GTI and GTI plus owners experiences

[barrywi]

Is there any way to turn the stop /start off all the time. The button on my Gti turns it off but it comes back on again if you change driving mode or turn the engine off. Had a quick look at the menus but could not find an off positionfor it.

[monkeyhanger]

Is there any way to turn the stop /start off all the time. The button on my Gti turns it off but it comes back on again if you change driving mode or turn the engine off. Had a quick look at the menus but could not find an off positionfor it.

There is an unofficial way if you know someone with VCDS or OBD11. You need to set the battery voltage threshold for making it available to an unobtainable level.

If the VW garage reflash your ECU after a visit for warranty or service work, you'll lose it and have to set it again.

[Adam_013]

Is there any way to turn the stop /start off all the time. The button on my Gti turns it off but it comes back on again if you change driving mode or turn the engine off. Had a quick look at the menus but could not find an off positionfor it.

There is an unofficial way if you know someone with VCDS or OBD11. You need to set the battery voltage threshold for making it available to an unobtainable level.

If the VW garage reflash your ECU after a visit for warranty or service work, you'll lose it and have to set it again.

This is possible using a Carista.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[stevereeves]

Is there any way to turn the stop /start off all the time. The button on my Gti turns it off but it comes back on again if you change driving mode or turn the engine off. Had a quick look at the menus but could not find an off positionfor it.

There is an unofficial way if you know someone with VCDS or OBD11. You need to set the battery voltage threshold for making it available to an unobtainable level.

If the VW garage reflash your ECU after a visit for warranty or service work, you'll lose it and have to set it again.

I've heard it can be done that way, and I'm sure it can, but I've also heard horror stories of related problems from using OBD 11, etc. Like it didn't work, none of the electrical systems worked afterwards, system completely froze / crashed half way through, car wouldn't 'reset back to stock' and in one instance the car wouldn't even start. As you can tell changing such things isn't for me (really ?) and while I certainly wouldn't tell anyone not to bother I would advise caution, be totally sure you know what you are doing or get someone else who does know to do it for you. Otherwise a '£50 restore all factory settings menu' trip to VW beckons....

[SRGTD]

Switching off stop start has become part of my normal starting procedure; I found that you soon get into the habit of pressing the stop start button. I just do it automatically now without even thinking about it.

There are occasions when I use stop start, like when we had two years roadworks disruption and temporary traffic lights in my village and the traffic queues were going nowhere - so lots of time spent in a stationary vehicle. I don’t think I’d want stop start turned off permanently though; the way it’s set up by VW gives me the option to use it or not as I choose. I just hope the time doesn’t come when VW and other manufacturers remove the stop start button for emissions / economy reasons, so you have no choice in its operation!

[JMiddo94]

Took delivery of my GTI today, had a plus on order for over a year but after being offered a bog standard GTI at a very good price from the dealer for the inconvenience I decided to make do as I couldn't wait any longer.

Polo GTI
Deep black Pearl
Brescias
Park assist
Cruise

I did take one for a test drive and found the torque a bit flat past 5000RPM, felt a lot quicker to change up manually before the limiter kicks in. First impressions are good, the interior and car are stunning and the new infotainment is amazing. My only gripe is the god awful tyres that come as standard, they are not stopping on!

Anyone know if there is a limit on the number of times one can use the launch program? Obviously I'll be waiting until I've done a bit of mileage before using it but just wondered...

As much as I dislike stop start as it seems to kill batteries (both of the 6C's I had needed new batteries after 18 months) I like how this system gives you power and revs instantly on startup where as before there was a lul. Also can't help but feel a 7 speed box would have been a better option on this car...

[monkeyhanger]

Took delivery of my GTI today, had a plus on order for over a year but after being offered a bog standard GTI at a very good price from the dealer for the inconvenience I decided to make do as I couldn't wait any longer.

Polo GTI
Deep black Pearl
Brescias
Park assist
Cruise

I did take one for a test drive and found the torque a bit flat past 5000RPM, felt a lot quicker to change up manually before the limiter kicks in. First impressions are good, the interior and car are stunning and the new infotainment is amazing. My only gripe is the god awful tyres that come as standard, they are not stopping on!

Anyone know if there is a limit on the number of times one can use the launch program? Obviously I'll be waiting until I've done a bit of mileage before using it but just wondered...

As much as I dislike stop start as it seems to kill batteries (both of the 6C's I had needed new batteries after 18 months) I like how this system gives you power and revs instantly on startup where as before there was a lul. Also can't help but feel a 7 speed box would have been a better option on this car...

I'm assuming with Brescias that you have Bridgestone Turanza too? Yes, they're crap. Noisy, hard, tenancy to tramp very easily. Not as slippery on the move as Bridgestone Potenzas.

I'm going to get myself some Michelin Pilot Sport 4 (PS4) tyres as soon as there's another offer on Michelins at Costco. They're overdue an offer - they've got an offer on Good year tyres from Monday, the tyre department guy thinks it'll be Michelins turn within a month (offers change every 2 weeks).

Looking to buy 225/40 R18 as there'll be more grip and they're £98 a corner for PS4 vs £140 for the 215/40 R18.

No issues with diameter - only adds 8mm /1.3% to the diameter. My issue is the rear wheel arch lining on the drivers side. There's only a tiny amount of clearance to the inside tyre edge because my lining flares out. Not sure if the flare is normal or whether my lining has been fitted less than optimally. Trying to avoid spacers if I can, as it'll render the wheel nuts (concern for the lack of locking ones).useless.

[JMiddo94]

Yes mine are Turenzas, I've heard that the engine is mapped to produce lower power for the first 620 miles but using the power gauge feature I've seen it hit maximum power at points so no idea how true this is, I've felt the tramping in second and third at probably 1/2 to 2/3 throttle in dry conditions, I'd love to know why VW fit these hard tyres, the potenzas on my 6C were crap too, probably something to do with fuel consumption and lower friction. I'll keep an eye out for that Costco offer as I'm not sure I can live with these tyres! It's odd as they seem to perform better in colder conditions!

[monkeyhanger]

Yes mine are Turenzas, I've heard that the engine is mapped to produce lower power for the first 620 miles but using the power gauge feature I've seen it hit maximum power at points so no idea how true this is, I've felt the tramping in second and third at probably 1/2 to 2/3 throttle in dry conditions, I'd love to know why VW fit these hard tyres, the potenzas on my 6C were crap too, probably something to do with fuel consumption and lower friction. I'll keep an eye out for that Costco offer as I'm not sure I can live with these tyres! It's odd as they seem to perform better in colder conditions!

I'm not sure about lower friction with the Bridgestones. I had Bridgestone Potenza RE050A on my Golf R, and although 4WD overcomes tramping, they were still poor.

Swapped out for Michelin Pilot Super Sports (PSS) at 6k miles and it transformed the car. Feel, turn in grip, noise all hugely improved. Mpg went up a bit too, even though they were E for economy and the RE050A were C for economy.

The Turanza are far better in the cold than theg are in the warm - I posted that a week or 2 ago. They are pretty good -4C to +4C, then feel like they've been oiled up at 12C like we had today! It's like they're meant to be Winter tyres!

The car is definitely held back for the first 620 miles (1000km), it will accelerate noticeably (not radically) better once you pass that threshold - perhaps outright power isn't lacking (are you seeing the full 149kW on the power/boost pressure/oil temp "CAR" screen on the infotainment unit?), but the development of it takes longer. This has been the case since 2013 when the performance MK7 Golfs came out. Noticed it on my GTD, then the R, the wife's A1 1.6TDI, and now the Polo GTI+.

Maybe you could do me a favour related to the wheel situation? Next time you're out, could you feel around behind your rear drivers side wheel for the gap between wheel arch lining and inside edge of the tyre between the 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock position? There's an obvious flare out on mine that reduces the gap to between 5 and 8mm (hard to be 100% accurate when feeling blindly). The flare out can be pushed in for a 15-20mm gap (more than enough to accommodate the wider Michelin tyres). It's a matter of getting it to push in and stay in. (Maybe need to unscrew it, flex/crease it back and then rescrew.

If yours is like mine then I'll know the flare isn't due to poor fitment.

On the rear passenger side, I have a consistent 20mm gap between the arch lining and the inside edge of the wheel.

[Dark_cze]

I'm assuming with Brescias that you have Bridgestone Turanza too?

That is actualy interesting. I recived mine LHD GTI with Brescia wheels with Continental ContiSportContact 5 tyres

[monkeyhanger]

I'm assuming with Brescias that you have Bridgestone Turanza too?

That is actualy interesting. I recived mine LHD GTI with Brescia wheels with Continental ContiSportContact 5 tyres

The UK always get screwed on tyre choices. I've had 3 previous Golf's come with Bridgestone Potenza - they have to be the worst tyres ever conceived and sold as a top tier brand.

In the Golf forums it was unheard of for a French or German customer to receive their performance Golf on Bridgestones - they always got Conti or Michelins. So is it pretty difficult for your car to "tramp" (that thumping of the tyres into the ground as you try to move off from a standstill)? With the Bridgestones, anything more than between 1/4 and 1,/3 throttle will have you tramping in 1st, and 1/2 throttle in 2nd.

Was your LHD Polo made in South Africa or elsewhere?

[JMiddo94]

I've got a good 30-40mm clearance on the rear arch liners at their closest point.

[Dark_cze]

The UK always get screwed on tyre choices. I've had 3 previous Golf's come with Bridgestone Potenza - they have to be the worst tyres ever conceived and sold as a top tier brand.

In the Golf forums it was unheard of for a French or German customer to receive their performance Golf on Bridgestones - they always got Conti or Michelins. So is it pretty difficult for your car to "tramp" (that thumping of the tyres into the ground as you try to move off from a standstill)? With the Bridgestones, anything more than between 1/4 and 1,/3 throttle will have you tramping in 1st, and 1/2 throttle in 2nd.

Was your LHD Polo made in South Africa or elsewhere?

not sure where it was made but they all should be made in SA from start of AW generation

// or maybe not. When I paid for 24h access to erWin I download everything I could (there is way to much for files for 24h from pdf manuals I have less than 25%) ... but I also downloaded all information about my car and is says place of completation Pamplona

[fazzy]

The UK always get screwed on tyre choices. I've had 3 previous Golf's come with Bridgestone Potenza - they have to be the worst tyres ever conceived and sold as a top tier brand.

In the Golf forums it was unheard of for a French or German customer to receive their performance Golf on Bridgestones - they always got Conti or Michelins. So is it pretty difficult for your car to "tramp" (that thumping of the tyres into the ground as you try to move off from a standstill)? With the Bridgestones, anything more than between 1/4 and 1,/3 throttle will have you tramping in 1st, and 1/2 throttle in 2nd.

Was your LHD Polo made in South Africa or elsewhere?

not sure where it was made but they all should be made in SA from start of AW generation

// or maybe not. When I paid for 24h access to erWin I download everything I could (there is way to much for files for 24h from pdf manuals I have less than 25%) ... but I also downloaded all information about my car and is says place of completation Pamplona

LHD Polos for the EU market are made in Spain.

[monkeyhanger]

^ That's what I thought, and could explain the tyre change.