I bought back my old mk5 GTI

[Chris tii]

So I've got myself a new project car. This time its something very special to me!

Back in 2008 my Dad bought a new mk5 Candy White GTI 5 Door Manual. At the time I had an ep3 Type R and although the Civic was class, I preferred the GTI. So when he came to trading it in after 3 years, I sold the Civic and bought his Golf from him.
I loved the car, I have loads of happy memories with it. Me and wife (then GF) used it to drive all over France, Belgium and Luxembourg. Sadly I only owned the car for 2 years until I sold it for a new M135i. Afterwards I always regretted selling the car, if I'm ever asked which car I've owned and miss the most, I always say the mk5.
So about 3 years ago, I wanted a cheap hot hatch for modifying and for track days. I wondered if I could find it again. So I set up some saved search alerts on Gumtree, Used cars NI and Auto Trader.
Every time a 2008 white mk5 comes up for sale in Northern Ireland, I get an email. And for the last 3 years I've had a few emails, but never mine. I ended up buying a Clio 182 FF and kind of forgot about the search for the Golf.
Until a couple of months ago. I got the usual email, but this time when I looked at the reg, it was my car! I couldn't believe it.
I had to have it back. Unfortunately I didn't have any room for another car so I started getting the Clio ready for sale straight away. The sellers ad was rubbish, 3 blurry pictures, very little information. The seller wanted to swap it for a Diesel. Funnily enough he didn't want to swap it for a track focused Clio .
I went to view the car, and was honestly heart broken. It looked like it had spent the last few years in the sea. Every panel had paint chipped off, and rust had crept in. Underneath was even worse. If I was in the market for any old mk5 GTI, I would run a mile. I actually did at first, I didn't make an offer, told the seller thank you but the ad had no mention of rust whatsoever, and wished him good luck.
I went home annoyed and gutted, I guess I was hoping to find the same I sold 8 years ago or at least something close.
That night I did a 180. Figured I'll only regret it and I won't get the opportunity to buy it again. So I messaged the guy, gave him a cheeky offer and we quickly agreed on a price. I guess he soon realised his valuation of the car didn't reflect the condition.

So now I am the owner, again, of a 2008 mk5 Candy White Golf GTI Manual.

Plans for the car is basically a restoration of the body work, and to increase power (stage 2 for now) and handling to something that is exciting on the track.

The car is booked in for a respray in March 2022 and until then I'm going to get to work on everything else.

 

[Chris tii]

Here’s some of things I’ve already got started on.

I bought some used S3 brake calipers for a nice upgrade. They increase the disc size to 345mm. With some new S3 stickers and some red paint, they should look and perform great.

VBT hooked discs all round and Ferodo Performance pads. Will be going on soon.

I also bought some used trim bits and pieces to replace all the broken interior trim.

Old

New

Old

New

Some nice new mats from VW.

Got the wheels diamond cut back to stock.
MJE in Cookstown did an outstanding job. Their also now wrapped in Pilot Sport 4’s.

Before

After

 

[Chris tii]

These pictures are of the car before I sold it in 2013.

I’ve patched a lot of the chips and rust. So it doesn’t look just as bad now. I’ll get some more photos up tomorrow.

 

[Burt2000]

Fair play for buying it back and taking that on, it looks like it’s gonna need a sizeable amount of work underneath.

 

[Chris tii]

Fair play for buying it back and taking that on, it looks like it’s gonna need a sizeable amount of work underneath.

Yeah underneath will need to be totally stripped. And hopefully will be solid. Going to replace everything with new parts. I might get away with powder coating things like the rear subframe.
Exhaust and suspension will be getting upgraded so their condition is no big deal.

I have a new beast of an intercooler to fit which means the whole front end will have to come off. This should give us a good idea of what lies beneath.

 

[therock]

I loved my MK5, great driving car.

As above, looks like a lot of work but you sound pretty determined. Should be mint after a bit of work. With stage 2 too....that'll be a sleeper

 

[matt1207]

Class job on the wheels

 

[cormac81]

Mk5s do rust pretty bad. Fair play for taking it on and saving it.

 

[Lyons]

Jeepers, brave man!

I really loved both of my GTi’s, but no amount of love would make me want to tackle that rust!

Will be great when finished though, and at least you can see the potential .

 

[redxl77]

Love the story! But a shame about that rust

Good luck with it and htd.

 

[Eamo_vxr]

Lots of potential there.

Are all mk5’s the same for rust? I wouldn’t mind one but every one I’ve seen has been rusty.

 

[Woodcutter]

Brave man, but a Mk5 GTI is a cracking car, and the sentimental side of things will help justify the pain of the restoration!

I had an Ed30 and it was probably the best handling FWD hot hatch that I have driven this side of a Mk1 Focus RS.

 

[Tufty]

That`s cool that you found it again Chris just unfortunate its not in the best shape.

I dont agree with the comments about rust its hardly a to far gone to recover project. A couple of wings some wishbones and an exhaust its hardly a full resto job.

 

[Lappintyre]

Fair play, this will be a real labour of love, but as you say, you'd have regretted not buying it back

 

[Tufty]

If you want/need any bits powder coated drop me a pm.

 

[Chris tii]

That`s cool that you found it again Chris just unfortunate its not in the best shape.

I dont agree with the comments about rust its hardly a to far gone to recover project. A couple of wings some wishbones and an exhaust its hardly a full resto job.

I hope you’re right. The fact that it has an MOT and it’s still on its original exhaust, can only be good signs.

If you want/need any bits powder coated drop me a pm.

Thanks, appreciate the help. Although I’m leaving it in the hands of my mechanic who uses someone in Carrowdore I think.

 

[Boydie]

Fair play indeed - baffles me how some people treat their cars. I have detailed a lot of cars this year and just cant get my head around some of the decisions. Great to see you restoring it back to its former glory!

 

[Ben]

Looking forward to seeing the transformation Chris.

If you want a fresher headunit, hard to look past the RCD330 imo.

 

[Boksic]

That's not real rust at all..
There's some oul hans on here eat more rust than that for breakfast.

I know it was a standing joke on RMS for a long time about every new car suggestion being a Mk5 GTi, but they really were/are that good.

The sentiment side of it will absorb some of the cost too

 

[Burt2000]

If it’s not structural then yeah it can be easily sorted with replacement parts and or blasting and powder coating. Hopefully most of that is just superficial and not sub frame or chassis related, but anything can be sorted I suppose

 

[Wilseyvr6]

That will be a great buy, I sold my aunt a New Black 3dr GTI with leather in 2008, a retirement present to herself!! I always tortured her to sell it to me one day and that day came November 2018 and I bought it without seeing and for some reason I sold it on a few months the later, I suppose I thought even with 59k miles at the time I thought it was going to be as new from when she bought it, it was minor issues of bumper scuffs, kerbed alloys , needed a good service/timing belt etc nothing major and for some reason I sold it and have forever regretted and always look back at photos! it was a silly impulsive idea to sell it so hold on to it this time around and enjoy the build

 

[dh1079]

Brilliant you found her and bought it back . As said doesn’t look too bad rust wise I’ve saw worse on the road.
Looking forward to progress

 

[A4RON]

Mine is currently in also for a full restoration and am busting at the balls to get it back so I can start modding it lol

 

[WSK]

Nice project. As said, shouldn't be too hard to sort.

A lot of MK5's are the same, and i have seen a few worse, sills completely rotten etc.

 

[Neil_M]

Love it, that will be a great little project that will only get better