Faults:

When I first got it I was fiddling around with the air vents when one of them just fell in to the dash board. So I can't turn it off now. Whoops. It has a bit of a problem with the automatic choke, it starts first time, every time. However, once it gets warmed up it doesn't idle very well, so I think something needs adjusting (any ideas anyone?) But apart from general maintenance nothing.

General Comments:

For a 16 year old car it's in very good condition. Very little rust and like most VW's still solid as a rock. The interior is immaculate and it even had all 4 original VW speakers, probably because the front one's were virtually impossible to get out. (unless you remove the windscreen). Apart from the choke problem, the engine runs sweet as a nut with no loud tappets, clicking/banging etc.

It's good fun to drive, the steering is responsive and it sticks to the road like glue. (175 tyres and stiff suspension help)

As it's quite old I don't really like to push it, but if you want to over take, slam it into 3rd and it will take off! Obviously it's not GTi standard, but it's certainly not slow.

The only thing that really bothers me are the gears. 1st gear is far to close to reverse, the amount of times I've pulled away from a junction and gone flying backwards.

Insurance is a little high (group 9/10) but as I paid virtually nothing for the car, the premium wasn't that bad.

Faults:

Nothing major:

Blown Bulbs in rear lights.

New flanges in the exhaust.

New seat cables.

A few electrical faults with the windscreen wipers.

Sun stained bumpers and trim.

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The only thing that concerns me, is that when you drive the car hard, and then slow to a stop, the car starts to stutter, but doesn't stall. If you gently rev the engine, it will pick up and drive off fine, and probably not do it again during the whole journey.

General Comments:

I know that Golfs a prone to carburetter faults, but I have been told that mine is fine and the seal beneath it is OK too. Does anyone have any ideas, because it is a lovely car except for the stuttering fault.

The revs are set correctly and unless you drive it hard nothing goes wrong.

Faults:

Tracking appalling.

Dash light broken.

Exhaust rattling.

Needs a new clutch.

Weird squealing noise at some points that I can't quite work out.

Battery attempted to escape from the car while travelling on the A14.

General Comments:

Given all of things that are or have gone wrong with this car, you would think that I hate it, but I don't. Most of what has gone wrong has done so as the car is just very old and has done a very high mileage.

All of which are reasonably cheap to fix, except for the dash board light strangely. But I have sorted that myself with a very fetching little torch.

It genuinely is a pleasure to drive and will quite happily travel at high speed without seeming nervous. It is economical to the point of being a bit silly yet still manages to have enough power to pull away quickly if needs be.

The only really bad thing about the car is the absolutely appalling modifications that one of the previous owners did to the car seemingly with sticky tape. Also they seem to have attempted to change the stereo by themselves and blown all of the electrics, hence the expensive dash light.