what should i get, stuck!

[DanSN1]

i want to buy a gti soon, either a mk3 or a mk2, ill have around 1k to spend and i literally no near on nothing about cars, but i wana mod a little, make it better and stuff, my grandad knowsss loads but what should i get? im stuck, i used to hate mk3's but they've grown on me and are much cheaper than mk2's and also available to drive away if i buy off ebay as most mk2's have no tax/mot/running

[barrym381]

some mk4 gti-s about for tht money might be lucky find a 1.8t needing a little work im sure theres a mk4 1.8t in the classifieds needing just bumpers going cheap but good luck what ever u go for

[Seanl]

If your new to modding and working on cars, I'd say Mk3. Sooo easy to work on, and spares are really really cheap. You can get a decent 8v or possibly even a 16v GTI for half your budget, and that will give you a bit to do a few things you want to it to begin with. You will struggle to find a Mk2 for your budget, but thats the only one you are likely to get anywhere near what you spend on it back tbh.

[DanSN1]

this is my first car btw, tweeted about it, apparently the mk3 gti isn't really a gti like a mk1/2 is

[Seanl]

You can have that debate all day tbh. Its not quick by any stretch of the imagination, but its not slow either. The same as probably any standard modern 2.0. The Mk1 and 2s are not much quicker, they just handle a little better, and being smaller, they seem like their flying. Mk3 GTIs have all the creature comforts you would expect from a modern car though. Airbags, ABS, Aircon, Trip computer, Heated electric Mirrors, electric windows, sunroof etc etc.

[chrisford_vw]

Having got a 1.6 100bhp mk3 as my car and borrowing a mk2 16v for a while I would have the mk3 for everyday comfort but the mk2 was more fun. Plus GTIs are usually more expensive to insure a driver spec mk2 may be better gti looks but cheap insurance.

[DanSN1]

whats the difference in performance between a mk2 gti and a mk3 gti, presuming both had struts and coilovers with decent rims and rubber, which is more tuneable etc

[murraymint]

you'll get a lot better mk3 for your money then you would mk2, and parts are cheeper, if its your first car, i wouldnt recomend getting a gti unless you own an insurance company, im 19 and have a 1.6 mk3, lowered with alloys, insurance is £1100 for me with no ncb, i really want a gti but know that waiting a year or 2 will save me loads of money. i'd say get a 1.6 to start with (1.4's are too painfully slow) mod that a bit coilovers, alloys etc, then in a year or 2 wen you got some ncb then buy a gti, mk2 16v gti ftw!

[Seanl]

Mk2s use Mk3 bottom ends for added extras, but neither are very tunable at all tbh. You will spend a hell of a lot to get very little gain unless you drop a mk4 engine in and tune that, or turbo/supercharge it which will work out seriously expensive. If you want tunablility, Mk4 1.8t is the way to go.

[Wayne]

For your budget get a mk3 16v, make sure the bodwork is sound etc.