been upto Newcastle for a p*ss up last night and had to drive my mates MK3 8v GTI back to sheffield today cos he kept falling asleep at the wheel . I have been driving a lowered and poly bushed Mk2 8v for the last two years and I have to say the ride quality of the Mk3 is spot on. It has uprated shocks on standard springs and i was quite impressed by the way it handled. Doing 105 mph felt like about 70! just sat there smooth and steady. thinkng abount looking for a nice 16v Mk3 now. I must say that when i got back in the Mk2 i couldnt stop smiling because it felt so much more raw and "driveable" but if i had to do any long drive I would take the Mk3 any day. just need to try a mk1 and mk4 now Edited by: Andy99
you wanna try a vr6 mate...that'll make a mkIII feel a little more 'raw'!!! they are great everyday cars...perfect compromise in my opinion.
It's funny how raw a Mk3 can feel though - been driving around in the old dear's Laguna for the last week whilst they've been on holiday as I fancied a change and it had a full tank of petrol when she went away! Getting back in the Golf today it just feels right, and despite being an 8v, it actually feels pretty quick!!
Yeah, I was driving my folks standard S reg Astra last night and its so damn sloppy compared to my MK3 with a Blistien Sprintline kit fitted.
Standard MK3s handle like a boat, comfortable they may be but they dont have the feel of a Gti. They are a good car but they dont come close to the class of the earlier cars not even the VR6. And before you ask what the f**k do you know, well my wife has a MK3 and Ive probably driven more Mk 1s, Mk2s, Mk3s and 4s than most.
i've driven all golf's, except mkV of course, and the mkIII is my fav...mkI ain't bad but mkII's without pas don't have enough steering response IMO.
True but none of the ones above were standard - all had at least uprated shocks, and a bit of suspension is all you really need to do to make them feel like a 'proper' GTI, IMHO.
Without PAS there's less response? You can't get much more direct than no PAS to muck things up, must have been a poor car you drove?
yeah, pretty much every road car needs a suspension change to make it okay..all cars are set up for comfort too much .
i mean the amount of lock required on one without pas is too much...in other words the steering is sluggish...pas ones (at least the 16v) have a much higher ratio and you don't loose that much feel.
well, i'd have to change the seating position (different seat - much lower down, and i'd have to spacer the wheel towards me) but it would be okay...but i prefer having a little more luxury these days...mkIII fits the bill for me.
Im not saying theres anything wrong with them after a few mods apart from they are over weight (but so am I) but as standard they stink. If you compare how the other Gti models were received when launched the Mk 3 was sadly lacking, you cant compare a Mk1, Mk2, and Mk3 now because cars have advanced since the launch of the early models. If the Mk3 was the first Golf to be introduced do you think it would have contributed as much as the Mk1. The Mk3 is more of a compromise than the Mk1 or 2 ever were. And no Im not a big fan of the Mk1 either but I still understand how good they were and still are.
i always find it funny that every mark II owner goes on and on about mkIII's being overweight!!! compared to most modern cars (such as mkIV, mkV, A3's, etc) there actually pretty light. i bet a mkII and a mkIII are closer in weight than a mkIII and a mkIV! also, how many mkII's have standard suspension? almost none...has anyone driven a standard mkII 16v and compared it with a standard mkIII 16v? i bet the mkIII is better fun. gotta agree with b'locks last comment myself.
standard mk2 will run rings round a standard mk3 tbh Id even risk saying there wont be much in a modded mk3 to a standard mk2 in the twisties!
