Why buy a Campaign over a late series 2 GTI?!

Early-1800 said

I have a Diesel Caddy!

I also have a early S11 1800, no sunroof, single head light and clear glass it?s probably much rarer than a Campaign but not worth as much. This means that price isn?t based on the supply side of the economic argument but the demand side. Campaign has become a brand and in the modern world it is very powerful. How else would BMW sell Z3s or X3s? :dontknow:

You could have a situation where a late S11 had lots of options fitted making almost indistinguishable from a Campaign but would still not be worth as much. People will pay a premium for the ?name?.

Another proud diesel owner!
 
Would you say a non sunroof series 2 mk1 is rarer than a campaign? If this is the case surely the theory: rareness=????? they should be more valuable? I wish

You?re right though it's peoples opinion that the campaign is the best model to go for and that's why they hold a higher premium. They are perceived as the must have mk1.

I'm with you on this Kins!

mainly because of the sunroof, in my opinion the Mk1 looks better without and as you say it's one less place for the dreaded rust to invade

for me the nicest Mk1 is a clean, single light Black series 2, lowered a tad so you can't get your head between the wheel and arch and some tasteful period type alloys

I agree with a lot of what you say kins. I would also disagree with the fact that Campaigns are rare - they are not. They are one of the most common model Mk1s left due to their higher production numbers and preservation by enthusiasts. A look at the Registers shows 393 Campaigns and only 259 other S2s (including non-GTi versions). I know the Campaign Register has been running longer but I still do not expect it to be overtaken by anything other than Cabs. I have nothing against Campaigns (having been a previous owner) but I think the facts must be laid bare. I would say with the exception of Helios Blue (due to it only being available for 1 year) I would not pay more for a Campaign and go on condition, etc alone.

kins said

Dubboy any chance can we see some pics of your black series 1 gti?  

Here you go  :wink:

I too prefer a late series 2 over a campaign, I prfer the cars on 13" wheels for a start.

However the best incarnation of the mk1…….


see my sig  :wink:

 

kins wrote
It really does depend how you define best.
For me I think the best mk1 would be a well used mk1 that?s more than exceeded its design intent. A car that?s done warp speed mileage and is still going strong. The best mk1 will have been "well loved" and have brought enjoyment to one or even several owners. A car that the owner is proud to own, enjoyable to drive and has been the least troublesome.

Is this a dig at walt you trouble maker :posh: ?

I have a campaign model but I didnt know that there was the 2 types. When I got my car it had a big bumper kit on it which I didnt like but it seemed like a good base to start off with and I wanted a 5 speed box because I was using it daily on long trips. A sunroof to keep up my tan but also tinted glass coz hey we dont want to burn do we 8).


I think this website as grown since it as opened out into a mk1 site because end of the day its the same car with factory fitted extras and we all have the same interests dont we?
Must admitt the single headlight looks cooler and gives the golf a wider stance and X/Y plate makes the car seem older and gives it the classic edge.

I have a diesel too!  :wink: If I was after a GTI I'd be more than happy with a series 2 with 9 spokes and no fancy trimmings. I agree about the Pirelli P's…not THAT attractive. If we're nit-pickin: I prefer to have a suffix reg letter rather than a prefix like the A reg mk1's - it adds to the whole effect when interested passers-by read the plate! Just my opinion  :dontknow:
If rarity is a factor then non-GTi owners have hope too for mk1's in good nick - not everyone wants or can insure a GTi, but want a mk1. Even mine's had nice comments and offers and that's with scabs and dents! Any GTi will always be very desirable…people pay a lot for a near-classic, never mind one that goes like poop off a stick!  :wink:

After getting a campaign, just cos it was the best mk1 i found for the cash i have to say i prefer the look of the 4 lights and p-slots. I only came to the 4 light conclusion on saturday when i was parked next to a cab with single lights! The p-slots look gnarly too, 9 spokes look too small….

 I didnt buy a campaign cos i thought it would be worth more in the long run, thats naive, i bought it cos its the best mk1 i could find, and im guessing im not the only one who got a campaign for that reason!

This exact same arguement has been raging for years with the Corrado VR6. The STORM version was a ltd edition of 1000 end of run VR6's which came in choice of 2 colours (500 of each), had heated leather, 6 spoke alloys instead of 5 and STORM badges. However, I had a late model VR6 which had the same spec as a STORM but cost me thousands less to buy.

It's a marketing exercise which seems to have worked in both cases as we still pay a premium for the privilige of driving these models.

In fairness to the Corrado Storm - there is only one real Storm. and thats the Scirocco Mk1 ones, you know with leather seats. They'll fetch a premium, fair enough. Corrado - yes, nice car, but the world had moved on by then and it was heavier, an altogether different beast by then. Remember, it was actually (loosely, chassis) based on the Mk2 Golf. And don't forget, the reason it was stopped being produced was lack of demand - the UK loved it but in other countries it never sold well enough for VW to keep making it, as a volume car producer.

Mk1 vs Mk2 8v/16v

I am currently living in Ipswich although I get around a bit ? last year I was in Belgium and the year before that I was in Birmingham.  

Well I prefer ? for what its worth ? the Mk2  end-of-the-line GTI?s.  I have owned 3 Mk1s, 4 Mk2?s (an 8v, 2 16vs and G60 Syncro) and 4 Mk3s (3 8v?s and a VR6) over the past 3 years.  The best GTI I have ever driven was a Mk2 J-Reg 8v which I sold a month ago because of the G60 purchase.  The only criticism I have of the car was that it was a bit slow, compared to the Mk2 16v and especially the Mk1.  My Mk1 feels just as fast as my 16v though, but hey, if it was all about speed then I?d be driving a souped up Nissan Skyline or Subaru Impreza WRX (the only non-GTI I have owned and while it was blisteringly quick, being the 260bhp STI Import spec. it was nowhere near as good to drive as the Mk1/Mk2 GTIs as an all round package).

Why do I prefer the Mk2?  Well I feel that it is better as an all round car.  It performs just as well as the Mk1 in the performance and handling stakes, but is refined enough to use as a daily drive ? what more could you want?  However, I think that the Mk1 is a better car if you want a weekend car

Thats an interesting comparison you can draw, and a privelaged position having owned many of the versions through the years. For me (I admit I've never owned one, driven one though) the Mk2 'waters down' slightly the good elements of the Mk1 - the feeling of being in an 'ickle go-cart'! I think the 8V mk2 isn't as quick, due to weight, but the 16V would be (Drew has a power/weight ratio comparison chart somewhere…)

I know what you mean about Subaru - the 'on limit' handling of 4WD roadgoing cars is a very neutral setup which, unless you take the time to learn the car and learn how to 4 wheel drift it into and out of corners, is unexciting. Much could be said about the R32 too, in this respect…

That's a brave statement.  
It really does depend how you define best.
For me I think the best mk1 would be a well used mk1 that?s more than exceeded its design intent. A car that?s done warp speed mileage and is still going strong. The best mk1 will have been "well loved" and have brought enjoyment to one or even several owners. A car that the owner is proud to own, enjoyable to drive and has been the least troublesome.

Good spot DjEv and thanks for bringing this to my attention! Kins…You are dead meat sunshine! I suppose you think MK1s should be left out in the rain and have salt from the road allowed to splash under their arches and encourage the premature rotting process! Secretly you want all MK1s to rot away so that you can buy cheap parts for yours and so the second hand value will soar as they become rarer! Well enough of your jibes at my beautiful Rivage…You are just jealous because you couldn't find any le castellet alloys and you had to buy those silly Ronald turbo things instead! Well Shame on you!…What next? A set of spinners or maybe some privacy glass…..I'm gonna spank your pimply little bottom when I get my hands on you!…..STUDENTS!… :evil:

PhillTMK1GTI said

I'm with you on this Kins!

mainly because of the sunroof, in my opinion the Mk1 looks better without and as you say it's one less place for the dreaded rust to invade

for me the nicest Mk1 is a clean, single light Black series 2, lowered a tad so you can't get your head between the wheel and arch and some tasteful period type alloys

Hey Phill what can I say you're a man of good taste! 8)  :wink:

dubboy said

I agree with a lot of what you say kins. I would also disagree with the fact that Campaigns are rare - they are not. They are one of the most common model Mk1s left due to their higher production numbers and preservation by enthusiasts. A look at the Registers shows 393 Campaigns and only 259 other S2s (including non-GTi versions). I know the Campaign Register has been running longer but I still do not expect it to be overtaken by anything other than Cabs. I have nothing against Campaigns (having been a previous owner) but I think the facts must be laid bare. I would say with the exception of Helios Blue (due to it only being available for 1 year) I would not pay more for a Campaign and go on condition, etc alone.

kins said

Dubboy any chance can we see some pics of your black series 1 gti?  

Here you go  :wink:

Arrrrrrggg   drool drool!

Rajan if you ever come to sell her would you let me know? Any chance I can have first dibs? You know I would love her very much, and keep her completly original. :pray:

No you wouldn't! You would slam dunk her the the ground…Pimp her with some silly Ronald turbo's and leave her out in the rain to rot! Don't let him Dubboy! ….Bloody students!
 :x

Oh no I wouldn't! :posh:

kins said

Hey Phill what can I say you're a man of good taste! 8)  :wink:

 :y: you can't go wrong with a Black GTI

I think there's enough polish on Dubboy's black mk1 that rain would just roll straight off it  

everybody needs 2 Mk1's… a standard spotless example, and a modded daily driver

PhillTMK1GTI said

kins said

Hey Phill what can I say you're a man of good taste! 8)  :wink:

 :y: you can't go wrong with a Black GTI

I think there's enough polish on Dubboy's black mk1 that rain would just roll straight off it  

everybody needs 2 Mk1's… a standard spotless example, and a modded daily driver

Phill you're not worng! You're deffo on my wave length mate.

Just thought I would compliment rajan's mint series 1

Series 1s are rarer than any other mk1 whether it be a GTI or not, Series 1 in black are the way forward!!!!

When I originally sought my own Mk1, I wasn't actually after a Campaign, just a red 1800, I didn't (ahem!  ops: ) discover it was a Campaign until quite a long time afterwards.

I guess the Campaign Register (and hence this site) was instrumental in raising the profile of the Campaign over the rest of the range, perhaps unfairly. As Rajan points out, they aren't particularly rare because :

A: They are well kept by enthusiasts and generally have been throughout their lives.

B: They had the benefits of rust protection and wheel arch liners etc, plus they are the youngest of the range.

I think they are a little special in that they are top spec mk1 tintop you could buy at the time, but probably don't really deserve the price hike that comes with the territory.

Bottom line. If you really want a Campaign for whatever reason, you'll pay for it. If you're not bothered, get a decent 1800 and enjoy!

It would have been different if VW had dropped a 16v in there along with rear disks…. now that would be a special edition! Ho hum!

Cheers.

Drew.