Having written so much on the subject of "rolling log" noise that was all down to rear shock absorbers going back to 2014 plus excessive cabin noise resulting in the fitting of sound insulation, changing tire makes and the fitting of the subframe damper I now have complete satisfaction, after changing the car.
www.vwgolfmk7problems.uk
Earlier this June I took my 7.5 GTI for a service. The car was 4.5. years old with 22k on the clock. While at the dealer in Bath UK I discussed options of a replacement car. Sitting in the middle of the showroom amongst new cars was a really special looking 7.5 GTI and out of interest I asked the salesman about the car. He said it was really quite special and a rare vehicle. First off he told me about the extras, factory fitted sun-roof (not that important to me but its OK), it was the PP version, 7-speed DSG, leather upholstery, reversing camera, 19" wheels, Lane assist, Dynaudio, traffic sign recognition, keyless entry and stop/start button. Well this sounded interesting and then the bonus for me was DCC and that was something I had always wanted as at my age I require a bit more comfort.
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The real bonus then came with the announcement that though the car was now 3.5 years old it only had completed 7,200 miles with one lady owner from Bristol. The car was immaculate inside and out and really looked brand-new. I took the car for a test run for about an hour over different road surfaces and instantly knew just how great this model is. The asking price was £28000 and they offered me exactly £20000 for mine. They agreed to move the genuine VW mud-flaps from old to new car and to move my front & rear Dash Cam to the new car. The deal was done.
A major point I will make here is that this newer model is a seriously great car and significantly better when compared to my 2014 GTI PP with DSG and most certainly far better than my December 2017 GTI DSG. First of all this newer model is noticeably quieter with no hollow droning and intruding cabin noise and no rattles from rear suspension as per my 2 previous models and a quieter engine/gearbox. Why this particular car is quieter, particularly from the rear end is unclear to me. The P zeros are not rated as the quietest tire and so I have discounted those as the reason. There is no bare metal to be seen in the area of the spare wheel, as was the case in the previous car but again I think this is irrelevant. So is the quietness down to the electrically operated shock absorbers - I just don't know, but whatever the reason, all I know is that I see no reason for additional sound-proofing or fitting of that harmonic damper. It could even be down to the 19" wheels and lower profile tires which I expected to give a harder ride, which is not the case in the normal DCC setting and is exceptionally comfortable in Comfort mode.
The other benefits of this newer 7.5.
7-speed DSG is really so smooth and quiet and offer greater flexibility in both normal and sport mode. The difference between a 6 & 7 speed is night and day. Frequently with a 6-speed I would find myself having to manually change down from 6 to 5 in normal mode, especially when going up slight gradients. It was also noisier with almost a tractor like sound in 6th gear when under a certain load.
The DCC is without doubt the must have as it gives an extremely comfortable ride in the comfort setting and for those who want a sportier feel then they have that option.
The SatNav offers additional and useful information in the infotainment screen so clearly they have worked on this.
The headlights have a different beam pattern which gives far better illumination on dark country roads. The automatic
headlamp dipping function works superbly well. There are of course various other changes or extras that I appreciate but the most significant improvement is in drivability.
In Conclusion - This model is superb in all respects. Unusually for me there is nothing that I can fault, nothing I can criticize about this model. It seems to me that VW made a significant improvement to the model in 2018.The difference between my previous two cars compared to the most recent model is night & day. For the first time in 8-years I now have my faith restored in the brand. All I can add to this post, that is if you have got this far, is advice and that is to only buy a 7.5 with a 7-speed DSG and with DCC if possible. The performance model is preferable of course.