1984 VW Mk I GTI: The second most important car VW ever built! - RETRO DRIVE REVIEW
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.ค. 2024
- For our 12th anniversary, MotoMan presents a special RETRO DRIVE REVIEW with the the car that invented the Hot Hatch: the Mk I Volkswagen GTI!. This one, a 1984 US market VW Rabbit GTI with only 60,000 original miles. Yes, we play our new game, #OptionsGameSenior yet more importantly, MotoMan presents that these cars hold an important distinction beyond being the first Hot Hatch . . .
#VW #GTI #VWGTI #MkIGTI #RETRODRIVEREVIEW
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I own a 1984. Mine has 98,000 miles on it. I've gone with the philosophy over the years that this is MY car, and I ain't gonna sell it, so I've done mods to the car that make it perform the way I want it to perform. Result, it performs WAY better than it did originally, yet the car still looks stock other than that it sits lower & has 15x7 autocross wheels & tires on it. Being so light & having such razor sharp handling, I have a hard time believing that you could find a more fun ride other than a go-kart. Everything is IMMEDIATE! You can throw it in any corner and power slide it & control it EXACTLY how you want. Fun!
My 1st car was a 1973 VW Super Beetle bought in 1981 (for $350). It was fun and a trashed the heck out of it. 2nd car was a 1975 VW Rabbit 2dr. that I slowly "GTI'd" over a few years. Lowering springs, huge sway bars, wheels/tires, cylinder head/camshaft, headers/exhaust, singe sidedraft carb, etc... It was so fun. Then I went to a 1976 Sirocco and did even more. Fun days.
I grew up with a 1979 Volkswagen Rabbit. My dad wanted another Beetle, but that had become a Mexico only thing. My mom couldn't drive stick. so we ended up with a brown, 1.6L 3 speed AUTOMATIC, 2-door Rabbit. No A/C and the only powered was the brakes. The AM/FM radio had a single speaker in the dash. It had rear defrost. It had tan vinyl seats. With 62 HP (?) it could do 0-60 in roughly 18 seconds. Little did I know that 10 years later, it would become mine for my senior year in high school. "Da Wabbit" handled well, but couldn't get out of its own way. Everyone swore this was the reason why the tortoise won. It was on its last legs, as it suffered a transmission failure that was more expensive than the car was worth.
I soon became a Toyota fan and drove Japanese made cars until 2009, when a gray Rabbit caught my eye. I was back in a Volkswagen and extremely happy. Almost all my life, I had seen multiple generations of GTIs on the road, but no one I knew had one That Rabbit lead to a Golf. That Golf let to my first GTI. That GTI lead me to a second GTI, which is my current ride. Now, it seems that Volkswagen everything they can to ensure that my next car isn't a GTI or even a Volkswagen It looks that I'll just have to stick to used ones.
I bought an '83 GTI brand new in 1983. Silver with blue interior, first car I ever bought new, and still the most fun to drive car I've ever owned. Mine had A/C but no sunroof, and I still miss it. Thanks for bringing back memories of a wonderful little driver's car.
I traded my '79 fuel injected C two-door rabbit for the '83 white on blue GTI. When I saw it at the dealership, I was absolutely blown away. Gorgeous14 inch wheels with Pirelli tires and a five speed gearbox with a golf ball shifter! And the interior was stunning! This car burst the malaise bubble of the day! The American sports cars had really been diminished to ridiculously gaudy paint jobs on heavy, under-powered images of past muscle car memories. This car was truly an enthusiast car. I had to have mine decked out with all of the options, including Bosch fog lights, air conditioning and yes, the manual sunroof. I am 6'2" and most cars would have to lower the headroom by about 2 inches to add the sunroof to the options. Somehow, VW did it right with the rabbit. I had looked at the Sirocco, and that just didn't have the headroom. But I agree with you. The sunroof really enhanced the driving experience of that car. Sadly, they were born in the day of the nation-wide 55 mph speed limit. That was where they really shined. Once that was over, the car became too noisy and impractical for every day highway driving. Thanks for the video. It sure brought back the fun memories.
The close ratio tranmission in the 83-84 VW Rabbit GTI made that a very fun car to drive over all the other Rabbit models.
One of the best cars I've ever owned, it punched above its weight in every way, comfort, economy, cargo space, driving pleasure and it was as enthusiastic as a Labrador Retriever at the beach!
I owned a 1983 silver GTi with the blue interior back in 1988 and drove it for 8 years. This car was a pleasure to drive and so much fun. Last year i was lucky to find a black 84 GTi in reasonable condition. Even now driving a MK1 GTi puts a smile on my face : )
Had a 1983. Thing was geared like a motorcycle! Real close gear ratio but the 5th gear did help on the highway. I liked my Scirocco more, but the GTI was speedy, reliable, and handled well. Some kid slammed into me when I was at college and totaled it. Sad day. It had a ton of life left in it!
My brother owned a black 1984 GTI. It was quick for a 2000 pound car in 1984. Miss those days!
I owned one exactly like the one in the video. Loved it. Bought it when I got a first job out of grad school and drove it all over the Hill Country of central Texas. Affordable enough for even an underpaid assistant professor to purchase one. I'd owned a Beetle in HS and my girlfriend in college had a Karmann Ghia that I drove extensively for a couple of years. (Missed the Ghia about as much as I missed the woman.) So when I had the opportunity to buy a new GTI in the early 80's, I think, I jumped on it.
Many years and many successors followed. I didn't own any of the later generations until 2013. At that point in the midst of a (late) midlife crisis I bought one of the last MK6 GTIs built in Germany. Drove it for about 80K miles with an APR Stage I tune for the last 40K miles. I loved it, too. In 2018 my teenage daughter was coming close to driving age and if she was going to drive the GTI I wanted it equipped with every driver assistance and safety feature I could get. (Dads are like that, you know.) So for one of the few times in my life I replaced a car with a new version of the same vehicle. My MK7.5 now has 25K miles on the clock.
The thought of trading it prompts the same emotional reaction I'd have to selling the family dog. So if I replace it I'll probably keep it in the family as a gift it to my daughter for college in a year or two. After that? Maybe a MK8 Golf R but more likely an Arteon, a Stinger, or an EV... Ah, hell. I'll probably just get a MK8 GTI.
Great video. Here in the UK, we had 112 bhp and less weight (860 kg) so the GTI did 0 - 60 mph in 8.2 seconds and 115 mph. We also had a more tasteful interior! I've had my 1983 Golf GTI since 1988 and it's still a real thrill to drive.
I had an 84 and had it delivered from the US to Germany where I was stationed. I loved that car! It was not as fast as a German GTI due to gearing but it was amazing on the back roads.
i bought a new 1984 Rabbit GTI when i worked as a salesman for a VW dealer. i bought one that was on the lot for a long time because it had no air or sunroof . I purchased it for $7900 plus tax. It was so awesome that I sold my 82 Rabbit Convertible. The best part of the car was how light it was.
Original '83 owner here. Gauges in the center console were most definitely NOT optional - standard in all Mk1 GTI's.
This is just as fast as my 2019 Impreza lol
You missed the pure joy of hand cranking the sunroof. I loved that !
One of my favorite parts of this car . . .
Wanted one of those so bad back in the day. Settled for a garden variety 85 Jetta and that car made 160k commuting miles in NYC area actually seem like fun. Great video Motoman. Love going for a ride in the way-back machine.
How cool is that review - standing ovation - that's the birth of hot hatches guys :) it's a big thing over here in europe
Thank you for bringing it to us George :))
Bought a black 1984 GTI in 1988. Loved it! Same interior as this one.
I see a GTI, I watch, I like.
TY motoman!
Your welcome!
I had a 83 GTI. I loved that car!
Have a 84 GTI,westy, originally bought from Devon VW dealership in Pennsylvania.One of thee most fun cars to drive on a winding mountain road. Thanks for video
This was my first car, but not in '84. Loved it. Stayed with the brand all the way through mk. 7.5. Golf R (8) next.
I had a ‘83 gti that I bought new. Loved it.
Bought one brand new in San Francisco in 1984. My 2nd car and first new one. Put over 250k miles on it. Would get up at 5:00 a.m. just to drive to the beach on Hwy 1. Still one of the most fun cars I’ve driven.
You got every dollars worth:)
Thanks for taking me back to 1984!! I was in my nascent stages of driving and I was shopping for my first new car. Couldn’t afford the GTI so I bought/settled for a 1984 Plymouth Colts GTS. The GTI was a fast car in its day, and it handled vey well. It came in only four colors, black, white, silver, & red. It was only available for two model years. It was replaced in 1985 by its much larger/heavier Mk II. Great car too…
I am on my third GTI, but never driven a MKI, would love to drive one.
Find a 1977 Rabbit to drive - 1700 lbs. Oh what a joy that was. I miss it.
I had a 1984 Rabbit GTi in Cashmere White with blue interior. I miss that car very much every day, looking forward to getting another one soon. Family had tons of Rabbits, Jettas, Sciroccos and Caddy's. Extremely easy to drive, chuckable, light and extremely fun in the corners, it never needed a lot of power honestly since the GTi's weighed practically nothing. No power steering which kind of sucks when parking but it's fine once up to highway speeds. These cars all had the VDO gauges in the bottom console standard, and the front quarter windows were standard too. A/C was a dealer installed option. There is a very limited first run of "Black Tie" black on black GTi's built in late 1982, early 1983 that the Westmoreland, PA factory built for VW of America big wigs. But they are tiny in number and damn near unicorn status now, no idea how many were built or even still around. These cars do rot in the sunroof rails especially if the sunroof drains are blocked, front pillars, rear slam panel and under the fender flares especially, they can rot around the bottom of the windshield frame too, bottom of the doors also rust pretty bad if the door drains get full of crap as well. Check the rockers as well and realize these cars were not exactly built to high standards from the Westy plant due to constant strikes and bad management for years. You can fix these cars easily, lots of parts and support and tons of people including me and my family love these cars.
Love it. My twin brother and I bought an '86 Golf GTI as our first car together (white one) when we were in the US Navy going to different navy schools across the country. Lotta good memories with that car!
Great video! My dad had a fuel injected '79 Rabbit 5MT, and a base '86 Golf 5MT.. I'm continuing the tradition with a Mk7 GTI 6MT. As the world is moving away from the Golf, I appreciate the look back on this car's influence over nearly 50 years.
My first new car ever was a 1984 Rabbit GTI (red on red). I LOVED it! It was so much fun to drive, and the hatch added significant utility. My daily driver today is a 2021 manual 911, and I *still* think about my old GTI often. Thank you for featuring it!
I love how hard old cars made you work for it. Look at the frequent long throws of the shifter and the huge inputs of the steering wheel. Then compare that to the MK8 GTI where people are whipping it around and look half asleep.
That's all part of the fun, indeed. '88 535is right here, and many GTi in the past.
In high school I remember there was an ‘84 gti just like this for sale parked downtown. I was heartbroken I couldn’t afford the $1800 they were asking for it. So I settled for a slightly rusted out ‘84 diesel rabbit instead (which become the car that started my lifelong ownership and love of VW’s). Today I now own a brand new GTI 40th anniversary edition, my 4th GTI in a row.. so it’s all worked out in the end : )
Great story . . . I appreciate the journey it took to get there . . .
2014 Beetle Conv. with a 1.8 Turbo Gen 3 EA888. APR 87 octane tune (223hp/267tq). Awesome little engine while still being economical & dependable.
My first car was an ‘85 GTi and my best friend at the time had an ‘84 GTi, Golf vs. Rabbit. I bought it in 1993 with 120k miles for $500! 😀Anyone remember Neuspeed, haha?
Great Video! I purchased our White 1984 Mk1 GTI used in 1992. Just got it running last week end after sitting for 10 years. The car needed a new exhaust system. Hope to start driving it soon. What a GREAT CAR!
I just bought a 34k mileage one. White/blue. It's a time capsule, not concours level but close. I paid $32k plus auction fee.
The MK1 GTI will always be a wonder piece of history
Great review of a classic car I had an 84 Rabbit Diesel here in Canada. Sadly, with the excessive amounts of salt used on our roadways in the 80's and beyond, my VW rusted away. I would love to own another one from this era. But, as mentioned in this video and many others, these cars are difficult to find not to mention downright expensive. Great review of this car, Keep up the great work! :)
The first gen Scirocco was the Karmann Ghia interpretation
Great car! Keep the classic car videos coming!
The original hot hatch. Thanks for bringing this to us.
...I'm still a little miffed we don't get the Scirocco anymore, though. 😕
Love this channel you folks rock keep up the good work.
Can't believe I missed this last week. Great video!
I enjoyed this episode very much. Thanks!
Loved it! Always wanted one of these back in the day, or a Scirocco.
The oldies will always be the goldies. Their even higher in value compared to the most recent used car market. Success leaves clues
Couldn't agree more on that last statement!
love it, always love your reviews but the classic specially this one,
The '79 version, non GTI, was my first car. It was orange! I painted the bumpers black. The sunroof leaked.
I loved it.
Great video and awesome host. Keep up the great work!
Rad!
Happy anniversary, M.
Great review thanks
I had a 1984 which I bought new, black with the blue interior. Great car.
Really love these old hatches!!
Wow, cool retro drive review MM! Your driving skills with this vehicle through moto canyon are unreal. This car compared to modern VW GTI’s is a handful. I love the attention to detail that VW did in this car right down to the dimples on the shift knob to look like a golf ball. Nice touch. I can’t believe that people actually pay more for these GTI’s without the sunroof. As if a car without A/C isn’t hot enough, give me a sunroof just for the ventilation alone.
Awesome review, got to this channel looking for fixed up 70s-mid 80s (mk1s) cause I have two. Future project cars.
I have a 1983. Highly modified I must say😮
I had a silver 1984 GTI, what a fun car.
Must have made an impression on me as I now have a 2019 GTI and have loved each and every generation between the MK1 and present MK7.5.
Yes please motorman give us more classics I need it I'm an 80s baby!! Thank you so much keep it up guys 👍👍👍
Happy to . . . but have to see you guys share these episodes . . . this one is already getting off to a VERY slow start . . .
Ha! One of my Four GTis was this exact scheme. My first one in the 80's cost me something like $5,500 used but you could buy them in near mint condition for $2K in Ohio in 1995 trust me. Unbelievable. I still drive old Swedish and German metal, DD is '88 BMW 535is.
I paid $9,900 for a new 84 Jetta GLI with a sunroof back in 1984. Loved that car!
I am here for all old VW products. The Golf 3 evaded me but I did have two Golf IV and I loved it. I have some unfinished business with the GTI Golf 3 16V (the one with the cool four headlights) that I secretly still want. Thanks for the video and more please!
Love this throw back review!!
My 1st new car after college, 1984 black over red with A/C discounted to $6,700
Although I owned it for only 2 years, I have fond memories!
Interestingly, the short gearing made for extra high RPMs in 5th gear (I don’t think 5th was even overdrive). During warmer months, the engine would overheat at not much over 60MPH! This led to a popular aftermarket add-on, an oil cooler!
I’ve often thought sentimentally about my 1st sports car, but I’m guessing that I would be shocked, and possibly charmed by the driving experience today, especially compared to my current 911 GTS!
I love episodes like this. The GTI was a true gem in the Malaise Era automotive world where 0-60 in 12+ seconds was pretty typical. As for other potential classic cars, Nissan keeps a collection of their classic vehicles in the basement of the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville. It's usually closed to the public but with your connections at Nissan, you might be able to convince them to bring one or two out for view.
RICK! I thought you knew me better than that!??!?!?! Of course I already pilfered everything worthy out of that collection:)
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@@MotoManTV Geez, now I look horrible in that I’ve obviously missed some episodes. At least it was five years ago and…I’ll come up with an excuse of something I was doing shortly…:)
@@Sevenfeet0 Come to think of it . . . The trip to Nashville to shoot those cars is when I met YOU! It had better be a DAMN good excuse:)
Yes indeed. I bought one in '84 and used to troll and bully the '82-'84 Camaro z28s. However, I think that the Scirrocco by Karman, is/was the Karman Ghia. The R-GTI was the Hot Rod.
Thanks for the video. I own a 85 Cabriolet. It is far more car than I ever thought about it being. It is fun and easy to work on. You show it for what it is, a fun to drive car.
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The gauges were NOT optional on the American 83-84 Rabbit GTI. They all came with them.
I love the video and simplicity of this car. I would be surprised if the MK8 - with all of its technology - functions this well after 37 years.
GREAT episode! A walk down memory lane for me. I bought a new GTI in late '83, black, and drove the living crap out of it for 6 yrs and 85k miles. Loved it so much I put a $3K stereo in it. In following years had all sorts of great cars incl m3's, multiple 911's etc, blah blah. But I always said that that GTI was the most FUN car I ever owned. Walked away from all those hey-look-at-me cars when I bought a '15 MK7 Golf R, the best all-arounder out of the 30 cars I've owned and, at age 72, I may never sell it. Don't need pretentious and fancy, just fun-to-drive and the GTI was exactly that. Again, great episode!
Thanks, Jim! Here's a story you'll appreciate . . . I took this very car to our local Cars & Coffee and had MULTIPLE people offer to buy it. One guy . . . Offered US$30,000 . . . sadly, that was AFTER I shot the valuation part of this episode:)
Here's a guess from another senior citizen, Jim. The GTI wasn't the "most FUN car (you) ever owned." It was the car you owned when you had the most fun. 😉
i had the regular white with baby blue interior rabbit with 74,000 on it and that was fun on twisty roads
Nice work, Subscribed.
Welcome, Rooch!
I had a heavily reworked 1984 GTI drivetrain in a 1977 Scirocco in the mid 80's. The Scirocco was 300 lbs lighter than the GTI . It had nothing below 3500 rpm, came on hard at 4000 and pulled to 7500 rpm. It was a lot of fun to embarrass Camaros with it. Sadly, word of the GM conquests must have gotten around because a large Pontiac crunched it from behind at a red light.
Oh memories of the 80's. Enamored with the hothatch formula, I bought my first new car in 1987. No, not a Mkii GTi, but rather an '88 Acura Integra LS four door. My wife insisted on four doors, as we had three boys under the age of 6. She wanted the bullet proof , but vomit ugly 87' Camry. Thanks George for making me feel 28 again.
That looks like a really fun car to throw around. And I have to say.. I really like the interior. Also, nice happy engine noise.
The only thing missing about the interior was the 'verberry' seats . . . hence my choice of shirt for the day:)
I owned a black 84 gti with blue interior, with A/C, without sunroof. I bought it in 1990 for $3200 from a woman who used it to drive to college with it. It had like 48k on it. E Ill own one again.
really nice oldie
I sold a pretty mint 84 GTI, black on red for $1200 in 1995 because of an electrical issue. Biggest regret of my life! I loved that car but needed some cash at the time, and they weren't worth much then. Only had 76,000kms on it. Ugh
Honestly I’d like to see an 83 VW GLI 5 spd 2 door with a sunroof! Carry on. 😂
Wow nice review!👍👍👍👍i that was my first car bought in 1986 a 1983 gti had for six months then one morning the car was stolen in my driveway my heart drop!!!🥲🥲🥲🥲 18:21 i wish i could find one for sale in oem shape but there so dam expensive!!!but hey loveed the review brought back good memories of my 1983 GTI!!….. thanks 😅
My pleasure!
Test drove a new one of these and a Scirocco 16V back in ‘86, but ended up with an Accord hatch 5 speed. Still have some regrets!
I agree about sunroofs except that the reason to order without a sunroof if one will put the car on a track is that headroom is reduced by a sunroof. This makes wearing a helmet and installing a roll cage more difficult.
Great video MotoMan! How about ringing up your friend Dave Coleman and borrowing an NA Miata out of Mazda USA’s collection for the next one?
That would mean I would have to talk to him:)
I have one, and its the best, lots of cardboard on the inside but amazing to drive.
You should argue about this car "inventing" the hot hatch. The Simca 1100 from 1974 came out almost 2 years before the GTi and the Renault 5 Alpine (1976) preceded it by several months. And I say this as a GTi owner.
Sometimes its not about who did it first but who made it popular. There are no new ideas under the sun
Oreo or Hydrox:)
I daily drive an 83 GTI. Same silver, but blue interior. Want attention constantly? Buy this car.
It still blows my mind how in the same era we were having Mach 3 capable aircraft a top level consumer performance car had 110 hp
Just like today . . . it's not know how or innovation holding us back . . . it's government and people living in fear.
My first car.. Many would tell me how fast and sporty it was but it always felt painfully slow
For me the BIG BUMPER MK2 GTI is the best looking out of all the generation’s
Our family car then was a VW Polo with 40 HP. We got a VW Golf with 60 HP as the Polo had a longer repair. I felt like driving a sports car…
The European version was fantastic. Could demolish any American muscle car around a tight circuit (not straight line). I drove a 1.8 lt version for a few years. Was fantastic handler, and very zippy.
I had one of those but it was a serious piece of sh*t and had all kinds of electrical problems and 5 gear died. Was fun when it actually worked....
I loved my GTI but had much more fun in my Honda Civic's!!! 😅
Fyi gti race series took a lot of gti off the street. One reason you do not see many original. A 16 v head conversion gave you 30 more hp. Or just buy a 16 v scirocco. But there is No head room
Let's go for the good stuff of yore.
Problem with the pricing estimates is that the actual selling price on these has been in excess of 32k on. Bring a Trailer.
Looking for a 84 Rabbit GTI / Golf MK 1 please let me know if you know of one for sale
at 6'6'' Id definitely pay extra $$ for the additional headroom of a non sunroof car =)
This designed by 'Giugiaro' seems incorrect. Check out the Audi 50 (not designed by Giugaro - I know this because it won European mini car of 74 but lists Audi designers and not Cuigaro as designer) I think Guigaro did not design the Golf but VW accepted the tag as a way to expedite sales.