early golf diesel ?

Jul 06, 2006 8 Replies

have been offered a 1978 diesel Golf. has anyone any experience with them at all ? Thanks.


If it's in good shape I'd snap it up as they are mighty rare so you could sell it on at a VW show, the engines aren't exactly quick by modern standards and if it's not been looked after the early bodys do rust in all the normal places.

A RHD 1978 Golf would be very rare - I would be interested to know what colour it is. If you know the reg number email me I may well be able to supply some history.

PhilC

Actually I'm out in Australia :-( Isaac.

Bugger, that makes selling it to me a bit hard.

I could scan it then EMail it I suppose :-) Isaac

I guess that makes it a mk1 golf.

I used to have a 1988 mk2 golf diesel, (a similar bodyshell) which had a

1600cc non-turbo diesel - 60bhp and spongy brakes but always over 50mpg and the only 2 problems I ever had with my (then) 6 year old car was the wire supplying 12v to the diesel pump broke off, I guess due to vibration and one of the engine block core plugs rusted through.

My mates regarded it with derision, as it was the slowest car any of us owned - I managed to get it over 90mph twice in 3 years. (On a track, of course, officer!) It did, of course, manage to tow pretty much anything, including our first 18 foot skiff, cradle, trailer, 3 masts, 10 sails, gear..... In retrospect, this may have been a little heavy for the Golf, but it was only a short distance and we got it to 60mph.... (Max towing speed here in the UK)

Many, many times since I sold it have I thought, blimey, the cost of petrol, etc, I'd love my old Golf back.... Interestingly, a good number of years later I drive a similar size car with a 1500cc diesel engine - yes, slow, but legally tows a 1 tonne boat reasonably and gives 50 to 60mpg. Shame this one is French as it doesn't have the build quality of the Golf.....

If it is a good one, doesn't have too many miles (km for you, I believe!) on the clock and has a reasonably recent battery and radiator, go for it.

Artie

Yes, we dont have ( yet) many diesel cars out here but the number is increasing all the time. I knew the MK1 Golf was pretty lethargic acceleration wise. I was juts concerned with reliabilty. Isaac

Just don't post it here, its not a binary newsgroup! ;)

All the best, Angus Manwaring. (for e-mail remove ANTISPEM)

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