(First posted July 21, 2013, here with slight updates) When I recently wrote about the car that my girlfriend brought into the home that we had started to share, it ended with that car (1986 Toyota Cressida) being sold to make way for one that her grandfather had promised to buy her upon graduating from college in mid-1996. That time had come, so he was ready to step up to the plate…
We’d also just gotten back from a long trip to Europe, where Allison discovered the practicality and convenience of the hatchback body style. So she decided that she wanted a hatchback, just like a European. So off to the classifieds(!) we went. Below is the actual ad at the top of the right-hand column.
After looking at cars such as the BMW 318ti (too pricey) and a Honda Civic (too plain), we located a near new 1996 VW GTI being sold by the original owners with only 8,000 miles on the odometer in Tornado Red with a Black and colored inserts cloth interior that they had bought new earlier in the year. The intro pic at the top is of our actual car.
I was a little hesitant about it since my 1995 Jetta was still in my possession. That car hadn’t always been the most trouble-free vehicle, but she was smitten so we went ahead and bought the GTI. I still harbored fond memories of my Mk2 GTI and was sort of hoping that this might be pretty good after all. Uh, no.
First of all, this one had a soul-sapping automatic transmission. Shifts were slow and really took a lot of the fun out of the car. On top of that, when VW re-introduced the GTI in 1996 it was with the SAME 115hp cross-flow 2.0 liter that was in my Jetta, which while driving OK, was nothing to write home about. In a 4-door sedan that was a slightly upscale economy car (the Jetta), the engine (and maybe even the automatic transmission) could be considered acceptable, but in something with a GTI badge on it, not quite. Previous generations of the GTI had a more powerful engine than the regular Golf, but not the Mk3.
Originally the Mk3 Golf was introduced in in the US for the 1993 model year, for 1994 it got dual airbags, in 1995 there was a “Golf Sport” version, and in 1996 this pretty much turned into the GTI with the only real difference being the alloy wheel style, however still at 14” with non-performance rubber. There was also a GTI VR6 version from 1995 on; while a completely different animal performance-wise it has gone down in automotive history as being the reason for the well-known UK car magazine CAR’s cover that had a picture of an actual lemon sporting a VW badge on it after they completed their long-term test of a Golf with a VR6 engine that is very similar to our GTI VR6. Overall the Mk3 GTI’s are considered the “softest” of all the GTI generations, which I completely agree with. Lots of promise, little substance.
Allison didn’t dislike it nearly as much as I did. She happily commuted in it from San Francisco down to Palo Alto along the 280 freeway. Whenever I had to drive it around town however, I just noted how glacial the acceleration was, the way it kind of vibrated with a buzzy noise when stopped at a light and how it really did not feel much if at all different than my Jetta when cornering hard. It really was just a regular Golf and not anything special as the older ones had been.
VW’s with automatics (and I suppose most cars really) I personally tend to prefer when I am able to drive them long distances at higher speeds, such as on the (non-traffic) freeway commute that Allison had. Around town I much prefer a manual, which is counter to what a lot of other people find I think. This car at least had a 4-speed automatic, VW had stuck with their 3-speed much longer than most competitors did.
Funnily enough (but not surprisingly I suppose) it had the same AC issues that my Jetta had, which although covered under warranty were not a pleasant experience at the dealership. The car never actually let us down, but it was not really a joy at any time either. It was practical though, I remember we were able to get a 6-foot Christmas tree into the car and were able to close the hatch on it. Of course then we also were picking pine needles out of the trunk carpet for the next year…large TV’s came home in it, it was great for shopping, you could fit bikes if you took the front wheel off, overall much better than a sedan like the Jetta although that had a cavernous trunk as well, just with a much smaller opening.
Parking it in the city was easy as the sightlines were excellent. Being able to ratchet the seat up (for her) and down (for me) was a very nice thing that no other small car seemed to feature at the time. The front seats themselves were the same excellent faux-Recaro seat style that had been a staple in sporty VW’s for years and the back seat was a split-folding affair that let you either just pull the backs forward or tilt the bases into the rear footwells and then the seatbacks folded virtually flat. The dashboard was identical to my Jetta’s. At least all the buttons and knobs were in familiar spots due to that.
It’s kind of funny, for about year we overlapped with two cars that were virtually the same including the color, just one had a trunk and one did not. It just kind of worked out that way and was not intentional at all.
After a couple of years it was time for something else, kind of a shame as it never really fulfilled what we thought it would when we got it. We tried for ages to sell it in the San Francisco area, in the end we took it down to her folks in Orange County and her Dad managed to sell it there, amazingly enough to someone who was moving to San Francisco, we all got a laugh out of that. In the end, although not the most unreliable vehicle we ever had, it did not deliver the fun that it should have. It turned me off newer VW’s for a very long time thereafter, which is a shame as really it should not have cost VW much, if anything, to make the car much more enjoyable from a driving perspective.
My concern regarding reliability was the main reason I didn’t purchase a pre-owned 2010 VW CC last year. I liked the car well enough, but reading multiple car review magazines turned me off. I’m not in the position to risk having major repairs. The near 100% availability of only all-black vinyl interior also turned me away.
In regards to your GTI, I liked the Mk3 Golfs much better than the Jettas of that time in terms of exterior styling. Despite being similar, the headlight shape, and rear styling worked much better for me. I really liked the Cabrios of this generation as well.
I love those cloth seats with the colored shapes. That was something uniquely ’90s (maybe a little ’80s as well) that several automakers offered. I’m not usually a fan of cloth seats, but if I ever bought a car with them, I’d want ones with colored inserts like those.
BTW, I love that Dustbuster Oldsmobile Silhouette in the background of the 1st picture.
I had a Rabbit, then Scirocco and Jetta in the 80’s and 90’s. Like you, I swore I would never have another VW. One problem after another, particularly electrical and fuel systems. Then I took a chance on an ’01 (and a half) new Passat. I got a GL wagon with a few extras that over time has served me very well. Amazingly no major cost gouging repairs – just regular maintenance. I recently bought a new Passat TDI SEL sedan as a replacement for the old wagon, a bit nervous about the Americanization of the brand, but am very happy with it thus far, especially its 45 mpg on the highway. I decided to keep the old wagon as my “truck” and SUV for hauling bikes, etc. because it is so darned practical. And it still looks sharp after all these years. I think the long and short of it for many of us VW owners is that we get seduced by the brand for various reasons and always come back, flaws and all.
The Mk II Golf was the one to have.
The 2000 Passat in TDI (with 130 HP) form was the one to have.
Today I stay away from VW, Skoda (here in Europe ) give you a better car with proven yesterday’s VW mechanics for less money.
VW’s new TDi technology gives headaches as do those new small engines with massive turbo’s on them.
And reading about your Mk III GTI just explains why Peugeot overhere were king of the boy-racers with their 106’s and 205’s
You don’t want any of the 08+TDIs that have a DPF (soot filter). 07-10 is a deadly dark age for USDM Diesels. Anything before the emissions emissions rules changed for MY 07 is ok. The current Passat and the next gen Jetta & Golf have a urea based system that shows promise.
At TTSD our two 6.4 Powers-a-joke F550s have been total hangar queens while drinking more fuel than my 320 when they are running. So far our newer 10+ equipment that takes Urea at my work has been trouble free.
My VW history of this period in the US is a bit hazy; was this just a regular Golf with GTI badges on it? It doesn’t sound like it had any performance upgrades at all. I can see why this was VW’s low point in the US.
Yeah, that is basically what it was. Better seats but no difference whatsoever to the engine. Suspension may have a slightly upgraded swaybar or something but very minimal overall.
I think they came with rear discs too, which are a popular junkyard swap item.
But these things were GTI in name only. If you wanted a proper GTI at that point you had to spring for the VR6 or live in Europe where you could get a 16 valve mill.
Like Jim, I’ve also had a Mk II GTI (1985 model) and a Mk III Jetta 2.0. The MkII GTI feels much faster, maybe due to the closer transmission ratios, but if you race them head to head the MkIII, even in 4 cylinder Jetta form, is actually a bit quicker.
I still have both cars, with 600K miles between them (still with original motors and transmissions!); I also am the lucky owner of an early MkI with a lowly 76 horses. They’ve all been rather reliable, but my buying strategy on these is to buy them after the first owner has put at least 75K miles on them. At that point, I figure most of the bugs have been worked out and any true lemon issues are obvious. Also, I avoid the automatics like the plague that they are.
I had a 98 GTI with the 2.slow and the automatic. I enjoyed the cars handling and seats the most. ABS on a basic hatch back then was nice too for a young driver. The strange thing about it was you got a power sunroof and mirrors but roll up windows on a “GTI”
I always liked the Vdubs. Just thought these were really understated and nice looking especially when compared to its contemporaries. Jerk at college had a black ’96 vr6 and I was a little jealous of him actually. Coolest little hatch.
As I said elsewhere…when VW took up the NSU and Auto Union schools of thought and design, and left their own heritage in the dust…something else was left behind, too. There’s something ironic about a “People’s Car Works” that makes cars most people can’t afford; that don’t hold up; that are serviced in an atmosphere of chicanery.
That wasn’t how VW cracked the American market; and it IS why they almost disappeared and still remain a niche player.
They must have done something right though. Look where they were 40 years ago (just before the Golf was released) and where they are now.
I mean the VAG-Group as a whole, worldwide.
I don’t have worldwide figures available; so I can’t comment on whether their production numbers or market share have increased.
There is no question that VW needed to change; emissions regulations and the advance of technologies pretty-much relegated the air-cooled engine to a dead end. And the unfortunate rise of the German mark to the dollar meant that building a stripper economy car for the States, in Germany, at least, was not going to work. Temporarily or indefinitely.
But somewhere along the line, as VW was looking to control costs, the mindset crept in that the customer was a fool to be exploited and abused once the sale was completed. Oh, they never SAID that; but service and support satisfaction went down along with the basic endurance of the models sold. There is cutting-edge engineering; and there is engineering for durability. And there is high-quality manufacture, even when the design is dated or obsolete.
VW opted for flash and sizzle over long-term satisfaction. Why they do well in other markets, I cannot say; just as I cannot say why Renault remains a strong player in some markets.
But neither offer what the American buyer wants for his money, not anymore.
Well, in short: From a penniless automaker with outdated models in the early seventies to a yearly number three position (car production numbers) worldwide now, with high profits.
Remember we’re not only talking Volkswagen but also: Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, Seat and Skoda as car brands.
(Ducati motorbikes and Scania trucks also belong to the group.)
I was only interested in VWs once they adopted NSU’s engineering. I was driving one of the very few NSUs in the US from ’75-’85, and I sneered at the Beetles. My one-liter Prinz TT sports sedan could outrun and outhandle them. It might have even had a shot at a good reputation for durability if it had had a dealer network as deep as VW’s. But as I recall, their reputation for durability was exaggerated. Durabilty only meant “repairability” when older air-cooled engines were concerned. Neither NSU or Beetle engines lasted much more than 70,000 miles without significant engine rebuilds. I saw so many folks push-starting their Beetles, and plenty of rust on them. Parts failed, but cheap to replace. Beetles were durable compared to Detroit’s planned-obsolscence products, but not to modern standards.
Many will say they wish VW had kept on making the compact Checker, but I’d rather have them producing economy Mercedes-Benzes.
A guy round the corner here has a mint 1200 TT on origial Dutch 1969 plates.
In white, although most were bright orange overhere.
Car has the correct mods from those days : Big alloy wheels and the engine deck open.
Looks very racy.
Sadly a lot of NSUs were scrapped and the engines put into racing sidecars in the 60s and 70s in the UK.
The mark 4 VW Golf was the worst GTI NOT the mark 3.
Disagree that the Mark 4 was the worst..The mark 4 introduced the 5 valve 1.8 Turbo..although the coilpacks were notorious for their failure, it was a very tunable engine. Plus I find the Mk 3 the most awkward in design. Chunky and not very handsome. The Mark 4 was very elegant and the nicest aesthetically since the Mark 1.
I personally owned two Mk 2s. An 86 with the 102 HP 1.8 and an 88 with the superb 123 HP 16V 1.8. One of the best. Looked great with the teardrop wheels too.
I’m surprised none of the VWs pictured has the drooping bodyside mouldings.
I do not recall if all of Golf/GTI production was in Mexico by 1996 (The Jetta certainly was). It is possible that Golf/GTI was still Germany and further that they may have used the holes under the moldings for clips in those cars as opposed to the tape they used in Mexico for the Jetta. Again, not positive about this, just a theory that could very well be incorrect. I do see less Golf’s with the problem than Jetta’s but then again I see less Golf’s overall as well.
In 1993 VW sold 43,000 cars in the US. Delays in getting the Mexican assembly plant going left dealers with nothing to sell. Industry insiders were expecting them to fold up their tent and go home. The A3 Jetta is the car that saved VW in the US.
That is a fair statement. As I recall there was first a strike and then assembly problems at the Puebla plant. After a big campaign there were no cars to sell. Then for ’94 they started adding airbags (’93’s didn’t have any). By ’95 Mexico had hit its stride and the Jetta at least was a big success (relatively speaking) throughout Mk3 and certainly MkIV production.
This is an important point, probably the low spot in North American VW production. I think this is the year that Peugeot pulled out of US (and Alfa Romeo was only 2 more years in US). VW could have been the third European car manufacturer to pull out of US, leaving really no choice of low cost European car.
That being said, I never owned an A3 VW (had A1, A2, and A4) but I think this was probably the last “true” model Golf…with high-mounted controls (radio and heater) and taller seating position. I have an A4 now, and that’s the biggest thing I miss from my A2, the “taller” seating…it was bound to go, since lower seating probably allows more rake to windshield, and more aerodynamics that go with it, but I miss the high seating position…guess I need to look at Ford Focus which is bucking that trend with higher seating which gives more accomodating interior. But at least we do have a choice of buying a lower cost European car, which might have gone away 20 years ago. (I know Fiat now is back in US with Chrysler, and BMW now sells mini here, but I think of them as single model (though they sell a variation of body type) rather than a line of cars).
I test flew a mk3 Golf and was very unimpressed, looks like just for once my low opinion of it is unilateral
It would be hard to find an example that wasn’t horribly butchered with body kit,big wheels and a set of speakers that look like something from a Motorhead concert over here
Let me guess: the driver is a young guy, wears a cap and sits sideways ?
(Meaning leaning over to the right, or left in the UK)
And don’t forget the exhaust with the size of a rainwater pipe.
Yes that’s right he also has a girlfriend with an orange face and hair scraped back so tight it gives her a facelift!
Johnny (Sjonnie, in Dutch) and Anita !
How did Tommy Cooper say it ?
“My wife had her face lifted….not high enough, I can still see it…”
Easy here Gem no-one has convinced the boy racers its worth messing with a Golf we have too many Japanese rice rockets for the to play with the one I drove was mint but when I flung it at a roundabout at speed Peugeot style it refused to play nicely.
Still my favorite Golf generation. Europe got the 16V GTI version.
If I can get an elcheapo one, I may try it. This would make a great runaround car with one of the modern 1.4 TSI or TDI engines.
I just leased a new 2018 GLI! And I’m in love with the car. My last lease before this was a 2014 Lexus IS250, and this GLI is a much better car in every way. It’s a blast to drive in comparison, quicker, better materials, and handles better.
Sorry, my GLI is a 2017, not a 2018, error…..
In the last few months several British performance car magazines have featured articles that commemorate 40+ years of the GTI. With something like 8 generations of this legend, the 3rd generation is memorable for being the worst. The only thing notable about the 3rd generation Golf, GTI, or “regular” model was the introduction of the VR6 engine.
I don’t trust VW enough to take a chance on reliability or service, no matter how much the buff mags say they’ve gotten better. Too many years, hell decades, of badness on both fronts, and the cheating on emissions scandal proves to me their attention is NOT focused on customer satisfaction.
The Mk. 1 Rabbit/Golf would be the last good VW for me, and the one I was most involved with (a Westmoreland PA sourced 1980 model with a 1.6 4 speed) had issue after issue, including the left side headlight going dark over and over, and finding there were missing head bolts when the motor was rebuilt at 100,000 to address a mysterious and persistent coolant loss issue. Funny how the VW service department never found they were gone despite several warranty visits about the issue, isn’t it? We finally just started adding water when it was cooled down.
We just bought a car that is somewhat the opposite of this, a Golf Mk7 “S” model. To me, it’s a GTI in all but name – and price. Sure, it “only” has a 5 speed, 15″ wheels, and a 1.8T with “only” 170 HP compared to the GTI’s 6 speed, 17″-ers (or is it 18″ now?) 2.0T with 210 HP. But compared to our ’01 Beetle 1.8T with 150 HP, let alone my ’77 Scirocco 1600 with about 85 HP, this thing is a rocket, handles great, won’t bend rims on our horrible roads, and is getting about 35 mpg in mixed driving. And it looks nicer than a Mk3 ? Made in Puebla, a good stablemate to our Hecho in Baja Tacoma.
On the Mk2-Mk4 the GTI badge was nothing but a mere trim line. It had nothing to do with any sportscar ambitions.
It was the Mk5 that brought GTI back.
I remember the GTI falling off the radar after the 80s and this explains why. My Mk II wasn’t the most reliable thing I ever had, but it made up for it with a superior driving experience. I guess this was the German version of the “performance by decals” era of US cars in the mid 70s.
The Mk III was disappointing, heavy and slow.
I actually rented one in Germany in spring of 1993. It may have been quieter, but it wasn’t nearly as nice to drive as the Mk II I rented in Germany in summer 1990.
The Mazda dealer in Livonia also carries VW, so when I had my 85 GLC in for service around 96 or 97, I took a 2.0L GTI for a spin.
I wasn’t looking for a GTI, just a two door hatchback, but someone at VW had decreed that the 2 door body would only be available in GTI trim, even if it only had the 2.0.
I liked the midrange torque (vs the 68hp 1.5 in my Mazda). as well as the rigid body structure and efficient suspension control (things that Mazda had not really gotten dialed in when the early 80s GLC was designed), but first gear in the manual box seemed hard to find, a problem I never had in the Mazda (that Mazda box was far better than that in my 98 Civic too)
No sale that day, but I was sufficiently encouraged to pick up a VW rewards credit card, which I could roll up a maximum of something like a $3,500 discount on a new VeeDub, but dropped the card when they cancelled the rewards program only 3 months later.
Someone way up thread in the old comments wondered where the Mk III Golfs were sourced. I did a quick check on Autotrader and mid 90s Golfs and GTIs I found listed all had a Mexican VIN.
Had a 2003 Jetta GLS with the 1.8 turbo motor and 5M. Kept it for 13 years and put 140k miles on it. Only major repair was changing the belt/water pump at the recommended mileage. Oh, and the passenger’s side heater for the seat died at 110k miles. One of the best cars I’ve even owned! Sold it to a friend’s kid; he still has it and enjoys it.
All the MK3 Golf’s and Jetta’s sold in the US were Mexico built, except for the 1994 VR6 Jetta. That car was German built.
In 1996 VW went with body color painted side moldings that would often come unglued, the ’95 and earlier were unpainted black plastic moldings that used clips that popped into the holes in the body. Even after the glue on moldings were introduced, the holes in the fender, doors and 1/4 panels remained.
Even in Europe the MK3 is generally less liked then the MK2, heavier and less precise handling, the 2.0 engine was more powerful then the MK2’s 1.8 8 valve engine, and had a little better acceleration in the US models, but the difference was pretty slight.