Dilema - At a crossroads & not sure what to do...

[walshydub]

I'm stuck as to what to do with my MK2. I use my car daily and this never used to be a problem but I've recently moved house and this has caused a couple of issues.
Firstly, i've pretty much doubled my daily commute. My commute now includes 60kms of highway driving. In a 'normal' car it's not a problem, but in a slammed 26 year old Golf with hard suspension, a short geared 'box and a lowly 1600cc engine that needs a bit of TLC it's a bit tedious.
Secondly, I now live in gated community with the worlds most evil speed bumps. They are at an angle, are about 50mm high and on a hill. I have just got the ride height how i want it and the car looks spot on but the subframe catches on the speedbumps. I don't want to raise but i also don't want to ruin the underside.

The way i see it is i have a few options;
1) Throw loads of money at the current engine and get it sorted. Spend more money on some better coilovers and raise it.
2) Throw loads of money at a mechanic for an engine swap (thinking a carbed GTI 8v), and live with the suspension.
3) Sell up and get something more sensible.

At the moment i am somewhere in between options 2 & 3. I love my car and don't want to let it go but i also don't have the cash to spend the money i want/need to on it.

What would you do?

[ausgolfer]

Option 2 is my opinion. Do you currently have coilovers? If so raise it and live with it. I'm sure it won't look horrendous to be 20mm higher.

Take it from someone who has moved from driving a mk2 as a daily to barely driving the car.
I miss it.
Have even considered selling my R32 to fund making the mk2 "perfect".

[Jarred]

Don't sell it, raise up the coils, and spend a bit of cash on a new engine. Conversly, option 4, buy a boring reliable daily and have the mk 2 as a weekender...although then you might run into problems like carl mentioned...

[walshydub]

Option 2 is my opinion. Do you currently have coilovers? If so raise it and live with it. I'm sure it won't look horrendous to be 20mm higher.

Take it from someone who has moved from driving a mk2 as a daily to barely driving the car.
I miss it.
Have even considered selling my R32 to fund making the mk2 "perfect".

Don't sell it, raise up the coils, and spend a bit of cash on a new engine. Conversly, option 4, buy a boring reliable daily and have the mk 2 as a weekender...although then you might run into problems like carl mentioned...

You're both right. I've been looking into the new engine option and found a 2e for $150!! And i've got to stop being stubborn & raise it.
Had a bad day yesterday, car wouldn't start in the morning so i took the misses car. A comfy modern auto and it was so easy to drive, quiet & had a good stereo.
Started thinking how much easier it would be to have a more modern car, so i started contemplating a MK3 Then i came to the realization that i'd just lower that too...
Drove the MK2 to work this morning and it was actually fun driving a car again, operating 3 pedals a lever and keeping on top of the bobbing & weaving steering, rather than just sitting there guiding a car that drives itself.
It's staying and will be getting upgraded.

[RedMk2Gti]

2) Throw loads of money at a mechanic for an engine swap (thinking a carbed GTI 8v), and live with the suspension.

live with the suspension obviously isn't the option IMO, invest on a good coilover (not JOM, hotuning crap), raise it for daily, lower it for show.

[walshydub]

live with the suspension obviously isn't the option IMO, invest on a good coilover (not JOM, hotuning crap), raise it for daily, lower it for show.

They are good coilovers, AP's (not JOM's or Hottunings) but it's fully polybushed so not much give in the whole suspension setup. But i've got a plan forming to sort it too

[Domel]

As suggested by everyone above, do it up and keep it mate! You'll regret it in the long run if you go with option No. 3.

Besides, we want to keep you in the Mk2 section

[ryana89]

You're both right. I've been looking into the new engine option and found a 2e for $150!! And i've got to stop being stubborn & raise it.
Drove the MK2 to work this morning and it was actually fun driving a car again, operating 3 pedals a lever and keeping on top of the bobbing & weaving steering, rather than just sitting there guiding a car that drives itself.
It's staying and will be getting upgraded.

A 2E on carbs (or not) would be so much fun!
Auto-pilot car's are not fun.

[walshydub]

New plan

[AusScare]

Can you keep two cars? Do what I've done with a daily then fiddle with the mk2 in your leasure time.

[walshydub]

Can you keep two cars? Do what I've done with a daily then fiddle with the mk2 in your leasure time.

Unfortunatley not. Don't have the space at our new place, bigger house but smaller garage.

[RedMk2Gti]

Unfortunatley not. Don't have the space at our new place, bigger house but smaller garage.

Old man have to be looked after, keep the Mk2 in garage and the bore daily outside

[Mk1_Citi_Golf]

Don't sell it! 2lit sounds like a good option, get it back to standard height with some original alloys, (I've got some Mk 2 Teardrop alloys in the shed..) Golf's always look their best with std suspension or minimal lowering and original VW alloys (check out the pic of my Mk 2 GTD). All of this is only my opinion of course.. I was daft enough to bring mine from the uk when I came! Ya wud miss it tho!!

[walshydub]

Don't sell it! 2lit sounds like a good option, get it back to standard height with some original alloys, (I've got some Mk 2 Teardrop alloys in the shed..) Golf's always look their best with std suspension or minimal lowering and original VW alloys (check out the pic of my Mk 2 GTD). All of this is only my opinion of course.. I was daft enough to bring mine from the uk when I came! Ya wud miss it tho!!

It's staying for sure but i am the polar opposite to you. I prefer my MK2's with their sumps skimming the tarmac with wide wheels I have worked out a technique of tackling the speed bumps and a bit of research has told me that cutting the bumpstops will improve the ride, so if anything it might be going lower.

I missed out on the 2e so i've decided to fix up the current motor. I like the idea of keeping the original engine in it and there aren't many 1600 carbed MK2's in Australia so it's fairly unique. Gonna start saving for some twin carbs though...

[sports racer]

I used to drive my MK2 GTI at least 180 ks a day, most of it highway ks but 20 of it in Canberra. When I first got it the suspension was very low and harsh so I fitted cut down standard springs that raised it by 1 inch all round. The Golf still looked low but a massive improvement in ride quality.