Garrett gt2250s stage 3 from 90k-100k … zero major mechanical issues.
The main party piece of the TCR/Clubsport/R engine is the IHI IS38 turbocharger. It is optimised to keep building power higher up in the rev range, where the regular GTI's IS20 runs out of puff.
In stock Audi VW Turbocharger - Borg Warner 06F145702C Audi VW Turbocharger - Borg Warner 06F145702C
My car has been pretty reliable with an IS38 if you take away the issues caused by me or shitty parts (spark plug break after running past interval / Shuenk's POS), or the HPA HPFP that shit the bed after going with ethanol.
Yesterday I tackled the IS20 installation. It took about 4-5 hours and overall wasn't too difficult. The car definitely feels better. It should've come like this from the factory!
I had the ECP light issue in late June on my 2018 R with around 21k miles. The dealer diagnosed it as the wastegate, requiring a turbocharger replacement.
Similar here. EPC light on intermittently. Diagnosed as a failed wastegate. The fix was a replacement turbocharger.
The Stage 1 Garrett doesn’t provide enough of a bump from an OEM is38 with a lifetime warranty to justify the expense.
Turbo 2 of them oem. Water pump 2 of them oem. Can't say I was happy about being forced to switching to toyota corolla hatch.
VW has replaced 2 internal turbos on my wife’s 2018 manual Golf. One at 46k and another at 103k.
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This part for Volkswagen Golf is made around the world. We have reviews for turbocharger manufacturers from countries such as: USA, Japan, Germany .
In March 2026, the ranking of turbocharger for Volkswagen Golf on PartReview included 5 manufacturers. It is based on 20 reviews and 65 votes.
Last month, PartReview users preferred Garrett. 9% of positive votes went to this manufacturer.
In second place: turbocharger BorgWarner — 9%.
Third place: IHI with 9% of the votes.
In the overall ranking of turbocharger, which aggregates opinions of owners of different car makes and models, these brands hold the following positions:
After seeing which turbocharger owners of Volkswagen Golf prefer, check other popular parts for this car. In March 2026, leaders on PartReview were:
You can also see what Volkswagen Golf owners chose among such parts as: Timing belt, Engine radiator, Water pump, Ignition coil, Glow plug, and others.
