1,000 miles in the GTI

"Logansteno: Bought a VW?" (logansteno)
02/04/2018 at 17:01 • Filed to: None

I bought the car two weeks ago and have already accumulated over 1,000 miles on it. I figured I’d put together some observations. As a TL;DR: This thing is great.

Okay, now some observations.

-I was shocked to learn this thing has EPAS because of how lively the steering is. It’s a bit meh on center but weights up excellently and lets you feel A LOT of the road.

-The clutch is excellent. Very linear and forgiving. It did take me a while to get used to having to rev the motor up higher than the S10 which could take off at idle.

-The steering wheel in this thing puts all other steering wheels I’ve ever touched to shame. It doesn’t belong in a hopped up econobox. The whole interior punches WAY above its weight honestly.

-Heated seats are a god send, same goes with sunroofs. And Bluetooth. This is the first car I’ve owned with it and I’ll never own a daily without it again.

-I have the base stereo and it’s still alarmingly good and surprisingly has 8 speakers.

-Plaid seats <3

- It kinda has old school turbo lag and I love feeling the turbo come on because it hits like a freight train.

- I’m getting more than double the gas mileage I was in the Silverado which makes pumping premium worth it.

-I actually love how this 4 pot sounds. It’s a nice noise I didn’t expect. The cold air intake it has might help that a bit.

-I’ve already been bitten by the mod bug. Send help.

-lolGermancarbrakedust

I seriously can’t find but tiny little faults with this car, such as the traction control being invasive even when “off” but otherwise it’s an excellent little puppy dog of a car.

Oh, and update on the dealer trip: I canceled it. The idiots who did the oil change didn’t replace the washer on the drain plug and that’s seeping. I’m doing an oil change next weekend so I’ll get a new drain plug and all will be right.

DISCUSSION (11)

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
02/04/2018 at 17:29

Gotta love heated cloth seats, doubly so when plaid.

interstate366, now In The Industry > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
02/04/2018 at 18:51

Scalding take: EPAS is better than hydraulic power steering.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > interstate366, now In The Industry
02/04/2018 at 19:08

When done well. The problem is that most of the time EPAS is done really poorly.

interstate366, now In The Industry > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
02/04/2018 at 19:19

Very true. Part of my bias is that my hydraulic racks have been in old cars that have been troublesome, while my EPAS has been in a fairly new car that feels quite great.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > interstate366, now In The Industry
02/04/2018 at 19:22

The nature of hydraulic systems means you always get some level of feedback to the wheel. Go to a new Toyota or similar and you will often find the EPAS is boosted to a point where steering is super light with 0 feedback.

interstate366, now In The Industry > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
02/04/2018 at 19:36

Yeah, my EPAS car is almost a decade old. I can imagine most systems are a lot floatier now.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > interstate366, now In The Industry
02/04/2018 at 19:44

The EPAS in my Mom’s 2017 Outback is so overpowering you could basically steer it with a feather.

interstate366, now In The Industry > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
02/04/2018 at 19:56

I like it in my TSX, but, like everything else, I think I would hate it in a TLX.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
02/04/2018 at 20:38

Glad this is all going well.

MINIGTI > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
02/04/2018 at 20:55

Had the same experience with the crush washer. Mine was leaking more oil than my Jaguar and TR6 combined for a while.

OmerCarrothers333 > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
02/04/2018 at 22:24

I don’t know if I said this, but I love the fuck out of my GTI, nice to see someone else loved the fuck out of their GTI too.