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Model specific boards => Golf mk3 => Topic started by: bendemora on 23 February 2011, 16:04

Title: My Mk3 Golf.... currently undecided whether or not to just scrap the thing!
Post by: bendemora on 23 February 2011, 16:04
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa448/bendemora/Screenshot2011-02-23at160458.png)


I've had it for LESS than two weeks, it's already cost me £400 in parts and labour (notwithstanding the several hours I've spent on it too), and it still has a pile of stuff wrong with it. Annoyingly, for the first 5 days after I bought it, it ran absolutely fine - then it started going wrong.

Let's hope my relationship with this car gets better - it can't really get much worse.
Title: Re: My Mk3 Golf.... currently undecided whether or not to just scrap the thing!
Post by: Deano2711 on 23 February 2011, 16:29
Looks a nice clean motor Mate and well worth doing. What is wrong with it ??  I am sure that when you get this running right you will enjoy it  :wink:
Title: Re: My Mk3 Golf.... currently undecided whether or not to just scrap the thing!
Post by: snifferdog on 23 February 2011, 19:09
Welcome mate. If youre prepared to get your hands dirty and use the forum for advice then you could save a fortune! These cars are easy to work on and your relationship with it will soon improve!
Title: Re: My Mk3 Golf.... currently undecided whether or not to just scrap the thing!
Post by: Len on 23 February 2011, 20:09
Welcome mate, hope you get it sorted soon and begin to enjoy the car.
Post in the Mk3 section whats wrong
Title: Re: My Mk3 Golf.... currently undecided whether or not to just scrap the thing!
Post by: Wayne on 24 February 2011, 16:49
Welcome to the forum, keep with it, lots of advice freely available in the mk3 section.
Title: Re: My Mk3 Golf.... currently undecided whether or not to just scrap the thing!
Post by: The Mighty Elvi on 24 February 2011, 18:23
 :lipsrsealed:
Title: Re: My Mk3 Golf.... currently undecided whether or not to just scrap the thing!
Post by: Cov golf on 24 February 2011, 20:46
Hello and welcome
Title: Re: My Mk3 Golf.... currently undecided whether or not to just scrap the thing!
Post by: bendemora on 24 February 2011, 22:41
OK, so...

Things just improved significantly with my GTI :-)

All the "problems" that were being reported by numerous flashy lights on my clocks (oil pressure warning, check engine warning, brakes warning, coolant warning, PAS warning..) were all fixed in one fell swoop with a can of WD40 and a screwdriver.

On a hunch, I took the clocks off and sprayed the plug with some contact fluid, gave it all a good clean and plugged it back in. Started it up, and.....

All is cherry. No warning lights, car is perfectly happy.

thank smeg for that!!!! I have since apologized to the car profusely for cursing it and calling all sorts of unrepeatable names.

We are now friends... and it's actually a charming little thing to drive, now that I'm used to the way it drives. My last car was a Porsche Boxster (1999 2.5 litre) - and as I'm sure you can imagine, the Mk3 Golf GTI feels a little...different!

I've decided not to treat the car just as a runaround, but instead to embark on a restoration project and get it as good as I can. Some of you have done some amazing things with their Mk3s - I'm going to be looking around for inspiration on what to tackle first! I think to be honest it's going to need to be the suspension. I just don't like how it's so soft on corners, so that's gotta be changed :-)

Here's hoping I won't need to cry for help too often in this forum, but the support I got from you all this time was wicked, many thanks!
Title: Re: My Mk3 Golf.... currently undecided whether or not to just scrap the thing!
Post by: HeavySmoker on 25 February 2011, 01:34
OK, so...

Things just improved significantly with my GTI :-)

All the "problems" that were being reported by numerous flashy lights on my clocks (oil pressure warning, check engine warning, brakes warning, coolant warning, PAS warning..) were all fixed in one fell swoop with a can of WD40 and a screwdriver.

On a hunch, I took the clocks off and sprayed the plug with some contact fluid, gave it all a good clean and plugged it back in. Started it up, and.....

All is cherry. No warning lights, car is perfectly happy.

thank smeg for that!!!! I have since apologized to the car profusely for cursing it and calling all sorts of unrepeatable names.

We are now friends... and it's actually a charming little thing to drive, now that I'm used to the way it drives. My last car was a Porsche Boxster (1999 2.5 litre) - and as I'm sure you can imagine, the Mk3 Golf GTI feels a little...different!

I've decided not to treat the car just as a runaround, but instead to embark on a restoration project and get it as good as I can. Some of you have done some amazing things with their Mk3s - I'm going to be looking around for inspiration on what to tackle first! I think to be honest it's going to need to be the suspension. I just don't like how it's so soft on corners, so that's gotta be changed :-)

Here's hoping I won't need to cry for help too often in this forum, but the support I got from you all this time was wicked, many thanks!

now you've just got to decide between coilies or old school shocks and springs  :grin:

welcome mate
Title: Re: My Mk3 Golf.... currently undecided whether or not to just scrap the thing!
Post by: GOLF_STU on 25 February 2011, 21:26
welcome  :cool:
Title: Re: My Mk3 Golf.... currently undecided whether or not to just scrap the thing!
Post by: snifferdog on 26 February 2011, 21:06
Glad to hear you got it sorted mate! They can be great fun cars if you sort the suspension and tweak a few other things!
Title: Re: My Mk3 Golf.... currently undecided whether or not to just scrap the thing!
Post by: Toby on 27 February 2011, 11:49
you went from a boxter to a mk3  :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:  :lipsrsealed: Welcome.. and Enjoy  :smiley:
Title: Re: My Mk3 Golf.... currently undecided whether or not to just scrap the thing!
Post by: dom on 27 February 2011, 13:31
you went from a boxter to a mk3  :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:  :lipsrsealed: Welcome.. and Enjoy  :smiley:

:laugh: I bet that was a shock :lipsrsealed: