Golf VR6 4 Motion

[BFG TERRANO]

Possible purchase, 2002 5 door manual on 78000 for a good price, add reads well but mot and tax due end of jan,... what do I need to look out for???

[5LDC]

A hole in the petrol tank as it drinks fuel as though there is!

[Gun]

I ran one for a couple of years and had no issues with it. It's no sports car but it's not meant to be, as said, it likes a drink though.

[Vee]

Check the cooling fans. They should run constantly, if they come on and off then the resistor pack is blown. Eventually causes the air con compressor to fail I think.
I ran one for c50k back in the early 2000s.
Servicing is every 10k with a haldex oil and filter change every 40k (I think).
Leather recaros are great, much nicer than cloth.
Rear beam bushes wear and are a pain to change. Look for knocking from the rear over bumps.

[BFG TERRANO]

Thank you for the advice, will look for the above and I hope to take a mechanic also. Interesting points above thanks again

[Urban Sports]

Nice sound
Crap chassis
Thirsty
Not very fast
Nice sound

[Gruber]

If you approach it as a mini-barge, rather than a hot hatch, you shouldn't be disappointed. But agile and exhilarating they are not. Still - I liked mine.

On a similar theme, I've just picked up the A3 of the same period with the 1.8T engine and quattro. Seemingly better performance and noticeably better emmpeegees compared with the 4mot.

[Urban Sports]

Actually OP if you could find a nice MK 4 anniversary it is a much better car but I've no idea how they stack up price wise?

[jonnM]

My girlfriend has one, it's a very dull car. Uninvolving chassis, drab interior and ridiculously slow I hate driving the thing.

[BFG TERRANO]

Urban Sports said:

Actually OP if you could find a nice MK 4 anniversary it is a much better car but I've no idea how they stack up price wise?

been looking for a while, prices are wildly all over the place! this ones up for £1950 but there is small flexibility to reflect short tax and mot. Started off looking at 1.4 and 1.6 SE stuff, then seen the fun stuff for similar money!

[BFG TERRANO]

jonnM said:

My girlfriend has one, it's a very dull car. Uninvolving chassis, drab interior and ridiculously slow I hate driving the thing.

Really? that bad?

[Chicane-UK]

The 2.8 24v V6 as found in the MK4 4Motion wasn't a patch on the 12V VR6 as found in the Corrado and MK3 Golf for the soundtrack, but certainly a much smoother and torquier engine thanks to the variable geometry intake system built into the manifold. Also improved in key areas such as a stronger timing chain system which the older VR6 was prone to having problems with.

I hear they're pretty solid but the only thing I ever heard to check was that the Haldex system has been treated to oil changes - often overlooked if not serviced by specialists or garages that know what they're doing.

[Gruber]

BFG TERRANO said:

jonnM said:

My girlfriend has one, it's a very dull car. Uninvolving chassis, drab interior and ridiculously slow I hate driving the thing.

Really? that bad?

No. Not that bad. But if you're buying it thinking you're getting a chuckable hot hatch you'll be sorely disappointed.

[Urban Sports]

Gruber said:

BFG TERRANO said:

jonnM said:

My girlfriend has one, it's a very dull car. Uninvolving chassis, drab interior and ridiculously slow I hate driving the thing.

Really? that bad?

No. Not that bad. But if you're buying it thinking you're getting a chuckable hot hatch you'll be sorely disappointed.

Unfortunately they all have the MK4 Golf chassis, which dynamically was not the best (didn't stop me selling hundreds of them though!) the OP was looking at 1.4 and 1.6 Golfs, the V6 4 Motion of course is going to be a much better car than a 1.4e.

It's not really a hot hatch but a fairly powerful (I supposed at the time) refined, quality hatchback.

Good luck finding one but the Bora V6 4 Motion was IMO a better car!

Or the Anniversary like I mentioned before 1.8T 180, again good luck finding a decent one!

[BFG TERRANO]

Urban Sports said:

Gruber said:

BFG TERRANO said:

jonnM said:

My girlfriend has one, it's a very dull car. Uninvolving chassis, drab interior and ridiculously slow I hate driving the thing.

Really? that bad?

No. Not that bad. But if you're buying it thinking you're getting a chuckable hot hatch you'll be sorely disappointed.

Unfortunately they all have the MK4 Golf chassis, which dynamically was not the best (didn't stop me selling hundreds of them though!) the OP was looking at 1.4 and 1.6 Golfs, the V6 4 Motion of course is going to be a much better car than a 1.4e.

It's not really a hot hatch but a fairly powerful (I supposed at the time) refined, quality hatchback.

Good luck finding one but the Bora V6 4 Motion was IMO a better car!

Or the Anniversary like I mentioned before 1.8T 180, again good luck finding a decent one!

The one ive found reads well in the add, apart from short mot and tax. Hence I will be taking a mechanic from the garage I use. Its a short term car (long story I have a house rented with some cash tied up, shortly to be sold) Just wanted something different that will hold its money and be easy to shift on in a years time. My old terrano is redundant now the caravan was sold so is currently for sale, wifes 206 was sold as its to small for our growing family and I have a company car for work and weekend family stuff. So really its for the wife to use during the day and a bit of weekend fun for me. Ok, the fuel will be a bit of a blow but short term I though for 1.4 money why not!!?? Its another box ticked!

[Urban Sports]

BFG TERRANO said:

Urban Sports said:

Gruber said:

BFG TERRANO said:

jonnM said:

My girlfriend has one, it's a very dull car. Uninvolving chassis, drab interior and ridiculously slow I hate driving the thing.

Really? that bad?

No. Not that bad. But if you're buying it thinking you're getting a chuckable hot hatch you'll be sorely disappointed.

Unfortunately they all have the MK4 Golf chassis, which dynamically was not the best (didn't stop me selling hundreds of them though!) the OP was looking at 1.4 and 1.6 Golfs, the V6 4 Motion of course is going to be a much better car than a 1.4e.

It's not really a hot hatch but a fairly powerful (I supposed at the time) refined, quality hatchback.

Good luck finding one but the Bora V6 4 Motion was IMO a better car!

Or the Anniversary like I mentioned before 1.8T 180, again good luck finding a decent one!

The one ive found reads well in the add, apart from short mot and tax. Hence I will be taking a mechanic from the garage I use. Its a short term car (long story I have a house rented with some cash tied up, shortly to be sold) Just wanted something different that will hold its money and be easy to shift on in a years time. My old terrano is redundant now the caravan was sold so is currently for sale, wifes 206 was sold as its to small for our growing family and I have a company car for work and weekend family stuff. So really its for the wife to use during the day and a bit of weekend fun for me. Ok, the fuel will be a bit of a blow but short term I though for 1.4 money why not!!?? Its another box ticked!

Do it then, I tend to judge these cars on how they probably stack up now.

Put it this way if the boss at the time had said "can I take your 1.4 golf match off you and can you run this V6 4 Motion for the next few months?"

I'd have grabbed the keys and scarpered like a raped nun with a company fuel card.

[Ved]

BFG TERRANO said:

Possible purchase, 2002 5 door manual on 78000 for a good price, add reads well but mot and tax due end of jan,... what do I need to look out for???

Alternator and ARB bushes were the only issue I had with mine. Brilliant amount of car for the money and easily attainted a 31mpg average. Get the heated leather seats and parking sensors if possible but the standard kit is very good.

Edited by Ved on Wednesday 27th November 23:51

[Ved]

Urban Sports said:

Actually OP if you could find a nice MK 4 anniversary it is a much better car but I've no idea how they stack up price wise?

Overall they're not better cars and they're overpriced.

[Urban Sports]

Ved said:

Urban Sports said:

Actually OP if you could find a nice MK 4 anniversary it is a much better car but I've no idea how they stack up price wise?

Overall they're not better cars and they're overpriced.

I disagree, they are better than the V6 4 motion probably not the R32 but as I said earlier I've no idea on prices.

[Ved]

Urban Sports said:

I disagree, they are better than the V6 4 motion probably not the R32 but as I said earlier I've no idea on prices.

Having owned both and several other MK4's the 4motion is the best of the bunch for me and the best all rounder by a long way. The Anniversary has barely any kit and other than the looks and some unique trim it's not that great. It needs to be drastically modified to bring it up to scratch and I don't mean power.