[Meet] Tanko

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
Now that my car has pretty much been rejuvenated I figured I'd show it off a bit.

Some background on the car I call "Tanko":

Purchased winter of 2015 to replace an aging 1999 Toyota Corolla. I had never purchased a new vehicle and I didn't want to break that trend, so I got to researching used vehicles, looking for something that got good FE (as my Corolla had). I ultimately fixated on the MKIV TDI with an ALH. Golfs had an appeal due to them being a hatchback: I'd once owned a 1997 Saab 9000 CSE, which was a great car- a four door, 5 spd, four cylinder turbo that had a ton of torque (more torque than hp!). Finding a low mileage, four-door TDI Golf (ALH of course) with a manual transmission was tough; and I felt a sense of urgency in replacing that aging Corolla. I stumbled across this Golf at a dealer in Minnesota :eek: Price was just under $5k. CarFAX info showed only two owners, the second owner (the dealer said it was a female, college instructor?) traded it in after owning it for 12 years. Other than the rusted front fenders and front rockers the car looked like it has been pretty well taken care of- more or less a garage queen.

Had the car shipped (tack on another $950!). I'm still way under what similar cars were going for here in the PNW (and today prices are STILL crazy!). Car arrived and I got my chance to drive a diesel car, something that I said that I'd never do! (OK, that was my previous life!) "UhOh!" Yup, I started wondering what the heck I got myself in to. Shifting wasn't very good. Car was a pig: I started looking up performance mods- that got me committed to doing them (though later I found that it was a pig due to the intake being horribly clogged). Front brakes were total crap. And after scrutinizing shop records (garage that the car had been going to was kind enough to send me copies of all the service records) it became apparent that the TB was overdue to be changed: mileage-wise it might have been close; time-wise, I figured, it was over due.
 
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UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
Welcome to TB work!

I wasn't at all happy with the car, BUT, I knew the TB had to be changed. So, in the middle of winter (a mild one):



Had many trials here, but in the end the job got done. Tanko fired up instantly. I didn't have VCDS yet, so no idea where the timing was at that point: It ended up to be perfect- the car started, ran great AND FE was 50+mpg; in 40k miles since this job I haven't touched the timing!

A close up and you can see the rusted front fender and rocker section.

Parts were stored in the back of the car- that's why the hatch is open.

It looks like I'd already gotten, and installed, the Panzer plate: country road here.
 

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
And welcome to intake cleaning!

Following the TB work I did the front brakes.


Delaminating! I suspect my efforts to improve them, trying to re-bed them, resulted in their totally crapping out. I replaced with Zimmerman rotors and Akebono pads: I continue to use this combo on all my cars.Anyway, on to the big show...

With the all-important TB work done and safety issues addressed -brakes- it was, finally, on to dealing with the intake!



The results were nothing short of miraculous! The car was no longer a pig, no longer pokier than my old Corolla! In fact, I now was able to experience what these cars are really about- torque!

Somewhere between doing the front brakes and cleaning the intake I also changed out the transmission fluid (AC Delco Synchromesh), and installed a Sigma 5 short shifter kit, in which case I then had pretty decent shifting. The car was starting to come together. I now felt like I would keep the car.
 
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UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
Giddy-up!

After having my mind set (after experiencing utterly pathetic performance due to intake clogging) on performance mods it was time to execute that "plan!"

I'd picked up a nearly identical car for the wife, which was named "Tanka." Meet the twins, Tanko (left) and Tanka (right):



I actually jumped on getting Tanka because that car's performance was FAR better than Tanko's. Although it's, Tanka's, intake had clogging it wasn't yet enough to noticeably degrade performance: the car felt really quick; and to this day that car still seems to have more punch than any of the others- turbo pops a bit higher (though never have gotten it to limp).

Performance mods were constrained due to my wife's insistence that she be able to get 50+mpg. I knew that I wanted to make sure that our cars had enough "go" to them that we could get out of trouble if needed: our main highway has lots of trucks. I aimed for a moderate bump in power, something that would give us extra punch w/o really dinging FE. With the help of this forum (and especially Jack) I decided on DLC520 nozzles and a Malone stage 2 tune, for both cars. I was worried about issues with our cliutches, in which case I bought a stage 1.5 tune and the stage 2 tunes. Performance with just the nozzles was great. The stage 1.5 tune was OK, but then I decided, because it was a minimal cost to also get the stage 2 tune (I bought a Flashzilla) I figured it was worth trying it, kind of like spending a few bucks for a couple of hours of entertainment:D I never dialed back from that stage 2 tune: Jack's call on this was dead-on! Tanka's clutch felt stiff and I figured that I'd replace it, in which case I researched clutches and decided to buy a DC stage 1 clutch for it. Well, with far fewer miles on it the clutch in Tanko's clutch started readily slipping. Clutch replacement which was meant for Tanka ended up going for Tanko (I paid a member here to do the clutch- I wasn't comfortable with doing this job; I did "help," though I didn't spend much time "learning" :eek:).

New injectors. A tune. A new clutch. Tanko was really starting to come alive.
 
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UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
Suspension refresh

I forgot to mention that Tanko had a horrible clunking in the rear! Hitting road transitions and turning slightly would cause the rearend to hop badly and to make a horrible clunk. The service records had the PO taking it to the shop suspecting "shock noise." Shop checked out the rear shocks and found them to be OK. Huh? What about the PO's complain of the noise? Thanks to this forum I KNEW the answer- bad rear axle bushings!

A full suspension refresh took place. Once again, like all other previous work, this was done outside, on an uneven, gravely surface. Not a really bad job, if one doesn't count the rear axle bushing work! I killed a new rear axle bushing -Cupra R- trying to install using a standard installation tool. I then learned that there's a difference and that the Cupras require a deeper receiving cup (I used an old front wheel bearing race).

Cupra R rear bushings. Audi TT LCA bushings. Koni STR.Ts and new standard springs. The car's ride now matched its performance. Everything was crisp. Oh yeah, forgot to mention that the car's muffler hanger was rusted off the muffler -exhaust was hanging a bit- so I had that hacked off- mufflerectomy. So, include a bit of a growl to add into the mix:D

At this point I felt like I had the car that I'd wanted. But...
 

Tdijarhead

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Location
Lawrenceville PA
TDI
2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
These cars are pretty amazing. It sounds like you learned along the way. I bought my 2000 Golf in 07. It was an automatic which gave decent mpg, at about 42-44. Just like yours mine was absolutely gutless, because the intake was plugged. I could just about get a pencil through the hole left in the crud. Once cleaned out.... wow what a difference. The transmission finally died after 331k, so not bad on an 01m.

Fortunately before it crapped out I had already replaced it with my current 05, like you I had mine shipped, but from California. What a difference the 5 spd is, and an absolute delight to drive.

Along the way I learned how to take care of these cars. I have a heated garage so I've had no problems taking care of things as they arise regardless of the weather. My preferred place to work though is outside during the summer, so if at all possible I put off major maintenance like suspension, timing belts and such until warm weather. Did you ever get your garage built?

My daughter now has an 01 Beetle, thanks to Dweisel, the one he drove back from Arizona.
That's a fun car to drive and she gets 45+ mpg with it, a far cry from the 17-19 in her Jeep.
She's went from filling her vehicle twice a week to twice a month. The fuel tank on the Jeep was about the same size.

Unfortunately as time passes these MK4 platform cars will become fewer and fewer. The ALH and BEW engine coupled with the 5 spd transmissions are probably the best combination VW ever made. Reliability, longevity, super fuel economy and a blast to drive.
 

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
The rust!

That the rust existed wasn't a surprise -I was informed of it when I inquired about purchasing the car [got pictures of it]- what WAS a surprise was what folks wanted to repair all this!

Passenger side (upload rotated the image:():



Driver's side (again, sorry for the rotated pic):



And a rust spot on the hood:


One shop quoted me $4,500:eek: Another "big time" shop said that they wouldn't touch my car because they don't deal with rust (huh? ALL cars will eventually turn into a pile of rust!). So, I just sat on this issue... But with Tanko running and performing so well, and given that its interior is almost perfect, I felt that it really wanted its looks to match.
 

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
The make-over

I finally ran across someone who would do the body work. But, it wasn't to be for another year before I finally broke down and handed the car over to him. I sought to cut down a bit of the price/quote by purchasing the fenders myself (decent deal through 1stVWparts.com- great folks!), providing rocker sections (from a Jetta parts car that I'd picked up for it's heated seats- a project that will be done before Fall sets in) AND providing my labor for dismantling and putting the fenders and bumper back on. I wanted the professionals to concentrate on doing what they do best- the rocker repair and paint.

To help blend the new paint it was decided to paint the front doors and the bumper. The hood would be repainted because the corner rust needed to be dealt with. I can be pretty critical and, frankly, I think that the paint match/job came out pretty darn well. The rocker work also appears to be in line with what I paid for the work (well under half of that $4,500 quote!).

So, here it is (the shop had washed it, but it's been in my garage for a bit and had gotten a bit dusty- in need of a wash). I took advantage of having the frontend apart and installed new glass lenses on the headlights with Lamin-X protectors, new rain tray and the side markers in the bumper (they were cooked).

(in the background is Tanka pulling into its parking spot!)




Close-up of passenger side:


Close-up of driver's side (weird reflection makes it look like something is up with the door, and the rocker):


New lenses really make it sparkle! (passenger side is washed out a bit due to angle of the sun):
 
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Tdijarhead

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Location
Lawrenceville PA
TDI
2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
Very nice and yes I see you got the garage.
 

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
These cars are pretty amazing. It sounds like you learned along the way. I bought my 2000 Golf in 07. It was an automatic which gave decent mpg, at about 42-44. Just like yours mine was absolutely gutless, because the intake was plugged. I could just about get a pencil through the hole left in the crud. Once cleaned out.... wow what a difference. The transmission finally died after 331k, so not bad on an 01m.

Fortunately before it crapped out I had already replaced it with my current 05, like you I had mine shipped, but from California. What a difference the 5 spd is, and an absolute delight to drive.

Along the way I learned how to take care of these cars. I have a heated garage so I've had no problems taking care of things as they arise regardless of the weather. My preferred place to work though is outside during the summer, so if at all possible I put off major maintenance like suspension, timing belts and such until warm weather. Did you ever get your garage built?

My daughter now has an 01 Beetle, thanks to Dweisel, the one he drove back from Arizona.
That's a fun car to drive and she gets 45+ mpg with it, a far cry from the 17-19 in her Jeep.
She's went from filling her vehicle twice a week to twice a month. The fuel tank on the Jeep was about the same size.

Unfortunately as time passes these MK4 platform cars will become fewer and fewer. The ALH and BEW engine coupled with the 5 spd transmissions are probably the best combination VW ever made. Reliability, longevity, super fuel economy and a blast to drive.
331k miles on an 01m- WOW! I'm really hoping that the 01m in the daughter's wagon holds up! (it was rebuilt by a PO, what was done is not known; car has about 160k miles on it currently)

As nice as a 5spd is in these cars, a 6spd is even nicer! Our blue Golf has one: acquired from boertje - same nozzles and same tune as our green Golfs! But, I like my car the best (it's totally tailored to me and my driving). I wish that the daughter could drive a manual; though after my experiences driving up in Vancouver, BC, where she lived, I think that having an automatic just makes more sense (even an 01m).

Yes on the garage. You can spot it in my later pictures. Not heated, OR cooled, but I'm here in the PNW. Having a real place to work out of makes ALL of the difference! And that's why we now have five MKIVs in the family: two live up in BC. I've committed to doing the maintenance on all of them.

I figure that my car will last me the rest of my driving days. It's only got 157k miles on it now. The kids' cars will last them a while, enough to, hopefully, prove to be more financially beneficial than leasing or purchasing a new vehicle. For the daughter I'm on the hook for covering all costs, so a pretty darn good deal there!
 

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
Just realized that I hadn't posted any pictures of the interior! Here's the only one I have up on this site, it's from May of last year; taken after I'd completed the suspension refresh (and a wash:D). I've got some heated seats (condition is almost perfect like these existing ones) that'll be installed before cold weather sets in this year: probably also look to install a newer style rear console section with cup holders AND a new stereo, all of which should totally complete my work on this car). Interior is a solid 9, and probably closer to a 10.

 

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
Very nice and yes I see you got the garage.
Two car stalls. The other slot is the work bay. I sized it for my tractors, and for any possible, future excavator (though I doubt I'll be getting one). It's got scissor trusses in this bay, which provides a bit more headroom (in case I need to raise equipment booms). I was trying to keep the profile of the garage from overpowering the profile of the house; similar height, though the pitch is a bit steeper. Given the proximity of the two buildings I didn't want a garage that was a huge structure (and I really couldn't afford much more than what I ended up with).

Behind door number 2 is the blue Golf:D It's currently my DD. One green car, Tanko, OUT, another green car, Tanka, to be going IN (second suspension refresh for the year!).
 

Tdijarhead

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Location
Lawrenceville PA
TDI
2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
I did a suspension refresh on mine last year. A brake refresh the year before. Though as a result of a sticking ebrake cable I may have to do the rears again.

I'm jealous of that garage even without heat that's a lot of room to work and looks nice. You can always use a space heater until a more permanent solution comes along. Sounds like you have enough headroom to put a lift in?

I've never liked laying on my back in 10 degree weather and handling parts and tools that are a similar temperature. If I know I have work to do on a particular car in the winter I'll pull it in the garage and let it sit overnight if at all possible.
 
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UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
Yeah, I've contemplated a lift. More $$! Part of the problem is having it get in the way of doing other things. The building is set up in two zones, the two car garage spaces and then the work bay and the shop. There are no wall separating, just mostly open floor space; but, the idea is that the shop and the work bay will always be open to each other so that I have flexibility in space. I try to have stuff movable, tool box is a roller as are some other things. I can push stuff around to make more work room available. I'd be afraid that with a lift I'd decrease this ability. Most work that happens doesn't require lifting a vehicle, though having one up a little bit would make it more convenient.

I did the suspension on the daughter's wagon late last winter, before I had the garage fully wired. Only had two receptacles, one of which dedicated at the time for the garage door openers (I'd borrow it when I needed something in addition to a light). It was a bit cold, though nowhere near 10 degrees. I'd been working outside, dodging rain, on an uneven gravel surface, so all of this is WAY better. Being able to actually use floor jacks (w/o picking them up to move them even a short distance) is great. And being able to drop doing whatever and leaving tools out rather than having to stay up later to get things stowed away is also a huge plus.

I bought a propane heater in anticipation of needing something while I worked on the wagon but I didn't end up using it. Long term I don't know if I'll ever really outfit it with heat: my house is heated with wood; not sure if I'd look to do the same in the garage (in the house the fire is being looked after all the time, so one is almost always burning when the weather requires heating); I might have enough power to run an electric heater (larger one). First I'd have to insulate: I was going to do this but couldn't justify the cost, yet: I was going to go with rock wool, which tends to jack costs up substantially. Greatest heat loss/gain is via roof, and no ceilings so.. I'll probably just "struggle" with things as they are, leaving a future owner to deal with as they see fit. Having a spare car means that I can be pickier about when I wish to work on a car: I can take my time, avoid too much cold:D

Anyway, I'm glad to have Tanko back together and ready to drive again. I'd have to say that of the five cars in the family I prefer driving it over all others. The wagon, however, which I've done the most work to (new brakes all the way round; TB, full suspension- Koni Reds, Malone Stage 1 tune) might be my second favorite. Kind of fun to just press and hold down on the Go pedal and let the 01m do all the shifting.
 

jmodge

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Joined
Jun 18, 2015
Location
Greenville, MI
TDI
2001 alh Jetta, RC2 w/.205's 5speed daily summer commuter and 2000 alh Jetta 5spd swap, 2" lift, hitch, stage 3 TDtuning w/.216's winter cruiser, 1996 Tacoma ALh
Sounds kind of familiar:D. We stayed at a friend mines house in Florida to find Donna's mk4 (found out the Tampa area is full of shysters). Well, as time was running out we found a 5spd jetta, bought it and made it home. 52mpg wow! I won't hog your thread with details, but from leaking cam seals to suspension bushings to coolant tube o-rings to egr deleting to auto/manual swap to fuel flushes to injector changes to deer hits to blah blah blah, I think I could assess one better and talk someone down or walk away now.:rolleyes:
That's how I ended up with an $800 budget (yeah right) project;) mk4, the fun never ends.
 

Tdijarhead

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Location
Lawrenceville PA
TDI
2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
We have that same wood heat thing going on. If needed you could just put a wood stove out in the garage and only use it in anticipation of car work to be done in extremely cold weather.

My old 2000 Golf looks exactly like your twins. Same shade of green. What did you do for your headlights. My 05's are getting a little hazy. I like the looks of yours.
 

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
Jack, yeah, pretty happy with it now. It's been really great to have that blue Golf to enable all this work! Wife is, however, wanting to drive my Golf (she's addicted to Green?:rolleyes:) when I rotate her car out for servicing, so I'll be continuing to drive the blue Golf (which I've named "Tanku").

Interestingly, or perhaps not, of late the local market has stepped up pricing on these cars (ALH TDIs). Seeing $5k pricing on just under 200k cars WITH 01ms! My car, relative to the local market, would be $7k I figure (and unlike most, mine's got a FULL service record).
 

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
My old 2000 Golf looks exactly like your twins. Same shade of green. What did you do for your headlights. My 05's are getting a little hazy. I like the looks of yours.
2000 is old?:eek:;)

On the headlights, I'd struggled for some time deciding whether I wanted to try cleaning the plastic lenses and overlaying Lamin-X (some have reported this to work well) or installing glass w/Lamin-X, OR, just keep polishing (and perhaps trying out some clear UV spray- have a can but never have gotten around to trying it). Since my car's frontend was disassembled AND I already have one car with glass lenses (the blue Golf; though I need to get some Lamin-X on it) I decided to just pull the trigger on going the glass lenses+Lamin-X route. The job isn't a lot of fun; really hard to tell whether over the course of time it ends up being worth it; but, it's been done and I guess I'll just run with it. But, for sure, it really looks sharp!
 

wonneber

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 12, 2011
Location
Monroe, NY, USA
TDI
2014 Jetta Sportwagon,2003 Jetta 261K Sold but not forgotten
On the headlights, I'd struggled for some time deciding whether I wanted to try cleaning the plastic lenses and overlaying Lamin-X (some have reported this to work well) or installing glass w/Lamin-X, OR, just keep polishing (and perhaps trying out some clear UV spray- have a can but never have gotten around to trying it).
I tried the inexpensive polish only.
Lasted maybe 2 months and started hazing again.
The 2 part (from Wally World) did last much longer. (several months or so)

I also bought a kit from Harbor Freight that had a polisher wheel you put in a drill and different grit papers (maybe it was 2 grits, not sure)
I found this was easier then manual rubbing. :cool:
Now if I can find it again.
 

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
Ah... back in the saddle.:D I LOVE the ride of Tanko, it's so much more comfortable than Tanku (sorry, Jack, but those HDs are really brutal- I wish that you could drive Tanko).

Tanka (wife's Golf) will run more more day in order to roll the odometer to 200k miles. Wife has already put dibs on driving Tanko, so it'll be me in Tanku for a while (won't be able to get around to doing the work on Tanka for a while as I have a big fencing project that I have to get cracking on [2,000`+ field fencing] before rains return to the greater PNW area).
 

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
The blue golf does not have HDs on it. They are bilstein TC sport.
Yikes! Then I can only figure that the HDs would be really harsh: or, are the HDs just a wagon version? I'd always thought that TCs would be a bit more subtle. As I'd said, you really should have driven Tanko to see the big difference between the TCs and the STR.Ts. There's a difference in tires, but I'd think that those Michelins on the blue Golf would be better than the Continentals on Tanko, so the ride difference HAS to be the shocks/struts.
 

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
Tanko looks great! For sure, you are a dedicated Mk4 TDI guy.
I really just wanted to have a newer DD (replacement for the Corolla). The deferred maintenance on Tanko pretty much forced my hand. Before I could back out of this whole MKIV/TDI thing the wife had talked me into getting one for her (for her long commute), at which point there was little going back. Fortunately this forum exists and I was able to turn one turd into a pretty decent car: the wife's car will never be as polished; the body has a fair amount of dings and such; the interior had lots of issues (probably 95%+ taken care of now); NO RUST (PNW car) though! engine is a really strong runner; once the suspension and clutch work is done it should feel as good as Tanko. And then there's the kid's MKIVs/TDIs (daughter's car is my responsibility to maintain- I've now only got some cosmetic issues to knock off; son's car is totally pristine and w/o issue.
 

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
Sounds kind of familiar:D. We stayed at a friend mines house in Florida to find Donna's mk4 (found out the Tampa area is full of shysters). Well, as time was running out we found a 5spd jetta, bought it and made it home. 52mpg wow! I won't hog your thread with details, but from leaking cam seals to suspension bushings to coolant tube o-rings to egr deleting to auto/manual swap to fuel flushes to injector changes to deer hits to blah blah blah, I think I could assess one better and talk someone down or walk away now.:rolleyes:
That's how I ended up with an $800 budget (yeah right) project;) mk4, the fun never ends.
Yup. You know EXACTLY how all this goes!:D BUT, once you've taken care of all the deferred maintenance issues (in rare cases an extremely well-maintained copy gets put up for sale- that was the case with the son's Golf [probably a 9.8 out of a 10].
 

boertje

Veteran Member
Joined
May 24, 2002
Location
Coeur d'Alene, ID
TDI
'01, '01, '03, ‘06 NB - TDIs all.
Yikes! Then I can only figure that the HDs would be really harsh: or, are the HDs just a wagon version? I'd always thought that TCs would be a bit more subtle. As I'd said, you really should have driven Tanko to see the big difference between the TCs and the STR.Ts. There's a difference in tires, but I'd think that those Michelins on the blue Golf would be better than the Continentals on Tanko, so the ride difference HAS to be the shocks/struts.
Well IIRC, there was the Bilstein TC comfort (more like the original stock US ride) and the Bilstein TC sport which was supposed to be more like the original Euro stock ride. I like the stiffer ride offered by the sport which I ended up installing on my entire fleet except my 02 Jetta wagon. There I installed the Bilstein TC sport on the front and Bilstein HD on the rear (this was a boraparts special combo). This was actually my smoothest car for ride and handling. Kinda wished I had gone HD all around now thinking back on my jetta’s Ride.
 

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
Jack, OK, yes, thanks for correcting my "knowledge" here. The "sports" are the firmer ones. I suspect MY rear-end is just more sensitive;)

Another difference that I didn't really point out is that I've got Cupra R bushings in Tanko. The blue Golf still has the originals. Would be interesting to note how the Bilstein Sports would be like with the Cupras: given the amount of work in doing the R&R on rear bushings I'm thinking that it won't be me who comes up with the answer to this one!:D BUT, I'll be able to see what Koni Reds with stock rear bushings ride like when I get the wife's Golf done (wagon has the Reds and the Cupras): no idea how the Reds compare to the TCs in regards to comfort (other than that I was impressed enough with the ride of the Reds on the daughter's wagon that I opted to go with them in the wife's car [for the women I'll put the toiled sear down ;)]).
 

boertje

Veteran Member
Joined
May 24, 2002
Location
Coeur d'Alene, ID
TDI
'01, '01, '03, ‘06 NB - TDIs all.
Fortunately, I’ve not had to do rear bushings...yet. I hope they are lifetime in these bugs lol.
 

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
Fortunately, I’ve not had to do rear bushings...yet. I hope they are lifetime in these bugs lol.
Crappy roads seem to do these things in. I'm fortunate in that in my area roads are really pretty good. Roads up in BC, especially Vancouver, where the daughter is located aren't all that great so I decided to preemptively replace the bushings on the wagon- ~160k miles. Bushings were totally shot on my car when I got it with 114k miles. I'd rather do these than a heater core, but that ain't saying a lot!;)

Wife started driving Tanko the other day. Says she loves the car. I'd figured that once I'd gotten heated seats and a good stereo system (something with bluetooth) and the body work done that it would be hers: I've always felt bad about enticing her out from a relatively new, and more modern, car in to one of these cars; giving her the nicest car seemed like the thing to do.
 
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