Mk 3 what to watch out for.......

Models Covered: Golf GTi Mk 3 1992-1997 (2.0 8v, 2.0 16v three and five-door hatch [GTi, Colour Concept, Anniversary])

Golf GTI 8v - 0-60mph = 8.7secs Top Speed = 123Mph
Golf GTI 16v - 0-60mph = 8.0secs Top Speed = 135Mph
Golf VR6 - 0-60mph = 7.5secs Top Speed = 142Mph

8v = 115Bhp
16v = 150Bhp
VR6 = 174Bhp V6

The Golf has a strong reputation for reliability, but it still has a few areas that need to be checked carefully. One is the manual gearbox in high-mileage cars. These can have worn bearings which need expensive repairs if there is a lot of noise from the gearbox, get it checked. Corrosion is rare on a Golf, which speaks volumes for Volkswagen rustproofing methods and the quality of the steel it uses. A GTi with rust should scream "badly repaired accident damage" at you. Steer well clear, as a bent chassis will probably have caused misaligned panels and subsequent corrosion.

The Golfs reputation as the car that would corner on three wheels with steering that danced in your hands and a chassis that made the keen drivers eyes light up is a bit of ancient history now. The Golf GTi is a far more urbane creature, looking disdainfully at such juvenile antics. Even the 2.0 16v GTi models are smooth, refined and syrupy, with none of the verve of old models.

Many drivers will lament this metamorphosis, and turn to French or Japanese rivals instead, but for many others it will be a significant benefit. A Mk3 Golf GTi really does feel like an equivalent year Passat inside its only when you glance over your shoulder that you realise that youre in a family hatchback.

If youre after the definitive hot hatch, buying a Mk3 Golf GTi may well leave you with the impression that Volkswagen has traded rather cynically on the cachet of the GTi badge. Others do ten-tenths cornering a good deal more convincingly than the slightly tubby Golf. If, on the other hand, youre looking for an impeccably built and classically presentable hatch, the Golf GTi has few rivals.