BUYING GUIDE Mk3 Golf Rust

[madmanmart]

I seem to find its the 95-96 or 'N' to 'P' reg cars that have the most rust.

[thai-wronghorse]

All 3 of my mk3's have been that age without any rust issues though.

[Wayne]

My 1996 P had one tiny bit on the sill around where the door rubber sits but otherwise all ok, guess I was lucky.

[Shady Pioneer]

I seem to find its the 95-96 or 'N' to 'P' reg cars that have the most rust.

You seen my '94 valver?

[madmanmart]

Must be luck of the draw then. 

[Shady Pioneer]

Now kids, if you're going to buy a MK3 Golf, follow the guide indicated in the first post, but also for further clarification, here is my '94 valver's sills:



Always make sure you check under the sill covers!

[boneybradley]

Shady I recon that has started from the inside out (or had a bad repair?)...... so it's worth checking for water leaks and pulling the door seal off to check around the seams!

and later cars used galvanised steel (it's just VW bought cheap to cut costs!.. I believe the steel was sourced from Russia?? Need I say more?)

[Shady Pioneer]

It most likely was from the inside out seeing as the inner sills were basically non-existant. The door seal has some rust but enough to start this. It was caused by a very bad bodged job on both sides of the car, the repairs were just quick fixes and just caused more issues.

[VW BUSH]

I sympathise with you Shady, on my old one the jack went right through the sill.
I had to wreck a pirrelli and drive it to a tyre fitter
My new one however is in the shop having the jacking points fixed and re-enforced.
I must say i bought the least rusty Mk3 i could find and I saw some rusty ones right across from 92 to 98 plates.
It seems purely luck of the draw for most of the normal rust, but most of the sill problems come from buggered jacking points and the damage resulting from falling off the jack.
I think if you own a Mk3 then you need a proper jack in the boot, makes a good anchor too 

[tweed]

I made wooden ramps to drive up so I can jack it up from the sub frame and rear beam.