[chrisjwwallis]

Hi guys, just looking for a bit of guidance as I'm not really sure what to do. Please feel free to tell me I'm being stupid!

I have a '52 plate Mk 4 Golf GTi 1.8t AUM with 140,000 miles on it. I have wondered about buying a new car recently, but I actually really like mine. New car looking between £10-15k.

I think my Golf is in pretty good condition, I've always looked after it, and had no major issues. Had a gearbox gasket go when I bought it 9 years ago, but nothing else.

My question is, is it stupid to think about putting a bit of money into it and getting the engine reconditioned? I would probably get it mapped at the same time, and I do have aspirations of keeping it long term as a weekend fun car.

I'm not fussed about it becoming a future classic, but if I'm looking at £10-15k for a new car, and it will cost me £3-5k to make this car basically new mechanically and get a long life out of it, then to me it's a no brainer. It's also a lot more environmentally friendly in my mind!

What are people's thoughts? Any steer or indication of costs much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[chrisjwwallis]

3 to 5k???? mate that is you bring it in to a garage that does everything for you and to be fair with 2.5k it should be an engine that has every moving part, sensors, gaskets, bearings, injectors, pistons, piston rings, rods etc replaced... for new items so basically a new engine that needs to be driven in again. spend up to 5 k and that means you have the car completely resprayed and all the light clusters and interior replaced with new ones.

IMHO if you want to spend 5k you can buy an Audi S3 from 2005-2007 or an Audi S4 2005-2007( but the latter will probably need the timing chains replaced, they are located at the back of the engine so gearbox needs to come off and engine needs to come out to replace it very expensive to have it done, and very timing consuming to DIY, not to mention the fat that you have to use an engine hoist as the front is not detachable as with the mk4 golf)

Cool, thanks for coming back to me. As you probably guessed, I don't really have much concept as to how much it would cost! The exterior doesn't really bother me, I think it looks like a cared for 20 year old car, so if I can have the engine rebuilt for £2.5k then that seems a bargain to me. Can then remap to 180-200bhp for a bit of fun. I would like to replace the seats as I think the newer versions look jazzier, but personal taste etc.

I'm just working on the basis that it's a car that I know, and if I do this then unlikely to have any serious problems for years. Always an inherent risk with buying another car, and I'm not the most savvy when it comes to them. I just like my golf

Appreciate the response.

 

[chrisjwwallis]

Nothing mechanically wrong that I know of, I was just thinking preventative. Cool, appreciate the help. Now I just need to find somewhere to get it done. I'm based in Surrey and Cardiff if you happen to know of anywhere, or anyone else who reads this!