Picking up my Polo GTI Tommorow...

[b0bby]

Well i am finally picking up my long desired Shadow Blue Polo GTI tommorow afternoon and just have a couple of questions:

1) I have read a couple of people didnt get the carpet mats that are 'mentioned' in the gti brochure and were unsuccessful in getting them. Should i be actively ensuring these are there ?

2) After reading quite a bit up on the ' Paint & Rust protection ' stuff the dealerships try to sell to you, i chose not to get it. I am however looking for a list of products i should be buying and applying as soon as i get the car? (I remember reading an article saying that instead of paying the $1,000 - $2,000 you could pretty much get the same protection with about $150 worth of products from any good auto shop)

3) I have read all the 'breaking in' threads on here and other places, and am still somewhat perplexed whether to keep the revs low for about 1000kms or drive it how i plan to drive it for the rest of my ownership? So looking for input on this too.

Cheers guys, i am so excited to pick up my polo tommorow which me and my gf have affectionately pet named 'Marco' (If you need an explanation as to why i will be pretty dissapointed )

[jamesatfish]

Well i am finally picking up my long desired Shadow Blue Polo GTI tommorow afternoon and just have a couple of questions:

Contrats on the purchase - I'm sure you'll love the little Polo. It's heaps of fun and the tuning options seem endless...

With regards to your queries:

1. The floor mats, as I understand it, are standard on the GTI. If your car doesn't come with them, chase up your dealer. Do this at the time of delivery if possible - I had issues when I bought one of the first New Beetle Cabrios that arrived in the country (pre-ordered sight unseen) - apparently it should have come with a special baby seat & wind deflector that were part of the ADR requirements, but the dealer took them and never mentioned them to me. I only discovered this some time later, and by then the dealer had closed down and the parts were well and truely gone.

2. When I pick up a new car (or used for that matter), I always spend a few hours doing a full exterior wax treatment. I use the Auto Glym products - wash, polish, 'Ultra Deep Shine' and the protective 'gloss' clear finish - but any reputable brand should do the same job. The only car I ever ordered with the factory 'paint protection' was a Mitsubishi Lancer about 10 years ago, and that was the biggest waste of money I've ever come across. Put down a good wax base and keep it well maintained and you'll never regret not buying the protection option.

3. I kept my Polo relatively sedate for the first 1000kms or so, but I don't believe it's really that important. I did refrain from track work until about 1500kms just incase.

Good luck and enjoy the new car!

[NickZ]

Congrats on the purchase!

Answering your questions:

1. Kick up a stink if you don't get them. They are standard with the car, and should be matched up in colour to the carpet and be a good fit. I would also walk around to make sure there are no scratches on the wheels or on the paintwork, and that delivery kms are not too high (20km or so is the norm - over 50km I would be asking questions).

2. Just give it a good wax. I have used Meguiars products, but whatever product you use make sure you apply a polish and then a wax for the best protection.

3. I say drive it like you stole it. The most important thing is that the engine is warmed up. The rules I follow are:

1. On cold start, car warms up for 1 min.
2. Do not exceed 3000rpm until water temp is at 90 deg.
3. Do not exceed 4000rpm within first 10 mins of driving. This is so the engine oil (more important than water) is at the right temperature.

After that, it is open season. Also, especially after a hard drive, let it sit for a minute or two before turning it off. Short or sedate drives don't need a long time, but still good to wait 15 to 30 seconds.

I would be more worried about driving a lot at constant speed. For the first 1000km, vary your revs and engine brake as much as possible. Your engine will love you for it

[Flaps]

3. Do not exceed 4000rpm within first 10 mins of driving. This is so the engine oil (more important than water) is at the right temperature.

*From my experience in my Polo* It actually takes 15 mins from a 'cold' start for oil temp to get up to temperature unless you rev it hard. Normal oil temp on my gauge is from 90-100 degrees.

[NickZ]

Cheers for that Flaps. I'm assuming you got an oil temp gauge fitted. Mine was not based on anything, just thought that 10 mins was enough to get oil up to the right temp.

Oh well, it will now be 15 mins before I rev the tits of it next time

[b0bby]

Thanks for your input guys.

[mitch_gti]

Mats are mats.

If they say GTI then happy days.

I cant remember what mine are, but they are genuine, they clip in. Pretty sure they are just plain black.

Depends on what kind of car owner you are as to wether you should buy the extras.
VW's have antirust warranty anyway, soo no use getting rustproofing.
Paint protection hmm.. well most paint protection warranties are there for covering things like fading. Soo if your buying a pink... i mean red gti and your not one to keep it clean or polished then its a good idea. Cuz you can take it back to the dealer when it starts fading and get them to buff the living **** out of it, then re apply the waxes and paint protection.

Underbody sealand (sound deadening) has always been something ive been curious about, and would like to find out more about it.

Re running in, give the engine heaps of load (going up hills in a gear which makes the car work moderately hard)
Vary the rpm as much as possible ie lots of gear changing. Also when changing gears instead of reving the car to 2.5 or 3 before changing gears. change at 2 thousand rpm, soo that the car is always working moderately hard.
This is not babying the car, but by no means is it 'driving like its stolen'.

Also, let the car have a warm up before you drive it.
But then again, you cant read into these things too much, do what you feel is right but above and beyond anything else, just enjoy the car and the delivery experience. After all, its not everyday that you buy a new car

[RhysQ]

Well i am finally picking up my long desired Shadow Blue Polo GTI tommorow afternoon and just have a couple of questions:

1) I have read a couple of people didnt get the carpet mats that are 'mentioned' in the gti brochure and were unsuccessful in getting them. Should i be actively ensuring these are there ?

2) After reading quite a bit up on the ' Paint & Rust protection ' stuff the dealerships try to sell to you, i chose not to get it. I am however looking for a list of products i should be buying and applying as soon as i get the car? (I remember reading an article saying that instead of paying the $1,000 - $2,000 you could pretty much get the same protection with about $150 worth of products from any good auto shop)

3) I have read all the 'breaking in' threads on here and other places, and am still somewhat perplexed whether to keep the revs low for about 1000kms or drive it how i plan to drive it for the rest of my ownership? So looking for input on this too.

Cheers guys, i am so excited to pick up my polo tommorow which me and my gf have affectionately pet named 'Marco' (If you need an explanation as to why i will be pretty dissapointed )

NOOOOOOOOOO........ my gf named my Polo GTI 'Marco' last year (she has a thing with naming everything....well.... not EVERYTHING). the name has stuck with the car since then. (~cough cough~ find a new name )

on a lighter note, welcome to the forum and congrats on the purchase!

[b0bby]

Well thanks guys, picked up my GTI and am ecstatic.... Just hating the fact that i have to be at work when its just in the car park, sitting waititng to be driven...

Just one more question which im unsure about, i have noticed that with the digital display under the revs (The one you can toggle through Average fuel consumption, Time etc.) there is a display which i think has 0 km/h and a little 1 in the corner...

I was under the impression this was meant to display my speed and what gear i was in ? It doesnt appear to be working?

Am i right or is this display for something completely different?

[VW GTI]

There are 2 'trips' on the trip computer. If you press the button underneath the wiper stalk (a little round one on the bottom of it) it will switch between them.