Wanted - MK3 Golf with ABS

[T Rex]

H Golfers. I'm a Touareg owner but looking for a Mk3 Golf for a younger driver. Can anyone tell me which ones had ABS or how to tell by looking under the bonnet? Anything else I should be looking for when buying this model? I have about $5000 to spend. Thanks Geoff.

[peedman]

If u look in the engine bay the abs module sits on the passenger side firewall under the cooland reservoir. Its easy to spot with all the brake lines running in it. A non-abs will just have a rectangular valve. Check to see if the abs is working tho, the light should turn on then off when u turn on the ignition. If it stays on = throwing an error code or if it doesnt turn on at all then the warning light is unplugged. FYI abs modules are prone to breaking simply due to the age of the thing.

[T Rex]

Thanks very much. Was this a popular option? Most I have enquired about don't seem to have it. Cheers. Geoff

[peedman]

I believe they were standard on the vr6, might have been an option for the gl im not 100% sure. I havent seen an abs gl other than a tdi but that doesnt mean they dont exist. Both the gl and cl ive had both didnt have abs standard.

You prob shouldnt solely base your purchase on abs, like i said many arent working now and those that do dont forget they are 15 years old technology and not the modern stuff u get on the new corollas and like. Finding a good nick mk3 can be hard let alone finding one with abs

[gldgti]

i dunno mate, my CL has factory ABS and it works great. for a 15 year old car i dont have any probs with the abs at all - it works perfectly - individually on all 4 wheels.... even after me swapping brakes and doing rear disk conversion.

i reckon worth it if you can get it - on that note - findinga good mk3 is OK - you'll just have to pay for it .

[Golf Loon]

It was an option on later GLs. Find a good one that works and it will be fine. Pay more for a better car is muy advice.

[T Rex]

Thanks Guys. Really appreciate the guidance. I have found a couple of GLs with ABS but they have over 200,000km - would prefer less mileage. Does the cam belt need to be changed every 100,000km?

[Golf Loon]

Yes the belt every 100ks at least.
Mk3s are dureable, I`d worry less about the ks and more whether everything works, window regs, heater, air con etc.
Get a well serviced one and it will last forever.

[T Rex]

Thank you. A hard question for Mk3 owners to answer but... if you had a choice between a Mk3 and a Mk4 in the same condition/same price, which one would you choose?

Geoff

[mk3pete]

personally i would choose the mk3

[Mrk_Mickey]

If they're in the same condition and the price is the same, I'd go the mk4 every time, even though my heart says the mk3. The mk4 is a newer car, it's SAFER, it's less likely to have problems because of its age and it's going to be well priced.

[madglf3]

I've had both and I miss my mk3 sometimes even thought it wasn't anything special. I'd get one if it had working power or even manual windows, working AC and heater and body was in alright condition. I'm not sure that mine had ABS, it was an early 94 model GL.

What made me change cars was the condition of my mk3. It was pretty worn out and the money it would take to fix it all up (3 windows and console switches, shift bushings/linkage, AC, minor panel wear and tear and rattles) was more than I could recoup from fixing it then selling it. So I traded it for the Mk4 plus a bit of money. Of course I could have fixed it up and driven it for less than I paid for the Mk4 but I was keen to get a newer car.

I would think that for similar money you probably wouldn't get a comparable mk3/4 in terms of condition, I might be wrong though..

[Golf Loon]

I`d get the Mk3. Less complex than the Mk4, so less to go wrong.

[hokenmk3]

I was tossing up between a mk3 and a mk4 and got the mk3 because of the high quality solid rear axle. The camber on the rear wheels of the mk4 wears out the tin foil rear axle and is a write off. Mk3s will be on the road for much longer than mk4s.

[peedman]

I was tossing up between a mk3 and a mk4 and got the mk3 because of the high quality solid rear axle. The camber on the rear wheels of the mk4 wears out the tin foil rear axle and is a write off. Mk3s will be on the road for much longer than mk4s.

Mate where are u getting ur information from? A bent torsion beam is not a write off, u can replace them. And what are u talking about camber on the rear wheels wearing out the rear axle. The torsion beam is setup from factory and camber cannot change unless u use shims or u bend the beam itself. Yes the mk4 rear beam is prob structurally less stronger than the mk3 but that doesnt mean the mk4 will not last as long. The mk3 is already close to 15 years old and its getting harder and harder to find a decent one with few to nil problems. A mk4 on the other hand can be as young as 5 years old.

For me choosing between a mk3 and a mk4 is easy simply because ive had 3 mk3's already and i still love em. That said tho i wouldnt mind a nice gti or r32 oneday! My advice is to test drive both and see how they both feel. Ultimately its u who has to drive the car, not us