Hi all,
I recently purchased a red '98' Mk3 8V GTI having scrapped my Audi A4 2.6 earlier this year due to a killer head gasket problem. Such a shame as it was immaculate for its age (95) and well looked after over the 10 yrs I owned it. Anyway all clouds have a silver, or red lining in my case. I have enjoyed driving the GTI so far, albeit mainly more in dry conditions. I had always wanted a MK3 GTI 8V and managed to find a pretty clean 3 door with 110k genuine miles on the clock and not many after market mods (only black tint rear lights, indicator lenses, stainless exhaust, dirtyboy sticker, blacked out VW badges, etc) which are not really my bag.
So far I have changed a very noisy starter motor, plugs, ht leads and had the tracking sorted. I have also repaced a few blown lamps inside the console, i.e. cigarette lighter, ashtray, drivers window switch and instrument panel. I have repaired the glove box light and ordered a replacement heater control panel (due to a partly broken diffuser).
I have one or two imminent jobs yet to complete including;
Replace of OS Front ABS sensor.
Replace airbag ECU (due to terminal fault).
Replace rocker head gasket.
Investigate near side front wheel as seems to be stepped out at top (assuming bent wishbone or suspensions leg).
Investigate a starting fault, which only occurs when its rains and the bl**dy awful radio reception....whats that all about??
I also have a wish list of minor niggly items that need doing and have a feeling that this will undoubtedly become another labour of love. Still thats the cost of obsession and secondhand motoring and why Saturday mornings were invented. I look forward to reading up on some handy tips to keep this old girl on the road for less ££ and maybe swap some banter along the way. Stu
