Used Golf Mk3 advice
Discussion
Hi all,
I am hoping to get a bit of advice as I am really wanting to buy a Golf Gti 2.0 26v MK3. My budget won't stretch to any more than £2k and I really would like to find a good condition one. Is it impossible to find a FSH minimal rust, 99-130k miles, decent conditioned Golf for that price? I'm finding it hard to find a genuine sale from someone.
Is there any places/websites I should be trying to look for Golf gti's? I obviously search pistonheads, auto trader, and ebay at times. I live in Wales (where there doesn't seem to be many gti's for sale), but am willing to travel within 100miles or so.
Any advice would be gratefully received.
Chris
I am hoping to get a bit of advice as I am really wanting to buy a Golf Gti 2.0 26v MK3. My budget won't stretch to any more than £2k and I really would like to find a good condition one. Is it impossible to find a FSH minimal rust, 99-130k miles, decent conditioned Golf for that price? I'm finding it hard to find a genuine sale from someone.
Is there any places/websites I should be trying to look for Golf gti's? I obviously search pistonheads, auto trader, and ebay at times. I live in Wales (where there doesn't seem to be many gti's for sale), but am willing to travel within 100miles or so.
Any advice would be gratefully received.
Chris
You should be able to find a nice 8v for under 2k but probably not a 16v, which is a shame since the 16v is a much nicer car: I think decent 16vs are around 3k.
As with all Mk3 Golfs, avoid the early ones, which often rust. I had a K-reg 8v which rusted badly in all sorts of weird and wonderful places. Also conventional wisdom suggests to avoid the very last SA-built cars which apparently also aren't as well rust-proofed or as reliable as Wolfsburg cars.
For cars, you could try the Club GTI or Edition38 websites? Volkswizard and Volkswonder (google them) sell nice Golfs but both are rather pricey, and this chap sometimes has them for sale: www.the80semporium.co.uk/.
As with all Mk3 Golfs, avoid the early ones, which often rust. I had a K-reg 8v which rusted badly in all sorts of weird and wonderful places. Also conventional wisdom suggests to avoid the very last SA-built cars which apparently also aren't as well rust-proofed or as reliable as Wolfsburg cars.
For cars, you could try the Club GTI or Edition38 websites? Volkswizard and Volkswonder (google them) sell nice Golfs but both are rather pricey, and this chap sometimes has them for sale: www.the80semporium.co.uk/.
I was offered a '96 N-reg 3 door 16V for £1500. a few months ago. 95000 miles, cambelt changed, almost complete history but not quite, and 5 previous owners... it's also white..
Anyway I didn't know if that was a good price or not so I did some searching and 16valvers with higher mileage than the one I was looking at were typically £2300 to £3000 private, and so I bought the car as it seemed a bargain. It's been a good choice as it has been reliable, comfortable, feels solid and is actually more fun than its reputation suggests it should be. Probably a better buy than an 8V as it's ultimately quicker, but it is fairly cammy. This does not hurt motorway progress though and it's been a good all rounder. There are a lot of duffers out there though so search carefully and drive more than one - especially if you find them for under 2K. A lot of them underperform, or have worn dampers, or have been thrashed. Ibizas may be a nice alternative.
Anyway I didn't know if that was a good price or not so I did some searching and 16valvers with higher mileage than the one I was looking at were typically £2300 to £3000 private, and so I bought the car as it seemed a bargain. It's been a good choice as it has been reliable, comfortable, feels solid and is actually more fun than its reputation suggests it should be. Probably a better buy than an 8V as it's ultimately quicker, but it is fairly cammy. This does not hurt motorway progress though and it's been a good all rounder. There are a lot of duffers out there though so search carefully and drive more than one - especially if you find them for under 2K. A lot of them underperform, or have worn dampers, or have been thrashed. Ibizas may be a nice alternative.
Right, first off, stop being so silly on how much you need to pay for one of these.
I brought my 1994 on 90k for £1650 a year ago.
1 year on, its done 21k, two VMaxs, countless stupidly hard Sunday drives and its only cost me night on £500/600 in stuff inc. MOT and parts (excluding tyres tax etc).
I think that is testamount to how strong and reliable they can be. So, take someone along who knows what they are looking for and you'll not go wrong.
Ultimately on the 16v you need to consider the following:
Make sure the Cambelt has been replaced if its swung past 70k - although not expensive to get done, its will be if the belt lets go.
Rust isn't a problem apart from if the owner has neglected to sort out chips and scratches early enough - mines now rusting slightly on the rear boot window where the water collects, and on the rear wheelarch where the crap gets stuck under the plastic arches.
Plan (if you get a 100k car) to replace the exhaust if not already done, and the shocks (put some better Eibach dampers and springs on - don't bother with coilovers) - the car is heavy and they will be pretty shot.
Ultimately little things will go - oil pressure switches and the like, all easily and cheaply sorted out, and brakes last for years on these.
Ignore the moany arses who complain they don't handle - they do, just not quite as nimbly as the Mk2 and Mk1 Golfs. Many at the last VMax event said my Golf was the most fun car all day due to the amount of time it spent sideways - yet it didn't show itself up in straight line speed - I've done loads of full bore starts and the clutch is STILL going - it gave a few a fright I can tell you.
Ultimatley you can't go wrong with them - economical with a light right foot, comfortable, and reasonably modern too.
The problem being is that most people look at the Golf mags for values and these are ALWAYS inflated - the owners always believe their cars are worth more than they actually are. I've now had mine long enough and got so much out of it, that I've effectivly written it off in value, and it's now going to be used until it dies - yet still goes out regularly and give bigger cars a run for their money.
I brought my 1994 on 90k for £1650 a year ago.
1 year on, its done 21k, two VMaxs, countless stupidly hard Sunday drives and its only cost me night on £500/600 in stuff inc. MOT and parts (excluding tyres tax etc).
I think that is testamount to how strong and reliable they can be. So, take someone along who knows what they are looking for and you'll not go wrong.
Ultimately on the 16v you need to consider the following:
Make sure the Cambelt has been replaced if its swung past 70k - although not expensive to get done, its will be if the belt lets go.
Rust isn't a problem apart from if the owner has neglected to sort out chips and scratches early enough - mines now rusting slightly on the rear boot window where the water collects, and on the rear wheelarch where the crap gets stuck under the plastic arches.
Plan (if you get a 100k car) to replace the exhaust if not already done, and the shocks (put some better Eibach dampers and springs on - don't bother with coilovers) - the car is heavy and they will be pretty shot.
Ultimately little things will go - oil pressure switches and the like, all easily and cheaply sorted out, and brakes last for years on these.
Ignore the moany arses who complain they don't handle - they do, just not quite as nimbly as the Mk2 and Mk1 Golfs. Many at the last VMax event said my Golf was the most fun car all day due to the amount of time it spent sideways - yet it didn't show itself up in straight line speed - I've done loads of full bore starts and the clutch is STILL going - it gave a few a fright I can tell you.
Ultimatley you can't go wrong with them - economical with a light right foot, comfortable, and reasonably modern too.
The problem being is that most people look at the Golf mags for values and these are ALWAYS inflated - the owners always believe their cars are worth more than they actually are. I've now had mine long enough and got so much out of it, that I've effectivly written it off in value, and it's now going to be used until it dies - yet still goes out regularly and give bigger cars a run for their money.
neil_cardiff said:
Many at the last VMax event said my Golf was the most fun car all day due to the amount of time it spent sideways - yet it didn't show itself up in straight line speed - I've done loads of full bore starts and the clutch is STILL going - it gave a few a fright I can tell you.
I can vouch for that
Taking on board all of Neil-Cardiff's points, I'd still STRONGLY suggest that you look at good Mk2 8v golfs instead. My Mk3 (8v, admittedly) was the worst car I have ever owned. Bar none. By a country mile.
The Mk2 was, on the other hand, one of the best. (I'd suggest the Mk2 16v if you can find one in the price bracket - never driven one, but they are meant to be even better than the 8v's.)
But really, avoid the Mk3. Sorry to all who own one, but they are krap.
Oli.
The Mk2 was, on the other hand, one of the best. (I'd suggest the Mk2 16v if you can find one in the price bracket - never driven one, but they are meant to be even better than the 8v's.)
But really, avoid the Mk3. Sorry to all who own one, but they are krap.
Oli.
My 8v was fairly shonky too, but my stepmother had a mildly tuned Mk3 GTI 16v and it was a fabulous little car. Ok it helped that it was black with black leather and every option possible, but still it was the driving experience that made it. It was known in our family as the Little Rocket.
I preferred my Mk2 GTI 16v as well but they do feel very old these days.
I preferred my Mk2 GTI 16v as well but they do feel very old these days.
dain bramaged said:
neil_cardiff said:
angel_xylon said:
Hi all,
I am hoping to get a bit of advice as I am really wanting to buy a Golf Gti 2.0 26v MK3.
I am hoping to get a bit of advice as I am really wanting to buy a Golf Gti 2.0 26v MK3.
Cor, I wonder what that goes like!!!
Haha, very funny. My fat fingers must have pressed the wrong button.
Thanks for all the advice guys, but unfortunatly I am going to have to postpone buying a Golf GTi right now as the wife has pulled the stops on it. See my other thread..
A10ARF said:
A bit harsh ,my MK3 VR6 Seems to have no trouble keeping up with todays traffic, in UK or on French Autoroutes !
Sure, and I could make my Mk3 8v keep up with traffic, in the UK and France as well. (In fact, it ran the Autobahns in Deutschland as well.) But there is more to a good car than simply keeping up with traffic.
Sure, try one out and make your own mind up. But I really, really hated mine. The reputation was utterly deserved.
Oli.
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