OT - Volkswagen info ???

[AmBraCol]

Howdy, folks. Since there's such a wide variety of interest in all kinds of areas here I thought I'd float a question about Volkswagen - specifically the Golf III. Are any of y'all familiar with any good internet sites for info on this model? We just picked up a '95 Golf that we're trying to fix up a bit, but info's a bit thin - at least with the searches I've done. So far I've found VW Vortex http://forums.vwvortex.com/ but would like to know if there are any other sites out there. Also, I recall seeing some kind of specialized VW catalog at someone's home a while back, but didn't pay attention to the company name at the time.

Any info would be appreciated. Oh, and to keep it subject related - this vehicle will be used to transport me and my "levergun" (Gamo CFX) to the range...

Thanks, guys!


Paul

[66GTO]

My wife used to drive an '03 New Beetle but I traded it on a Civic. I have since deleted my bookmarks to VW forums. The Vortex site is one I used a lot. One place you might try is Grassroots Motorsports. These guys love old, cheap cars and hot rod and race them. They have a very active forum and I am sure there are a lot of VW guys on there. I used to subscribe to their magazine. Every year they sponsor a car building competetion with a spending limit on the cars set at the year of the contest. This year the limit will be $2,008. They judge on appearance, 1/4 mile time, and autocross time. Check it out.

I used to own a '77 VW Scirocco. It was a fun little car. I won a few trophies autocrossing it. The drive train was bullet proof but the interior fell apart. My wife's New Beetle was the opposite. The interior (and this was a base model) was well built, solid, comfortable. But the mechanical bits were junk. Everything was made as cheaply as possible (made out of plastic) . Even the water pump was plastic! After the warranty expired, I traded it on a new Civic.

I am not trying to discourage you. I really liked the way both my VW's rode and handled. Yours may already have all of the bugs worked out of it, plus it was probably made in the U.S. or in Germany. My wifes Beetle was made in Mexico!

[Rusty]

Paul,

Do you have access to a Haynes manual? I've found them to be better than Chilton's.

[Elkhunter1]

i wish you would have posted prior to buying as i am the owner of a '99 jetta and wouldn't give 2 nickles for another one. It is by the far the best engineered piece of junk we have ever bought. Yeah I know I could sell it and get something else, so call me the fool.

Bottom line, I think they're junk.

[AmBraCol]

Thanks for the feedback, guys. The Golf (as sold in Colombia) is built in Mexico and is considered a better buy than the built in Brazil by Ford Gol. No, we don't get any of the neat "do it yourself" manuals like Haynes or Chiltons. I have one for the MPV, but I brought it down back in '04 when I brought in some parts. Something like that would be handy, but I don't know when we'll make it back up north next time. In the meantime I'll just piddle around as best I can. I don't know 'bout the Jetta, but the Golf is a pretty solid little vehicle - in spite of the obvious neglect and mistreatment it's been subjected to. And it's better in many ways than the MPV we sold to buy it. That is an understatement worthy of Samuel Clemens himself... It's been a fun project and I've still got a few things I need to get done which are doable myself. That's the part I have the most fun with. At least we can afford to have a professional mechanic do some of the things we don't have tools or time for. I'm amazed at how little a top notch mechanic charges here, compared with up north. The labor bill to swap out the CV joints will run less than $30 US - once we scrape together the $$$ to buy the parts.

Anyway, thanks for the feedback. It's appreciated. I'm checking out that grassroots motorsports page, it looks interesting indeed.

[phlatnose]

AmBraCol,
Sell it and buy a toyota.
I have a 1995 which I use as a daily run about, whichi I have owned for the last 10,000 mil;es. It now has a genuine 80,000 miles on the clock.
Without a doubt this is the worst pile I have ever owned.
Bad electrics, airflow meters, wheel bearings, A/c dash controls, front door latch mechanisms break(try finding those). Poor gas mileage. 24mpg around town and managed 36mpg long distance. Very poor performance until you get up to 70mph. I dont know what vw were thinking when they designed this thing.
Had an 89 jetta before this. 100 times the car. Only a 1600cc but lighter, better performer, faster, 40mpg on a run and close to 30 around town. Both cars are/were stick shift. Managed 150,000+ miles replacing brakes once, radiator and hoses and the occasional tune up + a cat converter.
I used to be a car dealer, and the later jetta is about the worst car I have ever owned.
My next car will possibly be a 55 chevy. Although it burns a lot more gas, it wont devalue like new cars, and is easier to fix, and parts will be a whole lot cheaper than the modern junk on the market today.
If you want an economical modern vehicle that is reliable and cheap to run, buy a toyota. Forget the rest.

[AmBraCol]

Sell it and buy a toyota.

Not an option. I'd love to have a Toyota, but the price they bring down here is WAY out of our price range - even used. Shucks, the Golf set us back about $6300 US. Maybe someday, in the meantime we'll keep running it. And after a few tweaks it's been a decent car with twice the mileage we WERE getting... The auto industry here is very different from up there. For an example, a 2008 Aveo runs close to $19,000 US, that's what, about twice what you can get one for up there???

[Marlin .35]

I have owned a regular beetle, a diesel rabbit and a Schirocco, (SP)!! I loved them all, and none of them gave me any problems, of course this was 20 or so years ago. The only thing that bothers me about the new VW's is that Consumer Reports, for the last several years has listed them as poor. Good Luck!!! Art

[awp101]

Can't help with the Golf, wish I could. This is as new as it gets for me VW-wise:



'71 Super Beetle that is my project car...

[kaschi]

My main drive is a 95 Golf. Bought it brand new 13 yrs ago this week. It has 213,000 miles and going strong! Besides brakes, tires and muffler, belts and hoses, the only new parts are a radiator, starter, alternator and thermostat. My wife drives an 87 Jetta she bought for $2500 in 1994 and it's still running great. Last year I had to sell(for parts) two 1984 Diesel Rabbits that were so rusted that they would not pass inspection. They got 50 MPG. Now I just ordered a new Jetta Diesel which according to VW will get 60 MPG on a trip. If you lived in PA, I could recommend a good mechanic.

[Unimog78]

The golf III is actually not a bad car. It really wasn't until the IV generation that they really went downhill. I personally like the II the best. I have a 91 GTI that I love and has been a great little beater. Dont pay attention to the haters. VW's have a huge following despite the problems (perhaps more than any other car) so that must tell you something. Sure it'll break but look at the style and engineering of a vw compared to a honda. Use the year 2000 for example. Look at a jetta and a civic. The jetta is obviously a "nicer" car. As long as it's under warranty! I've heard the latest generation is a step towards redeeming VW's reputation but I can't confirm that personally. I've had a gen 2, 3, and 4 and never had any major issues with any of them.

[phlatnose]

AmBraCol,
I didnt realise you were down south.
The best advice I can give you for the jetta and golf, is to stay up on the cooling system. Change the coolant regularly. A common problem is corrosion in the system that will block the radiator and bleed/return hose that runs from the top righthand side of the cylinder head to the coolant reservoir. If either of these block up, you will generate back pressure in the system, and coolant will flow out of the reservoir, and flood the electrical box mounted beneath it. Major expense., and a common problem. Also dont spill coolant when topping up, as you will get the same problem. When you change the coolant, you have to fill the system as much as possible from the reservoir, then warm the motor up. Feel the hoses that go to the heater. One will be hot, and the other will be cold. The cold one(return) has to be disconnected, and let a little coolant run out, otherwise you end up with an air pocket and the heater wont work.
If you need any advice on repars, post it hereand I will help if I can.

[Grizzly Adams]

Don't know anything about the Golf, but I have a 2000 Jetta TDI that i LOVE! It has a diesel engine that runs like a raped ape, and gets 50 MPG! What's not to love?

[Rusty]

Would the Golf they sell there be the same as the Golf they sell here?

[AmBraCol]

Again, thanks for the info and feedback, guys. We've already flushed the radiator and changed oil and other routine maintenance. Next on the "to do" list is to swap brake hoses on all four corners and flush the system with new fluid. There's plenty of "lil' stuff" but we're pretty much up to date. My impression on this lil' car is that it's much better than a lot of the stuff on the market here. For a '95 vintage it's in great shape considering the roads it's been running on for the past 13 years.

Would the Golf they sell there be the same as the Golf they sell here?

I'm not sure what all they've changed. I know that here they sold the 1.8 non turbo gasoline version. I've never seen a diesel nor a 2L. Since taxes and obligatory insurance are calculated on the displacement of the engine, all vehicles here tend to have smaller engines. Some of the recent offerings have 800 cc displacements (not VW's,I think the 1 liter's the smallest they offer) Anyway, we get to pay twice as much (thanks to "taxing the rich" - if you can afford a car, you're rich) as you do in the US and we tend to have less of the fancy stuff. Electric windows, ABS, airbags and air conditioning are all relatively rare here still - even in new vehicles.

Still, this is the nicest vehicle we've had in a while - in spite of its deficiencies.