Looking at a semi-local VR6 GTI. Usage could be any and all forms of motorsports. Autox, Rallyx, Track Days, Drag racing, etc. Not terribly worried about classing.
What do I need to be concerned about? Any potential catastrophic failures? Suspension, chassis, drivetrain, weak points? Options that are a must-have, or options to avoid?
These generally didn't have a whole lot of options, they pretty much all came here equipped the same way. Some have leather, some don't that's pretty much it.
Look out for the timing chain and guides, they wear and it's a decent job to replace them. Coil packs go bad, head gaskets go bad and the usual VAG issues with window regulators etc.
Buy a maintained one with records!
Buy a maintained one with records!
Buy a maintained one with records!
Buy a maintained one with records!
Buy a maintained one with records!
Seriously. Otherwise prepare to spend alot of time and money...
Thanks. Not too concerned with window regulators, hvac failures, general VAG nonsense. As long as the powertrain and chassis keep working, I'll be happy.
Is there a perma-fix for the coilpacks or headgaskets? The timing chain/guides - easy to diagnose? They just rattle a lot as they go bad?
What records am I looking for if I were to buy one with records (unlikely in this price range)? None of the above are maintenance items anyway... so I would assume they are only addressed up failure.
I have not heard of many having head gaskets go bad. Usually the ones that do are a consequence of being driven way too hot after losing coolant.
They tend to develop cooling leaks. There's a plastic "crack pipe" as it's come to be known that attaches to the plastic thermostat housing, which attaches to a plastic coolant after run pump, and it all gets brittle and will go bad. The aftermarket has solved this with billet coolant pipes, and even the stock stuff will last a plenty long time if new (and cheap), but it's kind of a pain to do the job.
Timing chains don't tend to fail, but the tensioners/guides do. You'll hear them audibly rattle/noisy from the drivers side of the engine. The reason chains are kind of a pain on the VR6 is that they're on the transaxle side of the engine, so replacing them means dropping the trans. Usually it's a good time to do the clutch.
Not sure where you live, but the biggest issue here in Michigan is usually not engine related, but the floors rust out of mk3's.
Obviously you'll have VW problems with window regulators and such, but that's a lesser issue.
Mk3s also rust the strut towers quite badly. Make sure to look for that. IIRC all of the weird manual transmission-related failures (no reverse, etc) were on the four cylinder models.
Owned a 1993. Timing chain makes noise when the guides wear, pain to change, I did a Quaffe clone diff at that time, transformed the car. Coils go bad regularly, someone developed a mounting bracket to use MSD coils of some sort. Did that, worked very well. Did the metal "Crack Pipe" when I did timing chain etc because I had the car apart. Very good aftermarket when I owned mine years ago, fixes existed for all the problems.
Clayton
Mk3's are normally pretty reliable cars. Avoid the high-end electrical stuff.
Rear end is a twist beam, like the Mk2's, but a VR6 car should be 4 wheel discs. Mk1, 2 and 3 cars all have pretty weak rear stub axles and small wheel bearings. They will bend under heavy loads (keep in mind, I am into rally cars). Not sure this is an issue on asphalt.
Keep in mind that the newest Mk3 is a 99, so most of these cars are close to or over 20 years old.
Well, went to look at the car this weekend.
Rust. Bucket. If I hit a speedbump in it, that would be the end of it. This was in Charlotte, NC by the way. Apparently the car had been north in the past... but wow.
Of course the seller mentioned a few "oh by the way" things like: The radiator has am massive leak and you can't drive the car anywhere. And the head gasket is blown.
What a waste of time.
I started to read doc's reply and I was going to only post "RUST" glad you looked.
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