Mk II Golf GTi 8v/16v ???
Discussion
I'm currently looking to buy a cheap runabout.
I'm looking to spend no more than £2500. Does anybody have any pointers on these Golfs. What is the performance difference between the 8v and the 16v?What are the problem areas?Is there anything in particular that I should look out for when viewing?
I've noticed on Autotrader that a lot of these cars have astronomical mileages, at what point is it likely to become expensive running???
I'm looking to spend no more than £2500. Does anybody have any pointers on these Golfs. What is the performance difference between the 8v and the 16v?What are the problem areas?Is there anything in particular that I should look out for when viewing?I've noticed on Autotrader that a lot of these cars have astronomical mileages, at what point is it likely to become expensive running???
There must be some experts in PH land!stone said:
at what point is it likely to become expensive running???
at about the same point the car is being sold, I would imagine
www.clubgti.com would be a good place to ask, if you're willing to wear a burberry cap while typing.
trooper1212 said:
www.clubgti.com would be a good place to ask, if you're willing to wear a burberry cap while typing.
Your right! This is the problem! There seem to be very few unmolested examples about!
had 2 16v golfs... great little cars , very nippy, althoughI did manage to introduce the internal working of 2 gearboxs to the tarmac....still only £250 for a reconditioned one...watch out for rust in usual places though..alloys not a problem, K&N filter does the world of good, avoid lowered, chipped ones tough....
stone said:
Im in Hampshire. Just seen a very tidy 16V advertised for about £1500. Even considered it myself.
Iguana is your man for VW's.
Dusty, Do you have a link to this or was it advertised locally? Cheers
It was in last weeks autotrader so have a look on the website.
stone said:
<a href="http://www.clubgti.com">www.clubgti.com</a> would be a good place to ask, if you're willing to wear a burberry cap while typing.
Your right! This is the problem! There seem to be very few unmolested examples about!
*cough* no comment
stone said:
I'm currently looking to buy a cheap runabout.
Ok first of all in the world of old Mk2 Golfs £2500 is not really cheap anymore, £300 is cheap for an 8v & £500 for a 16v
so you should be able to find a really really nice example for that sort of cash. 8v or 16v well it realy depends on your driving style, a 16v if set up properly (lots are not) & all working correctly is a swifter car than an 8v, but that extra power is right up the top of the rev range, the 8v counters with noticably more torque in the midrange. 16v your best bet if you want to tune the engine for more power, 160bhp is relitivly cheap & easy, more power is not quite as cheap, but not silly money if you needed an engine rebuild anyway.
For town driving a 8v may suit best, for open road hooning a 16v mayfit the bill better (you will need super unleaded for a 16v tho, unless you want the ignition so retarded its down to 8v performance levels but with less torque)
The 16v does have a better suspension set up as standard- slightly lower & firmer, but given the age of the cars that is of less importance now given that most will have had suspension replaced, but the 16v set up in as new condition is really excellent. However even a tired & soggy 8v is leagues above the wallowy waterbed cack suspension that the Mk3's came with as standard.
With that budget you really are looking at later cars with the 'big' bumpers which will mean digifant injection, (the 16v stuck with the k-jet) and you really should have the pick of some ace cars.
Perhaps the most desireable of all normal Mk2's (Rallies & G60s excpeted) is a late Oak Green big bumper 16v, they can still comand good money for low miles FSH cars.
Miles etc well it depends what you class as high, rather like any car it depends on how its been treated rather than the miles. Ive run Golfs up to 200k & never owned one with under 100k.
Price wise originality rules, but sensible modifications are acceptable, bling bling alloys & lexus rear lights etc are IMHO not, so move on to the next!
Parts are pretty cheap from places like german & swedish
This (now sold) example I spotted in the classifieds seems a decent example of a nice 16v & would get my interest if I was looking.
www.pistonheads.com/sales/detail.asp?i=23163&s=176
More useless old Golf facts under the GTi Mk2 bit of my profile.
>> Edited by iguana on Wednesday 26th May 12:06
Not really an "expert" but I had a MkII 8v GTi for donkeys years - fantastic car, great performance, unbelievable reliability and faster when I sold it 145k miles up than when it was new!
Clutches and gearboxes are a watch out and don't leave anything valuable in them as they are so easy to break into, it isn't true - oh and VW factory sunroofs leak like sieves too
Clutches and gearboxes are a watch out and don't leave anything valuable in them as they are so easy to break into, it isn't true - oh and VW factory sunroofs leak like sieves too
hey!!! i have a 1991 gti 1.8 8v PF engine. i put a 270 cam in it and port and polished head with header. engine runs like crap no power. timing good, cam timing good, fuel good. what should i do, i checked ignition system and its good too. also any performance upgrading tips would be awsome. id like to keep it all motor 8valve.
geopau13 said:
hey!!! i have a 1991 gti 1.8 8v PF engine. i put a 270 cam in it and port and polished head with header. engine runs like crap no power. timing good, cam timing good, fuel good. what should i do, i checked ignition system and its good too. also any performance upgrading tips would be awsome. id like to keep it all motor 8valve.
Do you mean PB engine....
Well something is clearly wrong, needs looking at by a specialist, if it was fine before hand then cam timing being out is my 1st guess.
Personally never seen the point in mods on the 8v engine unless you are going to spend big bucks on capacity increases etc, they don't seem to achive that much & when you are in the capacity increase price range might as well bung a 1.8T in it & wave hello to 300bhp
iguana said:
Personally never seen the point in mods on the 8v engine unless you are going to spend big bucks on capacity increases etc, they don't seem to achive that much & when you are in the capacity increase price range might as well bung a 1.8T in it & wave hello to 300bhp
You're right. The guy who did all the work on my Golf spent something in the region of £4000 on the engine alone. Granted, it's a very nice engine, but £4000 for 160bhp is a bit on the crazy side! (Particulary when I bought it for £700 a couple of thousand miles later
) I jus got a G 1990 GTI Mark 2 8v in red full service history 2 owners from new an an original 65k miles on the clock its mint bin stuck at the back of a traders warhouse for 10 months some do not understand the value of such things 
all original unmolested n mine, would be willing to part with it for the rite money pick it up a 2pm then off for a service a good polish find some nice wheels, got steel on at minit but i will find som alloys that match the age look correctly not 17" booom boom alloys
all original unmolested n mine, would be willing to part with it for the rite money pick it up a 2pm then off for a service a good polish find some nice wheels, got steel on at minit but i will find som alloys that match the age look correctly not 17" booom boom alloysGassing Station | Audi, Seat, Skoda & VW | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff