1982 Volkswagen Golf GTi review from UK and Ireland

Neglect and 'boy-racer' damage from previous owner (s), resulting in:

New rear axle beam (2nd hand, from a Scirocco)

New shock absorbers all round and standard springs to replace lowering units.

I also had to renew the following:

Speedometer / odometer unit (odometer failed)

Driver's seat (usual wear and tear to bolster)

Ignition amplifier unit (the only time the car broke down)

Renovation kit for gear linkage.

The car also needed some welding for the annual test, but nothing major given its age.

Despite repeated attempts to get the tracking right, it was always slightly upset by road camber - probably as a result of crash damage.

The paintwork had not been looked after, resulting in small amounts of surface rust on the roof and under the front bumper.

I bought this car cheaply, as a rolling restoration project.

The first job was to put the car back to standard. It had been lowered and was fitted with large alloy wheels and wide tyres.

Standard specification suspension and the original alloys worked wonders, as did a new rear axle - I think that the nearside back wheel had hit a kerb at speed in the past.

The engine was fine and only needed an oil and filter change.

The only other problems which I encountered were reasonable wear issues, given the car's age.

The failure of the ignition amplifier module was the only actual breakdown which I had. The unit was replaced at the roadside and the car was fine. It looked like the failed unit was the original, so no complaints!

Overall, the car was very cheap to run. I sourced parts from specialists and scrapyards (only when absolutely necessary). I never needed the main dealer.

Although the renovation of the car meant that the sale price was less than the cost to me, it was worth it. The car was never perfect, but still handled brilliantly.

The car inspired confidence like few others which I have driven. There is a significant amount of grip and the vehicle can be positioned with great accuracy through corners.

The engine is superbly well matched to the light weight of the vehicle and there is always enough torque available.

I would certainly consider buying another Mk1 GTI, but would spend more on the purchase and be very attentive to possible crash damage. They are huge fun!