Mk6 GTD vc Mk5 GT TDI

[poyta]

Hi guys,

I took a new GTD for the testdrive the other day to see if it was worth upgrading from my current GT TDI. Thought I might share my opinion in case anyone is interested.

Interior is a huge improvement over the Mk5. Even with the sports leather option that mine has I prefer the GTD. The seats are really hugging and feel fantastic. I love the steering wheel, it just feels expensive. In fact all the materials in the GTD interior just seem more expensive and tactile making the Mk5 seem rather cheap and plastic. The touch screen stereo is also a lot nicer. I would however miss the cool red glow from the overhead light you get in the Mk5 and the red glow dials.

The GTD seems to be bit more quiet inside, road noise and outside noise seems to be less .I think they've added extra insulation. Not a huge improvement but a little there bit there.

The GTD engine is not as noisy- still sounds like a diesel but not as loud as the Mk5. Personally the diesel clunking has grown on me - I quite like it now - makes me feel like Im driving a big rig.

The exhaust note at higher revs actually sounds decent - much nicer note than the Mk5. This really surprised me. Almost doesn't sound like a diesel.

Ride quality is difficult to judge as mine is lowered now so its a bit stiff but from what I remember about mine when it was stock it feels about the same.

Handling is also a big tough as I didn't thrash the crap out it but a few hard corners didn't show that it was any better than the Mk5.

Power and Acceleration - this is where I was disappointment with the GTD. It may have the same torque and power output as the MK5 but it drives different. Where as the Mk5 was very aggressive in its power and torque delivery the GTD seems to have been mellowed. In the Mk5 you have this big surge of torque low down in the revs that just plants you in the seat and sends the car screaming down the road tyre spinning in the first two ( sometimes 3 ) gears the GTD just gently pulls you away with little effort. Its still quick because when you look at the speed dial you are over the speed limit very quickly but its just does it with little fuss, I suppose VW would say this is an improvement but for a car thats marketed as "GT" and sold to people who are expecting something a bit "sporty" its not really good. Most of my diesel hating non believer friends who take my Mk5 for a drive are genuinely surprised by its performance and most of this is attributed to the "wait for it....BANG" surge of power and torque that you get - they actually find it difficult to drive the car slowly and all come back and say " man that things got some balls! ". Sadly I don't think you'd get the same reaction with the GTD.

Finally, the look of the car - I guess its down to personal opinion and I prefer the Mk5. I just love the Audi like grille on the mk5 with the nice V shape in the front, the GTD just seems too standard looking with the front bar. The Classix wheels on the Mk5 also look a lot nicer than the GTDs which just look like cheap. I do like the fact that unlike the Mk5 they have added a rear wing and some small skirts to the GTD to distinguish it from the standard model ( I had to buy some side skirts and a front lip for my Mk5 which I think should have been standard on a GT ).

So overall, a few nice little improvements inside here and there but with the "taming" of the engine and less attractive body I think i'll stick to my GT TDI. Glad I bought it when I did ( gee they didn't sell for long did they ? ) and I'll be holding on to it until maybe the Mk7 comes along.

[Buller_Scott]

hey man, thanks for the review!

i too took a mk6 GTD for a run with my old man- it was at a dealership which i have taken 4 cars for test drives for, to date, and not once has a dealer rep/ salesman got in the car- they just handed the keys over and say ''see you when you get back- no rush''. so naturally, we headed for mt dandenong, just up the road.

i loved the kick that the car had, it's definitely got some guts, and were i to get one, and get it chipped, it would be a pretty formidable car in the twisties, with an easily achievable 440nm on tap.

i liked the dsg, too, but i still couldnt shake the feeling that i'd want to buy a manual car, even though the dsg would make it easier for me to go back to left foot braking with more confidence.

exterior- check. i love it. yes, the wheels were kinda mediocre looking, i found, but as a package, i think it works pretty well. if i was to be picky, i WOULD try to find someone with the same color as mine but in a tsi version, and [intercooler and all other fixtures clearing], see if they wanted to swap front bars, as i like how conservative and nondescript the standard model is.

i'd love to say that i'll get one, but i dunno..... the DPF on modern diesels is a headache [an expensive one], and i've read A LOT on tdiclub.com about high pressure fuel pumps failing on the new VAG CR tdi's in the states. some people have even talked about class action, which is worrying.

but the interior finish, the steering wheel, the seats of the GTD.... its damn nice.

hey poyta- is your gt tdi chipped?

cheers,

scotty

[Greg Roles]

Awesome, thanks for the review. I hope to drive one too, but can't see a whole lot of reason to upgrade just from the specs on paper. Sounds like they've made it more suitable for the masses, as the MK5 power delivery would only suit a minority of hoons!

[poyta]

were i to get one, and get it chipped, it would be a pretty formidable car in the twisties, with an easily achievable 440nm on tap.
hey poyta- is your gt tdi chipped?

Scotty, yes my GT TDi is chipped but even before the chip it still felt stronger than the GTD. Not sure what a GTD would be like with a chip, probably an improvement but I'd be questioning the life of a DSG box with 440Nm of torque. From what i've read if you want that sort of torque you better stick to manual ( like mine )

[GoLfMan]

nice review!
The first thing I'd do the the mk5 or mk6 is the custom code DPF delete. Same price as a stage 1 APR GTI upgrade and the same power with HUGE torque!
the mk6's interior is a vast improvement over the mk5 but I still think I'd get the mk5 if i was in the market for another diesel.

[poyta]

nice review!
The first thing I'd do the the mk5 or mk6 is the custom code DPF delete. Same price as a stage 1 APR GTI upgrade and the same power with HUGE torque!

I got a bluefin re-flash which was only about $700 so its no where near the cost of a DPF delete. I'm keen on a DPF delete ( have been following the posts ) but the technology and parts to do it don't seem too easy to get ...or cheap.

[Gregski]

I got a bluefin re-flash which was only about $700 so its no where near the cost of a DPF delete. I'm keen on a DPF delete ( have been following the posts ) but the technology and parts to do it don't seem too easy to get ...or cheap.

Nice. What power is your rig putting down now with bluefin? Are u happy? Tossing up what to do with my gt

[poyta]

Nice. What power is your rig putting down now with bluefin? Are u happy? Tossing up what to do with my gt

I haven't dynod it but I've been advised that with a bluefin re-flash it was supposed to be around about 156Kw / 420 Nm torque. I actually wasn't too happy with the first re-flash since I didn't feel a huge diffrence so they went in again and re-flashed it once more for even more power/torque which I finally felt so I guess it would be close to 160Kw / 430 Nm?? For $700 yes I'm happy with it but I wouldn't pay any more than that - yes its got a bit more pull and seems to wheel spin more easily but I wouldn't say its a HUGE improvement like they boast - lets just say that my wife didn't notice the difference and she's usually the first to sniff out any mods that I've done to the car. Regarless of what they say about the fuel ecomony benefits of the chip I haven't seen any improvement - quite the opposite, whereas previously I always averaged under 6l/100km easily I now seem to average about 6.3l/100km and never ever do I go under 6. honestly I'd go spend the $700 elsewhere if I was to do it again.

[Gregski]

I haven't dynod it but I've been advised that with a bluefin re-flash it was supposed to be around about 156Kw / 420 Nm torque. I actually wasn't too happy with the first re-flash since I didn't feel a huge diffrence so they went in again and re-flashed it once more for even more power/torque which I finally felt so I guess it would be close to 160Kw / 430 Nm?? For $700 yes I'm happy with it but I wouldn't pay any more than that - yes its got a bit more pull and seems to wheel spin more easily but I wouldn't say its a HUGE improvement like they boast - lets just say that my wife didn't notice the difference and she's usually the first to sniff out any mods that I've done to the car. Regarless of what they say about the fuel ecomony benefits of the chip I haven't seen any improvement - quite the opposite, whereas previously I always averaged under 6l/100km easily I now seem to average about 6.3l/100km and never ever do I go under 6. honestly I'd go spend the $700 elsewhere if I was to do it again.

The proof is in the real numbers dude, shame you didn't get a before and after dyno to see what it's done if anything at all.
I used to work at AVO in melb for a few years and spoke to them last night, so I might be getting some prototype **** done to mine, I'll keep you posted thanks for the advice

[poyta]

The proof is in the real numbers dude, shame you didn't get a before and after dyno to see what it's done if anything at all.
I used to work at AVO in melb for a few years and spoke to them last night, so I might be getting some prototype **** done to mine, I'll keep you posted thanks for the advice

I still can get a before and after because with the BlueFin I can revert back to factory standard.