Worst Golf GTI? Nope, that was the mk3 Golf GTI 8v. ;) The mk4 was a high quality car, if rather dull. It wasn't a great GTI, but it got a decent engine in the 1.8T versions. BTW - Early Mk4s had the 1.8 20v engine (non turbo) with 125bhp. The original 1.8T had 150 bhp. The non turbo 1.8 20v was replaced by a 2.0 8v engine with 115bhp but with a bit more torque. Interior quality was streets away from anything else in the sector at the time. In Europe only the 1.8T versions got "GTI" badges. UK marketing put GTI badges on the non-turbo and 2.0 litre cars.

@paulbaumer8210

Жыл бұрын

Yes. Actually, the 1.8 20V was a good 'sportyish' engine - much better than the 2.0 8V (which was a lump which completely ran out of puff at 5,000rpm). I heard that the reason they put the 2.0 engine was because they had loads left over from the unloved Mk3 GTI (I agree that this was a much worse car - the handling was woeful and it was slow as a slug).

@klutchcustoms2428

Жыл бұрын

That 8v was a boat anchor. It should have never had a GTi badge. It would probably be badged a 'GT Line' or whatever they call them if that was used back then.

@paulbaumer8210

Жыл бұрын

@@klutchcustoms2428 They never put it in the Mk1 A3.

@klutchcustoms2428

Жыл бұрын

@@paulbaumer8210 Didn't know I ever said it was?

@MasterMalrubius

Жыл бұрын

My GTi VR6 mk3 wallowed like a pig until aftermarket kit. But I loved that ugly porker. I still have my 08 R32 for the VR6 engine.

Sorry to fact check you here but the MK4 GTI was originally launched with a 1.8 20V non turbo engine producing 125 BHP it was when they introduced the 1.8 20V Turbo engine producing 150 BHP they slotted the 2.0 8V engine in. The car you drive is actually a 180 BHP variant which was added to the range in late 2002 when the 25th anniversary was added to the range. For me the star of the MK4 platform is the V6 4Motion the engine gives the car some much needed character that’s missing from the 4 pot engines and shares the same haldex all wheel drive with the R32 variant. The V6 4Motion was overshadowed by the R32 and a lot of them fell in to the hands of those who couldn’t afford to run and maintain them meaning nowadays they are a much rarer car than the R32 and with a good aftermarket suspension setup and a remap are every bit as good as a R32 for less than half the price.

@ddfann

Жыл бұрын

Sorry, not sorry 😂

@eastleycabs

Жыл бұрын

I disagree. I worked for Vw when these were all new and have owned most variants. A V6 4Motion is a good car, but a flawed packed. Engine sounds nice and makes a nice change to have a V6. However, a sports car it really isn’t. An R32 is so, so much better. Interior/brakes/Suspension different including lower arms and it feels special A regular V6 doesn’t feel anywhere near as special. The used prices of both tell you all you need to know

@Tapot_goo

Жыл бұрын

@@eastleycabswanna get married ? 🚗

@markwalton8644

Жыл бұрын

Didn't the Mk4 Golf's get a V5 at one point?? I know the Bora's got them but I seem to remember the Mk4 Golf had the V5???

@Stephen.C.

Жыл бұрын

Build quality, and longevity. Something the Peugeot lacks.

I’m still running my 1999 Golf mk 4, 1.8 20v petrol as a daily driver. I’m the original owner with currently 182000 miles. Engine is solid and even the original exhaust. The only negative to this car is the corroding boot handle.

My buddy had a red one of these. I always liked the styling but for me the Mk4 sits in the awkward time where cars were getting a lot heavier but engines were still fairly old and not making the power to keep up. You're right about the blue dials being a wow factor. I remember when my dad got his Passat TDI SE and I went out in it for the first time at night. Still my favourite dial colour.

I had a Mk4 TDi and I loved it. It cost just £1,000 (an 02 in 2016), was cheap to insure, economical but fast, like a Tardis on the inside, loads of seat and boot space. Also inexpensive to maintain with cheap spares. It was more powerful than the non-turbo GTis. I'm not a GTi expert, but as a fast comfortable family car it was great.

@DarrenMac-yk2gd

11 ай бұрын

Exact same over here in Ireland loved that car was such a step up for me from a 1.4 and 1.6 focus I drove starting off this was my first proper car 2003 150 gt tdi

I actually think the design of the Mk 4 Golf is really good. Particularly the back three quarters in the way all the shut lines of the panels for the rear doors (for the 5dr) and boot are mirrored in the kink in the rear quarter window and rear lights... It's a much better design than the Mk 5 that followed it... Although I accept, that the Mk5 & 6 are probably a better car...

@edwardbdart

9 ай бұрын

I agree. I prefer the Mk4 over the Mk5 and possibly the Mk6 - the Mk6 was a solid car though - but I've never liked the Mk5.

@user-pk4en3it9l

Ай бұрын

The GTi mk5 looks better than the normal 1

The MK4 GTI aged beautifully and is probably the best GTI they have made imo love the design and the Aftermarket support

@axe2grind244

5 ай бұрын

I can buy a $100k car right now easily, yet ive never been happier than when I found a black on black w/sunroof 24v VR6 in Pittsburgh last year lol. Its how a Euro hot hatch should look and sound imo.

These rims and stance really works for it! Great video. Again! Greetings from the Netherlands

This Golf looks very nice with those wheels. I really love the design.

I had a MK4 GTTDI 150 bhp and absolutely loved it! One of the only cars that I've owed that I actually miss! Cracking stuff as always Jack 👍

@leonpalmer2429

Жыл бұрын

Facts just sold mine 214k on the clock felt like it could do 500k with no issues

@ryanmccormick2150

Жыл бұрын

@@leonpalmer2429 yeah they run forever, mine had I think 160k miles on it and it ran like new!

@paultasker7788

Жыл бұрын

Yeah the diesels in these are the ones to get. Arguably more characterful too.

@kristoffer3000

Жыл бұрын

@@paultasker7788 The power delivery of the 1.9tdi leaves a lot to be desired, also refinement is on the level of a tractor. Brilliant engines that use very little fuel and run forever but they are still very flawed, especially nowadays.

@paultasker7788

Жыл бұрын

@@kristoffer3000 I had the replacement 2.0tdi 140 (still PD) in seat Leon mark 2 and white smoke would come out every time you fired it up, sounded awful especially at low speed but the punch low down was addictive. And it was also nearly as economical as the much slower 1.6tdi common rail that replaced it despite a 20mpg difference in claimed figures. Big error to downsize engines.

My first car with own money was a Mk4 Golf V6 4 motion which was such a quality car, and the VR6 engine sound was beautiful

My memory says that the 1.8 non turbo was not called a GTi in Germany. Rather it was a GT. I had the GTi and with its cream leather interior it was fantastic. Only a GTi in the UK.

@nicholasbell9931

Жыл бұрын

Yes it was definitely a product of cynical VW marketing, "they love the GTi in the UK so they'll buy it no matter how little effort we put into it"

@agt155

11 ай бұрын

@@nicholasbell9931 Probably a RHD thing.

the mk4 might not be the best gti but i think its one of if not the best golf in general

The MK 4 was the most comfortable and nicest driving, especially for every day use, out of the first five generations of golf. Don’t go following the GTi badge exclusively for fun though. The non turbo engined GTIs are dreadfully slow and unappealing. The interesting variants are the anniversary either in 20 valve turbo or PD150 guise (although the 150s do tend to suffer lifter failure on occasion). The V5, especially with the auto box, is a lovely cruiser and sounds fantastic although very juicy, so not ideal if you’re economising. The V6 4Motion with a manual box and especially in four door variant rather than two, is a brilliantly practical every day hack that you can use for mostly everything but also sounds great and can be thrown at bends with relative abandon😎👍🏻

I have a 2003 GTI 180hp model and love it😀 Not a fast & powerful car but still you fall in love with the car. Beautiful and comfortable. Fitted side sils, 40mm lowering rear springs and AUDI TT MK1 Turbines. Attracts a lot of attention and compliments. Still very happy with my GTI after 10 years.

An associate of mine had the TDI Anniversary - 130 or 150 I can’t remember but it had a stage 1 on. The way that car scrabbled and surged its way forward stays with me today. Not a fast car but one which entertained! Felt like I was being shoved into the seat in the lower gears.

I had a 20v Turbo one and it was a great daily. It wasn't the most engaging car but it was fast enough, super comfy with electric heated Recaros and the 6 speed box was notch free. I loved that car and had had a fair few fun cars by that point. It didn't stand out in any single way but did everything just fine. I enjoyed it and would have one again. I always liked the shape too, a box with little flared arches.

Your description of this particular 'GTi' sounds nothing like my 2001 GLX. Lots of feedback, crisp handling, decent gearbox and excellent clutch. You can either have a car that soaks up the bumps or you can have a car that handles. You can't have both without throwing a lot of expensive tech at the problem. The GLX came with KYB sport suspension as standard. It doesn't give a comfortable ride but it gives confidence inspiring handling. An old Mk IV will just always have a rattly, funny smelling interior because of the bioplastic. It just doesn't hold up over time. Living in the desert in a place with an ozone pollution problem, it is pretty bad.

Its the best golf ever made! amazing starter car, good looking, lots of customization, nice community, many different engine types.

MK4 GTI had/has tons of cheap and simple mods to spec it up and blow away many competition, and really make it feel very special, together with it's good looks and interior can't really go wrong with it

I had a mk4 GTI 1.8 turbo (in bright blue) from new. At the time it was a head turner! I disagree with the suggestion that the ride was wallowy, I found it very firm with great handling and lots of poke! I guess they haven’t aged well! Great to see inside one again!

I liked the Mk4 but then I drove loads as I worked in a VW Dealership....170 bhp V5 sounded awesome and the R32 was something else.GTi was good but I liked them with TDi engines ironically...

I think it's aged really well and is great looking compared to many modern cars 🤔

@wernerullrich250

Жыл бұрын

I agree with that. It's still my 2nd favourite Golf after the Golf I

@UsoundsGermany

11 ай бұрын

@@wernerullrich250 Same, but No.1 is the 2 and 3 is right there with 4 (4 has better rust protection, 3 generally better engines)...the 6 is also ok but not special. All the other newer VWs and 1 I do not know..I mean generally not GTI specific ofc :P I know the Beetle tho...also great if unconfortable

I've driven Mk1, owned Mk2 and 3, and driven Mk4. Out of the early ones, I have to say the Mk2 was the sweet spot. Especially with the 16v motor.

@christineayres7199

Жыл бұрын

The Newest is the best 0-60 in 4 seconds the R does you cant beat that

Very fiar video Jack, I used to buy and sell mk2s in the 90s so had a lot of them, had a couple of mk1s then a mk3 as my own car now I drive a mk4 2.0L GTI (115bhp) and I love it, I've had it 17 years and it's now done 152k (130k I've put on it), not much has gone wrong with it,

I love your stories and presentation style!

Still a very neat looking car, that even though it's not a big performer it still looks as if it could...

@vladislavdimitrov4646

Жыл бұрын

In my eyes Golf 4 is the most boring looking of them all

1.8t was pretty good, although hoses and electrics not so much. I think their downfall was too heavy for a "hot hatch". Diesel GTTDis are always a good shout if a little soft on the twistys. 130 PDs respond well to tuning if done right. Where they make up for it though is styling options and rim upgrades. And then of course the Anniversary diesel and petrol models still look good today

Best model was the gttdi with the pd engine. Just sold mike with 214k miles on the clock

I had a 150 hp 1.8T and miss it, the MK5s I had afterwards weren't as reliable. All the same it was a bit of a surprise after having owned a MK2, the MK4 felt less like a Gti and more like a GT, a Grand Tourer. And indeed it smashed it on a trip down to Spain, comfortable, took autoroutes in it's stride and effortlessly powered up steep Spanish mountain roads. It was fun down English country lanes too but then, although I never threw it around much, it still didn't have the lightweight nimble feel of the MK2.

Re the comment below, the Mk 4 V6 4Motion was a great car. I had two of them. However, the real star of the Mk 4 Golf range was the V5, in its later 170bhp version. You should really try to find one of those to test. We had one with the Tiptronic 5 speed automatic gearbox. In comparison to the Mk 4, the subsequent Mk 5 was ‘cheap and nasty’ in terms of cabin quality. The Mk4 V5 was eventually traded in for a Mk 6 Golf R. That was a wonderful car, with an engine that sounded like a mini turbine.

5:51 “Generally speaking the steering was quite wooden…” then cuts to a shot of the steering wheel. There’s your problem, VW.

The Mk IV GTI was the only car I ever bought new, and it was fantastic*. I was coming to it from a 1991 Integra and it was a real step up. I bought mine in 2002 and got the 180-bhp 1.8 turbo, and I also had the package that included the larger 18" wheels and the Monsoon audio system. I think you missed the mark in this review because you're approaching it from the 'pure, raw sports car' perspective and the GTI was never intended to be that. Remember that GT stands for Grand Touring, which means a car that combines good performance with the comfort to actually go places. And the vastly-vast majority of these were indeed purchased as a primary vehicle, the car that the owner uses every day but still wants to have fun using. Mine was no different! I've never driven Ferraris or Aston Martins, so to me the handling was pretty damn good- especially considering that it was a tall, 3000-lb car. I did find however that changing tires made an interesting difference: from the factory, it was shod with a Michelin MXV4EIEIO somethings or others, the same tire that BMW M3s came with at the time. When those had worn down and I shopped for new rubber, I balked at the price of those and opted for the next tire down in the Michelin range- and found myself happier with them. The reason was that while the absolute limit of grip -which I rarely ever approached anyway- was less, the predictability of the limit of grip was much more consistent. And other than that, they felt pretty much the same. I had no issues with the shifting or steering or any other aspect of the performance- it was smooth and refined and a joy to drive. And it could haul a serious amount of stuff! I once got an antique desk into it without any dis-assembly. One time on a remote highway in western Texas I did a top-seed run, just put my foot down and waited. it settled at an electronically-governed 130 mph but would do it in either 4th or 5th gear, making me wonder what the true top would be without that line of code in the ECU. But it did that 130 mph just as smoothly and calmly as it would do 30 MPH. *At first anyway. But as the car aged, it became a decrepit POS. The first thing was that the matte-finish on the black interiour bits was just a rubbery paint, and it could be scratched away with the greatest of ease. Cylinder #1 blew coils frequently after a few years, and the cambelt-change service is something I don't ever want to do again- and I did it at least three times! The chassis got creaky, the clearcoat peeled off the wheels, I had issues with the sunroof-drains, etc. The durability/longevity issues of this an one other Mk IV Golf I had made me decide never to have another VW. Just as well, since you can't get a two-door GTI anymore, and I'm no fan of the current spartan, flat-seated interiours VW are making these days.

I always loved the mk4 Golf design!

I stayed away back in the day as the petrol GTI was slower then the GT-TDI diesel according to he specs I saw back then! That must have been a wake up call for VW as they definitely addressed it in the following version (Mk5) the one launched witht the big alloys and red calipers.

The 2.0 8v was a bit underwhelming for a GTi. I straight swapped a 2002 diesel Focus for a Golf 1.8T. Guy had it really nicely tuned to just over 220bhp and it was deceptively quick. Only exterior mods was it was lowered 25mm. Decent handling thing too

I worked at a VW dealer in FL when these were new. They were very popular. Very well painted and fit together. Many customers bought them for their kids to drive so several didn’t receive the gentlest care. Even so, Maybe it was mostly due to the heat, but the lovely interior would fall apart rapidly. Lots of creaks from the center console, all of the soft touch coating would bubble and/or turn gummy, fabric would pull away from the door cards, headliner would sag, window regulators failed at a shocking rate. The foam in the HVAC ducts would disintegrate and blow gooey foam chunks out of the vents. Cooling fans and a/c would fail also. Not a car you would recommend to a friend or family member. At least we didn’t have to worry about rust.

I owned a mk4 1.8t gti back in the day. I put progressive springs on, remapped it and added a stronger rear arb. I did over 100k miles and loved it. Yes, it wasn’t a sports car (I’d just came out of a 964 after a relationship breakup lol), but I think you got it right in the video. It was a good all rounder and a nice place to be! Quality interior with great climate control, decent stereo, etc and enough power (after the remap) to get it down the road

@claretbadger

Жыл бұрын

They need that rear arb - transforms it - they never came with one from factory

I went the Seat option with the 210 Cupra R. A lot more for your money and amazing optional Recaro front and rear seats with the bigger side bolsters for rear passengers made it that bit more special. Brembo brakes,18 inch alloys as standard and a good wedge more power.

I had a 2002 in Canada which was when the car received the 180 hp 1.8T. I shopped that car against the Subaru WRX and Acura RSX. The GTi was significantly more refined overall and had a lot of room inside for hauling stuff (I moved houses with it twice). It fit my needs as a sporty daily driver and road trip car. Later in life when I bought a Mk.7 R I had a chance to compare the two cars side-by-side for a week. My Mk.4 had 140,000 km and new suspension bushings. I found the steering to feel more direct than the electronic power assist on the R. I also found the brake pedal feel better as the R's pedal is too light. Other than age, one of the reasons I got rid of the Mk.4 was its tendency to lift the inside rear wheel in hard cornering which could be quite disconcerting. But in context of the time, for the hot hatch offerings in North America in the early 00s, the Mk.4 GTi was a great choice.

I loved my 150 TDI ARL - remapped it was great fun and still returned excellet economy. That looks like it's been lowered (hence the hard ride) and it's had some interior mods done as it's got the Bora air vents. My Golf was a replacment for my 306 XSI.

I've had 2 MK4 GT Tdi's -1st: 410Nm, 190bhp (originally 150bhp), KW V2 coilovers. -2nd: stock 150bhp variant. The 1st was properly sorted - despite that big heavy 1.9 diesel lump, the car was really well balanced. In the dry, that is! In the wet, it tended towards oversteer (not lift-off oversteer) - I really found a sweat spot with the suspension! It was tuned properly (on a rolling road) and, as such, the torque and power curves were sweat - It pulled consistently throughout the revs with no sudden dump of power. It had done ~240k miles yet didn't miss a beat - I loved it! But it was stolen and written-off in a police chase 😢 The 2nd was stock and was nothing special (it was hard not to compare it to the first one!). It still felt quite well balanced in the corners but you really felt the weight up front. Gearbox: Honestly, I haven't driven a car (of that era) with as nice a gearbox as these (6 Speed). Overall, I love the engine and gearbox combination and you can get them to handle well. Current car: Skoda fabia vRS Tdi 2007 - ie. the same engine and gearbox but in a lighter car (currently it's a bit scruffy). It's currently ~stock (apart from slight tune 130 - 170bhp) and I'm wandering what to do with it. It's the Special Edition model and as such will be worth something when it's tidied up. So I reckon I'll keep it ~stock rather than rude-boying it!

@odin5188

Жыл бұрын

But he's talking about the petrol one not diesel. Anytime anyone talks about GTI it's the petrol one

@MrSpanks

Жыл бұрын

@@odin5188 Yeah - I just thought I'd give my verdict on the diesel equivalent. I got a bit carried away and ended up writing an essay!!

I think the Volkswagens of the late 1990's/early 2000's where very special cars indeed. There was just something about them that set them apart, in my humble opinion. I have an uncle who owns a Mk4 Golf GTi although I don't know what engine it has in it, it's done over 140,000 miles and is still going strong, despite its age. My first car was a 1390CC Volkswagen Lupo 1.4, it only had 75BHP which is laughable I know,- but its power-to-weight distribution was very well balanced, and as a result it was very quick off it's mark. Very fun to drive around town and particularly at a set of traffic lights where it would take off quicker than big flashy fancy Mercedes and the like. It was like driving a go-kart. And it had the blue lit speed dial too, and was beautiful to look at at night, illuminating the area of the cabin around the steering wheel. I miss that car so much. It was such fun to drive!

@MacBob

Жыл бұрын

Had a Lupo 1.0E as a commuter car. Bought new in 2001 and sold in 2006. It wasn't quick but it was a very pleasant place to be and after nearly 5 years, it still looked very fresh. Lupo GTi would have a place in my dream garage

@StefenFoy21

Жыл бұрын

​@@MacBobCool stuff. Yep, I know I would pay ALLOT of money for a Lupo GTi if I saw one for sale near where I live or the even rarer Lupo GTi Cup car (only 3 of these where brought to the UK from mainland Europe and had a price tag of around £16,000). I haven't driven many cars,- I have epilepsy and had to hand in my license several years ago after my seizures came back, the VW Lupo 1.4 was my first car, that I sadly wrote-off after an accident that wasn't my fault. After 5 years of ownership of the Lupo, I bought a 2010 Vauxhall Corsa that on paper had more power than the Lupo yet it was sluggish in comparison, for example driving on motorways in the Corsa felt like it was towing a caravan or something, it took a really long time to climb the gears in that thing. Whereas with the Lupo, it just seemed to fly through 1st and 2nd gear, despite mines being automatic transmission. I always remember at a set of traffic lights for example, on dual carriageways, it was almost like it had launch control compared to bigger, heavier cars, for about 3/4 seconds it would be ahead of bigger, heavier, more powerful cars. And despite it being an automatic I could always make it do wheelspins. To me it just seemed like a go-kart, lol. Maybe it was just the way I drove it that made me think it was faster than it was. I can attest to the famous Volkswagen build quality too- the little Lupo I had, saved my life. A guy driving a white mini-lorry pulled out in front of me at a junction, I had no choice but to swerve to try to avoid a collision with a vehicle more than 3 times the size of my little Lupo, only I hadn't seen the tall steel lamp-post on an island in the middle of the road, and I drove straight into the lamppost, head-on, at approximately 40MPH. I passed out immediately upon impact and had a Near Death Experience, when I woke back up, half a minute later, my fleece I was wearing was burnt, that fleece smelled of fire for months and months and months afterwards (I kept the fleece as a souvenir to show people), and I had burn marks on my arms that went away after about a week after the accident. I remember my little bright yellow Lupo had a sad face that night, and I never saw it again, it was a write-off (£7,500 of damage to it), but I have always maintained with people that if I had been driving a car made by any other manufacturer that night, I probably wouldn't be here today. That little car sacrificed its own life to save mines. Built like a tank it was. I am hoping to start driving again next year and if I see a Lupo for sale I will definitely be buying one. I agree about the Lupo's looks; it was a very well styled little car. I had smoke tinted rear headlights on mines and it really looked the business. So glad I have photos of it to remember it, 10 years after I wrecked the poor thing.

I owned a '99 GTi and my only real criticism of it was the torsion beam rear axle which IMHO really compromised the handling, it tended to pitch over to a certain point around corners which made it feel like body roll, but it actually wasn't. As a daily driver it was quite nice (apart from a heavy clutch) and mechanically reliable. I thought hard about getting a mk5 GTi but was put off by horror stories about the early DSG gearboxes, I understand that VW used the Focus as a benchmark for the handling of the mk5 and I often thought that if my wife's 1st gen Focus had the GTi engine it would be a quick car.

Sounds like what they did to the new gen Mazda3. They went from a sophisticated trailing arm multi-link rear end to a torsion beam. And didn't do it very well, from what I've been hearing. That'd make me consider the Golf or Honda Si as viable alternatives. Thankfully, I have a 2017 2.5L /w IRS. I shan't be getting rid of it anytime soon.

Owned a Mk4 non turbo from new, agree with you, very well built, lovely interior, the blue hue of the dash and the headlights were special at the time. I loved it, but felt it was a Golf 1.8 with a GTI badge on it. My boss had the Turbo GTI and that was much quicker in comparison. Both decent cars at the time.

Hmmm, you need to test the 2.0 non-turbo Mk4 GTi. I own one of these and it's pretty rubbish at being a GTi. It's great at being a Mk4 Golf, definitely; but not at being a GTi. I also own a 2001 Ford Fiesta 1.6 Ghia. The Fiesta absolutely thrashes the Golf when it comes to acceleration and driving fun. It's not as comfortable of course, but it does have full leather lol 😅

I've had my GTI since 2020, best car in the world for me. Built like a tank, farley fast and fun to drive. I just love it😊

I own a mk8, but the mk4 is honestly my favorite GTI. I love the design

My MK7 GTI out-classes my old MK4 in every measurable category, but the MK4 was just more fun to drive. The MK4 is also the best looking GTI imo.

Rather interestingly comparison wise, I today uploaded a video talking about my recent purchase of a MK4 Golf TDI Estate. The takeaway here when it comes to driving is very similar indeed! Everything is geared towards comfort rather than driving fun (especially on stock form) and it’s the reason I bought it and the main reason I’ve decided against modifying it. The controls do feel kind of dead, but they’re easy to operate and the car even being a 2002 with 168K is very well screwed together still and the interior is a very nice place to be.

I think so, whilst it wasn't the sharpest thing to drive they were truly beautifully engineered and exuded quality that no Golf has since (I've owned Mk5, Mk6 and Mk7 Golfs personally) My Dad had a 110 GT TDi as a company car and I drove it a fair bit, was pretty quick, felt like a bank vault and I recall the stereo being incredible in it. Quality was definitely on a par with the A3 back then. I've heard it from a reliable source that to develop the independent rear suspension for the Mk5 cost more than the entire development cost of the Mk4, hence why the quality went to the floor with the things.

The VR6 Manual was a wonderful drive, so much torque compared to buzzy Hondas and Toyotas of the time

@christineayres7199

Жыл бұрын

My cousin has 2.3 V5 that thing pulled it would do 100 mph up a near vertical hill , think Telegraph hill in Devon that usually causes cars to break down but my cousins was pulling i think 250bhp it had

@TassieLorenzo

11 ай бұрын

Taking a Honda B16 engine up to 8500rpm is so much fun though! It's not really fair to compare to a 2.8L or 3.2L VR6 with nearly twice the capacity. Especially with the VR6 being a cast iron engine, it is not a lightweight engine. If you're not convinced by the Honda philosophy, check out Honda test driver (and racing legend) Motoharu Kurosawa testing the EK9 Civic Type R at the Honda proving grounds in the wet... There is also a film of him lapping the Honda NSX Type R around there too. In both cases he is able to have total confidence in the car behaviour and press on with total commitment, all in a bog-standard road car. He shows what sporty Hondas are all about! It should really show the difference between say the EK9 Type R and the Mk4 GTI that didn't come even with a limited slip differential at the time -- it seems like the latter cars were not necessarily designed to be driven as hard or offer as much of a "racing experience" as the Honda products. [And arguably still aren't, unless you go for something like a GTI Clubsport to match up more directly to the modern Civic Type R or Megane RS Trophy.]

@hkonhelgesen

10 ай бұрын

@@TassieLorenzo Big volume is only a problem with silly taxes or silly race regulations. Without those problems, a big volume is only good. The VR 6 is just brilliant: Short enough to go transversely into the Golf. But still with only 1 head, only 1 head gasket, a very simple intake, only 1 exhaust manifold and very simple cam chain. The VR6 is V-engine enough to be short enough. With the V-engine disadvantages reduced to an absolute minimum.

Back in 2002 I owned a Mk4 based VW, a 2000 New Beetle with the 8v 2.0L engine. If memory serves me right, it was essentially a GTI with a more ehm "adventurous" exterior and interior, but the suspension was tuned to a similar sporty flair as the GTI. Short gearing in 1st, plus the throttle tip in made it feel exiting to launch, but that was it, I am absolutely confident our current V6 minivan with nearly 3 times the power would eat it from a straight line and not bother to spit out the bones. That said, even though it was soft, in the beetle if you where 5foot 10 or taller, you could seat yourself in a way that you where essentially riding near the rear axle, which could make it entertaining to handle on a twisty road. Unfortunately the electrics on that car where horrible, and it was a constant struggle to keep it operating without the check engine light on, or some random part failing(loads of sensors, the interior fell apart, the HVAC controllers died, cruise control was inconsistent, etc), I kept it for 5 years but ditched it for a Mazda 3 MPS, which was a proper hot hatch and, incredibly, perfectly reliable for the first 10 years of ownership, only after the 10th year did wear start to pile on it and parts to fail.

Had a 1.8t since 09 (£2200), stage1 still going strong on 150k original clutch and turbo, and had a mapped gt tdi 130 (£2000) for 10 years til last September. Brilliant cars, easy to work on, well specced, quick enough and both cars owe me nothing. Sad the tdi had to go but she served me well with only 1 breakdown in 100k+ miles: selector went in the box for 1st and 2nd 👍

I have driven numerous Golf IV : 1.8T, 20V and superb 2001 1.9 TDi GTi with bulletproof ARL engine (150ps/ 320nm) - and had this one tuned professionally to 200ps, best one.. on the highway I blew the petrol versions away and still do an average 35mpg with hard driving style. Problems? Only suspension bushings, shock upgrade, dual mass flywheel/clutch and A/C pump/fan assembly 👍👍

The first Audi TT and the first R32, being based on this car suggest that all was not wrong with the Mark 4.

@luckyboy4766

Жыл бұрын

I owned a '99 S3 also based on same chassis (swapped for Mk4 1.8T GTI). The difference is independent rear suspension for the Haldex system. Plus stiffer suspension, faster steering rack, shorter gearing and bigger KO4 turbo. The Mk4 was just a standard car with a GTI badge.

I didn't have the GTI but I did have the V5 170bhp version. The engine was terrific, the best part of the car. Sadly the car was otherwise very average, and I had lots of reliability issues. It also handled like a boat compared to the Ford Focus Mk1 that my wfe owned at the time.

@nicholasbell9931

Жыл бұрын

Ford's chassis engineers really showed up the weaknesses of the Golf's chassis. We have to be thankful to them for forcing VW to come up with something much better for the mark 5.

@nigelblack5295

Жыл бұрын

@@nicholasbell9931 At least VW didn't follow the Ford's horrible interior.

@nicholasbell9931

Жыл бұрын

@nigelblack5295 I really liked the style of the Ford's interior, it was different, though I'm sure some of the materials weren't as plush as the VW's. I'd far more put up with that though for the quality of the Ford's drive.

@simonh870

Жыл бұрын

The materials were not as plush, but strangely it suffered far fewer rattles, squeaks and bits falling off than the VW. The VW gave the impression of good build quality when in fact it wasn't and the Ford was the opposite.

I owned a year 2000 VW GTi 1.8T. I bought it in 2001 & kept it til 2015. I loved it. I remember a review saying it was not a boy racer car, but more of an executive express. I would go along with that.

@dosgos

Жыл бұрын

lol no executives were driving a Golf!

Have a Mk4 TDi estate as a daily. Still going strong. Standard suspension appalling fixed with a Koni sport kit. Remapped. Great A to B car and very good in hilly country. Ride the torque wave...

MK 2 is the GTI to have.

@marks-the-spot

Жыл бұрын

I agree, especially the 16V. I owned an 8V and then a 16V MK 2. In 1987 I drove the 16V 5,000 miles in 10 days and enjoyed every minute of it. Got out of a speeding ticket for doing "only" 72 MPH in New Mexico during the days of the horrible 55 MPH national speed limit. Great suspension tuning from the factory and excellent seats.

When they first came out! It was love at first sight! Spinning front wheels! Yeah!

I had a diesel GTI PD150 mk4 with those alloys and black leather Recaro interior. It was a cracking little car. Was it a hot hatch though? Nah, not really. But I still really loved it.

I had a three Mk 4s (one with the 1.8 turbo and one diesel) and I loved the lines. I later had a 2011 and a 2013 GTIs, both with the full size spare tires...both with the dsg trans. If we only could have had the Peugeots I would have gone in that direction. But the VWs were all good cars.

I had the facelift SEAT Leon 20VT (on the same floor pan) it had 180bhp, climate control, 6 disc changer and £3k cheaper, one of my favourite cars I’ve owned.

@bmstylee

Жыл бұрын

Oh that takes me back. When s 6 disc changer was a luxury option. I don't know if they even offer a CD player in a car anymore.

The Mk4 150 GTi diesel is a great car. I owned one for 6 years and it went really well, did over 50mpg, and was lovely to sit in. Way quicker than the 1.8 turbos. Did everything well, but typically German and soulless.

Hiya jack good video on an interesting car. A work colleague and friend had a T reg gti, 2.0 non turbo, he was a former mk 2 8valve owner and was a bit disappointed with the car. He compared it with my R reg Escort. 1.8si, he preferred the engine and the seats in mine. Round about the same time dad got a 53 plate Leon Cupra, that was either 150 or 180 bhp from the Gtis. The car looked good, drove well , suspension was a bit hard , but my main point of note was if you hit a bump or pothole mid corner it didn't like! By then I had my foci and on country lanes would leave the Leon scrabbling. Overall a good car, but not outstanding. The gti people not so keen on the Mk 3 which I've never driven but had the pleasure of listening to , a 5dr VR6 model, very understated rare bit like the G60 supercharged rarity or even it's little brother the even rarer G40 Polo. Dad kept the Leon for a couple of years, as said I enjoyed it, perhaps the best thing would have been to put the vw engine in my focus, what a combo! Either way none still could match dad's Zx Volcane which I'm sure you're tired of me promoting! Take care jack. Ben ,🚌🚐🇬🇧🇺🇦

I have had one of each model of GTI/ R up to the Mk8 and I found the Mk4 to have been the best in overall quality and was just the right size. I had the 150 BHP turbo in which i covered most of France and Italy and was a great touring car. Ranking them I would say the Mk 4 was much better than the Mk3.

I'm an American and I had the 24 valve VR6 with a 6 speed manual. My only complaint was that the seats were too hard for a long drive and it needed a spoiler or something, anything literally, to give it some menace. All it had was a nice set of wheels.

The 1st mk4 gti came with 110kw..the red I had 132kw by adding vvt technology. Both motors were 1.8 20v turbo. Well at least that was South African GTI spec. Those recaro seats was the BIZZNIZZZ👌

Fresh out of uni I sold these for a main dealer for a couple of years, a couple of mistakes in this video. They came in various guises over the years, the 115 8v wasn’t the first but was by far the worst and was only a GTI in trim, if I’m honest the ones everybody wanted were the diesel GT TDI 130 and 150 as VW seemed to be well ahead of the game with those PD engines. I ran all of them including a newly launched R32. My favourite was probably the GTI anniversary 180. Standard chassis was terrible but far better with sports suspension and bigger wheels. A 2.0 115 GTI was a low point.

00:24 You're showing a pic of former VW Chairman, later CEO Ferdinand Piëch and BMW/later VW CEO Bernd Pischetsrieder and you're somehow mangling their names into one. Pischetsrieder's VW time was 2002 till 2006 which might correspond to the Mk IV Golf.

In 2002 I bought a new 3 door Gti Tdi pd 150 with the ARL engine. 21 years later and I am still using it and its on 325,000 miles. When tuned and lowered they are fun and economical cars to have. They have their issues but what car doesnt. A pug 306 was considered at the time but I doubt I would have kept a 306 as long and whether it would've lasted as well

Back in the time, my first wife had a Mk4 TDI as a company car. Build quality was excellent, but neither of us could drive it for more than an hour without getting backache. The seats were the worst I have ever experienced in any car. Then I bought a Focus and that really put into perspective how dynamically poor the Golf was.

Your 306 has trailing arms with anti roll bar, a bit different than the Golf's torsion beam.

@christineayres7199

Жыл бұрын

Yeah live rear axle always better

Errm mk4 gti with 180 horses, refined and well equipped, also well built, take one everyday over a Peugeot.

Felt like VW used this to test and then push their 20v turbos on the world

Sometime ago, I had a 2001 2.0 8v GTI for about 3 years as a stop gap car, and it was a nice sold car, but dog slow especially after an S2000, the handling wasn't very good either, so as usual I changed the springs and dampers for a Weitec Ultra GT -30mm kit, which improved it immensely, a set of 16in 4motion alloys on Falken tyres, Audi TT front strut brace and it was like a different car, still pretty slow, 0-60 but at least what performance there was could be exploited better in the twisties, and also having owned a 306 2.0 8v previously the Peugeot was the better car as a drivers car, but as you say after 20 years the Golf interior has I suspect survived better than the Pug would have.

Should get your hands on a Golf mk 4 V6 4Motion. I owned one. Lovely car. Engine suited it very well. Long to find a good one again

I have a 2.8l VR6 Gti glx and i absolutely love that car. Its the best daily Ive had, it has all the right sounds and feeling while driving it. And for a fact I know if i wanted something more sporty i can build that motor for reasonable cheap. Plus theres hundreds of options for aftermarket parts and most of them are cheap. So in my opinion mk4 golf are what you want to make of them. I love mine and dont plan on selling it.

I had a Mk3 GTI VR6 from new which was stolen and replaced with another which was subsequently also stolen. I then got a new Mk4 GTI VR6 which I still have and love (I don't think the Mk4 VR6 was available in the UK, could be wrong). A couple of years ago I was thinking of replacing it and drove a Mark 71/2 GTI which completely underwhelmed me. VW doesn't really make cars for me anymore as I don't want a five door turbo with a touchscreen dashboard. I'll keep my eyes peeled for a Mk5 R32 with low mileage although I'll have to put up with DSG.

It sounds nicer than my mark 7 1.5tsi and previous seat Leon 1.4tsi of similar power. Suspect all the environmental stuff ruins the noise of that especially the 1.5.

I owned a later model mk4, this had 180bho and the six speed box, actually had a better power to weight than the mk5!

Had a Mk4 GTTdi 150hp for many years now. Can't argue. Car wallows around corners. You do feel connected to the road though. Moreso than newer cars. Third gear is good. Old lady is sadly being traded for a newer model.

Nope. Quite rightly regarded as the worst GTI. I owned a 1.8T version. Woolly handling, numb steering and vague gearbox. It wafted along ok but I just felt disconnected from the driving experience. Got a Mk5 a few years later - what a difference! Possibly the best GTI.

@kristoffer3000

Жыл бұрын

Try a Mk3 lol

@luckyboy4766

Жыл бұрын

​@@kristoffer3000 I owned a Mk3 16V before I swapped for the Mk4. However it had leaking rear shocks when I bought it and I replaced with Bilsteins plus stiffer springs all round. So my memories is it handled quite nicely and was fun to throw around. I've also driven Mk2, Mk6 and Mk7.5 GTIs and IMO the Mk4 was the least fun to drive.

I had this car as company car, my wife had new MK8 to say that VAG quality has gone backwards is a massive understatement.

I have a 1.8t Gti 150 (AGU) completely standard on 195k miles. I believe these were the power outputs on Mk4 GTi's: 2.0 8v - 115hp (I think these were leftover engines from the Mk3 Gti's that weren't sold VW needed to shift) 1.8 20v non turbo - 125hp 1.8t 20v - 150hp then later models 180hp

The 1.8 turbo and the 2.3 V5 was epic this car thanks to its wide arches could take corners at 90mph , I kept up with an Audi A3 turbo basically the same engine in that 90mph round corners not really tight corner but twisty village ones anyway it was a great car the Mk5 Golf was the worst as most rusted in a few years and gearbox blew lol

Biggest problem with the mk4 was the early non turbo 2.0 gti which let the side down. The 1.8T was a great car. Mine was an import with the much nicer tdi wheels, seen at 3:53

I think this is a fair assessment of the MK4 GTI, though no mention of the VR6 versions is given, let alone the very special mk4 R32.. I have a 2000 Golf GTI GLX VR6, with under 135,000KM. Its all original and OEM or equivalent spec parts have been used when repairing. I agree that the ride is softer than the MK5 that replaced it and even my VR6 (12v) in stock form is no where near as quick as a MK5 GTI. Given that, it is still a fun and engaging car to drive and no where near as dead feeling as many modern vehicles. I love its driver focused controls, free of modern distraction screens and nanny state tech. And the smooth VR6 makes wonderful noises..

I owned a MkI and then a Mk2, which was a superb car and then got a Corrado Supercharged G60, which was sensational.

Well....In fact.... Golf MK4 IS a GTI,but it's not a hot hatch...... Golf MK1 managed to be call a hot hatch,Same with the MK2 but afterwards they were mostly Gran Tourers........A fairly fast and steady small car

I loved the glass headlights on mine but the looms cooked inside the headlight shell and the bare wires didn't play nice with fuses. The interior was not quality at all. It might have looked OK new but the plastics had that soft rubber texture which melted over time and was worse than getting chewing gum out of your hair (because you don't have to put chewing gum in your hair but you do have to touch the interior). Also, those same plastic interior panels got very brittle and it was no surprise to find the under dash panels fall onto your shins when you hit a pothole. I loved the practicality of the flat folding rear seats, I bought a Kawasaki ZX2R in the boot and took it home 100km away without any concerns (tied and secured of course). The handling of mine had been sorted with new shocks fitted just before I bought it, so it was fun to drive anywhere. One of the great plusses was the fact that VW are also made in China so many of the parts I needed could be bought on eBay from China at eBay China prices but they weren't copies, genuine from the Chinese VW factory, so very cheap to maintain (mechanically, not trim).

The 306 had independent rear suspension. And if i'm correct, passive rear wheel steering.

The MK4 VW is probably the Perfect Economy Car. Sporty, Stylish, Comfortable, and Cheap.

I know people generally dislike these, but I have a weird soft spot for them. They’re a bit fat and not that fast, but they felt pretty solid and well made. I love the original R32.

I have a black mk4 anniversary tdi on coilovers, Goodyear asymmetric 6 with a remap to 190bhp and around 300lb ft torque and she pulls hard and sticks to bends like glue . Been in more powerful,more modern cars that just don't have the same drama levels. Pds deliver power differently.

the v6 4motion with a remap is plenty fun for the road, my one is lowered, on 18" with ps4 tires and wont get boring to drive, enough torque to stick in 6th almost any speed but revs to the moon no issue

Did about 80,000 miles in a 1.6. Jeeez, as a Golf owner for 25+ years it was a lemon. Anything with a Bosch logo on it failed. Aircon, starter motor, fuel pump, and premature coil failure. The passenger window also fell in on itself at the worst possible time. I suspect the people in the comments saying they drive one today and its fine are driving the surviving cars which have had all the bad bits long since replaced.

Here's a fact. 20 years later , people that have them, love them. Timeless design. Great all round