Big a1

I'm lookin at gettin a cheapest runabout for around 2k that is fairly nippy (0-60 in 7/8 secs and 1/4 mile in 16/17 secs) and handles well.

The two main contenders are a 90> Mk2 golf 16/8v or clio 16v.

Looking at figures it would seem that the clio is the better performing car in both speed and handling stakes, would most people take this view?

Worried about reliability with the clio and cost of repairs if something does go wrong, plus would like to get some performance driving tuition and start doing some track days so it would be driven quite hard.

Thoughts were buy a golf for <1k and get some coilovers/exhaust/bbs wheels/suspension bushes etc.

Clio for 1.7k and just tidy handling up and get exhaust.

What are peoples thoughts as to which would be the best buy?

Cheers Al

Dracoro

The golf will be far better built, get a good one and look after it and they last forever. Great fun to drive and superb package. The 16valve is faster than the 8v and you have to rev it. The 8v may seem as quick as you don't have to rev so much but that depends on your driving style. Personally I love revs, some don't. The golf will be better doing long journeys too. I had the 16v and loved it.

The clio will be a little quicker and nimbler due to it's size and set-up but may fall apart and getting a good one will be harder to find. The dash is one of the most fragile I've ever seen (after sitting in a couple I decided no way was I gonna live with one although great fun to drive).

At the end of the day, these are two of the best ever hot hatches so you won't go far wrong . The only other one that I'd consider in this batch is the the 205.

jimsG60

Won't argue with that..

Golf most definately. Add a nice quality suspension setup to it, and they stick to the road very well.

Admittedly I am slightly biased being a VW owner.. but i'd be plonking my money on a MK2 GTI 16v in a second!!

Big a1

Would the golf be classed in the same league handling wise as the clio then or am I going to notice a marked difference between the two?

Dapster

Back in the early 90's I had a 8v big bumper Golf and my father had a Clio 16v as a hack out of the company pool before his fat saloon arrived. The Clio was an amazing car, really a rocket powered go kart like the mags will tell you. The handling was extremely sharp, the acceleration was very strong and the whole package was just a hooligans deligh.

However, the Golf is a far more complete package and as a long term proposition a mile ahead of the Clio. It is almost as quick down the lanes just because the handling is so utterly sorted. There's loads of torque and the whole rig just feels so much more assured. That was 10 years ago as well - I think the gap would be even bigger now.

My ideal 10 car garage would have an Oak Green big bumper 16v on BBS alloys bit no Clio 16v.

Andrew Dixon

Another vote for the Mk2 Golf here too. The Clio might have been the sharper driving tool in its day, but it won't have stood up to 10 years of use half as well as a Golf. The 8v GTI is a better proposition as a daily driver due to its low-down torque and marginally cheaper parts & servicing. However, the 16v is probably the more satisfying back-road weapon though, expecially the '89-on cars that had larger (256mm) brakes.

Then again I am probably biased as I am on my 3rd 8v Mk2 Golf. 140,000 miles and still going strong!

www.volkswizard.co.uk & www.golfsgalore.com are a good source of well-looked -after Mk2s.

allywrx

Golf every time

Andy Tang

iTrader: (3)

No question.. Golf!

I've driven Clios that are a couple of years old where the build quality gets shown up by a 14 year old Golf!!

I've had a couple of mk2's and if I hadn't discovered the wonders of old Hondas, I dare say I would have another mk2 now!

Andy M3

I would definatly go for the Golf, i am really starting to dislike french cars, however, remember a GTI has 1 purpose so check for damage and heavy wear - for that money however you could pick up, i am pretty sure, a Golf VR6, you may get in a newer car that has had less thrash and it has more poke and room for 4 1/2 people !!!

1994 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF 2.8 VR6, 1994,
L reg. metallic red, pas, airbags, e/sunroof, alloys, recent major service, new tyres, cat 1 alarm, excellent condition, s/history, px, warranty, 7 days. £2,495



or the often over looked GTI 16v mk 3

VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GTi 2.0 16v
3DR, M reg. Met Green, service history, MOT, Hpi clear, PAS, electric windows/mirrors, remote c/l/alarm etc etc. £2,495 . . Grange Cars



Just food for thought, as far as i have heard the Mk3 thus far has been the most reliable, but time will tell -

Good luck finding a car !

Andy

skiddus_markus

I have a Clio 16v as a runabout and my dad has a MkII 8v Golf with adjustable suspension and a newly rebuilt engine.Mine is faster,handles much better and feels more planted on the road.I think a lot of this is down to the Golf suspension possibly needing setting up(am pestering him to get it done properly)and the timing feels out on it too,robbing it of power IMO.
The non powersteering equipped Golf is also a bit of a pig around town and for parking.A bit better at higher speeds though.
I like both and an oak green(lovely colour) Golf was also on my list of possibles.People were wanting silly money for good ones though and my Clio came up at a good price very locally(down the road).

jimsG60

Indeed. The Oak Green ones look nice, but not really worth paying the 'Oak Green Tax' for IMHO!!

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

Another vote for the golf The Clio 16 valve engine isn't the strongest in the world I've known of a few of those blowing up

The Golf is a cracking car and very well built, my fiancee had a big bumper 16 valve mark 2 until Christmas last year when someone wrote it off for her She replaced it with a '94 VR6 with konis, leather, airbags etc for only £2,500 I added the lights btw

mynickers

Mk2 is arguably one of the best all around hatches of that era. It's great, and they go for ever, I constanly see GTI's - like all the time, from the banged up to the immaculate - they go for ever. The only Clio worth it's salt is the Williams, however, finding a well kept one at a reasonable price will be more difficult han getting a decent 16v.

ticky

I've owned both clio 16v & mk2 golf . I would have to say the golf has the edge over the Clio.
Plus there is so much more you can do with the golf when it comes to modifying it.

But I prefered my mk1 golf 2.0 16v.

CLSII

I also owned both the Golf 16v and Clio 16v several years ago. I was sad to see both of them go.

The Golf felt more solid and my nicely run in example with 65,000 miles on the clock was very rapid certainly quicker than the Clio and more solidly built.

I think if I found a mint example of either one If I was in this market again I wouldn't be disappointed with either. Used to run the Golf on proper leaded four star though with no cat as standard. The Clio had a cat and unleaded which no doubt choked it a bit.

Big a1

Thanx a lot for the opinions, working out some rough prices for sorting the handling etc out on a mk2 and the cost works out quite high so unsure as to whether a pre modiifed one would be a good idea.


As far as the mk3's go, I have always been led to believe they are unworthy of the gti badge as far as performance and handling go.

Any1 know of any cars fitting my needs please let me know.

Cheers Al

Big a1

Looks a nice mk2

Ciaran

iTrader: (16)

id agree golf!
i had one up until march had done 103 000 and went fine it was lowered 80 had full leather and most importantly a gas flowed head and high lift cams and was seriosly fast has seen the limiter in 5th doing over 140.
had it for 6 months only one repair the distributor but rock solid and wish i had kept it now but at the time money did not allow.

was a 1992 motd till sept sold it for 1800 although good ones are hard to find!

R1916v

Step dad had a mk2 16valve from pretty much new, went through three engines. I've got a 19 valver and know lots of clio owners and not known one engine to just "go", all been owners fault for some reason (me included lol).

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

8 valve Golf 3 door for about a grand, grand on some choice mods, ie.e coil overs for about 500 quid, decent exhaust and filter, set it up an a rolling road and its a very quick little package, I used o have a fairly well sorted MK2 8 valve and to be honest it was more fun than my Fiat Coupe Turbo, sure the Fiat is faster in a straight line but the Golf was quick enough and you can actually use the performance a lot of the time and harrass some much more expensive stuff (Scoobs included). I like french cars as well bu have never driven the Clio. Do be carefull buying a Golf as they arent as bomb proof as some seem to think, they vary wildly and are now at least 13 years old, they do rust as well, parts are very cheap from Euro Car Parts or German and Swedish.

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

It was 'til someone wrote it off at least she wasn't injured and the car didn't move in the impact

allywrx

It is unbelievable how big a difference it makes to have the geometry set up properley on Golfs/Corrado's
New bushes, a suspension kit (£179 viper tech from Venom motorsport in my last case ) and a geometry set up and my old Mk2 8v felt like a new car, I had to fell the difference to believe it.

red wrex

I once had a mk2 gti 16v that was chipped, k&N and exhaust and it was like s*** off a shovel, really loved owning it but at 18 paying 1500 insurance i had to get rid. 137bhp standard and 7.9 seconds to 60, a few cheap mods and you will be in sixes.

MK2 all the way

Only probs with a 16v and 8v is if something goes wrong it will cost alot more on the 16v....but saying that it only costs £500 for a new engine .. lol

kayeabl

Hi

I actually run a Golf Mk2 16v as my everyday car and only use my Impreza on the weekends. I have a 1991 on a J Plate, chipped, Janspeed straight through exhaust system, induction kit and coilovers. It never lets me down for reliability and is far better built than the clio in case of accidents.

And for a 13 year old car i can still embarass a lot of the newer hot hatches off the line

cheers

Ash

pps best place for info is www.clubgti.com but don't but from the classifieds its really overpriced, for an idea mine has FSH 108k and is mint and i paid £900 for it!!

Big a1

Right then seems pretty much everyone is in favour of the golf.

Only thing is it seems really hard to find a decent on that is not well over priced or chaved up.

Seen a couple of 306 gti-6's for 3.5k which dont look to bad, but again I've heard a lot of bad press with those for reliability especially the early ones.

Looks like the hunt for a golf continues