The Ubiquitous Mk4 Golf

[ERNO]

 

So... not really autoshite per se but now there's lots of them around that are definitely autoshite money, what's your thoughts on mk4 Golfs?

 

My eye has been caught by a few on eBay recently. For all their mundanity, there's enough variation in spec and engines to make them sort of... interesting.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-Golf-Mk4-/281849448195

 

This one overcomes its mundanity slightly via its rather fetching shade of blue paint. It looked very straight and rust free. Three doors aren't that common. The lowly 1.4 and a fairly pov spec interior appeals on this one.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volkswagen-Golf-1-4-Petrol-2002-5-Door-Black-/151880442486

 

This one is black. I think it would be quite a good prospect at just over 400 quid.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/311486783028

This one has an semi interesting spec. It's basically a GT TDI or whatever estate. 130bhp with a 6 speed.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1999-VOLKSWAGEN-GOLF-GTI-TURBO-BLUE-/151885384251

 

The 1.8 turbo seems like it would be an interesting engine surely? Quite a few GTIs knocking around for not a lot of money.

 

Feel free to offer your views about Mk4 Golfs, anti-VAG rants, pro-pineapple ramblings and anything else that comes to mind.

[I_am_Diesel]

Mrs Diesel had one for a few years, not a bad car, we only had problems with the front windows dropping out of the mechanism. They are a bit boring though.

[DaveAspley]

Brilliant donkey of a car, I had a £150 1.6 a few years back and it kept going and going. When the clutch was on its last legs I was given £500 for it p/ex on a £900 vectra c.

[cobblers]

Definitely not going to get your heart racing or owt but they're alright cars really. TDI ones are decent on juice and power is easily upgraded with a £10 map file via a £12 cable (PD100 goes to 140bhp etc etc)

The 1.4 pez ones are horrendous. The engine isn't all that good in a Lupo so with 50% extra weight they are over stressed and dog slow leaving them fairly thirsty.

2.0 Gti is pointless.

1.8t petrol ones are again tunable by a cheap map, and again expect 20-30% extra power. They are thirsty, as a guide I have 27mpg average in an Ibiza 1.8t over the last 8k miles, and that's a much lighter car.

 

Some people swear by them, some people swear about them. They're "meh" to me but I would definitely entertain a 3dr gttdi or 1.8t gti.

[Lacquer Peel]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2001-VOLKSWAGEN-GOLF-E-SDI-BEIGE-/281858863922

 

Veg-friendly misery.

[Pillock]

Fully shite, these. Enough inherent faults, you've got a new body draped over decades-old mechanicals, and enough trim permutations to mean each one will pretty much be unique - great* for finding another in a scrapyard to rob parts off. Once the range was settled they started lobbing them together with electric sunroofs but keep fit rear windows, air con but manual mirrors, leather and casette players. I think you only really got S, SE, GTI and the rest of it was special editions and options lists. Oh, and there's fugging dozens of different engines that may or may not share parts even though it's the same capacity.

 

Edit: Apparently there's also an E model, which despite being an aspirational brand has little windy handles to raise and lower the front windows. But it's got damped grab handles, so that's OK*

 

I'd drive one if I had to, if I needed to get to work and someone said "Hey, do you want my Golf for a few hundred quid" then it's better than walking or going on a pogo stick. I quite like the cooking ones, a GTI in that nice solid blue is quite tasty but most of them have binbag tints and cheap chinese coilovers on by now.

[Cavcraft]

Awful, sorry. Completely and totally devoid of anything that gets even close to the 'premium brand' bollocks some people spout and is not in any way, shape or form better than any of it's rivals. In fact, they're so awful I'd actually rather have a Focus.

[JohnK]

I had one for a bit, 2.3 V5 Estate.

 

Definitely boring but was quite dependable. I wasn't impressed with the interior quality though (much the same as I wasn't with the 02 Octavia I owned a few years previously). They wear easily and look so tatty, especially with a few miles on the clock.

 

[I_am_Diesel]

The climate control thing is bloody rubbish, I forgot to mention that.

[Lacquer Peel]

In fact, they're so awful I'd actually rather have a Focus.

 

That's harsh.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

One of my brothers has a black 5 door dizzler one, it's got leather and nav , that's all I know about it. He's had it for about 4 years and he's never spent a penny on it, it cost about £800 , I don't know how old it is because its got a short plate on it, it would probably look quite respectable if he hadn't put 18" Merc S Class rims with stretched tyres on it, Yo!

[cobblers]

Yeah the climate control thing is total shit. GR8 for crashing the car while just trying to turn the blowers up a notch.

[I_am_Diesel]

Yeah the climate control thing is total shit. GR8 for crashing the car while just trying to turn the blowers up a notch.

That's one of the reasons she wanted rid of it, a nightmare at this time of year to clear the screen.

[Asimo]

Too boring for words. I bought a new 1.4 3 door. With cash. But I am OK now.

It is the best version 'cause it has manual windows and 80 series tyres on 14" steel wheels.

[ERNO]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2001-VOLKSWAGEN-GOLF-E-SDI-BEIGE-/281858863922

 

Veg-friendly misery.

 

Yes, I left out the SDI engined ones. I quite fancy them for their relative lack of power and veg friendliness. Though with the price of diesel these days it's hardly worth the faff with veg. There's a lot of very high mileage PD engined cars (which aren't veg friendly, right?) for not a lot of money. Is the PD engine not quite a big advancement on the older engine codes?

[sporty-shite]

I'd have one. Been looking at them to replace the Celica. But I wouldn't want to pay a lot for one.

[RoadworkUK]

If it helps in any way, I personally think the 1.8t engine is a thing of wonder. Not for drag racers, but tractable and, in my experience, reliable.

 

Wouldn't want one wrapped up in a Golf, though.

[Bren]

Leaks. Rust. Devoid of any character. Cheap as well.

 

Perfect autoshite material.

 

More solid than a focus but not as dynamic - but that's like saying John Prescott is not as fat as Eric Pickles.

[The Moog]

My brother bought one for £13.5k. Just the 1.6 but boring as hell and very reliable.

 

Sold for £800.

[Lacquer Peel]

Yes, I left out the SDI engined ones. I quite fancy them for their relative lack of power and veg friendliness. Though with the price of diesel these days it's hardly worth the faff with veg. There's a lot of very high mileage PD engined cars (which aren't veg friendly, right?) for not a lot of money. Is the PD engine not quite a big advancement on the older engine codes?

 

You can get used vegetable oil that's pretty much ready to go with some filtering for 20-30p a litre or free if you're very lucky, but it can be hard to find sometimes. It's available new for 65p a litre at Bookers.

The SDI and distributor pump TDIs are great on veg, better than any other engine I've tried.

 

PD engines aren't veg friendly. My friend owned a couple of PD Boras and they were both unreliable money pits, I'd stick with the distributor pump TDI (90 and 110HP).

[ERNO]

You can get used vegetable oil that's pretty much ready to go with some filtering for 20-30p a litre or free if you're very lucky, but it can be hard to find sometimes. It's available new for 65p a litre at Bookers.

The SDI and distributor pump TDIs are great on veg, better than any other engine I've tried.

 

PD engines aren't veg friendly. My friend owned a couple of PD Boras and they were both unreliable money pits, I'd stick with the distributor pump TDI (90 and 110HP).

 

I live in a flat and I think filtering my own veg would be impractical for me at the moment. 65p a litre is a pretty decent saving over diesel though. My mum had a Polo SDI on a 53 or a 54 plate a few years ago and I found that to be a decent, if slightly teutonic, drive. I am ambivalent about power, I think I'd get by with the 1.4 petrol tootling around town; I'm not commuting in a car these days. I had a 1.4 petrol Mk2 many years ago. That was knackered, white with rust scabs all over, but still drove ok.

[Pillock]

I think the Mk2 was 1.3 then up to 1.6, the 1.4 motor in the Mk4 is a 16v from the early 2000s and is actually OK. If you don't want to go anywhere in a hurry.

[worldofceri]

Mrs_WoC has one.  Have a picture of my attempt to change the brake discs.  Probably more interesting than a picture of the whole car.

 

[ERNO]

Brilliant donkey of a car, I had a £150 1.6 a few years back and it kept going and going. When the clutch was on its last legs I was given £500 for it p/ex on a £900 vectra c.

 

I left the 1.6 out of my original post. Probably not much difference in economy between that and an overworked 1.4.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-Golf-1-6s-5-door-122k-vgc-no-reserve-/141830820398

 

Looks alright for that sort of money. Totally anonymous motoring.

[ERNO]

I think the Mk2 was 1.3 then up to 1.6, the 1.4 motor in the Mk4 is a 16v from the early 2000s and is actually OK. If you don't want to go anywhere in a hurry.

 

Must have been a 1.3 then. It was a £250 job that I ran for a few months then gave away to someone with no MOT. Promptly scrapped it.

 

I like the idea of functional design of the interiors and the stiffness of seats and suspension as characteristics of Volkswagens. They've stuck to those principle elements even as you're getting into the newer cars like the Mk4s.

[Jazoli]

I had the 125 bhp 1.8 non turbo gti, it looked smart, was a nice place to sit and I averaged almost 40mpg over 10k miles, it was dull to drive but I liked it.

 

Will be buying one in a frock (TT) next year for the missus..

[Lord Sterling]

I do like these, they're good workhorses if you want something throwaway. Driven a few including the 1.4, 1.6, GTi, GTTDi and 2.8 VR6. VR6 and GTTDi unsurprisingly is my favourite. The GTi, was one of the worst I'd driven, never serviced, lots of chav accessories, it seriously felt like the wheel were going to fall off. But that's just 1 car that wasn't a good example.

 

I think these Mk4s have begun to get into banger/shiter territory, the Mk5 is the still the darling of your skinny jeaned fashionistas.

 

The interior of the Mk4s are pretty much VW standard depressingly cheap Black shiny plastic that has a strange thin rubbery coating that wears off if you look at it.

 

These Golfs do rust like most other vehicles of that age. Anything else about these, I don't have a clue about.

[MarvinsMom]

work had one as a pool car, along with some aldi thing (A3?) and a pisshat.

 

awful, hateful thing.

 

all them pool cars were dizzlers, and all were the same, either the engine was labouring like fook, or it was bouncing off of the rev limiter.

 

horrid too look at. dreary to drive, nasty, just nasty.

 

the only good thing about the golf was that it didnt have the shittly electric handbrake that the pisshat did.

 

i can imagine walking been more fun (an i'm right lazy, bone idle, fat cow)

[Barry Cade]

I FARKING HATE THESE THINGS.

 

Stopping here because if I carry on it'll be....................the longest post in Autoshite history.

[MarvinsMom]

cos they is shit?