Hurrah

Depends on the age - the early ones came on steels, or you could get optional factory fit alloys... believe they are known as 'Pirelli alloys', due to the 'P' shape holes round the outside of them.

Not particularly attractive, anyway... and if you really want alloys, plenty of 4x100 options out there to fit them, new and secondhand.

-- JackH

I'd prefer steels, before factory alloys. The vast majority of aftermarket alloys scream chav. Though BBS with lots of spokes looks ok on them, as do those merc style wheels.

That's what I've got on my Mk3 TDi - same stylee as the E30 ones, and were a factory option on mine, according to the original bill of sale I've got in the history file on it. :-)

If I didn't do so many miles (1300 this week), I'd be sticking a nice set of

-- JackH

Yes. They're all much of a muchness. As standard they are basic; manual windows and so forth. Big bumper models have foglights.

Only if they've been bumped. My 1990 had /zero/ rust. The wheel arch trim I knocked off revealed as new paint and metal. Window mechanisms can jam; £20 from GSF, £40 from VW. Radio is ISO so if it has mangled wiring, it's been owned by a retard.

A 1990 5 door Digifant 1.8 Mk II. Make sure the computer works. Make sure the coolant is clean, the heater is working, and look for the heater thermostatic bypass recall being implemented.

Can't help you there, but they're well documented.

Pay £800-1000 for one. 5 door means lower prices, therefore, better cars. J-platers have smoked lights and catalytic converters, slower, less power and worse economy, I prefer the big bumper models and completely unmodified. Expect 0-60 in 8.5 seconds and 125mph top speed, plus a quite predictable 46mpg average when driven at normal road speeds (i.e. a 90mph when I got the chance run to Edinburgh failed to make a dent in my averages, Hawick to Southend (388 miles) cost £30 of Optimax. /I/ think it ran better on Optimax, but it's unscientific.

Richard

No

Yes

My one got some round the edge of the windscreen, look for raised parts of the rubber. Look out for seized rear brake calipers. If they are then budget for a pair of Mk3 or Mk4 Golf ones as a replacement. Don't bother with reconditioned Mk2 ones, in my experience they only last about a year.

A 16V engine :-)

Okay - £500? I'd be shopping for an E-plater with 175,000 miles on the clock and aiming for the 3dr so a boy racer will want it when I'm done.

Given the running costs and maintenance of such things, and relatively low depreciation on a tidy GTi, I think an additional £300 to get something clean, big bumpers etc, is worth it. You can get cheap ones - I had a B-reg that was £90 years ago. But it was utter s**te - still drove though.

Richard

You may well be right. I'm going to have a damn good look around before I buy one.

Indeed, personally I'd avoid any GTi made after 1987 because they're digifant. The K-Jetronic ones (like mine was) are so much nicer to drive and quicker as well.

Go for a B or C reg.

Oh, only 5 doors had alloys as standard.

I'd prefer K-Jet because I know a bit about it, and know it's never expensive to fix if it goes wrong.

Digipants is a little bit 'iffy' - less reliable and harder to fix than K-Jet.

Mind you, the later cars do _look_ better, but I suppose it's something you can sort with bits from GSF if you wanted to.

Make sure the MAF is working, especially the stalk as you _don't_ want to have to be taking out the dash to fix it. ISTR (but could be wrong) that MAF stalks are unobtanium these days, too.

The driver's seat will almost certainly be worn through on the outside edge - the less worn the better, obviously.

Electrics can, and will, play up. Not quite as badly as a MkI, but early MkIIs could leave you with all sorts of fun fiding dodgy earth connections.

I've driven both, and I think you're wrong. It could be becuse the K-jetronics I've driven were by their nature, older, but catless Digifant is more efficient, responsive and less troublesome. IME.

I'd avoid them with cats, and I'd avoid a 16v because the insurance doesn't justify the minimal difference in real world performance.

Richard

Less reliable? In what regard?

This is why I think spending good money on one is a good idea, though. People mess with the poor things. My 5-door was lovely - I really, really wish I hadn't swapped if for that bloody Sera.

Richard

I think it's a reputation thing, plus the fact that people are a little apprehensive about them compared with a K-Jet car. Any mechanic worth his salt knows all about K-Jet, so it's a pretty safe bet.

I'd love to own a GTI at some point. Just never found one worth buying when I've been looking.

Minimal? In a quarter mile race the 16V would be slightly ahead up to about

Pah, a 19 16v outclasses a Golf GTi in every aspect!

I'm with the Irishman on this one :)

Build quality?

I've had 2 19's meself and have experience with 3 or 4 others. 2 of the brothers have had numerous mk2 golf gti's between them and none were as solid as the 19's