Some advice on Mk2's needed

[Gloves88]

Rite everyone,

Im on the look out over the next few weeks for a 1.6 Mk2. (student budgets dont allow for GTi's so that will just have to wait)

I just love the mk2 shape and any mk2 is better than non.

Basically im after a bit of advice on what to look out for...ive read alot on here over the past few months but now that im ready to part with some cash i thought id ask for a little more specific advice.

Im aware of the the general mk2 things to look out for:

Straight body - gearbox crunch - fuel cap, arches and euro wiper point rust - then there’s all the other stuff you look out for on every car

Is there anything specific to 1.6 tho that i should know about?

Ive read a few things about the problem Pierburg 2e2 Carb...was this only on certain models/years or through the whole range?

If i can get one, id be after one of the later 1.6’s...1990-1991 possibly a Driver.


If you've got this far through my post thanks for reading it all...sorry its so long (esp as a first post)

Any help is greatly appreciated

Cheers

[russ-vdub]

Hey you've pretty much hit the nail on the head there chap. Nice to see someone doing a decent amount of research before posting, my hat comes off to you.

I hear what you are saying about student budgets but trust me, the difference between insuring a 1.6 compared to 1.8 8v isnt that much more. My mate was intending to get a 1.6, then checked the insurance for a 1.8 and it was only £250ish more. Have a think about that, cos it'd be more worth while spendin time and money on gti rather then a driver, plus performance is obviously increadibly increase with a gti.

[Dec]

Welcome

russ-vdub seems to have covered most things! Also I'd like to add that a gti will (strangely enough) get more MPG than a driver!

Also, its not just the pierberg carbs that can cause problems, i recently had to clean out my weber as it got blocked Just to let you know that it can be bad either way!

Dec

[Jay]

The 1.6 is not a bad motor, it's still faster than our Web Dev's MK5 Golf TDi in the 0-60 speed 
As with all older cars there are draw backs, just make sure you find one that has had the weber conversion or the pierburg refurbed or DIY 
If you choose a Driver or GTi it's still a Golf so enjoy

[Gloves88]

Cheers for all the quick replies.

GTi or 1.6 thats a sore subject with me just now lol...i have spent day after day changing my mind between the two. A GTi isnt much more to insure (was quoted an extra £250 as well) but its a little more to buy, little more to tax and a little more to run...

Id love to have a GTi but id like to have a mint running car, something i know i can afford to up keep thats why i think im going to go for a 1.6 just now. In two years it'll be a different situation...will reconsider then.

Im going to be using it as a general run around, mainly used during summer and then just weekends.

How reliable would you guys say the mk2's are? Should i expect many problems?

I realise that its heavily dependent on mileage, condition etc., but just to give me a ruff idea.

[jim182]

How reliable would you guys say the mk2's are? Should i expect many problems?

i have ownd two mk2's a 1.3 n my current 1.6 both had n have problems but nothing major that has ment they have been off tho road! jut lil things that are annoying but can be lived with till i get around to fixing them!!

tbh the tyms wen my car is running sweet makes it worth while having days when shes a b!tch 2 me!!

[Mew]

1 its a little more to buy, little more to tax and a little more to run...

2 Id love to have a GTi but id like to have a mint running car, something i know i can afford to up keep thats why i think im going to go for a 1.6 just now.

3 How reliable would you guys say the mk2's are? Should i expect many problems?

1 I wouldn't agree with that at all. Same cost to tax it, a lot of drivers i see seem very overpriced, you can get a decent gti for £500, and i don't have first hand experience but it seems from what others say that drivers aren't any cheaper to run (with the exception of insurance)

2 I don't think a gti would cost any more to maintain tbh

3 It seems that the gti can be more reliable than the driver, although there won't be much in it between the two

If i were you, the only thing that would put me off the gti is the insurance. If you can afford the extra premium then go for a gti, i very much doubt it will cost you any extra than a driver to run 

[Gloves88]

If i were you, the only thing that would put me off the gti is the insurance. If you can afford the extra premium then go for a gti, i very much doubt it will cost you any extra than a driver to run 

You're killing me here lol...think im going to have to look into this GTi business again.

Id be prepared to spend up to £1K on the car..think i could get a good 8v gti for that price? What sort of milage would i be looking at? 150K?

Know i can get sub 100K 1.6's for under £1K

? Thoughts ? 

[Mew]

If you shop wisely you can get a nice late spec 8v with big bumpers etc for 1k. Mileage wise, they're 18 year old cars so just keep that in mind. An 85k driver is all very well and good, but a gti that has 150k on the clock yet has been looked after since day one would be a much safer bet if you ask me.

If you're not too bothered about having big bumpers you can go for an earlier later (!?) model (87-89) and have a nice bit of change left over for insurance.

You have a lot of choice with £1k though 

[sesterfield]

I certainly wouldn't spend £1k on a driver, no matter how low the mileage!