Mk3 Gti 8v mmmmm!

[redcarboy]

Hi guys,

Just wanted to let you know i have bought a mk3 gti 8v, p reg in black, 3 dr. Always wanted one but heard all the bad things about them so i stuck with my mk2 gti until now.

I love it, i dont know what all the fuss is about, yes its grown up and its not as rapid as the mk2 but it holds the road beautifully. I travel from Sheffield to Manchester everyday and its a great car to drive, good performance, looks fantastic, very comfy, handles well in fact its mint. i get loads of respect from other drivers and the chicks love it.

its box standard and i want to keep it that way but the modifying bug is starting to itch. hope i dont start modding it.

let me know what you think of the mk3 gti

I love my mk3 8v though the mod bug is starting to creep in decided to leave the drop and new alloys till april 05 and just play around with her for a while sticking bits here and there when the dough becomes available might do the lights next seems least expensive thing to do for the moment and the best way to alter the apperance want a pair of black mk4 headlight conversions and crystal rear lights+fogs.Only gonna drop it 40mm next year as seems to me to be the best balance without having too rough a ride might put 16's on as well depends if i'm bankrupt by then or not.

[LostBok]

Sono - you SURE yours is a 40mm drop?

VR6's looked like it was about the same height as yours, if not slightly lower, and his was only suposed to be 25mm...

Yes, I'll agree lots of German family cars have pretty low profile tyres, big alloys, low, stiff suspension, etc, etc..... but then German roads don't look like they'd be more suited to some destitute African state.... they actually invest in their infrastructure! Which means they don't have massive pot-holes everywhere and spend most of their time looking out for the dips and bumps on their motorways to avoid taking off.

Most decent car dealerships will STRONGLY advise against any sort of "sports handling" option on any of the new Mercs, BMWs or most German performance cars - these packs are designed for prolonged driving at speed on smooth roads.... not for the odd 100+mph blip before you get to the back of the next queue.

Also, I doubt Germans normally have to park "one wheel up " on the pavement outside their houses or crawl over a dozen STEEP speed bumps before they can find a road to do >40mph on... a friend has a Ferrari 355GTS which has pretty low suspension - he can't get within 400yds of my house without scraping his car... SatNav is useless on his car - he has to drive specific routes around London where he avoids the steeper bumps.

[sono]

Mine is droped 60mm on an H&R cup kit, but I know what you mean about it not looking that low. When we were at the last CP meet there was a young lad with a newly acquired Mk3 GTi like mine, and he couldn't belive that it had had been droped 60mm. Untill we stood back and looked at both cars together. Then all of a sudden his car looked like it was on a stepladder.

I think the VR6 is a little lower than the 16v, and that is a smidge lower than the 8v, so a 25-30mm drop on a VR6 would probably be the same as 60mm on an 8v. It was something vaguely like that on the Mk2 GTi's from what I remember.

Luckily my area is speed bump free, but if you live in a part of the country with shocking roads, then comfort and vehicle preservation are more important than looks. Thats why I'm taking the VR6 chin spoiler off and putting a CL one back on, because I'v lost the ability to use mulit story car parks without scraping my way all the way down the ramps 

[mrwotto]

I live in a high speed bump area, have to go over about 20 to get to me mums and can't go to her local chippy in my car as the bumps near that are like the alps, as a result my nice stainless magnex is bashed to hell, and i quite regulary have to get my mate to re fit it at his garage

[LostBok]

Think my Cabriolet had VR6 suspension to start with (something to do with the extra weight perhaps), so maybe 25mm will be enough.

I've been wanting to replace some of the suspension for a while (front left is slightly "funny") and I'm tired of it wallowing when it comes out of roundabouts at any speed, so it seemed like a good excuse to get decent sportier suspension and drop it a few mm.

[mowgli]

I've had 3 and I'm looking for my fourth.  Worst thing I did was lower the first one.  Try it with Boge Turbogas, they are just uprated enough for everyday use.  My way of looking at is, VW R&D dept spent many man hours and millions of Deutchmarks on testing this thing.  What makes you think that some fella in your local car parts place knows more than they do about the handling on the Golf??

Secondly, its his job to sell the stuff in the first place.  Afterall, if it needed 'em, VW would of fitted 'em...

[Neilos]

Sounds good! I think the difference (in performance) of a 16V and 8V is very minimal.  Having driven both, personally the 8v feels more nippy, with the 16v you need to get the revs up to about 4000 before you get some decent pull.
I've had no major problems with mine, at the moment, one of the gearbox oil seals leaks a bit and tends to waft the smell into the car when hot and at standstill and also the axel beam bushes need doing, it thuds loudly over even small bumps on one side, had the shocks replaced - Come to think of it, does anyone know whether this is an MOT failure?!
But otherwise all round a good car, fsh (most at VW) with just nearly 72k, paid ?3500 october last year with 55k.

[Overseer]

lol @ minimal.. i believed all that hype till i saw a confused guy in my mirror getting smaller and smaller...

yeah u have to get the revs up.. but you dont have to around town...
and on the open road you have to learn where to drop down to in order to access it on demand..
for example... the most common one i use.. is when doing say 60 ish in 4th or 5th.. you can drop to 3rd to get the power when you need it..? iirc 3rd is good for 90 odd..

i'm also happy with the handling. i wouldnt want the ride to be any harsher at speed.. at low speed it does feel a bit spongy.. i think thats where the critcisms come from.

[mowgli]

I personally drive up to a max of about 3500 rpm in normal everyday driving (95% of the time) so I wouldn't get the benefit from the 16v.  BUT, I have had to rev my 8v in the past and it was dissapointing above about 4500, it really lacked power.  Thats where the 16v would come into effect.

I think the 16 is slightly lower than the 8v so the handling would be better but therefore slightly more harsh.

Another 2 groups on the insurance is a downer, but with some shopping around this could probably be reduced a bit.

BUT, I still liked the way my 8v pulled most of the time, it had the power where you needed it, at the bottom end.

Who wants a V5 Sreat Toledo?  I really need to flog it so I can get back in a GTi...

[starsky]

The power band of an 8v is great 2000-4000 it feels very swift. I went to work this morning a 7.00 and it was a bit cold but the gti loved it! I was hopping round lorrys no problem on the woodhead, great fun.

I agree with the suspension comments, spongy at low speeds but i think it feels just right in every other department! Gti's rule.