RE: Shed Of The Week: Volkswagen Golf GTI

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

StuntmanMike said:

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

StuntmanMike said:

RoverP6B said:

How could they drive so differently to the Mk2 when the suspension is basically the same?

Dunno you tell me?

In fairness it was about seven years after the mk2, but it definitely wasn't up to it, my brother was going to buy the car but I went with him, what compounded the problem was we had come off the back of a test drive of a GTI- Pug, that was on another level, he bought a brand new Puma in the end, one of the very first, that too was better in every aspect than the Golfs, the mk2's were a C reg 8 valve, which I learnt to drive in and an E reg 16 v, I lost my love for Golfs after having a go in a 205 GTI, again it made the MK2's feel dull, who gives a st about build quality and a badge, a hot hatch has to be fun and razor sharp for me.

That's why you see many more Pumas about

That will be a snide comment on rust, he kept it two years then sold it for a house deposit, or there again who cares how dull a car is as long as it lasts right.

Sometimes you just need to know when you are on the losing team

[PistonBroker]

I had a shed one of these back in 2007. I thought it was great, personally. As a new father at the time, I considered it the ideal compromise between the Mk2 I'd had in my youth and the even more grown up Mk4. In fact, Mrs T's car at the time was a Bora 2.0 SE which was just a more modern version of the same thing really.

I will say, I only had it a matter of months though as, despite declaring that this was a keeper befitting my new responsibilities as a Dad, I found myself getting into a VR6 not long after when it went really cheap at the same Auctions I'd bought the GTI from. Now, that really was a shed!

[West17]

I had a 4 door 1997 16v model in green. It was a decent enough car, the 16v went pretty well. Mostly fond memories.

That is not to say it did not have any issues. Seemed to have a huge appetite for electric window motors and regulators. Changed all four at least once, some twice. The starter motor also packed in.

But the icing on the cake was the broken clutch pedal. Snapped clean in half during a long journey home in the middle of a freezing cold night just after New Year. Took the RAC a long time to arrive and I think the recovery truck nearly ran out of diesel on the way home, as no filling stations were open then!

[alistair267]

West17 said:

I had a 4 door 1997 16v model in green. It was a decent enough car, the 16v went pretty well. Mostly fond memories.

That is not to say it did not have any issues. Seemed to have a huge appetite for electric window motors and regulators. Changed all four at least once, some twice. The starter motor also packed in.

But the icing on the cake was the broken clutch pedal. Snapped clean in half during a long journey home in the middle of a freezing cold night just after New Year. Took the RAC a long time to arrive and I think the recovery truck nearly ran out of diesel on the way home, as no filling stations were open then!

I had a 4 door 1995 16v in green for 8 years - similar problems: all 4 windows went at least once, coil pack, starter motor and constant problems with the ABS light. However I enjoyed it - it is not a hot hatch but as something sturdy, uncomplicated and with a bit of go it was great.

[P-Jay]

WFL said:

Blackpuddin said:

P-Jay said:

It won't be a collectable like a MK1 or MK2 though

Both these were unloved at one point though. Elevation to desirability is surely a simple equation of time and rose-tinted specs.

There's also a HUGE amount of these being broken at the moment - soon there will be very few left and they will appreciate in value.

You only have to look at the Classic Retro 5K thread for hundreds of examples of this!

Maybe, but the Mk1 was always very rare not many came here, the Mk2 was a very desirable, very cool car when it was new.

They both depreciated to 'almost' nothing (decent, road legal Mk1s were £500 for a time) but gained cult status within a few years and values have been on the up ever since.

The Mk3 (and 4 for that matter) were never as well loved when they were new and Hot Hatches in general weren't as popular when they came about.

I'm probably wrong, I usually am, but I don't think they'll ever been as desirable, bar some of the very rare editions and the R32 and only if they're in very good condition.

The MK5 will be a cult classic though, well loved when new so lots of people who either were too young, or couldn't afford one when they were new will be waiting in the wings for a bit of retro fun in years to come.

[rohrl]

I had one of these a few years ago, a 3-door in red.

As with so many others it ate its own reverse gear but I managed to drive it without reverse for six months. It just needed a bit of advance planning, particularly in respect of parking. I made sure to always park facing uphill so I could roll back to the car behind then drive out forwards.

In the end I scrapped it because the cost of fitting a new gearbox was more than the value of the car (plus the hassle of selling it) was worth.

[nunpuncher]

My second car was a black 3 door 16v one of these (P760 WYS if i remember correctly). It was generally a very uneventful and forgettable car. There was nothing great about it, nothing terrible. My only lasting memory is being absolutely thrashed off a roundabout by a 1.8T Mk4 GTi. Other than that i can not remember a single episode of driving heroics in that car.

I don't think I would ever rush to buy one even if it was a couple of hundred quid. In it's defence it did have a tough act to follow as it came directly after my highly memorable 205GTi and was also quickly eradicated from memory by a brilliant little EP3 type R.

[300bhp/ton]

BlimeyCharlie said:

Cotic said:

I'd rather have a Rover 214 16v of the same age, and spend the £650 saved on several head gaskets.

A classic example of a 'false economy' if ever there was one...
Granted, this 'GTI' does not really do much for me, but it'll probably chug around reliably every day, certainly not needing a head gasket every moon cycle.

214's very unlikely to need a HG either tbh. And certainly don't go through gearboxes like the Golfs can.

[RoverP6B]

These days the K-series is pretty reliable, there's a fixed head gasket and if you use proper Rover-spec metal head bolts rather than BMW-imposed plastic ones...

[lozgti]

I had a Mk 3 115bhp

Slower than a milk float....