Get rid off the spoiler and those stupid things on the windows. No one sells a car with a good set of new tyres on it! If you look at a bunch of cars on AT one of them has to be the cheapest, just check it over properly first if you have a look.

Those alloys are awful as well lol.

If a sporty car has cheap as st tyres on it then a big red flag surely. A budget car ok, a sporty car no.

TX.

[popeyewhite]

Terminator X said:

popeyewhite said:

Deep Thought said:

Thank you both.

Better to have stuff like that pointed out before i jump on a flight to the mainland from NI.

Theres one available locally here. More expensive and black but i'll maybe go look and get a feel for them and do my homework more.

Thank you

There's absolutely nothing wrong with the one in the link you've posted. Get rid off the spoiler and those stupid things on the windows. No one sells a car with a good set of new tyres on it! If you look at a bunch of cars on AT one of them has to be the cheapest, just check it over properly first if you have a look.

Those alloys are awful as well lol.

If a sporty car has cheap as st tyres on it then a big red flag surely. A budget car ok, a sporty car no.

TX.

Disagree. It's a Golf, it'll go on forever providing it's serviced properly. Flappy paddles are fitted to loads of cars that hardly ever exceed the speed limit and mean nothing other than the previous owner felt like tarting the car up a bit. Budget tyres also mean little as long as they're legal. Now if it had a hybrid turbo and AP brakes some posters might have a point but as it is... .

[blue_haddock]

Drive Blind said:

dare i suggest its the vape vents, blacked out badges, roof spoiler, paddle extensions, budget tyres ?

I'm amazed they are selling it at a main dealer with these still attached and probably why its not sold as its almost certainly been abused judging by the previous owners tastes....

[popeyewhite]

blue_haddock said:

Drive Blind said:

dare i suggest its the vape vents, blacked out badges, roof spoiler, paddle extensions, budget tyres ?

I'm amazed they are selling it at a main dealer with these still attached and probably why its not sold as its almost certainly been abused judging by the previous owners tastes....

Someone spends money making something look nice (to them), then in your world they go on to abuse it? Why? That's not what people who own these types of cars generally do. Incredible snobbery once again on PH.

[blue_haddock]

popeyewhite said:

blue_haddock said:

Drive Blind said:

dare i suggest its the vape vents, blacked out badges, roof spoiler, paddle extensions, budget tyres ?

I'm amazed they are selling it at a main dealer with these still attached and probably why its not sold as its almost certainly been abused judging by the previous owners tastes....

Someone spends money making something look nice (to them), then in your world they go on to abuse it? Why? That's not what people who own these types of cars generally do. Incredible snobbery once again on PH.

Its a generalisation but theres no smoke without fire.

Chav mods (and yes they are) combined with cheap crap tyres to me at least indicate its probably been abused.

[popeyewhite]

Tyres are legal and safe, flappy paddles won't do any more damage to an engine than an idiot from the aristocracy (ie not a chav) continually trying to over rev. The rev limiter will work the same for both. Jeez. Unless there's engine upgrades all the rubbish on the car is cosmetic. I once nearly bought an Audi S8 in absolutely mint condition from a Porsche Clubsport team racer. Looked fantastic with the provenance to match. However the engine was in the worst condition my Audi Indy friend had ever seen or heard. Needless to say I didn't buy. This Golf that everyone's so worried about just might be a bargain if people weren't so blinded by stereotypes.