1995 Volkswagen Golf CTI review from South Africa

On about 105 000 km's my clutch started giving me hassles and the gear selection became a bit of a problem. Upon opening the hood I discovered that the bracket where the clutch entered the car from the engine bay, had pulled right through as a result of metal fatigue. This problem was quickly rectified with a strengthened plate that was bolted to the body.

I discovered over the short period of time that I have had the car, that the doors keep on sagging slightly. Carefull tuning to these (the doors that get used the most - fronts) keeps them in alignement (I do not allow people to slam my doors).

Oil usage seems roundabout a pint every two weeks. I also discovered a slight oil leak from the gearbox.

On average, the CTi stands true to the phrase, Pocket Rocket. It stays with most of the newer models in its class and it never stands down to a challenge.

The car was fitted with a performance branch and stainless steel free-flow exhaust in December of 2000. The latest addition to the car are Pirelli P6000s (185/60/14) all round and Armstrong gas rider shocks (June 2001). I try to keep my cars as standard as possible to keep the performance true to the reputation of the car.

The ride is very rough due to the suspension setup (not lowered). Steering is very responsive and concentration is needed when driving at high speeds on secondary roads. The slightest bump can push you out of direction very quickly. Grip is all round good and I have never managed to understeer her into tight corners, although I oversteer just for the thrill of it.

Throttle response is good but sluggish in 5th gear. Braking power is supplied by ventilated discs in the front and drums at the back. I have found on many occasions that my brakes fail me after a bit of hard driving and have even managed to get some smoke pouring out from the 14 inch standard alloy rims as a result of heated brakes.