Model: Polo Genesis Coupe

Engine and gearbox: The much lamented 1043cc AAU unit mated to the 4 speed ‘box

Brakes and suspension: Standard

Wheels/tyres: Standard factory fit. Pirelli up front, Michelin at the rear

Exterior styling: Standard. Recently replaced the original front bumper for a one that was actually black and not light grey!

Interior:

Added a glove box lid to replace the gaping hole that was standard on Genesis/Fox models.

Updated the original Clarion Cassette (which I still have) for a Kenwood single slot, face off, CD player.

Two additional speakers from a Mk2 Golf, which fit perfectly under the speaker grills next to the rear parcel shelf. Cost less than a fiver too!

Plans: None as such. Much prefer it standard and factory fresh (as you can tell ). If I get the chance, I might get the parking dents from both the doors removed , and sort the rust on the passenger front wheel arch (again )

Although the car is totally standard, I hope you enjoy the pics.

Thanks for looking

Edited 18 July, 200719 yr by Daniel R

some late spec rear lights would really suit the colour of the car!

nice, clean looking car that, genesis' rule!

standards love it

Nice photos!

Never seen Blyth look so nice

Very nice and original!

got a genesis 2 very good condition their mate:D

Thanks very much for the positive comments, its made my day :-D

I wasn't sure if a standard one would be as well received as the more trendy ones, but you're an accommodating group, so no worries

Martinb: Yeah, I have only seen one Indian Red Mk3 with the later spec lights, and it looked quite smart.

Ratty: hahaha Ventured into North Blyth too, where visitors seem to be treat with a bit of suspicion

I'll upload some of the engine bay and interior when I get some nice ones,

In the meantime, thanks again

Edited 6 February, 200719 yr by Daniel R

Just thought I’d update this with some engine bay pics and a bit of history.

Under the bonnet:

Not bad under here, although some parts are starting to show their age a bit. Can hardly blame it, 13 years and 114,000 miles of motoring in all weathers:

History

28/07/1993 - 01/08/1993 : Delivered and registered at Benfield Volkswagen, Fossway, Byker. Now defunct as a VW car dealership, but I think its now a VW van centre

01/08/1993 - 03/09/1994: Not sold, but racket up 10,500 at the dealers. Demo car? Courtesy car? Autorent? Who knows, but if you know anything, I’d like to hear from you.

03/09/1994: Sold to a couple from Chester-le-street.

16/07/1998: Suffered head gasket failure. Garage skimmed the head and replaced the gasket.......but didn't change the oil , which surely was now like mayonnaise. Therefore, 1,200 miles later:

26/08/1998: It broke down, and was towed to the same garage. Bottom end was stripped and the bearings and oil pickup strainer replaced.

27/10/2000: We bought it from a garage in Whitley Bay. Well, my parents did, for my sister’s first car

29/07/2003: Sister buys new car, but I didn't want to let the Polo go , so I bought it off her as my first car. :-D

??/02/2005: Some careless woman drove into the back of it, whilst parked outside our house, damaging the rear wing . Touch and go whether it'd be written off, but went through a solicitor (and not the insurance company, who probably would have written it off) and had the car repaired

18/02/2006: Car bursts second head gasket....110 miles from home while visiting relatives in Scotland. To make matters worse, it was Saturday at 5pm and we all needed to be home for various commitments, by Monday morning. Only one place was open AND had the right gasket on the Sunday morning (Essport in Dunfirmiline). After begging, stealing and borrowing some tools, me, my dad and uncle (with help from another little guy) had the old gasket out, and the new one in by 8pm. Home by 11/12 midnight.

Daniel

loving the standard look.. great photos by the way!! funny the fact that your studying geography and all your pictures seem to suggest that with the offshore windfarm and all the great views! i study geography myself and get countless abuse for it being glorified colouring in studies! haha. oh and your engine bay is looking very clean! top marks!! ross

Thanks for the comments Ross.

You get abuse for 'colouring in studies', but people here often say I’m being trained for becoming a 'tree hugger'

You fixing that head gasket in the little guys living room?

You fixing that head gasket in the little guys living room?

Trying to scrub the oil stains off that rug was a pain

Nah, seriously, it was just an old rug which was kept in the garage for....well.....lying on.

clearly a loved and cherished polo. very nice. :-D

i didnt know you went to northumbria uni????????????? so do i! we need to have a bit of chat sometime mate.

let me know.

i've got 3 mates at Northumbria uni...absolutly blinding night out aswell! might be up there for the next survival thing! (think its called that anyway!)

Anyway, really nice looking car...wished mine looked so clean! :-D

really nice condition, I am picking up the same polo as yours but a 1300 model and the same colour on thursday this week .

"28/07/1993 - 01/08/1993 : Delivered and registered at Benfield Volkswagen, Fossway, Byker. Now defunct as a VW car dealership, but I think its now a VW van centre"

Yep, its a van centre now!

Very nice and clean, tell me something, how do you feel the 1 litre goes performance wise? Say compared to your typical Corsa's and Saxo's?

Very nice and clean, tell me something, how do you feel the 1 litre goes performance wise? Say compared to your typical Corsa's and Saxo's?

Yep, its a van centre now!

Yeah, thought as much. I keep meaning to drive by after the north east meets but i keep forgetting. I think the VAG TPS is just around the corner from there too.

Very nice and clean, tell me something, how do you feel the 1 litre goes performance wise? Say compared to your typical Corsa's and Saxo's?

Thanks! Difficult question for me to answer, simply because I haven't driven many other cars which fit into the Polo's class. I learned to drive in a '51' plate 1.0 Micra at the same time as learning in the Polo and can safely say the Polo seemed nippier and more responsive.

On paper, the old 1043 Polo struggles to keep with it's fresher faced competition. After all, many of the rival manufacturers had launched either brand new or significantly re-engineered/ face lifted models. The Corsa, Clio, Metro, 106, Micra and Fiesta were all launched/ face lifted within the first few years of the 1990s and were significantly different to what the Mk3 Polo was up against at its launch in 1990. Compare it with same capacity older cars like the Uno, Panda, Old Fiesta, Mini Metro etc, then its on par with those in most respects. Not forgetting that most of the newer competition had an engine size advantage with practically all of them sporting a smallest engine of 1.1.

I feel like i’m painting a bad picture of the 1.0 Polo, but there not that bad to live with, not as bad as some would have you believe anyway. Personally, I’d recommend you try one, it’s the best way really. As I’ve always said, if your downsizing to a smaller engine, the 1.0 litre Polo’s will seems slow but if your used to driving sub 1.1 engined cars, then it should perform as expected.

I have had a 1.0 Polo and its a great nippy car just stick some 195 tyres on it and do 40 round, round a bouts and almost get done for speeding also like me.