Like a Golf..

[[TW]Fox]

The quest to replace the Mondeo, fast, continues.

Buying cars is usually a simple if not drawn out affair. Test drive 8000 different cars. Decide exactly what I want. Spend so long reading about it I develop encylopedic knowledge of the car in question. Spend several months searching for the right pristine example. Travel hundreds of miles to buy it.

This doesn't work this time.

Firstly I need to find something fast. Secondly, the budget is £2-2.5k tops. This means that proportionally, most cars are going to shabby nails. The chances of finding a shabby nail after a 250 mile drive to see whats promised to be a 'minter' is huge and rules out travelling vast distances.

Secondly, the car is for a female. And we all know about the link between those and logic and rationality.

Top of the list is... another Mondeo, a Mk3. But of course she isn't keen even though its by far the best choice for her 300 mile a week dual carriageway commute. But, a £1500ish Mk3 would do. Problem is, availability of decent ones around here is shockingly rather scarce.

So my thoughts have turned further afield. It needs to be reliable, reasonably solid, it needs to be modern looking and it needs to have 'cred'. Driving dynamics, engine refinement, aural pleasure and absolutely loads of kit suddenly don't matter.

Which has made me consider something...

Like a Golf.

Specifically, the worst Golf in the Universe - the awful Mk4 GTI. It handles like a bag of potatoes, it has about as many sporting credentials as Muffin and it's woefully underpowered 125bhp engine has no place in something like a GTI.

But it looks tidy, modern and she could park a 'GTI' in the office carpark. For the most flawed car search ever it seems VW's most flawed car ever could be a useful candidate.

I've even found several to pop and view. Which is where you guys come in!

Please tell me everything I need to know about the Mk4 Golf and the 1.8 20v non turbo engine. I do not care how slow it is. I do not care that the Mk4 Golf doesnt handle. I do not care that a Focus is a better drivers tool. I care about how reliable it may or may not be. I care about what I need to look for when I view it and I care about a few more questions:

a) How economical is this engine?
b) How reliable is it?
c) Can I retrofit cruise for £150?

There you go guys. For the first time ever...

SPEC ME A GOLF1111332THREE!

 

[Skeeter]

*faints*

 

[DJMK4]

But I thought Golfs were......



Is this really you??

 

[[TW]Fox]

For anyone interested in cars, I agree, Golfs suck. Buy a Focus. It's way more fun.

But this time its different. In terms of dynamic capability, the winning candidate must:

a) Start with a key
b) Turn left or right with corrosponding steering input
c) Go forward using accelerator pedal
d) Stop when the brake is applied
e) Look shiney and nice
f) Have a badge perceived as 'posh' by clueless numpties

Something.. like a Golf*

*Or a BMW 318i SE but they are all nails at this money. Or a Seat something but there isnt for sale around here. etc.

 

[Participant]

But I thought Golfs were......



Is this really you??

His argument will be that it's for his gf, but if he hates Golfs so very much, does he have that little influence over his girlfriend's purchasing decisions, that he cannot convince her otherwise?

Hopefully you find the right car in any case.

 

[saitrix]

I think it's for his sister...

Edit - I am sure you can retrofit cruise for sub £100 on the mk4 Golf. The engine isn't the best low down but it is alright when the revs get higher. In the Toledo I have found the mpg to be not that good, we are talking low 30's over longer journeys.

 

[DJMK4]

His argument will be that it's for his gf, but if he hates Golfs so very much, does he have that little influence over his girlfriend's purchasing decisions, that he cannot convince her otherwise?

Hopefully you find the right car in any case.

I was joking!

I own a golf but its the MK4 GT TDi so cant comment on the petrol engine really, all I can say is during the later milage, prepare for potential electical failure mayhem

 

[Skeeter]

I think it's for his sister...

It is.

Judging by the way she trashed your Mondeo, just buy her something cheap for £500.

 

[Participant]

I think it's for his sister...

Whoever it's for, he just called her a clueless numpty

.

 

[[TW]Fox]

His argument will be that it's for his gf, but if he hates Golfs so very much, does he have that little influence over his girlfriend's purchasing decisions, that he cannot convince her otherwise?

I do not and have never 'hated' Golfs. FWIW before you popped up here I wrote a very detailed review of a back to back test drive of the Mk5 GTI and R32. I enjoyed both and as a result often recommend a Mk5 GTI over a Focus ST, Astra VXR in relevant threads.

Traditionally I have had a lot of dislike for the Mk4 Golf - they are overpriced, slow, do not handle, etc etc. However lately things are a bit different, they are finally getting cheap (Stormster purchased a Mk4 GTI for less than £2000 a few months ago, you'll find I commented favourably on that as well) and for this application, driver appeal is a complete non issue.

It genuinelly looks like you can get a tidy Mk4 GTI for less than £2k. At £2k the fact a car has no dents is a bonus, so I'm not going to be fussy about the fact it handles like a watermelon.

I just need to know:

Is a Mk4 Golf 20v reliable?
Is a Mk4 Golf 20v reasonable economical?
Is a Mk4 Golf 20v worth buying if we discount the fact it doesnt handle and is older than a Focus?

Thanks guys

 

[hillbilly2]

For anyone interested in cars, I agree, Golfs suck. Buy a Focus. It's way more fun.

But this time its different. In terms of dynamic capability, the winning candidate must:

a) Start with a key
b) Turn left or right with corrosponding steering input
c) Go forward using accelerator pedal
d) Stop when the brake is applied
e) Look shiney and nice
f) Have a badge perceived as 'posh' by clueless numpties

Something.. like a Golf*

*Or a BMW 318i SE but they are all nails at this money. Or a Seat something but there isnt for sale around here. etc.

Yeh and a 318 SE is a real weapon.I can kick my hat down the road quicker

 

[Michael Myers]

i used to own one, did around 30mpg if driven sensible but usually 25 - 30, never let me down for reliablity, watch out for heavy clutch pedal, if you dont change the clutch fast enough the pedal box will break, and make sure the cam belt has been done as the orginal service guide was 120,000 miles which is stupid as they can break way before that.

 

[Ev0]

Make sure they are actually 1.8 20v models as well you know there is also the 2 litre 8 valve mk4 GTI.

I think it goes they replaced (!) the better (I use the term loosely) 1.8 with the 2.0 to dumb it down a bit to put more between it and the 1.8T GTI.

Although doing a search with a 60 mile radius from here (similarish to you) there are a reasonable amount of 1.8 GTIs out there.

 

[Gaijin]

Ironic thread is ironic.

My woman has a 1.4 MK4 and it suits her and the dog well.

Why a GTI and the crap one at that? Just so she can say she has a GTI? Crap reason.

Not to mention the fact that plenty of petrolheads in the office will no doubt be quick to tell her that it, aside from the MK3 is the crappest GTI in existence. How will she feel then?

Get her a EK Civic and sleep easily knowing it will never ever let her down. Preferably Supersonic Blue.

 

[Muffin`]

Ironic thread is ironic.

My woman has a 1.4 MK4 and it suits her and the dog well.

Why a GTI and the crap one at that? Just so she can say she has a GTI? Crap reason.

Not to mention the fact that plenty of petrolheads in the office will no doubt be quick to tell her that it, aside from the MK3 is the crappest GTI in existence. How will she feel then?

Get her a EK Civic and sleep easily knowing it will never ever let her down. Preferably Supersonic Blue.

Is yours still for sale? Seems perfect

 

[allllec]

VAG waterpump on these engines its woeful. Plastic blades and they fall apart - ideally you want one that had its cambelt/pump done at an indy, thus having a "cheap" metal blade-ed waterpump.

The engine is designed for economy as you well know and actually its not all that bad. 35 combined figure is pretty damn fair, and with mainly motorway/dual carriageway miles included I can imagine her getting that no worries.

Although, I'm not sure but I'd imagine the GTI will have a short close gearbox meaning 3.5k~ rpm at NSL which isn't overly economical? But like I said I don't know!

Coilpacks are sometimes suggested as a problem although I believe they're actually alright on the N/A 20v block.

Otherwise nothing else worth mentioning on the reliability front as far as I'm aware!

 

[Dangerous Dave]

The best Mk4 Golfs IMHO are either the V5 170bhp or the V6 4 motion the V5 is a unstressed engine with little to go wrong and has a timing chain so requires little maintenace.

The bonus is no one wants the V5 so you should be able to pick it up pretty cheap and it will offer similair fuel consumption to the non-turbo 1.8T around 35mpg. Even better get a V5 Bora they are generally cheaper than the comparable Golf.

On to your questions the 1.8 petrol will do around 30-35mpg and you can retro fit cruise control easily as long as the car is drive by wire you can tell this is if it has a EPC light with the ignition on. It is reliable engine wise with a lot less to go wrong compared to the 1.8T however the rear suspension bushes are a weak spot on both the Golf and Bora I would buy one that has had them done or factor that into the price. Radiators are also prone to go at around 8-10 years old not expensive to replace though. Make sure the water pump has been changed with the timing belt these should be replaced every 4 years or 40-60k depending on who you ask.

My money would be on a V5 Bora with climate control, leather and Xenons I have seen clean ones go for 2.5-3k which is a little over budget I admit but not that much over.

 

[Participant]

Not sure if this thread will be of any use, from a forum I'm a member of.

The second part of the first post contains problems that need VAG COM to read codes for detection, but before and after that, there's some information that may be of use.

 

[Alibaba99]

Specifically, the worst Golf in the Universe - the awful Mk4 GTI. It handles like a bag of potatoes, it has about as many sporting credentials as Muffin and it's woefully underpowered 125bhp engine has no place in something like a GTI.

The Mk3 8v GTi is far, far worse.

 

[Howard]

The best Mk4 Golfs IMHO are either the V5 170bhp or the V6 4 motion the V5 is a unstressed engine with little to go wrong and has a timing chain so requires little maintenace.

The bonus is no one wants the V5 so you should be able to pick it up pretty cheap and it will offer similair fuel consumption to the non-turbo 1.8T around 35mpg. Even better get a V5 Bora they are generally cheaper than the comparable Golf.

On to your questions the 1.8 petrol will do around 30-35mpg and you can retro fit cruise control easily as long as the car is drive by wire you can tell this is if it has a EPC light with the ignition on. It is reliable engine wise with a lot less to go wrong compared to the 1.8T however the rear suspension bushes are a weak spot on both the Golf and Bora I would buy one that has had them done or factor that into the price. Radiators are also prone to go at around 8-10 years old not expensive to replace though. Make sure the water pump has been changed with the timing belt these should be replaced every 4 years or 40-60k depending on who you ask.

My money would be on a V5 Bora with climate control, leather and Xenons I have seen clean ones go for 2.5-3k which is a little over budget I admit but not that much over.

The V5 likes a drink, 35mpg sounds very optimistic. Lovely engine though