I'm looking for an 83/85 VW Rabbit GTI - as stock/orig as possible
 

After completely selling off my modest collection (porsches and BMW), thinking I would get out of such silliness, I found I am hooked. So I've been rebuilding. One thing I want this time around is an 83/84 GTI.

As stock and original as possible. If anyone knows of one, or knows of a good ad source (other than samba or vortex, I've found those already), shoot me a PM.

This one would have been perfect, but I'm a couple of months too late for it.

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w...g?t=1220408909

Wow!! That thing looks brand new. I wanted one of those bad back when I had my late 70's rabbit. That would make for a fun little car.... d@mn you "the" for posting it! :D

Funny..... I had my eye on a GTI a couple of weeks ago. It looked complete and tastefully modded.

I grew up lusting after these cars I would love to find a unmolested one as a toy.

The 1st new car I ever bought was a 83 Rabbit GTi. I loved that car. Wish I had it now. Mine was black and red but I like the white best. Good luck on your hunt. Don't settle for anything less than excellent. Tons of beaters out there. Very few nice ones.

PS - the stock GTi wheels are a must! Too many were swapped out fr basketweaves.

Try www.autotrader.com -- currently no listings.

I found a white 83 a few months back in CA (e-bay). Under 100K and very clean/unmolested. It was a dealer and they were asking $6,900.00. This seems high. I was thinking around $4,000.00 on the top end for a clean under 100K car--is this realistic?

My best friend received a new 84 black GTI for his high school graduation gift (mommy & daddy)--oops just gave up my age. I was running a stripper 1980 w/120K--got me through college as well. Retired w/170K.

If I find one, I can guarantee you that my high school buddies will give me a wrath of *****.

I have been looking for around five years. Good luck with your search.

+1 on the stock snowflakes!

I think you mean the 1983-84 VW GTi. The 85 model was the MK II body style (more rounded 16 valve twin cam).

I completely support you on your quest. I Freekin love the MK I GTi's. My brother had one and it was an absolute blast. BMW 3 series feared the MK I GTi's!

FWIW, I currently own an 08 GTi 4 door. It does not have the charm of the original GTi, but it sure is a nice, quick, relatively upscale car with great utility.

Best of luck!

Mike

The GTI's are cool but the Corrado is rarer. :D and oh so much fun

yeah, the 85 was a typo. 83/84.

I never owned one, but came close. I ended up getting a 320i instead. The GTI certainly was a quicker car from 0-50 or 60. It was a bit lighter, but the close ratio gearbox gave it a big advantage in the city. It did have a bit of torque steer that the BMW didn't have.

I have some great memories in the 80s with GTIs though. I vividly remember my couple of test drives at the VW dealership on PCH in Hermosa Beach (or around there). Even with me, my buddy, and the salesman in the car, I was amazed at how snappy the GTI was. I loved the crazy striped seats and the golf ball shift knob.

My buddy had one and we'd cruise out to Palm Springs in it for weekend jaunts with our girlfriends in the summer of '84. Good times, it goes without saying!

I'd pay up to $10K for a nice silver one.

Doh! fixated on the "4"!

He is thinking a little older than that bob. Still a nice car though

Here is a nice red one. I hate red...

http://bringatrailer.com/2008/06/24/bat-exclusive-31k-mile-1984-vw-gti-mk1/

http://bringatrailer.com/wp-content/...TI_Front_1.jpg

http://bringatrailer.com/wp-content/...GTI_Rear_1.jpg

http://bringatrailer.com/wp-content/...Interior_1.jpg

How can you hate red. That car is sexy

When I was the BIG MAN on Campus back in the early eighties, my parents bought me a brand new '84 VW GTI; just like the one on the picture.

Awesome!
Great interior, recaro seats, VDO gauges, 5 short gears, triangle vent windows, etc, etc... I added zender side skirts and bosch fog lights. IT was perfect... Loved the off-white exterior and the blue interior..

Classic Issues:
1. poor location of the alternator that would get wet in the rain and stall car.
2. headliner glue gets weak as it gets older; likely replacement.
3. since 5th gear is around 1-0.98, it is quite high strung and get a little old if it is your only car (that is what lead me to get a new Acura Integra).
4. Factory Sach shocks a little weak and wear out a little.
5. Gas tank cap easily stolen; get a locking one..
6. Trunk cover connected to rear seats wears out and needs fixing.

I looked for a clean one for years and then gave up. The example you showed looks perfect. Cannot find a clean interior to save your life......:cool:

The Brick Red GTi is awesome, but $9,000 is a lot to pay.

My son-in-law bought a 1984 Diesel Rabbit (Diesels are smog exempt in California) and put the 16 Valve motor from a MK II in it. Those things haul A$$ and still keep the light weight theme and looks of the original GTi.

Dang, Volkswagen has made some really cool cars over the years.

Mike

Ya my dad has a soft spot for the old VW's which is what led to him buying the corrado. He has 3 rabbit pickups in various states of disarray. the best is a diesel and is interesting to say the least when it runs.

Looks but is not a GTI.

What made the gti great, was the sum of all the parts (suspension, engine, throttle body, anodized bumpers, gauges, red piping in the interior, the seats, the golf ball shifter, body striping, cool steering wheel, blacked rear window trim, rims, P6 tires, etcccccc.SmileWavy.

My brother's best friend in HS parents got him brand new white one in '83

He went through 3 clutches before the dealer told him no mas

Used to have a nice picture of him going around a corner lifting a rear wheel well off the ground

I bought one of these at an auction in the early '80's for $222... but it was only because I needed cheap transportation and I had NO MONEY!!!

I don't understand why anyone would want one now!!! I mean I just don't get it!!! lol

Oh yeah, I later traded it for a motorcycle that didn't run and traded that for a horse I couldn't ride!!! lol

Awesome cars. Sadly, the unmolested and rust-free ones are pretty rare. Also not cheap, it's hard to find a nice one for less than $7-10k.

Yeah, its on my short list of cars I'm interested in in the next 2 months. Check out vwvortex.com. The vast majority are complete heaps. As in nothing working at all. And yes, for a good one with everything actually working, market is about $7k. I'd buy one for that much though, because in 3 years I could probably sell for the same. I don't see the value of a good one going down (not up either, but at least you don't eat depreciation). Seems like very few are around down here. But my ears are open.

I think that is a fair price for a car as nice as the one in the ad. It looks like it just came off the showroom floor. What else is out there that is as much fun to drive and reliable for $9k?

I have a cabriolet from that era. Gutless, but a fun little car to drive.

i have one and even though i've paid 2x in parking tix what i paid for the car, i cannot sell it. awesome little city car.

had a '82 rabbit (no gti) and enjoyed it a lot but geez that is a lot of cake for that car.

Here's Mine
 

'84 with all the extras. Sun roof, cruise control. Neuspeed springs, strut bars and sway bars. Techtonics exhaust and lower strut tie bar and some Zender bits. I had it for 10 years and it ran like a top. Only thing I ever replaced the water pump.
I even fabricated a cold air/ram air system since the air box intake came from behind the bumper. I just extended it down into the air dam with some tubing.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1227633478.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1227633509.jpg

saw this AD's on bring a trailer website, looks nice

http://bringatrailer.com/2008/06/24/bat-exclusive-31k-mile-1984-vw-gti-mk1/

http://bringatrailer.com/2008/11/06/engine-compartment-award-1982-vw-jetta-2-door/#more-1315

My porsche mechanic is now doing a lot of Mk1 Scirocco's. I had 2 Mark 2's in the 80s....fun car...but no GTI

The GTI was such a blast. They are selling for today what they cost new. The best part was that they were great on gas, good in the snow, and a blast the rest of the year. Our neighbor had one in 1983, silver with a red velour interior....man did I love that car.

My mechanic has the mark 1's and they are awesome, he has them so nicely sorted out. I told him to look at GTI's and he said that they are in such demand that there wasn't a real place to make money on them.....I think that says a lot.

Year later my friend replaced his 84 GTI with a Mazda 323GTX (4 wheel drive....like a mini rally car really)....he said it was the only car that replaced the sensation that he got.