What to do...

[dannydub 3]

After some advice really...

 

Owned my GTi for near on 20 years now but it's spent the majority of that time sat in the garage not being used. Life gets in the way of things etc

The bodywork is still really good and is still cherry red, not faded etc.

 

I've always liked the idea of stripping it apart and restoring back to original but I don't want to start it and life gets in the way again and it ends up in loads of boxes in the garage and never to be driven again. Until Car SOS turn up lol

I feel like I should get it back on the road and just use it and replace bits as and when they fail. The last time it was on the road was 2018 and has been stood since but started and run till warm occasionally. I started it yesterday after charging the battery and it fired straight up.

 

Is putting in back on the road a good idea? Or do I just start with small projects on the car rather than over hauling it all in one go?

Apart from the usual fluids, filters and cambelt, is there anything else I should do before it went back on the road? I guess the MOT would give it a good going over

 

It's just a shame seeing it sat in the garage not really do a lot

 

 

[welshpug 1,620]

I can't  see any problem in giving it a thorough service and taking it for an mot,  stuff like brake hoses and coolant hoses  need checking carefully, some of the fuel hoses etc.

 

Fresh tyres goes without saying,  I'd hope!

[boldy205 74]

I think a lot of us are all guilt (myself included) of doing one job that then makes you think "while I'm here" then the thing is off the road for months/years. 

I say as above, get it MOTd and use it. The bits that need doing will soon come to light then you will have a rolling resto as they say.

One thing MOT may struggle to show up is corrosion of the rear brake pipes over the tank. A common problem which I would do before taking it on the road.

 

All the best with it!

[DamirGTI 323]

Agree ...

 

Service it , replace what's needed to pass the MOT and go driving it have some fun ! .. stuff that will pop up from time to time needing fixing do them in a day or few and continue driving it afterwards .

 

That's what i did when i got my first 205 , still driving it daily for some 20 odd years now ! (had very little problems with it ie. honestly it never let me down to a point i needed tow truck assistance all those years)

 

D

[soundguy 13]

Maybe treat it to:

 

A set of updated reconditioned injectors with a better pattern/performance (Bosch 0280156045 will give you a good improvement on fuel economy)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/bavarianwerkefuelinjectorstore

 

A new Heller tachymetric relay - £50? I found a seller doing them at £38 incl delivery, advertised for a Cavalier, but the listing is gone

 

A new ignition amp - approx £35 if I recall (get one of the Bosch blue+black ones) 

 

A new coolant temp sensor - Bosch 0280130026 - £17?

 

I would also be looking at fitting a decent quality new fuel pump, or at least putting a replacement on the shelf for when it fails. - £50

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/324510161782?epid=21044490139&hash=item4b8e501b76:g:Rc0AAOSwq1Nd7hRP&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA8CJICKaK90qQ3FkQDYLHPlbvrF3WeJldlaIDhSBFvmYsCIoDP0kEtXJG6P22LiA0%2B11V4BxQMh0nr7HeDGat%2BAW5IwJdp6nCmbiO3hB6K0gSreH3oMH3YREUKwmSeyQvTpMAZBT9J1P0hJTcfzc%2BG4z70x%2FLaBTHmrzgkcB7XARMq66niTjUn1Cgd0o1h9GT5Z4g7YJioqUcdeJ65lLvkZHvDm%2F4hMlKXu9iRXCtQd8zCC7p2sioPoDANDcngex%2BQHS%2F8OXSlkt1gYjtdFE0zSoePPmCKRscxrVD3PemuQX8e%2FJ9%2FGcXgSrBEuoppNBQSw%3D%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR6jwi93wYQ

 

 

[Leslie green 80]

Restoring a car is very time consuming and costly and you need to be very determined and give up a lot of your time  to see it through ( Im well into a resto now but it's still a very long way from finished ) . Just get it for an mot after doing a few checks and get it legal again . if you take it apart it will sit in your shed another 20 years . If you really never use it though it maybe time for a new owner, I hate to part with my old cars and I don't think i've sold a car in the last 20 years or more now  but sometimes its the right thing  and it will sell a lot better with an mot . 

Edited April 15, 2023 by Leslie green

[dannydub 3]

So I dropped the GTi to Miles at the end of September and asked him to change the cambelt, water pump etc. Service it and give the car a good going over. 
Miles replaced a few suspension items that needed doing then took it for an MOT and it passed! 
The drive home after picking the car up was the best drive I’ve ever had in it. It felt tight, smooth and just a dream to drive. 
Now I know I’ve got a good base, I can tinker/repair things once they show their heads. 
The weather was lovely yesterday so took it out for a drive and it didn’t miss a beat

[Steve205 14 1 Cars]

That's great to hear.  Another 205 gti with a beaming driver at the wheel. Enjoy it. 

Stephen 

[Ben Allen 8]

On 11/12/2023 at 10:00 PM, dannydub said:

So I dropped the GTi to Miles at the end of September and asked him to change the cambelt, water pump etc. Service it and give the car a good going over. 
Miles replaced a few suspension items that needed doing then took it for an MOT and it passed! 
The drive home after picking the car up was the best drive I’ve ever had in it. It felt tight, smooth and just a dream to drive. 
Now I know I’ve got a good base, I can tinker/repair things once they show their heads. 
The weather was lovely yesterday so took it out for a drive and it didn’t miss a beat

 

I was just reading through this post and thinking "I wonder what he ended up doing" and here we are! Nice one, glad to hear Miles is still keeping them going.

 

What's missing from this post? A photo of your 205 in some picturesque location. Blast over to the New Forest and find some nice autumn trees to park it in front of?