surfmat – we've got the 'family' car. But the 2nd car needs to be able to take some of them in varying combinations occasionally so 4 seats and a boot help my case!

My neighbour had a V5 and a V6 at different times – loved them but v v thirsty which puts me off. Hadn't really thought of the diesel versions … will have a look.

The V6 is very thirsty – I get low teens around town and just scrape 30 if I sit at 70 on the motorway.

I also made the mistake of modying mine (Brembo GT brakes, re-map, R32 chassis upgrades) and the insurance is horrendous as modded car gets you classed as a nutter when it comes to risk. This years quote for 40 year old with 20 years no-claims in low risk town is £1k.

Wait a minute. You're moving FROM a V6 Corrado?

What's wrong with the classic?

because of work, sold the Corrado (a lovely one too) a year back. Regretted it immediately. Now can justify having a second car. A Corrado would be my first choice without doubt, but just v hard to find a reasonable mileage one for reasonable money

Ah, I see.. Corrado was your last cool car 🙂

Footflaps – I only paid £650 for my "proper" R32. All fine until I moved to Bristol, it became a major thief target and I had to sell it. Used to average about 25mpg. Quite harsh even though it was rapid. Now go faster and 35mpg.

Any thoughts on a VR6 engine / car that's done 120K+ miles? Get the impression the engine goes on and on … is it more about chassis / body / switchgear / interior at that level of us?

I drive 125 BHP Mk4 Golf 1.8 GTI and had it since new since May '99, great car and never let me down (touch wood) BUT I wouldnt say it's zippy and fast like a proper GTI car, it feel like a normal family petrol car, if you want more power then you should aleast aim for the next step up of the 1.8 turbo GTI model, great car but nothing to get excited on term of speed.

I advise you to get the old shape Skoda Fabia VRS, a cracking little car with ton of power and great value on them atm as the new shape Fabia have been out for a few years.

Try Adrian Flux for modified car insurance, I've had some seriously modified cars and paid less that non modified prices 😯

As stated elsewhere this Golf GTI was awful. What about the Seat Leon Cupra or Skoda Octavia? Much better for the money.

And by the way, the Elan was the best handling FWD car ever – at the time. Just like Jaguar used to make the world's fastest car. Was Puma, now Honda Integra.

Any thoughts on a VR6 engine / car that's done 120K+ miles?

Call me cynical but I really doubt you'd final a Corrado with that (genuine) mileage. Cynical (as they do visually age-well) it makes them prime targets for a bit of youthification/turn back the clock abit.

My neighbour had a V5 and a V6 at different times – loved them but v v thirsty which puts me off.

Depending on the k's you do a year versus the premium for a TDI over a V* I reckon if you use a calculator and do average mileage you'd come out within £200 a year in fuel taking into account the difference in cost when buying?

On a Subaru forum there was a thread discussing owning a TDI and owning a WRX and it worked out to be four tankfuls difference over a whole year! (not just one year- over a few years of ownership).

Even the car threads on here are becoming boring, I've said it before & I'll say it again, R32 in a mk4 or 5 version do not handle, they understeer! Not even lifting off mid corner can provoke them, the Scandinavian flick is your only option 😉
Have fun out there.

Considered an Mk1 Octavia VRS? same 180bhp engine, not bad handling (although understeers) and a modest remap will see over 200bhp without killing the clutch. You'd get a good one for that price and the boots huge. Had 2 and loved them – a mate had a 2.0 MK4 Golf GTI at the time and it felt like a dead weight in comparison and got worse MPG!

Apparently the best VW of the lot is a Mk2 Golf GTI modified with a VR6 engine and gearbox.

The VR6 was first designed as long ago as 1982 and engineered to fit the upcoming Mk2 Golf.

Good call PJM1974! there's a few of those for sale over on edition 38…..apparently its best to get one with the mk3 vr6 widetrack conversion too. All very tempting!

There were a lot modified, remember that reconditioned 8v and 16v engines cost upward of £1500 and plenty of VR6 Golfs were stolen and subsequently scrapped.

Aus maybe worth looking at a Golf GT TDI 150? not many about, but I imagine good fun (if my current Fabia VRS is anything to go by).

Clio Cup/182/Trophy etc. Make any Golf look like a tardy old tank.

BTW the Megane R26.R IS the best handling FWD car ever built.

mk2 Golf
Clio

Are you guys reading about Aus's spatial requirements properly?

The Octavia does look good, tho not sure about dogs in the boot!

What's the Golf Mk3 like (say a 16V GTi, 150bhp)? Seem a few around at reasonable mileage / condition / price. The Mk 2's seem v expensive

Actually as noted for 3.5k you could buy a Octavia VRS estate -ask binners about his.

Aus – I had one for three years. My dad still has one! At one point me, my Mum and my Dad all had the same model – appeared in Volkswagen Driver as a six page feature!

Bit "baggier" and heavier than the mk2 but safer too. The 16v engine needs pushing hard but the car is pretty nippy. mpg is sensible too and insurance isn't too mad.

I traded mine in for a mk4 R32 but was still sad to see the mk3 go – a reliable, fairly quick car.

Anyone that says the mk4 R32 doesn't handle…

http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/cargrouptests/34173/alfa_romeo_147_v_vw_golf_r32_v_audi_s3_v_seat_cupra_r_v_ford_focus_rs_v_schnitzer_cooper_s.html

mattupnorth – Member

Aus maybe worth looking at a Golf GT TDI 150?

I have owned both the 150bhp & 130bhp TDI versions & granted the 150bhp has more grunt, but I still prefered the way the 130bhp delivered the power.

Mk2 Golf GTI modified with a VR6 engine and gearbox.

That sounds like a nice combo.

still loved the way the mk1's drove, but finding a clean example these days is something to dream about only 😉

ski – agreed. The 150PD is too agricultural. The 130 is smoother and more refined IMO. Both handle pretty poorly though. Can be (almost) sorted with the right suspension mods.

buy my Mk1!

THAT is a thing of beauty. If only I had more moneys…

Very nice jools!

What mods?

jools – too nice for me and my kids / dogs to tarnish!

What about these 2 …

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1938426.htm

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/VOLKSWAGEN+GOLF/Ne-2-4-5-6-7-8-27-44-49-53-61-64-67-103-133-146-236,N-11-18-42-50-54-62-240-4294966835-4294966886/advert.action?R=201030364564191&distance=21&postcode=tn16+1en&channel=CARS&make=VOLKSWAGEN&model=GOLF&min_pr=3000&max_pr=4000&max_mileage=80000&vehicleYearOfManufacture=1999&vehicleRegLetter=T

Very nice Jools, but I am the same as Aus, little ones and a nice car dont mix 😉

Why are you selling btw, got a new project?

got no cash 🙁

not many mods, just suspension, wheels and brakes, its already fast enough to get you into trouble

Aus – that mk3 is a bit of a gem IMO – totally original, super low mileage. Would be tempted to check it out. That engine will easily do 150k miles without issues.

The mk4 is a bit different – it claims to have 180bhp which is actually only available in the "Anniversary" model (which that isn't) – so it must have been chipped. It's also got an aftermarket (but decent) exhaust and those alloys don't look original/VW. All signs that it may have had a hard life. It's also at least £500 too dear.

Is that mk1 a 1.6 or 1.8?

@JCL

The Renaults are supposed to handle well, but given the lack of Renault 19 16vs on the roads these days compared to Golfs, I know which I'd rather stick with.

Crikey, that Mk1… Lovely

My Bro had an X Mk1 1.6 in Helios Blue which is still knocking around apparently.

My dad had the 7th mk1 GTi in Britain (he did some work for VW) then one of the very last 1.8 mk1s which he tuned from new – both cracking cars!

We've had tonnes of Golfs in our family over the years – well over 20.

Out of interest Jools, how much are you after for it? Take it it's on E38 etc?

surfmat – thanks for your thoughts – great to get an expert eye. The Mk 3 kind of appeals as prob will 'feel' nippy and, as it's a tad less sophisticated, gives the impression you're v involved in driving the car. And at my aged years, the days of 'racing' are long gone!

seat ibiza FR 1.8 tubro with 150BHP, is what you want. one with about 65,000 miles in silver and currently owned by my girlfriend, good condition which we would let go for way under the normal price as she is coming out to NZ at the end of the month.

drop me a mail if interested democove@googlemail.com would do sub 4k for it. based in newcastle

Aus – most kick out over 160bhp when run in, get to 60 in under 8 seconds and are genuinely quite rapid. You do need to thrash them to get the most out of them but they cruise well too.

Engine very solid. Just watch the eledtrics (especially windows, ABS sensor light and ventilation system) and make sure the cam belt has either been done or do it yourself (usually 70k miles – quite a pricey job).

Dad's up to 125k miles in his – he bought it with 9k miles! His is looking shabby now but it's been pretty abused! Still runs fine though. I did about 40k miles in mine – the only issues were very minor and cheap to fix.

16v is the one to have – the 8v is very underpowered (115bhp).

Shout if any pointers are needed but you'll struggle to find any more in that condition with such low mileage!

I have the 8v with a few mods (full jetex SS exhaust, induction kit all fitted by the previous owner) and its not that underpowered. Easy enough to get a shift on. When i bought it (>100,000 miles ago/ 6 yrs) I was looking for a 16v but this one was too good a deal to pass on. I paid less than that 16v up there with the about the same mileage and more toys.

had a few problems but but nothing too major. ABS light flickers on now and agian but keeps quiet during MOT's. gearbox is noisy and reverse is shot to pieces. had some problems with it cutting out randomly a while back but £12 ECU relay sorted that

20,000 miles a year across dartmoor is taking its toll, but determined to get it to 200,000. 18 months to go at this rate.

thing i find with my mk3 gti is it's guite guttsy lower down the rev range but when you are trying to give it some it just could do with a bit more power, but it's good out the corners. mine is just a baby with less the 100k on the clock. the only thing that doesn't work is the aircon but that's because all the parts are sitting in my folks barn.

i wish i'd shipped over here, now driving a crappy 1993 nissan primera with 200,000km on the clock.

Jam – often the ABS thing is just the sensor needing a clean. Happened on mine.

My mum also had an 8v mk3 and I found it lacking – easier to drive as the torque (what there was of it) came in lower but it ran out of puff at higher revs – the 16v just keeps getting stronger as you rev it.

35bhp more is quite a lot too.