Mark2 goft gti

[Device]

I have a '84 golfgti at the moment. What do you suggest is the best year for my next mark2 golf gti?

[Gambit]

people always say the later the better. but im more inclined now to go with condition rather than age.

if your going for a 16v then try for a late spec (Aug 89 onwards) big bumper model as these come with better brakes, all electrics, power steering etc.

[Redcap]

What you want to do with it?

I use mine as a track toy, so power steering etc. is a bit of a waste of time for me!

Solid body and sound engine is the best place to start. Condition over age any day!

[Device]

Well am not one for modifying my car. Someone just wants to either steal it or scratch it.

Like you said, looking for solid body and engine.  The one i got just now is a solid car. I will run this car for a while yet. Suppose i would like to go for the 16v. Just wondering what year has best running gear as Gambit said Brakes etc.  Am not to keen on power steering myself, i mean wat is the benifit of it, other than for parking? Just another thing that requires more than just DIY maintenence if it goes wrong. So powersteering is not a big priorty.

what year did the one piece windows come out? the 1st 16v came out in '85 right?  DO you reckon the big bumpers look better?

I just wat a solid body and the best running gear brakes etc. A paint job does not make a car run.

What prices are we talking about for a 16v?     Stereo and speakers in my car had been ripped out, wires cut everywhere. Wat was the standard set up in the '84, was it just two speakers in the parcel shelf?

Well i've just had the Tv licence people at my door. So need to start paying for the crap thats on tv.  I knew i shouldnt have answered the door.

[Gambit]

late spec big bumper models have the best running gear, so try for one of them. although all of it can be retro fitted to earlier models if you can source the bits

look for a 1990 onwards

one piece window came about in 1987

[Ryan S]

I think the one piece windows came out on the F-plate - but there could be some E - plates with it too - 1988 seems to be the year...



So did the early 16v not have the bigger brakes set up as the later 16 v models???

I thought all 16v brakes were the same.

[billydude]

I think the one piece windows came out on the F-plate - but there could be some E - plates with it too - 1988 seems to be the year...



So did the early 16v not have the bigger brakes set up as the later 16 v models???

I thought all 16v brakes were the same.

your right about the windows ?
I thought the same about the brakes but it seems 89 onwards only got the bigger front discs ?

[tinman]

the original VW Motoring Magazine from the 16v doesn't actually say.

however, in the beginning of 88 (mid E) the car moved onto the bigger front window surrounds, and the VW badge went to the middle on the rear panel. The slanted/italic Golf logo also appeared.

as far as i can tell most of the golfs had a couple of enhanced component changes, but nothing like the mechanical make over the 16v got.

essentially - everything changed. alot of components that changed also became ghost parts with the 357 code, which is the G60/Rallye code. this includes much of the steering, suspension and braking systems.

if you try and swap parts between a D/E and a late E 16v you will run into a lot of problems.

i thought the bigger brakes came with this change and not the late 89 make over, which only added big bumpers and PAS. However, in 89, they also started to remove bits and pieces, like eletric windows and sunroofs i think (dont quote me on this).

i don't think the late spec had better or different running gear from the late E model. the change in the running gear, if we are talking about things like bearings, changed in 1988.

the first reviews of the 16v were Feb 1987. So we are talking D at the earliest.

Tin

[tinman]

Gambit said Brakes etc.? Am not to keen on power steering myself, i mean wat is the benifit of it, other than for parking? Just another thing that requires more than just DIY maintenence if it goes wrong. So powersteering is not a big priorty.

power steering should be a big priority on a car like this.

golfs are not light by any stretch of the imagination, and you can drive a PAS car hard with a lot more ease.

mine is non PAS and it takes alot more work to get it to perform on anything with a twist.

as for all this talk about bigger brakes, i'll quite happily accept that the later big bumper cars had bigger front discs, but its nothing to do with being better at stopping than the previous version, but everything to do with hauling down a bigger weight.

those big bumpers look nice but weigh a ton.

Tin

[Gambit]

the 16v PAS rack has less turns lock to lock than a non-PAS rack. so essentially its a quick rack.