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MK5 GTI on the Cheap

doc280

Ready to race!
Location
North Carolina
The formula I will be using: I will be dividing the cost and maintenance of the vehicle by the mileage driven. I will not throw in the fuel, property taxes, insurance nor when I decide to throw some quarters into the local spray car wash. However if a nonessential item is purchased to improve the looks or function of the vehicle, it will be added to the cost of the vehicle. If I crash or damage the vehicle and it comes out of my pocket, it will be added to the cost of the vehicle. If God or someone else crashes into or damages the vehicle and the repairs do not come out of my pocket, it will not be added to the vehicle. If I have items around the house, such as paint or parts which were purchased before the vehicle or not for the vehicle, they do not count toward the vehicle cost. When I perform service or repair to the vehicle, I do not charge myself a labor rate. However if the vehicle goes to the shop or dealer, the entire bill including labor, count and will be added to the cost of the vehicle.

The goal or what I consider cheap: .10 cent a mile.

The vehicle: After months of looking at MK4 Golfs and MK5 Rabbits and GTIs, I selected a 2007 GTI.
It is a black two door and has had only two prior owners, I am the third. The gamble part, it has 190,000 miles on it, but it has never been crashed.

Just a note, the purchase of the GTI and the start of this began in January, so updates will come often as I catch up to present date. Also I am sure I will misspell things and use improper grammar, that is on me. Bad photography will be included from time to time also.

And last the wife and required a vehicle which we can haul things in and park anywhere and not worry about it. It has always been in me to make my cars perfect and I thought this would be a way to keep me from doing this.

I think this will be a little different and fun. (Fun like running on gas fumes but trying to reach your destination without refueling...Fun.)
 

avenali312

Autocross Champion
Location
Mableton, GA
Car(s)
2015 GTI
So, it's going to be a bit different, I feel, based on the higher mileage, but I also kept track of these types of stats for my car for the 100k-ish miles I drove it.

$9,775.69 / 103,018 miles = $0.0948 per mile

This includes services, failure fixes, and mods (it does not include the original cost of the vehicle which would add another $20k to the cost of ownership). The time frame was about 8 years.
 

doc280

Ready to race!
Location
North Carolina
The GTI

I located a 2007 GTI 190,000 miles, black, two door, plaid seats, sunroof, DSG and R32 wheels, on the internet. Talked to the seller, looked at it, drove it and purchased it for $3700.

Cost/ Maintenance = $3700
Miles Driven = 1
-----------------------------------------
Cost Per Mile = $3700
 

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ZiRiS

Sergeant
Location
Dallas, TX
Car(s)
'09 BMP GTI
That looks like a factory suspension. Might I recommend investing in something a bit shorter? Not only for looks, but for handling as well.

Also, that's in really great condition. And you got a kicka$$ price on it, too! I'm paying more than twice that for my latest, ($7500) and it's got all sorts of problems like overheating, door locks, window motor, etc, etc, the list goes on. Well done, Op! :clap:


Also, needes moar lo.
 

doc280

Ready to race!
Location
North Carolina
That looks like a factory suspension. Might I recommend investing in something a bit shorter? Not only for looks, but for handling as well.

Also, that's in really great condition. And you got a kicka$$ price on it, too! I'm paying more than twice that for my latest, ($7500) and it's got all sorts of problems like overheating, door locks, window motor, etc, etc, the list goes on. Well done, Op! :clap:


Also, needes moar lo.

Thanks, so far I think I have done well. You are correct, it is factory suspension and the entire car is bone stock.

Did you know a GTI, with factory suspension, can be loaded with ten 50lbs bags of dirt, two 40lbs bags of cow poo, a rake and shovel and still be driven on the interstate at 70mph. I might better keep the thing high.
I also have, what my wife calls the Blue Monster living in the garage, which handles the roads fairly well. You guys might caught a glimpse in future photos.
 

ZiRiS

Sergeant
Location
Dallas, TX
Car(s)
'09 BMP GTI
Thanks, so far I think I have done well. You are correct, it is factory suspension and the entire car is bone stock.

Did you know a GTI, with factory suspension, can be loaded with ten 50lbs bags of dirt, two 40lbs bags of cow poo, a rake and shovel and still be driven on the interstate at 70mph. I might better keep the thing high.
I also have, what my wife calls the Blue Monster living in the garage, which handles the roads fairly well. You guys might caught a glimpse in future photos.

I had not quite thought about it in terms of "poo" but technically, you are correct, Sir. One could, theoretically, load it up with 580 lbs of cow poo, if one so desired, and still drive 70 mph on the freeway. I might recommend rolling the windows down and opening the moon roof before adventuring on such a trek, though. :bellyroll:
 

doc280

Ready to race!
Location
North Carolina
Trip Home

The wife and I started our trip home in New Jersey. We had been planning a trip to the Philadelphia area for awhile and the GTI replaced the rental car we would have had to get.
On the trip home we were able to visit friends, explore Philadelphia, Washington DC and several Civil War sights. Also collected several cases of Yards Brewery beer.:happyanim:

While driving and becoming familiar with the GTI I found several minor issues which will have to be addressed. Good news nothing major showing it's ugly head.

Cost / Maintenance - $3700
Miles Driven - 587
---------------------------------
Cost Per Mile - $6.30
 

707Stang

I'm Hella From Nor*Cal
Location
Nor*Cal
Nice price man, I paid 4x for mine but.... it only had 1/3 the miles. Haha
 

doc280

Ready to race!
Location
North Carolina
GTI Has The Funk

OK something I left out about the trip home, is the wife and I felt dirty every time we got out of the GTI.

Inside the smell was not a good one and it was one of those smells which lingers in your nose even though you are away from the source.

The console and door pockets were coated with black brown goop. I really though I would have to remove these from the car to clean them.

And every time I touched the steering wheel it felt as if I was going need someone to pry my hands from it, sticky with something......yuk.

We did have dive into a STOP & ROB to buy Windex and paper towels so we could create port holes in the cloudy haze covering the windshield.

Bio-suites should have been recommended or better yet required.

Once home the wife gladly handed over she beloved steam cleaner and I spent the better part of eight hours cleaning. The good news I believe the toxic coating appears to have preserved the interior. I am really surprised how good the interior now looks.

After I got the interior clean and smelling good I noticed there is one switch in the car which has signs wear or use and it maybe a good omen for me. Lets hope so.

Windex and paper towels...... $5.27

Cost/Maintenance - $3705.27
Miles Driven - 587
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Cost Per Mile - $6.31
 

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Das Gespenst

Go Kart Champion
Location
Glen Ellyn
You've caught my attention lol. Never thought about trying to super eco a GTI, I'll be watching how this plays out. I think at 190k miles your going to have some serious maintenance items that will set you back in the $ per mile. Timing belt is due, cam follower needs to be checked and or replaced, coilpacks, spark plugs, etc. If it's still on stock suspension it's long overdue for new springs and dampers. I think this is going to be tough only because of miles/maintenance.
 

avenali312

Autocross Champion
Location
Mableton, GA
Car(s)
2015 GTI
You've caught my attention lol. Never thought about trying to super eco a GTI, I'll be watching how this plays out. I think at 190k miles your going to have some serious maintenance items that will set you back in the $ per mile. Timing belt is due, cam follower needs to be checked and or replaced, coilpacks, spark plugs, etc. If it's still on stock suspension it's long overdue for new springs and dampers. I think this is going to be tough only because of miles/maintenance.

Agreed. At 143k I had already replaced 4 or 5 cam followers, done the DSG flush 3 times, and was coming up on a second timing belt/water pump change in another 20-30k.

Shocks and struts were shot around 100k, so I put new ones in when I was installing DG springs.
 

doc280

Ready to race!
Location
North Carolina
Dealer Visit

So the local Volkswagen dealer had a special, four wheel alignment, rotate and balance. The special was ending soon so I made a quick appointment because the GTI really needed the alignment and they provide a free car wash which it needed as well.

When I was checking in it was discovered there was a recall and the DSG mechatronics needed to be replaced. The recall covered the new DSG fluid, but if I wanted a new filter, I would have to purchase it...$30.00. I gave a thumbs up and left the GTI there.

I picked up the GTI the next day and only to realize I had forgot to ask if they were going to charge me labor to drop the DSG filter in, to the tune of $70.00.

Oh well they did do a great job washing the GTI and it tracks straight.

I notice no changes really with how the DSG performs.

I escaped the dealer with a $162.97 bill.

Cost/Maintence - $3868.24
Miles Driven - 719
-------------------------------------
Cost Per Mile - $5.38
 
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doc280

Ready to race!
Location
North Carolina
You've caught my attention lol. Never thought about trying to super eco a GTI, I'll be watching how this plays out. I think at 190k miles your going to have some serious maintenance items that will set you back in the $ per mile. Timing belt is due, cam follower needs to be checked and or replaced, coilpacks, spark plugs, etc. If it's still on stock suspension it's long overdue for new springs and dampers. I think this is going to be tough only because of miles/maintenance.

I agree with what you are saying, there are many things which could bite me in the butt with a high mileage car like this. Looking at the GTI's history I believe most of the mileage is highway miles and this is one of the reasons I have taken the gamble.

Also looking over the DIY's from this site and others, I think I will be able to handle most of the maintenance needs which will save tons of money.

I am very fortunate in the fact I purchased a lift for my garage about six years ago, just for the purpose of getting a third car in a two bay garage. Now I will be able to also use the lift to make it easier to maintain the GTI.
 

doc280

Ready to race!
Location
North Carolina
Timing Belt and Cam Follower.

Two things which could have really driven a stake into the heart of this project are the timing belt and the intake cam / cam follower.

I had zero history on the timing belt, nothing in the maintenance history or maintenance labels in the engine bay. This was very concerning and had to be placed at the top of the list of things to do.

As for the cam follower, intake cam and HP fuel pump, I was told all was good and a new cam follower had just been installed. Just to ensure this was true I purchased a new new cam follower, to have on hand, and removed the HP fuel pump to inspect everything.

The HP fuel pump is very clean and I would say it has been replaced not long ago. The cam follower was new, so I have a spare cam follower for future use and the intake cam lob looks great.

I put the GTI on the lift and spent the better part of a day replacing the timing belt, water pump, idler pulleys and tensioner. All went well with no surprises.

The old timing belt was in good condition as were the idlers and tensioner. However the water pump bearings were rough so I believe I dodged a bullet.
PS: I captured the coolant and reused it because it had just been replaced before I purchased the car.

INA Cam Follower ----------- Ebay------------- $17
Hepu Timing Belt / Water Pump Kit ----Advance Auto----$134.49
Motor Mount Bolts---------VW Dealer--------$56.17
Driveworks Serpentine belt---Advance Auto-----$7.68

Cost / Maintence-------- $4083.58
Miles Driven------------- 763
--------------------------------------
Cost per mile----------- $5.35
 
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