We're getting a Mk3!!!

[Guest]

Yes, another VW to join Madam Jetta!

My 'L' plater became a 'P' plater and she wants to drive the Jetta now without Mum in the passenger seat so the only answer was to get her her own VW!

1995 GL 2.0L manual in blue.

Looks a bit ratty but drives OK. Many thanks to Golf Loon for checking her out for us.

If someone can tell me how to insert a pic I'll post one.

[schoona]

Have a search, but copy the tags from a photobucket account

[DubSteve]

Good stuff the only way to get into a VW is get into a mk3, then go for a mk1

[rayray086]

The Mk3 is a great first car, especially the manual. Congrats on the purchase!

[jettapilot]

Update

I've just had a lot of work done to the mk3.

Full service, rear brakes and bearings, engine oil leak/breather line fixed, drive belts - water, power steering pumps. ($675 of parts and $870 of north shore labour)

They recommend for my next service
Front strut bushes and lower control arm bushes, gear selector leaking shaft seal and it has a split rear transmision mount. : (

Then there's the cosmetic stuff -respray roof, headlining, heater/aircon, sagging engine mounts

So glad I knocked $1000 off the asking price! I paid $3500

By the time this thing is up to scratch I'll have spent $6,000 or more!

So, naturally, I'm cursing my poor judgement. Did I buy the wrong car?

At least I know the repairs are done properly and I've maybe saved a little mk3 from the scrapheap.

[Stephy]

I think you've done the right thing... my little Vr is costing big $$$ to fix now, so I'm cursing and it has brought me to tears once already, but it helps a bit if I just don't look at the receipts. I know it will be worth it in the long run... I hope...

[jettapilot]

I think you've done the right thing... my little Vr is costing big $$$ to fix now, so I'm cursing and it has brought me to tears once already, but it helps a bit if I just don't look at the receipts. I know it will be worth it in the long run... I hope...

The receipts look OK till you ge tot the total. $50 here, $200 there but, boy, they add up!

You do some work yourself don't you? I know bearly enough to chose a decent mechanic.

[GoLfMan]

mk3's are a great car.

but you have to remember that they are over 10 years old now! Things will perish and wear, they lasted this long, so it will be a one off bill. You paid a good price for it!

At least its a safe and reliable car, niggles aside.

[Stephy]

mk3's are a great car.

but you have to remember that they are over 10 years old now! Things will perish and wear, they lasted this long, so it will be a one off bill. You paid a good price for it!

At least its a safe and reliable car, niggles aside.

True, I took into account I was getting myself into an older car and mine had a chequered past, and honestly I still love it. Give the thing credit, It's never left me totally stranded, so I think the car loves me.

I'm hopeless with mechanics, I just source parts because I know I can get them cheaper. Ie, just got a second hand coil pack for $150 landed from a parts place in the UK.

[jettapilot]

mk3's are a great car.

but you have to remember that they are over 10 years old now! Things will perish and wear, they lasted this long, so it will be a one off bill. You paid a good price for it!

At least its a safe and reliable car, niggles aside.

That's sort of what my mechanic said. It has "good bones" but it hadn't been serviced for years - just oil changed - but not properly maintained so I'm replacing all the worn out stuff now.

Just have to decide when to stop. It's only insured TTP so don't want to risk too much $$.

[jettapilot]

True, I took into account I was getting myself into an older car and mine had a chequered past, and honestly I still love it. Give the thing credit, It's never left me totally stranded, so I think the car loves me.

I'm hopeless with mechanics, I just source parts because I know I can get them cheaper. Ie, just got a second hand coil pack for $150 landed from a parts place in the UK.

I've referred my local guys to Matt at Camden GTI for parts. Aircon/heater compressor will be next.

[Bora Sport]

It is diappointing that these cars are not maintained. If you fix things as they occur Mark 3's are quite cheap to maintain and are generally ultra reliable. There are few things that they all suffer from but they don't occur often and as long as you don't go to a VW dealer (with VW parts prices) to get it fixed they really aren't that expensive to keep on the road.

My wife's Vento has done hundreds of thousands of k's and gets driven every day. Last time she filled the tank she had done 630 k's on 43 litres. You can't beat that.