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Model specific boards => Golf mk4 => Topic started by: hardmonkeys on 15 May 2026, 11:27
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hey all,
I bought a 2001 on an' X' plate, I bought it off a friend of mine back in October 2025, with intentions of getting it back to looking good again.
My friend is a boat builder/repairer, and it was a daily driver until he got himself a van, when it was just used at weekends. He used to have the workshop across the way from me, so I seen the car every day, and knew he'd looked after it.
He sold the car to his dad who used it as a daily again, which was great to see again. Unfortunately his dad became ill and died about 2yrs later, it was left on the driveway for a while looking very sorry for itself, so my friend had it back and used it again. He had the chain done, the clutch and DMF, and also the power steering rack, all BIG costly jobs.
Since ive had it, I've not really done much to it, until in my ultimate wisdom, decided to want to show it at Simply VW at Beaulieu :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :whistle: booked it in January for May 24th...
so...HERE WE ARE!
9days away, and still looking the same
(https://i.postimg.cc/Cxnn93Dq/B4783D5B-217C-4ECC-A19B-7EF43A2E5792.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/75DL2QKH)
(https://i.postimg.cc/RZJJ2kfY/IMG-4124.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/rDcprYfG)
(https://i.postimg.cc/sg21RtWy/IMG-5295.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/vcpGr2XS)
(https://i.postimg.cc/g2BjcNyj/IMG-5296.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/pmzRqQ6M)
(https://i.postimg.cc/bwFrY30G/IMG-5297.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/VJnmD9V1)
(https://i.postimg.cc/7ZQhPm15/IMG-5298.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/cvw0X7bW)
I tried to rub the bumper down, as you can see its in a terrible way. Theres quite a bit of filler in there, so decided to get another rear bumper, I'll get that spray up with the next few days.
The wheels weren't in that bad a condition to be honest, so I was just going to tidy them up, remove any kerb rash, and spruce then up...then I was contemplating changing the colour
(https://i.postimg.cc/yd4GFChh/IMG-5280.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/sBmKr8N1)
(https://i.postimg.cc/zBZQnYwP/IMG-5281.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/xk5g274K)
(https://i.postimg.cc/mDfnQW3p/IMG-5282.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/CZ7JgtQb)
I was toying with black, copper/bronze or anthracite...
I decided on Anthracite
(https://i.postimg.cc/c4bXRN0z/IMG-5304.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/QHcQDwBg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/sgGKK0gq/IMG-5310.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/68wdpcRf)
while it was up in the air, I took a look underneath and noticed a broken spring
(https://i.postimg.cc/J4kBFwjH/IMG-5305.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/RNvF3Dsv)
MARVELLOUS!!
so, I think thats a good excuse to put some lowering springs on it :whistle:
(https://i.postimg.cc/FzQ75zyq/IMG-5299.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/bD3z1zFH)
I think while the wheels are off, im going to clean and paint the calipers too, thinking of going red.
I'll keep updating this when I can
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I’ve only just spotted this discussion topic as I don’t venture onto the mk4 forum board very often these days, but I always really like seeing someone taking the trouble to put some love back into an old(er) Golf. I have a soft spot for a mk4 Golf as my first VW was a mk4 (sadly not a 2.8 V6 4-Motion) and in its day it felt quite premium compared to the likes of an Astra or Focus, with little touches like the blue instrument illumination, the really high quality feeling row of switches below the centre air vents, the small third sun visor behind the rear view mirror and the chrome tie down hooks in the boot.
I hope you managed to get the car ready in time for the Simply VW event at Beaulieu on 24 May and I hope you’ll provide an update on how the project progressed, along with some more pictures (please!).
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riiiiiiighhhht,
So, yes the car made it to Beaulieu, it wasn't 'completely' how I wanted it, I should've used the time I had wisely and not left it all yo the last minute, as per usual with me.
it drove great up there, we had a great time, not sure if it had any attention, as I was too busy perving at others.
On the way back, it stuttered a bit, I thought maybe because of the heat, it was struggling, we carried on, until it stalled....and cut out...I managed to get it going again, however it did it 3 or 4 times, and in the end we admitted defeat and got a piggy back home courtesy of the RAC.
Luckily, we weren't too long standing waiting, about 2 hrs, not too bad considering it was a Bank Holiday Weekend.
got it back to my unit, where I left it until I had a minute to look at it.
after some investigating and head scratching, I found a few connections that had corroded so I repaired them, and it ran!! Great I thought, however the next day it did the same, head scratching again, I figured its got to be fuel related, as the pump wasn't priming, changed that, still the same, however this one primed, so gathered that COULD have been something else.
Checked for spark at the plugs, nothing!! IGNITION RELATED!! checked around the leading and coil etc, and as I was moving wires around, a plug came away too easily, near where I was messing around fitting a cam sensor a few months back, connected it back up, started first time!!!
It's been fine since, although now the fuel gauge doesn't read properly, I ran out of fuel twice when the gauge is saying 1/8 full, so thats something else to look into, I drove it 671 miles in 8 days, and aside of running out of fuel 0.6 miles from home, It ran beautifully.
Plans are:
Full Service.
Tidy up the bodywork and interior
Re-Badge it with 'GOLF' 'V6' and '4Motion
it needs some loving, its been that 'bargain basement' car, and hopefully values will eventually rise
Pics to follow