Carbon cleaning on the intake valves if that's never been done. Air cabin filter. Coil packs are probably worth replacing at that mileage. Any suspension wear and tear items if they're original. Battery depending on how old it is. Check the coolant level sensor that plugs into the tank for coolant migration into the wiring...
Some do, sure. Not saying none ever go bad.
But unless he’s having a problem with them, why do it? I guess if he’s got lots of extra cash to toss at some, go ahead. But those aren’t necessarily cheap.
I kept my original coil packs in the hatch of my Mk6 after I upgraded to the R8 coils. In the Mk6 those were notorious for going out.
EDIT: OP, I’d also suggest getting EQT’s grounding kit. Also, whenever you do plugs, HAND TIGHTEN the coil pack bolt! Do NOT over tighten those or you’ll strip them.
Doing the grounding kit will replace that crappy, oval shaped bolt with a much better one as well.
A bad coil causes misfires and you might feel it when really hitting the gas, that’s what I had. Under normal load everything was fine. But if it gets worse I think it’ll go into limp mode. That might still get you home though
I think any other solution than OEM is better. lol. The way they did that was just….dumb.
And those odd shaped, oval bolts? Why?
A grounding kit is so much better and cleaner looking.
You know technically coils are a wear item. They degrade over time. They get charged and release all its energy like a battery very fats. Over time it gets worse at its job. Id say do coils at 100k but save the old ones anyway
My 2016 Autobahn has 150K with the only issues to date being the coolant diverter (twice), and one broken rear coil spring (replaced both). Scrupulously maintained at VW dealership. It’s my favorite car ever, and I intend to keep it running as long as not outrageously expensive to fix. Given new car costs and loan rates, it makes more sense than ever to keep a great car running.
Thanks! Already done cabin filter. Coil packs are a good idea. Never heard of coolant migrations I’ll check that out. Looks like the battery has been replaced. By suspension wear and tear do you mean shocks and bushings? I already have a small sandblaster, so I’ve got to buy some walnut media for carbon cleaning.
Suspension: pretty much anything you can take off. Springs, dampers, bushings, hardware... all that stuff.
As for the steel oil pan, that's one way to go. I have and prefer the Alltrack splash shield to protect that and other things in that area. But I lose out on adding any chassis braces up front.
See if you can find a way to check the timing chain tensioner via a OBDII scanner and see if that's starting to stretch too far. Doesn't take out many Mk7s but it has happened.
Probably should get a new serpentine belt since those seem to give up around 100k. And while you're around there, check the water pump for any coolant leaks.
Nice ride man, just keep a close watch on waterpump leakage and as the chap above said: keep your intake/airports clean! Ride it like you stole it man! Also wear in the lower arm big bushings might be somethimg they all tend to do, even more if you have bad roads.
Good idea on the bushings. Love blasting it through backroads. Going to pretend you didn’t mention water pump. If I don’t think about it nothing bad can happen! I rationalize that since it made it so long I got a good one lol
VW needs to just release a metal water pump that's built like a tank that we can upgrade to. It's literally the one main weak point to an otherwise stout engine.
By watching for water pump leakage, do you mean just an occasional check with a flashlight to make sure no coolant leaking? I've never really looked down there so not sure what I should look for myself (just hit 100k miles!)
Your turbo is past its expected lifespan, so I would make sure the turbo is good in terms of the integrated wastegate solenoid. If it goes bad, its a $2k+ fix. There is a loophole in some states where this repair is required to be completed under warranty by the dealer. In some cases gti’s are considered “partially zero-emissions” vehicles (hilarious right?). If the turbo goes bad, it’s an emissions issue, and the state requires the manufacturer to cover all costs to replace it. I had this happen to me a couple months ago in MA, and the mechanic who recommended it to me saved my wallet. Look up the laws in your state.
If you're seeking advice or asking for help, please make sure you included the basic information of what year and/or generation is being discussed. User flair with this information is also acceptable. Failure to include the basic information may result in your post being removed. Mileage, modifications, trim level, diagnostic trouble codes, and your general location (US, Canada, EU, UK, etc.) can also be very helpful.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/GolfGTI) if you have any questions or concerns.*
One thing I would do for maintenance records is digitize everything. Personally I use VINwiki. I just post a picture of the replaced parts and put in the date and mileage. What makes it nice is that you link posts to the vin of your car.
Carbon cleaning, get yourself VCDS as soon as you can also its invaluable. Do a full scan with it once you have it. It will let you unlock features, diagnose problems, replace parts that need coding/basic settings etc etc.
Carbon cleaning, specifically walnut blasting the intake valves. I don't suggest those carbon deposit removers like Seafoam, if it works at removing carbon then it'll just send chunks of carbon down to foul your cat. Much rather have the engine off, and do a thorough walnut media cleaning.
You could do a steel oil pan, but I'm always wary of the RTV application. I'd much rather go the route of an OEM skid plate/belly pan from the Alltrack that bolts up. I wouldn't recommend the aluminum aftermarket ECS one, it mounts to the bumper which isn't reassuring. If you get an oil extractor to pump old oil out from the dipstick tube, you'll rarely ever have to take it off.
Might want to consider getting both VCDS and Odbeleven. They’re both ODB2 code readers specific to VW. It’s the only way to tell if a check engine light is for something minor or something major.
VCDS requires a laptop, but has a ton of functionality. And the RossTech forum is a great resource for explaining any weirdness you discover pulling codes.
Why also get ODBeleven? Convenience. It uses wifi to talk to your phone. For non trivial work, I prefer VCDS. For convenience, I prefer ODBeleven: just keep the dongle in the glove compartment and always be able to pull codes instantly, if a check engine light comes on when you’re away from your house.
If you rotate your own tires, a wheel hanger makes it vastly easier:
WHEEL CONNECT Wheel Alignment Pin, M14X1.5 Wheel Hanger, Rim Stud Pilot Pin,Guide Studs. Tool for Changing Tires on Cars with Lug Bolts. Made of Stainless Steel.Metric 14 x 1.50.
https://a.co/d/iq5zEHu
If you’re doing spark plugs do the coil packs as well, then you’ll never have to do them again. As someone mentioned carbon cleaning, and also a boost leak test they are cheap and will give you that extra peace of mind, sometimes leaks can be tiny and you would never know till you do the smoke test
Switch to 5k mi engine oil intervals. Brakes fluid every 2y. Don't forget VAQ oil. Cabin air filter yearly, try to find one with activated carbon or antimicrobial. Water pump. Eyes on [timing chain stretch.](https://youtu.be/1PSOT7GacoA?si=lu3wpojz_frE-NiG) Eyes on side mirrors losing glue (OEM glue under temperature for mirror heaters).
Carbon cleaning on the intake valves if that's never been done. Air cabin filter. Coil packs are probably worth replacing at that mileage. Any suspension wear and tear items if they're original. Battery depending on how old it is. Check the coolant level sensor that plugs into the tank for coolant migration into the wiring...
Coil packs don’t need changing unless there is an issue. These aren’t Mk6 coil packs. I’m at 195,000 on my original coil packs. Not one problem.
And some people have problems with them before 100k. I'm on here all the time, trust me.
Some do, sure. Not saying none ever go bad. But unless he’s having a problem with them, why do it? I guess if he’s got lots of extra cash to toss at some, go ahead. But those aren’t necessarily cheap. I kept my original coil packs in the hatch of my Mk6 after I upgraded to the R8 coils. In the Mk6 those were notorious for going out. EDIT: OP, I’d also suggest getting EQT’s grounding kit. Also, whenever you do plugs, HAND TIGHTEN the coil pack bolt! Do NOT over tighten those or you’ll strip them. Doing the grounding kit will replace that crappy, oval shaped bolt with a much better one as well.
Preventative maintenance.
Can a bad coil damage the car? Or will it just leave me stranded?
A bad coil causes misfires and you might feel it when really hitting the gas, that’s what I had. Under normal load everything was fine. But if it gets worse I think it’ll go into limp mode. That might still get you home though
Who doesn't love red coilpacks? I went with Skunkwerks grounding kit. Way better than OEM.
I think any other solution than OEM is better. lol. The way they did that was just….dumb. And those odd shaped, oval bolts? Why? A grounding kit is so much better and cleaner looking.
Yeah they really suck. I change my plugs all the time. Every 10k. Cost next to nothing with fcp. I broke my ground even trying to be nice.
You know technically coils are a wear item. They degrade over time. They get charged and release all its energy like a battery very fats. Over time it gets worse at its job. Id say do coils at 100k but save the old ones anyway
195K on the OG MOTOR!?
My 2016 Autobahn has 150K with the only issues to date being the coolant diverter (twice), and one broken rear coil spring (replaced both). Scrupulously maintained at VW dealership. It’s my favorite car ever, and I intend to keep it running as long as not outrageously expensive to fix. Given new car costs and loan rates, it makes more sense than ever to keep a great car running.
BTW, that’s 150K miles, not km…
Of course. Highway miles are easy miles and don’t really hurt anything.
Thanks! Already done cabin filter. Coil packs are a good idea. Never heard of coolant migrations I’ll check that out. Looks like the battery has been replaced. By suspension wear and tear do you mean shocks and bushings? I already have a small sandblaster, so I’ve got to buy some walnut media for carbon cleaning.
Suspension: pretty much anything you can take off. Springs, dampers, bushings, hardware... all that stuff. As for the steel oil pan, that's one way to go. I have and prefer the Alltrack splash shield to protect that and other things in that area. But I lose out on adding any chassis braces up front. See if you can find a way to check the timing chain tensioner via a OBDII scanner and see if that's starting to stretch too far. Doesn't take out many Mk7s but it has happened. Probably should get a new serpentine belt since those seem to give up around 100k. And while you're around there, check the water pump for any coolant leaks.
Oh, and you should be able to find a painted tow hook cover online somewhere like eBay.
Definitely do your ignition coils mine went out. Upgraded to cts ones
Nice ride man, just keep a close watch on waterpump leakage and as the chap above said: keep your intake/airports clean! Ride it like you stole it man! Also wear in the lower arm big bushings might be somethimg they all tend to do, even more if you have bad roads.
Good idea on the bushings. Love blasting it through backroads. Going to pretend you didn’t mention water pump. If I don’t think about it nothing bad can happen! I rationalize that since it made it so long I got a good one lol
VW needs to just release a metal water pump that's built like a tank that we can upgrade to. It's literally the one main weak point to an otherwise stout engine.
By watching for water pump leakage, do you mean just an occasional check with a flashlight to make sure no coolant leaking? I've never really looked down there so not sure what I should look for myself (just hit 100k miles!)
They all leak it smells of curry and can get steam sometimes
Yes, visual inspection of waterpump assembly
Replace your PCV and breather hose. Two “mods” I would also count as preventative maintenance: 1) ECS upgraded PCV breather hose 2) EQT grounding kit
Yeah pcv seems like a good idea. Have to look into the grounding kit
Look at https://www.datadrivenmqb.com/ for the mk8 pcv retro fit info.
To state the obvious you are missing the bumper tow hook cover sir
Yeah I already bought a new one from vw, needs paint. Previous owner had a front plate mount so it was missing
Sports Gang
PP brakes and LP with plaid just hits different
Your turbo is past its expected lifespan, so I would make sure the turbo is good in terms of the integrated wastegate solenoid. If it goes bad, its a $2k+ fix. There is a loophole in some states where this repair is required to be completed under warranty by the dealer. In some cases gti’s are considered “partially zero-emissions” vehicles (hilarious right?). If the turbo goes bad, it’s an emissions issue, and the state requires the manufacturer to cover all costs to replace it. I had this happen to me a couple months ago in MA, and the mechanic who recommended it to me saved my wallet. Look up the laws in your state.
If you're seeking advice or asking for help, please make sure you included the basic information of what year and/or generation is being discussed. User flair with this information is also acceptable. Failure to include the basic information may result in your post being removed. Mileage, modifications, trim level, diagnostic trouble codes, and your general location (US, Canada, EU, UK, etc.) can also be very helpful. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/GolfGTI) if you have any questions or concerns.*
One thing I would do for maintenance records is digitize everything. Personally I use VINwiki. I just post a picture of the replaced parts and put in the date and mileage. What makes it nice is that you link posts to the vin of your car.
Great idea
Carbon cleaning, get yourself VCDS as soon as you can also its invaluable. Do a full scan with it once you have it. It will let you unlock features, diagnose problems, replace parts that need coding/basic settings etc etc.
Carbon cleaning, specifically walnut blasting the intake valves. I don't suggest those carbon deposit removers like Seafoam, if it works at removing carbon then it'll just send chunks of carbon down to foul your cat. Much rather have the engine off, and do a thorough walnut media cleaning. You could do a steel oil pan, but I'm always wary of the RTV application. I'd much rather go the route of an OEM skid plate/belly pan from the Alltrack that bolts up. I wouldn't recommend the aluminum aftermarket ECS one, it mounts to the bumper which isn't reassuring. If you get an oil extractor to pump old oil out from the dipstick tube, you'll rarely ever have to take it off.
My OEM oil pan warped and leaked around 86k, so yeah, get the steel oil pan eventually but not an immediate issue.
Thermostat housing
Drop the oil pan and check for crumbs, it’s becoming common for these cars to have clogged oil passages and fuck up the vvt
Might want to consider getting both VCDS and Odbeleven. They’re both ODB2 code readers specific to VW. It’s the only way to tell if a check engine light is for something minor or something major. VCDS requires a laptop, but has a ton of functionality. And the RossTech forum is a great resource for explaining any weirdness you discover pulling codes. Why also get ODBeleven? Convenience. It uses wifi to talk to your phone. For non trivial work, I prefer VCDS. For convenience, I prefer ODBeleven: just keep the dongle in the glove compartment and always be able to pull codes instantly, if a check engine light comes on when you’re away from your house. If you rotate your own tires, a wheel hanger makes it vastly easier: WHEEL CONNECT Wheel Alignment Pin, M14X1.5 Wheel Hanger, Rim Stud Pilot Pin,Guide Studs. Tool for Changing Tires on Cars with Lug Bolts. Made of Stainless Steel.Metric 14 x 1.50. https://a.co/d/iq5zEHu
If you’re doing spark plugs do the coil packs as well, then you’ll never have to do them again. As someone mentioned carbon cleaning, and also a boost leak test they are cheap and will give you that extra peace of mind, sometimes leaks can be tiny and you would never know till you do the smoke test
Sounds like you have it pretty covered to me. All fluids and plugs and then just replace what breaks from there.
Differential fluid if the car has the performance pack and carbon cleaning
Switch to 5k mi engine oil intervals. Brakes fluid every 2y. Don't forget VAQ oil. Cabin air filter yearly, try to find one with activated carbon or antimicrobial. Water pump. Eyes on [timing chain stretch.](https://youtu.be/1PSOT7GacoA?si=lu3wpojz_frE-NiG) Eyes on side mirrors losing glue (OEM glue under temperature for mirror heaters).
Walnut clean the valves
something i ran into on mine at 92k was timing chain getting stretched i would get that replaced sooner than later if i were you
any reason not to do coils and plugs at the same time?
Plugs yes (unless they were just done). Coils no.
Didn’t see any mention of the blinker fluid. Be sure to change that out. But seriously, NICE NICE car!