mate I'm in the exact same boat as you, i have a mk4 polo atm, but lately seen loads of nice mk2 golfs and been thinking long and hard about it and seriously considering selling my polo and buying one and also have asked many people and they have said you will not be disappointed sooo

If you want a car that handles as well as many modern cars out of the box buy a Mk2 Golf GTI. If you want it to keep up with modern medium to hot hatches, buy a Mk2 Golf 16v. A grand will cover a good one of either. Spend more for a mint one, or if you want an oak green 16v on BBS, you'll need to have a quarter of a mil in your hand.

As far as general performance on a budget goes, you won't get much better. Most of them are still pretty solid too, and 200k on the clock isn't really a worry.

The only thing against them is that they are very common as far as semi-classic cars go. Everyone has one, the retrorides forum is full of them.

In my opinion, they look excellent without much work as well, plus it would appear if you lower them and put a nice set of wheels on them, they are acceptable even to the chav population as well? My mk2 gets compliments from the local chavs anyway

plus it would appear if you lower them and put a nice set of wheels on them, they are acceptable even to the chav population as well? My mk2 gets compliments from the local chavs anyway

yeah but if your in a 16v the chavs can't catch you to give you comments

Although Golf Mk2 = Wishbones at front + solid rear beam at the rear. 256mm disks up front, disks at the rear.

Tav's Polo Mk3 = Wishbones at front + solid rear beam at the rear. 256mm disks up front, disks at the rear.

yeah but mk2 gti owners don't have to pay stupid amounts for them parts

plus it would appear if you lower them and put a nice set of wheels on them, they are acceptable even to the chav population as well? My mk2 gets compliments from the local chavs anyway

yeah but if your in a 16v the chavs can't catch you to give you comments

Hey, fuck you, I can just about beat a 1.2 Corsa

Get a mk2 GTI it rocks!! Mate has one and is possibly getting me a project car for practically nothing... Couple of years to restore it and maybe I will be able to afford to insure it then!!

Some day I'm gonna have a mk2 GTI in storm beige metallic with the big bumper conversion, BBS RS 3-piece wheels with the centres colour coded in the beige metallic and the outer lip polished..... then slammed on coilovers with a straight-through exhaust and 40s..... sticky white mess lol

so I presume you'd need deep pockets to keep one nice.

wrong, as long as you don't buy the parts from scene places like ed38 you can pick any parts up you need for a good price, if you want to go over bored with them then they do get pricey tho as most cars do.

but if its in good condition for 350 by it, you can't lose out on it

I'm sorry but any car that old is going to have plenty of components that are well worn and will need replacing. Don't care where you buy them for...keeping an old car is expensive.

the fact that golf parts are plenty full and there are lots of places to get them from makes them cheap fix, so there not expensive. i've seen good KR lumps going for £150. its only when you own a rare old car that things get expensive

Expense is all relative. Only expensive parts for the G40 are the specific bits and they are few and far between...and rarely need replacing. A lambda probe on a Mk2 Golf will still sting you the same as one for a Polo.

Ah but only late 8v Mk2 GTIs have lambda sensors... 16vs and K-jet 8vs don't.

Ah but only late 8v Mk2 GTIs have lambda sensors... 16vs and K-jet 8vs don't.

beat me too it