Author Topic: Manila Mk2  (Read 4561 times)

Offline blueseamonkey

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Manila Mk2
« on: 29 July 2012, 09:36 »
I thought it was best I started a thread here, as having asked a few questions in the Mk2 forum, it looks like I might have an ongoing saga with my car - not quite as sorted as I first hoped!

I picked it up almost a month ago, its a 1992 Mk2 16v GTI, imported from Germany about 10 years ago. Its had 2 owners here in the Philippines, done a total of 190,000km (about 118,000 miles.) I've no history other than that. Its my first VW, though this model has long been on my wish list - I couldn't afford insurance on it when I lived in Britain. But now, here in the Philippines, insurance costs next to nothing, though all 2nd hand cars are a lot pricier than British prices for some reason. VW cars - other than Beetles - are rare here. I've seen 5 or 6 other Mk2s, but this is the first GTI I've seen, either on the road or for sale.

It was described in the ad as having "nothing to fix." At first, other than a flashing catalytic converter light, that seemed like it could be true. It made the 40km trip around Manila without any problems.
Here are some pics from before I picked it up. Its had the wheels changed back to gold coloured BBS alloys since these pics were taken, the owner even gave me a discount for that :laugh:











Offline blueseamonkey

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Re: Manila Mk2
« Reply #1 on: 29 July 2012, 10:22 »
2 days after getting it home, I parked it carefully outside my work. A junk shop truck reversed without looking and scratched all along the driver's side of the bonnet, fortunately stopping just before he smashed the windscreen. The driver ran off - he had no license, but I managed to track down the owner. He was a decent bloke and agreed to pay for the repairs - knowing otherwise I'd call the police!

These took longer than first thought, as the paint shop had problems with a nest of ants living somewhere in the car - apparently they liked the taste of the paint and came out to eat it every time they sprayed! :rolleyes: I ended up with a nicer looking finish on the bonnet than before, though the colour is just a tiny bit lighter - only noticeable when you look very close.

Its since developed the common uneven idle - improved (though not completely resolved) by changing all the vacuum tubes. Some difficulty starting - possibly due to a blocked fuel filter - which is on the list to replace. It was also running hot - although the temp gauge never went above halfway, it always seemed hotter than it should when I opened the bonnet.

A flush through of the coolant system resulted in lots of rusty sludge, putting in new coolant seemed to fix the overheating problem - for a few miles. Then the coolant pump developed a huge leak, wasting all the new coolant. Obviously the rusty sludge was all that was holding it together :angry: I've just taken the pump off this morning and it looks more like a part off a rusty old ship than anything that belongs on a car!

There is also possibly some kind of fault with the aircon compressor, though I will check that again once a new coolant pump is fitted, before getting it looked at as it could have been just a wet belt.

It would seem I have ended up with a car that has a good shell, lovely interior, but the engine has been desperately neglected... Good thing thats the bit I know most about fixing! I'm just hoping I can find all the parts I need. Hopefully it will be back on the road in 1-2 weeks, I'll try and get some new pics taken then too. While its up on jack stands I will change the gear oil, (going by the state of the coolant its probably never been changed.) The engine oil is still pretty clean and the oil filter looks new. Anything else I should look at while I've got it jacked up?
« Last Edit: 29 July 2012, 10:25 by blueseamonkey »

Offline blueseamonkey

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Re: Manila Mk2
« Reply #2 on: 29 July 2012, 10:28 »
By the way, if anyone's wondering why the German number plates have been left on underneath the Philippine ones, apparently thats the fashion here, to let people know your car is something different, not something available on the local market. Not sure yet if I can be bothered changing it.

Offline X4MGS

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Re: Manila Mk2
« Reply #3 on: 29 July 2012, 10:48 »
You sure it's a 92 model?

Reason I ask is that it's a CE1 (Dash Mounted Hazard Switch) and it's got small bumper side trim on the doors & Std Rear Lights...

Was it a German Registered Car that was imported or a special order for a dealer in Manila?

Just Interested to know....

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Offline blueseamonkey

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Re: Manila Mk2
« Reply #4 on: 29 July 2012, 11:07 »
Thanks for that Ken, you made me go back to have a look at the paperwork. Turns out different bits of paper say different things. Based on what you told me, and the evidence I have here, it looks like it was maybe a 1989 car, not 1992 after all! It was imported into the Philippines from Germany in 2000, then owned initially by a somewhat prominent politician. Whether he had it imported directly or bought it from a dealer who did the importing first I can't tell. I'd already discovered (while having the bonnet resprayed) that the original colour was white, so finding a few more surprises is not that unusual.

The owner before me was a bit of a collector of varied cars, I don't think he'd driven the Golf very far at all, except on one occasion he made into a great story. Seems like it kind of got forgotten amongst the crowd of others. Hopefully with a bit of loving care, I can get it back running how it should be.