Mk3 golf 1.4 engine swap

[euroslap]

How much in real Joe Public terms would it cost to squeeze 117bhp out of a 1.4L plus the fitting and setting up? You could buy a crash damaged 16v car for about £800 and swap everything over for a lot less money.

[Miss-VW]

Yeah ive managed to bag a 2.0l 16v with 84K miles for £300 for my engine conversion. Got damage to the front bumper, needs new keys and steering column. Got it for spares

Just need to strip it now. Plus i'd feel much happier saying I had a 2.0L anyway, even if the 1.4 was pretty quick.

[euroslap]

Yeah ive managed to bag a 2.0l 16v with 84K miles for £300 for my engine conversion. Got damage to the front bumper, needs new keys and steering column. Got it for spares

Just need to strip it now. Plus i'd feel much happier saying I had a 2.0L anyway, even if the 1.4 was pretty quick.

Good Work! You may have to order a key from the dealers, I think on your's it'll be coded to the ecu and clocks which'll need swapping over. Get some pics on of the donor car. Very good mileage and price aswell.



I'm not 100% on the keys though, the VR's are definately coded not sure on the 16v. When you take the steering cowl off you'll be able to tell if there's a tranceiver for the key there or not.

[Miss-VW]

Ok, thanks for the tip.

Ive got 2 sets of keys i need to start my 1.4 as it is! Hope this isnt going to be a problem. Basically, I had to get a new ignition barrel because the original one packed up and it wasnt turning the engine over. Got the keys with it but it turned out that I needed my original key too because it's got that red chip on the side.

I now need to hold the original key upto the ignition whilst twisting the new key for the engine to start! It's a pain in the **** and im not 100% sure why I need to do that, but thats what i was told to do by the mechanic. Not sure how that's going to affect my plans.

[euroslap]

Ok, thanks for the tip.

Ive got 2 sets of keys i need to start my 1.4 as it is! Hope this isnt going to be a problem. Basically, I had to get a new ignition barrel because the original one packed up and it wasnt turning the engine over. Got the keys with it but it turned out that I needed my original key too because it's got that red chip on the side.

I now need to hold the original key upto the ignition whilst twisting the new key for the engine to start! It's a pain in the **** and im not 100% sure why I need to do that, but thats what i was told to do by the mechanic. Not sure how that's going to affect my plans.

Swap the locks over from the new car.

[omegadirective]

To me this all sounds a complete and utter waste of money. Unless it's a second car and a project I think it's just money down the sh*tter to be quite honest.

Just go and buy a GTi, which would require much less work and give you a lower premium. It will also be a LOT easier to sell on when it comes to it.

I think you'd be better off saving and doing that. Or save even more money and buy an S3! Lovely car!

Also, if you use the car for work purposes you might want to look at Bell Direct. I've got an amazing quote with them which cost me an extra £300 than my 1.6 A3 was costing and now I have over twice the power and it's a much better car over all.

Fuel isn't as bad as you think if you drive sensibly. Out of a full tank costing around £40-£45 at the moment I get over 300 miles. 350 if motorway driving. Around £200 per month, £250 if I use it a lot.

[Miss-VW]

To me this all sounds a complete and utter waste of money. Unless it's a second car and a project I think it's just money down the sh*tter to be quite honest.

Just go and buy a GTi, which would require much less work and give you a lower premium. It will also be a LOT easier to sell on when it comes to it.

I think you'd be better off saving and doing that. Or save even more money and buy an S3! Lovely car!

Also, if you use the car for work purposes you might want to look at Bell Direct. I've got an amazing quote with them which cost me an extra £300 than my 1.6 A3 was costing and now I have over twice the power and it's a much better car over all.

Fuel isn't as bad as you think if you drive sensibly. Out of a full tank costing around £40-£45 at the moment I get over 300 miles. 350 if motorway driving. Around £200 per month, £250 if I use it a lot.

Ive got a donor car for £300 - I have everything I need from that car for the swap. Ive been quoted around £650 from my mechanic to do the engine conversion, which I have been told will be cheaper if I strip the car as much as I can before hand. So for a donor car and labour for the conversion, Im looking ar around £900.

To buy a decent enough GTI that hasnt been ragged, Im looking to spend around £1300.

Ive got an insurance quote for a GTI 16V 2.0l and it's coming up at around £1200. Im 19 and have been driving for a year.

So all in all, I think I'm doing ok with regards to how much money im spending on this project

[euroslap]

Project cars are something to be proud of once they're finished. She loves her base car and wants to make it go faster. Do you ever read Performance VW or Golf+ etc. Half of the show cars in there started as base models.

[Miss-VW]

Project cars are something to be proud of once they're finished. She loves her base car and wants to make it go faster. Do you ever read Performance VW or Golf+ etc. Half of the show cars in there started as base models.

Very true I want to be able to say to everyone - "That was my car before, and this is it now!"

Although I'm not doing the conversion myself, Im only helping out and watching, Ill be so proud once it's all done. Can't say many girls my age have gone through the hassle and money of doing this My two friends both drive around in a corsa and a clio with a pink fluffy interior! It sickens me to the stomach.

[omegadirective]

I understand it's something to be proud of, but given the circumstances it sounds like it would have been better to do a conversion later in life and just get a GTi now. I wouldn't mind doing a conversion or some modding myself later in life but I can neither afford it or spare the time for that kind of thing at the moment. I'd only do something like that when I can afford to run a second car. I use my car on a daily basis and it's very important to me for work, and pleasure. So things like conversions would just cripple me in every sense of the word. I would imagine your running costs for a GTi engine would be about the same as mine. £200-250pm shouldn't be too bad at all!

Each to their own though. If you're planning on keeping the car yourself and never sell it then it wouldn't make much difference. Selling it on though and you might have a problem. Having said that... There's always neds out there who'll buy and do anything to their cars!

Good luck with it and some pics during the conversion would be great to look at if you go ahead with it!

Just make sure to get some nice wheels and some things to make it look as good as it should drive!

EDIT: Just seen your sig pics! Think I'm half asleep today. Nice car!

Glad you think the same about the Corsa's too!