mk1 golf gti advice
Discussion
Have you tries all the Golf forums, clubgti, edition38 etc..?
Its all about condition, history, how original it is, quality of any work done....
How much is it up for?
Its low mileage and if its rust free with no repairs that a bonus.
Check past receipts, service history etc...
You can tell if a car has been looked after. My MKII had full dealer history and a wallet full of receipts from the same dealer. The last owner had spent almost £10k on it in just over 10 years. He didn't scrimp on anything.
Its all about condition, history, how original it is, quality of any work done....
How much is it up for?
Its low mileage and if its rust free with no repairs that a bonus.
Check past receipts, service history etc...
You can tell if a car has been looked after. My MKII had full dealer history and a wallet full of receipts from the same dealer. The last owner had spent almost £10k on it in just over 10 years. He didn't scrimp on anything.
I have a 1.6 Mk1 (owned for 13 years), and my wife has a 1.8 Mk1 (owned for 10 years) ! 
I've actually been commuting to London in the 1.8 for the last 6 weeks (120 miles a day) having written my Toledo off in December ! 
If it's an 1982, it should be a 1.6 (you can tell a 1.6 from a 1.8 by looking at the cylinder head - standing at the front of the car looking at the engine, if you call the cylinder on the left number 1, if the water pipe goes between 1&2, then it's a 1.6. If it goes between 3&4, then it's a 1.8). I actually prefer the 1.6 to the 1.8, so don't let the smaller capacity put you off. It has to be revved slightly harder (although is only 2bhp down on the 1.8), but it revs better than the bigger engine.
Values are a bit of an unknown as it really depends on condition/history (as it's basically a classic car now).
Common problems :
Rusty sun-roofs (assuming factory fit)
Rusty sills - a problems if it's where the rear beam meets the sill
Rusty fuel filler neck (meaning rust in tank)
Rusty inner front wings (between bulk head & windscreen)
Rusty rear inner wheel arches
Clutch cable pulled through bulk-head (a patch plate is normal)
Electrical gremlins - they are fast approaching 30 years old !
General wear & tear - although at 80k, your main wear will just be elderly rubber components !
What do you need to know ? (PM me if you'd rather not post on here?)
I've actually been commuting to London in the 1.8 for the last 6 weeks (120 miles a day) having written my Toledo off in December ! If it's an 1982, it should be a 1.6 (you can tell a 1.6 from a 1.8 by looking at the cylinder head - standing at the front of the car looking at the engine, if you call the cylinder on the left number 1, if the water pipe goes between 1&2, then it's a 1.6. If it goes between 3&4, then it's a 1.8). I actually prefer the 1.6 to the 1.8, so don't let the smaller capacity put you off. It has to be revved slightly harder (although is only 2bhp down on the 1.8), but it revs better than the bigger engine.
Values are a bit of an unknown as it really depends on condition/history (as it's basically a classic car now).
Common problems :
Rusty sun-roofs (assuming factory fit)
Rusty sills - a problems if it's where the rear beam meets the sill
Rusty fuel filler neck (meaning rust in tank)
Rusty inner front wings (between bulk head & windscreen)
Rusty rear inner wheel arches
Clutch cable pulled through bulk-head (a patch plate is normal)
Electrical gremlins - they are fast approaching 30 years old !
General wear & tear - although at 80k, your main wear will just be elderly rubber components !
What do you need to know ? (PM me if you'd rather not post on here?)
thanks for the advice, tne car i'm onto is around 3k which seems fair for a better than average std car, it looks like good ones are 3 upwards to me? I can also see that small rear light versions are going to appreciate quicker but are tricky to source in vgc, is there anything else to aim for, tbh part of my plan is to run it and show it and possibly have a car that appreciates a little.
If it's really clean, £3k isn't that bad for a standard 1983 car. (I've seen cars with 100k on them sell for £5000.....
The smaller lights are the series one, Mk1's (as opposed to the series 2, Mk1). The series 1 actually had a different dash, which IMO was HORENDOUS (round dials rather than square is the easiest way of telling the dash.! It also came with different alloys, which although were still 13's, they were 5" wide (rather than the 13 x 5.5 on the series 2).
G*d, I sound like a complete nerd !
The smaller lights are the series one, Mk1's (as opposed to the series 2, Mk1). The series 1 actually had a different dash, which IMO was HORENDOUS (round dials rather than square is the easiest way of telling the dash.! It also came with different alloys, which although were still 13's, they were 5" wide (rather than the 13 x 5.5 on the series 2).
G*d, I sound like a complete nerd !
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