Grassroots Motorsports

Register Log in to GRM
- Community

Birthdays
Recently on the Classic Motorsports forums

Subscribe get a full year for only $23.95 Sample Free Test Drive—no strings attached

Login to post Forums » Grassroots Motorsports » Shopping an A1 GTI

Dec. 2, 2008 10:35 a.m. jrw1621 Reader

I figured I would call on the collective wisdom of the board.

I found this classified listing today. Of course, it is the right car at the wrong time of year. I bought a one year old '83 Rabbit when I graduated High School and always wanted a GTI. I will be going to see this one soon. What should I be looking for?

VW Rabbit GTI 130,000 miles runs perfect, new tires $950

Hey guys, i'm selling my go to work commuter because I don't need it anymore. Car has brand new tires, and only around 15k miles on new timing belt, water pump, and brakes. Car also has a newer radiator, short shift kit, 2" cat back exhaust. Engine runs perfect, starts instantly every time, doesn't use a drop of oil or coolant, clutch is still super strong.

Drivers fender is dented in and turn signal is damaged, but all lights still work. I also have a new grill and turn signals that go with the car. I'm just trying to get out of the car what I paid for it. Thanks for looking.
Dec. 2, 2008 10:43 a.m. Paul_VR6 New Reader

Rust. Check the floors VERY well as well as the rear arch inners and where the rear apron meets the side panels. Everything else is relatively easy to fix.
Dec. 2, 2008 10:46 a.m. RussellH New Reader

Love those cars, so simple and easy to work on.

Speaking of Rabbits, is "angusfum" (Jim) around? His site used to be carhole.com
Dec. 2, 2008 11:00 a.m. jrw1621 Reader

What is the right place on the internet for an A1 GTI?

Is it www.thesamba.com or vwvortex.com or something else?
Dec. 2, 2008 11:03 a.m. RussellH New Reader

vwvortex - that where I hung out when I had the A2 Jetta.
Dec. 2, 2008 11:04 a.m. 16vCorey SuperDork

Paul_VR6 wrote:

Rust. Check the floors VERY well as well as the rear arch inners and where the rear apron meets the side panels. Everything else is relatively easy to fix.

Also check the frame rails where the rear axle beam bolts up for rust.
Dec. 2, 2008 11:27 a.m. Travis_K Reader

Rust, and if you are planning to keep the stock engine, weird driveability problems (high idle, stalling when cold, etc). I looked at VWs before I bought my last car, and they all had weird problems like that.
Dec. 2, 2008 11:56 a.m. Volksroddin HalfDork

the top of the strut towers. I am sure you would have already done so..
Dec. 2, 2008 12:01 p.m. stumpmj Dork

jrw1621 wrote:

What is the right place on the internet for an A1 GTI?

Is it www.thesamba.com or vwvortex.com or something else?

MIVE (michigan volkswagen enthusiasts) is a great group. I've found a better signal to noise ratio there than vortex.
http://michiganvw.org/
Dec. 2, 2008 12:42 p.m. Kramer Reader

My uncle used to be more of a gearhead, until his business took all of his time. In the mid-'70's, he bought two wrecked Rabbits, each with low miles and no rust. He disassembled the best one, and replaced the wrecked clip, leaving him with a 1/2 orange, 1/2 green rust-free shell. He hasn't re-assembled it yet, and it's still sitting in his barn.

If I were a VW fan, I'd buy it from him for a race car project...
Dec. 2, 2008 1:35 p.m. Paul_VR6 New Reader

Most of the weird problems are mis-adjustment of the fuel injection system.

Where is this barn? 8)
Dec. 2, 2008 1:57 p.m. Jensenman SuperDork

Mine was an evil collection of disparate parts with but one overwhelming desire: kill the fat guy driving by any means necessary. I won't go down the list again.

The real big thing I'd look out for: some of those 020 transmissions had a pair of 'cups' riveted to the diff that kept the spider gear pin from coming out. Over time, the pin will eventually 'hammer drill' the cup, then come out of the diff and cut a huge hole in the tranny case. Sometime in 1983 they quit with the cups and started using snap rings again (the pin on the cup type boxes already has snap ring grooves, BTW) and there is a gearbox ID number breakpoint. I do not have immediate access to the tranny ID numbers, but they are bound to be out there somewhere.
Dec. 2, 2008 2:50 p.m. Paul_VR6 New Reader

Spare transmissions are your friend.
Dec. 2, 2008 4:57 p.m. joshx99 New Reader

My Gti is in better condition than that cosmetically and I'd let it go for $500. It just has an issue with the shift linkage and ended up sitting for a couple years.
Dec. 2, 2008 6:02 p.m. fornetti14 New Reader

Looks like a good driver. You could probably drive it for 2-3 years with regular maintenance and still sell it for $1k if it's not rusty.

I'm a MIVE'r too. www.michiganvw.org Not too many d-bags on there.
Dec. 2, 2008 6:09 p.m. Boosh New Reader

Be sure to look under the carpet in the drivers and passengers foot wells. The windshields have been known to leak and cause quite a bit of rust. If there is rust around the fuse box is a good sign this has happened. Also make sure the fender flares aren't hiding any rust spots.
Dec. 2, 2008 9:37 p.m. Travis_K Reader

Every single person i have known that had one of those trannys went though at least one tranny/clutch while they had the car. lol (the clutch from leaky alve covers, the tranny from broken reverse or crunchy second gear if i remember right)
Dec. 3, 2008 12:40 p.m. Paul_VR6 New Reader

Two clutches and three transmissions while I had mine... I dragged it every week it was warm enough to run though.

Joshx, whereabouts are you? Ran when parked?
Dec. 3, 2008 1:14 p.m. belteshazzar Dork

click on his avatar
Dec. 3, 2008 1:35 p.m. 16vCorey SuperDork

I think I've gone through 4 or 5 transmissions in my '87 16v GTI, but somehow I'm still on the original 'rocco transmission in my rabbit. I beat the hell out of them equally.

You'll need to log in to post.