Mk2 GTi vs Mk3 16V GTi vs Mk3 VR6 vs Corrado

[Chris71]

Hi,

Looking at a variety of cars for my next buy in the summer and wondered if anyone here could offer some opinions.

Assuming there was enough budget for any of them, however, you can only find a realistic 2007 purchase - no 10,000 mile Mk2's or anything which one would it be?

The main emphasis is on something completely reliable - this is strictly for use as an everday car, come rain, snow etc and will have to live outside.

The only golf I've ever driven is a diesel, but I would guess based on what I've heard before (ok, stereotypes!) that the summary would be,

Mk2 GTi (prob 16v) - the purest drivers car, but also the most fragile
Mk3 Gti 16v - the least driver orientated, but reliable and generally sensible with ABS, AC etc
Mk3 VR6 - good in a straight line, presumably handles like a mk3 GTi? Thirsty
Corrado (prob VR6) - Possibly the best alrounder, but high mileages and twice the cost

Is this correct? Probably not! Can someone who actually knows a bit about them comment?

Can anybody give me an idea of running costs, particularly for the VR6's - is there a decent range from the tank? Seem to remember the insurance costs were good compared to toher cars of a similar performance when I looked before - any idea roughly how much a 24 year old bloke in Chelmsford with a couple of years no claims would be looking at for a VR6 or Corrado?

Any general comments more than welcome....

Chris.

[stomper]

What sort of mileage will you be doing? How worried about fuel consumption are you?

I run a mk3 16v as an everyday car, doing about 20k a year.

I usually average 30-35 mpg, never below 30, can be as high as 40 on a long motorway run.

Running costs will be a lot less for a 16v, servicing, insurance, fuel etc.

Very hard question to ask which one!

[Chris71]

I know - they all have different strengths as far as I can see.

The original plan was to get an out and out sports car and something else as a runaround, but I might go back to one hot hatch to do both (which is where these cars come in) if so, it could be anything up to about 18,000 miles a year eventually. Nothing like that currently (closer to 10) but my circumstances might be changing soon.

Economy isn't vital, my last two cars were a Porsche 944 and MG ZS V6, but don't want anything commical. I'd prefer 30's rather than 20's, but happy with 25mpg at the moment. What is important is range - one of my old cars wouldn't take me the full 200 miles back home to Devon without stopping for fuel which was irritating!

The way people talk I assumed the Mk3 was hundreds of kilos heavier than it's predesscor, according to Evo it's 70kg IIRC. Ok, still a passengers worth, but not quite the difference I expected. It also seems you could get two prisitine Mk3 16v's for the price of say, a Corrado VR6. The Corrado does appeal more to me, but I'm not sure it appeals £2000 more.

Oh, strange question - will they all have enough ground clearance to mount a curb? Spend a lot of time in an area of north london which has these pavement-parking zones. Theres a guy with an M3 who manages it, so don't suppose it'd be a problem with regular springs on a golf/corrado. Slightly paranoid about bending steering arms doing it though!! 

[stomper]

Sounds like a 4x4 would be better

Only joking, all should be fine to mount a kerb, depends if you're going to lower the suspension a touch (makes a big difference on a mk3!)

If you're eventually going to be doing 18k a year, a mk2 is going to get on your nerves i think, lack of creature comforts, noise etc.

That leaves a mk3 vr6, mk3 16v or corrado vr6. I guess you would get mid 20's mpg out of the 2 vr6's. 30-35 out of the 16v.

Corrado is a lovely car, very hard to find a decent low-ish mileage car though £4-5k+ probably.

So you're back to a mk3 vr6 or 16v.

16v's probably a bit lighter on it's feet as it hasn't got the V6 hanging over the front wheels

noise of the VR is something to behold though.

Really you want to try all of them and make a decision based on everything.

I was pondering between 16v and VR6 when i got my mk3, i went for the 16v mainly because of lower prices and running costs as i do a lot of miles.

These are just my opinions, hope it helps

[Chris71]

Cheers.

Is it easy to get aftermarket suspension kits for the Mk3 which aren't too extreme? I discovered the previous owner of my current car changed the springs after I drove a standard one. Mine has been way over-stiffened and it completely mullers the handling - now has plough on understeer, followed by a snap into lift off oversteer that makes my old 205 look docile! Wish I'd been a bit more adventurous on the test drive now....

Would immagine I'd want a set of fresh bushes and some new, slightly firmer dampers and possibly a slight drop?

Does anyone offer good insurance deals for the mk3's?

Corrado VR6 is still an option, it's just I can think of other things to spend the extra £3000 on!!

[stomper]

Yeah a lot of people just change the springs which lower the car, completely mis-matched to the shocks though which are probably old and past their best. That gives you the awful handling characteristics and the dangerous snap oversteer!

There are lots of suspension options on the mk3:

1) Eibach shocks with standard springs - ok if shocks are in good nick, ideally fitted with uprated dampers like Boge or Koni

2) Suspension kit which provides lowering springs (usually 35-40mm or 60mm) and matched dampers which are uprated, either fixed damping (30% stiffer than standard) or adjustable damping. Best kits probably Eibach/Koni/Weitec

3) Coilovers with either fixed or adjustable damping. Lots of choices.

2 would probably be best option for you if you want to improve handling but keeping it usable.

I've got Weitec Coilovers with fixed damping and they are very good, comfortable yet reducing roll significantly.

In terms of insurance i've heard HIC & Brentacre are very good, there should be an insurance section on this forum with contact details.

I Had a good quote off greenlight insurance aswell.

[DubFan]

Having owned both a Mk2 16v and a Mk3 16v, I'd say if you doing high milage, long runs, etc, go for the comfort of the Mk3, the Mk2 16v is great fun, superb drivers car, but for long haul it's not quite as comfortable. That said, if you're not too bothered about the little extra comfort the Mk2 16v is great. The running costs aren't much different, performance is similar but with the Mk2 being slightly more agile.
The Mk3 VR6 is a bit of a boost in power, but finding a clean one will be hard and you will probably want to do something with the suspension to make the handling better (same with the 16v too).
Corrado's are different beasties all together, they don't have to cost huge amounts, but that depends on how clean it is and if it's an early model or not. Early ones were on H or even G plates, so could be getting on a bit (not sure when the VR6 was introduced though). But they're meant to be great cars.

[Chris71]

Of course, if I wanted to really complicate things I could mention I also ratehr like the look of Sciroccos

....but I've heard too many off-putting things about the brakes on those. I need to negotiate my way past suburban mum's in their X5's and some of the more moronic drivers on the M25, so decent stoppers and preferably ABS are required!

Can anyone give me an idea of the performance figures for these cars in standard?

Think I've discounted the golf VR6 on the grounds of Corrado running costs, without the same personal appeal. Mk3 remains a sensible, cost effective choice. Mk2 great fun and one of the coupes (either 16v or VR6) very desirable.

It's nto getting any easier to choose!

[stomper]

Have you thought about a corrado 16v or G60? Cheaper to run.

You'd probably always wish you'd got a VR though!

I'd say you're heading down the mk3 16v route 

[Chris71]

Have you thought about a corrado 16v or G60? Cheaper to run.

You'd probably always wish you'd got a VR though!

I'd say you're heading down the mk3 16v route 

Yep - I'm thinking about one right now as it happens (did I mention I'm a little fickle?!)

Think I was a bit quick to dismiss the G60 (thinking more of the Corrado, but think they did a golf variant too?) - how far off the VR6 pace are they in standard trim? Does the supercharger bring a lot of extra problems? I presume the drag of the supercharger puts the economy somewhere between the 16v and VR6?

In other words..... is a good one a genuine contender to a VR6?

PS Can somebody tell me why so many people specifically advertise Corrados as not having ABS? I know it'll weigh a little more, but surely it's not a major consideration?