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Well, the first production Golf came off the line on 29th March 1974.
I have owned six, two Mk1’s, a Mk2 a Mk4 and two Mk7’s. I have driven every marks at some point plus Jetta’s Mk2 and 3.
My first car was a 1977 GLS and comparing to my current 2018 Mk7.5 it was just half the weight, one quarter the power and yet used 25% more fuel. The current car is much safer, more comfortable and much, much cleaner on its emissions ( the autochoke Solex carburettor was hopelessly inefficient which was noted even in period).Shows what progress has been made. However the latest refresh Mk8.5 will be the last ICE Golf
Indeed, the climate must be made to stop changing!
Never quite understood the love for Golfs. Driven a few but never thought wow this is so different to all the cars in it's category
The original GTI was clearly quite special but again not unique
Combined advertising and for it's time 74 it was ground breaking. well the Audi at the same time was nice also
VW where still making bugs in Germany at the time a world away from the golf.
The polo bread van was also fantastic for it's age
I'm on only my second golf, a mk7 estate. It just does what I want a car to do with no fuss. No doubt other cars would do the same. It probably doesn't match my previous Civic for average car nimbleness, but its got the small big car I like. The mk 4 (I think - 52 reg) will probably always be my favourite car just for the boxy shaped boot, which seem to be sadly a thing of the past.
The original GTI was clearly quite special but again not unique
I had a 1984 1800. It was lovely apart from the disconcertingly inconsistent brake feel which was caused by the movement of the pedal being transferred across the bulkhead by a horizontal rod to the master cylinder/servo, which would twist if you really stamped on the pedal. And it had drum brakes on the rear
I did this commission a few years ago. An illustration of Mk1 to Mk7, all in red for a guy who’d owned them all, all in red. This was printed on a floor to ceiling alloy plate. It looked great up on the wall. Yes, he was single 😂
Like the artwork. My brother had a red Mk2, Mk5 and currently has a Mk7.5 Gti. He let the side down with his Silver Mk6
And yes we are a VAG family. Dad had a 1500 Beetle, a 412 Variant, a Watercooled Type 2 camper and currently has a Touran. Mum had three generations of Polo
Had various Mk1 GTI’s and Mk2 GTI’s 8v and 16v but this was my favourite, 1984 Mk2 with fully built 16v including special ABT cylinder head running ITB’s/engine management 194bhp with custom 4 branch manifold/miltek exhaust, Quaife diff, uprated brakes/suspension/polybushed all correctly set up for camber etc using shims at rear - a right little hooligan of a car on deserted Galloway b roads and an absolute hoot on the track with semi slicks. Only got sub 20mpg with shell v-power though so quite thirsty
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A MK2, MK3 and 2x MK4's over here. Not really wow factor vehicles, just solid and fitted my needs really well
Nice valver 🙂 I still have a red Mk2 GTi 8v with a TSR tweaked motor. I like driving it - feels amusingly visceral and quick rather than actually being quick, which works for me.
The thing about the original GTi wasn't that it was spectacular, more that they'd unexpectedly taken a bog standard hatchback and turned into something amusing, but still practical. No-one's pretending it's an Aston Martin or whatever, it was just quite a novel idea at the time.
I figure they went downhill from the Mk3 onwards, but as above, I don't really like contemporary cars. What is it with all the computerised screen garbage? Mutter. Grump etc.
I had a B reg 1.3 GL given to me by a neighbour in 2001. It felt way nicer than the Mk1 Fiesta 1.1L it replaced, even though age-wise there wasn't much in it. Even got the heater matrix replaced as a recall item at a VW main dealer.
Had a 1.9tdi mk5 a few years ago, but that was just a bit dull.
Now got a facelift mk2 Octavia VRS diesel, which is a golf in a frock. Much nicer.
I had a mk2 Polo (couldn't afford a golf) the one with the square headlights
absolutely loved it after coming from a beat up fiesta seemed a huge step up in build quality
some douchebag drove into the back of it whilst it was parked up and drove off
Have a Mk7 GTi with the sports and winter pack, dsg and adaptive cruise. Great car. It'll take you home after a day's work on the continent and a flight home, and do the same after a day at castle combe, will take a couple of bikes or four dogs in the back, or some combination thereof. It'll take care of you trickling home tired after a long day or lift that inside rear wheel when you're having at it like a ****. I sometimes think of changing it but I just can't think of a vehicle so bloody capable of doing everything really rather well.
The original GTI was clearly quite special but again not unique
Dunno, it was pretty much the originator of the hot hatch.
I had a few mk1 GTI’s back in the day,compared to the ‘sports’ cars of the day they were absolutely cracking fun to drive.
I never really liked them as much once they got fatter.
Oh, I also had 2 carb MK2 Scirocco, a 1600 GT and 1.8 GT with the flash roof rails and a metal sunroof. The 1600 had a suspension refresh at tsr with new adjustable coilover shocks and poly bushes. It was fun. My first car was a 1.05l mk2 polo in Burgundy, which was ironic as I hoyed up over the side of that a load of red wine. Never got rid of the stain and the back wheels were at a jaunty angle when I sold it, perhaps as a result of nailing it through the lanes with 4 kayaks on the roof. Or maybe because I put it on it's side on Dartmoor on snow. Also had a mk3 golf TDI as a second car which became known as the sick mobile after my boss yopped up a combination of stew, red wine, ale, and whiskey after a Christmas works night out.
I currently own a Golf MK5 2008 Match 2.0d 105bhp DSG with a sunroof, leather interior and GTI front grill & side skirts which I purchased last year with 42k on the odometer - I really enjoy driving it, just needs a sub woofer and phone connection.
Previously had a bay window camper which me and some mates did 10k around Europe in, I've had a Beetle GT, T25 camper & an ex AA 2.5d T4.
I love the blue dash lighting.
My son has a 2002 1.2l 55bhp Polo with 32k on the odometer in a great shade of blue 🔵
I've had a mk4 gti and mk4 tdi. Both 3 door in silver. Still think these were the best interiors.
Currently have a Mk5 R32, 5 door in blue. Although front heavy, I've had it 10 years and will have it another 10. Very thirsty but I've kept it immaculate.
Wife has a Mk7 R estate. Been to the Alps twice and round Scotland twice (from hampshire). Best all rounder I've ever had and I've driven a lot of cars.
My ratty old Mk 4 GTI 1.8 T. Great car for general hooning around. Mrs Binners had a Polo GTI of similar vintage at the same time, which was like a rocket-powered go cart. Bloody great fun! Just a pity it’s gearbox was made of cheese
Oh, I also had 2 carb MK2 Scirocco, a 1600 GT and 1.8 GT with the flash roof rails and a metal sunroof.
I had a few Scirocco's as well, this was my fav - absolutely mint Mk2 GT running on twin Webbers which sucked small children from the pavement as I drove by whilst dribbling unburnt petrol from the exhaust. Rear ended quite badly by a dozy bint not paying attention whilst I sat in standing traffic on the A75
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Had a nice stripped out VR6 Corrado track only car as well but an accident at Castle Coombe circuit killed it
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My old Mk4 GT TDI AKA "The Cockroach". Had it for 19 years. Never broke down. Only sold it in 2021 as the guy in next village who serviced it randomly phoned me to say he couldnt remember when we last did the timing belt (9 years previously). Nothing flash,but the only car I miss. It still has a valid MOT
My Mk7 GTD, which my wife has decided is "her" car for various reasons. One of 3 VAG products in the house and easily the most versatile. Runs a map, later-style rear valance and some rare genuine accessory wheels. Love a bit of turbo lag. 🙂
Had various other Golfs before including an R32 with RUF supercharger conversion.
In fairness a decent track peddler can make even an average performance car feels phenomenal to most drivers not used to track pace.
Had a Mk6 until a royal mail hgv wrote it off as I was in his "blind spot". Luckily for me my witness was armed police car, who was right behind me. Scary though.
This was printed on a floor to ceiling alloy plate. It looked great up on the wall. Yes, he was single 😂
Which says a lot about the type of bloke who fawns over cars.
#kleenex
🤏
When I got my first decent job I was looking at getting a Golf and my Dad and older colleague (30) laughed and told me to get something fun that I wouldn't be able to get when I had kids.
I got a Triumph GT6 in metallic BRG. It was a riot but not so good in winter. A few years later I got a red Mk4 GTDI for a bit of practicality. Was great for travelling long distances fast without using much fuel.
Eventually decided it was too much insurance money to sit in the driveway for most of the year so I got a well modified Triumph 2500 which was funner and indirectly led to marriage.
Binners, that's a cool piece. is it to relative scale though?
I had an mk1 GTI and it was much smaller than the 5dr mk4 gti that would take 2 bikes in the boot, 4 passengers plus weekend luggage.
My mk1 was a USA rabbit so heavier and slower than the euro golf but still a proper little gokart that brought smiles to faces...either fondly reminded people of days gone by or amused by the silly little car compared to trypical canadian traffic.
Unsure which but it always made me smile!
Had my Mk7 Gtd estate 4 years now. Longest I’ve ever owned a car. Stage 1 map few subtle mods. Easily get 50mpg and takes our 3 dogs/bike and all our kit for holidays. Only had to service it and new tyres it’s been faultless.
Echo the comments about the MK1 GTi....great fun to drive but that cross bulkhead brake braking system was pretty scary at times.
Was sold when we needed room for the pram, guy who bought it promptly drove it into a flood and hydrauliced it🙄🙄
Binners, that’s a cool piece. is it to relative scale though?
some creative license was definitely taken with scale, otherwise it looked a bit unbalanced
Which says a lot about the type of bloke who fawns over cars
He was a lovely bloke and not some Jeremy Clarkson type at all. Had a lovely Mk7 and was just a Golf enthusiast and had been for years. My point was that a piece that size of an homage to VW would probably be overruled by ‘the committee’ unless it’s going in the man cave. It was just as indulgent for me to draw them all and I love printing big statement pieces 😃
Now do we think the golf will make 60 (as a current model) or will it fall to the rise of the electric SUV. I hope not but suspect it might.
@dudeofdoom - the Renault 5 Gordini predates the GTI as do some fast Alfasuds
Even Top Gear seem to acknowledge that
https://www.topgear.com/car-news/classic/history-hot-hatches-ten-cars
The Golf GTI was probably the first one that was bolted together correctly and compared to British cars of that period was clearly made by aliens
My first Golf was a 1977 LS followed by two Sciroccos then a Mk2 GL. I didn't like the Mk3 so moved to Citroen Volcane then two Mk 4 Golfs, a spell with Audi and am now on my fourth Tiguan.
Having great difficulty as to what to have next, the new Tiguan diesel or the new Ford Kuga Active PHEV. I pull a caravan.
Any advice much appreciated.
My mate had a ZX Volcane - very underrated nice car
While living in San Francisco I had a Mk5 GTI - every one else is running round in huge 4x4 rigs & I've this tiny euro hot hatch. They might have been quicker in a straight line but when it came to something twisty they were left for dead. What a fun car!
Echo the comments about the MK1 GTi….great fun to drive but that cross bulkhead brake braking system was pretty scary at times.
That was a big enough issue that you could get aftermarket weld in reinforcing kits for the bulkhead and a beefier brake actuating arm and linkage, had it done to MK2 Scirocco above as they were based on a Mk1 platform, also the front chassis legs were only held in place by a thin pressed sheet metal cross brace at the front of the car, they benefited from reinforcing gusset plates welded in at the bulkhead/chassis leg and a lower brace between the lower control arms and strut brace at the top.
The brakes, once sorted as above and preferably with big brake kit and aftermarket pads/discs made a big difference on a 900kg car, the rear brakes did absolutely sod all.
Mk 2 GTI for me - with the obligatory soaking leak through window, and the belated anti theft plate on the doors. B 301 XTS.
The brake lines burst as I headed out of Edinburgh for Elgin - 180 miles or so -- eventful drive using the gears and handbrake (it was about 2200 time so little traffic). Dan in Edinburgh managed to get it all working again for minimal fuss, just drilled a new vent on the calliper, can't imagine managing that now.
Did me well in the late 80s trekking about Scotland and down to Italy as well. I was the third owner - my good mate owned it before, and he bought it from a uni classmate - original owner was a doctor I think. Weird to think could rattle off the owners. I sold it to a colleague at over 100 000 miles, for £500, the oil feed rusted through (it had lived a hard life), went on fire - he still managed to get it repaired and going again.
Never owned one but the MK3 looks the best out of those and the MK4 just looks like a lump of lard...
I had a yellow Mk1 1.3/1.4 as my 2nd ever car that was great till I wrote it off and in the last few years I had a MK4 Pd130 that I bought for £300 with 195k miles. It was a great car and I was seriously intending to rebuild/renovate it as it got under my skin but I sold it for £400 instead. Great shedding!
1981 mk1 Golf 1.1 in drab blue. GTi spots, sunroof, scirocco alloys. Overheated at the drop of a hat. Loved it. LEF 543W
@dudeofdoom – the Renault 5 Gordini predates the GTI as do some fast Alfasuds
Even Top Gear seem to acknowledge that
https://www.topgear.com/car-news/classic/history-hot-hatches-ten-cars
The Golf GTI was probably the first one that was bolted together correctly and compared to British cars of that period was clearly made by aliens
Oddly when I went to buy my second Mk1 GTI the seller also had had a Renault 5 Gordini and asked if I’d rather have that, they were rather rare and quirky at the time.
I`d still argue that the mk1 Golf Gti is the most iconic hot hatch that started the craze back in the day 🙂