1987 Volkswagen GTI 16V review from North America
"A good car looking for the right driver"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Rust everywhere. It began with the floorboards rotting out, then spread underneath the hatch, later claiming the fenders underneath the flares (none visible, though).
Could not take "farm boy" abuse - the rear axle was bent, wearing the tires funny. The front strut towers had stress cracks all the way around.
Fuel pump went out at 150,000 miles.
General comments?
This car had very little bottom end torque. It was my first DOHC engine, and I missed the grunt of large American V8s. The GTI was the best vehicle in the "twisties", better even, in my opinion, than even some Corvettes and Porsches I have driven. There are very few curves on the American Great Plains, though, and the car is very tiring on long, straight interstates. Very tight engine, though, considering the amount of time spent at high RPMs, and excellent gas mileage.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| First year of ownership | 1999 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2001 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.8L Manual |
| Performance marks | 9/10 |
| Reliability marks | 8/10 |
| Comfort marks | 7/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 10/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 132000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 160000 miles |
| Previous car | Chevrolet Celebrity |
| Date of Entry | 10th June, 2002 |