I was looking at a 1998 GTI, any opinions? Things to look out for? Useful sources on the net. Thanks in advance.

VW Vortex (www.vwvortex.com ???) is the place to go to figure out a lot of the VW stuff.

I had a 98 Golf. The GTi is very similar. At around 135K miles, the car really started to fall apart. Look out for cracked loading coils (no spark when wet - including humidity). Also the general electrical system gave me fits. I had to have the ignition replaced to fix a problem with the parking brake and headlights. Maintence (and you will have it) is more expensive then US and Japanese cars, and less expensive then other high end german cars.

On the other hand, my 98 Golf was nimble, and gave me 7 years of hard service before I punched its ticket and traded it for a subaru. The Subaru is more reliable, but the VW was more fun to drive.

Depending what version of the GTi you get (either the turbo or the VR6...) The 6 is faster, but has a lot of nose dive in turns. The 1.8T is not as fast (they boosted the turbo power later on) but much more agile around the turns due to not having the extra engine weight.

However, if it were me, and I was buying a used VW again, I would get a 16 valve Gen 2 GTi, and not a Gen 3+ (which is what the 98 is). Similar maintence issues, much lighter, much more aglie through the turns.

And if I was looking as Gen 2 VWs, I'd be lookng at Sciroccos and Corrados. But thats just me.
Zach

Look for RUST. I swear my '95 GTI-VR6 had more rust through than my '70 914. The trunk was rotted, the trunk lid was rotted. The area just behind the doors was the first to go.

I've always lusted after a GTI. Seems like a good comprimise, fast and nimble and able to carry all of you shit around. I say get a ppi and go for it!
Eric

QUOTE (djm914-6 @ Jan 3 2006, 08:54 PM)

Look for RUST. I swear my '95 GTI-VR6 had more rust through than my '70 914. The trunk was rotted, the trunk lid was rotted. The area just behind the doors was the first to go.

Huh, my 98 never had any rust that I was able to find on it. Later in its life I was doing most of the maintence on it, so I was all over that car. It had a hard life, and lived outside in salt winter Baltimore.

Zach

It's a Volswagen with all of the normal Volkswagen needs. I think as long as you keep the timing belt fresh (which is not that big of a deal) and the recommended replacements in order, it shouldn't be an issue.

My wife had a '95 Jetta for 8 years and 165,000 miles, and the only thing we had to be vigilent about was the timing belt.

I think that if you check it out really well and it drives like a getaway car, and you keep it up you'll be good...

Don't worry about rust unless you are looking at some freak alien made on the moon car...

Once again the forun proves useful. The GTI I was looking at was a 2.0 and had 85K miles. Stickered for $7995. Way over priced in my opinion. But if it gonna have big problems in the next 50K miles it might not be a deal ( I put 15k-20K a year on a car). Nice looking car though.

What is the dea with VW? Looking at the VW Vortex site they list the Golf III as 1992-1999 and the Golf IV as 1998 to present. What is a 1998 GTI III or IV? Maybe I am missing something obvious.

1998 is the Mark III.
I had a 94' Golf with the 2.slow and loved it. Basic mods - chip, intake and exhaust with a mild suspension. Lots of torque from the 8 valve motor.
My 84' rotted out befere the plant died. I had over 200k on the motor.

I have a 97 drivers edition VR6 and have a love hate relationship with that car. Everytime I have to fix something it's a grand. Right at 100K miles the head gasket went. I have gone through 6 coil packs and counless front end parts and am currently chasing some electrical gremlins. If I were in the market again I would get a 4 cylinder car. Many of the parts are VR6 specific like breaks or the starter. 4 cylinder parts are cheaper and every FLAPS pretty much carries them in stock. The VR6 I typically have to special order the parts unless I want to pay the VW dealer prices, even then it's a gamble if they have it in stock or not. The car has terrible corrosion protection. But the thing is a blast to drive when it is running right. I have seen a couple of 95 - 98's with badly rotted floors. Mine has rust around the side windows and the rear fender well.

The Golf III was 93 - 98. The Golf IV started as a 1999 model but I think the production started in the summer of 98. The 98 model is the Golf III.

The Vortex Mk3 section

Here is the part of the tex you want. a late GTI 2.0 in decent shape will fetch about 5k tops. The ABA 2.0 motor is damn near bulletproof, folks get 250k out of that block easy.

Look for rust ( heard that before? ) and previous damage. More than likely it'll need a timing belt right away ( easy job ) other than that change the fluids and have fun, the Mk3s were probably the best VW ever made.

If you want to make some serious HP, ATP makes a turbo kit that'll get you 200 wheel hp easy on pump gas ( don't you wish it was that easy with the teeners ). 250 to 300 is possible but takes a bit more work ( read internal parts )

Any specific questions feel free to drop an IM here or on the vortex ( pigsdofly there, hey I got banned for posting a damn nipple )

QUOTE (Pinepig @ Jan 3 2006, 08:15 PM)

( pigsdofly there, hey I got banned for posting a damn nipple )

Hey, he said nipple!!!!!

That 2.0 GTI is a cool combination of car. Good milage and adaquate power with a hell of a suspension setup stock. I drove a jetta Gt with the motor and was really really impressed with the power of that little motor and if maintained it should last a long time, it's a simple motor. I say offer $4500 and don't look back.
Eric