The Mk2 Volkswagen Golf is the Car That Cemented VW's Philosophy

[@scottnicholson9144]

Get a face lifted 16v, you'll regret it if you don't. I still think they are one of the best hot hatches ever made, and after the face lift, which deleted front quarterlights and added the big bumpers, the car looked good too. A proper, good to drive, powerful, well built car that still turns heads today.

[@TwinCam]

To be fair, I don’t think I’ll ever own a Golf GTi, but I respect them endlessly. I’m a bit of a glutton for punishment, so I’m the kind of weirdo that goes ‘phwoaaahh’ at an MG Maestro 😅

[@jrushen4235]

As a Golf owner your review was fantastic. So full of truth.

[@TwinCam]

Thanks mate 🙂

[@GlamStacheessnostalgialounge]

Every kid from eastern europe knows everything about a Mk.2 Golf. I remember in the early 2000s these were just getting imported to us from German junkyards and one guy from our village bought a GTI not knowing what it even was. Apparantly the guy couldn't sell it to anyone because it was too thirsty. And this guy as well later desecrated the car by putting a NA diesel in it. It's unbelievable what people do to cars sometimes.

[@Redgolf2]

I really miss mine, had 3 of them, fantastic cars

[@TheVAMPIREMARIUS69]

I had a 1991 base model GTI that was simply excellent!

[@rafaminus5366]

I had a mk2 Gti 16v. What a car!!!. It was incredible

[@Cyberdyne-kg8ku]

My parents bought a 1.3 CL in 1984. It wasn't the fastest thing on the road, but it was dependable and much better quality than the Ford's they previously owned.

[@reOzzo]

Great review! Just bought a 3 door mk2 last winter for myself for 1000€. Fully road legal and running, barely any rust with 170k kms. Never gonna sell it.

[@TwinCam]

Thanks Harjun 🙂

[@chrisblay]

I owned a Mk2 Golf 1.6 Driver back in the 90's. It had the GTI look without the extra power. One of the most solidly built cars of its time and good to drive.

[@oddities-whatnot]

That was the pick of the bunch in my opinion.

[@salazam]

You should have kept it.

[@tammushican4823]

I've just bought a 1.3 golf ryder which is the same idea. Super cool I'm loving it as a project car.

[@jasonk7072]

I had a GTI 8v just like the one in this film, not really that fast but was just lovely. Comfortable, practical, made a lovely noise and handled superbly. One of only two cars I really miss and wish I’d kept.

[@oddities-whatnot]

I had the same although its sprint gearing meant when doing 70 it was revving too high for my liking. I dont like cars that rev more than 3k at 70mph, they become tiring after a while on motorways.

[@salazam]

You should have kept it.

[@jonathonbrett-qn1ic]

Great video, I have one of these in alpine white mk2 1989 GTI 118,000 miles in my garage next to my mk5 r32. I’m an enthusiast and owned far to many. I’ve spent a lot to make it great again and now turning my attention to the engine and underside of car to future proof the car for many years to come. Thank you for this brilliant video

[@andrewstones2921]

Great video and that red GTI is in amazing shape. I’ve had an awful lot of cars, usually bought from the heart and not using common sense.. until 2017 I’d never owned a VW, then I bought a low mileage 2007 Polo for a family member who literally never did anything except put fuel in and wash it maybe once every 6 months, I came along and changed the oil and filters every year though. A few months ago and it was changed for a Honda for no real reason except that after 4 years it was time for a change, in those 4 years it passed its test every year with the occasional light bulb and once rubber boot..I came to the conclusion that it was about the most reliable car I’d ever bought and I never bought it for myself. I advertised it and it sold literally within the hour, much to my amazement for the full asking price. I’ve since bought a 2009 mint low mileage example for my own daily use, and now I can’t believe it took me so long to appreciate VW cars..

[@TwinCam]

Thanks Andrew 🙂

[@leefythan7417]

I’ve got a 1988 CL as my first car now, simple, rugged, reliable and their design aged so well!

[@alantunbridge8919]

I worked at VW South Africa inProduct Engineering from 1974 to 1994 & for most of that time was resposible for suspension, wheels/tyres& steering. For our purposes here the Golf/Jetta 2 was a far superior vehicle, it was better developed for RHD ( apart from wipers & bonnet release ), which we altered) its handling & roadholding were generally better. I myself ,as many people here ,prefered the Jetta CLi 8V which after uprating the rear springs could be made to oversteer ( unusual for FWD) but upon throttling off handled neutrally. The 16V was made here , but not overly popular ,since the ride was far too harsh and poor engine flexibility at low speed & increased fuel consumpton. Some can still be seen around today, mostly Jetta 4 door which outsold the Golf by about 4 to 1. However, throughout all this time my own personal was a Rover P6B V8 , still running today, 50 years old.

[@markbourne8183]

Ive owned mk2 golfs since i passed my test 20 years ago and never could resist buying another after i sold one as i missed it so much. Great vid appreciated.

[@TwinCam]

Thanks Mark 🙂

[@mikeenglish6401]

Great, as per usual Ed. Mike

[@TwinCam]

Thanks Mike :)

[@piuthemagicman]

Having owned a Mk2 Jetta, an E8 and two E9 Corollas one thing stands out; the Japanese were a hundred miles ahead what comes to engine, gear change and suspension. On our long Finnish winters I like to test and play with my cars and the Mk2 with its beam rear axle and extra conservative setup felt numb and overly understeering where as the Corollas felt playful and easily tossable, highly due to their sophisticated rear suspension. The Corolla engines; 1,3 and 1,6's felt so much snappier too than the 1,6 in the Jetta. both Corolla engines were ahead too with the 12 valve OHC 2E and 16 valve DOHC 4A. About the gear change; everyone who has driven a Mk2 with any miles knows it can get sticky and inaccurate while the Corolla's gears you can just flick in with a finger or two.

[@TwinCam]

Of course, but they weren't anywhere near being market leaders in Europe. The Golf, despite not being as much of an engineer's car as the Japanese stuff, was successful, and challenged the conservatively engineered and disappointing packages of your Fords, Vauxhalls, and Austins.

[@peterdevreter]

Having driven a mkII 16v and owned a e9 1.6xli myself I can agree to that. The bog standard corolla was faster than most gti's in the early 90's.

[@djkenny1202]

Mixed feelings. I far prefer the seats, space utilization, steering feel, handling and road holding of my 92 MK2 16v over just about any Toyota I have driven. Including in the same time period.

[@michaelhorner2722]

Very well put together and interesting video ....again.

[@TwinCam]

Thanks Michael 🙂

[@russellnixon9981]

Excellent presentation of a exceptional car. Had a Mk1 and later a Mk2. Only down side was things like power steering central locking and sun roof were optional and as it was a bit more expensive than its rivals they dident all come with them. The GTI had wide wheels and power steering was a must for parking, The Mr2 had much better brakes as the Mr1 only had disks on the front and drums on the back, Mk2's had discs all round. But what a car. Only car I got nicked in for speeding and the only one had stolen.

[@philiprodney7884]

Excellent piece as ever, Ed. I had one of these. I remember two things about it. It was the first car that I had with power steering. And it was the first and only car to be stolen from me.

[@TwinCam]

Thanks as ever Philip :)

[@russellnixon9981]

I had one in the 80's and that got stolen to, Loved it and really mist it.

[@simonmosforth4598]

I've just watched this video. What an amazing car. I was the third owner of FBH, for about 7 years and loved every minute of it . It was in such brilliant condition, the first owner keeping it for 18 years. If you want any more information on this car ( I still have some paperwork) please find a way to contact me privately).

[@RoxhamCottage]

I had a red 3-door Mk2 Golf with the non-turbo 1.6 diesel engine. I really loved that car even though it was the slowest and loudest thing on the road! Excellent video, brought back some good memories.

[@TwinCam]

Thanks Michael :)

[@andrewpreston4127]

In the early 90's, I owned one of these, a 4 year old GTI 16 valve. I recall few reviewer references to the MK2's aerodynamic efficences. What I do recall is that it was a rather bland car to drive. It was quick, right enough, but not in a way that stirred your soul. Just quick. Oh, and by the way, after a while I came to the view, as did some of the more discerning reviewers, that the 8-valve version was, for most people, a car that offered far more access to the available performance. As with most 16 valves, the Golf 16 valve had to be revved quite hard to tell the difference between the 2 versions. There was a 6 or 7 year period in the mid '80's thru early '90's, when I owned quite a number of cars.... BMW 325I, Dolomite Sprint, Citroen BX19 GT, Peugeot 405 1.9 GL, Porsche 911 SC, BMW 535i Sport, Mercedes 300.... . amongst others. I also rented a Peugeot 205 GTI. They all, in different ways, had a certain something. The Golf didn't really.

[@sdry1688]

Another brilliant video. As a long time Golf owner (MK1/MK5/Mk6/MK7) - I think they got the styling wrong twice. The Mk3 (92-98) and the current MK8 - I've gone over to Toyota

[@TwinCam]

Thanks mate 🙂

[@MattysCars]

Difficult second album done well. Just a shame the 3rd and 4th left a lot to be desired.

[@rossturnbull8632]

So true...my mk1 and 2 gti's are up there with the most reliable cars I've owned( I've owned lots) but I made the mistake of getting a mk3 t.d. which was an unreliable blob...

[@alfienaylor1587]

I’ve heard the Mk3 was a tacky cheap shed, but I thought the Mk4 was a beauty. I’d love a black GT model with black leather. The Mk5 was handsome too but apparently not the most reliable, I’m not overly keen on the Mk6, but I absolutely love my Mk7.5. Looks good in the black, and the dashboard colours are stunning. Who even needs an Audi A3?

[@melvyncox3361]

Had a Mk ll GTi.Lovely.Wish l'd still got it,but hey,ho,there you go! Great video mate👍!

[@markbriggs5531]

Really enjoyed this video. Great background info. Minor criticism but I wish it was a little longer so I could finish the dishes without having to scroll to the next vid :) Looking forward to the next one.

[@TwinCam]

Thanks Mark :)

[@ofirs5830]

In North America for 1990 there was also a 2.0L 16V (136PS)

[@TwinCam]

There was, for emissions I think? Same power as the European 1.8, mind you!

[@rickydub6950]

Lovely example of an 8v 🙂 i bought my 1st 8v as a stop gap in 06 for £500, bought my 16v in 08, sold the 8v in 09 and bought it back as a wreck in 2015 for £400.. now rebuilt as a 2.0 8v! Love mk2's, both mine sorned for winter now! 5 Golfs in total 😁

[@jennydonne8946]

To me this is the best looking Golf

[@ejc7129]

Great video 😎🎉 I had one of those MKII Golfs in white..it was built like a tank...a great machine 😎👍🏽🎉🎉

[@TwinCam]

Thanks mate :)

[@chriscooks9850]

Awesome video yet again and also about one of my favourite cars. Thanks!

[@TwinCam]

Thanks Chris :)

[@petrolhedonism]

Lovely piece of work again Ed. You certainly had your facts 💯 👌. I've owned a number of hot VW's and still have a MK2 GTI 16v and love it. They were a real weapon in the 80s and still have grin factor today.

[@Richard-Bullock]

Great video, as always. A friend of my dad had a B reg 1.3 C back in the mid 80's. It wasn't new, but not that old. Maybe 2 or 3 years old. I always liked it, and wanted one when I was old enough to drive. Unfortunately it never happened. It has always bugged me that the earlier ones had LHD pattern windscreen wipers.

[@TwinCam]

Thanks as always Richard :)

[@alancomish6783]

I had an 'F' reg Mk2 Golf GTI from new and absolutely loved it. It gave me 80k untroubled miles, with full servicing and I still miss it..

[@scottishcarenthusiastsandtrain]

Another great video Ed, not a huge VW Fan, but you cannot go wrong with a Golf and especially a Mark 2. This example is stunning, another car to add to my dream fleet list.

[@TwinCam]

Thanks mate 🙂

[@dj_paultuk7052]

Not to mention that the Golf Mk2, brought along VW's first ever full mapped engine management system "Digifant I" in 1989. The car you have there is the Digfant1 PB engine. 112BHP. They could be remapped to 125BHP fairly easily. The PB engine was also placed in the VW Passat GT.

[@SalimKhan-gk1fh]

Very good information mate and well remembered I had the 198 9VW Passat GT estate in Tornado red that also had the 1.8 digifant Engine with the black rocker top, it was a fantastic Car in its day I still remember the sports trim the electric sunroof and the MFA computer spending £7000 on the car it was the best in my street!

[@we-are-electric1445]

Looks just like the one I bought new in 1990. It was a great car but it had its faults. I eventually sold it and It kept going until 197,000 miles Corrosion killed it in the end. I ran it alongside a new Impreza WRX and it was still fun on a twisty country lane but the Impreza made me realize the Golf was in a way quite antiquated. Mind you it took VW 15 years to replace it with a decent car.

[@robbied1468]

Cheers Ed - WOW a whole 920 Kg …. We now live in an EV age where it takes 2 tonnes of metal to carry four people around in comfort …. Progress ?

[@elusive323]

I have a 1984 mk2,it has the 1800 single cam kjet,right hand drive with left hand drive window wipers.

[@EnthusiastCarHangar]

Nice video. I love the MK2 and would love to have one here in the US.

[@AndrewKNI]

Great video Ed. I have owned many Golfs in my time and my mark 2 was a tornado red Golf Driver 1.6 petrol (looked near identical to the GTi which I couldn't afford!). Probably the best car I ever owned and much better looking than the mark 3, which I also owned later. The only "modern" thing it lacked was power steering but then it didn't really need it with its accurate rack and pinion steering. :-)

[@TwinCam]

Thanks Andrew :)

[@AutumnWind92]

I still drive mine daily :)

[@m.dairyfarmer7878]

Great video again Ed, Beautiful car

[@TwinCam]

Thanks mate :)

[@RickGTI2019]

Great video, very informative. I’m 77 and drive a mk7.5, it’s like being a kid again. Thanks, RickGTI 🇺🇸

[@TwinCam]

Thanks Rick 🙂

[@theminiman3874]

Excellent video👍

[@floydblandston108]

The Mk2 diesel is the Platonic ideal of 'an automobile'.

[@neilmustow368]

Great history of the Mk 2 Golf Ed remember them coming out in 1983 as a 9 year old a very popular hatch of the 80's👍👍👍

[@TwinCam]

Thanks Neil :)

[@OldProgers]

Hi Ed. My first proper car was a 1984 Vauxhall Astra GL with GTE body trim and stone guards. It was awesome and certainly a match in terms of looks and equipment levels to the VW Golf - and it drove brilliantly too. Please don't slag off the Astra too much!

[@simonflorey5428]

You do great videos, keep it up ..!

[@TwinCam]

Thanks Simon :)

[@paulgoudfrooij6561]

Great video. I owned a red one like this one in the nineties. Absolutely great car. Loved it. I was sad to have to sell it when moving overseas to the states.

[@TwinCam]

Thanks Paul 🙂

[@dj_paultuk7052]

The drag CE was still a long way from Renaults GTA in 1984 of 0.27. It was the most aerodynamic car in the world until the Calibra arrived and took the record. (I have a GTA V6 Turbo ).

[@TwinCam]

The GTA was a sports car. The Golf was a family hatchback. Two completely different beasts. When you have a blank canvas, it's easy to make a low drag shape. But when you're constrained by passengers and practicality, it's much harder.

[@christoguichard4311]

Many years ago, around 87, i was selling my Jag XJS, and some bloke bought one of these around my house wanting to do a straight swap. I took the GTI around the block...and hated it. It felt like a slow tractor in comparison to my Jag. I passed.

[@TwinCam]

Let's be honest here, a 1.8 Golf against a I6 or V12 Jaguar grand tourer? What must the price difference have been when new?

[@sdry1688]

@@TwinCam In 1980 £18K against about £5K

[@RetroMuseumTV]

These cars always remind of the smell of smoky diesel from the 90s when I grew up my neighbours had a Golf Mk2

[@mikeg8835]

I watch the adverts through for you Ed , another good review .

[@TwinCam]

Thanks Mike :)

[@vwestlife]

A 4-door GTI always looks wrong to me -- and at least in the U.S., that's the only way you can get them anymore!

[@TwinCam]

Surely, the point of the hot hatch is practicality! 😉 That’s why sports cars were largely replaced by them. I think it makes perfect sense for more-door versions!

[@robindow1061]

Another great video from you Ed, I passed my test in '71 in my 1200 Beetle and have had Volkswagens ever since, including an '85 Jetta, '89 Golf 'driver' ( Manhattan in Germany), '91 Golf 'driver' (Pasadena in Germany) Mk 3 and Mk 4 Golfs. Though never a proper GTI, despite driving Volkswagen UK's first press fleet GTI, a 1600 3 speed in Mars Red (MKT 512R). In recent years i have moved on to Audi, currently an S3. Though i must admit to looking recently at a Mark 7.5 Golf GTI - performance. Who needs 300ps and all wheel drive, when 245ps, with the appropriate winter tyres when needed, will do all that's required in the UK. PS, So nice to see a standard spec MK2 GTI, even down to its factory steel wheels.

[@TwinCam]

Thanks Robin :) The owner of this car is the same guy who owns the E30 BMW I did a video on a few months ago. When he bought that, he swapped the bottletops for BBS lattices. And only kept them on for about a week. He's a convert to the base model life!

[@benhooper1956]

Great video, glad to see some 1980s cars getting a look in. As much as it is an Icon, I haven't actually seen much content on the Mk2 Golf really, so nice to see some love being given. I have just bought a B2 generation Audi 80 Sport which uses the same 8v engine as the example car, I am hoping it will be reliable...

[@TwinCam]

Thanks Ben. Love the '80s stuff!

[@plym1969]

Great video Ed. This was the car that if your mates got it as their first car 2nd hand in the late 80's and early 90's you thought they were doing very well! Volkswagen was seen as the affordable, well built and reliable manufacturer compared to Ford, Vauxhall and any French car.

[@TwinCam]

Thanks as always Phillip :)

[@pedromiguelareias]

For our American friends: VW from Germany, not Mexico nor Brazil nor Chattanooga.

[@DEATHWISHVQ]

Yeah no shit

[@runoflife87]

Good video on such an everyday car. In Russia used MK2 Golfs became a hit among buyers in the 90's. Almost every city was full of Golfs from Austria, Germany, Poland and even Japan (yep it was actually possible to meet the RHD Golf in cities like Vladivostok or Khabarovsk). The one thing that could radicallly change this car's desing was flush headlights IMO.

[@TwinCam]

Thanks mate :)

[@Bjornry]

we had one from 1991 was nice

[@mattw8332]

Wunderbar ! I had a go in a 1985/86 Jetta GT that my sister's partner owned at the time. Absolutely loved it. It was an 8v but it had some type of engine mod. Floored it when it was safe to do so and inadvertently frightened him (he was in the passenger seat). He bought it for around £350 circa 2000 but sadly he didn't keep it for long as it had a fault. Well, what do you expect for that money? He replaced it with another £300 car with a different fault. 🙄 Rinse and repeat.

[@oddities-whatnot]

I got a Mk2 8 valve Golf GTI years ago, it was about four years old with 56k on the clock, 1 owner. Jade green metallic. Id wanted one for years, it was brilliant to drive, the sound, the way it handled, solid and reliable. Sold it as I thought I was buying somewhere to live with a girlfriend. We split up but id already sold the car. Only downside for me was the gearing on motorways was a bit high doing 70, although the 16v model seemed to have solved that somewhat as I got the chance to drive one a few years later. Never been interested in VW after that. The badge seems to attract smug people these days. Same as every other German car brand. Image obsessed attention seekers. Im now happy tootling around in a nice low mileage Impreza. Should last me a long time. Sod the image, at least you dont see a hundred of them on your way to work.

[@grantm6514]

I had an 8V Mk2 for about 20 years until it was pinched, I still miss it. I met a guy who found that putting the gearbox from the 1800 carburetted model (can't remember what it was called - maybe GLS?) into the GTi gave it longer legs and turned it into the car it should have been all along.

[@-triumphgt667]

My first car was a Mark 1 Golf N handed down by my parents - The N stood for nothing I reckon! Four speeds, 1.1 litre engine, no headrests, no rear windscreen wiper - turquoise and rusted appallingly! In later times had a Mk 2 GTi 16v - the small bumper version - heavy steering as no power steering but fast and comfortable. This was however the era of the ram raider and it was always being targeted - went through three alarms all of which did their job - even had the garage broken into , heard the alarm go off and went down to see the thief running off with the siren in his hands which was still going off as self powered! He threw it away as he ran! Eventually sold it to one of my receptionist's husband who was a policeman. Stolen a week later by being put on a trailer!

[@Pmjs]

I used to have a VW Corrado 2.0 16V 94M in Red.

[@Lando-kx6so]

My dad still has a 1991 16v which came stock with 15" BBS RS alloys

[@TwinCam]

Indeed, the 16v came with alloys as standard. These 8v cars had steelies as standard.

[@johnbarry5115]

The only VW I've driven regularly was a 1999 Golf GTi Turbo. I suppose it drove OK, but there was a problem with the alarm that never got resolved (I never managed to succeed in disarming the alarm, I had to park it in a carpark away from houses overnight because the alarm kept going off regularly during the night and my neighbours complained). One time it was being serviced at a VW dealership, and not only did they fail to fix the alarm, but someone emptied over £5 from the coin tray, and that put me off considering VWs in later years.

[@luisantnin1]

Loved the video

[@TwinCam]

Thanks Luis :)

[@swordscot]

The Mark 2 Golf and the Austin Maestro were launched in the same year yet looked like they were from different decades.

[@TwinCam]

To be fair, they were! The Maestro’s design and engineering were frozen all the way back in 1978. The train wreck that was BL meant they couldn’t productionise it for another 5 years.

[@Nycholas1998]

What an amazing video. Would love to hear an overview of the golf series from you. Great job !!

[@TwinCam]

Thanks Nick 🙂

[@na-turbo]

Another brilliant video Ed , My first car was a MK2 Golf 1.3 CL Carb , I took that car all over even to the Wolfsburg factory and Autostadt Museum . I would till have the car now if some idiot in a TVR had not hit me and wrote it off . My love of the MK2 started when i was about 8 and my Aunt had a 1.2 Ryder as a Motability car for my nan . I remember saying thats what i want as my first car and i was lucky enough at 17 to get a G Plate in Tornado Red .

[@TwinCam]

Thanks mate 🙂

[@harvey1166]

Looks such a smart tornado red 3 door, 👌 iv got a nice mk2 golf you might find interesting come the next year when I get it out the workshop, a mk2 golf 4 door syncro, (4wd) in tornado red

[@dafunkester]

Great video, I had a MK 1 for my first car, 1100 engine it wouldn't move if there was more than four people in it! Spent a fortune getting it road legal and then sold it for something faster, gutted I got rid of it, one of life's worst decision's.

[@TwinCam]

Thanks mate :)

[@Pmjs]

I've always loved the VW Golf mk2&Jetta mk2.

[@mechanicalmanny494]

These cars were meant to last not the shit they make today.

[@21stcenturyozman20]

Another excellent piece, Ed. You must do a hell of a lot of reading and research to come up with so much detail on the cars you feature. * While the cars you treat are always clean, shiny, and apparently well kept on the outside and in the cabin, many are a disappointment when you lift the bonnet: they are grotty, far more so than what I believe to be appropriate for and indicative of a well-maintained machine. Is it just that too many people are only concerned with external appearances, indicating a certain superficiality? Or am I just seriously anally retentive in my motorraum? * On the topic of drag coefficient: the 1979-released Mercedes-Benz W126 series had CDs of .34 for the saloon and .31 for the coupé SEC. Not at all bad for large, square land yachts of their time; in fact the W126 series were the first production cars to reach or better a CD of .34.

[@TwinCam]

Thanks as always mate :) The people who offer me cars take great pride in their vehicles, but very rarely do they go over the top. A lot of the cars I video are people's daily drivers, and in a country like the UK it's near impossible to keep the engine bay of a used car show-ready clean. I should know, I've tried it. It takes three hours of cleaning every week. It's just not worth it. That, coupled with the work Connor has already done on this car, and it's just unnecessary. It's a working vehicle. When he bought it earlier in the year, it was pink rather than red, with a horrendously stained interior that stunk of tobacco. What's necessary has been done, and what's not hasn't.

[@21stcenturyozman20]

@@TwinCam Fair comment. I'm just anal. lol

[@davidrumming4734]

I think vw of that era were prob better screwed together and longer lasting than the modern ones.

[@Rico_G]

It's worth noting that Toyota had a 16V engine in 2 different Corolla variants (AE82 and AE86) a full two years earlier than the Mk2 GTi 16V. VW was just playing catch-up as the GTI Mk2 8V's performance was overshadowed by its GTI Mk1 predecessor due to its 180kg weight gain.

[@TwinCam]

And British Leyland had a 16 valve engine in 1971. The difference is that the Dolomite was a premium product and the AE82/6 wasn't popular in Europe. While one can be first, it takes another to popularise.

[@Rico_G]

@@TwinCam Relax dude, I wasn't criticizing your reporting. I quite enjoy your channel. Here in the states, we had Corollas a'plenty, but Americans felt the Golf was too costly for its class so they were a rare sight in comparison.

[@TwinCam]

@@Rico_G Don't worry, I'm not getting irate. I'm just making the point :)

[@Rico_G]

@@TwinCam More importantly, why are you awake at this hour???? Get some rest, man.

[@TwinCam]

Can’t sleep, might as well do something productive 🤣

[@graemetaylor4149]

My first car was a Mk1. A fantastic car and, as you say, prettier than the Mk2 which, when they came out, looked much bulkier. A couple of remarkable things about the Mk1. Despite what you say, I had mine to 8 years old and close to 100k miles and it had not a speck of rust. The other thing was its economy, it comfortably returned over 50 mpg on an open run (Formel E); 40 years on I have never owned a more efficient petrol engined car! Progress?!

[@TwinCam]

All about the care and attention they receive. My new car has some surface rust, but is completely solid. For a car with a reputation for looking like Swiss cheese after 3 years, I don’t think it’s done too bad in its 34 year life of living outside!

[@kevinwalsh2513]

I love how you are dressed to match the era of the car.

[@TwinCam]

To be fair, I don’t think corduroy was a big thing in the early ‘90s, but it was certainly appropriate for the late ‘70s for the Dolomite video 😅

[@jetsons101]

In the US the name "Rabbit" was used. Did the UK get the Golf/ Rabbit pickup truck like the US did?

[@MakerfieldConsort]

Assuming you mean the one based on the MkI Golf, we did - there's one survivor that lives a couple of miles from me. It was known as the Caddy.

[@jetsons101]

@@MakerfieldConsort They were a great little truck, mine lasted forever....

[@grayfool]

If an alien landed on earth and asked "what is a car", just show them a Golf. The 16v was quite extraordinary at the time. It was the hot hatch to be seen in. The image that your car projected during the eighties was more important to buyers than the engineering to a great extent. The stereotypical image of the XR Fords was a real thing. So was the reverse of that shouty image when you saw a Golf GTi. If you really wanted to fly under the radar though, get an Astra LXi. Basically a GTE estate without the body kit. That was a real sleeper. Has anyone got one of those?

[@francoaleman1520]

The MK2 and MK3 I like the most. MK2 looks pretty good but IMHO the MK3 is when it comes to the Feeling of driving and Interior Quality the better one for me.I also like the MK3 Engines more with the Mono Motronic or Digifant as those with the Pierburg Carburators or the Bosch K/KE Jetronic. What also speaks for the MK3 is that used Parts are way easier to get. MK2 Parts in good Condition getting more rare and expencive. Only for the Look I like the MK2 more ! I know someone who owns a MK2 1.8 Fire and Ice 2 Door with only 63.000km...its standing now for 6 Years, he dont want to sell it but I dont give up on this :)

[@Danny_Boel]

I drove a 1.6d Mk2 Golf long ago...It was so loud that highways were no fun at all.

[@myvideosrockthehouse]

0:05 ... the leaf lol

[@nanayaw1797]

To all fans watching this video, do not sell your (vw golf mk2). Keep it for you son or future generation. You will regret for selling it and you will be looking for it, but nowhere to be found, Our family friend sold his own and regrated it, He put down $14K to get it back no no no until he passed away. All his room was Golf 2, pictures

[@cnat_sepll]

Bought a 1.3 as my first car a few months ago

[@andyc3856]

Nice car,but like all German cars they are not as well built and reliable as legend suggests. The mk2 rusted,not as quickly as the mk1 granted,but they did rust. Gearboxes on the mk2 always liked to crunch going into second,heater matrix liked to burst and scald your legs with boiling coolant. Door handles almost designed to be easily jimmed and broken into in seconds. Oil coolers that would fail and mix your oil and coolant together. Seizing up handbrake mechanism on the rear brake calipers,and plenty other issues too. I bought mine when it was 6 and a half years old,after nearly 25 years,I still love my Mk2 Golf gti,but on some days I absolutely hate it.

[@maxeluy]

Unpopular opinion: I love the MK3 Golf

[@carsyoungtimerfreak1149]

Nice video. VAG products just do not do it for me. I have owned a Passat B3, Golf III VR6, an Audi A8, A4 V6. I did not warm to any of these cars and sold them all pretty quickly. The only VAG product that I do like are the old air-cooled cars, especially the 1600 and 411. Do not why. I think character. To me more recent VAG products lack character. VAG cars are cars for sensible people, and I do not qualify for this...

[@TwinCam]

Thanks mate. Horses for courses! While I love air-cooled VWs, and I'd really quite like a Variant, I've driven a Beetle. Less said the better.

[@terrificspokesman7416]

Shame that Volkswagen can't make a quality car now with numourous engine issues and plasticky interior like the T Roc

[@rayfordham9230]

Glad I'm not the only one who thinks that.

[@robindow1061]

@@rayfordham9230 You're not. And the Mk8 Golf and new A3 with cheap touchscreens instead of proper buttons and switches are a complete 'turn off' ,

[@terrificspokesman7416]

@@rayfordham9230 I love older ones but the newer ones are just not good enough

[@terrificspokesman7416]

@@robindow1061 Volkswagen only lives because of its past reputation of quality

[@rayfordham9230]

@@robindow1061 Yes, those screens I cant see the point they're dangerous surely, having to look at them to do anything, my 10 year old car has knobs for everything.

[@salazam]

I want that Golf. Give it to me.

[@wanderinggentile]

Coming from North America, the Volkswagen experience tends to be ill suited for the market. The consumable parts (engine electronics, cam belt, dampers) have very specific design lives and service parameters that become a trial for drivers accustomed to American vehicles that seem to be made of raw pig iron, and Asian vehicles that do 300,000 miles without asking for much more than an oil change every other year. This also explains why the French are gone, Fiat has died twice, and the only way to sell a Vauxhall/Opel is to badge it as a Chevrolet or a Buick and make it in Korea.

[@neilhewitt2761]

Brilliant cars, had several, but alas it was downhill all the way after this, the Golf is now a bloated shadow of its former self, build quality bombed and not that reliable either.

[@rossturnbull8632]

Having run a mk2 gti 8 valve in the 90s for a few years I'll say this,it never lett me down,and was quick for what it was,also ran a mk1 gti campaign for a couple of years and although that turned more heads I'd say the mk2 was a better all rounder.

[@judethaddaeus9742]

It’s amazing how little a company has to reinvent the wheel when they get the formula enduringly correct in the first place. The Mk2 Golf didn’t need to leap a decade because the Mk1 - taken as a complete car - was already at least 1/2 to a full decade ahead of the competition when it launched in 1974. The Horizon, Strada/Ritmo, Escort, R14 and 9/11, Astra, and even the Maestro that launched years after the Mk1 all failed to best the Golf as an overall package. Had VW tried to be too progressive with the Mk2, they might have risked outsmarting themselves and coming up with something “ahead of its time” that resonated more in hindsight than when new. Like you, the Mk2 Golf wouldn’t have been my choice back in the day. A more standard Lancia Delta 1.6L probably would have been my choice at the time. Maybe, in later years, a Peugeot 309. What would you have chosen in the Golf class at the time of the Mk2? What might be helpful to note is that VW fell on extremely hard times in the US in the era of the Mk2 Golf. After the second Energy Crisis of 1979-81 abated and the economy began to recover in some ways beginning in 1983, upwardly mobile economical hatchbacks like the Mk2 Golf just didn’t sell very well. VW sales got so bad that the company seriously considered leaving the American market altogether in the early ‘90s and began importing a Brazilian model to offer customers something inexpensive because Golf sales were so poor. The hot hatchback craze in Europe at the time barely showed up in the US by comparison, and the Mk2 Golf had become more expensive than the shrinking market could bear in profitable volume. In its last year on the US market, VW shifted only 9,359 Golf/GTI units total in a market 10x the volume of the UK’s.

[@TwinCam]

I'm with you. Peugeot 309!

[@BoudicaJ]

Pfffftttt the Mkii is a much, much more beautiful car than the Mki. It's beautiful from every angle. Not angular and bony like the Mki.

[@Alunism]

Not sure mine will last to 2500, maybe 2030-2035 is more realistic hope

[@jamesm90]

TV advertising was so much cleverer and humorous in the 1970's and 80's. What happened ?!

[@TwinCam]

Indeed. ‘80s car adverts were incredible. Modern ones seem to just consist of some weird CGI city in which gravity and light don’t exist as they do in the real world, with the car rushing about said city aimlessly.