The MK3 Golf GTi - In Defence Of Germany's Worst Hot Hatch

Did VW Ruin The GTi? The Mk3 Golf GTi seemed in every way a backward step but is its reputation as an overweight blip justified? or is this the best value classic Golf GTi?
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[@Sorted7]

Biggest problem with the mk3 was expectation. Journalists expected it to be faster and sharper than the outgoing model but vw made it similar to the mk2 but safer instead. Mk3 is a good car and the 16v is a good gti, but the 8v is more like just a good car.

[@wokeybrokey8006]

So it’s not a GTi

[@dieselfan7406]

It was too fat. VW added too much padding to the bodywork, increasing the weight. I had a turbo diesel Mk3, went like a rocket!

[@Sorted7]

@@dieselfan7406 the diesels and the vr6 were good. Common thought is they were too heavy but if u played with the suspension and steering set up a bit they came to life. Vw made the set up ‘safe’. They can be made fun but no one cared

[@TassieLorenzo]

"Biggest problem with the mk3 was expectation" VW still do this to this day though. Take the Mk7. The Mk7 GTI Clubsport handles "properly" (uprated dampers and spring rates) so it drives close to how a RenaultSport Cup drives, but then the normal GTI = a bit soft, normal Golf R = a bit soft. The Clubsport shows that VW can do it, yet (for whatever reason) they choose not to. Very little steering feel either in GTI, R, Audi S1, S3 (especially with the default Straight Line Running option enabled in the power steering module, which filters out steering feel^) compared to Renault Sport's excellent column-mount power steering motor (similar to a Toyota 86's column-mount system which is also excellent). Do VW really think buyers will make a warranty complaint if there is steering feel and the steering wheel wiggling around in the *dedicated sports variant?!* It seems so, but that seems crazy. There's more than a few buyers who have bought or leased their Golf R or Audi S1 and are a little confused why it isn't that fun to drive, why it feels a bit isolated and disconnected from the road (but I guess there are enough buyers that conversely prefer comfort and going fast in a straight line that it doesn't matter?). ^ You need a VCDS or VAGCOM computer to reprogram that, it's not something that an owner can normally change in the vehicle settings.

[@ibisona]

The real problem was VW was broke. It was essentially a better mk2 in terms of refinement but this added weight. Also at the time the opposition was rubbish. Nice day to day car lots of low down torque.

[@memsybabe]

8:01.... "damp squid".. As a squid, being damp would, I'm sure, be a pretty good thing. A damp squib however, a whole different ball game.. 😉. Pulling your leg. Great vid as always.

[@MrShoryuken1]

It's a moo point...

[@1968spikey]

​@@MrShoryuken1 Jack went as white as a sheep!

[@Lemma01]

If only it had been styled by Jack's favourite "Bare Tony"...🎉

[@fossilfish786]

I may have missed it but isn't the saying 'Damp Squib' a medical cotton bud basically.

[@1968spikey]

@@Lemma01 With the introduction at 140 decibels of: "HELLO!!!! I'M JACK!!!!!" 🤣

[@paultucker1272]

We had one back in the day as my wife's car. The handling was blah......never really had a problem with the engine power, it was adequate. Build quality though? The panel with the interior lights/sunroof switches collapsed and we had to glue it back in place. We replaced it with an Alfa 156 2l Twinspark Sportwagon. Now THAT was a great car. Fabulous looks, great engine (still not fast though) and NOTHING went wrong with it. The Golf GTi was a disappointment, the Alfa was a revelation!

[@Dan23_7]

I had a 56 plate 156 with the 2.4 5 pot JTD engibe, it was a beast, I had the veloce and at the same time my brother had the 2.4 JTD Ti spec.

[@sugerbear586]

"adequate" lol.

[@bertbristow7172]

Have to disagree that VW was a 'basket case' in the 50's and most of the 60's. It was surely a miracle that emerged from the ashes of WW2 and the Beetle was an iconic symbol of recovery. Sure, they lost their way with the Type 4, K70 and RO80, but they were still producing well over a million Beetles a year into the early 70's and almost 800k in 1974 when the FWD models were established and a success.

[@christopher9727]

... Do you know Jesus Christ can set you free from sins and save you from hell today Jesus Christ is the only hope in this world no other gods will lead you to heaven There is no security or hope with out Jesus Christ in this world come and repent of all sins today Today is the day of salvation come to the loving savior Today repent and do not go to hell Come to Jesus Christ today Jesus Christ is only way to heaven Repent and follow him today seek his heart Jesus Christ can fill the emptiness he can fill the void Heaven and hell is real cone to the loving savior today Today is the day of salvation tomorrow might be to late come to the loving savior today Romans 6.23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. John 3:16-21 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. Mark 1.15 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Hebrews 11:6 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Jesus

[@aveedub7403]

I test drove a mk 3 gti in the 90's after years of Vauxhall ownership ending with a 16v Calibra. Didnt feel at all fast, salesman suggested i wait a bit for the VR6, drove that, fell in love with the engine, but suspension stupidly soft so much so acceleration made front end lift up like you were going into orbit! On acquisition of a silver VR6, binned the suspension for lowered eibach springs and Bilstein dampers, 17's and magnum s/s exhaust and those transformed it! I loved that car and shed a tear when goodbye came,...... brittle wiring and surface rust! I regret that deed! But thanks to "her" the VR6 bug stuck and ended up with an Audi Mk1 TT 3.2, dsg and now a mk2 TT 3.2 s-line manual. Love them!!😁😁😁

[@cyclingdragon]

Owned an 8v in Indian Red from 6 months old. Wasn't a GTi in terms of performance/handling but fitted 17" wolfrace voodoo 2's with low profiles which helped and looked fantastic. It was incredibly reliable and comfortable and I racked up 200k in it without anything other than consumables. On original clutch too. Don't see many around now.

[@luckyboy4766]

Owned a mk3 16V version. Swapped the shocks and springs for a lowered Bilstein set which tightened up the suspension without making it too crashy. Transformed the handling.

[@YegoYTP]

People always say stuff like "[insert manufacturer here] spent millions designing the suspension on that car and you think you've made it better by changing it", well I think VW spent about 5p designing the suspension for the MK3 GTI cause it did not suit the car at all.

[@TassieLorenzo]

@@YegoYTP "It depends" Sometimes the dampers are selected based on cost, sometimes they are too firm for some customer's tastes rather than too soft, it goes on and on I guess. For some cars, the OE dampers are high quality (likewise the OE Brembos with OE Ferodo pads) and you can certainly make things worse!

[@c1house]

The best bit to me about the Mk3 Gti was the engine. We swapped one into a Jetta MK2 and it was a hoot. Once you put it on a standalone ecu it comes alive(not really in power but in response)

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

The 2.0 8v in the MK 3 Golf was 115bhp.

[@ruk2023--]

Drove one for a while when I was even poorer than I am now. It was a car for sure.

[@Number27]

😁

[@patrickfarrell4751]

Worst car I ever had I always wanted a Mk2 GTi but never got one...later in life got a MK3 and underwhelmed is about as great as it got. 6 months later I was in a 306 GTi6...big smiles and many miles later I had to get rid for a family wagon...I miss that car, it has a place in my heart. The Golf on the other hand has a place in the dark recesses of my mind which I don't want to visit too often. Today I drive a MK8 and it's actually quite brilliant!

[@chrisbanks5925]

I had MKI and MKII GTi's back in the day but instead of buying a MKIII, I got a supercharged Corrado instead, which was fantastic.

[@matthewlewis2072]

The Corrsdo VR6 deserves a vid

[@lascm5237]

Yep, even my 16v Corrado was a much better drive but that much more expensive 👍

[@cromwellg60]

Same here. G60 Corrado was a beast. Felt mad after my MK2 8v GTi

[@f.k.3762]

The Mk 2 and 4 are the best of the bunch. The Mk2 has become a legend and the 4 is not far behind. The MK 3 stuck in between was indeed a bit of a stinker

[@memsybabe]

VW were playing the marketing game. They knew the 16v and VR6 were on the way, so deliberately kept the performance in check on the 8v, thinking the GTi badge would be enough. Cost them dear I think...

[@neilturner6749]

It was only VW UK, not the factory. The clue was in the factory Build Code sticker in the service book - on 8Vs (certainly on my mothers one) it sad Golf GL as the model. The GTi badges were swapped by VW UK at the port.

[@memsybabe]

@@neilturner6749 .. interesting info. Never knew that.

[@patrickhostler5939]

I remember test driving one when they came out, as my wife was thinking of selecting one as her company car. Great build quality but I was very disappointed with the performance, so we started looking at other cars on her list. Then at the last moment VW offered the company a deal on the 16v version which put out 150bhp if I remember correctly. Felt the same at the 8V lower down, but a lot more go at the top end. Had it for a couple of years and really enjoyed it

[@chriswarren2599]

I like the MK3 Golf. I had a tdi in that lovely metallic purple colour. The engine was superb, the build quality was excellent. Solid, safe car with lots of equipment. I’d happily have a GTi. The Mk3 had a lot of metal in them. Nice video well put together.

[@ap6584]

I owned a 1996 8v in red, the engine was a bit breathless at high revs and the suspension was very soft, build quality was good though and it had enough torque that you could make good progress quite effortlessly.

[@Hugo_Rocker]

At the time my girlfriend bought a MK3 Jetta (I live in the US). I was still driving an 8V Golf GTI. The Jetta was a great car for trips, and she kept urging me to trade up to a MK3. I resisted, until I saw a MK3 with a VR6! Fast forward a few years, she called everything off. My MK2 was very old by now and on my way to see my therapist I drove by the VW Dealer. There was a beautiful Matchstick Ref MK4 on the lot. I pulled in and drove off in my new MK4 GTI. it was luxurious. Girlfriend keeps knocking on my door and the MK4 morphed into a MK7 Alltrack. I am happy f

[@PhilbyFavourites]

Only in America could you be “on my way to see my therapist”. Priceless 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@Hugo_Rocker]

@@PhilbyFavourites what can I say? I don’t drink so I have to do something 😉

[@captmcneil]

I guess the IV wasn't very popular either... the Golf changed a lot between gen II and IV. It became noticably more expensive, for starters. Compact cars started to become heavier, more comfy, and of course, safety became an issue. Tough offset crash tests up to 55kph were introduced in German car magazines and passing them became a big selling point. The Golf I and II were very simple, light cars, but you just could not make a new 800 kilo family car anymore. And I guess with that the recipe of just putting in a slightly naughtier engine with a few more horsepower turned out to not do the trick anymore.

[@ezdubbin97]

I will never depart with my MK3 GTI. At this point she’s family. It was my introduction to German cars, and it’s the longest I’ve owned one car…25 years now. I love her and she will always have a spot in my garage…key was no longer driving her in winter after 2004. Rust free and on BBS RS wheels from an old 911, as they should be 😂. I’m tickled to see you do a jaunt in one and make a video about it.

[@michaelpegasiou4531]

Damp squib not squid although it was more like a squid washed up on shore,the mk2 was the best in my opinion 😊

[@bobfrankish8883]

Hi Jack. I restored a 1996 8V a few years ago. It was my wife's daily drive for many years and she loved it. It was a great car, never let us down. I reluctantly sold it about 18 months ago because it was rarely driven and just in the way really. Although it still looked absolutely fantastic, I had a real job to sell it. I advertised it all over, Facebook MK3 group, locally etc. finally ended up on Ebay. Had to take £1500 for it in the end, so they are still not that sought after. As people have said, the expectations were too high when it was launched so it seemed underwhelming. But a friend of mine had the 16V 2L version, and that just flew. No aircon, no extra weight, low centre of gravity, great car. Mine was 115 bhp, I think the 16V were 165 bhp, might be wrong, but they were extremely quick in the day.

[@martin_chip]

MK3 is one of the best cars ever. Had it in the family for over 15 years, never had any issues. Have changed only the oil on it.

[@colinsavidge9121]

I have had each model of Golf GTI from 1 to 7. This was my least favourite version due to its performance and the bloated styling. Quality however was a step up and even better in the Mark 4. One point, the golf ball gear knob was not a standard fitting on the Mark 3.

[@neilturner6749]

For Jacks overseas viewers - the 8V MK3 GTI and non-turbo MK4 GTi were semi-official VW UK editions and were only badged GTi upon arrival in the UK. Factory built MK3 GTi’s were 16V and MK4s 1.8T. I understand this was because around 40% of all MK2 Golfs sold in the UK had been GTi’s (compared to around 10% in the rest of Europe) and therefore VW UK believed that most purchasers were “buying the badge” and not the car itself.

[@MrCarrera28]

Thanks for the info!

[@PhilbyFavourites]

I never bought one but I can certainly support that UK mentality.

[@Lemma01]

Explains everything. Thank you.

[@Albert87nl]

makes littery no sence .. the now audi plant in belgium made RHD and LHD GTI's for export and domestic sales.. 80% of the gtis sold in holland where made in belgium . so far every vin ive come across of UK and even japanese sold GTIS all tell by vin there made in belgium . so they where GTI'S by vin.. from the day they left the factory

[@bas4627]

What are you on about? It is normal to see some market specific badging going on (not limited to VW, Golf or UK) but you seem to imply the 8v gti is a UK thing only? I'm sorry but that is nonsense

[@simonhodgetts6530]

A good (but sadly now departed) friend of mine bought a 3dr mk3 GTi - it was a bit of a shock - he’d always had VW Polos previously. A nice car, but no ball of fire - I had an Alfa 145 1.6 T spark at the time, and another of our friends had a Saxo VTS - both of which could show the GTi a clean pair of heels.

[@7quidstudio]

I had one of these! Exactly the same except 3 door. Once I'd sorted the ride height I actually loved it.

[@chir0pter]

The 80s hit big cars hard as emissions and fuel costs killed bigger engines, the 90s hit small cars hard as increased safety requirements and consumer demand for marginally "more" led to bloated weight

[@MrShadownoise]

I think this is a spot-on comment. I had a Mk1 GTi 1985-91. All the traits that became problematic in later versions were already there, but it weighed much less. It was noisy, raucous and fun without ever being 'fast', but the suspension let it down. I fitted lowered Bilsteins and was much happier especially with 205 tyres fitted, and uprated discs&pads. But it in its details it wasn't all that reliable - that cable clutch, the bypass hose, waterpump, the gear linkage, wishbones, CV's all needed frequent attention. It was definitely at its best on roads like Jack used. On long motorway journeys it would cruise all day at 120mph if permitted, but at those speeds drank like a fish. The cabin noise was a loud unpleasant boomy drone even at the 70 limit. In the end, there was a distressing amount of rust along sills, wheelarches and door bottoms by the time it was 10 years old. It was a great car and I loved it, but it did need to be better built. I never had a later Golf, although several family members had mk2,3 and 5 versions. AIUI the Mk2 and Mk3 used the same platform. Each generation seemed to be better made and more 'finished' but lardier and softer. I think the 4pot 8v just wasn't enough from Mk2 onwards, no matter the expansion in CC. The 1.6 of my Mk1 had a revvy unburstable nature that felt sporty beyond its achievements, later were more midrange and less enthusiastic. Only the Mk5 seemed 'quick' but by then it had a well sorted turbo (and really trashy chrome bezels). I hated VW interior fabrics in just about all of them. The 2008 Alfa 147 Sport Q2 I have owned for 8 years very much reminds me of Gti virtues, but grown up, and without any of the downsides. It has its own, but they are curable - aside from being a diesel and virtually a criminal offence now. Despite the weight, it does everything better, and almost 50 mpg, twice what I got out of the Golf when enjoying myself. Mine has zero rust - I rustproofed it early enough, before the galvanising gave out. It is much more reliable than the VW ever was, now I have debugged it. But it is the only affordable hatchback car that I have enjoyed driving much more than the Mk1. Which I now think has been over-rated by history, just as the later cars were under-rated by comparison with the original. I think Jack's review is very fair and accurate: not a lot wrong with the Mk3 unless you think Gti meant more than it ever actually did.

[@jonathancollard3710]

I had Mk2 Gti back in 1992 and then my wife had the Mk3 when we lived in USA, circa 1997. Build quality was “ chunky and thunky” so, sold and granite like. She loved her Mk3 and I thought I was chocolate in Mk2 , although Peugeot 1.9Gti was the one everyone wanted. Happy days indeed.😊

[@f.d.robben159]

The real GTI was the VR6. Back in the days, when I was looking for a Golf 3 with an automatic transmission for my mother, I came across a plain white Golf GL (priest) first-hand. There was nothing to indicate what the insurance company had found. It was a GTI (and therefore quite expensive). On closer inspection, you could see the slight lowering, the dual exhaust, the disc brakes all around and the five-hole steel rims. She drove the car for almost 20 years until she retired from driving. She still has to giggle today when I talk about my near-heart attacks as a passenger when she was driving at almost 200 km/h on the Autobahn ;-) She loved this car so much

[@GoldenCroc]

As far as I know, the real GTI was the GTI.... aka the 16v. It was the only one sold in other markets, it seems (from other posts) this 8v "GTI" was a UK importer malarkey to pull a fast one. The VR6 wasnt a GTI, according to tests it was softer sprung than the true GTi, as well as having worse handling because of being nose heavy. It was built to try a niche of "luxury" hatchbacks without being very sporty, akin to the later Audi A3 3.2 and so on.

[@f.d.robben159]

@@GoldenCroc You're absolutely right. My statement wasn't really meant seriously either. Rather in the sense of - the Golf GTI Mk1 defined a new vehicle category, just like the Golf VR6 Mk3. The VW Golf has always been more of a daily multi-tool than a sport focused weapon

[@TassieLorenzo]

@@f.d.robben159 " the Golf GTI Mk1 defined a new vehicle category" Of all things, don't Number27 fans (i.e., Italian car tragics) know the Alfa Romeo Alfasud came before the GTI?! 😃

[@oliverlondon5246]

Agreed. The VR6 was the one to get. Once that came out, nobody remembered what a GTI was. Unfortunately, that didn‘t last too long

[@SterkeYerke5555]

@@GoldenCroc We had the mk3 8v GTI in the Netherlands as well. I never knew those weren't available in most countries. It has the exact same reputation here as it's got in the UK. We didn't get the mk4 8v as a GTI though. They had either the 1.8 turbo or the V5 engine.

[@liambrady9852]

I had a 8v GTI back in the early 0’s and used it to commute back and forth from the Isle of Wight to Exeter weekly. I must say I absolutely loved it. I found it rapid enough and comfortable. One of my favourite cars I have ever owned and have in the last year been looking for one as a second car.

[@james011974]

I had a 93 8 valve bitd. I loved it too and it had tons of handy torque. Wish I kept it I'd say it would still be going strong 💪

[@philipmulville8218]

Am delighted to see this channel grow. Jack is doing a huge amount of work and deserves the success.

[@MrSandRune]

I had 1.8 GT 1996.Drove whole west-europe a few times.Autobahn,Brenner-pass,St-Tropez,France,Germany A LOT.Marked as "worlds best USED car".Very cheap parts,avaible.A turbo cost 100 euro,intercooler 100 euro,never had.Manifoil.Personally I had never changed it.Scrapped it because I cant sit inside,pretend I drive.Never,ever drive again.+1 000 000 km on the clock.The beetle I got as 12 year old,to smoke cigarettes.Autobahn you can do 150 km\h,but over 160 km\h the front is too heavy as you say.Forgot always rubber on the wheel.Slicks always,ALSO had in the winter,with zero notice.Crashed 1 time,steep,180 turn,alpine skiing mountain.Did upwards in 20-30 % hill,only turns and car-carrier behind me,and down again on slick-tyre.Are EXTRA-TERESTRIAL anti-gravity.

[@clownworld-honk410]

Damp squib. It's a firework, not a sea creature! You're welcome 😅

[@JohnnyL20]

I've had many "hot Golfs". A Mk2 GTi 8V, a Mk2 GTi 16V, and a VW Corrado 16V that my father owned and that I drove a lot. They were all excellent. After the Mk2s I bought a Mk3 VR6. Fabulous car - in a straight line, but show it a corner and it understeered terribly. But I forgave it, because it was so comfortable and fast. I then bought a Mk4 GTI. It was a fantastic car and I regret selling it even to this day. I was the second owner, and it had originally been specced with all the options - leather heated seats, sunroof, climate control, split rim BBS wheels, etc... It was a fantastic car and it handled far better than the Mk3 ever did.

[@kevmagill5163]

Great video, as always, Jack. Have you ever wanted to do the Rover 3500 SD1 Vitesse? I really appreciate your videos. ✌️

[@NeilHinds-su6rt]

I had a 94 model 2.0 ltr with 115hp , bagded as a GL , so were these similar in performance to GTi ? Even was fitted with cruise control ! Only negatives were I bought it as 8 year old 2nd hand car, and although I enjoyed driving it, it started having issues, headling fellow down, 3 electric doors gave trouble, was always hot in footwell on drivers side ( right ) suspension bushings started giving out. So although it felt solid in the body, it was not overly durable.

[@Mafiacat2023]

In South Africa we only had the 4 door 8 valve. Car was so bland in performance it didn't deserve the Gti badge. The Dashboard was really ugly and the a/c blew directly on your fingers as you drove,causing you to take turns warming up your fingers.

[@jamesreed9632]

Everthning said in the first 42 seconds is revisionist fiction. While water cooled VWs were a major departure from what VW had made to that point, to characterize the Type1, Type2, and Type3 cars and the performance of the company as a whole as somehow unsuccessful is ridiculous and complete nonsense. It makes me question the things said in other videos about manufacturers I’m less familiar with.

[@stephenboitoult8774]

It was never a BAD car, it just wasn't as quick or as sharp as even the outgoing model, let alone the competition. The extra weight left it feeling a bit bloated and stodgy. I've never owned a GTi, but 50 years of spannering has let me drive all of them (and some the factory never even dreamed of) To my thinking even the MkII was a bit of a letdown compared to the pin sharp reactions of the MkI, even though it was quicker. VW learned, along with everyone else, that if you keep adding weight for whatever reason, it will come back to bite you.

[@Tacko14]

The real downer was the mkIV VR5. I got one for a drive from my garage, a client’s car to bring home. They asked me afterwards what I felt about it. My answer was: nothing. 180hp and I felt nothing. Lukewarm at best. They felt likewise, that’s why they asked. The VR6 4x4, that was a killer. You never felt how fast you went. I did 75mph downtown, never noticed. That was a scare as soon as I saw the speedo. Could’ve been jailtime.

[@OwainF]

The redeeming feature of the vr5 is the engine sound, that's really all they have going for them, otherwise they're just a normal golf to drive

[@juppzmuda9725]

In a VR6 you could notice how slow you really were when an Astra 16V/Clio 16V/306 GTi blasted by 😄 The 2.8 and the 2.9 were just sooooo sluggish!

[@magi115]

owned 2 MK3's. a cammed, tuned VR6 GTi with coils, exhaust and it was fantastic. also had an 8V Cabrio. the 2.0 Crossflow motor was very anemic unless you really wound it out to 5000 RPM's. it just didn't breathe well and was heavy. we never got the ABA 16V GTi in the states, but I suppose that would be a happy medium.

[@uncensored5104]

After the MK2, the Golf GTi was more of a thinking mans car! i.e, those who owned MK1s & 2s in their youth, now had a family to cart around and the MK3 was ideal for that whilst still being able to own a GTi. For those that wanted a more spirited drive had the option of the 16v or VR6. The VR6 has become a legend itself and was actually badged as a GTi in the States.

[@davekennedy6315]

The 0-60mph figures quoted for this car are even slower than you stated, you said 9.5 when it was actually 10.4 to 60, which downgraded it into the performance realms of what they used to call a Warm Hatch (being far too slow to be referred to as a Hot Hatch!) The only time the mk3 got the performance it should have had was with a 2.8ltr VR6 engine, which then gave it utterly horrendous mpg figures!

[@ayebark5727]

Seem to recall this was a rebadged for UK Golf mk3 GL

[@neilturner6749]

Yes the factory build-data sticker in the service book on my mother’s 8V said Golf GL. I think the exterior badges were fitted upon arrival in the UK.

[@aston-martin-internationalist]

A friend of mine had a MK3 GTi. He absolutely loathed it. I never understood why as it looked ok. For a while I then had my own MK3 Golf when I became a pennyless student and boy, whilst a pile. Awful over rated thing it was. It was a CL, but it was just nasty. The MK3 Astra which it was up against and often criticised was, IMO, a far better and under rated car than the over rated MK3 Golf. I didn't much think of the early MK4 Golfs, they were truly gutless if you had the 8v. I quite like the look of the MK3 GTi though.

[@daniellee9015]

Absolutely brilliant video jack ❤👍what a beautiful old car at least she starts running brilliant put me in mind of when they brought the Vauxhall royale out and said it was slow I had one it wasn't slow I only ever thrashed it once and didn't after it was quick brilliant

[@Shyted]

I loved my mk3, such a comfortable relaxing car to drive.

[@Rouxenator]

They were never a match for the Kadett (Astra) 200tS over here in South Africa, not even the VR6 could match it :D

[@cogboy302]

I was given a 3 door Mk3 8 valve GTi by a mate. It had become surplus. It was alright for a freebie. The blower motor didn't work, neither did the electric windows, and it had fixed rear windows. It had a black interior and the body was a dark metallic green. I still remember the looks I got driving down the M6 middle of Summer holding the driver's door open. It was a bit warm.

[@nickpage2949]

I seem to remember the cover of Car magazine on release featuring a yellow one with the caption “lemon.”

[@cmc6040]

That was the vr6 one I think?

[@andrewpreston4127]

That mag always did have a lovely way with words. Back then it was very much my go to for car reviews.

[@mrdainase]

That was for the VR6, and VW went absolutely nuts about it.

[@ElToro2000UK]

I'd love to see you do a test drive of one of the VW New Beetle turbo's. I believe that in the US, they had a 5 cylinder 2.5 Litre model.

[@markotango54]

I had a 90bhp Mk3 TDi it was a little nose heavy on tight bends but a nice chassis on sweeping A+B roads

[@dantheman7357]

Thanks for the great review. I have always loved the GTI since day-1. I checked out the new 2024 GTi the other day and I thought it was generally superb but you could buy a used Nuclear Submarine for the same price. I may wait a couple of years for a slightly used 2024 GTi in order to get the cost down. It would be my Wife's car and it would get limited use so we could own it and enjoy it for many years.

[@markh949]

Cars owned 96 to 2002. 1, 205 gti 1.6, 2, golf mk2 8v, 3, golf mk3 16v. 1 was a coke can on wheels, 2 the best built by far, 3 a bit dull but decent enough. However, 2011-14 got into rc2 integra type R. Build and performance. Incredible car compared to 3 pretty decent ones in my view

[@bigredtri]

I had a 3 door 16v that I used to commute to work, so that I didn't have to use my Impreza Turbo. It made a really nice daily driver. Quite underrated.

[@sebastiend.5335]

I would say: not the best, not the worst! Thanks for another great video Jack. Greetings from the Netherlands

[@andrewpreston4127]

Thank you. back in the day, I just viewed the Mk3 as GTI gone plump, both in the looks and the performance. I never really gave much/any attention to the interior. Must say, though , that I do like that interior and dash area.., looks very well thought out. In the early '90's, I owned a Mk2 16V GTI. I bought it off the back of all the hoo hahs about how wonderful the Mk1 was. I had previously driven a Peugeot 205 GTI for a while, which was my benchmark. The Golf seemed a bit unenjoyable to drive. Hard seats, big lack of suppleness in the suspension ( cf the 205 GTI ), and also I wasn't too keen on how the 16V had to be revved out to make it access the extra power. I remember someone commenting that for the vast majority of VW GTI owners, the 8V engine was by far the better choice due to its power characteristics. However, the MK3....., nothing there to convince me that I would want one, apart from that instrument panel area.

[@Rapscallion2009]

I think they just looked at insurance rates. Don't forget that this is an era where the XR3i was now "si", the Sierra Cosworth had become "Mondeo ST24" and so on.

[@alansorbie4038]

My brother had a couple of these in the mid ‘00s. I always quite liked them, nothing startling but fairly torquey , grippy and with strong brakes and compact by todays standards you could really make progress on a winding B road….. I love the mk4 too and it was a league apart from the mk3 in quality and comfort but the 2.0 GTi version was really just a plush hatchback, not GTi like at all.

[@elliottharley1386]

I had a 16v mk3. Ended up pretty modified, suspension, induction, exhaust, a few cosmetics. Much more useable than my mk2, but I only still covet one of them...

[@stevewaller6577]

I had a MK4 8V GTI as a new company car, as a GTI it was disappointing, but loved the purple haze around the instrument cluster and general quality, my manager had the turbo and that felt much more fun.

[@TheJensenInterceptor]

I owned for 6 months, brought brand new from prestigious VW dealer in Sloane Square as my GTI was to be my dream car, first new car. I could not stomach it, is was useless and boring, sold it only after 6 months at a loss and replaced with a Maserati Biturbo 425 used car. But still regret the MK3 GTI was rubbish.

[@robp8218]

I used to own a red Mk3 16v anniversary many years ago, had it on coilovers, it went quite well too.

[@howardsmith8723]

I had one of those in Holland as an upgrade hire car back in the day. My pleasure at an unexpected upgrade was soon gone, the performance, steering and especially the brake feel was a let down.

[@nickhigginsonmusic]

Had all the ‘sporty’ 80’s & 90s vw’s pretty much over the years. . The mk3 8v might not have been exciting but the best to drive daily of any i found. Mine was a p reg 3 door in dragon green with the half leather Recaro interior. Great car!

[@F3udF1st]

I have an absolute shitbox non-GTI golf mk III -92 with the 1.8l engine. It might've been fast when it was new but, I drive it like a tractor trailer, short shifting it and just doing my absolute best to not put any strain on it whatsoever. It is a very charming car, with a surprising amount of torque at low revs. It could be that the fuel filter is clogged up (I'd be surprised if it has ever been changed, I did try myself last year but it was literally rusted solid into the frame) and that's why there's almost no power in the motor whatsoever.

[@plank770]

I had a 96 mk3 gti colour concept...loved it, mad to think it was only 115bhp.

[@kingcal53]

Me too, mine was Jazz Blue. Loved the seats in it.

[@chencokendas8265]

Let’s please see an 8l s3 and mk5 r32 Jack. Two cars I’ve owned and loved 😎

[@william-131]

I had a mk 3 TDi back in the day. With the optional GTI pack including skirts and Recaro seats. I had it with Koni yellow coil-overs and 15” steelies off the contemporary Passat Synchro. Very nice car to drive and to own. Rust killed it though.

[@bevans247]

Having oowned an 8V and 16V the 8 drove like a modern diesel with a fair bit of torque and the 16 was all power and no torque, had over 140mph out of it though!

[@heizoeli9152]

'16V = no torque' is not true. Until about 3500 rpm it delivers at least the same torque as the 8V. Of course, a real difference you will feel only at higher revs.

[@darkwaterblue]

I have a Octavia Mk1 shed with the same 2.0 lump that got a GTi badge in the Mk4 mk3 I believe? Its not fast, but its a decent engine, its a nice torquey unit. Somehow its enjoyable to drive, much more so than more powerful modern cars I have. And thats what its about isn't it? And they are very hardy, meh maybe thats not a bad thing for a drivers car.

[@nixer65]

I loved my Mk 2 16V GTI. I tried the Mk 3 and hated it and instead bought the VR6 which I really loved. Followed up with the Mk 4 V6.

[@YegoYTP]

These are actually the rarest of the Golf GTI's now, even less of these on the roads than the MK1, although I'm not surprised since they rusted so terribly

[@thomasseymour4190]

I’ve owned a couple of 2.0 8v golf mk3s. Both street and track cars. They’re fine cars, yes heavier than the previous gen cars and not as fun it of the box as a contemporary civic. But still just fine to drive, generally robust, easy to service, everything was very solid for the time and way better to be in if you’re tall. I’ve been wanting a nice one again lately but they’re basically all gone now.

[@ttblade]

My 16V MK3 had done 104,000 when I bought it and almost 150,000 when I sold it 7 years later to a work colleague for her partner. He'd still got it 2 years later. Over those 9 years, apart from normal servicing/wear and tear, it cost neither of us a penny. I can't fault it, great to drive, great for my young family, great for camping trips, reliable even in a nuclear war and the metallic paint on mine looked smart. The 16v and the 8v were miles apart in terms of performance and spec'. My current MK7 Golf R is at another level but still has the same DNA.

[@chrisreed3929]

I owned one of the 8v like these. It was a bit dull and it never felt sporting. But it was comfortable, rapid enough for normal driving and it was built like a tank. It was also the ultimate Q car, as comfortable at a country mansion as it was on a normal housing estate.

[@kajwis2675]

i have the 8v in a 1998 new beetle coupe, i love the sound and the throttle response, although yes, its not very quick or economical

[@domtoni4567]

Giac, I had a 1080 VW Scirocco back in the USA before I came to the US. Great car, and pretty quick. Kinda miss it.

[@Number27]

Yes.. they were supposed to be decent cars!

[@domtoni4567]

@@Number27 Sorry for the poor spelling, should have edited it before posting. It was small, compact, and for the time, quick. Not fast.

[@jimhutton4352]

I always wanted a 3 door Mk3 Golf GTi in white

[@alaricbragg7843]

Ah the plump one. Still looks very attractive by today's standards! The Alfa Romeo 155 Silverstone from the same period was not much to crow about either power and weight-wise and not as easy to maintain, but it is not as maligned so much. The Golf is still quite simple and fun.

[@stevenr2463]

Nice surprise! I had one from 1993-1997 (but with 16v spec, i.e. Recaro seats, big wheels ect). Before had a Mk2. The Mk 3 was an upgrade, perhaps not quite as nimble but a more grown up car. I liked it.

[@paultasker7788]

Try a mark 4 as that was even less of a GTI. Especially the 2.0 which top gear drag raced against a Rover 25 diesel and it lost! I quite liked the 8 valve VWs. Nice midrange power and less need to rev hard than 16 valve cars. I remember going from a Bora 1.6 8 valve to a focus 1.6 16 valve and you had to work the Ford so much harder.

[@Coolit2683]

Pretty sure that here in Canada our MK3 GTI's came base with the 2.0 16v which wasn't all that much faster, but also optioned with the VR6

[@tdurdon24]

I like how the ceiling fabric is sagging. Happened on my MK5 GTI and is starting to happen on my MK6 R. They have yet to solve this problem.

[@rcflyer2000]

I like your review of this Mk3 GTI 👍🏻 You are correct this a good driving car I say this because I.have driven a similar car to one, a Mk3 Bora 4 door with 8 valve 4 cylinder with 5 speed. I have driven both cars you speech of in this video the Mk3 and mk4, I prefer the 2002 Mk4 Bora Estate 1.8t with 5 speed manual transmission, which I own and drive as my daily driver.

[@stevensjogren954]

Drove a mk3 k2 (us edition) up til 2019… I added bilstein b4’s in2017…totally enjoyed the experience….missing it still….

[@caterhamsuperlightr81]

Bought a new GTi 16v in 97 when based in Germany. Kept it for 10 months. It was OK but not very satisfying… above 100mph on the autobahn it was rock steady and stayed that way up to 135mph, but at lower speeds it had low torque and had to be revved hard to go anywhere. I had been blinded by the previous ‘GTi aura’… in hindsight I wish I had bought a 306 GTi-6. Still according to online records P152MYA lasted for 180k miles!

[@danmoney9932]

Nice review. Always quite liked the mk3. One thing not mentioned is that they are probably the worst of all the golf generations for rust. Mk2 and mk4 especially are more rust resistant.

[@castielvargastv7931]

I had one. Golf 3 was very nice to drive. Seeing this video i remember and want one.

[@Greenmould]

I had the 1.8 driver as my 1st car. Happy memories, loved the mk3.

[@simonhjc]

Kicking back in Aus waiting for my mechanic to fit some additional fuel filters to my Hilux, great watching! I had a GTi (being in the auction industry i got a new car every 5000k or so), loved it, however it broke engine mounts constantly ie twice in 5000k. So they got a me an evo 9 🤣

[@markmcgrath9098]

In Oz the Mk3 GTi came only with the turbo motor. By the time it got here the price in AUD was high enough so that its cold fish performance and handling was pretty poor in comparison to other cars available for the money.

[@allseeing357]

I suppose badging them as a GTi was really a bit of a stretch, but for the time they were a rather nice, well made, classless (in a very good way, I recall them being quite desirable new) car. The 16v was far better than the 8v, the VR6 sounded better than it went but were all really nice cars. Certainly the Mk3 and MK4 generations were a golden era for VW where perceived and actual build quality were concerned.

[@Corvolet5]

What I find interesting is that the Seat Ibiza of the time got the exact same engines 2 years later. It wasn't crazy fast but I'm sure you feel the difference in a car that only weighs a ton.

[@aldostefanini1392]

Ciao. I still have my g3. I turbo charged the 1800 that time made 250hp on the wheels then gave it to my brother and changed the engine to a 2L 8v. I had to replace the gearbox once because my turbo engine broke the standard gsx box. I changed the box to the vr6 box. Nice long ratio gears. Anyway this 2L 8v short block i put in makes 100kw on the wheels on the dyno and still to this day you can still see it's a quality built car compared to other of the same era. We in South Africa drive cars until they are really scrap😂

[@felixjones9198]

I remember test driving a Mk3 GTI and thinking that the dealer must have stuck GTI badges on a 1.2 or something. It didn't sound like a GTI should, it was slower and less agile than my girlfriend's pov spec Polo, and the suspension was, to quote Clarkson, "soggier than a blancmange that's been dipped in soggy fluid". I didn't buy it.

[@and4263]

Over the last 28 years I've driven all the Golf's, some new some old and they are all different in detail while sticking to the same basic formula. I ran a mk3 8 valve GTI a few years back when I also had a mk2 16v and given a choice of which to take on my 450 mile weekly commute the mk3 was clearly the best bet, refinement was leagues ahead for motorway work, close to 40 mpg too but obviously less exciting on a B road. The 2.0 16v and VR6 restored the performance levels ultimately but they are all a bit less sporty than the mk2, that's progress I suppose!

[@petetrundell5454]

Your description of the lean on the way into a bend then it settles is, I think, indicative of VW's at that time. My Polo TDi S does the same. Feed it into a bend at moderate speeds and you think it's leaning too much. But curiously, speed it up a bit and try a quick left-right and it tightens up and behaves like it's fitted with uprated anti-roll bars.

[@Z-u-m-a]

Nice looking car. Had a (chippe) tdi version of this and loved it. Felt bomb-proof.

[@fatfreddyscoat7564]

I always thought the MK4 was the worst GTi - awful soft suspension, terrible handling: a gti for Americans.