Mk5 Golf GTI - An honest review

I bought a MK5 Golf GTI in July. Having lived with it for a couple of months, I thought I’d share my thoughts. The Coupe was starting to worry me a bit. I would happily have driven a Fiat Coupe until I could no longer drive, if I had any mechanical knowledge, or money set aside for the usual maintenance. Unfortunately I have neither. With my dad sadly passing away a couple of years back, I’ve become my mum’s taxi service. The sounds she emitted trying to exit a Plus Recaro next to a high kerb could only be ignored by the world’s worst masochist. Factor in having to put the seat forward and install my six year old for school every day, and I didn’t really have a choice. The Coupe had to go

What to replace it with? I had a budget of 5k. I toyed with the idea of a loan and something bonkers like an RS4, but the upkeep and mpg meant the kid would have probably had a Halfords oil and filter service voucher for christmas. It was a bit self indulgent. In the end the head ruled the heart and I went for a MK5 GTI. I looked at the MK6, the ones in my price range were ropey high milers and I preferred the more rounded look of the MK5. You can pick them up for about 3k for an ‘05 with high mileage but I wanted something that was immaculate and a bit newer for a couple of grand more.

After viewing about 15 cars from North Wales to Leeds, I realised it wasn’t an easy task! They were pretty much all rough as a badger’s backside! Most had rust issues, ripped tartan check seats or sounded like a diesel. I was giving up hope, until I saw this one:

My car

Full VW Main dealer history, one owner, it was like new. One trip to Devon later and I was a Golf Owner. Full leather, manual gears. Nothing against the DSG, I just like to swap cogs myself.

What I like:

The handling. It’s quite a comfy thing, the seats give good support and trundling along you could be in any cooking Golf. It rides well. It takes all the imperfections that is the potholed hell hole I call home. When you want to have fun though, it really grips. Stock vs stock on a twisty road, a coupe wouldn’t see where the Golf went. You can just throw it about on a B road and really grab it by the scruff of the neck and drive like you just TWOC’d it, then go back to driving miss daisy. VW are the best at blending good fun with everyday comfort.

The practicality. It’s a four door, it’s not low to the ground, I can get my mini me in and out with ease, it’s not like the Coupe where I had to sort of fall in! Massive boot and the rear passengers can be over 5” tall It’s a nice place to be. It’s got airbags everywhere and a 5* safety rating.

The unassuming nature. Sure, it has big wheels and a red grille, but essentially it’s just a golf. I have no qualms parking anywhere.

The amount of cheap parts and mods/tuning stuff. The interwebs and FB groups are awash with exhausts, filters, bigger turbo’s and basically anything you care for. It’s all cheap as chips. A lot of boy racers can afford this model now and I’ve managed to pick up a £250 intake for £80 and a 3” downpipe into decat was £100 brand new. There’s plenty of parts, again thanks to young men driving them into trees. VW sold them in all parts of the globe. You can also fit later variants bits and pieces as they are usually backwards compatible. I picked up an Apple Car Play head unit out of a Mk6 Jetta for £140 off ebay. It mirrors my iPhone on the big touch screen and I canuse my spotify without careering off the road. Took me 30 mins to fit with no messing about. I love it!

Head Unit

What I don’t love

The exclusivity of the coupe. How many do you see on the road nowadays? I haven’t seen one for months. They only made one model! Ok there is the 16vt/20vt and the rarer editions but it’s essentially the same car. They never made a Mk2, 3, 4 etc. I always felt like I was in a little secret coupe bubble before. Oh there’s a Ferrari! Well that’s nice, but it’s not a coupe! In the Golf every other car’s a Golf. Oh there’s a Mk7. It’s as common as having a sphincter.

The engine sound. God I miss the five pot burble. I miss the TISCH! Every gear change. My golf sounds like a peed off sewing machine. The intake has given a bit of turbo woosh and a bit of lift-off wastegate flutter, but it’s just another AIDS ridden 4-pot (TM Dan Barltett 2006).

The power. This can and will be rectified with a trip to Flea in the future, about 270 horses is possible on a standard engine with breathing mods. My car is currently stock bar an intake and it feels S-L-O-W. It’s not of course, when I drive my girlfriends Corsa I realise that, but the step down from the Coupe’s turbo punch was hard to take. It’s just an even spread of torque throughout the rev range. I’ll comment on this again when she’s mapped.

The plastic. This applies to nearly all modern cars. Things have changed since the 90’s, and not always for the better. Boring black/grey plastic everywhere. The engine is a big plastic cover! Gimme metal! Gimme visible oily bits and aluminium!

The forum. It’s not Fccuk, ‘nuff said!

So I’m just another guy with a golf. Do I miss the Plus? Absolutely! But I don’t regret changing strangely. The coupe is a hands down a more rewarding experience, with a soul and personality that is lacking in my current steed. However, I’m enjoying the ownership. It’s a fun, cheap car that ticks all the boxes for practicality, modern equipment and just the right amount of fun. I’d recommend it as a car for all people. I’m looking forward to tinkering with it some more, and I do fancy a trackday soon, without the kid in the back and the big momma riding shotgun of course

Sick bruv

Matt

Nice one Matt - I agree they have a lot going for them and the Mk5 was a return to form.

My youngest has rushed in a little quicker than ideal and purchased a Mk5 Golf GTi recently. His has a few mods (and in my opinion a few issues), but it is a good drive and certainly on first impressions, is as quick as the Coupe!

It does though sound like a diesel on tick over???!!!

Absolutely it does! Some of the cars I viewed sounded like a tractor. You couldn’t really hear it on mine until I removed the engine cover, now it’s got the classic mk5 tick. It’s the cam tensioner chain. You can replace them and it quietens down, a little Just a quirk of the car. I just keep it at redline at all times, you can’t hear it then

Nice write up, Matt. Neatly captures the bittersweet feeling of swapping the extraordinary for the almost ordinary.

Nice one Matt.

Perhaps the last bit Matt, is not advice I plan to share with my son!

Hows your Willy!

I don’t know He was living with a divorcee in Ellesmere port last time I heard. I do miss his furry lil tail and stuff! What are you driving these days Watmo?

Fantastic write up Matt. I love the use of old forum language and I've not read TWOC'd for years!

I now drive a ridden 4 pot and absolutely miss the sound of the 5 pot warble.

(Bows) thank you, Gunzi-San! At least you have a FIAT, kinda! I don’t know if I’ll ever have a FIAT again. The MX5 based one looks OK, but the Mazda version is meant to be better. I hope I have a pristine Plus/LE when I’m about 97. I can see myself now wearing a flat cap, Rockports and smoking some super duper vape cigar that tastes of Gliptone or something! Well, one can dream.

My 5 year old calls the 124's a 'flat Abarth'. I do like the look of them but 2 seaters isn't ideal for family use.

The 595 is a right hoot the wife loves it, honestly I think it sounds better than my Focus.

I think we will always have an Italian car in the family, there's just something about them. It's a shame they didn't make the 500X Abarth, we'd have snapped one of them up over the 595.

I read a great article on Modern Classics ont eh mik5 GTi a few months back, they really rated it as a genuinely good everyday car with decent handling. I am sure you made the right choice

STILL an Alfa GT, only do 3k a year so no point changing it, mrs wmt is a mini driver mainly which is pretty fun if not that fast

That’s not a bad stable really! You do less mileage than me. I bet you don’t say ‘What, more tyres’ as often as you used to Lols!

Quick update, the car doesn’t have a ‘dump valve’ like the coupe. It has a diverter valve. They are a known weak point on the car. The diaphragm fails after a while and causes a significant loss of boost and power. I got round to changing it last week. It had never been changed. It was completely split

Good job it wasn’t a Durex

It’s a different car now. It was like a mini remap! I have also deleted the PCV system (Positive Crank case Ventilation) as the diaphragm had failed on that once I had fixed the Diverter valve. I had no idea about this sort of thing before. What does/how does the coupe deal with blow-by pressure?

I had an edition 30 very briefly so am familiar with this engine

Did you fit the latest G revision for the dump valve?

The stat on mine was sticking and I changed it and it unlocked about 10% more power I’m sure, apparently they don’t run at full boost until the needle is dead on 90. So if yourd moves slightly when driving around get it changed

Thanks Adam. Yes I fitted the latest revision G. It was a G that I removed also. The ceiling for tuning the ED 30 / Pirelli is so much higher with the K04. I haven’t looked at the temp gauge, this is the first I’ve heard of that issue. Cheers!
Just need a 3” downpipe now and I can remap

Mine was running 311 bhp, and that was after a remap and exhaust, that’s literally it!

Was dsg as well so just put your foot down and go, I loved it for the brief time I had it

A quick update - The 3” downpipe is on there. Took it for a remap. revo stage 2. Very pleased! It’s around 280 (ish) BHP and 300 lb/ft torque. It feels quicker than my Coupe! With no slippy diff, the traction control is busier than a one-legged man at an arse-kicking competition if the road isn’t bone dry.
The decat has given her a louder exhaust note, it’s nothing like a 5 pot warble mind. I’m happy with the car now. It’s jist what I needed, a comfy, fast car that can raise a smile. I think that’s all for now with regards to tuning. I need to change the (awful) ditch finder tyres for some decent rubber. If anyone has recommendations, I’m all ears.

Good review Matt. I'm in a similar position to you. Fiat getting long in the tooth, and me wanting something quicker (mine's an NA), but equally, I know that the Coupe is something special.

As for tyre recommendations, we've been impressed with the Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric, which we put on Anna's Giulietta which has a performance set up, so possibly a good comparison to your GTI. The grip and feel are excellent, both wet and dry.

They are not silly money either. About £80 to £90 for 18" wheels. Which for a premium performance tyre is excellent in my book. The other reason we got them is they have a thicker rim protector than most. The Giuliettas 18"s are terrible kerb magnets.

I'm currently being tempted by a Nissan 350z. Question is, what do I do with the Coupe?

Used to have Goodyear Eagle F1s (Asymmetrics I think) on the Coupe. Good tyres these.

Thanks guys. There’s lots of good feedback on the Goodyears and they are a good price. I can get four in 225/45/17 for £260 so this is what I’ll be going for.

Same boat - and eventually gave my Coupe to my son who damaged it soon after. It is just too nice to dump it so we have decided to get the rusty parts cut out and have it restored. Just waiting for our slot.

Even though 3 of our our other cars are faster and even the Mazda 2 "GT" is not far off, the 20V is fast enough for modern traffic levels, looks good, sounds good and the handling feels lively and true at any speed.

Another vote for Goodyear Eagles - good all rounders.

Currently have Goodyear Eagles on my Coupe having fitted ran them on our mk6 Golf and Saab 9-3 prior to that.
As others have said, they seem a good all round tyre in terms of wear, feel and grip.

Nice review, Matt. Feeling comfortable with a car can compensate for a lot in terms of ultimate performance.