Mk3 parts prices - unrealistic or am I?

[Ashy]

Not been a mk3 owner long but have had a mk4 gti turbo for 5 years & a mk2 many moons ago.

I worked for a well known Mercedes Benz dismantlers for a good few years & have always been involved in the motor trade in one way or another.

Bought a mk3 gti the other week for a great price. I knew it had a few faults mainly the electric windows didn't work & it had a couple of bits of trim missing.

I managed to fix the front 2 windows & 1 rear one but the clip was missing completely on the other rear one so left with no option but to source one.

People must be living in the clouds who are selling mk3 parts, seriously. A local Vw breaker wants £50 just for a regulator!!! Who actually pays these prices? If I bought 4 window regs they would be worth nearly as much as my bloody car!!!

Outer trims on doors. For sale on eBay & at breakers for upwards of £25+ !!

I can't be alone in thinking this. People are obviously out to make a few quid but my god, they are taking the pi$$.

There were tens of thousands of these cars made, parts are easy to come by its just the people selling them seem to be trying to rip everyone off.

Think that's my rant over for now....

Any opinions on this?

[Jasikasisback]

go to the breakers in wokingham, near bracknell.. they have a few mk3's.take the parts off that you want and then they will be cheap..as for older cars..the parts are getting more expensive as most people drive new cars...

or just buy a donor car for a few hundred quid and you will have everything you need...

i replaced the auto transimission fluid and filter (£50) exhaust (£50-new) coil pack (£20-new), wiper arm (£10-used),
engine oil and filter (£15) pollen filter (£7ish), used tyres fitted (£40)..

as you can see the car may not cost you much to buy...but will cost you somewhat to keep it running...and this is just a small amount...will have to change dizzy, leads and spark plugs at some time in the future (soon-obviously all will have to be new..)

bulbs every so often (last year £10)..

really if you are worried about the cost of driving this car then you should factor that they are not economical by a longshot...

However on this forum you will be able to get parts cheaper than new and maybe a bit more expensive than at the local scappie...

So you can cut your costs...I could've picked up a used exhaust for my car...but just too far away from me...(200miles) so then a new one is the way to go....

Don't worry so much about the windows....my back ones have not been working for some time...you can get clips cheap from the scrappie if you take apart the door yourself and probably a new clip will cost you a pound tops...or something like that...

So just relax....there are cars in the scrapyard waiting for you...

I've got a B4 passat estate...trying to find parts for that are extremely difficult and golf parts are easier to find..

The scrappie have some good exhausts...stainless steel...etc...just as mine is an automatic it is more difficult to find spares that are particular to that car..but the scrapyards are full of gti's...they outnumber most of the other golfs....

Yeah the prices are high that they are asking for...just go to another yard and you'll be ok...


post in the wanted section and maybe you will find trims and other stuff for an affordable price....if the car cost you £200ish or so then you can spend some money on getting it in the shape that you want...

[GolfGL]

Had a similar experience from a breakers recently. with the mk3 ebay has been good to me, new parts like regulators were 30 quid! also keep missing out on bargains like entire gti interior, good nic went for a tenner but my mobile ebay didnt update quick enough and then an entire exhaust system used but only on the car a few month went for 45. so bargains are out there just need to wait. plus the amount of cars being broken for parts on here is insane!
Adam