Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2017 10:04:22 GMT 12
To answer a question from another thread, yep, I'm a Golf fan. My particular love is for the Mkiii series, of which I recently acquired a 97 VR6 for a song from a supposed Euro vehicle dealer in Nelson who turned out - in the flesh - to be a hulking German biker... That's ok. For what I paid, I knew there was going to be plenty to do to bring her back up to spec and a nice, slow rebuild seemed like a nice idea. Seemed like a nice idea. Turns out it's more a question of what's not wrong with it. Ongoing electrical problems were traced to the aftermarket headlights. But I only discovered that after removing the entire loom and checking/cleaning every plug and con I could find. Various bits n pieces with the coils and cooling system, a new full bush set about to be ordered from Germany and also a desperate need to go in for new shocks, discs and pads right round. Paint fade/scuffing/cracking on the rear bumper is currently being (slowly) dealt with in the garage... And on and on. All that said, I'm just such a fan I can't help but love her and when I get onto a nice bit of back road - I remember why. She's a pocket rocket. And she can only get better... New Gen. Man. at work has the latest GTi, his wife drives a Mk4 GTi which I've already expressed interest in taking off her - though again, at heart I'm a Mkiii guy. They just do it for me.   So anyway, there'll be other Golf owners here I'm sure... Let's see what you've got...
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Post by Owen Y on Jan 22, 2017 10:40:14 GMT 12
Ahh....my working-on-cars days are over I think. Or at least precious time now swallowed by other interests. Crawling under/over the car, greasy hands, skinned knuckles, chasing parts, weekends (and nights) spent in the dirty garage....them were the days  Anyway, pleased to follow another enthusiast's trials & endeavours. PS. I recall my nephew had one of those Mk3/4 VR6s - how do you like the handling with the heavier engine, compared with the regular Golf?
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Post by michaelw on Jan 22, 2017 12:17:03 GMT 12
more weight over the front makes them less responsive, more understeery etc. hence the preference for those who value handling over other factors - those vr6s did sound amazing, sonically right up with n/a bmw straight sixes and the porsche flat 6. my dub is a 2005 nz new golf mk5 gti with dsg gearbox and mild stage 1 reflash   bonus pic, count the golfs in this photo, there was another one, a white mk5 gti just off frame to the right  
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2017 13:17:18 GMT 12
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Post by michaelw on Jan 22, 2017 13:51:18 GMT 12
nice but what's with the silly bits over the headlights ? is it to give it an angry face ? did you see the red mk2 gti on tm with the ridiculous clown wheels ? it was nice until some munter "improved" it. flashback - spotted this a couple of months ago unmolested nz new 69 beetle 1500 
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Post by michaelw on Jan 22, 2017 14:31:41 GMT 12
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2017 17:46:10 GMT 12
Handling... It's definitely a car you need to learn to drive. The drive home over the hills from Nelson the day I bought it, I slid and scared myself a few times. With decent, tuned suspension and bushes all round - I'm expecting marked improvement. As MW said, the engine note is to die for - as it its performance when it's running right. Should it have been a rear wheel drive? Yes. But I'm happy to take it as it is...
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2017 17:49:42 GMT 12
I could lose the stickers and the boy racer junk... But, I gotta admit - I like it...
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2017 20:01:46 GMT 12
nice but what's with the silly bits over the headlights ? is it to give it an angry face ? did you see the red mk2 gti on tm with the ridiculous clown wheels ? it was nice until some munter "improved" it. flashback - spotted this a couple of months ago unmolested nz new 69 beetle 1500 Eye-lids. Yeah, I'm not sure what they're thinking there but it must be 'a thing' as they're all over the UK Golf sites and selling by the dozen on eBay. Good thing is - they peel right off!
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Post by michaelw on Jan 22, 2017 22:36:11 GMT 12
that mk2 looked much better on steelies 
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The Golf Thread... Jan 23, 2017 10:52:04 GMT 12
via mobile - Edited Jan 23, 2017 10:52:29 GMT 12 by Deleted
Post by Deleted on Jan 23, 2017 10:52:04 GMT 12
Though I know a few purists who'd concur... We'll have to agree to disagree...
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Post by michaelw on Jan 23, 2017 11:56:32 GMT 12
those who drive on clown wheels with stretched out tyres don't know how tyres work  ps comics sans for the red gti
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Member
Post by luigi on Jan 25, 2017 10:22:20 GMT 12
Damn, saw the title and thought you meant a fan of the game. Oh well, never mind.
Golf is a good car, though VW's rep a bit tarnished at present after dieselgate. They will pay the (substantial) price and recover eventually I guess.
They reckon they will be the EV leaders of the world by 2025. So elaborate Golf carts!
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Post by michaelw on Jan 25, 2017 11:24:34 GMT 12
still best in class.
wheels australia just tested 12 top family hatchbacks.
golf mk7 took out top place.
big surprise was the korean kia/hyundai.
for all their bravado and sales growth they sunk like a stone to 11+ 12th.
remember those goofy hyundai ads with the line "all you aspire to" or some such...
sad to see so many with such low expectations...
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2017 14:10:12 GMT 12
Anybody want a Golf that refuses to get well? 
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Post by Deleted on Jan 26, 2017 16:09:34 GMT 12
Waiting on a VAG diagnostic unit to see why she's gone into limp mode... I guess I'll be taking the Corolla over to Nelson tomorrow... A joyless but completely reliable option...
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Post by Owen Y on Jan 26, 2017 21:33:59 GMT 12
Not sure what VW have, but on my Nissan Leaf EV, I bought a OBD adapter unit on Aliexpress for next to nothing, d/loaded an app onto the phone, plugged the OBD into the diagnostic port under the dash & bingo, I'm reading batt stats & accessing settings via wifi.
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Post by michaelw on Jan 26, 2017 22:52:01 GMT 12
vw also use obd with a microsoft based software known as vcds (vag-com diagnostic system) for diagnostics and custom settings.
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Pundit
Post by rocl on Feb 18, 2017 17:44:27 GMT 12
Waiting on a VAG diagnostic unit to see why she's gone into limp mode... I guess I'll be taking the Corolla over to Nelson tomorrow... A joyless but completely reliable option... oh mr heathen. why oh why have you done this to yourself? vw dropped the ball with the mk2. with the mk3 they lost it completely. still unable to find it with the mk4, and then, when all seemed lost and the company was returning to the one which kept the beetle going 20yrs past its use by date, it did something that it hadn't done since it took design away from giugiaro and thought they could do it cheaper in house. it made the mk5 gti. where that came from i have no idea, but after having a mk4 4-motion, and its big brother the r32, i bought the one i should have had all along. balance it has in bucketloads. poise, performance. do yourself a favour. get out from under that abomination, wash all the grease off, and get into a mk5 gti and the grin will never leave your face. not the maniacal obsessed one you have now, but a blissfull, ecstatic one.
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Post by michaelw on Feb 18, 2017 20:34:39 GMT 12
couldn't have said it better !
mk2 gti wasnt too bad, gti 16v was great.
rest of the range meh.
mk3/4 gti are best forgotten.
a mk5 gti is the sweet spot.
the consummate all-rounder.
what do you have rocl ?
mine is an nz new 2005 dsg, 18in detroits, with nzpt stage 1 reflash.
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Pundit
Post by rocl on Feb 18, 2017 21:21:36 GMT 12
hi michael. mk2 was visually very bland - in contrast to the wonderful mk1. slightly redeemed by the passing years but no better than the corolla of the time, but much better mechanically.
mine is a jap 06 gti,dsg, pirelli wheels in that rare but distinctive light silver colour. currently on 35,700kms so still has some life left in it. i haven't felt the need for more performance. does the reflash do anything else?
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Post by michaelw on Feb 19, 2017 14:03:38 GMT 12
hi, at 35k , it's just run in... yes, the reflash reprogrammed the torque limiter in lower gears so there was some loss of the distinctive blat blat on upshifts unless you pin the throttle to the firewall a small price to pay for a more muscular feel to the motor. the quoted power increase of 18% and torque increase of 21% feels about right according to my butt dyno. funny you mention the corolla. at the time of the mk2 gti, i had an '85 nz assembled, chris amon tuned corolla gt and it ran rings around the mk2 gti imho the homely looks of the mk2 were improved with the last big bumper cars.  
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Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2017 18:22:51 GMT 12
OK rocl, I've calmed down enough to reply now, but all I can really think to say is - surely you mock? You jest? And did you say the mkii was visually bland? All that rocking and rolling down there on the plains has evidently left you scrambled!? Visually bland? A stunning piece of automotive design might have been more apt.
And I'd also like to leap to the defence of my beautiful mkiii but alas, she's still in pieces in my garage awaiting the loving touch of the auto sparky... Followed by new suspension and brakes along with a handful of bushes before I'd even consider it 'fairly' roadworthy. I might have a dud on my hands, but anyone who has driven a VR6 will attest, that -despite a few design flaws - they're an absolute joy to drive. Its like commanding an untamed beast when running right... When running right.
Moving on, I must confess, the mk5 would be the only mellenial Golf I'd consider. A friend in Wgtn has one and it's a fantastic car. Too tame though. Too refined. And here we come full circle to the joys of the VR6...
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Post by michaelw on Feb 22, 2017 10:46:58 GMT 12
just for johnny 
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2017 14:02:49 GMT 12
just for johnny Nuff sed I wreckin...
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Pundit
Post by rocl on Feb 22, 2017 15:23:12 GMT 12
since you are so obviously a self-flagellant, permit me to make a recommendation www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/volkswagen/auction-1266484774.htmit seems to do everything your mk3 does but with a modicum of style. and the advanced kilomeratage only serves to show how reliable it has been. it also has a few interesting little things that need attending to so you would still be able to have it in pieces on your garage floor. what more could you want?
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Post by michaelw on Feb 22, 2017 15:35:30 GMT 12
i've seen that car in welly ! the decimal point in the price is misplaced.
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Pundit
Post by rocl on Feb 22, 2017 15:52:33 GMT 12
the decimal point in the price is misplaced. oh wow! johnny grab it now - an appreciating classic in michael's eyes worth ver $100000!
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The Golf Thread... Feb 22, 2017 17:17:12 GMT 12
via mobile - Edited Feb 22, 2017 17:18:15 GMT 12 by Deleted
Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2017 17:17:12 GMT 12
You know, if this weren't such a civilised forum, full of civilised, upstanding gentlemen such as ourselves - I'd be left to wonder if I didn't detect a slight mocking sarcasm to your posts rocl my good man. Alas, we are fine men, the VR6 is a fine beast but even this deluded fool knows when best to step back... Is the 18k VR6 still on TM?
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Pundit
Post by rocl on Feb 22, 2017 17:29:13 GMT 12
You know, if this weren't such a civilised forum, full of civilised, upstanding gentlemen such as ourselves - I'd be left to wonder if I didn't detect a slight mocking sarcasm to your posts rocl my good man. Alas, we are fine men, the VR6 is a fine beast but even this deluded fool knows when best to step back... Is the 18k VR6 still on TM? only someone who has never met me would include me in a group of fine men. and i avoid sarcasm like the plague - now irony is a much finer thing, and i have been known indulge myself on the odd occasion. you may find this hard to believe my heathen, but my saved searches do not include mk3 golfs, so i can't answer your question. however i did drive to wanaka 3yrs ago to check out a v6 mk2 for $12000. bought a mk4 R32 instead. probably should have got the mk2. or a mk5 gti. would have saved me a dollar or 2 to spend on audio.
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