I buy the cheapest MOT'd Mk5 golf in the UK. That escalated quickly...

[DaveDorson]

Gotta love a click bait title eh?

 

So yeah there's no way of actually knowing if it was the cheapest one when I bought it, but I offered less than WBAC were offering so I suspect I'm not far off.

The story for those that don't know.  After selling my SLK to mr R Welfare of this parish I decided what I needed to do in order to focus and consolidate my expanding shitter collection was to purchase another red car with some improvement needed.

And here it, as I purchased it.

It was my friend and neighbour Sallys eldests first car, yes, a GTI was his first car..

He's a good lad and wanted a Mk5 GTi and after years of skimping and saving bought this, a manual gearbox AXX engined car.

Fitted with a 3" sports cat and downpipe, with a RAM air filter cold air induction filter, polyurethane suspension bushes on the front, stage 1 map with paperwork to prove it's about 270bhp and feels it.

It's had everything done meticulously by previous owners including regular correct oil and filter changes, timing belt, chain between cams and tensioner, clutch and flywheel, new gas shocks, Eibach Sportline lowering springs, high pressure fuel pump and regular follower changes, all documented until he owned it, and then it's been owner serviced since (I've helped with this so know it's done right).

It's got matching michellin pilot sport 4 tyres too and it's still on the 17" Monza wheels.

Basically if I was going to get a Mk5, it's in this sort of spec.. so naturally when he bought his second car, a Mk5 5 door DSG Pirelli edition I told him that I'd be keen to have this off him.

Unfortunately he wanted way more than I was willing to pay, cars like this tend to go around £2.5-3k and I saw it at closer to £1500. 

Yes it's a good one but it's got the standard VW laquer peel, the oil leak is likely near the turbo and is a knob to get to, and its got scabby wings. There's loads of these about still and for what he wanted people had the pick of the litter, so it's been sat for 6 months. 

Even with a painted wing you'll never get it mint without painting the whole car, so you'd have to want one that was essentially good but not perfect and for what he wanted there just wasn't enough in it to make a trader a profit of appease a fussy golf wanting owner.

It had an advisory on an an oil leak (minor) and bushes showing wear at the back for the last MOT, as well as a noisy exhaust as he'd added a stainless system from eBay that had little to nothing in terms of baffles in.  He swapped this for a standard back box on my advice as it'd make selling it easier and now it's not too in your face.

So with the proceeds of the Merc in my bank I dropped him a line and said look, your mum wants her drive back and I'll offer you £x paid in today to your account.

He dropped the keys off and I taxed it, jump started it, did the oil and filters and have been using it since.

[DaveDorson]

I lent the car to a mate for an evening as she wanted to take some pictures, the agreement was she jet washed the car and stuck some petrol in it, as this one is mapped and because it's an early car they need to be fed on expensive 98/99 Ron fuel.

 

I fitted some carbon look mirror caps that were sat around from a car we broke a while ago while I paint the stock ones as they had really bad laquer peel, and waited for a wing to arrive to sort out the rusty arch on the driver's side.

 

[DaveDorson]

While Hollii had the car she noticed the rear wiper wasn't contacting the screen.

Anyone who's had a VW of this era knows what's coming.

The wiper arm was shagged..  it'd corroded to the spindle and cracked the plastic composite arm it's sat on.. TADTS.

Tenner off eBay and 2 seconds with the power file saw the old arm off and the new one on.

 

Wing arrived, gave it some tornado red and chucked it on.

 

Not an awful match but as I said it'll never be right without a full paint.  It's a pattern wing and I was quite happy with the fit.

[Rustybullethole]

Nice. A mate has one of these with similar age related bubbling. He bought it cheap amd thought he'd sort the paint as used to do bodywork. After giving it the mechanical love it required he decided he cant be arsed and will enjoy it as is. He loves the thing though mrs hates it and says its a bit boy racery. Think thats why Mike loves it. 

Done well there Mike was happy to get his for 18.

Edited June 11, 2023 by Rustybullethole
spellimgs

[DaveDorson]

So as I mentioned this car has been tuned and it's quite quick.  It's got 312mm brakes from the edition 30 cars that came with 240ish bhp rather than the 200 that the golf of this age has from the factory.

They are "adequate" but it needed new discs and I saw that as a reason to improve.

Porsche Boxster calipers from a 2.5 or 2.7 car run a similar size disc, and you can buy adaptors and conversion hoses to make them all marry up.

The benefit of the upgrade is a better modulation due to 4 pot calipers, a lighter caliper and cheaper pads.. honestly.

Bought some calipers from HPI matrix or this parish, swapped the link pipe and bleed nipples from side to side as the porsche caliper is mounted on the other side of the disc on a porsche so the larger leading piston is in the wrong place for front of wheel mounting, took a tiny bit of material away from the pads mounts on the caliper as the golf disc is 1mm wider than the porsche one (doesn't impact the integrity of the caliper, just stops it kissing the disc face if you wear your pads too low and will damage the disc) and fitted it all up.

 

 

Looks made for it right!

Unfortunately the caliper has some very feint witness marks where the wheel is just kissing the caliper but only on one side, which is also the side where the wheel has had paint, it's that close.. so I'll have to add some 5mm spacers.

I confess I didn't notice this until I'd driven it home with absolutely no issues, but if it's they close it's only going to take a stone to make a mess between the two.

 

Spacer's and longer bolts currently on their way to me.

 

[cobblers]

I borrowed one of these off my mate last week (And also returned it washed and full of super)

Were you given yours back with the brake disks all turned blue with heat and the exhaust box half exploded out of the side or was that just me? 🥵

Cracking cars with a map on, incredibly swift. I didn't find the brakes adequate with a stage 1 tune on it, hence why they were all blue when I gave it back 😅

I'd like to own one, but realistically borrowing one for a few days was enough to get it out of my system for a while

 

[DaveDorson]

1 minute ago, cobblers said:

I borrowed one of these off my mate last week (And also returned it washed and full of super)

Were you given yours back with the brake disks all turned blue with heat and the exhaust box half exploded out of the side or was that just me? 🥵

Cracking cars with a map on, incredibly swift. I'd like to own one, but realistically borrowing one for a few days was enough to get it out of my system.

 

I tend to drive mine my hair is on fire so that's normal.. 🤣

[Matty]

Had a mk3 and mk4. Would like a 5 onwards but are the rumours of flakey engines true or not dave?

[Schaefft]

Nice, a red mk5 GTI is still on my radar, I just like the look of them. Nice to see this one getting some love.

[DaveDorson]

3 hours ago, Matty said:

Had a mk3 and mk4. Would like a 5 onwards but are the rumours of flakey engines true or not dave?

Probably.

 

Every modern engine has it's faults, these use oil when driving hard, suffer failures if you don't do the cam follower for the high pressure fuel pump and if the chain between the cams, and/or guides have worn out.  Also because they fire fuel into the combustion chamber rather than the inlet manifold they tend to gum up ports with carbon due to oil breathing into the inlet.

But that does also mean they can make more power than the previous generation 1.8 20vT engines too, however tuning beyond a map and some bolt on bits can get expensive.

The later cars had many of the issues resolved and can take a lot more of a beating than earlier ones that's for sure.

However, as I keep saying, just buy a car, fix it when it breaks, keep it serviced and enjoy it.  If you believed the Internet you'd never own a car.  They all have faults.

[Matty]

38 minutes ago, DaveDorson said:

If you believed the Internet you'd never own a car.  They all have faults.

Reckon I've owned most of them 😄

[Stinkwheel]

Having been lucky enough to have been a passenger in this thing, i can say its a total sleeper, even for a sporty looking golf. Its brilliant 😆

[SiC]

I had this engine in a MK2 TT DSG. A pretty decent unit that pulled really well. Always fancied a Mk5 GTi but they gain a premium because they have GTi written on them. The TT MK2 go for less but is an aluminium and stiffer body. 

I was eyeing up this near me to change from my current TT Mk1:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202305287884487

Basically a Quattro Golf GTi but cheaper. Thinking mans GTi? Shame it's not a DSG though. 

[GregZX]

These MK5 Golfs all seem to go on the front wings.  I’m looking for one for my daughter, do they have the PD diesel because that would be perfect. 

[AnnoyingPentium]

1 hour ago, GregZX said:

These MK5 Golfs all seem to go on the front wings.  I’m looking for one for my daughter, do they have the PD diesel because that would be perfect. 

Aye they do, in 1.9 flavour. I think these would have been the last to do so.

[DaveDorson]

2 hours ago, SiC said:

I had this engine in a MK2 TT DSG. A pretty decent unit that pulled really well. Always fancied a Mk5 GTi but they gain a premium because they have GTi written on them. The TT MK2 go for less but is an aluminium and stiffer body. 

I was eyeing up this near me to change from my current TT Mk1:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202305287884487

Basically a Quattro Golf GTi but cheaper. Thinking mans GTi? Shame it's not a DSG though. 

I quite fancy getting a TT mk1 for a bit.

The Audis do tend to fly under the radar a bit.

[DaveDorson]

2 hours ago, GregZX said:

These MK5 Golfs all seem to go on the front wings.  I’m looking for one for my daughter, do they have the PD diesel because that would be perfect. 

The chucked a sponge between the wing and arch liner that soaks up water and makes rot, you'll also start seeing them going under wing near the sill in years to come as it's a detritus trap that you can only get to by removing the arch liners.

[HillmanImp]

My mate reckons his Mk5 Golf Gti was the best all round car he's ever owned. 

Unfortunately his neighbour got pished and drove into it one night and with another kid on the way, my mate took the cash from the insurance rather that get another. 

Think he regrets it though. 

[DaveDorson]

I'm a big fan of them, I still think the mk2 16v is one of, if not the best daily driver ever made, but sensible ones are no longer sensible money.

When VW designed this car they poached the guy responsible for the mk1 focus control blade suspension, and the back end of these are very much like those found in the focus which is why these things drive so well on the roads we have in the UK.

When I had my ST170 I used to say it was like a grown up mk2 golf GTI, this mk5 sort of takes that to the next level.

 

It puts a grin on my face in a very different way to the manner in which the Range Rover does.

[bezzabsa]

have you seen HIGH PEAK AUTO'S latest vid where he buys a 1.4 Mk5 for £3k...has 7k on the clock IIRC

[DaveDorson]

1 hour ago, bezzabsa said:

have you seen HIGH PEAK AUTO'S latest vid where he buys a 1.4 Mk5 for £3k...has 7k on the clock IIRC

I did..

He does well but that's KGF pricing on a turd of a car.  That 1.4 engine can barely get out of it's own way.

Proper mingebag buying a mk5 with that engine.

[bunglebus]

I'm getting old, I remember working at VW when the MK5 GTI launched. We had two unregistered ones in as demos and managed to break both of them before the launch date...

[dan95x]

I love a mk5 gti, just the right mix of grown up and fun I reckon.  

On the note of loving them, I have 2 sat on my drive waiting to go to the scrapper when I get two minutes to pull the last bits off I want/need 😂 I think I am right in saying you arent too far from my neck of the woods? (I am just outside Walsall) so if you need any bits, you are welcome to them off mine if they arent bits I want for myself.  They are both black, so panels are possibly not going to be much help to you, but if there's anything else you need, just shout, as I am hoping to finally get rid of them soon, and would be a shame for you not to raid anything you need before they go 👍

[DaveDorson]

4 minutes ago, dan95x said:

I love a mk5 gti, just the right mix of grown up and fun I reckon.  

On the note of loving them, I have 2 sat on my drive waiting to go to the scrapper when I get two minutes to pull the last bits off I want/need 😂 I think I am right in saying you arent too far from my neck of the woods? (I am just outside Walsall) so if you need any bits, you are welcome to them off mine if they arent bits I want for myself.  They are both black, so panels are possibly not going to be much help to you, but if there's anything else you need, just shout, as I am hoping to finally get rid of them soon, and would be a shame for you not to raid anything you need before they go 👍

I'm in Rutland/Lincolnshire so not a million miles but it's still a bit of a drive.

Panels and GTI specific bits I could be keen on even in the wrong colour as I can paint stuff in the unit.  

I could use a spare turbo from a k03 engine petrol car so I can refurbish one off the car if you have one spare, I could so use an engine under tray and better arch liners as well as some side skirts and a boot spoiler.. mine are fine but I'd like to make some carbon ones and having some off the car makes that easier.

 

[dan95x]

For some reason I thought you were Birmingham, which would have made it a lot easier - Dont ask me why, I was clearly making it up!

Turbo should be doable, they were both high mileage but working fine when they came off the road.  I am pretty sure at least one of the under trays is decent ish, both still have intact arch liners as far as I can remember, side skirts and boot spoiler definitely not a problem either.

I am going to try and find a bit of time the next week or so to finish pulling at least one apart, so I will have a decent look  - let me know if anything else comes to mind

[tom13]

On 6/12/2023 at 10:20 PM, DaveDorson said:

I did..

He does well but that's KGF pricing on a turd of a car.  That 1.4 engine can barely get out of it's own way.

Proper mingebag buying a mk5 with that engine.

I had the 1.4 with that engine for about 5 years. It was a great car, yeah it was slow but it never let us down, cheaper tax and it was crazy frugal for a heavier car. Like 55mpg on a run.

[Shirley Knott]

On 6/12/2023 at 10:20 PM, DaveDorson said:

I did..

He does well but that's KGF pricing on a turd of a car.  That 1.4 engine can barely get out of it's own way.

Proper mingebag buying a mk5 with that engine.

IIRC they're on the list of cars VW say aren't fit to run on E10, meaning you have yo buy premium fuel whilst still making tortoise like progress. 

Definitely one to swerve. 

[SiC]

25 minutes ago, Shirley Knott said:

IIRC they're on the list of cars VW say aren't fit to run on E10, meaning you have yo buy premium fuel whilst still making tortoise like progress. 

Definitely one to swerve. 

Only pre 2005. The original FSI did fully stratified injection but was very problematic. They also really required super unleaded and burnt valves were a common occurrence with engines not run on it. Which was a right pain in the bollocks on a 1.4 or 1.6 naturally aspirated engine with so little power. Later engines (after 2005) were revised which both dropped the super unleaded requirement and could then run on E10 by removing the stratified part of the engine operating mode.  

[DaveDorson]

33 minutes ago, Shirley Knott said:

IIRC they're on the list of cars VW say aren't fit to run on E10, meaning you have yo buy premium fuel whilst still making tortoise like progress. 

Definitely one to swerve. 

Not sure about that, but they're horrible slow and low powered turds of an engine in a car that I'd have absolutely no interest in if it wasn't 200bhp+ and fun to drive.

I can't fathom why anyone would enjoy driving a poverty spec faux premium (let's be honest, VW are no more a premium car than a ford of the same age) car without a fruity engine.

[Shirley Knott]

6 minutes ago, DaveDorson said:

Not sure about that, but they're horrible slow and low powered turds of an engine in a car that I'd have absolutely no interest in if it wasn't 200bhp+ and fun to drive.

I can't fathom why anyone would enjoy driving a poverty spec faux premium (let's be honest, VW are no more a premium car than a ford of the same age) car without a fruity engine.

I drive (amongs other things) a Mk4 SDi Golf with 190k and 68ps....

Drops mic.