VW Golf Gti.

Hi guys, I know this is a BMW site but I also know there is mucho knowlodge on here about cars in General.

I am looking at a 03 Golf Gti for the missus. Its the 150bhp model. 5dr 35K mls.

Is there anything to look out for on these? Any info would be much appreciated.

Mick

Mick, take a look in the GTi forums on www.tyresmoke.net - its an absolute mine of information on everything GTi related.

You may find a number of people try to put you off too though, because that model is generally accepted to be the poorest GTi they ever made - but they'll certainly give you all the advice you need.

Coil failure was a big issue, most would have failed
and been replaced by now. Look for evidence of
water leaks in boot, water line to rear wash/wipe can
freezes and rupture. Obviously timing belt
dependent on mileage and age, water pumps and
pulley can fail at 30K, also read up on the Turbo
issues.

Happy hunting!

The problem with the MkIV GTI is well known - they're slllloooow to a degree that its difficult to comprehend for a GTi.

I don't know why the MKIII GTI 8v is being referred to as perhaps one of the worst mind you - because they were a fantastic car, are the most sought after (after the MkI) and the 8v was the better engine in manys opinion.

My mistake TJ - I was referring to the last facelifted MkII, not the MkIII.

flyingalexf68 wrote: Coasting the 1.8 Turbo Mk IV Golf was pretty quick. But in the UK you could have the 2.0 engine in a GTI which was crap. (about 118bhp I think) We didn't have that one here.

See thats my point - I don't think it was remotely quick.  Not for what was meant to be a hot hatch.  Pretty much everything else that was available at the time....beat it....resoundingly.

When you look at the stats its not surprising.

It developed 148bhp (often quoted as 150bhp) but that was married to its fat 1,203 kgs in bodyweight!  That was for the 3 door version too.  That gave it 123bhp per ton.  The 5 door version went down to 119bhp per ton.

That gave it 0-60 times claimed of 7.9s - yet if you look at roadtests you'll find they had to be very special conditions to get anywhere near it.  Most places were quoting 8.2-8.5s. 

Thats not slow, I know, but its not really hot hatch stuff either is it?

The reason I say all this is that I know a lot of people who own MkV GTi's, or R32's, and many have had Golfs for over 10 years.  They all say the same - when they bought the MkIV GTi...they were gutted.  Once you got into gear and on motorways, the car could be tailed by pretty much any average 1.8 family saloon you could think of.  Many of them report a whole host of 'embarassing' attempts to pull away from cars - and not getting far!  An example is any 2.0 petrol Mondeo of the day - which would happily sit with a GTi all day long. 

The new GTi is a world apart of course, as is the new R32 (although the MkIV R32 was a superb car anyway).  Quick, nimble, very torquey and rightly very popular.

So if it was me, which its not, but if it was, I'd be buying an older MkII in pristine condition, or waiting a while longer and buying the best Golf GTi ever made - the new one.

 

 

VAG's 1.8 T engine of the era is always pretty much the same engine with the wick on the turbo set differently, so a 150bhp Mk4 golf will have a similar engine to a TT.

It's this 1.8 T engine that had the ignition coil problem.

The 2.0 8v engine is what's to be found in most 115bhp 'GTI's, and unlike you lot I think it's a nice car... ;) but I'd definitely agree it's no hot hatch, it's just a 2.0 golf with decent seats.

There is also a 1.8 golf GTI with a 20v engine (I think) that predated the 2.0 model, also developing something weedy like 110bhp.

I'd warn people to look for dodgy dashboard electronics - lambda probe warning lights going off for no reason, etc. and as someone's already said MAF issues on any of these cars.

Additionally, check the rear wash-wipe. It's badly designed and can easily decide to wash the inside of the bootlid skins instead of the rear window.

By all accounts it's the GT TDI that's the one to go for, in either 130 or 150bhp form, but it'll cost compared to any petrol model.

Coasting wrote: [QUOTE=flyingalexf68] So if it was me, which its not, but if it was, I'd be buying an older MkII in pristine condition, or waiting a while longer and buying the best Golf GTi ever made - the new one.

Surely the best Golf GTi ever was the Mk2 16V

It's when the whistling stops you should worry!

Look closely at the wash-wipe and the electric window mechanisms. A friend has a Mk4 golf and his info from the forums is that these are weak points. (I feel he's an electric window kindred spirit what with me having an e36 with frameless windows!!)

Good luck with it!

[QUOTE=DanM]

I had a 01 GTI 150bhp and the coils went on it after only 40k. The same also happened a friend of mine's GTI after similiar miles.

Same thing with my 01, coils went three times which drove me bananas!  Its a extremely common problem on that model

Geoff