1989 Volkswagen Golf GTi 16V 1.8 16v petrol from Finland
Summary:
A real bullet on fast curvy roads
Faults:
Mostly normal wear and tear parts gone bad.
Had it blow up a plug on the highway, last owner hadn't screwed the plug on correctly.
One of the instrument lamps went dead.
Leaking gasket around the sunroof.
Rear brake callipers very badly damaged by rust.
General Comments:
The car is very fun to ride fast on the track and those fast curvy roads, and handles well in all situations.
Pretty fast off the line with a 0-100 km/h time around 8 seconds. Top speed is a little over 200 km/h.
Original parts aren't too expensive, it doesn't consume as much petrol as you'd think it would.
Pretty reliable, has never left me on the road.
Chilled and simple looks on the outside, interior is maybe a little outdated, but it works fine.
Air conditioning, leather interior, power steering and sunroof are optional. Comfort could be better as the chassis is pretty stiff (but great when driving fast).
I'm pretty happy with it, and this won't be my last Volkswagen, that's for sure!
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 31st July, 2001