4 Wheel Drive Conversion

[RedHP]

Okay boys and girls, I need to pick your brains.

The current weather conditions have made me think.......
How easy/hard is it to convert the GiT to all wheel drive and, roughly, how much would it affect my pocket money?
And, would any other component(s) require alterations or upgrades (other than my wallet for the additional fuel costs) 

Has anyone had this done and would they recommend it?

Red

[topher]

it'd be cheaper to sell yours and buy an R unless you're handy with a welder and have a few weeks to spare.

the rear floor pan needs to be unpicked and replaced with a 4motion one to be able to mount the running gear. Off the top of my head you then need

gearbox
driveshafts x 4
fuel tank
prop/linkage/rear diff/haldex controller
front arb, rear arb, rear wishbones,struts, hubs, brakes etc
compatible ecu, abs module and a ton of wiring.

[Rhyso]

Take your car to the dealer and leave it there

Whilst at the dealer collect a Golf R

Simples  

Otherwise you'd be looking at cutting out the rear floor plan, re-routing the exhaust and changing the gearbox and loads of other bits and bobs

Cheapest thing to do is to fit winter tyres and laugh at the idiots with their 4 wheel drive vehicles who still have their summer tyres fitted floundering in the snow

EDIT - damn you Toph 

[RedHP]

A small job then !!
Thanks, both, for the heads up !

My first choice was the R, but decided against it due to fuel costs.

Ideally, I wouldn't like to buy a second pair of rubbers for the winter but I may have to, to survive in the snow and ice as currently it is a struggle.

It hasn't stopped snowing at all today and we are under a foot of snow, most of which will turn to ice overnight.
Alas, the joys of motoring !

[MAW73]

It sounds like a job for the A TEAM or just go and by an R as discussed above.

[Rolfe]

Just buy a pair of winter tyres for the front wheels and shut up already....  I got mine for £240.

Rolfe.

[RedHP]

Just buy a pair of winter tyres for the front wheels and shut up already....  I got mine for £240.

Rolfe.

Okay okay, Rolfe !
Which ones did you go for?

[am1w]

Red:

4x4s without winter tyres are also pretty useless.
Watch the video. Says it all.

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article/2010-Auto-Bild-Winter-4x4-TyreTest.htm

Get some winter rubber ASAP and enjoy your GTi!

[p3eps]

My first choice was the R, but decided against it due to fuel costs.

?

I get better economy now than I did in my MK5 GTI Edition 30.
All my driving is through town... stop, start, stop, start - and I get around 29mpg.  I've never been on a long run yet, but I bet I'd get 35+ no problem.

[Ess_Three]

Cheapest thing to do is to fit winter tyres and laugh at the idiots with their 4 wheel drive vehicles who still have their summer tyres fitted floundering in the snow

This man tells it how it is!
What's the expression?...Snow Tyres FTW!