VW Golf - 50 years of the Golf

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Thu 25 Jan 2024 20:27
VW Golf - 50 years of the Golf - Steveieb

This year marks the 50 th year the Golf has been in production .

Having owned a Mk1 Cabrio , Mk 3 , Mk 4 , Mk 6 I have owned my fair share . But my daughters Mk 2 GTi 16 v will maybe be my all time favourite .

But of all recent Golf’s the Mk 7 GTD always impressed me because of its low end grunt , build quality , handling and classless aura .

Which was your favourite Golf ?

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Thu 25 Jan 2024 20:47
VW Golf - 50 years of the Golf - SLO76
Lost count of how many I’ve sold over the years, all pre DPF and DSG complexity of course. Rarely caused me any grief, they were typically very simple and well made. Personal favourites would be the Mk II GTi 8v big bumper - I preferred the more urgent low speed pull of the 8v motor. The 16v wasn’t really much quicker on the road, it was all top end.

Mk II 1.6 Driver - Looked like a GTi, but only had 72bhp so insurable for all. Nippy enough for the time too.

Mk IV GT 1.9 PD TDi 130 - Bombproof, a real quality item. Loads of go, yet 50mpg too. All the car anyone needed. More comfort oriented than sporty as the badge suggested.

Jetta GTi 8v - Kinda cheating, but it is a Golf with a boot, a big boot. Cheaper to buy used and insure too.

Mk III Golf VR6 - Sounded awesome and faster than any rival of the time. Tendency to eat timing chains later on killed any chance of risk averse me buying one. Cool hot hatch.
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Thu 25 Jan 2024 21:03
VW Golf - 50 years of the Golf - Xileno

Always have fond memories of my first car at 17, a MK1 Golf 1.1. It was slow, noisy, rusty, burned oil but it was quite reliable and represented independence and freedom - priceless.

I stopped having VW when the local independent specialist I used changed hands and went down hill.

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Thu 25 Jan 2024 21:11
VW Golf - 50 years of the Golf - elekie&a/c doctor
1986 mk2 gti . White with the Pirelli alloys . Running Bosch mechanical injection rather than the later electronic Digifant system . As quick as you want it to be and easily do at least 35mpg . Brilliant. Only issue I had was the continuous theft of the VW badges . It was that era of the beastie boys .

Edited by elekie&a/c doctor on 25/01/2024 at 21:28

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Thu 25 Jan 2024 22:33
VW Golf - 50 years of the Golf - ronald bennett

Still got my 2003 mk4 1.9 diesel. I think the mk4 was the best of the lot and it's surprising how many are still on the road. Well built and uncomplicated.

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Fri 26 Jan 2024 06:46
VW Golf - 50 years of the Golf - badbusdriver

Mk III Golf VR6 - Sounded awesome and faster than any rival of the time. Tendency to eat timing chains later on killed any chance of risk averse me buying one. Cool hot hatch.

Personally don't rate the VR6 as a hot hatch, too softly sprung and too much weight on the nose. But with an auto box it would make a lovely muscular cruiser and I have seen a couple of Japanese import versions which are tempting!. They also aren't (or at least weren't) that reliable which was the reason behind this famous cover shot from Car Magazine regarding their VR6 long term test car:

car_covers_10.jpg

To look at I prefer the MK1 and 2, but don't have any MK1 experience and only a little MK2. The bulk of my Golf experience was MK3 and 4 while working at a car hire place (we got a fleet of MK4's when they first case out) and a VW dealer in the early noughties. Didn't find either particularly sharp to drive, so to me, the VR5 with an auto box would be most desirable. Not sure why but the V6 4 Motion couldn't be had as an auto and, like the VR6, was too soft to be a proper hot hatch, so I found it a disappointment. The muscular turbo diesels were much more satisfying, particularly the 130 and (rare) 150bhp versions.

I also had a soft spot for the Bora which, given the choice, I'd have over an equivalent Golf.

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Fri 26 Jan 2024 08:31
VW Golf - 50 years of the Golf - skidpan

1986 mk2 gti . White with the Pirelli alloys . Running Bosch mechanical injection rather than the later electronic Digifant system . As quick as you want it to be and easily do at least 35mpg .

Had exactly that but at the time my budget would not stretch to alloys.

3 1/2 years later changed it for exactly the same again except it had the Bosch Digifant injection which did rob it of the excellent low down flexibility but at least the wipers had been modified to clear the drivers side. Fitted a set of BBS style wheels for the summer and used the steel ones for winter. Kept that one for over 7 years and did 113,000 miles in it, last saw it in February 2016, did not look to bad and if the speedo was telling the truth it had only done another 90,000 miles in those 20 years. Have to presume its dead now, last MOT expired in August 2016 but its still on a SORN so there may be hope.

Both great cars.

We then had a Mk 3 TDi 90 PS which we kept for almost 7 years. Not as good to drive and its brakes were dreadful but it was reliable and economical. The amount of smoke it put out when you floored it would have embarrassed a Deltic.

Looked at the Mk4 but too expensive and then the Mk7 which was beaten by the Leon we bought simply because it was far better value. Placed an order for a Mk8 back in August (drove really well) but the inept sales staff failed to get the paperwork to VAG in time to get the current offer (they only had about 12 days to do it) so walked away.

Dad had a Mk2 1.6 CL for 6 years. To say it was spartan was an understatement after his previous 2 cars (Honda and Rover Honda) but other than the Pierburg carburettor he had no issues. It did 60,000 miles on its factory fitted Michelins before he swapped them, they still had tread but had turned to some form of concrete for both ride and grip.

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Fri 26 Jan 2024 08:54
VW Golf - 50 years of the Golf - John F

..... too expensive ....... it was spartan

......and too slow! My rusty old Dolly Sprint was far more comfortable, more fun - and, thanks to the sadly poor reputation of British car manufacturing, great VFM in the used car market for petrolheads having to use their own money to buy a car.

classics.honestjohn.co.uk/news/comment/2014-10/cla.../

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Fri 26 Jan 2024 09:17
VW Golf - 50 years of the Golf - Xileno

My neighbour still has a 2003 1.9 but the more potent 150 version. Even at 240K it still pulls like a train. Not many problems, I think they had the cam done which seems not to last as long on the 150. General view seems to be the 130 is the best compromise.

Beginning to look a bit dog-eared now - both front wings quite rusty and one of them holed. They are thinking of letting it go when wife retires in March, it would make a good project car for someone with some DIY skills. Two second-hand wings and a painted front bumper and it would look smart again.

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Fri 26 Jan 2024 14:18
VW Golf - 50 years of the Golf - Steveieb

I am so missing the PD 130 TDI engine performance that was in my A4.

The low end pull was tremendous coupled with the amazing fuel consumption. No problems as it left me at 177 k and I assume still going strong.

The Pierburg carburettor that Skidpan mentioned caused me the most grief in the Mk 1 Cabrio and also my Mk 1 Caddy pick-up. Very few mechanics could sort them successfully.

The independent suspension introduced on the MK 6 was a revelation at the time too!

A car broker told me that he always like to stock Golf’s because he found that 8 out of 10 used car buyers would be happy to own a Golf. Made life easier for him !

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Fri 26 Jan 2024 16:11
VW Golf - 50 years of the Golf - thunderbird

Surprised to see a thread where mostly its Golfs discussed and favourably at that.

Normally if you ask about a Golf on here its DON'T, get a Toyota Corolla, a Mazda 3 or a Honda Civic instead.

Perhaps common sense has finally taken over and posters have realised there are other good cars.

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Fri 26 Jan 2024 16:52
VW Golf - 50 years of the Golf - Xileno

And those views might still be valid depending on the age, spec and budget in question. This thread is all about memories of (and celebrating?) the Golf in its own right.

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Fri 26 Jan 2024 19:19
VW Golf - 50 years of the Golf - Engineer Andy

I would say my top 3 are:

1. Mk7 1.4TSI GT 150 ACT 3dr. Excellent all-rounder engine, great looking car (isnide and out) in 3dr format this time (and likely the last they'll make one). Quite rare as well, which was why at the time (2016/17) I considered its sister car, the SEAT Leon SC FR with the same engine.

The downside (for me anyway) was that I wanted a proper auto and it obviously only came with the DSG, and my commute was half in very slow speed, stop-start traffic, which would likely go through its clutch pack in no time.

2. Mk5 GTI. Mainly for the styling and performance. Even the GT 2.0TD (presumably a variant of the legendary PD engine) was good too - a work colleague had one of these and it was certainly good to be a passenger in if you wanted some fun quickly driving around. Perhaps a bit too firm a ride for my liking.

3. Mk2 GTI 16V. That got me interested as a teenager in hot hatches, far more than the lacklustre / unreliable Ford offerings at the time. Like the (similar in concept) Honda Civic Type R nearly two decades later, lovely looks, great in red or black and affordable.

A friend of mine's dad had a 'bog standard' 1.6 Golf of the same era and even that went like the clappers compared to my dad's Escort 1.4.

Sorry to say that I'm not a fan of the latest Golf. Not keen on the styling of the front end (looks like someone wearing horn-rimmed specs) and the dashboard. Just personal preference.

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Fri 26 Jan 2024 20:30
VW Golf - 50 years of the Golf - DavidGlos
We’ve had three…and a half. All originally company cars (aside from the half!)

1. 2001 GT TDI PD 115. Only had it for 6 months and around 12,000 miles, as the company folded and the car went back. First car I had with six gears. Seemed very novel cruising at 70 mph with the engine ticking over at 2,000 rpm.

2. 2011 2.0 TDI Match Bluemotion Tech. Ran this as a company car for around nine months, moved to another job but bought the car, as we needed a vehicle and it was decent value. Still got it. Initially it clocked up around 15,000 miles a year, but this has now dropped to around 6,000. Currently on 107,000 and has been very reliable. Not really suited to the shorter journeys that it generally does now, but it gets a longer run every couple of weeks to keep the DPF sweet. Only seen the DPF warning light once and that was during the first lockdown when it was doing no decent runs. Only non routine part that’s been needed was an EGR cooler.

3. 2016 GTD Estate. Ran this for four years and around 70,000 miles. Really practical for the family and dog. Never missed a beat, but you could really tell whenever it was doing a DPF regen due to a very lumpy tickover. Quick, reasonably refined and decent MPG.

…and then the half! 2001 Beetle 2.0. My Mrs opted out of her car scheme at work, took the cash allowance and bought the Beetle. We ran this for ten years and 120,000 miles. Not very practical, but comfortable enough in the front. Huge thirst for oil. Piston rings replaced under warranty but made no difference. Aside from that, pretty reliable; but slow, gutless, thirsty and extremely low geared.
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