1987 Golf Gti - American Model

Hey - just wondering if I should pick this up for $750. I know a guy who will redo the parts of the interior I care about for cheap. So not too worried about that part. I am more worried about what I should look out for when I go for a test drive with this puppy. Never driven a VW before, not sure of what noises could mean huge problems down the road. As well, what spots are prone to rust other than the normal shock towers and trunk pieces. Any help would be much appreciated, going to take a look at her in about 5 hours from now.

is it a 16V or 8V?

Rust in the floors and floor supports. Esp if it has a sunroof. Rust under the tail lamps and along the rear body panel. Rust under the battery area. Bottom of the doors.. Wheel wells and doglegs on 1/4 panels. Noises? The car will have plenty of noises. It's an old car. Control arm bushing, strut mounts to name a few... Engine mounts sacked out. Shifter shot and floppy. But don't the the mechanical bits turn you. They can be fixed. I will stop now...

Rust around the windshield too.

Otherwise it's almost 30 years old, there are lots of things that will be failing at this point.

It's a 16v engine - Not sure what difference that makes for maintenance. I'm not worried about much failing, since I planned on replacing some parts and possibly doing an engine swap. Second question! Where should I look for parts that I wanted to get for a new replacement, also does anyone know where a good VW mechanic is here in the Tampa FL area?

16V versus 8V makes a difference on whether it worth restoring (imo) or whether one should do an engine swap (don't on the 16v). Clean up what needs attention, get a 50mm euro intake manifold, SRSVW suspension setup, limited slip, USRT shifter, TT 268/276 cams and enjoy life.

So the 16v is going to be a solid choice once some work is done to make sure it's solid haha? Excellent! I wish I new more about VWs or a real solid mechanic. He would have some work lol

The 9A (2.0 16v) is my favorite VW motor of all time. With cams, a 50mm intake and mild headwork it pulls nicely and is a rewarding drive. I'm always tempted to find a 91 GTi, I love thosae cars, but I beat on my cars enough that i'd feel bad roughing one up.

So how does the 1.8L 16V compare?

The difference in power and torque between the 1.8 and the 2.0 is noticeable, but I wouldn't let that stop me from buying a 1.8. It's still a fun car to throw around.

If you are looking for a mechanic to bring it up to snuff you might end up underwater in the car very quickly, FWIW. They are not difficult to work on, and VWs are very popular. Just get the proper Bentley manual and follow this Vortex thread: http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?4394156-Golf-Jetta-II-DIY-FAQ

As far as parts...TONS of places. ECSTuning, GermanAutoParts, AutohausAZ, Black Forest Industries, and many more. Even dealer support for old VWs is quite good.

I have a '92 Jetta GLI 2.0 16v. Love the car, but it sure breaks a lot.

The US built MK2s have a slighly different electrical system than their foreign built cousins which makes an engine swap less plug n play. MK3 VWs (93-99) share suspensions as do Corrados. All MK2 VWs' parts interchange (aside from the headliner) so they are like Legos. CIS injection can be finicky and is sensitive to vacuum leaks. A 16v is an interference engine so check the timing belt. Parts4vws.com is also a good parts source. I loved my MK2 Golf and would own another in a heartbeat, even with its 8v. I did all of the maintenance and upgrades on my car in the driveway with basic hand tools. Prior to that I had only changed oil, wipers, and bulbs. The Bentley manual is a must, especially if you can find one covering the whole model cycle. Maintenence parts (other than the fuel system) are fairly inexpensive and used performance parts are easily found.

Hey all - Thanks for the awesome posts. Went to look at the rig and it was godawful and jacked up. Toolbag guy who was selling it for a grand. It wouldn't start cold, it was leaking oil like crazy, and to top it all off, almost every corner of the car was rusted through and smashed.

Lol! Still looking for a mk2 golf gti, if anyone knows of a seller near Florida. Crap I would even pay for someone to drive it down here and I would fly them back if it meant a good deal. I don't mind spending money for something quality!

Where are some places you can get your hands on a Bentley Manual in digital format?

Thanks again everyone for the $0.02!

oats123 wrote: Where are some places you can get your hands on a Bentley Manual in digital format?

You can't; they are about 3x as thick as a Haynes/Chilton and even the cheapest of cheapskates buy the book. You either have the book or you don't. They are THAT good. I found mine used on eBay for $35.

Haha I just like the digital manual idea so I can mount the tablet to whatever I'm working on! $100 for a book that will keep me from big problems is just fine, I also have access to alldata so I wonder if that would help.