15k: ThunderBunny: 2009 Volkswagen Golf GTi MkV, Low Miles

Back in the air-cooled 911 era there was a commonly shared piece of advice to get the latest generation 911 you could afford because it would be the fastest, safest and most reliable.  This advice fell flat on its nose when the 996 generation debuted, but this same advice can be easily transferred to Volkwagen’s Golf GTi.  The GTi is one of those cars that gets
heavier and more complicated with each generation but while the purists
and masochists will lament the addition of various features, who really wants to hand crank up his own windows, deal with unassisted steering or push start the car once a month.  Find this 2009 Volkswagen Golf GTi for $16,900 buy-it-now on ebay located in Bensenville, IL. 

The Volkswagen GTi was the hot-hatch bad-boy version of the Golf and by the sixth generation it was a fast and capable car with big following and grown up price tag.  This one cost about $27k new and is offered at a premium because of its low miles and clean condition.  This isn’t the cheapest MkV GTi on the market by far, but it you are looking for a low mile version in black it is going to be hard to justify buying one with 3x the miles to save $7k. This is one of those cars where any premium you pay today may get recouped when you sell it…but only if you keep the miles low and condition high.

 The MkVI GTi is powered by The Volkswagen Audi Group’s venerable 2.0T engine – a direct injected turbocharged, intercooled, all-alloy inline-4 good for 200 horsepower and 207 ft-lbs of torque available at a low 1800 rpm.  The 2.0T isn’t a big power limited edition monster like a 4G63 from the Lancer Evo – it is a mass volume workhorse designed for flexibility, fuel economy and stump pulling torque.  The APR chip on this 2.0T adds 52 horsepower and 100 ft-lbs of torque and positively transforms the little Rabbit into a Thunderbunny.  Expect to wear through front tires quickly.

 The interior of the low end VAG products still outclass just about anything this side of a Maybach and the GTi is no exception.  Start with the cool back-lit blue gauges, add a thick flat-bottomed steering wheel and finishing on sweet plaid seats (a design cue that goes all the way back to the Mk I GTi.)

See a better murdered out 3-door hatch? email us here: tips@dailyturismo.com