Found me a STEAL on a 1989 VW Golf GTI, paid $700 bucks for this beaut - and guess what? The clock reads 131K RIGHT NOW! (this is my second MK2 GTI, first was an '88) These cars are amazing. They handle like no other, fresh off the lot! Mine needed minor body work, two front wheel bearings and two new rear brake pads.... While I was at it, I installed two new CV axles and I couldn't be happier. I also refreshed all of the fluids and slapped in some Bosch Copper Spark Plugs. To say the LEAST, this GTI is now GOOD AS NEW at 23 years young! After "refreshing" this amazing hatch, I decided to take it on a test run. Bone stock, I pull up to a light. There's a 95ish Civic Hatch, fart can muffler, body kit and "the works". (Aka HIDEOUS compared to this stylish MK2 GTI!) Let's just say, when the light turned green... all the Civic saw was my taillights. All the way threw 3rd gear! (Could've kept pulling relentlessly, but doing 70-80+ in a 55mph zone = a HEFTY fine!) He decided to follow me, to where I was going. Which happened to be the closest gas station! A 13 year old looking "man" immediately jumped out of the "Rice Mobile" and asked, "Bro, WHAT DO YOU HAVE DONE TO THAT "thing"!?" ... I replied, "This "thing" is German engineering at its finest." And proceeded to put 10 bucks of Regular Fuel in the tank. Because that minuet $10 will get me where I need to go for a WEEK STRAIGHT! If you can't afford a BMW, Audi or Benz.... Get you a VW, MK2 SOMETHING, make sure it's a 16V DOHC and proceed to stick out in the bag of rice! *Must add* - This car is EXTREMELY EASY to work on!!!! Once you change a few "major" parts, you'll know it like the front of your FACE! Because you will have that VW smile from here to the NEXT gas station.... 100's of miles away!

Bought my 1988 8v for 800 pounds off a mate 12 years ago. My wife and I drove it all over Europe and across to Asia before shipping it to Oz. It now has 170000 miles with barely a spanner lifted. Performance wise the lightweight 8vs are the business. In tight twisty b roads they excel. The car hasn't got power anything but the secret to the 8v Mk2 was lots of low end torque and very light weight with a brilliant weight distribution (nothing forward of the front axle). The non powered steering means parking requires some muscle but the pay back is sublime steering with the sort of intuitive feedback that allows the driver to know exactly what the driven wheels are doing. I have owned and driven quite a number of so called 'drivers' cars but none that telegraph so accurately to the driver. This comment from a mate with an Elise after a recent drive on a twisty bumpy road "I did check the rear view a couple of times to see your grinning mug right up my tailpipe. Perhaps those MkII GTi’s were really quick after all" The Recaro sports seats of the mk2 are a delight to sit in and remain so after many hours at the wheel. I once drove from Dubrovnik to Amsterdam in one go (some 20 odd hours) and besides being knackered my bum and back felt fine. More recently I took the car loaded with gear and kids to Tasmania, going over the Australian Alps on rough dirt tracks. Such is my trust in the car's reliability. What's more it had spent the last 5 years sitting in storage as we'd been overseas, yet it had started willingly with a fresh battery and a tank of fuel, brushed the cobwebs aside and headed off on a 7000km trip. These are the legends on which VW's reputation was carried through the dark years of the series 3 & 4. The Mk 2 will soon become a collectors item as the Mark 1 did before it.

My favorite car

I own a 1992 MK2 GTI 8V Mexican Built. This is my Second GTI both in Black (the way it should be) I couln't find a good 16V this time. I found a really good looking 8V 189,000 clicks on the odo, and the previous onwer even offered to drive 200 Mi. to meet me, this told me the car was in pretty good mechanical shape if he was willing to do that. Only looked at pictures of the car before I paid for it and drove it back home another 170 Mi. with no problems. I'm in love with these little cars, I have had no major problems with it, Good quality Parts are availableand so far I changed Altermator, Ignition Switch, Motor Mounts, Radiator, Spark Plugs, Filters. Got new windshield, Front Lower Spoiler, New headliner, New Sony headunit, Kicker speakers all around, Its looking great but still have a lot on the "to do" list. Budget permiting will be a new short shift and linkage kit, Coilovers, Wheels and rubber, and respray after all body trim is done. Loving every minute of it !

Always want an early golf GTi and managed to pick up a minter of a mk2, 3dr 16v in white which it really suits. Interior is immaculate and I'm always getting offered money for it. Goes like stink and won't be selling it for as long as I can keep the wife quiet. Had a few issues with coolant pipes but thee had merely perished and were easy to fix. I'm no mechanic and find the car really easy to work on.

The mk2 golf GTi was the car of my dreams, Ever since i was 12 i wanted one because of that classic look!

I turned 19 i decided it was time to get rid of my Corsa B(Great first car) and get a GTi. I saved up £1000 and saw one in the local paper for £1000 ono 91' original spec, BBS split rims, mint interior, engine re-build ect.

I thought Yeh! I'll take a look, i took my friend with me who had one at the time, he took it for a spin and it was amazing such torque from that 1.8 8v, we checked it over and it had a few bad bits rust spot on the doors ect, £850 was the deal and i gave him cash for it.

I drove it for 2 months, it pulled like a train from any gear.Drank fuel, but could get it up to 32mpg. Nice seats good adjustment handled well for an 18 year old car, did enjoy driving it a lot.

Then the warning lights came on and i was losing fluid, had my friend check it over, he suggested could be a split hose. It was soon after this was replaced and the problem kept happening, so my friend took the head off and it was the head gasket and the head was rusted out so it couldn't be skimmed..

I could of spent £2000 getting it back on the road, I'm not buying one again until i have enough money to buy a mint one. There a lovely car to drive, but once they go wrong you need to get you're money out and plenty of it.

I would recommend it, but there not the all mighty indestructible German car that will last you forever, be prepared to spend some cash on it and make sure that it's been treated well and not run with out anti-freeze by some T***.

mk2 gti stil got it!

Exceptional value for money for a classic Volkswagen Golf GTi Mk2 motor with decent performance that carries a cast-iron reputation not rivalled by much in the hatchback market today. Parts easy to source and plenty of speciallists to keep it in good nick. Need a garage and time to give them the proper TLC they deserve though. Bought a very handy book from eBay 'Essential Buyers Guide for Mk 1 & Mk 2 VW GTi's' written by two experts...well worth the tenner.

i have owned my Volkswagen Golf GTi Mk2 for 2 years and i love it great fuel consumtion but fast. the powers there when u want it and very good at handling,(had a few corners at 90)

I like the Volkswagen Golf GTi Mk2 its a real beauty and it has pure power under the bonnet... the gti is definitely a fearsome beast on the road and has earned its respect over the decades... Overall a very good car... reliability 10 out of 10. Only bad point is steering wheel is a bit on the tight side but its manageable.

I'm a VW Golf GTi owner and I love it I've just respayed it its as good as when it rolled out of Wolfsburg.

best volkswagen ever built the mk2 gti 16v followed closely by the 8v gti....8v runs out of puff at 120mph...and ur 16v will touch 140mph(vw say its 129mph seriously its not)
fantastic car great all rounder

I've also got one just like that. AWESOME CAR!!!!!!!! I always hated Golfs, but now I wouldn't dare drive anything else.