What’s it weigh? Mk7 VW Golf GTI edition.

David S.
Update by David S. Wallens to the Volkswagen Golf GTI project car
Feb 1, 2024 | Volkswagen, VW, GTI, Mk7 GTI, Intercomp

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Photography by David S. Wallens

What does a 2017 Volkswagen Golf GTI actually weigh? The VW media kit lists the following curb weights:

  • Two-door manual: 3034 pounds.
  • Two-door automatic: 3078 pounds.
  • Four-door manual: 3082 pounds.
  • Four-door automatic: 3126 pounds.

But what did our four-door, automatic project car actually weigh? We just placed it upon our new Intercomp SW777RFX Wireless Professional Scale SystemThis corner-weighting system transmits data via Bluetooth and is, according to Intercomp, “certified to 0.1% accuracy of applied load or ±1 graduation, whichever is greater.”

We needed about 5 minutes to unpack, setup and fire up the system.

The final answer? 3200 pounds total.

And that’s with a full tank of premium aboard–13.2 gallons–so figure about 80 pounds for the fuel load.

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Comments
David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
2/1/24 5:28 p.m.

So, way, way back, we had some Ruggles scales. They used levers and bathroom scales. Four scales and four levers. 

Anything fancier was viewed as NASCAR-grade hardware. 

Check it out: I just googled “Ruggles scales” and found an ad on our own forum

I’ll wait while you look at them. 

Yeah, you had to jack up the car and then lower it onto the scales. 

Cross-weights? Get out your calculator.

Accuracy? I dunno. You were relying upon bathroom scales, and not even digital ones. Could it have worked with digital bathroom scales? I guess. Did they exist at the time? Maybe? 

What happened to our setup? Well, a certain MR2 might have tried to roll away on us but, fortunately, two of the scales prevented the car from leaving the garage.

Those two scales were never the same afterward. 

Fast forward to the other day when we weighed the GTI. Tom really did spend about 5 minutes opening the boxes and placing the pads on the floor. No wires, no issues. 

The car was on the lift since we were changing the rear toe. We simply dropped the car onto the four pads and, ta da, instantly had our weights. 

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
2/1/24 5:29 p.m.

And some related reading from the back catalog: Understanding corner weights. 

(And notice all of those wires–how far we’ve come.)

cholmes
cholmes New Reader
2/2/24 1:40 p.m.

I bought a Ruggles scale system in 1988, have been using it more or less continuously since then, until a few months ago when our Lucky Dog team scored a used electronic system (cable type, not wireless). Electronic scales work great, but the Ruggles setup is simple, no electronic tech to go wrong, and very repeatable.

But, have I used the Ruggles setup since we got the electronic scales? No..........

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
2/2/24 2:50 p.m.

True, they were simple and always there for you. Any idea when they stopped making them? (Or can you still buy them?)

cholmes
cholmes New Reader
2/4/24 3:29 a.m.

Don't think they're made anymore, no idea when they stopped.

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