GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk3 => Golf mk3 gallery => Topic started by: Gavv8 on 26 June 2011, 15:43
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I thought i would put up a few words about my 'dub ride', it's a 1996 3 door 8v in dragon green , basically it's been in my family since it was a year old when my younger brother bought it from carrs of truro for proper money at the time, he maintained it regardless of cost with a main dealer history up to 90000 miles and including a £2000 respray to the rear half of the car after vandal damage in 1999.
In 2004 he decided to upgrade to a mk4 3 door 1.8T and sold the mk3 to my youngest brother who also continued to look after it although at a VW specialist rather than main dealer and owned it up until april this year and on 126000 miles when he changed job and needed something much more economical so he put it on ebay....i found out about it and having admired it all it's life and being a sentimental old fart decided it needed to stay in the family so i bought it off him for a bag'o'sand which i think was a fair price.
So there we are, i've been through it top to bottom and it's in excellent condition with no rust in the arches or sills and only 2 small scabs under the rubber trim along the top of the sills that have been treated properly and a small scab where the tailgate electrics grommet is at the top of the body which will be treated properly over the summer, i have a box file full of history and bills for work done to the car over the years and it drives very well and feels tight and solid.
The only thing that lets it down are the shocks which are tired and will be replaced when i get a week off work to do it.
It's not a rare or special GTi but it's a bit like a family pet and it's still a really good drive after all these years and hopefully will give many more years of reliable service.
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Sound a gud un mate. What are your plans now then? What sort of shocks you going for then, Standard or Lowered?? You keeping it relatively standard or are there any mods in the pipeline? Love it when its kept in the family like that, you know its a solid base and nothing hidden in its past. :smiley:
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Plan on keeping it standard on a 'clean and replace' basis although i think i will lower it slightly with some good quality shocks and springs just because i've seen a few that have a subtle drop and it looks really good i'll also replace the mid box with a stainless one just for long life
although i keep seeing some very nice and very subtle modded mk3's on this forum and it's really hard to resist :grin:
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Nice story, sounds like a good one gav, enjoy it :smiley:
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Well the old mk3 has given a years trouble free service so far, it's been dropped 40mm at the front and 35mm at the rear on spax shocks and now has a scorpion oval tailbox which i like a lot, sounds nice and deep but not stupid loud.
The airbox has been modded as per advice from the forum and apart from service items hasn't needed anything doing, next up is to start replacing the bushes gradually over the summer to keep it driving sweet.
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First time I've noticed this tread...
sounds like you've got a gooden there!
how about some recent pics of what you've done to it
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I'm trying to find a splitter/lip that i like, soon as i do i'll give it a good clean and get some pictures up.
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(http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc477/gavv8/036.jpg)
Starting to get it close to how i want it, gave it a good clean today and got the tracking done on the front and i'm still on the look out for a vento gl splitter but for now i'm just going to enjoy it.
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Looks a very nice stance Mate.....the VR splitter will make loads of difference to the lowering as well :cool:
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Thanks mate and those shocks are working really well on the car, i know they are only s/h but fitting them has made me realise how much of a difference it makes to the look of the mk3 so when they need replacing i'll be putting some coilovers on to keep that sweet stance.
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A year and a half in to mk3 ownership and still enjoying every turn of the wheels......and with that i claim my first thousandth post...yayy me.. :cool:
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A year and a half in to mk3 ownership and still enjoying every turn of the wheels......and with that i claim my first thousandth post...yayy me.. :cool:
:cool: another happy mk3 owner
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Now with VR splitter new front tyres and top mounts , i think can hear a bit of bearing noise at the back so next job will be discs/pads/bearings.
+green dice valve caps... :cool:
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Looks nice that Gav think some nicer wheels would set it off though..
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Thanks and yeah i know what you mean, i prefer oem and although they are not to everyones taste i really like the earlier 'le mans' alloys so i might get a set of those and spray them gunmetal.
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Coilovers purchased and going on next weekend hopefully as well as rear wiper delete and then a new windscreen and new discs/pads/bearings at the back if i get time.
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(http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc477/gavv8/061-1.jpg)
Coilovers fitted and adjusted.
(http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc477/gavv8/062-1.jpg)
Low enough i think.
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(http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc477/gavv8/074-1.jpg)
(http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc477/gavv8/072-1.jpg)
All cleaned up and trim blacked, rear wiper deleted and aerial shortened , now looks pretty much as i want it and aside from some new brakes and a new windscreen this is pretty much how it will stay although i would like to try the yellow headlamp mod. :smiley:
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Looks good although I think you need to come down on the rear a little more to balance the stance better.
Oh and you missed a bit of trim (tow eye cover...). :grin:
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I noticed the tow eye cover too and rushed out to sort it.. :grin: and i've still got 205's on the back which catch if i go any lower so i'll replace them with 195's when they wear out then wind it down a bit more.
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Really feeling this! And I'm never a fan of Dragon Green so that's saying something :)
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looks ace that.. :cool:
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Thanks guys, really appreciate the positive comments and from people who know their mk3's.. :smiley:
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(http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc477/gavv8/075-2.jpg)
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^^^That's a fab pic^^^
The car looks really great, you should be very proud.
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(http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc477/gavv8/075-1.jpg)
Looks spot on!! Very nicely done there mr gavv
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Looks awesome mate. :afro:
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Thanks for the really kind comments, i'm getting quite attached to this old banger now.. :grin:
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Looks very nice in that picture sitting well :wink:
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everything tells me i should hate this car, but it's just so clean and tidy, really love the look :)
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sacrificed my first spoiler to the gods of low... :sad: :evil: :grin:
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Now looking for a proper Vr spoiler..
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OK...one week in to daily use of my car with coilovers on and set quite low and i'm not so sure about it, i can live with the ride but the bouncy front end is very wearing and it does ground out occasionally on sunken man-hole covers which is annoying, i can't run with a vr spoiler which i liked so i think i'm going to raise the front slightly and try another vr spoiler when i can find a genuine one.
On a nice dry flat road its great to drive with really sharp turn in and lovely flat cornering but as a daily i'm not sure its worth the compromise, i read up on the subject a lot so i knew it would change the nature of the car and i didn't buy cheap coilovers and i love the way it looks but it has to work for a living and i like to push on a bit on a good road and it becomes hard work running low so i'll see what its like over the next few weeks and if its any different raised a few cm's.
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I'm in the same boat as you (no pun intended) as my coilovers are set as low as they will go at the front without the driveshafts hitting the chassis legs going over bumps. Spot on out on the open road but real choppy ride on bad roads and like you I don't have cheap coilovers. Not really good for a daily driver. I've resorted to simply just cruising everywhere. Its seen my average mpg rise to about 45 so its all good. Gonna get another daily to keep the Mk3 in good nick. Also my cheap ass Vr spoiler lasted less than a week so I just run a normal gti one now and think it looks better without the snow plough look. Gonna swap my Leon Cupra for a VR6 or something similar for a daily.
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I do have an ulterior motive with the vr spoiler though as round where i live we tend to get a lot of debris from trees and the like and the deeper spoiler gives some protection to the underside.. :grin:
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Ok, raised the front coilovers 10mm last night and today it drives like a different car, not bouncy at all, can 10mm make that much difference??....happy again.. :smiley:
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(http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc477/gavv8/005-3.jpg)
SWDubs summer-ish bonanza 2012
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Nice pic, I like the rear badge :)
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Nice pic, I like the rear badge :)
I mistaken it for a lexus badge to begin with :grin:
I see your golf is suffering from the dreaded sill strip thing?
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I went through loads of vr splitters including a genuine one. Genuine ones are good as they flex a lot more, but gotta screw that fecker on or you'll lose it.
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I stole the pac-man badge idea from Kempies wagon :grin: and yeah the trim strip on the drivers side is a mess and patched up with electrical tape until i get around to sourcing another one.
I'm on my second VR spoiler now, newest one lasted less than 24 hours and is now held together with screws and a strip of metal at the back.. this one was from GSF and is better than the last one but couldn't cope with the gravel in the centre of the road that had just been re-surfaced, i'll try and find a genuine one unless a vento one comes up on ebay.
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Clutch cable retainer broke yesterday, luckily halfway on the drive!
(http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc477/gavv8/001-5.jpg)
New one sourced from the main dealer who luckily had one in stock.
(http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc477/gavv8/002-7.jpg)
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This has happened to me before, its so annoying! and such a small simple part as well! AT least it's an easy fix :)
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This has happened to me before, its so annoying! and such a small simple part as well! AT least it's an easy fix :)
Common failure apparently and i also managed to get a new sill trim ordered up to replace the rotten o/s one :smiley:
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Looks great :cool:
Makes me think I may just keep my longbeach alloys and drop it a lil more
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Looks great :cool:
Makes me think I may just keep my longbeach alloys and drop it a lil more
Thanks! i'm a bit of an oem fan and a tight arse so i like to work with what i've got and spend money where its needed and i also think the mk3 had some great standard features.
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Looks great :cool:
Makes me think I may just keep my longbeach alloys and drop it a lil more
Thanks! i'm a bit of an oem fan and a tight arse so i like to work with what i've got and spend money where its needed and i also think the mk3 had some great standard features.
Yep im starting to think OEM+ subtle stylee for my mk3. I have black Vr leather tho if thats allowed :grin:
I need to do something about the smoked indicators//fogs, not 100% sure of them :huh:
Oh and sorry to hijack yer thread..
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Thats ok i'm not as fussy as some others, VR leather is oem+ and thats fine by me and i'm pretty sure smoked lenses were standard on some mk3's too.
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Trashed another VR spoiler thanks to large rocks in the road on my drive to work, had enough now and going back to the standard GTi spoiler.
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Much banging/rattling/knocking from underneath...center box support rubbers collapsed... :angry:
*Seems the issues run deeper than i thought, new rear beam bushes/discs/pads/bearings/handbrake cable ordered up for a major refresh.
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New rear discs/pads/bearings/handbrake cables and front pads and the rattling/vibration coming from the exhaust that has had me scratching my head for over a week now turned out to be a big stone wedged between the mid box hangers and the cross-member underneath it.......B*%$OCKS... :angry:
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(http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc477/gavv8/golf2012_zpsacaba056.jpg)
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^^ :cool:
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Only just stumbled across this thread, looks tidy mate.
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Thanks for the nice comments, i've got the coilovers at just the right height now for everyday use although i still have to watch out for big stones in the road (i live in the sticks) as i've hit a few recently with luckily no damage, tough old barges these mk3's.
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The old crate seems to be motoring along without any major problems, a good clean/wax/engine clean/take the sill covers off and clean and re-grease before winter and go round the underneath and give all the brake lines a good coating of white grease before m.o.t time in december, there is also a nasty chip in the w/screen on the passenger side so i'll see what happens on the test as i'd rather not replace it before winter.
The n/s top mount is creaking again after only 3 months on coilovers so i might change both sides out if i can find some uprated VR ones, also try and give it a quick oil change if i get time otherwise its onwards until next year when i'll have another good look over it and maybe start on the de-plastic and bottom half respray plans.
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...
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Don't let them get to you bud!
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...
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it nothing new on here pal.. some really sh!te moderation skills
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(http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc477/gavv8/010-4.jpg)
(http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc477/gavv8/009-3.jpg)
Removed all the sill trims today and got as much of that bloody sticky stuff off as i could, the sill's themselves are all in pretty good condition although the n/s is better than the o/s which has a small 2p sized hole near the front arch which i'll get patched at the next mot in december.
Gave them a good clean and wax and cleaned out the rust traps at the ends of the sills in the wheelarches so next job is to get underneath and re-coat all the brake and fuel lines with white grease before winter.
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Lucky you, I've really got to get around to whipping my skirts off before the weather gets really bad and I'm not looking forward to it tbh. I know they were fine when i bought the car a couple of years ago but they haven't been off since and it's not had much love the past year or so. :undecided:
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Just turned 145000 miles and still going strong, needs some new bushes in the shift tower because the gearchange gets a bit notchy at times and could do with some paintwork repairs, all of which i'll do if it ever stops raining.
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just read the whole thread.. nice clean dragon green! if you can get it looking this good on long beaches you're onto a winner :wink:
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Will be pulling my sill covers off soon,hope they are as good as your mate, nice car!
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Cheers fella's, i had a good poke around underneath while i was re-hanging the middle box the other day and it all still seems pretty solid, i have noticed that there are some tiny rust scabs forming on the drivers side sill under the door so i'm going to completely strip the sills, treat any rust and then paint them with stone chip and dragon green over the top as i don't like the black sill look.. thats if it ever stops raining... the plan this year is paintwork paintwork and more paintwork...
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got any full car pics with the sills off?
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There you go, bit dark as the weather is cr*p.
(http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc477/gavv8/004_zps663fe11e.jpg)
(http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc477/gavv8/005_zps8d415c6f.jpg)
(http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc477/gavv8/002_zpsc9d181c0.jpg)
(http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc477/gavv8/001_zps96dae773.jpg)
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Both my rear arches were shot so I'm never taking my sill covers off, too damn scary lol
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Get those arches off! Looking good mate :)
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Cheers Dan!.. the arches will be coming off in the summer when i do the rest of the paintwork.
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:D Good lad!
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I really like the arches look! gives it definition, i think you should keep em on! :evil:
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I like them on too but getting rid of another rust trap is part of the road to mk3 happiness.. :grin:
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I like them on too but getting rid of another rust trap is part of the road to mk3 happiness.. :grin:
'Like'
Lol, sign of a someone who truly understands mk3 ownership!
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And i pass 2000 posts.......of completely inane drivel........ :cool:
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Ok...new rear discs/pads/bearings today...a swine of a job due to seized carrier bolts that was solved with my new best friends the Irwin extractor family, also fitted new top mounts and bearings and generally had a good poke around underneath to see if there is anything left after the harsh winter.. generally ok apart from a hole in the sill under the o/s/f around one of the rubber plugs so some welding is on the cards this summer, this seems to be the only serious rot on the sills but we'll see what happens when i get it on the ramps and get a proper diagnosis.
I also seem to have a leak from the gearbox where the shifter goes in at the top, topped up the fluid and it doesn't appear to have lost much but it looks like another job to add to the list.. :sad:.
I also noticed that GSF were doing a discount on brake parts so snapped up a new set of front discs for £24 the pair.. :afro:.
Onwards and upwards.
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(http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc477/gavv8/golf2013_zps2760b4c2.jpg) (http://s1213.photobucket.com/user/gavv8/media/golf2013_zps2760b4c2.jpg.html)
Much work to be done this summer...small amount of welding..some paintwork..gearbox shifter leak.. and new rear beam bushes..
Change of plan as due to all of the above it will now be laid up long term.
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new pic looking sweet man. you got the mk3 so clean, as it should be! :)
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Cheers buddy! :smiley:
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I like them on too but getting rid of another rust trap is part of the road to mk3 happiness.. :grin:
so long as its done properly as the mk3 lowered without arch protectors against the lip can easily cause rust spots as stone chips appear. So do it right and it will look okay, but the CL/GL side strips aren't as wide looking.
My old mk3
(http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u85/dTEA_Veedubs/car%20for%20sale/Old%208v%20MM3/onreturnfromchristys.jpg)
Against arches
(http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u85/dTEA_Veedubs/car%20for%20sale/Old%208v%20MM3/carfrombackwheelsangled.jpg)
Thing with the arches, they help define the drop better, and I always felt mine looked as tho it was sat higher without te arches so I put em back on. :undecided:
Looking goo tho fella
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I've decided to keep mine on, i had a look behind them and the arches are fine so if they've lasted this long they'll be ok for a while longer and i think they are part of the 'GTi' look.
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I've decided to keep mine on, i had a look behind them and the arches are fine so if they've lasted this long they'll be ok for a while longer and i think they are part of the 'GTi' look.
yeah man arches all the way!
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I've decided to keep mine on, i had a look behind them and the arches are fine so if they've lasted this long they'll be ok for a while longer and i think they are part of the 'GTi' look.
late made p and r reg seemed to avoid some of the poor build quality they are famed for. Mine was solid as hell. Still regret selling it.
Yours just looks right.
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Cheers chaps, yeah i think i'm just lucky with mine as its a pretty straight old thing and i've seen some that i know were made around the same time as mine and are basket cases, i do believe that dragon green is the colour that suits the mk3 best and has aged well too and i'm a big fan of the 'less is more' clean and low look.
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I've decided to keep mine on, i had a look behind them and the arches are fine so if they've lasted this long they'll be ok for a while longer and i think they are part of the 'GTi' look.
late made p and r reg seemed to avoid some of the poor build quality they are famed for. Mine was solid as hell. Still regret selling it.
Yours just looks right.
You sure? My r reg valver was fecked before I started onit!
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Really seems to be 'pot luck' with later mk3's.
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Cheers chaps, yeah i think i'm just lucky with mine as its a pretty straight old thing and i've seen some that i know were made around the same time as mine and are basket cases, i do believe that dragon green is the colour that suits the mk3 best and has aged well too and i'm a big fan of the 'less is more' clean and low look.
:afro: liking your dragon green one mate i think its a decent colour and really comes up well with a good polish etc drop looks nice to i agree with the fact the arch trim and skirts define the mk3 gti and any drop looks lower :cool:
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It seems to me that the country of origin makes a difference though. But suppose it seems that way as they are the ones I've viewed or known and owned.
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Ok, basically i'll be laying the mk3 up long term in a few months when the m.o.t runs out, it'll either be replaced by a mk2 or something totally different depending on whether i can decide if a mk2 can cope with daily driver duties which is looking like a bit of a pipe dream.....TBC......
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:undecided:
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Get it sorted then and fall in love with it again.
Not worth getting rid, you'll just want it back like I did I think!
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:undecided:
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Nope...its no good..despite planning to replace my mk3 with something else i just can't do it.....it would be like walking away from a friend who's never let you down..... so..it needs a small amount of welding on the o/s sill...some paintwork....the gearbox is leaking a bit where the shift rod goes in and the suspension needs freshening up.....it still drives great...doesn't use a drop of oil or water and the interior is almost mint....everything works as it should and i've got £3000 to spend.....ideas?
abf or vr6 it?
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Nope...its no good..despite planning to replace my mk3 with something else i just can't do it.....it would be like walking away from a friend who's never let you down..... so..it needs a small amount of welding on the o/s sill...some paintwork....the gearbox is leaking a bit where the shift rod goes in and the suspension needs freshening up.....it still drives great...doesn't use a drop of oil or water and the interior is almost mint....everything works as it should and i've got £3000 to spend.....ideas?
Id go on a uber road trip, maybe take it home :smiley:
Id actually go and buy a syncro if i go germany though :lipsrsealed:
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OK..yet another change of plans.. my wife has decided she needs something a bit bigger to fit our grandsons buggy and car seat in while still having space for kids/shopping and stuff she has to carry around as part of her job so most of my budget is going towards that, my 17 year old daughter wants to learn to drive so i'm going to have to help her out with some driving lessons as i refuse to try teaching her myself.
The result of this is that the mk3 is staying for the time being, i've got a quote of about £150 to do the small amount of welding underneath and my uncle-in-law is going to do the rear subframe bushes at his garage for 'family rates'.. so aside from the gearbox leak which isn't doing any harm as long as i keep it topped up it should be good for a little while yet, i may replace the coilovers with -60mm shocks and springs as i've got a good set of koni's in the garage which just need some new springs.
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Good news!
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Good news!
We'll see... :undecided:
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(http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc477/gavv8/golf_zpsb99237fa.jpg) (http://s1213.photobucket.com/user/gavv8/media/golf_zpsb99237fa.jpg.html)
Its still alive.............. :smug:
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Good photo...!!!!
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(http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc477/gavv8/golf_zpsb99237fa.jpg) (http://s1213.photobucket.com/user/gavv8/media/golf_zpsb99237fa.jpg.html)
Its still alive.............. :smug:
(http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa478/screech16v/lexuscement_zps27de32be.jpg) (http://s1199.photobucket.com/user/screech16v/media/lexuscement_zps27de32be.jpg.html)
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:laugh:
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Ok... it'll be going to the scrappy in a few weeks time because i can't be arsed with it anymore and i fancy something newer and comfier..probably small and french.
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Ok... it'll be going to the scrappy in a few weeks time because i can't be arsed with it anymore and i fancy something newer and comfier..probably small and french.
This is a joke right :huh:
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Far from it, its old and worn out and i'm fed up with fixing stupid little things all the time.
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Amen ................ Gav has seen the light :grin:
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Don't get me wrong it's been a good car but i went looking at 207 hdi's the other evening and they made me wonder why i was bothering with the mk3, i'd replace it with something else VW but your just paying a premium for the badge.
Ideally i'd like to get a cheap mk2 to muck about with but i won't have anywhere to store it until january so until then its time to move on.
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Is the 207 HDI using any of the bits from the older 307? If so the gearbox,clutch and valves are weak. Just saying....it's French. :lipsrsealed:
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speak to Thom89 - he will gladly advise on Pugs :wink:
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Is the 207 HDI using any of the bits from the older 307? If so the gearbox,clutch and valves are weak. Just saying....it's French. :lipsrsealed:
The newer stuff is loads better, 06 onwards tend not to suffer with anywhere near the problems of the older ones.
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I've read that there were clutch and gearbox issues on 107/207 up till 09 plate cars but they fitted a bigger stronger clutch after that.
speak to Thom89 - he will gladly advise on Pugs :wink:
PM sent.. :smiley:
Based on some invaluable help from Thom89 i'll be going for a 207 hdi 1.4/1.6.
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very nice man that thom89, just dont tell him :whistle:
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very nice man that thom89, just dont tell him :whistle:
:whistle:
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:cool: yep he knows his pugs :sick:
and :afro:
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:whistle:
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Hope you have fun in your panda, only 15bhp less the the 8v :wink:. Mk3s are good cars but I Havnt looked back since selling up
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is it the sport Panda ?
mate had one, good for round town and the twisties, :evil: fooking killer on a long haul :sick:
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:whistle: