What to do with old MK4?

[Golf8Lover]

Hi all,

I have an old MK4 which is around 24 years old and has 180k miles. It has some paint scratches/patches of rust in places over the wheel arches.

I keep the car in a garage. It is coming up for MOT in around 6 months, and was advised it may not pass the emissions test. Last year it was a real struggle for the garage.

Is there any way to help pass the emissions test. Also how can we slow down the paint deterioration?

Finally, if the car is to be scrapped/sold what is the best option? Are there any useful parts to cannibalise and use in my new Golf? Would there be much p/x value of such an old car?

Regards,

[Midge]

The bog-standard Mk4 models haven't made it to classic status yet and I'd say this is a well balanced appraisal, and tells you why we still run our low mileage auto as a second car/runabout/van, as it still looks very presentable, parts availability is still good, and I do most jobs myself so it's cheap motoring (which helps offset the cost of my pride and joy that tends to need dealer attention!).


https://classics.honestjohn.co.uk/ne...agen-golf-mk4/


But even since this article was written, the Mk4 population has dropped noticeably, and whilst we're not yet at the point where there's tumble-weed blowing through this bit of the forum, it's heading that way.


Assuming yours is a standard Mk4, and it must be a very early one if it's nearly 24, it sounds like yours could be at or close to the scrapping point (I think the average scrap value of cars these days is running at about £250 ish).


Some things you could do:


1. Code-read it - as if its the cat causing the emissions issue, it might flag a P0420 error. Could also be a sensor issue, split hose somewhere, throttle body, down to maybe something like a blocked air filter. The dilemma is if you need a garage to find the answer for you, you'll soon burn through more money than the car might be worth.


2. Do an ebay search on "golf mk4 spares or repair", tick the box for Completed Items, and see what they are actually making against the declared issues on the car. That should give you an idea of the market value of yours as-is - and that value can increase if you are able to detail a good history and previous work done and/or if its got anything of particular interest like a really good interior, good wheels/tyres etc. Autotrader is worth a look too with a filter on the approx year to see what people are asking for equivalent cars.

3. Pick a scab! If you're lucky, it might just be stone chips gone scabby, and that is easy to treat and touch in to make presentable. The last bit of work I did on mine that was more than a touch-up pen job, I bought a rattle can off ebay that the supplier mixed to my paint code - and the match was half decent + came with a can of laquer too. But more likely given age and mileage, it's rot coming through from the inside as the liners can trap a surprising amount of mud behind, if they have never been cleaned out. Doing a proper repair (i.e. welding in repair patches/sections) isn't going to be worth it - unless you can do the work yourself. Cutting small rotten areas out completely, and doing a mesh/fibreglass/filler repair might last a while and keep it looking presentable but it will likely go again in due course.


As for P/X, is a garage really going to be interested in a high mileage old motor that's tatty around the edges? If they offer you more than the scrap value, chances are they are taking it back on the offer for whatever you're buying.


Hope this helps.

[Crasher]

We had a retired couple with this dilemma just before Christmas with a 2002 1.6 auto and they could not decide what to do. As their son would be taking it down to London my first step was to check the EU status, 3 or 4. It was 4 so I decided to get it in and appraise it then put it through an MOT. It had some complex emissions errors which were costly to sort and they spent about £2k in the end but ended up with a ULEZ compliant car which would be reliable and he did not need to be precious about where he left it in London. Of course ULEZ tax zones are coming in all over the UK (not in Nottingham ) so the ULEZ status will be important to many people. If it is a Diesel, do the nations lungs a favour and scrap it.

[Midge]

We had a retired couple with this dilemma just before Christmas with a 2002 1.6 auto and they could not decide what to do. As their son would be taking it down to London my first step was to check the EU status, 3 or 4. It was 4 so I decided to get it in and appraise it then put it through an MOT. It had some complex emissions errors which were costly to sort and they spent about £2k in the end but ended up with a ULEZ compliant car which would be reliable and he did not need to be precious about where he left it in London. Of course ULEZ tax zones are coming in all over the UK (not in Nottingham ) so the ULEZ status will be important to many people. If it is a Diesel, do the nations lungs a favour and scrap it.

Euro status caught my eye Crasher so thanks for that. Ours is a 2003 1.6 Auto and I always assumed it was Euro 3 with it's age and subject to the extra ULEZ charges - but I just put the reg in at the TfL checker, and you're right, it indicates it's ULEZ compliant. What's odd is some other sites say it's ULEZ compliant, and also show it as Euro 3 - which wouldn't be compliant for London, so I'm a bit confused.

[Crasher]

Message me the reg or post the VIN.

[Midge]

Just checked the V5 and it shows the following against the Euro 4 standard. So I assume (because Euro 4 didn't come out until a few years after mine was built) that a car keeps whatever classification it was issued with at manufacture, and it isn't retrospectively updated.

CO 0.476
HC 0.074
NOX 0.040


Euro 4 emission limits (petrol)
CO – 1.0 g/km
HC – 0.10 g/km
NOx – 0.08
PM – no limit

[Crasher]

Nope, Pr-0GG Emission standard EU4, it can be proven and not disputed. It is identical to the car we sorted out just before Christmas for a retired couple of Doctors in Nottingham.

[Midge]

That's great - thanks for checking Crasher. Must be the third party sites reporting it incorrectly as 3 then - though all say its compliant which is the main thing.