Build or Bust!
Well my first proper post has been a long time coming! This is mainly due to the fact I've spend most of my half awake hours trying to source appropriate parts then in some cases decide after seconds that there just not right, or trying to teach myself how the hell to fix things! But more of that later!
Anyway to set the scene.......
around 8 months or so ago I decided that money was tight so I would sell my bora highline and join the mk3 crowd. So having sold my pride and joy and giving the other half a wedge! I quickly found a decent mk3 tdi. I wanted a diesel as that’s all I’ve owned over the last few years as they seem to offer decent performance whilst remaining pretty economical.
So the mk3 then! Well its a candy white 5 door (yes 5 door, not ideal), had a genuine 83k miles, ahu engine and appeared to have no serious rust. Came with two keys, and all the books that came with from vw sold by Autohaus.
When I got the car I knew it was running in limp mode but from looking at the engine guessed some broken wire to the fuel solenoid was probably the fault (gamble I know!). Anyway, first off got myself a Gendan cable and VCDS to sort the fault/s.
After waiting a few days to receive the cable and then hours of fiddling only to find out that the x on/ x off setting was not set on the laptop port, I was in luck, what I’d guessed was right! So after spending a few quid on some decent new cable and connectors then clear the fault codes all was good! Further to this I added some miller's engine cleaner/additive and it felt nearly as quick as my 130bhp Bora! Result! Following this I decided that as the car had a fully stamped service history, most of that VW main dealers I’d treat her to a full service including cam belt at a decent garage.
Booking my car in at the garage in my wisdom I asked if they could check for any other problems and give me a quote to repair!
So about 3 hours after dropping the car off I received the call and probably one that most mk3 owners have had too!
'Mr H your Sills are damaged at the front and starting to rust! (Great), the car needs new brakes discs and pads (ok) but Other than a full service inc. cam it’s a mint car (really! phew!).
So…..alot of money later (£700+!) I got the car back!
Right the good stuff! (I’ll keep this as short as possible as I know you'll be bored by now!)
No p1ssing about! Coilovers first then alloys! So ordered some AP variants and got them fitted! Lowered them nearly as far as they would go only to find I was pushing a thin brick along with my front splitter when taking out of garage! Looked the b0llocks but no way would I get over the speed bumps along the road! So after about what seemed 50 or so set ups later due to taking corner weighted measurements I got it right. (Note: I knew the alloys I'd bought were same rolling size)
So the alloys! Refurbed polished D90's 7's all round with mint 195/40 tyres! Right car was getting somewhere!
Next full Heated VR leather in mint condition inc. looms, door cards and speakers! Fitted that lot and installed the switch and loom! Result, One very hot a3s and back!
So, what next. Heated elec mirrors and some body work! Got a body shop to do some then did the rest myself, doesn’t look show but not that bad! Just the slight bit of rot inside doors to sort later! (You know, round the loom grommet) Since then I've replaced bits of trim to stuff that wasn’t rattling, broke or didn’t look good. This included genuine black fog light blanks and legal pressed metal plates, oooh and some floor mats.
Drove the car like this for around 4months then you know the story got bored of the alloys, yes they where mint but I always wanted Borbet A's! So alloys quickly sold and Borbet A's on happy again!
Till now!! Its a great car but I'm just not feeling it anymore (neither is my bank account), I know these things take time but it seems never ending! The airbag light is on and yes I know it’s just the clock pin (£20) but it really feels like it needs poly bushes and probably a better ARB (well one the doesn’t knock due to lowering).
I've bought the infamous sill trim after paint protecting the sills following the repair and some other little bits but I'm losing the plot with all the time cleaning it and sorting little bits.
I'll attach some pic's once cleaned (again!) tomorrow but what to do..........
Do I give it a break step back and relax, then decide.
Do I try to sell as is? (Loose sh1t loads)
Do I break it for parts and make more money? (And jump off a bridge, don’t answer that)
or failing that drive it through the nearest Honda dealers window!
Then try to afford a decent b5 passat put 20's on it and just dream over everything vw shaped whilst flicking through PVW!
I'll give you more info if you’re not totally bored now, it might save my sanity!
PICS TO FOLLOW V.SOON! although if you look on the vwvortex official mk3 4door pic thread mines the white one with met. grey d90’s, although as you know if you didn’t get bored its changed since then.
