SOLD - 1983 Mk1 VW Golf GX 1.5l

Hi all

Here's my GX for sale.  I do not want to get rid of it, but I simply cannot afford to keep it.  Well, I can afford to keep it, and insure it, and keep it on the road, but I can't afford the petrol, so there seems little point in all of the above!

This car is unmodified.

The GX has the good looks of the GTI, but it has 5 doors and a 1.5l carb engine.  The gearbox is 4+E.  It's on Tarantulas, and has the half-arch wheel arch spats.

When I bought the car in Oct' 06 the first thing I had done was all the rust patches fixed.  I took the non-standard GTI arches off which revealed a lot of rust, there was some on the bottom of the passenger door and a few patches on the rear valance (I think that's the word - below the bumper).  There was also some behind the rear numberplate and around the boot lock.  So all that got fixed, and it was lovely.  It cost me ?300 to get it repaired.

When I bought it, it had 74,222 miles on the clock.  It now has around 92-93,000 on it.  I've used it daily, and looked after it as best I can, but it has shown: the bits of rust on the passenger door and a few bits around the car have returned, but they would be easily mendable to a bodyshop/experienced person.

The car is VERY reliable.  It developed four faults which I had fixed:

1. In VERY heavy rain, water from puddles was getting into the dizzy cap and the car, on just one occasion, gave up for about 30 mins until it had dried out.  I fixed this buy purchasing a 'condom' that VW made for the Mk1 Polo, to go over the dizzy cap.

2. While driving 4500 miles around Europe between March-July 07, it developed a crack in the radiatior water tank.  The water tank was replaced, and no more problems.

3. I had the headlight smashed in Holland, so it now has a 10 month old (original Hella from German VW dealer) left headlight.

4. Developed a puncture in one of the front tyres, so replaced the front two, one in February and one in March (I'm a student!).  However, in this period of time I was told that the Michelin type they put on the front left had ceased production, so it has a Mich on the left and a Continental on the right.

Numbers 3 and 4 seem silly to mention - I've just had SO few problems I feel the need to stress that point!

Three ongoing problems:

- it doesn't like cold weather and will protest at starting in the morning.  However, it starts every single time - like with every classic car (coming up for 25 years on 23rd March!) you need to know how!  In this one, it's foot on the throttle, and it starts on the second turn of the key.

- stalls at junctions.  In nasty weather (cold mainly, sometimes wet) it stalls *only at low speed* coming up to junctions.  I believe this is because it is idling at far too few revs - I've been told there's an idle adjust screw on the carb, but I've no idea where!

- windscreen sprayer.  It gave me trouble when I bought the car, so the mechanic fixed it - I think he just blew through the tubes.  Then it was fine from March-December, then in December it stopped again.  I think they're just blocked pipes/holes in the spray head itself - I unblocked the driver's one with a pin, then ran out of time and didn't get to do the passenger one!  So it half works.

This is an extremely reliable car.  New Year's weekend I went on a CathSoc (Student Union) trip to London.  I tried to get a Sharan from the Union, but it was booked out already, so we took my car.  I drove from Aberhonddu (mid Wales) to Caerdydd (south Wales) to Caerwysg (Devon) to Llundain (London).  This journey I did at 70 the whole way.  I then drove about 30 miles around London (not to be recommended in any car) in endless queues.  i.e. not good for petrol!  Then from London back to Cardiff, then onto Brecon.  I had not one problem the whole trip, everyone had a smooth journey, and it averaged 37mpg - not bad, I say, for a full car going at either 70 or 10 for most of the journey, crossing the Brecon Beacons mountains twice!

Work done recently:

June 2003 New windscreen
July 2004 New VW clutch fitted by main dealer
July 2005 New exhaust fitted (standard)
November 2006 ?300 rust fixed
December 2006 Towbar with electrics fitted, NEVER used for towing, fitted only to carry bicycle rack
December 2006 Vinyl stripes on side replaced
January 2007 3x Stamped metal number plates in UK font purchased (1 white 2 yellow). Also have a pair of German show plates, I think in my friend's house! Will find them if required.

I just dropped the car back to my parents' house in mid Wales, and I live down in Cardiff, so right now I can't take any photos, but I'll put up the ones from the eBay ad when I bought it, and some recent shots.

Do bare in mind the rusty bottom-of-passenger-door not visible in photos.

Tyres are all legal, front two pretty good, rear two are decent but 23,000 miles old.

Tax: June 08
MOT: 1st Aug 08

Location:  Aberhonddu/Brecon, mid Wales
Price:  ?1200 ONO

Pics to follow shortly.

Thanks, Dom

I just reread what I posted - sorry to have rambled on!  I just want to give her (Gertie) a good review!

I'd like to add, I mentioned a starting problem - I have NEVER been unable to start the car for any reason other than the one mentioned where it was too wet.

Photos:

16th October 2007 when I purchased the car:




- my Dad in passenger/driver seat on the way home from Glasgow where I bought it.

At work, running German plates (no longer on it):



N.B. - shots above have GTI wheel arch spats, no longer on there!





Muddy:




Loaded up ready to take me to Europe:



N.B. - yellow clip on covers for European driving, retro accessory, I've NEVER seen another pair of these.  Included in sale. I took these off after a month of living in Europe, they aren't good on country roads.  Beam benders work better.



- VW badge was stolen at the same time they smashed the headlight.  Another one was sourced, but the pins on the back were broken, so the new one is Araldyted on.  It's not coming off, so you don't have to worry about that, unless you want it to come off, then it'll be a problem!



- very low at the back because it's fully packed.  This is just before I left the Netherlands in July.

Before and after photos of rust that was fixed are available via email, although they are out of date now.

If anyone shows interest (PLEASE no tyre kicking 'cause it involves a 100 mile round trip for me!) I'll get more recent photos - it looks much the same as above though.  Photos will not be available this week.

Thanks, Dominic

Other things I've done/had done:

- Two oil and oil filter changes during ownership, one at 80,000 and one at 90,000.

- New water pump for windscreen washer (I thought, just in case that was the prob with washer - it's wasn't!)

- Cambelt change at approx 80,000 - will get exact mileage soon.

- 19 October 2007:

• • New O/S rear brake cylinder
  • New O/S rear brake shoes
  • Brakes bled and topped up

MOT FAIL on 27 July 2007.  Following repairs carried out to pass again on 1 Aug 2007:

• • 3 new brakes hoses.
  • 1 wheel bearing kit.
  • CVJ boot
  • Brake piping (foot)
  • Brake fluid
  • Brake pipe end
  • New horn - new horn is RUBBISH.  This DEFINITELY needs to be replaced - they gave me the quietest one on the market, it seems!

Total MOT repairs: ?322.02

Front indicators were already changed to clear ones when I bought it.  I THINK I have the original orange ones around.  If it would make or break the deal for you, be sure to ask!

Comes with original brochure for the Golf GX.

Tyres are under ?60 on this car!

I'm sure I'll remember something else sometime

Current mileage: 92287
Cambelt change at: 81350

I can't believe you are selling. I remember seeing pics of the car on this site when I first joined up. GX is a beautiful model and yours looks a lovely example. Would consider buying if I could budget for it. Good luck with sale . Nik

Thanks a lot Nik!

Just booked in for full valet on Thursday.  It has approx 30l of petrol in it, too!

Depending on how things go, new pics on Saturday evening.

Car just back from valeters, Dad informs me that it's "gleaming"!

I'll put up a photo tomorrow night, but it'll be dark.  Photos in the daylight on Saturday, hopefully before lunchtime now.

Dom

I have just found out that the pressure washer they used took off the CYM sticker, as pictured in my avatar (over there, to the left of this post).

Now there's nothing stopping all you English folk!

If you cant afford the petrol,drop a diesel in  :wink:  do it in a day  8)
Bert

A day!  Nah.. I can do oil changes

is this deans old mk1 (dub76)

I don't believe so!  I bought it in Glasgow.

ill shut up then

carry on :wink:

Photos!

What you see on the following link is everything - the best bits and the worst bits.

Weeeell the best bits?  Honestly, I don't think the photos show it as well as it really is.

And the best bit really is the fun times had in it!

Link!

Now sold!

Hope you enjoy it as much as I have!