Golf Mk3 GTI Should I Buy?

[tbakes]

Hi,
I am new to this and i really want a mk3 gti. I'm looking at the 8v which i know is meant to be terrible but i think the insurance on a 16v would be to much and anythings got to be better than my 98 fiesta. There is one for sale near me for £975 with 97k and it looks in good nic. As i said I'm new to all this so I was hoping someone could shed some light on whether it's worth it or not.
Thanks 

[spikenipple]

Do a quick quote on the 16v; you may be surprised. My insurance was exactly the same for both models when I first insured the valver, and is in fact cheaper now than if I were to be driving an 8v.

[Callum_K]

Buy on shell condition...the engines and mechanics are easy and cheap to fix if you have an ounce of common sense. Rot is the enemy of a Mk3. Check out the buyers guide in the Maintenance section.

Oh and the 8V isn't that bad....

[tbakes]

Holy crap your right it's about £80 cheaper for the 16v. The only thing really drawing me to the 8v was what i thought was cheaper insurance and better mpg but now I'll probably go for the 16v. Thanks for that.

[GOLF-MK3-GTI]

The one that you have seen is it this one by any chance?

ON ebay: 321100381828

and yeah 8V ain't that bad, just abit slower 

[tbakes]

Yeah it is that one.

[Leroy]

If i was spending a grand on a mk3 i'd look for a nice 3-door 16v with coilovers and exhaust to save yourself the expense (as you will end up doing this eventually anyway) and find one in the best nic you can. 

[Shady Pioneer]

What these guys said.

[VW BUSH]

Take your time, don't buy anything with crushed jacking points or crispy sills.
Rust is your enemy buy on shell not on valves or cylinders.
Did I say they go rusty underneath?

I'm making one out of three atm, cost me less than a grand

[Gavv8]

The one that you have seen is it this one by any chance?

ON ebay: 321100381828

and yeah 8V ain't that bad, just abit slower 

I do 200 miles a week, every week in my 8v on coilovers and its very good and not that much slower in real world driving than a 16v..despite what everyone else says, buy on bodywork condition and with an unmolested interior as the mechanics can be sorted.