Project For An Amateur.

[DanJ]

Recently been looking at mk2 golfs for my next car which i should be getting sometime next year, i have hardly any experience with mechanics or anything linked to it, however i would like to learn a few things and set about on a project i.e restoring/tuning a car.

How easy are golfs, especially mk2's, to work on for an amateur mechanic in the making?
Are things easily accesible, easy to understand etc.

All in all i would love to be able to take the thing apart clean it then put it back together again. 

Any tips/advise on this would be great! 

[DCmk3]

They're like Lego. 

[DanJ]

Simple to work on then?

i dont want to start and then get in over my head and end up having to shell out for someone to fix it for me 

[DCmk3]

Well I have more experience with Mk1's and Mk3's but I am sure it's safe to say a Mk2 is right there in-between in terms of design and easy to work on etc.
The mk1 to mk3 are all rather simple to understand if you've got some experience with working on cars, rather self-explanitory too.

I myself started working on cars by working on a Mk1, then a Mk3 and so on..
One handy thing to have is a Haynes manual, I am pretty sure those are easy to come by especially for golfs.
Those manuals have all the little tips and info you should need. 

One thing to look for when buying one is checking for rust, especially in the fenders and sills under the doors.
I am rather sure others have plenty experience and knowledge about the bad rust areas to look out for.

[DanJ]

thanks for the advise, a haynes is definatly a must 

glad to know ther easy to work on aswell, always wanted a project like this 

[miggs2002]

i cut my teeth (so to speak) on the mk2 golf, hardly any electrical gubbins to sort when doing stuff, the only thing you will have issues with is nuts and bolts being seize on due to age, invest in plenty of WD40, and a trick with WD is wire brush around the item to be removed, soak as well as possible and leave for at least 10mins, the nuts will usually free off much easier, most people squirt it on then start removing straight away like it's some kind of miracle lube lol

theres plenty of forums out there to offer advise too

[Gabriel2202]

do it mate! im looking to do this in the future too, there are so many guides etc about to help you on the way, seems like theres a lot of info over at club gti too!

[Gemsie]

I'm glad I've seen this post, I am the same. Getting a Haynes manual and seeing where I can go from there. Even if I can't crack the practical side of it, it would be nice to have a bit more knowledge. I'm such a girl!

[Agreeable Slick]

I'd get a bentley manual rather than a haynes one, the haynes is pretty hit and miss with the information it gives, including torque values (which are pretty key if they are required)

Just be prepared to throw money at it unless you have access to a machine shop or a friendly fabricator as they are now at the age where pretty constant maintenance is a pre requisite to owning one.