matt, why is that car any better than the GTIs available now?
objectively: no power steering, no central locking, wind down windows, no abs, no cruise control. etc. Just because you have fond memories of bombing about in one with your mates does not make it better….
Well, it weighed 950Kg and later ones had power steering, electric windows etc and could crack 40mpg. The 16v was a hoot.
Modern cars are nicer places to sit and better made but I’d have more fun throwing an 80s GTI around than the modern iteration.
Erm…
I had one – 40mpg? Not if the engine was running. High 20’s on a motorway run, still petrol was 50p a litre or less.
It was a lot of fun to drive, they’re not especially fast by modern standards, but it’s a road car, not a race car so more fun at a lower speed seems like a good plan to me.
I’d love another one, but it would sit in my garage and come out when I’ve got a couple of hours to take it for a drive, probably down memory lane. I wouldn’t rely on it to get me to Mid Wales next week, or Healthrow the week after.
This is one of those Nokia arguments isn’t it. “Oh wern’t they wonderful, the best phone ever, none better – Oh you can still buy them? Oh no thanks – I’ll have an iPhone please”.
There’s always someone looking for a car on STW – here’s one
MK2 Golf
It’s in slightly rough but very original condition for £3k – if you’ve got £6k to spend which isn’t a huge amount these days you could have a full engine rebuild, new suspection and brakes, rust repair and maybe enough to make it look fresh and new again if the paint isn’t too bad. If you had £10k It could be for all intents and purposes like when it rolled off the line in 1991 (but it’s still very much an 80s car) – it wouldn’t even be such a bad investment – really nice ones are being offered for sale for £15k upwards.