davy26

I was intending to order an Up! Gti earlier this year, though I was not keen on the engine format - small capacity, three cylinders and turbocharged. I finished up with a Lupo Gti instead and I am greatly enjoying its normally aspirated 1.6 litre engine. I've a feeling a blown engine would spoil the car's essential character, which is largely based on a nice balance of power/chassis capability/weight. As mk2 indicates, it might be best to follow the proverbial advice of an Irishman when asked for directions - well, I wouldn't start from here.

Look of the car and these pics are just great!

Not only do these look good, but they're extremely well made and the service is very friendly (and highly efficient too). https://www.cocomats.com/checker-mats/ As with my Up!, previously, they now have a pair of templates from me, so if your's is a Gti (mine is MY 2005) they should be able to make them right away for you. (With so little room in the back, I don't think the cost of a rear pair too is justifiable.) Regards. David

Worth the wait for making in and shipping from South Carolina - these red coco mats are a bit louder than the blue/black versions I had in my Up!

. . . I'd like to see my Gti wearing. (Canterbury, this morning).

Wanted for 2005 MY Lupo Gti: Rear spoiler (black preferred) Steering wheel Battery Cover Any offers or leads appreciated. David

(Sorry if this clip has been posted already) This Gti is pretty quick and tidy - but the traffic on the Green Hell can be quite bothersome!

Thanks Grumps - very helpful and I suspect this is one of those things where close attention to detail will pay off.

Lupos are far from being plentiful around here . . . but, within half a mile of each other are two in what I think is the (unusual) colour, Fresco (?) - see also Tasteful in Walmer.

Thanks to Blue Loop, Silver and Grumpy for your comments/advice. I was aware that the spoiler is attached with fasteners and maybe I'm too pessimistic about possible damage during remove/refit. I wonder Grumpy if the tape you mention is the type we used to use around household door/window apertures?

Spec for track is 0 degrees, +/- 10' You describe negative camber and the spec should be - 30' +/- 10'

I've not had the car long - it was imported to the UK from Japan late last year. My assumption is that the spoiler was re-painted at some point whilst the car was still in Japan. I suspect that the usual problems with water absorption into the spoiler have been made worse in this instance by a poor re-paint with insufficient preparation and, probably, the application of far too much new paint, making for an overly thick paint layer. I think my best bet would be to remove it now - whilst it should be well dried out as a result of our long dry weather spell - and get as much old paint stripped off as possible before applying new. One concern I have is about getting it off - I wonder if these tend to sustain damage in the process?

Dang! - that's tricky and inconveniently pedantic. Just for comparison purposes, the engine number of my MY 2005 Gti (Japan) is 034227. Do you have the original Jap service book/manual? If you do, check the front section (0503.553.190.70)* inside rear cover. This includes some fill-in data boxes - the third line of these would include the engine number (after prefix AVY) if the supplier bothered to make entries. Here's hoping. David. *Maybe different number depending on MY

You'd need to remove some ancillaries to get sight of the number, (on the block), but . . . when my Japan-import Gti was registered they simply entered the Engine Code, i.e. AVY in the P.5 field. I'd suspect that this one of those data entry issues where as long as there's a value entered there's no validation done to check if it's configured correctly or is of the expected length. Good Luck!

It's bad on mine - see pics attached. I've read the various previous threads on this subject and gather it's down to absorbed water disrupting the paint film surface on its way out to evaporation. My local (high quality) bodyshop advised that a repaint would not be a lasting solution and suggested I look into having the spoiler wrapped. But then I'm told that since the film used is only 0.11mm thick, it would not provide a 'mask' of the current surface irregularities. Any opinions/experience please on the practicality and long term effectiveness of painting? I am wondering if this current dry/hot spell might provide a good opportunity to have a go on the basis that as of today the panel is possibly as 'dried out' as it ever will be.

My German isn't good enough even for an Owner's Manual! - happily the factory-manuals.com download is in English.

Finally found the real thing - as a PDF - at https://www.factory-manuals.com/volkswagen-32 I have paid the $60 required for the download and I believe it's good value - there are over 4,000 pages! When you order you're asked to provide your VIN - the content is then selected from the master database so that your PDF is strictly relevant to your car - I have checked and my 'copy' has all the right Gti-specific pages.

They are already debating performance upgrades over on the Up! Forum, e.g. http://www.upownersclub.co.uk/forum/dtuk_topic9658.html Also: http://www.upownersclub.co.uk/forum/150bhp-possible_topic9297.html and http://www.upownersclub.co.uk/forum/anyone-remapped-our-gti-yet_topic9620.html I've seen various opinions, links and videos and a post indicating that at least one tuner didn't feel comfortable (handling concerns) with the car having an extra-several bhp. And there's at least one car already lowered. There's an amusing owner's vid extolling the virtues of the Milltek sports exhaust he's already had fitted, but I don't think it did the job intended as the car didn't sound much different to my (admittedly ancient) ear. But, whatever the merits of the individual views/projects, it's good to see that a model in the generally prim Up! range has provoked so much enthusiasm and interest in further enhancing its performance.

So it looks as though we're pretty much agreed Martin, and I don't think anyone could deny the practicality and economy of the Up! Now, how silly is this? . . . my main disappointment with the Up! model line is a version I've never even driven: the Gti. I have been deterred by the lack of demos locally, the 'not bothered' stance of local Retailers and the protracted current order lead time. But, underlying those aspects, I feel that Volkswagen have been too conservative in speccing the car, perhaps dictated by a desire to launch at a price level well below that which might have been expected. This is my shame-list: No driver control over the ESC (Lupo superior) No funky colours, (e.g. Porsche colours like Racing Yellow, Lava Orange or Light Green) Only one wheel option, and that is big for some tastes at 17" - also results in (for me) too-low profile tyres Un-upgraded seat with lack of lateral support (Lupo superior) No lightweight 'special' version, with, say, another 15 bhp (Lupo has the ally doors, bonnet and arches) A more imaginative specification Up! Gti would not just lord it over the Abarth 595s, but fully annihilate them!

I've had two Ups - a Move and, currently, a High, (both 3 door). The High has a visually pleasant interior and things like the steering wheel appear to be of real quality. The clever little 3 cyl engine responds nicely and fuel economy is excellent - my current use is nearly all short runs but I still average 54 mpg. But, compared with my 'new' Lupo Gti, the Up lacks character, and, surprisingly trails the Lupo on the following features: Seats - the Lupo versions are considerably more supportive. Interestingly, the same Up seat is used in the new Gti version. Seat tipping - in the Lupo, after tipping the seat returns to its 'start' position - not the case in the Up. 'Cubby' spaces - varied and well sited in the Lupo - quite lacking in the Up, (though it has a proper glove box). ICE - no CD player in the Up - outdated technology I know, but old boys like me have got a hell of a lot on those funny little discs. I was intending to buy an Up Gti, but my Lupo is better than that with: Nicer engine - 4 cylinders and normally aspirated - sounds, performs and responds better than a blown small 3 cylinder. On 15" wheels - look better than the Up's 17" and rides better on the less low-profile tyres. Light weight panels which add allure. Deprecation probably bottomed out. They are both good cars, and the Up does have some neat advantages like the double depth boot floor, but it's interesting - and reassuring - that product development is not necessarily a case of everything getting gradually better.

Well you can't blame them can you - their choc is rather fine, but may I suggest that they're more likely to be distracted by their delicious Stella, and from my experience of the stuff, we're lucky if we get any glass put in at all. I have got alloy doors. It was one of the first things I wanted to check pre-buying my car, as I especially like the idea of lightweight panels. At BMW we had them on the CSLs. At that time I was responsible for dealing with product complaints in the UK and a common one was owners moaning about their wavy bootlid edges - even the slightest hand pressure unless through the badge caused denting.

Mine is a late 2005 MY (registered January 2006). It has Sekurit in O/S/F, N/S/R and N/S/F and Pilkington in O/S/R, tailgate and windscreen. Not the expected Teutonic consistency and reminds me of typical Latin 'anomalies' in my Alfas.

Still giving her an initial clean-up:

Thanks Rich and Blue Loop - I tend to be over cautious as I spent most of the first 20 years of my career dealing with customer complaints and technical problems for BMW, Alfa Romeo and Chrysler. . . and believe me, doing that you soon learn that if something can go wrong, it definitely does, so I like to check and then double check . . . Yes, I plan to keep my original as is - the car has done only 60,000 and the wheel is in really nice condition.

Steering wheel: I've had second thoughts on a Momo - the original wheel is right style-wise for the Gti, but I'd like it beefed up and with really smooth leather, so I'm planning now to have a retrim by Royal Steering Wheels, (wonder whether the workshop is at Buckingham Palace, or, with lower overheads, up at Sandringham?) So I need a temporary replacement whilst mine's away for the work. My car is MY 2005 - does anyone know please if one from a 2001 model would be a straight fit?