1997 VW Mk3 Golf VR6
Discussion
Sunday morning, mother was round playing with the kids and she asked me about the Mk4 Golf. I am a massive VW fan and have a VW Bora with the PD130 engine and cannot speak highly enough of it. I started showing her a few examples on Autotrader, with a refined search on what she should look for. Somehow, a Mystic Blue Mk3 VR6 popped up. "looks smart", I thought. "That's cheap", I thought again.
Anyway, mother left and curiosity got the better of me. I phoned the seller to ask some questions, particularly about the mileage. All turned out to be genuine and the cheap price reflected in the clear lack of knowledge/interest/care about what type of car he was selling. The car was a 1997 Mk3 Golf VR6 with 65k genuine miles. Bought from VW and paid for in full. Serviced and MOT by VW every single year, without fail, regardless of mileage for the 13 years that the first owner was in possession. Then got sold onto a friend of the first owner, who drove it to the gym and back, twice a week. But still, serviced every year without fail and their local Subaru dealer. Sold onto a friend of that owner, who needed a car quick sharp. Again, service every year (about 2 years) at a local VW Indy.
In Mystic Blue, with cream full heated leather interior, the sought after "fuzzy" (Carpeted) door bins, full climatronic and a brand new Sony head unit. Fitted towbar with tailight output (no aux) which has never been used. The car completely untouched, not lowered, no aftermarket item (bat headunit) of any kind. Perfect.
Anyway, needless to say I was interested (considering the price). Mid morning he said he has someone to view it at 1pm that afternoon. "I'm done for" was my first thought, but nevertheless the kind chap was going to let me know eitherway. 1.20pm, have a call to say the prospective buyer would like to look at 2 more before comitting, so I had first refusal. Excellent. Phoned my friend:
Me - "Roadtrip"
Friend - "where?"
Me - Liverpool
Friend - "Why?"
Me - "To buy a car"
Friend - "When?"
Me - "Now"
Friend - "pick me up in 30"
And we were away. 3 3/4 hours from South Wales to St Helens, at 3pm on a Sunday afternoon.
After a look around, the paintwork was a little flat, but nothing a polish wouldnt sort out. Even though someone had previously tried to polish it with some sort of red pigmented polish, meaning every single little scratch how now been tinted pink. There was a scuff on the rear bumper, passenger side. Would require replacing ideally (if I am that bothered by it). There was also a blow coming from the exhaust. The CAT to be precise. Alarm bells. could be costly. Had a quick look and looks as though a blanking plate (where a sensor would be located) had come off.
Paper work checked, money handed over and on route for the 250 miles back home. Great
The car didnt miss a trick. It was silky smooth and the low down torque from the 2.8 VR6 wafted me home in comfort, with the supple leather seats
The only think that was annoying me was the stereo kept wiping its memory when ignition was turned off. A quick swap of the permanent and ignition live soon sorted that
I know what you're thinking. "all that for a 17 year old Golf". I have had a hankering for a Mk3 golf for a while. In particular a VR6. So I am well chuffed with it!
Anyway, enough of the blurb, here are some pics (havent had chance to take some decent ones yet, so here are the advert pics)
[/quote]
Anyway, mother left and curiosity got the better of me. I phoned the seller to ask some questions, particularly about the mileage. All turned out to be genuine and the cheap price reflected in the clear lack of knowledge/interest/care about what type of car he was selling. The car was a 1997 Mk3 Golf VR6 with 65k genuine miles. Bought from VW and paid for in full. Serviced and MOT by VW every single year, without fail, regardless of mileage for the 13 years that the first owner was in possession. Then got sold onto a friend of the first owner, who drove it to the gym and back, twice a week. But still, serviced every year without fail and their local Subaru dealer. Sold onto a friend of that owner, who needed a car quick sharp. Again, service every year (about 2 years) at a local VW Indy.
In Mystic Blue, with cream full heated leather interior, the sought after "fuzzy" (Carpeted) door bins, full climatronic and a brand new Sony head unit. Fitted towbar with tailight output (no aux) which has never been used. The car completely untouched, not lowered, no aftermarket item (bat headunit) of any kind. Perfect.
Anyway, needless to say I was interested (considering the price). Mid morning he said he has someone to view it at 1pm that afternoon. "I'm done for" was my first thought, but nevertheless the kind chap was going to let me know eitherway. 1.20pm, have a call to say the prospective buyer would like to look at 2 more before comitting, so I had first refusal. Excellent. Phoned my friend:
Me - "Roadtrip"
Friend - "where?"
Me - Liverpool
Friend - "Why?"
Me - "To buy a car"
Friend - "When?"
Me - "Now"
Friend - "pick me up in 30"
And we were away. 3 3/4 hours from South Wales to St Helens, at 3pm on a Sunday afternoon.
After a look around, the paintwork was a little flat, but nothing a polish wouldnt sort out. Even though someone had previously tried to polish it with some sort of red pigmented polish, meaning every single little scratch how now been tinted pink. There was a scuff on the rear bumper, passenger side. Would require replacing ideally (if I am that bothered by it). There was also a blow coming from the exhaust. The CAT to be precise. Alarm bells. could be costly. Had a quick look and looks as though a blanking plate (where a sensor would be located) had come off.
Paper work checked, money handed over and on route for the 250 miles back home. Great
The car didnt miss a trick. It was silky smooth and the low down torque from the 2.8 VR6 wafted me home in comfort, with the supple leather seats
The only think that was annoying me was the stereo kept wiping its memory when ignition was turned off. A quick swap of the permanent and ignition live soon sorted that I know what you're thinking. "all that for a 17 year old Golf". I have had a hankering for a Mk3 golf for a while. In particular a VR6. So I am well chuffed with it!
Anyway, enough of the blurb, here are some pics (havent had chance to take some decent ones yet, so here are the advert pics)
[/quote]
aka_kerrly said:
That's quality, it's got a good colour/engine/interior spec, to get full leather and climatronic that's good going!!!
Thanks. I love the interior. The brown dash I think is proper retro cool! Only thing that spoils it is the standard steering wheel. Black, plasticky horrible thing. Currently watching an Audi S8 brown leather steering wheel on eBay that I think will look the nuts.Yesterday, I acquired a Sony Xplod 1300w sub and 900w Amp that I installed. Looks incredibly chavvy at the moment. But vastly improved the sound. Will sound even better when i install by 240w JVC 6" door speakers and 120w 3.5" tweeters in the Dash
. Plan is a custom build in the boot (where the first aid kit is usually stored) to make it look relatively OE and subtle. Also looking at wheel options and tossing ideas on how to reduce arch gap. Sticking with the OE look, I like the look of the Mk4 Montreal II 16" wheels (pic below), with a slightly lower profile tyre. Think they really suit the Mk3. Also debating whether to lower it on springs, or coilovers too. I like the comfortable ride at the moment and know that springs will retain an element of this. Whereas coilovers may make it a bit too crashy. Will be going to a few VW shows this summer so may be a good opportunity to have a little scout around at other people's rides.
Looks a really nice buy, if you dont mind me asking how much was it? always fancied a mk3 VR6 and yours is one of the best colours to get especially with the contrasting leather. How is she on the rust front?
But surely with that smooth v6 a nice stainless exhaust should have been on the cards before a sound system
Adam
But surely with that smooth v6 a nice stainless exhaust should have been on the cards before a sound system
Adam
bassett said:
Looks a really nice buy, if you dont mind me asking how much was it? always fancied a mk3 VR6 and yours is one of the best colours to get especially with the contrasting leather. How is she on the rust front?
But surely with that smooth v6 a nice stainless exhaust should have been on the cards before a sound system
Adam
Thanks. I paid £1100 for this one, but it was a bargain. I'd been looking for a while before I saw this one...But surely with that smooth v6 a nice stainless exhaust should have been on the cards before a sound system
Adam
I already had the sound system and haven't quite got the funds for an exhaust yet. Next on the cards will be an induction kit to hear that engine gasp
She is rust free to be fair, arches are fine and sills are solid, luckily. Will still look to do some preventative measures and break out the waxoil!
Good buy, I'm currently on my 8th or 9th Golf VR6 just now, I've had one since 2003.
Climatronic is great, my 1st two had it, and I wish my current one did, alas beggars can't be choosers
If it were me, I'd run with koni or bilstein shocks and Eibach springs, had them on a few of my VR6s and either set up with Eibach anti roll bars is great for fast road use.
This reminds me, I should do a readers rides for mine
Climatronic is great, my 1st two had it, and I wish my current one did, alas beggars can't be choosers
If it were me, I'd run with koni or bilstein shocks and Eibach springs, had them on a few of my VR6s and either set up with Eibach anti roll bars is great for fast road use.
This reminds me, I should do a readers rides for mine
martin mrt said:
Good buy, I'm currently on my 8th or 9th Golf VR6 just now, I've had one since 2003.
Climatronic is great, my 1st two had it, and I wish my current one did, alas beggars can't be choosers
If it were me, I'd run with koni or bilstein shocks and Eibach springs, had them on a few of my VR6s and either set up with Eibach anti roll bars is great for fast road use.
This reminds me, I should do a readers rides for mine
That's commitment!Climatronic is great, my 1st two had it, and I wish my current one did, alas beggars can't be choosers
If it were me, I'd run with koni or bilstein shocks and Eibach springs, had them on a few of my VR6s and either set up with Eibach anti roll bars is great for fast road use.
This reminds me, I should do a readers rides for mine
Thanks for the advice. I think it has bilstein shocks on now (at least I think I remember seeing the logo whilst poking about). So have been looking at some shocks. It's a bit of a minefield so need to do some proper research.
Get it done, will be a good read I'm sure!
Well chuffed with this car.
Took it to North Wales yesterday (500 mile round trip) with my two munchkins in the car and it performed beautifully! I left at 5am and done the 250 mile journey in a little over 2hr40, averaging 25.5mpg which I was quite impressed with! Tootles on the way home and got a healthy 35mpg which I was even more impressed with!
It's such an easy car to drive, but has the grunt when required. Awesome!
I want to release some roar from that VR6 so have just bought a RAMAIR induction kit. I've read a lot about what suits the engine and the BMC is the favoured option, but at £160 it's a little too extravigant for my needs. I just want to hear it roar and the concensus seems to be the RAMAIR is perfect. I've watched some YouTube clips too and it doesn't dissapoint. I will report back with my opinions (if anyone cares :P)
My two nagivators representing the MK3 Owners Club on the club stand at VW All Types yesterday.
Took it to North Wales yesterday (500 mile round trip) with my two munchkins in the car and it performed beautifully! I left at 5am and done the 250 mile journey in a little over 2hr40, averaging 25.5mpg which I was quite impressed with! Tootles on the way home and got a healthy 35mpg which I was even more impressed with!
It's such an easy car to drive, but has the grunt when required. Awesome!
I want to release some roar from that VR6 so have just bought a RAMAIR induction kit. I've read a lot about what suits the engine and the BMC is the favoured option, but at £160 it's a little too extravigant for my needs. I just want to hear it roar and the concensus seems to be the RAMAIR is perfect. I've watched some YouTube clips too and it doesn't dissapoint. I will report back with my opinions (if anyone cares :P)
My two nagivators representing the MK3 Owners Club on the club stand at VW All Types yesterday.
Edited by Mikeyplum on Monday 19th May 11:57
Some nice examples on here.
I hankered after one of these when they were new. A colleague where I worked had one as his company car. Unfortunately, I was too junior to get one and had to make do with a poverty spec 1.6. I never missed an opportunity to ride in his. The torque and sound were awesome. Although, I remember Car magazine berated it for poor handling at that time. They also famously featured one as a lemon on the front cover, due to reliability and quality issues they had experienced with their long term test car.
pp
I hankered after one of these when they were new. A colleague where I worked had one as his company car. Unfortunately, I was too junior to get one and had to make do with a poverty spec 1.6. I never missed an opportunity to ride in his. The torque and sound were awesome. Although, I remember Car magazine berated it for poor handling at that time. They also famously featured one as a lemon on the front cover, due to reliability and quality issues they had experienced with their long term test car.
pp
I used to have a flash red '97 VR6. Superb car for the £900 I paid for it. It ended up badged up as a 'GL', dyno'd at 189bhp and surprised a few people.
A big cone filter and a nice exhaust system is a good thing to do on these. 'That' noise just shouldn't come from a plain looking hatchback.
A big cone filter and a nice exhaust system is a good thing to do on these. 'That' noise just shouldn't come from a plain looking hatchback.
Allow me to offer my experience of induction kits on these, complete waste of money that lose bhp, far better off modifying the stock airbox, removing the silencer from the lid, smoothing it internally and fitting a panel filter, they sound and look far better with the above modifications done.
Tried a previous VR6 on a rolling road, with the above airbox and a cone filter back to back, the above airbox gave 4bhp and 7lbft more than the cone filter.
Tried a previous VR6 on a rolling road, with the above airbox and a cone filter back to back, the above airbox gave 4bhp and 7lbft more than the cone filter.
Thanks guys. With regards to the filter, the plan is to fabricate a heat shielded air box to house the cone, with cold ar feed to suit. Just love the noise they produce which is worth losing a few bhp IMHO.
giblet said:
Nice to see a standard one. Please please please don't ruin it by going for the usual scene mods of slamming it on a set of bbs wheels with uber stretched tyres for "dat stance".
I will keep it standard for a while, but they look far too high with wheels that are too small. Not to mention the comedy handling. a shall drop on some shocks and springs with an extra inch on the alloy will transform it. Looks and handling wise. never been into the stretched tyre look and don't do anything for handling. plus my Mrs drives the car too so can't go too low martin mrt said:
Allow me to offer my experience of induction kits on these, complete waste of money that lose bhp, far better off modifying the stock airbox, removing the silencer from the lid, smoothing it internally and fitting a panel filter, they sound and look far better with the above modifications done.
Tried a previous VR6 on a rolling road, with the above airbox and a cone filter back to back, the above airbox gave 4bhp and 7lbft more than the cone filter.
This, plus I have also done back to back tests with the BMC CDA which also LOST power as it was strangling the engine at high revs. You could see the intake pipe and maf diameters were clearly much larger than the entrance to the BMC and as a result the maf was trying to eat the filter.Tried a previous VR6 on a rolling road, with the above airbox and a cone filter back to back, the above airbox gave 4bhp and 7lbft more than the cone filter.
I use a standard air box with additional holes cut on the passenger wing side combined with removing the snorkel from the front of the box on my daily. That combined with a CAT back exhaust system gives a noticeable but not unbearable increase in noise at either end.
You can take it further by doing away with the carbon canister and running a cold air pipe from the front of the car under the chassis leg up through the hole that is left (as seen in the pic in front of the cone filter) Then making a corresponding hole in the bottom of the air box.
One other thing, with those RAM air filter being a kind of foam they can suffer in wet conditions as they act like a sponge! Likewise if you still have the factory oil breather hose from the top of the rocker cover in place fit a catch tank first otherwise when changing to a cone filter the pipe has no where to go and will spew oil vapors all over your fresh filter.
Pickled Piper said:
Some nice examples on here.
I hankered after one of these when they were new. A colleague where I worked had one as his company car. Unfortunately, I was too junior to get one and had to make do with a poverty spec 1.6. I never missed an opportunity to ride in his. The torque and sound were awesome. Although, I remember Car magazine berated it for poor handling at that time. They also famously featured one as a lemon on the front cover, due to reliability and quality issues they had experienced with their long term test car.
pp
I had a new VR6 in 1993. It was dreadful, worse car I've ever hadI hankered after one of these when they were new. A colleague where I worked had one as his company car. Unfortunately, I was too junior to get one and had to make do with a poverty spec 1.6. I never missed an opportunity to ride in his. The torque and sound were awesome. Although, I remember Car magazine berated it for poor handling at that time. They also famously featured one as a lemon on the front cover, due to reliability and quality issues they had experienced with their long term test car.
pp
I have no idea what come filter I had on mine, as I found the filter in a mate's garage. Whether it made more or less power wasn't the point, as it sounded amazing. Can't have been too bad, as I have a trophy sat by my TV from GTI international for being the fastest N/A mk3 golf on the 1/4 mile.
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