Facing the spring home improvements I’ve mentioned a couple of times, we decided to sell our Audi Allroad that was hardly being driven (Take good care of her Tim!) Suddenly our 1986 Volkswagen Golf ‘dog car’ is getting full time duty — and her flaws are a bit more apparent than they used to be. Here’s a picture with the recent suspension upgrade and Corrado wheels:
It’s a good project car for someone, but we’re looking for a more original and solid platform for our daily. After considering newer 4 door Golfs like this one on the VWVortex (112k miles, $2500 obo, Seattle):
We decided we should really stretch just a touch further and seek out a GTi model. For starters, all of the bits I’d upgrade to on a Golf are already installed on a GTi, like bucket seats, sway bars, close ratio transmission, performance tune motor, alloy wheels, etc… Unfortunately 4 door Golf GTi’s (like this one) were never imported to the U.S. But the 60/40 split folding seat does come in both 2 and 4 door configurations — so we can still get Super Sam into the back of course!
But it’s been several years since I’ve kept up with GTi values, and I’ve been surprised at just how difficult it is now to find a clean original. Here’s a couple on the VWVortex that appear to be of the quality I’m looking for, but are unfortunately nowhere near where I live:
1992 GTi 2.0 16v $2800-5800 depending on options, Spokane Washington (this is our pick of the litter right now, but a 14 hour round trip sounds silly for a GTi!)
My wife is really eager to get a nicer example now that the Audi is gone, so I’m on the lookout on Craigslist and local enthusiast forums for GTi’s. If you know of one in Western Oregon, let me know!
A list of MK2 Volkswagen GTi Buyer Guides:
- Great buyers guide on Octane.ie
- Golf/Jetta MKII FAQ on VWVortex
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How about a 1992 vintage Top Gear episode featuring tips on buying a used GTi (skip to 18:45 for this segment, or hang out for the whole episode with a Porsche 968 and Jaguar XJS review!):
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