What the hell is this ?

my least favourite of golfs is the mk3,
really cant dig the mk3 at all, vr6 is bearable..
but i was just browsing around..
a MK3 aniversary ?
i understand the mk4 25year aniversary model (which was a nice car i feel ),
but what was the occasion to release one in 1996
is it a home made jobby ?
am i being thick here ?

for sale check link
http://www.volkswizard.co.uk/default.htm

20 years of the GTI  '76-'96. They were mostly 8v cars in 3 or 5 door but a small amount were 16v. The spec was 16" BBS alloys, Anniversary check cloth interior, red seat belts, red brake calipers. Basically another ploy by VW to sell end of model cars.

i see, never seen one..
looks nasty all the same..
yet better than most mk3 over plasticy lumps of lard

21 years of the Golf GTI.

My mate has one, an 8v.

The Mk3 VR6 is slightly more than bearable - I suggest you go and drive one - they are balistic!

I've had 2 k3's… an 8v in '95 DIDN'T LIKE THAT ONE!!!!

Its was a 'pre alignment' model which meant that it had no sunroof (as per new model) but no air bag or ABS either (like the older models). Still it was a cheaper car to buy initially but it didnt handle properly in my opinion… so I sold it for a land Rover Discovery!!  8O

The second Mk3 was a 1997 16v which was a good car. I really cant complain about the model. It had everything that I needed and when i wound it up, it would go like stink.

Everyone is harsh on the Mk3 but I'd have another if it was right money.

Dan

I'd have my mates old supercharged VR6.. mmmmm that had enough power to pull that big behind  

Dano said

I've had 2 k3's… an 8v in '95 DIDN'T LIKE THAT ONE!!!!

Its was a 'pre alignment' model which meant that it had no sunroof (as per new model) but no air bag or ABS either (like the older models). Still it was a cheaper car to buy initially but it didnt handle properly in my opinion… so I sold it for a land Rover Discovery!!  8O

The second Mk3 was a 1997 16v which was a good car. I really cant complain about the model. It had everything that I needed and when i wound it up, it would go like stink.

Everyone is harsh on the Mk3 but I'd have another if it was right money.

Dan

I agree about the 16v. My wife had one and it was an excellent car. Fairly quick, handled well and was smooth to drive. They have decent residuals too, we ran my wifes car for 9 months and sold it for the same price we bought it for.

I suggest that anyone slating a mk3 lives with one first.

Dynamically I can't comment as ours has all the performance of a 1.4    but its better to live with than a mk2 and light years ahead of a mk1.

stew72 said

I suggest that anyone slating a mk3 lives with one first.

Dynamically I can't comment as ours has all the performance of a 1.4    but its better to live with than a mk2 and light years ahead of a mk1.

don't get me wrong, I'm sure they're very reliable and do the job nicely… I'm just not a fan of the rear end, I have the same opinion with the Mk2, Mk4 and Mk5, they just got too wide and high for my liking… VW used some nice engines and interior's in them though

My parents have a 1.6 mk3 and mk4 - trying to get them to sell them and buy mk1s . The mk3 is very well made, smooth and reliable vehicle. My dad got it new in 1997 and it has done over 150000 miles needing just a new battery, coil and window winder motor in that time. Dynamically it is a bit of a matress, but is incredibly reliable, smooth, comfortable bit of kit. The mk4 is just a bigger, smoother quieter mk3 really. The blue dash lights are quite cool.

Personally I'd want neither as they are both rather boring and sanitised, but thats what the masses want out of car. Think it just goes to show how special the mk1 GTI was as a performance hatch.

I agree, The Mk3 always had a bashing as the 8v lacked urgency but was and still is a comfy and well built car. I have driven several and when you return to the sparse Mk1 or 2 you see that Vw upped the game on making it a true car for all. The 2lt 16v Anni is as most Golfs with a subtly tune up is a flier. As for it being an Vw ploy to get rid of them…Campaign anyone?
As for the options list, dont forget the Stainless golg ball gear knob.
 The Vr6 is a real sleeper and indeed has bags of grunt. 8)

The mk3 really doesn't deserve the rep thats it obtained, mine is a great car with the only upgrade being to the suspension and it easily keeps up with the mk1 just without all the noise and fuss…..its leather recaro interior is fanstastic for a standard car and I like the look of it too I use it every day for a 100 mile round trip and I cant fault it, Its a trip I wouldn't want to do in my mk1!
I bet you've never driven a MK3 GTI so before you slate it you should drive it with an open mind rather than relie on the beliefs of over paid motor mag journalist.

I miss my Mk 3 anniversary big time. It was beautiful. I had the 8v and it was as quck as hell and could stop pretty fast as well. I love my Mk1 Cabby but i would give it up anyday if i could get an Ani over here in Cyprus. Top car. They made about 700 8v and 330 16v (give or take a few) some with air con some with a sunroof. As i said very nice with the red brakes etc……………oh happy times, i was 22 and paying 2k a year in insurance…………..oh happy single days  ops:

My Mk3.5 [thats a Mk4 shape cabriolet based on MK3 running gear] is superb , has air bags, abs, cd, power hood, power windows etc , etc , etc , etc .

I would never knock it and its far more comfortable than my tin top MK1 , did 1700 miles in one trip down to the south of France and back ! In comfort at 80+ mph most of the time and it still gave 35+mpg . Its always a joy to drive and ultra reliable and quiet .

Love the MK1 but never knock the MK3 [despite its looks] its a very capable car well worthy of its Volkswagen Badge .

 

I admit I don't drive my Mk1 as a daily driver. And I think my daily driver is better than a Mk3 Golf!

Yeah well if I had the cash I too would maybe drive some thing better to work than my mk3 or I could of even kept my 300+ bhp impreza but for now i'll settle for the fact I get to drive Mclaren F1s, SLRs, F50s, Merc DTMs, XJ220s, lambos, astons, bentleys, touring cars…………

Still waiting for the new bugatti thou' :roll:

I suggest that anyone slating a mk3 lives with one first.

Dynamically I can't comment as ours has all the performance of a 1.4 Laughing but its better to live with than a mk2 and light years ahead of a mk1.

I had a mk3 16v as a company car for 18 months. When I changed jobs I opted to keep the cash and bought a mk2 8v to replace it. As far as I was concerned the mk2 was by far the better car in every respect other than the missing aircon button and the brakes weren't as good.

I found the mk3 16v lacked any punch below 4000 rpm which made it a tedious car to use on the motorway as you constantly had to keep changing down to 4th (or sometimes 3rd) to get past things.

Ok if you wanted to drive like your pants were on fire, but exhausting on a long commute. The seats weren't as good (gave me backache) and bits of the dashboard kept falling off.

I think I might have enjoyed a VR6, but the 16v killed the mk3 for me, I'll never touch one now. Ugliest Golf too IMHO.

Cheers,

Drew.

drew said

I suggest that anyone slating a mk3 lives with one first.

Dynamically I can't comment as ours has all the performance of a 1.4 Laughing but its better to live with than a mk2 and light years ahead of a mk1.

I had a mk3 16v as a company car for 18 months. When I changed jobs I opted to keep the cash and bought a mk2 8v to replace it. As far as I was concerned the mk2 was by far the better car in every respect other than the missing aircon button and the brakes weren't as good.

I found the mk3 16v lacked any punch below 4000 rpm which made it a tedious car to use on the motorway as you constantly had to keep changing down to 4th (or sometimes 3rd) to get past things.

Ok if you wanted to drive like your pants were on fire, but exhausting on a long commute. The seats weren't as good (gave me backache) and bits of the dashboard kept falling off.

I think I might have enjoyed a VR6, but the 16v killed the mk3 for me, I'll never touch one now. Ugliest Golf too IMHO.

Cheers,

Drew.

Always interesting to read other peoples experiences. I can't say I ever had any problems with motorway driving in my wifes mk3. I certainly never found myself changing down to overtake unless speeds dropped to below 50-55mph then a quick change to 4th was sometimes required. It's one of those cars that divides opinion I suppose. I'd easily have another.

Now, the mk4 - that was the ugliest Golf.

One of my mates has a MK3 VR6. It is a quick car, but things are forever going wrong with it, although I suppose it's at the age where it will start to need major things replacing now. My biggest disappointment was how hard you have to rev it before it starts to really fly. And he averages about 22 mpg!!

The only other MK3 I drove was an 8v GTI when I was 18 and I thought that was really fast at the time ops: