8.5R Gremlins

[Scudgie]

1 hour ago, Booth11 said:

It’s a pain they didn’t complete the diagnostics, especially as it was booked on ages ago. Did they say why they’d not been able to complete the tests? 
 

6th August is a hell of a wait too. 🙁

Yes, that wasn't lost on me or the fact that my car was sat in their car park from 8.30am until 3.30pm before it was actually looked at(my Tracker reports changes to the ignition).

 

I guess that they must have been under a bit of pressure dealing with customers who had waited more than 6 weeks for their car to be looked at (sarcasm intended).

[robdfr]

The Bluetooth dropping out is getting worse on my car , I see to get it within a few miles of driving , where it dropped out for 20 seconds or so , but now happens 3 or 4 times on the same journey , now dropping calls which won’t reconnect , it tells me to turn WiFi  on by pressing the button on the screen , then tells me it can’t do the operation 😡🤬

 

totally unacceptable on a £50k + car

 

was this ever an issue on the mk8. , I never had an issue with this on my mk7.5

[Dollyman]

I’ve not had a problem with my mk8 ( not yet anyway, touch wood )


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[Msportman]

What a pile of poo. Reading problem after problem and people waiting ages to be seen then told no faults found or come back later! 
 

As said it’s outrageous that a £50k car with new mostly useless tech that superseded the MK8 woes is still having problems. Is this just a Golf problem or a VAG problem?

 

Such a shame for all who have invested hard earned money into a car that enthusiasts were hoping would be less problematic.

 

I was hoping that as time went by in the build cycle all these issues would be resolved to tempt me into one.

 

Maybe a M240i or M2 maybe a better choice.

[kevintaper1]

I've only had my 8.5R a few weeks but not had any problems yet to speak off, a massive improvement for me over the mark 8 , maybe it depends on software , build weeks etc

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[MJC1216]

7 hours ago, Msportman said:

Maybe a M240i or M2 maybe a better choice.

I know 2 people who have moved to a M135 when a Golf R would have been their first choice because they didn't want to take a chance on the software issues.

 

I know the Golf R drives better but the BMW is nicer inside and dosen't suffer from any known software issues.

 

[Msportman]

5 hours ago, MJC1216 said:

I know 2 people who have moved to a M135 when a Golf R would have been their first choice because they didn't want to take a chance on the software issues.

 

I know the Golf R drives better but the BMW is nicer inside and dosen't suffer from any known software issues.

 

I wonder if the S3 suffers from the same issues or does it use a different software system?

 

Perhaps the latest build R’s have had alterations?? 
 

Some the paddle shift issues seem to have started some weeks or months into ownership which seems a bit odd.

[Booth11]

On 16/06/2025 at 11:29, Scudgie said:

Has anyone with these bong issues also noticed that Start Stop functionality is no longer working? Honestly can't remember the last time it kicked in.

 

Car is finally at the dealership tomorrow, so I'll mention that as well.

I’ve driven my car for the last week without turning off the Stop Start and not once has it kicked in and it’s had ample opportunity given that my city is just one big roadworks site at the moment. 

[mahalo]

I am probably jinxing myself here but so far I have not experienced any of the major gremlins and (touches wood) the car is much better from this perspective than my previous 8 R.

I can also perhaps shed some perspective from the BMW gremlin aspect given that 3 of my other cars are BMW M models. The most modern one does have some of the software foibles of the VW but I think BMW made a better decision by using Android OS rather than roll your own software which VAG seem to have done.  Cars wih Idrive 8 and 8.5 seem relatively stable. although software release over the air can be problematic. I have driven quite a few BMW I series - my BMW garage tends to use them as loan cars - personally I find the cabin quality and setting quite poor when compared to other BMW models. I thin k the cabin of the 8.5R with real carbon fibre and  Nappa leather etc is on a par with the BMW M135i and drive wise there is no competition. 

[Booth11]

I’ve experienced the paddle issue once and had a single instance of warnings/bongs but nothing since.   The paddle issue needs resolving no doubt, and it is disappointing that some issues still present in the 8.5 (the paddle issue is new) and have yet to be resolved, but I have to say on the whole the car is good progression of the mk8, and for me, these issues have not affected my enjoyment of the car thus far.  

[scuderiafolene]

How about this fine quality german stiches on passenger seat 😆

 

Am I being stupid or is this some kind of velcro solution that I am unaware of. How does your 8.5 passenger seats look like?

[garykane1980]

1 minute ago, scuderiafolene said:

How about this fine quality german stiches on passenger seat 😆

 

Am I being stupid or is this some kind of velcro solution that I am unaware of. How does your 8.5 passenger seats look like?

That looks shockingly bad!! 
 

Is there perhaps an inside out zip along the inside of that seam for taking the cover off? What’s the corresponding seam like on the driver side?

[scuderiafolene]

Just now, garykane1980 said:

That looks shockingly bad!! 
 

Is there perhaps an inside out zip along the inside of that seam for taking the cover off? What’s the corresponding seam like on the driver side?

Its better on driver side, at least you can see the machine stitching. 

[Booth11]

1 hour ago, scuderiafolene said:

How about this fine quality german stiches on passenger seat 😆

 

Am I being stupid or is this some kind of velcro solution that I am unaware of. How does your 8.5 passenger seats look like?

That is bad.

 

Theres no Velcro or zip, the leather is not removable. It’s very poor stitching on yours. 

 

 Mine’s not exactly high quality craftsmanship but it’s better than that.

 

 

 

 

 

[Rossdh91]

Mine has been relatively solid in regards to next to no issues! I’ve had the paddle shifter issue once or twice but it’s been for the last couple of months! 
 

I have however got a bit of a rattle that I’m struggling to pinpoint 100%. It’s either in the driver door card or the right hand side of the dash and it comes and goes. 
 

other than that, as I said mine has been pretty solid!