Help buying a gti

[Pearce69]

Hey all
What im asking for is some help buying a gti, im looking at pref a 16v cuz the 8v isnt as fast lol. I would like to know what to look out? How many miles on the clock should i really be looking at? Iv got a budget of around £1.5k to £2k. Iv test drove a 16v and liked it very much, i was going to buy it but the owner wouldnt drop from the asking price and i didnt feel it was value for money since it needed some work doing and it also was smoking abit. Any help will be very much appreciated.

Many thanks

Arron

[DarnPB]

When looking, concentrate on the body and structure, as those cannot be sensibly fixed without a teardown. The mechanicals, be-it suspension, motor, gearbox can be repaired or replaced.
Even if the car looks like a minter, don't be afraid to start poking where eyes don't usually see. You may end up with a mint looking dog!

[Pearce69]

ok thanks for that, what is considered high miles on these cars? one i looked at had done 87k but was smoking alot.

[twistedblack69]

I think average mileage is about 10k a year, so on a 1990 Golf, you're looking at about 200k, so 87k sounds really good, but sounds like it hasn't been looked after. As long as they've been looked after, they will live forever. Think the highest I've seen on a mk2 was 350k. As I'm sure you know, you'll tend to pay more for lower mileage, but prices tend to fluctuate so drastically. I paid £500 for my '91 8v with 187k on the clock, but now, I'd probably be paying upwards of £1000. All the best with the purchase

[robiwill]

high miles on a mk2 lol my 16v made it to 245 thousand before needing an engine change at that was only because the head was rebuilt and this caused the bottom end to start knocking so now has an engine with 97 on it fitted and believe me bodywise she is perfect

[DarnPB]

87k on a car that age is really low. Could be worth buying at a low price and repairing/rebuilding the engine. Then the value would remain reasonably high.

[Pearce69]

Ok cheers for the help guys, that car looks nice robiwill

[Pearce69]

Just called a guy about the gti he is selling, its a 1987 8v. I did want a 16v but this car looks way too good to turn down from what iv seen of the pics. Im going to see it 2moz, its a red 3door with stripie red and grey interior also its only done 96k. Does anyone know if these come with powersteering?

[DarnPB]

Just called a guy about the gti he is selling, its a 1987 8v. I did want a 16v but this car looks way too good to turn down from what iv seen of the pics. Im going to see it 2moz, its a red 3door with stripie red and grey interior also its only done 96k. Does anyone know if these come with powersteering?

Don't usually come with powered steering although I believe they were an option. They don't really need it to be honest although a little heavy to park.
My G60 has it though!

[cняis]

Just called a guy about the gti he is selling, its a 1987 8v. I did want a 16v but this car looks way too good to turn down from what iv seen of the pics. Im going to see it 2moz, its a red 3door with stripie red and grey interior also its only done 96k. Does anyone know if these come with powersteering?

Don't usually come with powered steering although I believe they were an option. They don't really need it to be honest although a little heavy to park.
My G60 has it though!

low speed steering (i.e. parking or taking hair-pin bends on zigzag hill in dorset) are a ball-ache in a non-PAS GTI 

the VR6 has it though  and to be honest it gives good feedback at all speeds