It has been a while since I have posted, but I knew where to go when I had a question.
I have an inside line on a 2000 four door golf with 173k miles. It does require some suspension fixes, a new radiator, and main seal. However, all are minor and its $500. The AC went out and he needs a daily driver.
My intention is to strip it down, upgrade the suspension, add a roll cage, and get it to the track.
Thoughts and concerns?
If you don't buy it I will.
is it the 2.0 AEG?
Based on the appetite mine had for brake rotors on the street, expect to replace them after every track day 
That's the 2.0, right? I fit a set of 225 Dunlop SP9000s to my car, and it had too much grip and not enough power to really have handling. It just went around corners. Never got it on track.
I would love to find a $500.00 2.0L stick Golf right now.
I thought your question was going to be about the game golf and my advise was going to be "don't play" it's boring. Cars are much more fun. Even Vws
He says it is a 1.8L, non turbo. The interwebs say the 1.8L was a turbo, so it must be a 2.0L?
in the US, the golf came with the 1.8t, 2.0 8v and the 12v vr6, so either its a 2.0, or the guy doesnt know that its got a turbo on it and it is in fact a 1.8t
In 2000, I think the only options were the 2.0 8v or the TDI. In fact, in the 1999.5 model year, the GTI used that engine and the only differences between it and the GL were suspension and trim.
Thats not very impressive. it will be very slow, and not handle as well as any of the older ones. You could probably buy it and fix it to resell and make a bit on it if its not trashed.
ORRRRR... Pass it on to a fellow GRMer who wants to swap a Northstar into one ;)
John Brown wrote:ORRRRR... Pass it on to a fellow GRMer who wants to swap a Northstar into THE BACK OF one ;)
Fixed for ya.
I thought this was gonna be about the sport, and I was gonna say quit while you can.
Keith wrote:In 2000, I think the only options were the 2.0 8v or the TDI. In fact, in the 1999.5 model year, the GTI used that engine and the only differences between it and the GL were suspension and trim.
Smart man. Yea, if it's the 2.slow, id just daily it. Gas isnt getting any cheaper...
Had a friend with a '99 VR6 FWIW.
Two main problems on most of the 4th-gen cars: Flakey CELs, and not the greatest front suspension design. Not that I'd let either stop me from buying one for $500. 
$500 A4 Golf for a DD, good buy. $500 A4 Golf with $2000 in suspension and rollcage work?....Hmm... poor suspension, too heavy, no power. I think you would be better of with one of the previous generations if you goal is NA 4cyl track fun.
Well in SCCA they are in ITB.....so yeah they are slow...but when you are in a pack of similar cars it is tooo much fun. For that price you could almost Chump/Lemons it to.
I'd challenge it
In reply to neon4891:
As everyone said, this isn't a good track car, with flakey CELs and a wierd suspension design.
For a cheap DD this can't be beat for the price
A4s are not popular with the portion of the VW crowd that does motorsport. The front geometry is such that it takes a lot of tweaking (and aftermarket parts) to get it to behave. But for $500, it'd make a great DD. For track use, find an A3 (an A2 would be better, but they're getting really hard to find).
Aside to jungle: Would the 1.8t be legal in ITB? Back when I ran it, they didn't allow turbos.
1.8t not for ITB. 2 point slows only.
In reply to vwcorvette:
Cool, thx. It's been 15yrs since I ran IT, and I hear scary stories about rules creep these days..was just wondering. IIRC, the Comp Board back then said no turbos in IT because they didn't want a 30min oil cleanup after some old crock blowing one on the track.
I've been looking for a 4th gen to use in ITB in the future. I figure it took a while for the 3rd gen to get acceptance and then when it did it became a good car to have. I would start with the 99.5 Gti with the 2.0 and slowly develop it. It does have to weigh 200 lbs heavier than the gen 3 though.
vwcorvette wrote:I've been looking for a 4th gen to use in ITB in the future. I figure it took a while for the 3rd gen to get acceptance and then when it did it became a good car to have. I would start with the 99.5 Gti with the 2.0 and slowly develop it. It does have to weigh 200 lbs heavier than the gen 3 though.
I was still reading improvedtouring.com when the A3 became eligible, and the guys building them were doing pretty well, even before they were fully developed. I was actually flirting with buying one and going back out there before I got laid off..but then I remembered I'd have to buy a whole new tow rig as well, and backed out.
Y'know, talking about your plans for an A4 might help Rangeball as as far as his track car plans are concerned..is all the stuff people are saying about A4 front suspension accurate, or is it mostly internet hooning?
carguy123 wrote:I thought your question was going to be about the game golf and my advise was going to be "don't play" it's boring. Cars are much more fun. Even Vws
Clearly said from the perspective of a person who has never done donuts in a golf cart until they nearly flew out the side of the thing and knocked over a sign saying "no golf carts past this point"
