RE: SOTW: VW Corrado VR6
Discussion
Owned a G60 and a VR6 for a number of years. Unless you're going to break it or know what you're letting youself in for this car will bleed you dry! The engine will need rebuilding soon. I'll bet the engine will consume oil already as the VR's are very prone to ovalising bores - the price you pay for the 2.9 over the Mk 3 Golfs 2.8 which has thicker cylinder walls. The electrics are poor, the sunroofs hugely unreliable and difficult to repair, they're starting to rot now and Karmann didn't actually screw them together all that well. VWs of the same era and better built.
An epically cool though and I still miss mine though! It was a real head turner and proper car people always asked about it
An epically cool though and I still miss mine though! It was a real head turner and proper car people always asked about it
Edited by Neil G60 on Friday 4th February 11:45
I've had a few and really like them.
Mechanically they are generally reliable, and just about everything is parts bin special.
VR6 running gear (brakes/suspension/wishbones etc) are a mix from mk3 VR6s and GTIs as well as some passat bits.
The panels and trim are very expensive.
Here's my last one
Mechanically they are generally reliable, and just about everything is parts bin special.
VR6 running gear (brakes/suspension/wishbones etc) are a mix from mk3 VR6s and GTIs as well as some passat bits.
The panels and trim are very expensive.
Here's my last one
mmm-five said:
l-plate said:
Owned a VR6 storm few years back, V6 sound was fantastic...
noticed this has the wrong steering wheel - should be 3 spoke...?
Didn't the later airbag models have this wheel. My '94 didn't, but this is a '95?noticed this has the wrong steering wheel - should be 3 spoke...?
the centre is just the a cover /horn not airbag...
When I was 21 i test drove a G60 in red, but then found a golf vr6 in my price range... It was a 92 on a K then sold it a few years later for a 96 on a P. I found the engine fantastic and at only 21 a hoot to drive and very quick... The mpg was ok for a 2.8 I averaged around 28mpg and that was regardless how hard it was driven. I still look at the corrado and think what a fantastic car....
Atlas 12v said:
Only problems are Timing chain and tensioner need replacing and higher miles which is ideally engine out. Not a hard job but time consuming esp if your paying by the hour...
Other than that I replaced a starter motor and serviced mine and it needed nothing else...
I dont get the hate for the Golf VR. Mine was great fun, as you say though timing chain is a massive issue. cheapest quote i had was £800 at a garage.Other than that I replaced a starter motor and serviced mine and it needed nothing else...
I managed an average of 29mpg and the only things that needed doing on mine were an oil pressure switch, the crack pipe went and the rear suspension bushes were worn.
Neil G60 said:
Owned a G60 and a VR6 for a number of years. Unless you're going to break it or know what you're letting youself in for this car will bleed you dry! The engine will need rebuilding soon. I'll bet the engine will consume oil already as the VR's are very prone to ovalising bores - the price you pay for the 2.9 over the Mk 3 Golfs 2.8 which has thicker cylinder walls. The electrics are poor, the sunroofs hugely unreliable and difficult to repair, they're starting to rot now and Karmann didn't actually screw them together all that well. VWs of the same era and better built.
An epically cool though and I still miss mine though! It was a real head turner and proper car people always asked about it
Just wanted to add that not all VR6's suffer the above problems. An epically cool though and I still miss mine though! It was a real head turner and proper car people always asked about it
Edited by Neil G60 on Friday 4th February 11:45
Electrical problems tend to have been caused by dodgey alarm fitters
It is only cyclinder 1&6 that suffer can suffer from ovalisation, but plenty dont.
And its only really the interior which isnt that well put together.
hombrepaulo said:
Just wanted to add that not all VR6's suffer the above problems.
Electrical problems tend to have been caused by dodgey alarm fitters
It is only cyclinder 1&6 that suffer can suffer from ovalisation, but plenty dont.
And its only really the interior which isnt that well put together.
Of course they don't because cars leave very different lives. Cylinder 1 and 6 are the only culprits but you only need one cylinder to start blowing and the engine (or whole car) is beyond economical repair. A crate Vege engine is about £2k all in and a rebuild isn't far off that. Don't get me wrong they're good cars but go with a big checklist or a COrrado nerd when you view a car and walk away at the slightest whiff of it not being looked after. Electrical problems tend to have been caused by dodgey alarm fitters
It is only cyclinder 1&6 that suffer can suffer from ovalisation, but plenty dont.
And its only really the interior which isnt that well put together.
Things like water pumps being replaced when the chains and tensioner were done is a good sign. Or they do this for instance:
Why do the Rado's handle so much better than the mk3's? Lower CoG obv, but much different suspension wise? Similar weight to a mk3 I believe (1200kg-ish)
Always reckoned a VR6 mk3 Golf had to be a top combo of solidity/practicality/speed/vfm but after a couple of them I changed my mind due to the handling. My Corrado 16v was much better (and sexier inside and out obviously, if not quite as well built)
Did plenty of homework and changed shocks and dampers on yet another mk3 I had (GTI 16v) - it then handled nicely but with an *appalling* ride (and this was meant to be quite soft for an aftermarket setup - KONI and Eibach from memory)
Can a mk3 be made to handle and ride nicely? (for sensible money.. not more than the car is worth)
Always reckoned a VR6 mk3 Golf had to be a top combo of solidity/practicality/speed/vfm but after a couple of them I changed my mind due to the handling. My Corrado 16v was much better (and sexier inside and out obviously, if not quite as well built)
Did plenty of homework and changed shocks and dampers on yet another mk3 I had (GTI 16v) - it then handled nicely but with an *appalling* ride (and this was meant to be quite soft for an aftermarket setup - KONI and Eibach from memory)
Can a mk3 be made to handle and ride nicely? (for sensible money.. not more than the car is worth)
mmm-five said:
l-plate said:
Owned a VR6 storm few years back, V6 sound was fantastic...
noticed this has the wrong steering wheel - should be 3 spoke...?
Didn't the later airbag models have this wheel. My '94 didn't, but this is a '95?noticed this has the wrong steering wheel - should be 3 spoke...?
I believe the US-spec ones with the smaller 2.8L engine had an airbag as it was required for sale over there.
It's good to see realistic but almost universally positive comments. I'm very biased of course, having liked these cars since they came out I finally treated myself to a VR6 about 18 months ago.
I only use mine sparingly (1k miles between the last two MOTs, the last one it flew through last week) but even just going out for a blast I usually see the thick end of 30mpg. On holiday in the west of Ireland I managed an average over about 1200 miles of 32.4mpg.
Admittedly, the noise and thrust of the engine is addictive but it's not as if you can drive everywhere like that so it averages out well for me. However, I'm glad for a number of reasons that I don't need to use it for commuting. Far too good for that imo.
The electrics are all fine on mine although the sunroof can be a bit grumbly (already replaced the motor once).
These cars are now so rare in good unabusd condition that I look twice when I see one, dspite owning one!
I only use mine sparingly (1k miles between the last two MOTs, the last one it flew through last week) but even just going out for a blast I usually see the thick end of 30mpg. On holiday in the west of Ireland I managed an average over about 1200 miles of 32.4mpg.
Admittedly, the noise and thrust of the engine is addictive but it's not as if you can drive everywhere like that so it averages out well for me. However, I'm glad for a number of reasons that I don't need to use it for commuting. Far too good for that imo.
The electrics are all fine on mine although the sunroof can be a bit grumbly (already replaced the motor once).
These cars are now so rare in good unabusd condition that I look twice when I see one, dspite owning one!
Lovely cars these were. Finally getting teh recognition they deserved.....
I too was below driving age when my Dad was looking around for a coupe. His options were:
1/ Another Scirocco (GTII this time) or
2/ Astra GTE.
He went for the GTII but no amount of begging would make him buy the used red Corrado G60 in the showroom.
When I was 22 I decided to go for a Mk2 MR2 over a Corrado. I still have the MR2 8 years on - although it now has a late spec Turbo engine running close to 300bhp. I often think what the Corrado would have been like, but I wouldn't have swopped for the '2.....
I too was below driving age when my Dad was looking around for a coupe. His options were:
1/ Another Scirocco (GTII this time) or
2/ Astra GTE.
He went for the GTII but no amount of begging would make him buy the used red Corrado G60 in the showroom.
When I was 22 I decided to go for a Mk2 MR2 over a Corrado. I still have the MR2 8 years on - although it now has a late spec Turbo engine running close to 300bhp. I often think what the Corrado would have been like, but I wouldn't have swopped for the '2.....
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff