Cheat SHeet for GTI's
 

I'm looking for a GTI, MKIV to MK VI. 1997-2012

Can someone suggest the questions to ask for each variation? I am getting confused on what cars need the timing belt changed and when, cost. What years have a chain but should have the chain tensioner upgraded or adjusted, when, approx. cost? I just want to make sure I am asking the right questions when I talk to the seller.

I'm looking for 90-115k cars since I only drive about 5k a year for $4-8k Hoping to get 5 years with no major issues.

I asked about the autobaun the other day but that car had 5 owners in 10 years so I passed.

This has some good info:
https://www.motorreviewer.com/engine.php?engine_id=119

Skip the Mk 4s, they were made in Mexico and the build quality was crap. Also the VR6 was heavy, boring, and hard to modify.

At that mileage on a 2.0 T, you are overdue for the major stuff like coils, injectors, chain, tensioner, and carbon deposit removal, so make sure all that has been done.
I have a bunch of friends and family with various iterations of these motors, and they have really grown on me... they seem like really solid motors if you address the known issues.

Man, I LOVED my Mk4 GTI 1.8T. Wish I had never sold it. That being said, If I lived in the city I would have a Mk6 in a heartbeat.

I was considering one as a DD a while back and found some good primers on the various generations online, maybe just google, "best generation GTI" or something. There is a lot of info.

Something to consider.

https://newyork.craigslist.org/jsy/ctd/d/miami-1987-volkswagen-golf-gt-mk2-same/7069545835.html

I put a European front grille with round headlights on my 88 Jetta. Looked great. Even better was the Audi 2.0L block with big valve head and headers. Such a fun little car.

I have a 2 door, manual trans, mkVI 2010 GTI with 145k on it. It's my daily. I've also tracked It a hand full of times. It might be the most bullet proof car I've owned. I've had no issues with the car. I've only performed routine maintenance. That includes 2 sets of rotors and 1 coil. I did have to recover the headliner which was a complete pita to get out and back in. Recently I've been loosing some coolant with time. I suspect I'm due for a water pump. Replacing the pump requires the intake to come off. I may farm that job out in the interest of expediency.

Oh, mkVI uses timing chains.

Wait...what? Here's a 2003 w/VR6

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/cto/d/phoenix-vw-golf-gti-vr6-24v-6-spd/7069629016.html

Judas...


**CORRECTION..it appears the VR6 was not an option or that year. Ad is most likely bogus.**

VWVortex forum is great.

When I'm looking for the model year cutoff on a 2L, I go to www.goapr.com

Because really, how much power it's *going* to make is more important than how much it *does* make, isn't it? :)