@@andychan4814 IIRC it's legal in VIC and maybe QLD? It slides just in under the 130kW/T power restriction, so yeah they're likely to get utterly flogged by the utter flogs that buy them
Hi, ive had my 6R for 3 years. Its tracked 2x a month, its quite modified (no crackle tune!!!), still my daily (for some reason) and what i can say from this video is you guys really hit the nail on the head with your research. Respect earned! Very accurate in all regards, small deviations from my experience but that's cars. Keep it up
The Mk6 Golf R is by far the best looking and it's not even close. Own one for 10 years and it had a few issues but it was the best car I've ever owned. Regret selling it and going to buy another one when I can find the right one.
@@wakaflockaprojectHell yes, no speakers blasting the sound into the cabin it’s purely the sound of the engine, it may not be as fast but it’s not covered in stupid tech you don’t need. If you get one respect.
6:24 It's always so funny seeing GTI/R owners driving around with their seat in the lowest position they look like hobbits who can barely see over the wheel lol
listen, it looks stupid yes, but for some reason it’s so comfy(maybe i’m just a dickhead😂) something about being low, but the buckets tip slightly upwards almost like laying back in a lazy boy😂😂
Check under the drivers seat, at the front there should be a polystyrene box holding the Bluetooth module. If it doesn’t pickup your phone after previously picking it up, unplug the wiring plug, wait a minute and then plug it back in. Also, there are actually storage drawers under each front seat. At least in the GTI edition 35 there are anyway.
Without watching the video yet, this gen VAG products with TFSI suffered from same issues. I had a B7 2.0TFSI and it was consuming insane amounts of oil. Otherwise it was a pretty reliable thing.
Interesting. I think the 2.0T in Passat B7 is actually the early version of 2.0t ea888, which is alloy head with timing chain. Mk6 Golf R has the cast iron head with timing belt ea113, which is related to the one in Passat B6. The 2.0T in MK6 GTI is ea888, same as B7 Passat. But anyway, they do all consume quite a lot oil😂
@@milkymilkyisacat3154 My mk6 GTI with 180.000km used 500ml every 10.000km, no problem for me since I change oil every 15.000km. It has been very reliable the last 50.000km I owned it.
If you are not prepared to spend at least $2k-$3k in maintenance costs every year then don’t even bother. If you can afford the maintenance the they are an amazing thing. Just be prepared to hand over your hard earned $$
I would disagree with this. Every car has basic maintenance needs, VW are no different or exorbitantly higher comparatively. I personally own a 2012 R and its been nothing but joy and easy repairs.
@@BittaThisBittaThat I run a small mechanics shop in Melbourne. Yes every car has basic maintenance needs. However European high performance models such as the Golf R need extra attention. This is my professional experience from my own business. Which is if they are maintained to a high standard they are very reliable. If they are treated less well then there is the potential for more things to wrong.
@@anakinskywalker4113 care to explain what the "extra attention" is more specifically in comparison to a regular car? Also a break down of the 3k minimum annual costs you outlined would be good too.
@@Vikturus22Mine rattles so muchhh. i located it and it is the front seatbelt buckles. When the seatbelt is inside there is no rattle. Very frustrating when driving alone
I don't understand why Volkswagen is one of the biggest brands in the world when they are one of the most unreliable plus the way they treated their customers over diesel gate was shameful. Buy a Toyota, Suzuki, Honda or Mazda instead.
But they are dull and life's too short to buy and own a Toyota. Given the amount of abuse most Golfs cop and the amount of horsepower they can develop with some minor tuning mods, they are far more robust than they get credit for. I've owned 3 Golfs GTI's and R's and all have been excellent and reliable cars.
I will run my 2009 Kluger into the ground. It has 190k's , only spent $130 fixing drivers window that wouldn't go back up...all services done by me....have owned it for 13 years so far....if you need excitement from a car , sorry...
Their bare basic models are pretty reliable, but we don’t get them here in Australia at all… pretty much every model we get have turbo and DSG… In markets like China, your base spec VW gets a basic 1.6-1.8 NA engine with normal auto gear box like a Corolla and they are pretty reliable.
6 R used the high-output variant of the EA113. Like the 1.8T it replaced, the main timing drive is from the belt driving the exhaust cam, and there's a small chain at the back of the engine linking and driving the intake
Yeah we just got a 2018 206tsi Passat wagon for kids and dog. Absolutely love it! Plenty of power and fully spec’d (minus sunroof). Bought it on 90k km with full service history. fingers crossed we don’t get any issues!
@@jpk818 - ours is a 2016 with 60k which we’ve had since new. Only issue was the inevitable water pump which was replaced last year. No rattles. We also have a Cupra Formentor and I actually reckon the Passat is more comfortable on a long drive. Great car.
Great review once again Adam 👏 But I think you missed one alternative that's very closely packaged to the Golf R...It's the Scirocco R....It's the reason the Golf R was abit bland...The Scirocco R has the has the sleek 2 door look (from certain angles front on or on the 3 quarter angle looks great but I can't stand the rear view) It's almost a mix or the R (same engine also seen in the S3) and VI GTI performance (much the same running gear with XDS)...They do cost alot in servicing but you people need to place the importance on maintenance and servicing before performance and upgrades...Its hella fun to drive but some of the people that drive them do turn me off the VAG cars...I did a work contract in the same street as one of Sydney's top VAG specialists and by the end I was and still am over the DSG fart...I currently searching for 235i/240i,Q2 quatrro or an Alfa Giulietta Quadrifoglio / Veloce (Super cheap and loaded with options but also problem child)
Pretty fair review! We have a Mk5 GTI in the family that has the same EA113 (smaller turbo) and DSG and it's a good summary. We did very well with ours - 250,000km before the water pump needed replacing, and the DSG is still flawless and on its original clutch pack, and the car is tuned. No other issues other than a new water pump at 250k. It does love consuming oil. I put 1L in every 2 months at least. But given its insane reliability over the last 10 years, it's not something that bothers me at all!
Thanks so much for this video!!!! Been scouring for a comprehensive used review of the mk6r as I just placed a deposit on one recently!!! Great work on the channel mate!
He's wrong about the haldex in this one. This gen of the haldex is the 1st one that was more proactive than reactive and is able to use various sensors to determine when to engage the rear before slip.
I have an MY11 and got it with factory BT. It was one of those “Week 37 and onwards builds in 2010” had it as an option. I swapped it and the head unit out for slightly later revisions of the same models so I could get track/album information coming through from my phone as the original would just say BT-AUDIO only on screen. I’d say that wouldn’t be the case on later model years though. You mentioned swapping out the RCD510 for something newer that’s OEM that has CarPlay/AA. The newer head unit doesn’t support the dynaudio amp so keep that in mind.
Exactly the comment I was going to post. They've become a disgrace to the brilliant engineers that work for them all in the interests of keeping shareholders and managers happy.
I would not buy any VW with a DSG pre 2015. There is currently an active recall on the DSG trans in NZ vehicles. I would not buy any older VW product after being a service technician for 10 years working on mainly Euro vehicles.
Its important to note that this only applies to the 7 speed DSG from the mid 2000s. The DQ250 which is in the 6R and many other VWs of that same generation is well tested to be a good unit. Yes it has its issues, but its streets better than the 7 speed.
@@BittaThisBittaThat The current recall affects all 7 speed DSG vehicles (Vin dependent) built up to 2015. Previous recalls in USA, AU China etc included the 6 Speed DSG up to the 2013 recall but mostly affected 2009 vehicles. There is a large amount of information about the DSG problems and the many recalls and after driving VWs with DSGs I still would not recommend any of them.
Iv got a MK6 R iv just fully forged mine & about to do the run in,running a G25-660 turbo as it suits my driving,iv got KW V3 coilovers fully Polly bushed “power flex” Wagner intercooler CFS rad new fans front & rear H&R ARBs iv literally done everything for handling even down to the drive shaft mount & dead set kit & everything underneath the car that can come off iv had powder coated glass black & iv put an ally bed on the rear with a brand new DQ500 DSG gear box with stage 3 TVS software to go on, paint work mint ceramic coated OZ rims BBK but soon to change to much better brakes & so much more,absolutely love them but getting an RS3 next year after iv had fun in the nearly built 6R
Ahh yes, would make note to mention that center support shafts like to wear and cause lots of vibrations, the heavy duty driveshaft mount is a must IMO!
Having worked at a vw dealer for 12 years the interior quality is far better in a mk6 than a 7. Soft door cards in the rear thicker carpet. More soft material overall. B pillars are actually covered in material. Always found it funny when the mk8 came out the aluminum subframe was a big deal when all mk5-6 came with it. Also to be mentioned gearing in the manual mk6 was much shorter. But despite owning one these cars are getting dated. What makes them special is that they’re rare and they sound better than most 2.0t out there. Also on another note way more reliable than a mk6 gti
I thought it was reliable until I bought one. I just bought one 2 months ago and couldn’t even drive it normally. I’m having issues with my engine just shacking a lot. It started with stuttering and got worse and worse. Maybe you know what it could be or anyone else here. Besides that still loving the car :)
It doesn’t shake when I start the car cuz it’s on high rpm at te beginning. But as soon as the rpm’s go down it starts shacking abnormally. Brought it to the garage told me they couldn’t find any fault codes.
As an American, it makes me a little sad that we don't get any of these cars that you mentioned as competition for the Golf R. Some of them look really amazing.
@@ShadowXSniper1 because a dealer out here had a one owner 82k mile blue mk6 that was listed for 18.5k. Missed out on last weekend :/. I thought I found the culprit haha jk man.
Slight digression, I have a 2011 mk6 Golfy TDI 2lt with 522,000km and still going (GC Qld). Mostly highway Ks, which kind of negates DPF issues. Serviced every 9-10,000km (10-weeks, GC to Brisbane daily- 1100km per tank). DSG is holding up, and I am hoping to hit 550,000km then I'm setting golfys sights on 600,000km.
Almost bought one a year ago, it was ABT tuned from factory originally delivered to Switzerland. 310 HP. Engine light came on during test drive😂 and it had been repainted on the left, a sloppy paintjob. Obviously repaired crash damage, so I walked away. But these things are proper rockets and the best looking Golfs if you ask me.
The Mk6 Golf can actually be retrofitted with Adaptive Cruise Control and some other active safety tech. The Mk6 Golf got some of these features right toward the end of the production run. In fact the Cabriolet production continued until 2016. So it got some technology upgrades from the Mk7 - which then enables you to retrofit those features to older Mk6 Golfs.
My daily driver is an Mk6 Golf R "Rising Blue" DSG with 55k kms on it. So far, so good-the car condition is great, it has never been tracked, etc. I got an offer for $30k, but I find it hard to sell it for that price, even though it seems much!
Had one for more than a year, it drives beautifully and reliably. All i have done is regular oil change at the recommend interval and it has never given me any issue at all. The car is already 12 yrs old
The power and torque output listed is incorrect, they don’t have 199KW and 350 Nm. These produce 188KW and 330 Nm. Australia and other countries with hot climates, received the detuned version. A Stage 1+ ECU tune like mine has, jumped figures to 193Kw and 396 Nm ATW. Get a TCU tune as well. Swap out the head unit for an RCD330 AndroidAuto/AppleCarplay unit.
Mk7 GTI (same price) or R (start from a few thousand more for a high km variant) are much better value. That said, the seats are the more comfortable than the MK7.
@wakaflockaproject if you really want to know the answer rather than just read a random guy on the internet redriven had done a i30n review 1 year or 2 ago Just go to the video and come back to me with what you think 😁 would happily know what you learned
lol the subarus are reliable but bad mpg, the renault i wouldnt touch with a stick, 135i n55 is bulletproof, i can keep going on but with vw parts are readily available.
When we say "reliable" we don't just think of engine The 135i may have a good engine but the electronic stuff is not it at all Subaru I would not touch it either
I had a Passat of a similar vintage to this Golf and it rattled like crazy. My entire ownership of that car was just tracking down one rattle after another.
Even in the US these seem like a steal (Only 500 2012s), I bought a low mileage one in August last year after owning a mk5 GTI, Completely agree that the GTI was more fun around town, but when it comes to driving fast the R is better in every scenario. Watch the cam follower, do the maitenance and enjoy. Sometimes I wonder if I should have looked outside the golf family, but then everytime I'm back in my R driving I can't help but marvel at what spectacular car it is.
I had factory Bluetooth in mine. It's bit oldschool with a BT module box under the driver seat. Sometimes it wouldn't connect to the phone so you unplug/plug it in again to reset and it works lol. Update the headunit and you can throw that box away.
Having this many issues I know now why they are so cheap! Beauty of a car, but like most cars it’s has its cons and pros. Good job on pointing out these things. 👍🏼
Looks are subjective at the end of the day, so this dude's opinion is just that. I love the way the MK8 looks, so much so that I bought one, and everyone that sees it remarks that its a beautiful car. Pictures don't do it justice.
Story time. I went to look at a mk6R and drove up in a manual accord euro. Brought the cash to buy. Drove the R, was underwhelming and i had driven a manual mk7 gti, dsg mk7 R and dsg mk7.5 R, all of which i liked. I was going to buy anyway and was figuring out which friend would drive the R back for me. Lightbulb moment, i didn't like it enough to even drive it back from Sunny coast to Brisbane. So i didn't end up buying it.
Have one of these that's been running stage 2+ for the last 6 years, with a previous owner that thrashed the hell out of it. Aside from a few surprises during the major service caused by poor workmanship, it's been super reliable. 100% agree on the dead steering feel though. It might be specific to mine, but it is a bit of a petrol guzzler, and does burn through a bit of oil.
Maybe I just haven't driven enough sporty cars, but I don't really get the dead steering feel in mine. Can definitely feel the road through the tires and what the car is doing, but maybe it's just a lot less than what people are looking for? idk lol. It has an APR stage 1+ on it. Uses oil as well lol. Been a great car so far, had to do a timing belt/water pump and the chain, and a few other cheap wear parts at 100k miles.
The my12 models onwards had Bluetooth standard. Before then it was an option and there are a few different modules that were available with different functionality.
Finally a car i actually own, got a manual white no sunroof. i got this and not the golf 7 gti because its too conservative moves under the radar, some of us like that lol. EA113 hasn't let me down (yet).
Power and torque figures are for the European market.We are classified as hot climate so the Power is downgraded to 188Kw and 330 Nm . I have a 2011 6R 6 sp manual and while it isnt the fasted it gives t me pleasure and thats what I like. Noice review
old man has a MK6 TDI - 400,000 + km's on it, he's keeping it until it dies, it wont fucking die. The big issue with his car is the radio antenna is in the back window so the wires over time that run through the loom in the opening area, have broken, new loom needed from front to back - not worth it. Also retro fitting OEM is really only working with plug and play with the MK6 not the MK5 this is due to canbus, if you want to do this in the MK5 you need a canbus adapter to stop the battery drain.
@zeroyon4562 Who cares? Hatchbacks don't appeal to American buyers especially if the vehicle is a premium marque. They are viewed as cheap and down market. The 1-Series really wasn't that popular because they were almost as expensive as some models of the 3-Series which came in a much broader range of trims and body styles. For a few dollars extra on the monthly lease or car payment Americans overwhelmingly preferred the 3-Series.
I have had a MK6 and a MK7 (not R) and the MK6 was, to me, a better car, I loved the MK7 but the 6 just felt a better car although I had a heap of problems with the Bluetooth in it.
I have a North American Mk6 Golf R and as have the base audio package which INCLUDES Bluetooth. I use it daily. I believe the premium audio package was part of the Sunroof Package, weirdly, but even the base Golf R had Bluetooth calls and audio. But again, we o ly had it from 2012-2013,so maybe yall in other countries had worse setups since it came out in 2010ish.
Also just to reply to my own comment again, I've taken my Mk6 Golf R from 71,000 to 145,000 with zero times leaving me stranded, even with some absolutely busted repair choices, (mismatched tire treads and oil weight). I know I'm wrecking this thing but it's never broken down. My B5 Audi broke down every month (I still loved it, though).
Hey Mate, I wanted to know did you guys ever did a review upon a Lexus GS (250 etc.) of MK4? I have only seen the one of GS F but not a normal one with either naturally aspirated or hybrid. Will there be a video about it?
Unlike you, I do NOT like the mk7 styling. The edges, the tail lights, the front bumpers, and in my opinion, the 4 exhaust tips on the R do not go well on a 4cyl car. They were 'okay' on my Corvettes due to having 8 cylinders and double to triple the hp of the Golfs, but yeah they're out of sorts on a small hatchback. I love the 2 tip exhaust in the center on the mk6 R and mk5 R32. Reminds me of the 2 tip Borla Exhaust I had on my first Corvette back in 2006. I also prefer the styling of the mk4 R32 over the mk5. The mk5 isn't bad, but the tail lights are kind of a downer. Interior wise, you have less head room in mk7's over mk6's. The seats aren't as comfortable(I found they were spaced out badly where my legs went over them), and I'm not that big of a guy. And I found the interior to feel cheaper in the mk7. Also, give me the simplicity of the dash anyday over all of the electronics the newer cars are coming with(I did put a different climatronic unit in my 6R to update it a bit). The mk7 is definitely more mod-capable than the mk6. That's how it usually goes. But at least we have choices and each generation has their huge followings. I'll keep my APR k04 mk6 GTI with DSG and mk6 Golf R(haven't tuned it yet but i already have coilovers/swaybars/wheels/intake/dp/cbe/euro lights to install when I have free time). Both cars have been absolutely great.
VW should have driven all Mark 6 Golfs straight down a well rather than selling them to the public. Outrageous money pits. Ours was serviced by the book and yet the engine developed blow-by at 100,000kms. A new engine is $10k.
mine has blutooth, but im not certain its an oem deck since it has audio storage built in. im not sure how it works but previous owner lefft my car with about 600 songs ranging from linkin park to cypress hill on the head units hard drive lol
If its the same as an Audi S3 2017 inlet manifold and water pump leaks are common. Inlet manifold is plastic and can break when it is removed. I had a 2017 S3 which was very quick but being DSG soul less and boring to drive, Steering feel not as good as I30N. Aircon radiators common failure as many owners do not have the aircon serviced or dryer cartridge replaced causing corrosion. If you do buy and VW group car and you want to save diagnostic costs get VCDS, it saved me thousands.
Different engine to 2017 S3. Different intake manifold. And if you’re breaking the intake manifold just by removing it, you’re doing something incredibly wrong.
@@RB-lt8kt That’s a load of absolute nonsense. Yes the water pump on the EA888 was not great, but the latest revisions are a lot better. Many cars have plastic intake manifolds and they’re just fine. You don’t have much experience with these engines or these cars and it’s obvious in your comments. Are you even old enough to drive?
@@sunsetgarage755 I am only going by what an Audi tec told me and he should know. Any plastic will age and degrade especially if heated and cooled. Inlet manifold flap and carbon build up a common issue.
@@RB-lt8kt That’s a common issue for EVERY direct injection engine ever produced. How is that related to VW & Audi engines specifically? You really don’t know what you’re talking about. My Skoda VRS plastic intake manifold is in perfect condition, the car has done upwards of 280,000 kms & is 15 years old. When exactly should I expect it to go brittle and break? When exactly should carbon fouling create problems? Hasn’t happened yet buddy. You need to start listening to better mechanics because your info is shit.
![[TH] RNT vs SPG - VCT Ascension Pacific - Day 1](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RUTkf8Detj8/mqdefault.jpg)
Even if you wanted one, it's hard finding one that hasn't been abused by P platers.
I thought you couldn't get one as a P plater since it's turbocharged?
Get with the times you can drive anything it's power to weight @@andychan4814
I think VW were offering really generous financing on this gen, which made it worse.
I don't think P platers really care about that@andychan4814
@@andychan4814 IIRC it's legal in VIC and maybe QLD? It slides just in under the 130kW/T power restriction, so yeah they're likely to get utterly flogged by the utter flogs that buy them
Hi, ive had my 6R for 3 years. Its tracked 2x a month, its quite modified (no crackle tune!!!), still my daily (for some reason) and what i can say from this video is you guys really hit the nail on the head with your research. Respect earned! Very accurate in all regards, small deviations from my experience but that's cars. Keep it up
Thinking of buying a mk6 r soon. Any tips on what to look (thats not mentioned in the video) out for when I go to check one out?
The Mk6 Golf R is by far the best looking and it's not even close. Own one for 10 years and it had a few issues but it was the best car I've ever owned. Regret selling it and going to buy another one when I can find the right one.
Better than the 7r?
@@wakaflockaprojectHell yes, no speakers blasting the sound into the cabin it’s purely the sound of the engine, it may not be as fast but it’s not covered in stupid tech you don’t need. If you get one respect.
@@WilsonFrench-u3i I've got the audi a3 with the mk6 gti engine. Heard its better than the one in the 6r
6:24 It's always so funny seeing GTI/R owners driving around with their seat in the lowest position they look like hobbits who can barely see over the wheel lol
I own a MK6 R and think the exact same thing. Looks absolutely ridiculous lol
I enjoy being able to see the road 😅
listen, it looks stupid yes, but for some reason it’s so comfy(maybe i’m just a dickhead😂) something about being low, but the buckets tip slightly upwards almost like laying back in a lazy boy😂😂
You can switch out the buttons with a screen.
Wait a minute...
Does that mean
You can swap the screen with the buttons?!
I like the way ya think!😂
Mine has bluetooth from standard! Love my 6R - It's been stage 2 APR+ for 5 years and over 150k kms and never missed a beat!
Check under the drivers seat, at the front there should be a polystyrene box holding the Bluetooth module. If it doesn’t pickup your phone after previously picking it up, unplug the wiring plug, wait a minute and then plug it back in. Also, there are actually storage drawers under each front seat. At least in the GTI edition 35 there are anyway.
Without watching the video yet, this gen VAG products with TFSI suffered from same issues. I had a B7 2.0TFSI and it was consuming insane amounts of oil. Otherwise it was a pretty reliable thing.
Audi rebuilt my A4 2.0 Tfsi under warranty. Never used a drop of oil afterwards.
It was such a hit or miss issue too. My Mk6 never used a drop in more than 120,000km, a friend was adding a significant amount every thousand km.
Interesting. I think the 2.0T in Passat B7 is actually the early version of 2.0t ea888, which is alloy head with timing chain. Mk6 Golf R has the cast iron head with timing belt ea113, which is related to the one in Passat B6. The 2.0T in MK6 GTI is ea888, same as B7 Passat. But anyway, they do all consume quite a lot oil😂
@@milkymilkyisacat3154 My mk6 GTI with 180.000km used 500ml every 10.000km, no problem for me since I change oil every 15.000km. It has been very reliable the last 50.000km I owned it.
funny thing is no one mentions abut honda and toyota oil consumption. if vw has one engine that might consume oil everyone mentions it...
If you are not prepared to spend at least $2k-$3k in maintenance costs every year then don’t even bother. If you can afford the maintenance the they are an amazing thing. Just be prepared to hand over your hard earned $$
I would disagree with this. Every car has basic maintenance needs, VW are no different or exorbitantly higher comparatively. I personally own a 2012 R and its been nothing but joy and easy repairs.
@@BittaThisBittaThat+1
They were amazing 15 years ago ....they aren't special anymore compared to the dual power plant hybrids with 350 bhp as standard.
@@BittaThisBittaThat I run a small mechanics shop in Melbourne. Yes every car has basic maintenance needs. However European high performance models such as the Golf R need extra attention. This is my professional experience from my own business. Which is if they are maintained to a high standard they are very reliable. If they are treated less well then there is the potential for more things to wrong.
@@anakinskywalker4113 care to explain what the "extra attention" is more specifically in comparison to a regular car? Also a break down of the 3k minimum annual costs you outlined would be good too.
I have a mk6 gti and I have 185,000 km on the clock. I have not heard a single rattle in the interior. Dunno what people are on about.
I have 154k miles on my 2012 GTI and there isn't a rattle in it either.
@@JustinStrife built properly. My old Lexus was same but if it was a cheaper car I guarantee it would rattle before 100,000km
@@Vikturus22Mine rattles so muchhh. i located it and it is the front seatbelt buckles. When the seatbelt is inside there is no rattle.
Very frustrating when driving alone
10:08 carpet-lined door bins to “keep your cold drinks nice and warm” hahahahahahahahaha
I don't understand why Volkswagen is one of the biggest brands in the world when they are one of the most unreliable plus the way they treated their customers over diesel gate was shameful. Buy a Toyota, Suzuki, Honda or Mazda instead.
Agreed, that's exactly what I tell my clients when asked which brand they should buy next once they've had enough of the VW issues. Such POS.
But they are dull and life's too short to buy and own a Toyota. Given the amount of abuse most Golfs cop and the amount of horsepower they can develop with some minor tuning mods, they are far more robust than they get credit for. I've owned 3 Golfs GTI's and R's and all have been excellent and reliable cars.
I will run my 2009 Kluger into the ground. It has 190k's , only spent $130 fixing drivers window that wouldn't go back up...all services done by me....have owned it for 13 years so far....if you need excitement from a car , sorry...
They're great if they're under warranty and plenty pf people turn their cars over every 5 years so VW's are perfect for that
Their bare basic models are pretty reliable, but we don’t get them here in Australia at all… pretty much every model we get have turbo and DSG…
In markets like China, your base spec VW gets a basic 1.6-1.8 NA engine with normal auto gear box like a Corolla and they are pretty reliable.
Just clicked, dsg and timing chain and water pump 😂
6 R used the high-output variant of the EA113. Like the 1.8T it replaced, the main timing drive is from the belt driving the exhaust cam, and there's a small chain at the back of the engine linking and driving the intake
@@tally5k339 And the chain is far less prone to failure as the forums would have you believe.
Its has a timing belt fyi. Also not the standard abortion of a waterpump but yeah they still go
@@BittaThisBittaThat the poor r36 motor though. That really cops abuse
@@orion_033 Yeah people just love to hate on VW
If I had to choose. The Golf R 7.5 wagon would be the pick of the bunch.
I'm not sure why everyone doesn't just buy the R wagon. I've got a 206 R-Line Passat Wagon. I just love it. They are both way better than any SUV.
Yeah we just got a 2018 206tsi Passat wagon for kids and dog. Absolutely love it! Plenty of power and fully spec’d (minus sunroof). Bought it on 90k km with full service history. fingers crossed we don’t get any issues!
@@jpk818 - ours is a 2016 with 60k which we’ve had since new. Only issue was the inevitable water pump which was replaced last year. No rattles. We also have a Cupra Formentor and I actually reckon the Passat is more comfortable on a long drive. Great car.
Great review once again Adam 👏 But I think you missed one alternative that's very closely packaged to the Golf R...It's the Scirocco R....It's the reason the Golf R was abit bland...The Scirocco R has the has the sleek 2 door look (from certain angles front on or on the 3 quarter angle looks great but I can't stand the rear view) It's almost a mix or the R (same engine also seen in the S3) and VI GTI performance (much the same running gear with XDS)...They do cost alot in servicing but you people need to place the importance on maintenance and servicing before performance and upgrades...Its hella fun to drive but some of the people that drive them do turn me off the VAG cars...I did a work contract in the same street as one of Sydney's top VAG specialists and by the end I was and still am over the DSG fart...I currently searching for 235i/240i,Q2 quatrro or an Alfa Giulietta Quadrifoglio / Veloce (Super cheap and loaded with options but also problem child)
Pretty fair review! We have a Mk5 GTI in the family that has the same EA113 (smaller turbo) and DSG and it's a good summary. We did very well with ours - 250,000km before the water pump needed replacing, and the DSG is still flawless and on its original clutch pack, and the car is tuned. No other issues other than a new water pump at 250k. It does love consuming oil. I put 1L in every 2 months at least. But given its insane reliability over the last 10 years, it's not something that bothers me at all!
Water pump should have been done when the timing belt was replaced
Buying a used gti or R is like gambling. Most owners (myself included) usually done some mods. It is tough to find a clean, bone stock ones
Thanks so much for this video!!!! Been scouring for a comprehensive used review of the mk6r as I just placed a deposit on one recently!!! Great work on the channel mate!
He's wrong about the haldex in this one. This gen of the haldex is the 1st one that was more proactive than reactive and is able to use various sensors to determine when to engage the rear before slip.
I have an MY11 and got it with factory BT. It was one of those “Week 37 and onwards builds in 2010” had it as an option.
I swapped it and the head unit out for slightly later revisions of the same models so I could get track/album information coming through from my phone as the original would just say BT-AUDIO only on screen.
I’d say that wouldn’t be the case on later model years though.
You mentioned swapping out the RCD510 for something newer that’s OEM that has CarPlay/AA. The newer head unit doesn’t support the dynaudio amp so keep that in mind.
20 years ago, VAG made decent cars with few problems. And then, they became a shit show.
Exactly the comment I was going to post. They've become a disgrace to the brilliant engineers that work for them all in the interests of keeping shareholders and managers happy.
Please do the review of m240i or m140
yes agree! GO the B58!
Hi Adam, the felt lined bottle holders in the door are actually felt lined to prevent rattles. Not to keep your cold drink warm!
I would not buy any VW with a DSG pre 2015. There is currently an active recall on the DSG trans in NZ vehicles. I would not buy any older VW product after being a service technician for 10 years working on mainly Euro vehicles.
True
Totally agree, but I would go further, I wouldn't buy any VAG product or BMW or Merc or any other European car you care to mention 😉
2011 GTI owner here, DSG has been nothing but brilliant, 180.000km at the clock.
Its important to note that this only applies to the 7 speed DSG from the mid 2000s.
The DQ250 which is in the 6R and many other VWs of that same generation is well tested to be a good unit. Yes it has its issues, but its streets better than the 7 speed.
@@BittaThisBittaThat The current recall affects all 7 speed DSG vehicles (Vin dependent) built up to 2015. Previous recalls in USA, AU China etc included the 6 Speed DSG up to the 2013 recall but mostly affected 2009 vehicles. There is a large amount of information about the DSG problems and the many recalls and after driving VWs with DSGs I still would not recommend any of them.
Jim's nightmare is a review of a ' 380 ' he is out of a job that week.
He can still spend a minute talking about leaking valve cover seals
Iv got a MK6 R iv just fully forged mine & about to do the run in,running a G25-660 turbo as it suits my driving,iv got KW V3 coilovers fully Polly bushed “power flex” Wagner intercooler CFS rad new fans front & rear H&R ARBs iv literally done everything for handling even down to the drive shaft mount & dead set kit & everything underneath the car that can come off iv had powder coated glass black & iv put an ally bed on the rear with a brand new DQ500 DSG gear box with stage 3 TVS software to go on, paint work mint ceramic coated OZ rims BBK but soon to change to much better brakes & so much more,absolutely love them but getting an RS3 next year after iv had fun in the nearly built 6R
Ahh yes, would make note to mention that center support shafts like to wear and cause lots of vibrations, the heavy duty driveshaft mount is a must IMO!
Petition for AJ to wear his short shorts again.
Make it happen ReDriven!
They were in the wash this day. As soon as it warms up, I’ll put the shorts on again. - AK
Bro has the best descriptions of car drivers
I try. - AK
MK4 r32 is the best looking, the mk6 Golf R is the 2nd best looking, MK7 and MK8 are trash
Having worked at a vw dealer for 12 years the interior quality is far better in a mk6 than a 7. Soft door cards in the rear thicker carpet. More soft material overall. B pillars are actually covered in material. Always found it funny when the mk8 came out the aluminum subframe was a big deal when all mk5-6 came with it. Also to be mentioned gearing in the manual mk6 was much shorter. But despite owning one these cars are getting dated. What makes them special is that they’re rare and they sound better than most 2.0t out there. Also on another note way more reliable than a mk6 gti
I thought it was reliable until I bought one. I just bought one 2 months ago and couldn’t even drive it normally. I’m having issues with my engine just shacking a lot. It started with stuttering and got worse and worse. Maybe you know what it could be or anyone else here. Besides that still loving the car :)
It doesn’t shake when I start the car cuz it’s on high rpm at te beginning. But as soon as the rpm’s go down it starts shacking abnormally. Brought it to the garage told me they couldn’t find any fault codes.
@@mahmutgumus7489 You probably just need to do a carbon clean up walnut blast
I used to have a mk6 103tdi, bottle opener is standard, it definitely had bluetooth too would be very surprised if the R didn't 🤷🏽♂️
An accountant that does kickboxing to keep fit 😂😂😂 awesome
As an American, it makes me a little sad that we don't get any of these cars that you mentioned as competition for the Golf R. Some of them look really amazing.
Nothing anyone can say to change my mind about the 6 R. It's an absolute rocket and a beautiful car.
I’m on the process of buying a 82k miles one owner and I really needed this video
Don't buy it. It'll cause you too much grief. It's a VW!.
@@Bill-ki4zfI heard that if you keep up the maintenance it should be fine and of course don’t be an idiot and do pulls all the time
You better not live in Denver… haha
@@samuelsamano3777 lol no I don’t why?
@@ShadowXSniper1 because a dealer out here had a one owner 82k mile blue mk6 that was listed for 18.5k. Missed out on last weekend :/. I thought I found the culprit haha jk man.
I know you've done an R36 semi recently, but would love to see a video on a mk5 R32!
Coming soon! - AK
Slight digression, I have a 2011 mk6 Golfy TDI 2lt with 522,000km and still going (GC Qld). Mostly highway Ks, which kind of negates DPF issues. Serviced every 9-10,000km (10-weeks, GC to Brisbane daily- 1100km per tank). DSG is holding up, and I am hoping to hit 550,000km then I'm setting golfys sights on 600,000km.
Almost bought one a year ago, it was ABT tuned from factory originally delivered to Switzerland. 310 HP. Engine light came on during test drive😂 and it had been repainted on the left, a sloppy paintjob. Obviously repaired crash damage, so I walked away. But these things are proper rockets and the best looking Golfs if you ask me.
I'm honestly surprised you aren't sponsored by Car Vertical. Personally not a fan of Golfs because of the maintenance bills.
Clicked on this video and immediately got a DSG error on my Golf
Can you review more normal german cars? You always just review the high end sporty models. For example reciew the regular golf 4,5,6,7,8 etc
The Mk6 Golf can actually be retrofitted with Adaptive Cruise Control and some other active safety tech. The Mk6 Golf got some of these features right toward the end of the production run. In fact the Cabriolet production continued until 2016. So it got some technology upgrades from the Mk7 - which then enables you to retrofit those features to older Mk6 Golfs.
My daily driver is an Mk6 Golf R "Rising Blue" DSG with 55k kms on it. So far, so good-the car condition is great, it has never been tracked, etc. I got an offer for $30k, but I find it hard to sell it for that price, even though it seems much!
Man, you are so much on point about the design. The VII is the sweet spot and the VIII is simply hard to watch. Take care !
Do Scirocco next
Scirocco’s are fantastic cars had one for 6 years no issues at all
Same same but different lol
Do one for the mk6 golf gti please
i love that they are all missing the rear tow hook cover
Where's my barge pole when I need it???
Had one for more than a year, it drives beautifully and reliably. All i have done is regular oil change at the recommend interval and it has never given me any issue at all. The car is already 12 yrs old
It's still an awesome car despite its reliability issues.
The power and torque output listed is incorrect, they don’t have 199KW and 350 Nm. These produce 188KW and 330 Nm. Australia and other countries with hot climates, received the detuned version.
A Stage 1+ ECU tune like mine has, jumped figures to 193Kw and 396 Nm ATW. Get a TCU tune as well.
Swap out the head unit for an RCD330 AndroidAuto/AppleCarplay unit.
WOULD love know how many plastic part are in the engine.
Mk7 GTI (same price) or R (start from a few thousand more for a high km variant) are much better value.
That said, the seats are the more comfortable than the MK7.
Having a mechanic speak was a genius idea for the video
And the competition is mostly not reliably as the golf 6 and 7 are .. only the i30N doesn't scares me to live with every day
The i30n is reliable?
@wakaflockaproject if you really want to know the answer rather than just read a random guy on the internet redriven had done a i30n review 1 year or 2 ago
Just go to the video and come back to me with what you think 😁 would happily know what you learned
lol the subarus are reliable but bad mpg, the renault i wouldnt touch with a stick, 135i n55 is bulletproof, i can keep going on but with vw parts are readily available.
When we say "reliable" we don't just think of engine
The 135i may have a good engine but the electronic stuff is not it at all
Subaru I would not touch it either
@@wakaflockaprojectI have a friend who's is at 80k km , got a heavy duty clutch first week of delivery besides that it's been faultless
I had a Passat of a similar vintage to this Golf and it rattled like crazy. My entire ownership of that car was just tracking down one rattle after another.
Maybe not from the outset but it grows on you it is a beautiful car.
I remember looking at one new and the dealers wouldn’t let me test drive it, so just walked away, at that time they were selling over $60K
I would love to see a review of how the used Volvo XC60 2017+ models stack up compared to their competition
+1.
Guess what we’re filming this Friday ;) - AK
Even in the US these seem like a steal (Only 500 2012s), I bought a low mileage one in August last year after owning a mk5 GTI, Completely agree that the GTI was more fun around town, but when it comes to driving fast the R is better in every scenario. Watch the cam follower, do the maitenance and enjoy. Sometimes I wonder if I should have looked outside the golf family, but then everytime I'm back in my R driving I can't help but marvel at what spectacular car it is.
and yes, mine has bluetooth
I had factory Bluetooth in mine. It's bit oldschool with a BT module box under the driver seat. Sometimes it wouldn't connect to the phone so you unplug/plug it in again to reset and it works lol. Update the headunit and you can throw that box away.
Having this many issues I know now why they are so cheap! Beauty of a car, but like most cars it’s has its cons and pros. Good job on pointing out these things. 👍🏼
Looks are subjective at the end of the day, so this dude's opinion is just that. I love the way the MK8 looks, so much so that I bought one, and everyone that sees it remarks that its a beautiful car. Pictures don't do it justice.
Nothing better than my i 120n 2022
Opinions are like belly buttons!
Everyone has one.
Story time. I went to look at a mk6R and drove up in a manual accord euro. Brought the cash to buy. Drove the R, was underwhelming and i had driven a manual mk7 gti, dsg mk7 R and dsg mk7.5 R, all of which i liked. I was going to buy anyway and was figuring out which friend would drive the R back for me. Lightbulb moment, i didn't like it enough to even drive it back from Sunny coast to Brisbane. So i didn't end up buying it.
Have one of these that's been running stage 2+ for the last 6 years, with a previous owner that thrashed the hell out of it. Aside from a few surprises during the major service caused by poor workmanship, it's been super reliable. 100% agree on the dead steering feel though. It might be specific to mine, but it is a bit of a petrol guzzler, and does burn through a bit of oil.
Maybe I just haven't driven enough sporty cars, but I don't really get the dead steering feel in mine. Can definitely feel the road through the tires and what the car is doing, but maybe it's just a lot less than what people are looking for? idk lol. It has an APR stage 1+ on it. Uses oil as well lol. Been a great car so far, had to do a timing belt/water pump and the chain, and a few other cheap wear parts at 100k miles.
What about the scirocco r, basically the same car but with a leather interior and much better looking.
The my12 models onwards had Bluetooth standard. Before then it was an option and there are a few different modules that were available with different functionality.
Finally a car i actually own, got a manual white no sunroof. i got this and not the golf 7 gti because its too conservative moves under the radar, some of us like that lol. EA113 hasn't let me down (yet).
and yes it comes with a bottle opener lol
@@heronshorts - I had a Mark 6 GTI Adidas and it also had the bottle opener.
MK6 is the best looking one
Thank you for creating such informative videos on used cars. Can you please make a episode about the BMW 3 series e90?
Bluetooth was standard feature from MY12 onwards. An option only prior to that.
Power and torque figures are for the European market.We are classified as hot climate so the Power is downgraded to 188Kw and 330 Nm . I have a 2011 6R 6 sp manual and while it isnt the fasted it gives t me pleasure and thats what I like. Noice review
I have a 3rd gen Lexus GS430 in Melbourne if you guys ever want to review one :D
old man has a MK6 TDI - 400,000 + km's on it, he's keeping it until it dies, it wont fucking die. The big issue with his car is the radio antenna is in the back window so the wires over time that run through the loom in the opening area, have broken, new loom needed from front to back - not worth it.
Also retro fitting OEM is really only working with plug and play with the MK6 not the MK5 this is due to canbus, if you want to do this in the MK5 you need a canbus adapter to stop the battery drain.
Great reviews on most of your cars. I was thinking, what about a review on the 2012-2015 kia rio. Haven't seen that on your reviews?
I love my Ed35 GTI and yes it has bt it’s just a fwd golf R. Same engine.
You need to work your way down now. Golf R32 Mk5 next!
Do the M135i, show the American viewers what they missed out on.
How did US buyers miss out?
We got the 135i in coupe or convertible form with 6-cylinder engines with between 230 to 320 hp in the M version.
@@williamegler8771 The US didn’t get the 2 door and 4 door hatchback with the N55, which later on became the M140i with the B58.
@zeroyon4562 Who cares? Hatchbacks don't appeal to American buyers especially if the vehicle is a premium marque.
They are viewed as cheap and down market.
The 1-Series really wasn't that popular because they were almost as expensive as some models of the 3-Series which came in a much broader range of trims and body styles.
For a few dollars extra on the monthly lease or car payment Americans overwhelmingly preferred the 3-Series.
Guess what we filmed last week. - AK
Great channel
I have had a MK6 and a MK7 (not R) and the MK6 was, to me, a better car, I loved the MK7 but the 6 just felt a better car although I had a heap of problems with the Bluetooth in it.
I have a stock 2008 is350 JDM if you're interested in featuring it and if you ever happen to be in Melbourne.
The golf 6R is the best💙🇧🇼
Great review... 😍
Car suggestion to review... Toyota Rav4 2016-2018😊
I've had one since 2018 and I tend to drive it to 300,000 miles just like my B5 S4. I'll sell it for $1000 when it's just dust in like 4 years.
I have a North American Mk6 Golf R and as have the base audio package which INCLUDES Bluetooth. I use it daily. I believe the premium audio package was part of the Sunroof Package, weirdly, but even the base Golf R had Bluetooth calls and audio. But again, we o ly had it from 2012-2013,so maybe yall in other countries had worse setups since it came out in 2010ish.
Also just to reply to my own comment again, I've taken my Mk6 Golf R from 71,000 to 145,000 with zero times leaving me stranded, even with some absolutely busted repair choices, (mismatched tire treads and oil weight). I know I'm wrecking this thing but it's never broken down. My B5 Audi broke down every month (I still loved it, though).
I don't have bluetooth in mine unfortunatly, I had to buy a USB to Bluetooth adapter
The mk.5 it's not a v6 it's technically a VR6. you should know this
The bottle opener is standard for the entire MK6 range but if you are buying used most of the time it's gone🥲
Interested to see a MK4 Golf R32 vs MK5 Golf R32 vs Audi TT MK1 3.2
Porsche 911 most reliable car I had
My one is better than my Toyota family car
Hey Mate, I wanted to know did you guys ever did a review upon a Lexus GS (250 etc.) of MK4? I have only seen the one of GS F but not a normal one with either naturally aspirated or hybrid. Will there be a video about it?
6R, looks aggressively among, I wish could come with seat like Mk4 GTI leather. Or Mk4 32 seat, best of all.
Can you please do a 2016-2017 s3 sedan review?
Coming very soon. - AK
Unlike you, I do NOT like the mk7 styling. The edges, the tail lights, the front bumpers, and in my opinion, the 4 exhaust tips on the R do not go well on a 4cyl car. They were 'okay' on my Corvettes due to having 8 cylinders and double to triple the hp of the Golfs, but yeah they're out of sorts on a small hatchback. I love the 2 tip exhaust in the center on the mk6 R and mk5 R32. Reminds me of the 2 tip Borla Exhaust I had on my first Corvette back in 2006.
I also prefer the styling of the mk4 R32 over the mk5. The mk5 isn't bad, but the tail lights are kind of a downer.
Interior wise, you have less head room in mk7's over mk6's. The seats aren't as comfortable(I found they were spaced out badly where my legs went over them), and I'm not that big of a guy. And I found the interior to feel cheaper in the mk7. Also, give me the simplicity of the dash anyday over all of the electronics the newer cars are coming with(I did put a different climatronic unit in my 6R to update it a bit).
The mk7 is definitely more mod-capable than the mk6. That's how it usually goes. But at least we have choices and each generation has their huge followings.
I'll keep my APR k04 mk6 GTI with DSG and mk6 Golf R(haven't tuned it yet but i already have coilovers/swaybars/wheels/intake/dp/cbe/euro lights to install when I have free time). Both cars have been absolutely great.
VW should have driven all Mark 6 Golfs straight down a well rather than selling them to the public. Outrageous money pits. Ours was serviced by the book and yet the engine developed blow-by at 100,000kms. A new engine is $10k.
mine has blutooth, but im not certain its an oem deck since it has audio storage built in. im not sure how it works but previous owner lefft my car with about 600 songs ranging from linkin park to cypress hill on the head units hard drive lol
The bottle opener IS a standard thing!
If its the same as an Audi S3 2017 inlet manifold and water pump leaks are common. Inlet manifold is plastic and can break when it is removed. I had a 2017 S3 which was very quick but being DSG soul less and boring to drive, Steering feel not as good as I30N. Aircon radiators common failure as many owners do not have the aircon serviced or dryer cartridge replaced causing corrosion. If you do buy and VW group car and you want to save diagnostic costs get VCDS, it saved me thousands.
Different engine to 2017 S3. Different intake manifold. And if you’re breaking the intake manifold just by removing it, you’re doing something incredibly wrong.
@@sunsetgarage755 I have heard the water pump leaks and the intake manifold becomes brittle as it ages. The 2 litre VW engine has many known faults.
@@RB-lt8kt That’s a load of absolute nonsense. Yes the water pump on the EA888 was not great, but the latest revisions are a lot better. Many cars have plastic intake manifolds and they’re just fine. You don’t have much experience with these engines or these cars and it’s obvious in your comments. Are you even old enough to drive?
@@sunsetgarage755 I am only going by what an Audi tec told me and he should know. Any plastic will age and degrade especially if heated and cooled. Inlet manifold flap and carbon build up a common issue.
@@RB-lt8kt That’s a common issue for EVERY direct injection engine ever produced. How is that related to VW & Audi engines specifically? You really don’t know what you’re talking about. My Skoda VRS plastic intake manifold is in perfect condition, the car has done upwards of 280,000 kms & is 15 years old. When exactly should I expect it to go brittle and break? When exactly should carbon fouling create problems? Hasn’t happened yet buddy. You need to start listening to better mechanics because your info is shit.
i have an 034 solid dogbone mount, the whole car rattles quite bad haha
Please do a video on that beautiful red caddy