Mk2 VW Jetta, tell me more.

[Baked_bean]

Heya guys,

At the moment im looking at a cheap stopgap car to last me till at least half way through the summmer. I'm currently thinking of buying a dirt cheap e30 320i, but its all gone abit vague on the sellers end. I was on gumtree though last night and noticed a '92 mk2 jetta 1.8. It has 12months ticket and tax, is immaculate from the photos and has new tyres all round. Only £700, Does that seem a good deal? Another thing is.... What are they actually like? i know nothing about them other than that they are basically a mk2 golf underneath?

Any advice or experience would be gratefully received.

Thanks

[steveo3002]

its a golf with a boot , if its a rust free looked after one then it should be a sturdy old bus

theyre old enough to be rotten and have all sorts of problems

watch out that it starts and idles well , and look fro crunching gears and wet carpets

[useyourdellusion]

It's likely it's got one of the early power-sapping cats fitted. Other than that, they are normally pretty bomb proof mechanically.

Can't comment on what to look out for bodily though...

[danrc]

As with the MK2 Golf look out for the scuttle panel, the bulkhead where the manifold goes under, the seam in the boot being rusty, the sills at the front and back arches, and if it has big bumpers and sideskirts then have as good a check as you can.

I had a mk2 golf which looked a "little tatty", i delved further and it turned out to be a complete rot box.

If it is clean it sounds like a good price. Mechanically they are pretty simple with spares being very cheap.

[Baked_bean]

Thanks for the advice, i may aswell have a look it is literally a 5 mins drive/ 30 min walk away.

[dylan0451]

did the jetta GTi ever get 16v powaah?

i seem to remember the 8v GTi jetta's were quicker, to 60 atleast than 8v GTi golfs?

[useyourdellusion]

Yeah I'm sure they got the 16v engine.

[Baked_bean]

I think this is only a gl though, so 90-100bhp......
It'll still feel fast after my metro!

[zcacogp]

If it's a 1.8 carb (as opposed to injection, which would be badged GTI) then it is likely to be thirsty and a bit of a tank to drive. Lots can be done about both of those problems, but as standard they weren't terribly exciting to drive.


Oli.

[LayZ]

If it was a GTI I'd say go for it but carb ones have roly poly handling, dodgy carbs and no power.

£700 should buy you a modern-ish car with long MOT, probably a better bet.

[danrc]

LayZ said:

If it was a GTI I'd say go for it but carb ones have roly poly handling, dodgy carbs and no power.

£700 should buy you a modern-ish car with long MOT, probably a better bet.

You wouldn't lose any money on the old Jetta though as the dub boys would snap it up in no time.

What has a carb to do with the handling

[matchmaker]

useyourdellusion said:

Yeah I'm sure they got the 16v engine.

Yes, I owned one. Pretty rapid, but heavy steering if not PAS. Re an earlier comment - no cat on mine (F reg).

Mechanics pretty bombproof - main thing to watch for is rust!

[useyourdellusion]

I'm sure cars had to have catalysts installed across the board from 1992 onwards though...

[dylan0451]

danrc said:

What has a carb to do with the handling

the suggestion, that with kjet about it wasn't exactly the sporty variant?

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1509342.htm

prob no faster as its carb also, but they're lighter and longer wheelbase as i remember so go round corners better

no one buys them, so you get far more scirocco than golf for the price

i had 2. loved them, smashed them both to bits.

[JB!]

the 1.8 GL lumps are carbed GTI engines, and are more economical than the 1.6.

watch for rot under the a-pillar seals aswell as everywhere else suggested. passenger floors are going now too.

solid old tanks, i'll stick up pics of the one i stacked tonight.

handling will be boaty though, and that extra weight is like a pendulum on wet roundabouts.

[5harp3y]

for that money i'd get a mk3 gti

i picked one up with a years tax and test for £500, balck 3 door.

relatively slow but sturdy thing it is!

[Danstable]

I had a 16v GTi as my second car, absolutely loved it but agree with the heavy steering comment.

[zcacogp]

5harp3y said:

for that money i'd get a mk3 gti

Hells tits no. I'm glad you like yours, but the Mk3 GTi was the worst car I ever owned, by a country mile.

The Mk2 8v GTi was probably the best. In terms of £/smile, it was certainly the best. I'd have an 1800 carb-fed Mk2 jetta over a Mk3 GTi any day, and twice on Sundays. I can't begin to explain how bad the Mk3 GTi was.


Oli.