1991 Volkswagen Golf GTI 16v review from UK and Ireland

Clutch at 130,000.

Starter at 135000.

Alternator at 155000!!

Rear disks and callipers at 130000.

Front disks at 120000.

Driver electric window winder motor at 120000.

Gearbox starting to whine at 160,000.

Driver seat worn through on side bolster at 150,000.

Water pump failed at 170000.

That's about it.

Bought this car for £5100 when you could not insure a hot hatch for love nor money. It was originally on sale on the forecourt for £8200!! I just sat and watched it go down and then made the cheeky offer! It was a 16v, 3dr, big bumper, Graphite gray with BBS alloys and was mint.I sold the car 2 months ago and cried!

I loved the car and still miss it badly. I sold it for £600 as I had a company car and could not afford to keep it for another project/hobby with fishing,RC aeroplanes, computers and two kids.

I went everywhere in that car and it never once let me down. I did a total of nearly 170,000 in it and loved every minuet of it. It was such a stable car at speed and was like a beginners sports car as it was so predictable to drive fast. Ignore what people say about 8v golfs being faster. If you boot a 16v and let her rev.. she will leave an 8v standing and I had done it many a time.

When I bought it, it would only do about 130MPH flat out and was a "tight " engine to free rev. After 100,000 it was a different car. At 120,000, it peaked in performance and I saw 140MPH many a time on the motorway!! That is 6750RPM on 195/50x15 tyres.I have photos to prove it. I'm not a speed freak, but when you have a car for nearly 8 years, there is not a lot you haven't done in it. I changed the oil every 8,000 and ran it on Mobil 1. It never burnt oil or showed smoke signs. The gearbox was light and slick all the way to 200,000 but started to whine at 150,000. The syncro was fine which was I believe is because I never forced the gears and let the selection happen without pace. The performance was exciting without being blistering, but was very predictable. When it had covered 200,000 mile, I raced my brother who had a new Golf 130BHP diesel GTI. It was neck and neck, although I am sure he would not leave me on top end, even though his car has a book speed of 127MPH! Not bad for a car which has done 200K!!

The car would do about 37MPG on average. Although my wife would get the MFA showing 44MPG when she drove it. I had it showing 11MPG at 120MPH for over when I completed an hour long thrashing in France once.

If I had to name some things to watch when buying one, i would say you should listen for noisy Hydraulic tappets, leaking in to foot wells( door skin seals)hand break/ rear callipers seizing and gearbox syncros.

If you can find a 16v H reg 3 dr in Green, black or Graphite gray in good condition with less than 120K on the clock... buy it!!