I've had a Mk2 8v GTI and had a few goes in a 16v GTI.

And I have to say if I saw a tidy one come up for sale near me I'd snap it up in a heartbeat.

Really doesn't matter which one you go for, if you are looking for a bit more speed and a glorious noise then the 16v is the way forward.

Its on the nice twisty roads where they come alive though.

I'd watch out for the unloved/chavvy versions out there though.

I never understood the ski bag at all.

What you do is pull the arm rest down, open the hatch and pull the bag through. Once the bag has been fully extended out you can safely slide skis, window trim, skirting board and other long things through your car with out it flailing round the car causing nuisance to anyone. Brucey Bonus??? You can still use the backseats where as a golf the seats are made redundant. I locked my keys in my boot once, being a Jetta you can't reach over to get them out. So I donked the hatch open reached through the ski bag, waggled a coat hanger about and got my keys back.

Nononon. I know how to use it etc, i just never understood why the fuck VW thought a ski bag would be a useful piece of standard equipment.

I never understood the ski bag at all.

What you do is pull the arm rest down, open the hatch and pull the bag through. Once the bag has been fully extended out you can safely slide skis, window trim, skirting board and other long things through your car with out it flailing round the car causing nuisance to anyone. Brucey Bonus??? You can still use the backseats where as a golf the seats are made redundant. I locked my keys in my boot once, being a Jetta you can't reach over to get them out. So I donked the hatch open reached through the ski bag, waggled a coat hanger about and got my keys back.

Nononon. I know how to use it etc, i just never understood why the fuck VW thought a ski bag would be a useful piece of standard equipment.

Haha I put it down to Europeans being a bit more pro active than us Brits. Plus they've got the Alps and the Pyrenees to hand. We've got grass verges and Xscape in Milton Keynes.

Other point being, if you think a Mk2 GTI looks a tempting buy.... have a look at Audi Coupes. 88-92 ones (the one that looks like a Corrado from the side) are piss cheap.