VW Golf 2.0 Litre GTi

try vwvortex.com and check the vw forums there. that is the nucleus of the vw universe and you'll get good help there.

There rarely a rush to buy a car, these two I would avoid personally, Car 1, discovers a car is expensive to run after 3 weeks!!! sounds like bullshit to me, car 2 , maybe has had lots of work done and needs more work doing....

Something wrong with it, then.

They both look a little pricey, but then negotiate ... have a look at the Parkers site.

Check service history, and particularly cam belt change(s), all panels for replacement/damage and original plates under the bonnet,

*everything* electrical works (windows are troublesome), smooth gear change, and no rattles or bumps or weird noises - a good mk.3 doesn't have them. If that lot doesn't check out I wouldn't pay 1000UKP.

I've had one of those for 18 months and no problems (yet!), 104,000 miles. A smooth, practical, comfortable well screwed together car. Insurance is ludicrous (14) - performance isn't that good, and I can't see any self-respecting joy rider nicking it. On which - check you have

2 coded keys, or the ignition immobilser has been disabled - coded keys are (IIRC) over 80UKP. AC is nice if you can get it :-)

Rob

AFAIK, yes. As per the MkIV 2lt, which also shouldn't have had a GTI badge.

If the immobiliser has been disabled, it gets nicked, and the insurance find out, you may have trouble. Not that likely though.

The advice about keys is good. That was the one thing I forgot tocheck with our recently purchased Lupo, and it cost £90 to get a new one cut and coded- a bit more still at a dealer. The keys on a MK3 probably aren't the new encrypted ones like the Lupo one, but they still aren't cheap.

Slow for a GTI certainly- A TDi will see them off a lot of the time, but it's not a bad car: it just never deserved the GTI badge. Isn't it the case that the MK3 2.0 8v was never badged GTI outside the UK?

That's OK. r.a.m.v.w is more US-bsed though.

Do you have a mechanically-minded friend you could take? Buying cars privately is a minefield for the unprepared.

Everything everyone else has said, plus:

[otside] Look for good original condition. Not been messed with.

Look at it all round. Check the panel gaps are even, and that it looks straight. Check for diffent shades of paint. Check the paint is in the same condition all round.

[on the road] Drive it. The cluctch shouldn't be too heavy, and shouldn't make any horrible noises. The engine won't be as quiet as some cars, but shouldn't rattle. The gears should shift easily. The car should stop straight from 30mph braking fairly hard (be careful!). [under the bonnet] Check the oil and coolant for quantity and colour. The coolant should be a clear blue, pink, or purple, not muddy at all. The oil may be blackish, but shouldn't bee too dirty on a petrol. Look for 'mayonaise' inside the oil and coolant caps (don't take the coolant cap off if the engine is hot).

Expect the engine to be a bit dirty, but it shouldn't leak much (if any) oil.

Philboeye Thanks, Will look at the Website.

Avanti Thankyou, There ar emany out there so i will take my time

Chris Hi, Definately more usefull tips that i am going to be aware of.

Thanks again

Because they are?

well, not exactly slow, but not very quick either. I had an Ibiza TDI in

1998, and that used to see off Mk3 Golf GTI 8vs a lot of the time. In other countries the 2.0 8v was badged GL. It's still a nice car, but not as quick as you might hope.

Hi Chris, Do you know of any simple websites, that would help a newbie like me ;-) to know the checkpoints on this car. I have taken not eof the ones people have suggested,, but also anymore info. I do really want this car or a VW Golf Gti

Thanks

This might be a good start:

Rob

The US and Canada had loads of 2.0 8V GTIs (badged as such). Canada had them during the entire Mk3 model run. The US had them for nearly all of the model run but from 1993-1995 they were called the Golf Sport. Same car though.

Some were GTIs though in 2.0 8V form in the US and Canada.