The VW Golf (1996)

Amtmann

I bought a third-hand Golf last month. She cost 2,500 with 92k on the clock.

I've had slight electrical problems: at one stage the indicators would fail when I touched the brake pedal. Got it fixed relatively easily. Also, the cabin light is gone; when the door is opened, it doesn't light up.

The clutch: this is quite stiff and heavy. Getting into all gears bar first is easy; but first can be a problem every so often.

Otherwise all is cool, and I'm happy.

But I'd just like to ask for opinions on my clutch and gears: are '96 Golfs generally heavy clutched, or is it just mine?

Cheers

crosstownk

Furet wrote:

the cabin light is gone; when the door is opened, it doesn't light up.

You most likely need a new door contact switch. They're available from a main dealer and not too expensive. The part number is 6N0 947 563. It's a common fault on a 1H Golf - especially if you can turn the light on manually.

Furet wrote:

The clutch: this is quite stiff and heavy. Getting into all gears bar first is easy; but first can be a problem every so often.

Again, the clutch cable is a common item to fail on a 1H. While I'd be inclined to first suspect the cable, there is, considering your mileage, a good chance that the pressure plate and/or clutch disc is/are knackered - in which case you're into a new clutch. But either way I'd still start by replacing the cable - especially as it has some automatic adjuster jobbie that is known to give grief. Unfortunately vagcat doesn't list a part number for the clutch cable, but I'd hazard a guess at 1H2 721 551 (x).

You can probably source both parts at www.otto.ie

unkel

What's a 1H Golf, crosstownk? Is that a Volkswagen code for a Golf Mk III?

crosstownk

unkel wrote:

What's a 1H Golf, crosstownk? Is that a Volkswagen code for a Golf Mk III?

Yep. 17 was the MkI, 19 was the MkII, 1H MkIII, 1J MkIV and 1K is the MkV.

And here's my anorak.................:D

colm_mcm

and to think i always called them Mk3.

crosstownk

colm_mcm wrote:

and to think i always called them Mk3.

You see colm, every day is a school day

Amtmann

crosstownk wrote:

You most likely need a new door contact switch. They're available from a main dealer and not too expensive. The part number is 6N0 947 563. It's a common fault on a 1H Golf - especially if you can turn the light on manually.




Again, the clutch cable is a common item to fail on a 1H. While I'd be inclined to first suspect the cable, there is, considering your mileage, a good chance that the pressure plate and/or clutch disc is/are knackered - in which case you're into a new clutch. But either way I'd still start by replacing the cable - especially as it has some automatic adjuster jobbie that is known to give grief. Unfortunately vagcat doesn't list a part number for the clutch cable, but I'd hazard a guess at 1H2 721 551 (x).

You can probably source both parts at www.otto.ie

Thanks a million, just wondering though, is it a big job to sort the clutch like you've said? How much would it cost, would you say?

crosstownk

Replacing the clutch is relatively straightforward. I'd imagine decent quality parts won't cost the earth. But as the gearbox needs to be removed there will be a few hours labour. It's a while since I've had the need to price a clutch, but I'd imagine it should come in around €500/€600 (Maybe someone might have a more accurate price based on a recent experience).

If you do end up getting the clutch replaced, be sure to have the clutch cable replaced too if it is the automatic adjusting type. IIRC, VW brought out a second cable which was manually adjustable as the automatic ones gave so much bother - so it is possible that your car may have already be fitted with the manual type at some stage in the past.

Amtmann

crosstownk wrote:

Replacing the clutch is relatively straightforward. I'd imagine decent quality parts won't cost the earth. But as the gearbox needs to be removed there will be a few hours labour. It's a while since I've had the need to price a clutch, but I'd imagine it should come in around €500/€600 (Maybe someone might have a more accurate price based on a recent experience).

If you do end up getting the clutch replaced, be sure to have the clutch cable replaced too if it is the automatic adjusting type. IIRC, VW brought out a second cable which was manually adjustable as the automatic ones gave so much bother - so it is possible that your car may have already be fitted with the manual type at some stage in the past.

Thanks. That's awfully expensive considering the car's only worth 2500 euro. I still have a gearbox warranty on it, though. But I reckon they'd laugh at me if I brought the car back to them: as I said, it's just a heavy clutch and it can take a few attempts to get into first gear the odd time - but 95 percent of the time, it's grand. Sometimes (it's only happened twice so far after nearly 3000 miles of driving), you think you're in first, but seem to be only halfway there. What do you recommend I do?

I don't have much experience dealing with car dealers (it's actually my first car) and, considering the value of the car, would you just leave it?

crosstownk

If you have a warranty then drop it back to them - warranty is there to cover potential faults and if they laugh at you then that's pure ignorance on their part - you are their customer after all. The door contact switch is an easy fix for them. Just tell the garage that the clutch is heavy and see what they say. At this stage a worn clutch is just speculation - there may actually be nothing wrong with it. Let the garage decide what is wrong and take things from there. The warranty should cover the clutch cable as a minimum. A clutch is a wear and tear item and may be excluded from your warranty or it may be covered - I've seen warranties that exclude it on the wear and tear basis. Check the provisions of the warranty.

Was the clutch like this when you got the car?

Assuming the clutch is gone, and you have no warranty, I'd be inclined to get the job done as it will be difficult to sell the car with a knackered clutch.

Another thing - and this might sound obvious but I've seen it plenty of times before - make sure that your foot is fully to the floor when you press the clutch pedal and ensure that any floor mats are not restricting clutch pedal travel. Also, it can be difficult sometimes to get the car into first if the car is not stationery.

Amtmann

Crosstownk wrote:

Was the clutch like this when you got the car?

Another thing - and this might sound obvious but I've seen it plenty of times before - make sure that your foot is fully to the floor when you press the clutch pedal and ensure that any floor mats are not restricting clutch pedal travel. Also, it can be difficult sometimes to get the car into first if the car is not stationery.

Yes, it's been like that since I bought it. Thanks for all your input, you've been a great help.