Unfortunately, my Granddad passed away at the start of April and we are having to start to clear some of his things. He has a lot of interesting stuff, including a lot of interesting vehicles, but this isn’t one of them 
.
1999 Mk4 Golf 1.8 20v, but non-turbo - the one they called a GTI but really wasn’t. The engine itself actually gets a bit of a bad rap in my opinion – it’s only 115hp (I think), but is pretty nice and driveably torquey even if it’s not the most exciting thing in the world, but what it is wrapped up in is definitely no GTI (although is fairly comfy), so think of it as a GL instead and you won’t be disappointed!
As I say, Granddad had a lot of interesting stuff (and I will post up about some of it as soon as I get a second) but this was what he used as a run-around. Looked after mechanically well, but bodywork isn’t amazing, and inside is a bit grubby (grey interior and used to go get parts, cart a dog around etc).
It has essentially been sat since he got to the point where he couldn’t drive, which was probably last Sep/Oct. A mate of his took it to sort MOT for him, and a few minor jobs, but other than that it hasn’t really moved until I brought it the six miles or so back to mine at the weekend. He wanted to keep it MOT'd, taxed and insured in case he 'felt up to driving' but unfortunately as the cancer got worse, that never ended up happening.
As it wasn’t my car, I don't know huge amounts about it, but everything seems to work OK on the small journey I have done, it drives pretty nicely, is comfy etc. I will say, not knowing the car intimately and given the circumstances of its last year or so of use, I think if I was going to jump in it after it had sat for so long and do 200 miles, I would be giving it a good look over, and probably taking my AA card - in my experience, stuff doesn’t exactly love sitting for that amount of time!
162011 miles - that may go up a bit, as I will probably use it for some running round while it’s still insured and taxed, plus that will mean I can let people know if any problems crop up.
MOT until November.
Cambelt/waterpump was done in 2020, about 2000 miles ago!
Seven owners on logbook, although as one is me due to the DVLA making me register it in my name when he died, it’s only really six. He had it since 2019.
There is a fair old wad of paperwork with it, it still has the handbook, and there is (sort of) two keys. I say sort of, as I can only currently find one of them and his house/yard is an absolute state, but I know that there is definitely a second, and if anyone buys it, I will send it on when found (although god knows when that might be at this stage).
Essentially, we have had a ridiculously good offer from a breaker, but it pains me to see a car that seems solid to go to the scrapper for the sake of ease. Having said that, we have a mountain of <curse word> to sort through of his (including nine cars/vans and a speedboat), and as this is one of the few non-sentimental vehicles he owned, it’s getting a couple of weeks up for sale and if there’s no interest, it’s over the long, lonely weighbridge in the sky, given the offer we've had for zero hassle.
The pics are probably a little flattering - it has a few of the usual 'old person' style dinks and knocks, especially around the corners, and the lacquer on the roof is starting to peel, but it’s not bad from eight feet away, certainly presentable enough.
The central locking seems to have a slight mind of its own, but basically all works and keeps the car locked! The key I can actually find (there are 100% two of them, as I was at his when he had a spare cut/coded after buying the car, but that’s the one I can’t find due to his 'unique' filing system) doesn’t work on the fob, but unlocks all the locks fine on the key. The rear driver’s side door needs pushing down before you lock it. If anyone buys it, I will get your address and send the second when it’s found, but much like the GTI disappointment, treat it as only having one and it will be a bonus when the other arrives!
It really is the inside that is a bit of a let-down, looks wise. I haven’t even started to clean it yet, in case it does just go to scrap, but the colour (grey) and material suggests to me that unless you wage full scale war on it (which I just don't have time to do) it is going to remain a little grubby regardless. It has a 'stickerbomb' set of stickers on the radio surround etc that were put on by a previous owner (and confused my granddad to be fair ) but I haven’t tried to take them off in case they are covering up something worse!
Everything does seem to work, though, and is generally still 'MK4 Golf solid' in terms of feel etc - windows all seem to go up and down on the switches, VDO face off CD player/radio seems decent enough, MK4 Golf party pieces of the pop-out cupholder, silicon damped grab handles and little 'in between the sun visors' sun visor over the rear view mirror are all present and correct, electric mirrors work both sides. It has an electric tilt & slide sunroof that appears to work as my brother has had it open (and successfully closed again!) while doing a bit of running round in it,and I know my Granddad used to use it - I haven’t had the balls to open it after it’s been sat so long in case it won’t close again, as again, I don't have time for those sorts of problems at the minute, but if I was a betting man, I suspect its fine. Again, assume no sunroof and you will be happy if it turns out to work. There are a few bits of baggy trim etc, but not horrendous for its age.
He was convinced it was weeping some water from the header tank, and there is a brand new one in the boot that he bought but never got to fitting. I can’t actually see any sign of it - I have had it running for about an hour while I blew tyres up, gave it a once over etc, and then drove it about 15 mins, and it doesn’t seem to be losing any water, so I am not so convinced. I don't have anything with that header tank anyway, so it can still go with the car
I think that’s about it - if I can use it a bit, I will update the thread with anything I discover etc. Anything you want to know, ask - either PM on here or on oh 773 eight 265 eight one 9. I may struggle to help with much in the way of 'long term owner' type questions - as I say, I have never really driven it much! £700 or close offer, or it may as well go to the breaker.
Cheers
Dan
.1999 Mk4 Golf 1.8 20v, but non-turbo - the one they called a GTI but really wasn’t. The engine itself actually gets a bit of a bad rap in my opinion – it’s only 115hp (I think), but is pretty nice and driveably torquey even if it’s not the most exciting thing in the world, but what it is wrapped up in is definitely no GTI (although is fairly comfy), so think of it as a GL instead and you won’t be disappointed!
As I say, Granddad had a lot of interesting stuff (and I will post up about some of it as soon as I get a second) but this was what he used as a run-around. Looked after mechanically well, but bodywork isn’t amazing, and inside is a bit grubby (grey interior and used to go get parts, cart a dog around etc).
It has essentially been sat since he got to the point where he couldn’t drive, which was probably last Sep/Oct. A mate of his took it to sort MOT for him, and a few minor jobs, but other than that it hasn’t really moved until I brought it the six miles or so back to mine at the weekend. He wanted to keep it MOT'd, taxed and insured in case he 'felt up to driving' but unfortunately as the cancer got worse, that never ended up happening.
As it wasn’t my car, I don't know huge amounts about it, but everything seems to work OK on the small journey I have done, it drives pretty nicely, is comfy etc. I will say, not knowing the car intimately and given the circumstances of its last year or so of use, I think if I was going to jump in it after it had sat for so long and do 200 miles, I would be giving it a good look over, and probably taking my AA card - in my experience, stuff doesn’t exactly love sitting for that amount of time!
162011 miles - that may go up a bit, as I will probably use it for some running round while it’s still insured and taxed, plus that will mean I can let people know if any problems crop up.
MOT until November.
Cambelt/waterpump was done in 2020, about 2000 miles ago!
Seven owners on logbook, although as one is me due to the DVLA making me register it in my name when he died, it’s only really six. He had it since 2019.
There is a fair old wad of paperwork with it, it still has the handbook, and there is (sort of) two keys. I say sort of, as I can only currently find one of them and his house/yard is an absolute state, but I know that there is definitely a second, and if anyone buys it, I will send it on when found (although god knows when that might be at this stage).
Essentially, we have had a ridiculously good offer from a breaker, but it pains me to see a car that seems solid to go to the scrapper for the sake of ease. Having said that, we have a mountain of <curse word> to sort through of his (including nine cars/vans and a speedboat), and as this is one of the few non-sentimental vehicles he owned, it’s getting a couple of weeks up for sale and if there’s no interest, it’s over the long, lonely weighbridge in the sky, given the offer we've had for zero hassle.
The pics are probably a little flattering - it has a few of the usual 'old person' style dinks and knocks, especially around the corners, and the lacquer on the roof is starting to peel, but it’s not bad from eight feet away, certainly presentable enough.
The central locking seems to have a slight mind of its own, but basically all works and keeps the car locked! The key I can actually find (there are 100% two of them, as I was at his when he had a spare cut/coded after buying the car, but that’s the one I can’t find due to his 'unique' filing system) doesn’t work on the fob, but unlocks all the locks fine on the key. The rear driver’s side door needs pushing down before you lock it. If anyone buys it, I will get your address and send the second when it’s found, but much like the GTI disappointment, treat it as only having one and it will be a bonus when the other arrives!
It really is the inside that is a bit of a let-down, looks wise. I haven’t even started to clean it yet, in case it does just go to scrap, but the colour (grey) and material suggests to me that unless you wage full scale war on it (which I just don't have time to do) it is going to remain a little grubby regardless. It has a 'stickerbomb' set of stickers on the radio surround etc that were put on by a previous owner (and confused my granddad to be fair
) but I haven’t tried to take them off in case they are covering up something worse!Everything does seem to work, though, and is generally still 'MK4 Golf solid' in terms of feel etc - windows all seem to go up and down on the switches, VDO face off CD player/radio seems decent enough, MK4 Golf party pieces of the pop-out cupholder, silicon damped grab handles and little 'in between the sun visors' sun visor over the rear view mirror are all present and correct, electric mirrors work both sides. It has an electric tilt & slide sunroof that appears to work as my brother has had it open (and successfully closed again!) while doing a bit of running round in it,
He was convinced it was weeping some water from the header tank, and there is a brand new one in the boot that he bought but never got to fitting. I can’t actually see any sign of it - I have had it running for about an hour while I blew tyres up, gave it a once over etc, and then drove it about 15 mins, and it doesn’t seem to be losing any water, so I am not so convinced. I don't have anything with that header tank anyway, so it can still go with the car
I think that’s about it - if I can use it a bit, I will update the thread with anything I discover etc. Anything you want to know, ask - either PM on here or on oh 773 eight 265 eight one 9. I may struggle to help with much in the way of 'long term owner' type questions - as I say, I have never really driven it much! £700 or close offer, or it may as well go to the breaker.
Cheers
Dan
