Anybody go from a MK4 to a MK7 and regret it?

Grigg3 said:

It’s not a big deal, but once accustomed to how far you should be able to go anything less is sometimes frustrating.
For some trips it’s nice to drive through all the states with high fuel prices and fill up when it’s cheaper. The flexibility that comes with the extra range is nice.

On a long trip if you want to cover ground the fewer stops the faster you get there.

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So instead of one fuel stop, you may have two. Your life is full of weird complications. What's the rush that you can't take ten minutes out of to clean your windshield and fuel your car? If that is frustrating you need to get a life.


Do you carry a little jug to pee in too? Might save 10 minutes of travel time and get to your destination a bit earlier.

Grigg3 said:

We’re headed to Maine next week, similar thoughts trying to decide which car to drive.
The 05 will get to Maine on one tank, but not the 15.
The newer one will get slightly better mileage though.
The old one with back seats removed (they have been for years) will fit more stuff. Not easy to remove seats from the new one.

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Removing the bottom part of the rear bench seat is easy and will give a lot more cargo space. You can put soft items there and still get a flat load area.

Lightflyer1 said:

One other consideration. If you were involved in an accident, which would you rather be in? I would imagine the newer car would provide more safety. I would imagine 16 years has yielded some safety improvements.

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I've never been in a major auto accident. I know there's always a first time, but it's not a big concern for me.

Two of my kids have totaled VWs. One '00 Golf, and a '13 Jetta Sedan. Both walked away. If I never have to see a car that my child was in when it was wrecked it's fine with me. Very upsetting.

I drove my Wagon 1,940 miles in the last 4 days. Started with a full tank and made two fuel stops, and I have a half tank left now. The '15 would have required at least three and I'd be almost out when arriving home. Not a big deal, but it's nice to be able to stop at a rest area instead of a fuel station sometimes, as I did today.

And I saw this in my Wagon on the way home.


Not gonna get that in a '15.

Funny I have been thinking the EXACT thing as my 99.5 is getting old and tired. Still runs, still does the job but its starting to show signs of age.After 385,000 miles and 19 years of service, it owes us nothing. Rust is getting extensive which is the main problem. Still use it to go to work everyday, still return 50+MPG tanks and 600 miles between refuels. Still love driving it.



Eyeing 2015 golfs as they tick the boxes of quality, fuel economy, availability and durability. The 1st gen CR TDI seemed to be a total crapshoot with HPFP and DPF. FE was down too over the older ones. Its the only thing that can really replace the ALH.


I will be watching this thread. Not sure what my vehicle future holds at this point.

I am all surrounded by diesel cars ,2 alh racer golf 99.5 and Jetta 2000, beamer 335d, 2015 passat tdi, they are all good but to be honest I like my alhs a lot, every car I got serves a purpose, commuters my alh, leisure time my 335d, long trips my 2015 passat, real fun time my racer golf, grim on my face always

Why "grim"? Your stable sounds pretty nice to me...

MAXRPM said:

I am all surrounded by diesel cars ,2 alh racer golf 99.5 and Jetta 2000, beamer 335d, 2015 passat tdi, they are all good but to be honest I like my alhs a lot, every car I got serves a purpose, commuters my alh, leisure time my 335d, long trips my 2015 passat, real fun time my racer golf, grim on my face always

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1854sailor said:

Why "grim"? Your stable sounds pretty nice to me...

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when you drive it you just do not even realize what torque up until kicks in, then no need seat belt, it straps you down automatically lol

went from my MK4 jetta wagon to a golf sportwagen love it except for 2 points
GSW has a much smaller tank, so fill up more often and the oil filter change sucks

Today I drove my MK7 to a local Best Buy to look at tablets. This evening I went back for a second look, driving my MKIV that time. Same day, two platforms, same route. When I arrived at the store the second time in my MKIV I couldn't help but think "this is a better car than the MK7." Admittedly my MKIV is pretty extensively modified, and my MK7 is stock except for a tune, but the IV rides and handles better, the steering is much more precise and has better feel (hydraulic still rules), it's faster, more responsive to the accelerator, I like the way the transmission shifts better, the A/C is colder. And all this despite the 372K miles on the IV versus the 10K miles on the 7. The IV is noisier and the rear seat is smaller, admittedly. The M7 is a better vehicle for driving family and friends around.

Could the 7 be as good as the IV, with the right mods? Possibly, but I kind of doubt it. Sightlines out aren't going to get better, the fuel tank isn't going to get bigger, the seats aren't going to get more comfortable.

The 7 isn't a bad car. And mine isn't going anywhere. Regardless of what I might think, IBW isn't going to last forever. But MKIV ALH TDIs are a once in a generation vehicle. A very hard act to follow.

IndigoBlueWagon said:

Could the 7 be as good as the IV, with the right mods? Possibly, but I kind of doubt it. Sightlines out aren't going to get better, the fuel tank isn't going to get bigger, the seats aren't going to get more comfortable.

The 7 isn't a bad car. And mine isn't going anywhere. Regardless of what I might think, IBW isn't going to last forever. But MKIV ALH TDIs are a once in a generation vehicle. A very hard act to follow.

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I tend to agree with Peter. I have a B4V (a very nice one). I really like the car, especially the size & the fuel tank size. I put together a nicely modded A4V for my son that I have personally put many miles on including a cross country trip. It is a fun & comfortable car to drive. When the stop sale cars came out, I picked up an S version. While I have not put as many miles on it as I have the B4V or the A4V, but have done enough around town & road trips to form a good impression of it. I am amazed as its' fuel milage, electronic wizardry & smoothness. But, I do not think I will grow to like it as much as the other 2.

It might be a generational thing & that I prefer simpler things.