Recent Golf GTI TDI Owner - advice please

[PorkerSean]

Hi, for work related reasons (now doing loads of miles), I recently moved from a 99 registered Porsche 996 into a 02 reg. Golf GTI TDI PD 150.

I know it's not as fast as the 911, but I really like it all the same.

Just one or two questions I have to put to the regulars on here:
I have an aftermarket double din stereo in my garage that I took out of my wifes old car that went to trade. I've been looking on eBay to get a kit that will get this stereo into my golf. Are any of these conversion kits any good? Can anyone recommend any alternatives? At the moment there is just a single din stereo in the golf, so I guess I would need new cage, surround trim etc.

Also, one small problem is a slight steering wheel wobble/vibration when accelerating around 70ish. Sometimes happens during draking as well. Any thoughts on this?

Finally when manoevering in car parks etc, I sometimes get a twang sound coming from under the front on the car when you turn to full lock and drive at low speed. It sounds a bit like when you pluck a guitar. Could this be something to do with the suspension/springs etc? It has 19" alloys and I think has been lowered, though I'm not 100% sure about this.

Any help will be appreciated cheers!

[phumy]

They also have camshafts made by cadburys too....

[PorkerSean]

Reading into that.....are the camshafts on these cars crap? Useful to know where I might run into problems....my car has done 69000 miles. I knew all about the design flaws/issues of the 911, but I haven't a clue about these cars.

[phumy]

Yes i had one until a year ago and about 3 years ago the camshaft broke up, looked on the differing GTi 150 TDi forums and found loads had broke, check it out. Anyway, fortunately i had full dealer history and a job that would have cost over 1.8k only cost me 300gbp because of the "good-will" gesture from VW, after some pushing from me. Is the cambelt done? thats due at 60k.

Not sure about the pinging noise you have but i used to get a chirp at full lock, its the aux belt tensioner, giving up, i had it changed loads of times and just would not shut up, so left it in the end as its now often you go on full lock anyway.

Wishbones wear, as they do on all cars, apart from that it was a super little car, loads of torque and very economical on a run.

[PorkerSean]

Ah.....dealerships and goodwill gestures! I read a lot about this on the Porsche forum - quite a few engines going bang and then customers having a fight to get some satisfaction from the dealer. £5K+ bills were not unheard of! I think all dealerships are conmen to a point.

I normally use an independant garage and I trust them - I've used them for 10+years for a number of cars, but they are based in my home area and I'm away all week (125 miles away). There is a VW dealership close by to my workplace. Should I even entertain the though of using them for future servicing or find a local specialist?

[Dr G]

As for your vibration/wobble the obvious checks are tyre pressure, wheel balancing and tread condition. Followed by bushings and bearings (Golfs, A3s and TTs all wear top mounts and roll bar bushes).