MK6 GTI - Rattle upon acceleration - Resolved via TPI: 2021062/7

[cameronp]

it may be like $50k with options here and there in A$ but unfortunately that was a byproduct of economy, import duty, and our location being so far off with the rest of european/american continents (and buying power). but IMHO in a euro car sense of scale, golfs are just like corolla/pulsar/lancer/civic/323/swift and similar level if compared to a japanese scale. (and perhaps only as level as Lanos/Elantra in a korean scale).

Going off on a tangent here: Agreed that VWs are common as muck in Europe, but I don't think we're being ripped off.

The Golf is actually cheaper here in Australia than it is in England, if you compare like-for-like specs; it's just that we only get the higher-end models with more features and more powerful engines. I noticed lots of 1.6L Golfs last time I went to the UK, lots of TDIs, but relatively few GTIs and TSIs which are popular here. (The VW UK website now lists the 1.2 TSI engine found in the new Polo here as the base-model Golf engine there. But how many Australians do you think would be interested in buying a 1.2 TSI Golf for the price of of a 1.8L Corolla?)

The UK Ford web site lists the Focus as being almost the same price as the Golf (about £1000 price difference in similar-spec base models), despite the Focus being several grand cheaper here in Australia. Ouch.

For an example of a German car where we're being ripped off - in the UK, a BMW 325i (£27,845) costs a little bit more than a Golf GTI (£24,880 for a 5-door manual), but in Australia the BMW is almost twice the price!

[ddre78]

Depends how much people want to worry about trivial nonsense things I guess.

Im thinking your post is the only thing thats "trivial nonsense" around here.

Just because your standards are different/better/worse, don't insult others who think this is an issue.

[G-rig]

Im thinking your post is the only thing thats "trivial nonsense" around here.

Just because your standards are different/better/worse, don't insult others who think this is an issue.

I'll sign the petition but it's hardly as bad as people make out. The forums and internet make you worry about stuff a lot more than you need to. Under full load i can't hear it at all, it's only on light throttle around 2k.

[Corey_R]

Raspier? It's downright insane! I took a Stage2 for a short spin on the weekend thanks to a very nice bloke who had the exhaust fitted here in Perth. Up-changing at 4000rpm almost broke the windows on a few houses in my suburb. It's very aggressive, in my opinion and I don't think it's for me. It is still sedate-ish while crawling around, but it's louder than stock for sure. It's very easy to make it sing and I'm not sure I'm after that much attention.

For the record, I can't be 100% sure that the rattle sound has gone from that car. Since it had a new exhaust and the Carbonio intake, all I could hear at the required conditions was the intake sucking and the exhaust burbling. Now, it's a great car if that's what you want, but I like my vehicles to sound a bit more sedate. Diagnosis: inconclusive! Damn it!

Yeah sorry mate. I didn't realise it was a Stage 2 car. If I had, I probably would've given you the heads up not to bother (well, not to bother for this issue). Stage 2 is massively underrated by many. Although they don't have much higher peak figures than a Stage 1 car, they're a VERY different beast. Even if you just had the downpipe and still had the stock exhaust, they sound COMPLETELY different to stock/Stage I because the turbo's spin up so much quicker and they have a lot more induction etc!

[Corey_R]

To everyone posting in this thread, can we please leave the discussion about the cost of the Golf, it's placement in the chain of Euro cars, and comparisons to Hyundais and Corollas out of this. The thread is up to 42 pages, and it's all been covered at least 100 times before. Lets leave the discussion to those who are trying to collect information in the aim to find a resolution to the issue.

Cheers

[rs73]

possible solution - dump pipe group buy maybe? how's that for an idea?

[REXman]

Coreying,

Must you always be so quick to stop ANY descent discussion. :p I dont think anyones going way off topic.

I think there should be some leniency in topic discussion considering we are all bored as **** and waiting, without any cars to drive (and get us back on topic!).

[Corey_R]

possible solution - dump pipe group buy maybe? how's that for an idea?

Well as Murphy and I have been discussing, I think that before everyone goes and spends a few $k on a downpipe, more investigations needs to occur to ensure that the reports of "downpipe resolving it" isn't just a case of someone not having the "same rattle" in the first place, or they've gone straight to stage 2 and the noise is simply being masked by induction noise.

Plus, there'll be many people who have no interest in pursing that option.
Finally, whilst I'm sure Guy_H may be receptive to a group buy on the downpipes if you're able to secure enough committed purchasers, the complication comes that you'd also need the APR ECU update. Since that must be installed by your local APR dealer, it means a group buy for the software is not possible due to all the different independent businesses involved.

[ddre78]

I'm having a Milltek cat-back exhaust fitted at some stage next week. Ill ask the techs if they can try the wheel weight to see if it works before I have the exhaust fitted. Will report back.

[Corey_R]

Yeah sorry mate. I didn't realise it was a Stage 2 car. If I had, I probably would've given you the heads up not to bother (well, not to bother for this issue). Stage 2 is massively underrated by many. Although they don't have much higher peak figures than a Stage 1 car, they're a VERY different beast. Even if you just had the downpipe and still had the stock exhaust, they sound COMPLETELY different to stock/Stage I because the turbo's spin up so much quicker and they have a lot more induction etc!

So I really shouldn't post when half asleep! Brain fade
Anyway, by definition, all that is required for a Stage 2 car from APR is the Stage 1 ECU update, and then the APR downpipe. When they put the downpipe inplace, you then get the Stage 2 ECU software for free. Although the APR Carbonio intake, APR Intercooler and full APR RSC TBE are recommended, they are not "requirements" for Stage 2.

This means that, simply replacing the downpipe will require the Stage 2 software, and cause a big change to the turbo spool and induction noise etc.

This makes me wonder. Is the problem the downpipe, or still the wastegate actuator rod?. The stage 2 software might actually be what is fixing the issue, by changing the turbo operation and whatever else it does so that the wastegate rattle is either covered by other noise, or at a lower RPM which doesn't cause the same resonance etc. (Does this make sense?).

So I guess the resolution really needs to be in the following order:
1) On a car which definitely has "the rattle", do the American diagnosis steps with the wheel weight on the actuator rod
2) If step 1 doesn't work or has no effect, change the downpipe but not the ECU software (I'm not sure if this is "advisable" with the APR downpipe... maybe another brand will which doesn't require a software update may have to be used... someone should check with Guy).