GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk2 => Topic started by: Device on 22 October 2004, 14:50
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I have a '84 golfgti at the moment. What do you suggest is the best year for my next mark2 golf gti?
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people always say the later the better. but im more inclined now to go with condition rather than age.
if your going for a 16v then try for a late spec (Aug 89 onwards) big bumper model as these come with better brakes, all electrics, power steering etc.
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What you want to do with it?
I use mine as a track toy, so power steering etc. is a bit of a waste of time for me!
Solid body and sound engine is the best place to start. Condition over age any day!
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Well am not one for modifying my car. Someone just wants to either steal it or scratch it.
Like you said, looking for solid body and engine. The one i got just now is a solid car. I will run this car for a while yet. Suppose i would like to go for the 16v. Just wondering what year has best running gear as Gambit said Brakes etc. Am not to keen on power steering myself, i mean wat is the benifit of it, other than for parking? Just another thing that requires more than just DIY maintenence if it goes wrong. So powersteering is not a big priorty.
what year did the one piece windows come out? the 1st 16v came out in '85 right? DO you reckon the big bumpers look better?
I just wat a solid body and the best running gear brakes etc. A paint job does not make a car run.
What prices are we talking about for a 16v? Stereo and speakers in my car had been ripped out, wires cut everywhere. Wat was the standard set up in the '84, was it just two speakers in the parcel shelf?
Well i've just had the Tv licence people at my door. So need to start paying for the crap thats on tv. I knew i shouldnt have answered the door.
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late spec big bumper models have the best running gear, so try for one of them. although all of it can be retro fitted to earlier models if you can source the bits
look for a 1990 onwards
one piece window came about in 1987
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I think the one piece windows came out on the F-plate - but there could be some E - plates with it too - 1988 seems to be the year...
So did the early 16v not have the bigger brakes set up as the later 16 v models???
I thought all 16v brakes were the same.
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I think the one piece windows came out on the F-plate - but there could be some E - plates with it too - 1988 seems to be the year...
So did the early 16v not have the bigger brakes set up as the later 16 v models???
I thought all 16v brakes were the same.
your right about the windows ?:)
I thought the same about the brakes but it seems 89 onwards only got the bigger front discs ?:(
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the original VW Motoring Magazine from the 16v doesn't actually say.
however, in the beginning of 88 (mid E) the car moved onto the bigger front window surrounds, and the VW badge went to the middle on the rear panel. The slanted/italic Golf logo also appeared.
as far as i can tell most of the golfs had a couple of enhanced component changes, but nothing like the mechanical make over the 16v got.
essentially - everything changed. alot of components that changed also became ghost parts with the 357 code, which is the G60/Rallye code. this includes much of the steering, suspension and braking systems.
if you try and swap parts between a D/E and a late E 16v you will run into a lot of problems.
i thought the bigger brakes came with this change and not the late 89 make over, which only added big bumpers and PAS. However, in 89, they also started to remove bits and pieces, like eletric windows and sunroofs i think (dont quote me on this).
i don't think the late spec had better or different running gear from the late E model. the change in the running gear, if we are talking about things like bearings, changed in 1988.
the first reviews of the 16v were Feb 1987. So we are talking D at the earliest.
Tin
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Gambit said Brakes etc.? Am not to keen on power steering myself, i mean wat is the benifit of it, other than for parking? Just another thing that requires more than just DIY maintenence if it goes wrong. So powersteering is not a big priorty.
power steering should be a big priority on a car like this.
golfs are not light by any stretch of the imagination, and you can drive a PAS car hard with a lot more ease.
mine is non PAS and it takes alot more work to get it to perform on anything with a twist.
as for all this talk about bigger brakes, i'll quite happily accept that the later big bumper cars had bigger front discs, but its nothing to do with being better at stopping than the previous version, but everything to do with hauling down a bigger weight.
those big bumpers look nice but weigh a ton.
Tin
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the 16v PAS rack has less turns lock to lock than a non-PAS rack. so essentially its a quick rack.
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power steering is for girls? :P
and just a more expensive mot failiure point? ;)
my skinny short arse of a misses has no probs with non power steering? ;)
the golf steering wheel is huge to lighten the steering ;)
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They changed the windows on the golf in 88, which was half way through E. Mine is an E reg, and is the 88spec. Think thats prbably been said by now though! :-[
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i dont think they upgraded the brakes because of the extra weight a plastic bumper adds to the car. cos essentially that is what it is, a re designed plastic skin!
i would have thought it would have been to cope with the power upgrade of the 16v over 8v, and came about becasue of the over haul of the car in the late 80's/90's hence '90 spec'
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course you need power steering!! its not exactly a complicated system ??? the racks a bit quicker like gambit said then you can put on a smaller steering wheel for more control so you can drive it quicker :P
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So its '89 onwards for the 16v.
Gambit how come you sold your '91 16v?? and what year is big red??
redcap mentioned he uses his for the track and power steering is a waste of time for him. but been mentioned in this thread that you do need it for this car. ??
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Interesting stuff!
Now then, on my 1986 8v there is no power steering, and the 'feel' you get from the road is great.
I've not driven a mk2 golf with PAS but do drive quite a few modern cars through work (hire cars).
Lots have PAS - and I can't abide it!
Sure it's great for parking, but I find it unnerving at speed - especially on the M-way, as I can't 'feel' the road.
On occasion parking is a hassle in my golf - but it's usually because I'm lazy - and not concentrating enough!
***Remeber - I've not driven a PAS mk2 Golf though - I suspect they would feel abit more in touch with the road than a brand new rep-mobile
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The biggest advantage ive seen from my powersteering (performance wise) is it gives you the ability to turn corners with one hand while doing other things (hand break, Great Change, Handing a sick bag to a passanger etc) Also, at the last newark i was speeking to two other Golf 2 Driver drivers, And they where all saying the problem with non PAS cars is that the larger tires sorta train track and make it harder to turn the corners, Ive never experenced this with my PAS ;D
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PAS on a mk2 doesnt feel light as like in most cars. infact anybody who drove my old 16v didnt know it had power steerin till i told them!!
with the PAS you can get a lot more turn on the sharper corners due to the quicker rack.
tbh i can live without in the new one. but if i had a choice i would take PAS if i could get it.
my 91 16v was sold due to a rusty inner arch, so i got rid of it while i could.
new one is an 89 and is totally rust free all over!! but that was at a premium. i paid ?500 more for the new one than what i paid for the old one 2yrs ago!!
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I've not driven a mk2 golf with PAS but do drive quite a few modern cars through work (hire cars).
Lots have PAS - and I can't abide it!
Sure it's great for parking, but I find it unnerving at speed - especially on the M-way, as I can't 'feel' the road.
every type of car has a different PAS system.
the Nissan Bluebird we had for S2N2003 had fingertip touch steering at any speed. the 827 i had for S2N2004 (and probably 5) has slightly harder PAS with speed control, but the steering feels extremely light at over a ton. My MGTF has superb PAS, firms up just enough at high speed, is light enough around town, and leaves me in touch with its front wheels at all times.
at the end of the day - every car is different.
i did go out in a mates PAS Mk2, and although it wasn't as heavy as mine, it wasn't exactly as light as the modern PAS cars can be.
i still love my old NON PAS mk2 though. its like a work out everytime i take her out.
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i ave a mk2 without power steering with 17's on and a sparco wheel and i am only a thin chap and i ave no trouble with it at all iused to ave a small omp wheel and parkin was a bit ov a pain but apart from that non-powered i prefer seems to be more precise...its just an opinion
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redcap mentioned he uses his for the track and power steering is a waste of time for him. but been mentioned in this thread that you do need it for this car. ??
the you wouldn't have pas in a track day car is mainly down to weight. the rack is sustantially heavier plus you have all the other auxilleries that go with it.