1995 Volkswagen Golf GTi from UK and Ireland - Comments

Noticed a gash in a breather hose a few days after purchasing it - didn't affect the drive as it was only a minor replacement needed, but dealer charged me £24 for a little piece of rubber!!!

Immobiliser is temperamental - need to wait a few seconds for it to fully disable or fuel cut-off causes engine not to start (which is embarrassing when your in this car ;op).

Boot sometimes fails to open using remote central locking which can be annoying, but this doesn't happen often.

Interior can rattle a bit at times.

This car is extremely quick although you do need to get those revs up to find out just HOW quick.

Factory top speed is around 132-134mph -I've taken it up to 120 but then bottled it as the pick up is so quick even at high speeds! (I haven't once floored this car or red-lined it)

I love the sound of the engine - I have a 8 speaker system installed, but so many times I have turned it off to listen to the engine instead cos it's so deep and boomy with the twin exhausts!!!

The interior is just what I love - It's black and sexy just like the exterior and the sports seats are extremely comfortable.

The electrics all work wonderfully and I was particularly impressed by the efficiency of the heater as it heats the car up extremely quickly even when it's just been started - much more effective than any other car I've owned.

Driving it is like a dream. It's very smooth and you can feel the 150bhp propelling you up the motorway. Power steering is very useful - I was very thankful for it when I first drove it, thought I might need to do some weight training to handle the power!!

Can be difficult to get it into 2nd gear sometimes although the close ratio gear box is nice.

Parking is very easy.

People just can't stop staring!!!

Come on now,a 95 Golf isn't that quick!Take a 1980's 16 valve a run and compare it to your newer model. I mean you haven't even revved the thing out to the red so how do you know how fast it is? As for people staring, it's probably at you going around with white knuckles and face!

Go drive one. 150bhp is enough power for me :)

Obviously the 16v late model Golf is quick that's because the body is much lighter then the newer models these days so it's quicker. But the VR6 models have way more power and torque then the older versions therefore will not stand a chance in a drag race.

The VR6 is less than a second quicker than the mk3 16v and is about 8mph faster on top speed. The 16v handles better, is lighter (engine), more economic and slightly cheaper insurance too :)

Yes, but I think the VR6 is one of the best sounding engines on the road today.

The vr6 may only be a second faster 0-60, but after that it will really pick up and leave any 16v for dust.

The guy who wrote this review needs to WAKE UP! The golf gti is NOT fast. 0-60 in 8.5 is 'nippy'.

It weighs 1200 kg so you work out the power to weight ratio. compare it to something like the starlet turbo which has 135 bhp and weighs 860kg.

Sounds like you haven't driven many others cars mate. you make it sound like a dream which frankly, it is just not.

Mark 2's were great cars, especially the 16v. give the VR6 a run for its money alothough would not beat it.

And it doesn't turn heads and people do not stare! until you see the gti badge on the back you prbably wouldn't know it was a GTi!

Wake up.

I would just like to comment on the golf 16v its slightly slower than my vr6 which is 7.8 seconds 0 to 60 according to vw. But they are a nice car to own and also a rare car as not may mk 3 16v are seen in the uk.

Volkswagen engineering is very strong my other car 8v mk2 has 197000 miles on it just one thing which are a problem on vw's is the pinion shaft in the diff in the gearbox should be held in place by 2 cir-clips, but vw machined the

grooves for the clips, but they didn't use them instead they used big crown wheel rivets to hold the pinion shaft in place, but theses don't work and either the pinion shaft

comes out slowly grinding a hole in the bell housing which covers the clutch in gear oil or it may fly out at high speed and makes a big hole in the gearbox casing this problem can happen at anytime it could happen at 1000 miles or it may never happen at all some other part in the gearbox may go due to high miles...

http://www.scirocco16v.com/tech/sms_syndrome.htm

This webpage tells you about this problem as far as I know all golfs from mk 1 to 4 suffer with this problem as for mk 5 golf only time will tell!!!

The above comment is right the golf 16v is just slightly slower than the vr6- but were talking mark 2 not mark 3 which is the car the review is based upon.

The golf peaked when the mark 2 16v's were produced and its been down hill all the way ever since (including r32- 6.2 seconds to 60 from 3.2 litres! you can't run a 3.2 litre car in the uk with our petrol prices unless your well off and are stupid), except for the tdi's which I accept are great cars.

I have a 1995 VR6 and the only heads it will turn are those who know what a VR6 is. The book specification for it is slightly inaccurate. 140pmh top speed!? My unmodified VR6 has already hit 145mph and was still pulling (no it was not down hill with the wind behind it). The V6 engine is solid and will last much longer than its chicken legged brother's rattly 4 cylinder GTI engine. The negative side to the car is its fuel economy. But if you are not prepared to foot the costs buy a Nova! As for the R32, what went wrong. It is only a fraction faster than the mkI GTI! Lazy!

You guys obviously don't know your golfs otherwise you would know volkswagen had to detune the Mk3 16v from 170 BHP so it would not be as quick as the VR6 a simple rechip can unleash this power and give the VR6 a run for its money.

I have recently purchased a 1997 VR6 which I expected to be very quick, but I am surprised a 2.8 V6 engine only produces 180bhp. There are a lot of hot hatches on the market which are producing more bhp on 2 litre engines. The build and interior quality is very good with leather seats and lots of mod cons, but nevertheless I am disappointed with performance. Am I alone?

I have found all the above comments regarding the Mk3 Golf very interesting.

This summer I have bought a 1997 VR6 High line, 1 owner, F V W S H trade in from a dealer with low miles. I don't really care if a Mk2 chipped 16v will be quicker because as a previous comment stated "the VR6 will only turn those heads who know what it is"... that is absolutely true!

If you are serious about buying a Mk 3 VR6 (high line or not) you are assured of buying a very fast, solidly built, quality driven hatchback which for the type of car it is... few can match. The acceleration in 2nd gear in my unmodified car is excellent (and yes I have driven other cars!) and mid range on the motorway overtaking has no issues.

The best way I can describe the Golf VR6 is that is it not necessarily a sports car, but it is certainly a very fast hatchback saloon, the likes of which it has taken a long time for other makes to match bearing in mind the VR6 has gone past it's decade since inception. Second hand it is a lot of car for relatively little money.

So to leave an open question... how many high performance hot hatches do you still see from other manufacturers which still look excellent after 8 or so years and which even today few can exceed in performance?

I have just bought a n. reg vr6. but all the gears are stiff

I've just had a new cluch fitted, but still feels the same.do I need a new gearbox. or is it a common feel on a vr6.

The gears shouldn't be stiff dunno what it is sould fel lose and vague like most do, I sold my vr6 is was heavy to drive clutch handling poor body conrol, the 2.0 16v with mods is well better better handling economy dynamics, yesvr6its smooth sounds good, but I couldnt care less,

also the mk2 may be quicker who cares it unrefined tinny and old hat seen better days old hat breaks and other things, id have 16v anyday in mk3, vr6 feels like a death trap at high speed and on bends must be lowered at all cost which then give syou a hard ride can't win.