Should the Caddy and Jetta have their own Registers?

For me, the Caddy has the same relationship to the Golf as does the Jetta and Scirocco. Although based on the A1 platform, it is a different Model Type (Type 14 to 8/92, Type 1A from 8/92) and built in a different factory (Yugoslavia).

One could argue the same of the Cabrio (Type 15), but at least that has a Golf badge on the back whereas the Caddy does not.

The Caddy also has its own forum http://www.vwcaddyforum.com/, but like the Jetta forum it is US based. Neither have their own Register, unlike the Scirocco.

Anyway, I thought I would run a poll on it and the Jetta to gauge your opinion. I know we excluded Jetta in the past but I think it is fair to apply the same rules.

I voted yes for both as I think both have a similar relationship to the Golf, neither have their own Register (but own forums) which I would like to see, and both are "unsung heros".

What do you think on the basis that one can handle any workload and Drew agrees?

Cheers
Rajan

with ya on that one   YES

Got to say YES to both, after all the Cabrio is a topless Mk1, the Caddy is a Mk1 pick-up, and the Jetta is a Mk1 with a boot !!! All share the same basic body shape/style.

Prowler said

Got to say YES to both, after all the Cabrio is a topless Mk1, the Caddy is a Mk1 pick-up, and the Jetta is a Mk1 with a boot !!! All share the same basic body shape/style.

Agree with the above, and voted accordingly. The Scirocco is a different car, except for the hidden bits (and it has it's own, well-developed, following), whereas the Caddy, Jetta and Cabriolet are obviously Golf-based, and the Caddy and Jetta don't have an organised following (yet).

Tricky one isn't it.

In my mind I sort of accept the Caddy (because it looks like a Golf and was obviously named with 'Golf' in mind :wink and reject the Jetta, because it's not a Golf, it's a Jetta!

I think it's difficult to accept the jetta without the scirocco. Yes the scirocco has a different body, but the mechanicals are identical. The Jetta has a number of different panels too.

Both the mk1 and mk2 Scirocco are based on the mk1 golf floorpan as it happens.

We had a long discussion about this when we started up this club, and the decision at the time was that we'd concentrate on just the 'Golf'. The caddy is a bit of a grey area though…

Since there are owners clubs for the scirocco and jetta I'd be tempted to push them into running registers for the cars rather than do it here. I know the scirocco club was considering this at one point.

So I've voted yes for caddy and no for jetta. I'm in a majority of one! :wink:

Perhaps we could invite a discussion with folks from those clubs and see what they think??

Cheers,

Drew.

The main thing that attracted me to this forum/club is that it is aimed exclusively at MK1s only. I don't see any problem with people signing up or asking questions about bits that cross over form Caddy and Jetta, but I think we would be diluting the focus by starting to expand the main remit of the club away from just MK1s.

May sound a bit precious or even selfish, but I don't want to wading through bits and pieces about other VWs. The main reason I have never joined or taken any interest in Club GTI or similar groups, is because of the mish mash of VW, Audi etc models they cater for seem to deprive them of any solid focus or direction.

As Drew says there are other clubs for these cars and this was something that was thrashed out at the clubs inception. Also where do you draw the line when looking at Golf derived models?

As you may have guessed I voted no for both  

Cheers

I have to say I agree with Drew and Markone. Stick to the Golf and Caddy at a push but leave the others to there own forums/clubs.

Simon

Not based on any particular hard and fast logic, but have voted yes to the caddy as it seems to me to be closer to the Mk1 golf in spirit, and no to the Jetta as in Mk1 form I think it looks significantly different to the golf, and also I think it then gets us into the "include the jetta, then what about the Scirrocco" area…..

As others have said I think its important to maintain the focus on Mk1 golf and close derivatives.

Isn't there quite a big following for the Jetta in the USA anyway? if memory serves it has always been the VW of choice over the golf / rabbit shaped hatchback?

Having said that, as with mods, I see no reason to actively prevent people from participating in the forum that own Jettas. After all a mechanical / tech question is likely to involve identical running gear - I just don't think we should go down the route of a Jetta register or Jetta specific content.

Before anyone accuses me of being anti - Jetta, I would like to point out that I did own a very nice Mk2 Jetta GTi-16v many moons ago and it was the best Q car ever  :wink: Often with Jetta's people just assume they are driven by old fogies and that there were no performance versions….. to their cost  :twisted:

Cheers,

Chris

Even though I voted for both Caddy and Jetta, above, I'm coming around to the Caddy-yes / Jetta-no camp, based on comments made.

However one question: will we still be allowed to use bits on our Golfs, Cabriolets, and Caddys, which are obtained from Jettas and Sciroccos in breaker's yards?  

My opinion on this matter.

            "What is the point to the Jetta?" (and saloons in general) 8O

I mean if Subaru made a nice looking, smaller, impreza hatchback (unlike their aerodeck effort), how good would that be?!  :roll:

Th Jetta's not as pretty as a golf and how often do you need to carry a boot full of stuff around when you are carrying more than one passenger :?:

You can fit more in a hatchback than a saloon :!:  

            Caddys rock. I mean caddys have more style than a Cab!

Drew is it alot of hassle to register both jetta's and caddys? The subject within the forums won't change that much so why not have both?

              You could go two ways here : Golf badge only or The mk1 golf and its family. Its unfair to leave out the jetta and not the caddy. (and the poor scirocco.)

I can see this might open the dicussuion slightly.
I don't mean to slag off jettas and look forward to the barrage of abuse from all you jetta fans he he

Well it could be argued that the Jetta has more in common with the Golf than the Cabriolet, same engines, same trim levels, even available as a 3 dr on the continent. 8O

The Sirocco is probably the most distant relation, with Cabriolets and Caddys sort of half brothers, close cousins? South African MK1s are now even more distant with their Polo type dashs, electronic controlled engines and the like.

Due to the small numbers involved I don?t think the site will become swamped by Jettas etc and I would really like to see cars like an original early Jetta GTI (saw one with UK plates in Bury years ago). Practically every other type of Golf variant (1.1 Golf C, 1.5 Jetta GLS, Caddy Diesel etc) are now around in much smaller numbers than the MK1 GTI.

I know it?s difficult to decide where to draw the line, so heres some pics of mine to sway the undecided.

Well it could be argued that the Jetta has more in common with the Golf than the Cabriolet, same engines, same trim levels, even available as a 3 dr on the continent.

The cabriolet was a Golf - same engines, trim, running gear e.t.c.

Mint Caddy, has it had an easy life?

I think will have to disagree on the Jetta/Golf/Cabriolet thing, where?s the 4 door Cabriolet or the 1300 C model? True the higher spec and sports models usually matched each other. In fact the Jetta would have made a better drop-top having a boot you could open normally and a decent size too. :wink:

No the Caddys been used as a working vehicle all its life (100,000+ miles) but been serviced every 5000 miles.  Over the last 3 months a guy tidied up the body work and I got it of him via Ebay. Its not perfect but for a 14 year old commercial vehicle its in very good order. The engine feels smoother than my old ?96 1900D Polo did. Feels a lot faster than a Diesel Jetta I had many many years ago but that was only 4 speed. Runs out of puff up some of the steeper hills in West Yorks/East Lancs, but its proformance is adequate for 52BHP and its doing 52-53MPG which is nice.

Well I am beginning to change my mind to 'definitely maybe' !!!!!!!

Let's define it:

The Golf was marketed as….a Golf….
The Cabrio was marketed as a Golf Cabrio(let)….it's a Golf….FINAL

The Caddy was marketed as a Caddy, not a Golf……(or was it ?????)…someone please verify this - if the brochures etc had 'Golf' somewhere on them then it's a Golf….!!!

The Scirrocco was marketed as a Scirrocco, not a Golf……
The Jetta was marketed as a Jetta, not a Golf…..


Any further comments?

I have the brochure for my Caddy (Sport) and it just refers to it as Caddy. The brochure was also distributed by the Commercial Vehicles division of VAG. That said, the Caddy IS a Mk1 Golf pick-up. I don't think anyone could argue with that !  I reckon it would probably have been named 'Golf pick-up' (as with Golf cabriolet, the later Golf estate, etc) if some bright spark hadn't thought Caddy was such a witty play on words…….

Any further comments?

Yes - I agree with you   . I think you hit the nail on the head Prowler, VW are probably the best people to tell us what a Golf is…

…will have to disagree on the Jetta/Golf/Cabriolet thing, where?s the 4 door Cabriolet or the 1300 C model?

Simon - could just as easily ask where's the 1100C Jetta? Not sure a four door Cab would have been structually viable - imagine jacking the car up 8O .

Aside from the Jetta/Caddy/Cabby debate, I thought that you might be interested to know that 1100cc Jettas were sold in Ireland (where car tax is based on engine size).

I can assure you that all of the owners' rice puddings still had their skins on…  :wink:

On the debate, should we not ignore the VW marketing of 10-25 years ago, and concentrate on the fact that we like old Mk1's in original condition, and are interested in their preservation.
This would mean that the fact that some of the least glamorous models (Jetta, and especially Caddy) are getting very rare, should make them especially interesting (Those GTIs are just so common…  :wink:  )

I also think that the MK1 polo fans should also be allowed to post on this forum. I had a 1978 Polo on an S plate in yellow, I think it was only a 1.1 but had many features that are common to the MK1 Golf such as the red LED's. The MK1 polo is a super car you need to drive one to see what I'm on about, infact I would go as far to say that the MK1 polo is better than the Golf.

Aside from the Jetta/Caddy/Cabby debate, I thought that you might be interested to know that 1100cc Jettas were sold in Ireland (where car tax is based on engine size).

Damn, thought I was being clever  

The Jetta is more closely related to the Golf than either Cabrio, Caddy or Scirocco because:

- it is of the same VW Type (17), the others are of a different type
- it shares more common parts than the others (by part number and catalogue, the others have different part catalogues)
- it was built in the same factory (Wolfsburg)

IMO, I think it is unfair not to apply the same rules for Caddy, Jetta and Cab for that matter.

Anyway, I just wanted to promote a discussion and bring out some facts but it is Drew who has the final word (he does the work and pays the bills)!

Cheers
Rajan