RE: SOTW: Volkswagen Jetta GTI

RE: SOTW: Volkswagen Jetta GTI

Author
Discussion

Liquid Knight

15,754 posts

182 months

Friday 25th February 2011
quotequote all
Garlick said:
Well, I feel it's time to speak out and unload the burden.....I never was any good at footy though hehe
There are only two types of sport. "Contact Sport" and "Motorsport" everything else is just exercise. wink


drgoatboy

1,611 posts

206 months

Friday 25th February 2011
quotequote all
I drove a 1.8GL a few times in the late 90's with 100k+ on the clock and it still felt lovely and tight, really well put together car. Drove it from the south east to Scotland and it was faultless and very comfy.

Good sheding!

epom

11,396 posts

160 months

Friday 25th February 2011
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leon9191 said:
Top shed, love the steel wheels.

I remember loads of barry'ed ones running around in the late 90's so its nice to see one survived. Maybe even cooler than a Golf?
am the same... just love those wheels smile

B.J.W

5,782 posts

214 months

Friday 25th February 2011
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Didn't they do a 16v version too. Seem to remember one.

That boxy profile looks good - in a retro kinda way. Let's hope it's snapped up before the modders have their wicked way.

dinkel

26,886 posts

257 months

Friday 25th February 2011
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Frimley111R

15,537 posts

233 months

Friday 25th February 2011
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jake15919 said:
Not very good in it's day and it has't got any better over the last 20+ years. Don't be fooled, this is not some 80s performance icon, it's a pretty dull small saloon. Disappointment awaits.
Agreed. Without the GTI badge and link to the golf its an utterly dull and forgettable car. Interesting and different nonetheless though....

Garlick

40,601 posts

239 months

Friday 25th February 2011
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dinkel said:
Fantastic ad biggrin

Mark-C

5,007 posts

204 months

Friday 25th February 2011
quotequote all
Top shed and good to see some love for steel wheels - always the best things to have on your sleeper (had a set on an E30 323i). Hopefully a non-modder will buy this and have some years of reliable, economical fun.

The Donster

163 posts

204 months

Friday 25th February 2011
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Bought an ex-press car from a VW specialist around 10 years ago for similar cash, so it was shed money even back then.

I thought the 8v lump was a peach - just enough power to keep you entertained and torquey enough to push on quickly. However, mine had steering issues (incredibly light, worringly so at times), severe rust inside the arches of the rear door and bits fell off regularly (well, it was an old press car after all, I suppose!). Still, a brilliant handling car and worth the money I guess.

Jw Vw

4,826 posts

162 months

Friday 25th February 2011
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Decent shed, such a boring colour should be pretty reliable though.

soxboy

6,060 posts

218 months

Friday 25th February 2011
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There may have been a rather puzzled salesman at the VW dealer - 'so, sir, you'd like to spec the optional electric windows front and rear, and the electric mirrors, but you are happy keeping the steel wheels..'

He must have been a fan of the 'TX' look.

Pistachio

1,116 posts

189 months

Friday 25th February 2011
quotequote all
I drove one back in the eighties and it was fine until the gearbox broke. Prefer the hatch even with steel wheels
The only thing you can say is that it has an enormous boot for all that beer to take to le mans!!!

pSyCoSiS

3,581 posts

204 months

Friday 25th February 2011
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A bit boring and bland, not much character.

Prefer the MK2 Golf GTi.

But, a nice, solid and genuine example for SOTW money.

rob.e

2,861 posts

277 months

Friday 25th February 2011
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Top shedage.

thumbup

Steel wheels are a win too IMO, and at 895 you'd probably get the thing for 800 cash.. tempting?!

Emeye

9,773 posts

222 months

Friday 25th February 2011
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I had a G reg, red Jetta 1.6TX about 17 years ago - it came with the factory big bumpers and I really liked it - was very reliable and pretty good to drive. Only thing that failed was the expansion tank cap seal - lost lots of water, but a new cap sorted things and it survived unscathed. Oh and a fan belt.

I really wanted a Golf but couldn't afford one at the time, they were about £1k more.

Unfortunately a gang went around our area one night stealing the big bumpers off Golfs and Jettas. You can imagine my delight as I looked out of the lounge window the day after my birthday, nursing a serious bout of man-flu, to see my pride and joy missing some important parts. A local taxi driver with a big bumper Jetta also had his go missing the same night.

To make matters worse the bolts that held the bumpers in also held the engine in place (or something like that), so the car had to be transported to the body-shop where it was stuck for weeks while the very rare Jetta bumpers were sources from Germany.

Oh, and red ones were notorious for paint fade - mine was about 10 different shades of red.

Other than that a pretty damn good car.

theturbs

949 posts

235 months

Friday 25th February 2011
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Lovely, lovely shed. Those steel wheels are delightful too.

J4CKO

41,282 posts

199 months

Friday 25th February 2011
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You have lopped 2 bhp of the heady actual output of 112 bhp, was the 1.6 MK1 GTi's that had the 110 bhp.

Agree its nice to see and original one has survived and not been ruined, I even like the Steel wheels, so refreshing after years of heinous rims beign foisted ont hese poor things, TSW Venoms, Three Spokes, shudders.

Never driven the Jetta version, just numerous MK2 Golf GTis and they always still have an appeal, still feel brisk and fun even now, in fact especially now, lovely earther feel and engine note.


Now, for me its a top shed if, and its a big if, it isnt rotten as the Golf's, especially the later ones didnt seem to get the same protection or steel quality as the earlier ones.

Garlick

40,601 posts

239 months

Friday 25th February 2011
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J4CKO said:
You have lopped 2 bhp of the heady actual output of 112 bhp, was the 1.6 MK1 GTi's that had the 110 bhp.
Ah, apologies chaps.

Zircon

305 posts

180 months

Friday 25th February 2011
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Yes - I can also confirm that due to the rear overhang balancing out the weight a little better - the Jetta did indeed handle better than the Golf.

I had a Jetta TX as my 2nd car at the tender age of 18 back in 1998 - my car was an '86 with the 1.6 engine that looked like a GTi from the outside.
It was superbly engineered - no rust anywhere.

The Pierburg PE2E2 automatic carb system was utter rubbish though and I replaced it with a much better Webber manual carb.

Here is mine as featured in Club GTi's 'Rabbit' magazine some time around February 2001.....



And my not so GTi engine, albeit very clean....



Sold it to a woman who smashed it to pieces less than 6 months later frown

dbdb

4,311 posts

172 months

Friday 25th February 2011
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I don't really get the great enthusiasm so many feel for VWs of any age; I think they are competent but don't really excel at anything. The Golf my mother had was worthy but dull. I must be missing something because there is a huge scene for them.