GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk3 => Topic started by: Obvious on 24 May 2008, 22:23
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Well I posted sometime ago that I was thinking about getting rid of my 8V and moving up to a VR6 or 16V. Now for the past good 2 weeks I have looked at a good 15+ cars, and have to say, I am well and truly dissapointed with the condition and some of the daft asking prices people are asking for them. I mean my 8V is in no means 'mint/ concours show standard' but out of all the cars I've looked at over the past 2 weeks it puts them all to shame.
I have looked at a number of so called enthuiast owned cars, which were alleged to be 'mint' but upon viewing I swear ever panel has dents in, (some very major) leathered in stone chips and scratches(retouched i, in the wrong colour). Electrics that don't won't, major gaps in the service history. I remember 2 and half years ago, when I was first looked for a Mk3 Golf, after getting rid of my Mk2 and there was an abundance of clean cars but these days I'm struggling to find anything. I pretty much refuse to rid myself of my 8v no matter how humble it is compared to the likes of a VR6/16V, for a car which needs a full spray at the least and a lot of bodywork. Are there any clean cars left out there or what? Or does it just come with the territory of wanting of a VR6/16v?
I went looking at another VR6 today which on paper sounded too good to miss out on, 85K, full history, 2 owners, first being a 60 year old, last owner had it 5 years.. from the pics it looked straight and very clean(was sent hi-res ones), first to see will buy job, but travelled 2 hours+ today to view with cash ready for a deposit only to find yet again every panel dented, rust, bad respray on two panels and the biggest let down of them all was the engine... it just felt gutless. Power delivery was smooth as silk, but it just felt like it had no guts. Took it for a test drive down some nice roads, but by god it felt like it was all over the place(sloppy VR handling I know). Went down the same roads again in my car and there was no comparison really, it felt quicker and more responsive and held the road better.
I don't know, but to me at the moment after viewing and driving a number of VR6's I can say I'm not that impressed, the sound you cannot knock! Maybe I'm viewing tired examples, I don't know, but nothing as spoken to me yet and made me sell up my own. I'm in two minds now to tidy up the very small jobs that need doing to mine and opting for a engine transplant either that or jumping back into a nice Mk2 again. Finding the right VR6/16V at the moment just seems an impossible task, everything just seems to have been in the wrongs hand of the wrong people. So it's VERY dis-heartening to say the least. I mean, seriously, would you sell up an otherwise mint car for something that so obviously needs a hell of a lot of work doing it to bring it upto the same standard? Just for the sake of a few extra horses..
Well either way, I'm now in two minds... Keep my 8V, tidy up those little jobs and then consider a transplant or jump back into a Mk2 again... either that or hold out for that right car to come along, as it just seems everything these days has been 'abused'
Rant over...
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obvious, im sorta in the same situation, im now looking to upgrade my 8v for a vr6, preferbly a highline, but the ones that i have seen advertised have had something wrong with it. a couple that seemed promising ended up being clocked, one that claimed they had FSH, had service records missing. i think in the end you should hold out for the 'right' car, which is what im now doing.
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Know how you feel mate, I've seen obvious gaps in the history.. very suspicious noises from the engine along with the ominous seeping from between the head/block. The one today, you turned the aircon on and it rattled it's tits off (excuse my french).. was the best I'd seen so far mind, but was still not a touch on my own.
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Hang in there bud, there are still some nice examples still out there, just gotta find em.
As for gutless, you must have just driven tired examples coz compared to my old valver my vr has plenty of guts in abundance. :evil:
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Daz, honesltly mate my 8v could have left the one today standing, just had nothing in it for an 85K engine (Mine's just gone over 122K now) They are out there as you say, and it may mean travelling the ends of the earth to find the right one :laugh:
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yeah you drove the wrong one, i went out in a friends VR6 and it went like crap off a shovel :cool: :cool:
keep looking as you say :wink:
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Oh i'll keep looking, the longer it takes will just come as a bonus as it'll mean I have extra money aside to pay for those extra jobs (suspension *which is a MUST* and so on) I'll know when I've find the right one as we all do, it will just feel 'right'.. but nothing has said anything to me yet.
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Why not (if your happy) keep yours and put a Vr6 in it.
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I can see where you're coming from wayned, as the other half doesn't want to get rid of our car (sentimental reasons) but to me it just makes no sense putting a VR6 in it when you can go out and buy a ready made one from factory?
Yes, It could be done on the cheap, have a few very good mechanic friends so an engine swap on the cheap is viable, but then you'd still have the problem of finding a good engine.
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I bought my valver and every single part of it needed attention. Part of the fun!
Broaden your search results, you may have to travel a lot further to get a decent one
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You need to find a decent bodyshop near you.
Thats what i've done, everytime i buy a car i dont have to worry about the body condition just the mechanicals!!
There are good vr6 examples out there but the owners want all the money for them!!!
Hang in there dude, the right one will come along......
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might think of selling my vr, has 130 on the clock but uses no oil or water and the body is in pritty good shape for its age :smiley:
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Oh I'm not overally worried about the cosmetics, the odd dent here and there comes with age and I have a mate who does paintless dent removal so getting the small dents out not a problem it's the big dents and the dent too close to the edges of the panels that bother me as they will need bodywork. So far everything I've seen has been full of them, and not just small door dents, i'm talking creases and big dents. I've also seen a large number with quite a bit of rot on them, with a number being 5 door they have been going round the rubber grommets and the window seals (the usual places). Pretty bad in some places too.
I'm not wanting a mint mint car, yes I'm a fussy so and so, just want something which is as clean as mine. I'd be defeating the object getting something which was worse and as you know people have started to cotton on that they can get good money for a VR so regardless of the condition they bang the price up. Sometimes to stupid amounts like £4K plus :rolleyes:
Broaden your search results, you may have to travel a lot further to get a decent one
Pete, I've been looking quite broad at the moment.. well over 200 miles plus of where I'm based in Manchester, but as has been the case so far I've travelled over 2 hours plus to view some which from photos and talks on phone have been described as in very good order only for me to turn up and they be dog rough cosmetically and mechanically. I'm in no mad rush to find one, the right one is there as you say.. just gotta hold out. They have all been very tired engine wise thus far..
might think of selling my vr, has 130 on the clock but uses no oil or water and the body is in pritty good shape for its age :smiley:
If you do think of selling Rob, drop me a PM and let me know :)
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same here my vr6 has done 148k miles full service history but made 176 bhp at the fly wheel only last month. so even if a cars getting tired can still deliver power.