2000 Golf TDI

[rperks]

Here is a log / history of my current rig, 2000 golf TDI that I have owned since new

home cobbled 2" suspension lift with steel skid plate privideing full coverage for the engine bay. average 45 MPG with nothing on the roof. 225,000 miles and counting. Finally had to replace the original clutch this year. I can not say enough about this platform for one or two people travelling light.

It has seen jeep trails, creek crossings, and thousands of miles of the California coastline. The Maggiolina Exteme fits fine, I can get a 9 foot surfbord laid down on the front seat, and a large moutain bike upright in the back when needed. Pics to follow as I clean up a couple of old hard drives.

Thank you to all that contributed here and over at mud for the last few years adding fuel to the creative fire for me to squeeze the most I can out of this little car.

Rob

 

[Christian P.]

Rob,

I often thought about using a TDi as my next vehicle. I had a 2001 black 2 doors and I loved it.

can you elaborate more on your lift kit?

 

[rperks]

Lift Kit

the lift kit is similar in concept and design to this more polished version:

http://www.metalnerd.com/cat09.htm

The design consumes 2 inches or so of your suspension's downward travel.

For mine I used a set of H&R adjustible perches so that I could in theory, fine tune the height in the rear. In reality I have had them set at full high for years now. In the front I had a piece of seamless tube welded between two upper spring perches. I bored out the lower perch to make clearance for the thicker Bilstein strut upper. The bilstein's have a thicker upper shaft and none of the kits sold on the web were able to work around this.

 

[life_w_vagabonds]

My old diesel rabbit was great in the snow and muddy fire roads. Great traction and just enough HP. Got any pics with the RTT?

Did you see the thread with the guy with the diesel Mercedes wagon?

 

[xcmountain80]

Nice!

a

 

[fishy_frontier]

I never thought I'd see a lifted Golf... awesome!:victory:

 

[Michael Slade]

Just did a 3-day road trip to S. Utah and drove the Passat Tdi. Slept in the back for two nights. Other than being 2-inches too short for me to sleep in comfortably, it is a GREAT road trip car. A slight lift, some beefier tires and it would totally rock. It has traction control on the front axle and does great in the snow with the snow tires on it. About the only thing it *doesn't* have is 4wd.

It's sweet you've got the ExPo Golf. Keep the reports coming!

 

[goodwoodweirdo]

Did you guys get the 80 / 90's model 4X4 Golf (synro or country), already lifted and you can buy all sorts of body protection ...

Would be a great starting point when looking for ideas / parts........

google golf synro....

Matt :ylsmoke:

 

[Jrally]

I believe the closest 4wd Golf to the US was sold in Canada, that is, before the R32 was released. Here's a couple of pictures of an A2 I built for a customer a few years back. The tubing hanging below the front bumper is part of the mounting system for the skid plate.

-Jon

 

[rperks]

Tent Pictures

Here are some pictures with the tent. These are from the way back machine, I am recoving picturse as I can. Note: back up and organize your pictures well.

These were all taken pre lift. Tonights project is to find the pictures post lift. The VW sat almost dead eaven in height with my room mates Subaru after the lift.

 

[Superu]

Love it! Keep the pics coming.

 

[rperks]

I could not agree more, Watching them, hybrids, get to ride in the Ca HOV lanes with one person, tax credits blah blah blah as challenged my emotions for years

All I get is to save some $$$ on fuel and personal satisfaction, the hybrids are just one of the giant scams pulled over on the american masses. I bought an optima red top 7 years ago, still going strong. Soon we will be able to build office towers and homes out of the dead batteries they leave behind every 2 or 3 years. Maybe someday we will get the vehicles that the rest of the world has been driving for decades without having to build them from parts and half cuts in our garages - rant off

I have a 2003 jetta TDI wagon. Driving on an over the hill backroad commute with a lead foot, and I still get 38MPG. I'd get 45 if I could drive slower.

I plan to upgrade the injectors and ECU to maintain 48MPG no matter how fast I drive (so I have been told).

You can also mod the transmission and get 70MPG.

Does a prius get 38MPG at 90MPH down the freeway? Not a chance!

Those darn things are one of the biggest scams ever!

 

[rperks]

Found another picture in the way back machines:

For about five years I worked in San Diego as a engineer performing specialty inspections on new and existing pipelines. I had keys to almost every fire road in north county and at times areas of Otay mesa. Made for some fun days. It took my regular contractors about 3 years to stop telling me I would need 4wd to get to the inspection site, and always fun.


Shameless plug, the tent is for sale as I am transitioning into a family adventure vehicle this summer.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39405

 

[Elliot Press]

Cool thread. Love seeing people who go against the grain of getting a 'real 4wd'.
Top stuff. Ofcourse, you wouldn't tour across Africa or the Aussie outback in one of these but for what you've been doing with it, it seams perfect. Why bother with anything else?

cheers

 

[eleblanc]

I believe the closest 4wd Golf to the US was sold in Canada, that is, before the R32 was released. Here's a couple of pictures of an A2 I built for a customer a few years back. The tubing hanging below the front bumper is part of the mounting system for the skid plate.

-Jon

That looks the car i raced in, where are you from Jon?