Golf TDI Buying Guide: 3rd & 4th Gen

Hello everyone!

I'm currently facing a difficult decision when it comes to buying a car. I'm looking for a Golf TDI for my wife, with a budget of up to a maximum of 7500 EUR.
We've already looked at a few vehicles today. The options we're considering are primarily Golfs with a 1Z engine, and one with an AFN engine from 1998.
In contrast to that, there's a 1998 Volkswagen Golf 4 with an ALH engine.
Which car would you prefer: the well-established Golf 3 or a Golf 4 from its first model year?
The vehicles have mileage ranging from 130,000 km to 160,000 km. The price differences between the Golf 3 Variant TDI and the Golf 4 (5-door) TDI are also only marginal.

Which Golf model would you prefer? Are there people who have switched from the 3-series to the 4-series? What are their experiences?

Thank you for your help!

Regards,
Alex.

donalexo wrote:

Basically, there are three Golf models available for sale, all with a 1Z engine, and one with an AFN engine from the year 1998. In contrast to that, there's a 1998 Volkswagen Golf 4 with an ALH engine. Which vehicle would you prefer, the well-established Golf 3 or a Golf 4 from the first model year?

Hi Alex,

If you add "with all the common childhood illnesses" to your last sentence, you've already given yourself (or rather, me) the answer.

Regarding the 1Z model, I would pay very close attention to the torque-to-rotation (KW-ZR) adjustment screw – but I assume you already know that.

Therefore, my specific recommendation: consider the AFN-G3, as you might be able to upgrade to a larger fuel injector (and 216 injectors... ? Then your wife will hardly see her car).

My G3 had given me serious trouble, mainly with water leaks in the trunk, in addition to problems with the charging socket.
Replaced the valve cover gasket and reinstalled it with a new sealing ring underneath -> it's quiet now.

Recently, a frequent rattling sound from the door locks has also been quite annoying.
Solution: Wrap a piece of tape around the door latches on the B-pillar -> peace was .

Is ALH the VTG-90PS machine?

Then the AGR was only built for one year?

Is the G4 still that buggy?

Unfortunately, I only have experience with my own G3 Var 1Z Mod 96 Europe model, and for comparison, a 2001 100 HP PD Bora Variant Sport Edition and a 2001 Ibiza GP01 110 HP ASV.

The G3 body is way too soft (try hitting the B-pillar with the back of your hand).
When I close the driver's door normally, the rear door pops out from the top of the seal (even when the doors/windows are open - so it's not an air pressure problem, but rather the soft pillar).

Furthermore, the engines without intercoolers (038 models) are noticeably quieter.

I would rather get a G4 based on my experience with the G3 Var.

The electric vehicle, on the other hand, offers significantly more cargo space.

It's a really tough decision .

m;

Hello,

The comfort, materials, and driving experience are worlds apart between the Golf 3 and 4. Compared directly, the Golf 3 feels like an old, noisy car. The technology in the ALH engine doesn't have any major issues because it was already used in the AFN and its successors.

Best regards,
Albrecht.

dieselmartin wrote:

.... Is the G4 still that buggy?

Yes, at least when comparing G3 to G4.

Quote:

... The G3 body is way too soft (try hitting the B-pillar with the back of your hand). When I close the driver's door normally, the rear door pops out from the top of the seal (even when the doors/windows are open - so it's not an air pressure problem, but rather the soft pillar).

I didn't have that, but my G3 was also a rebuilt car with front-end damage, although the damage extended as far as under the driver's seat (the B-pillar was original). The body was incredibly tough.

Quote:

Furthermore, the engines without intercoolers (038 models) are noticeably quieter.

That's right.

Quote:

I would rather get a G4 based on my experience with the G3 Var.

I would rather take a G3 (Var) than use my G4 Var knowledge.

The clear disadvantages of comfort and quietness in the G4 are offset by significantly more expensive wear parts (tires, brakes, shock absorbers, etc.) and a tighter interior.
The G4 is significantly more expensive than the G3, especially when it comes to tires. With the G3, you can use 185/60R14 tires, which are readily available and relatively inexpensive. However, the G4 requires at least the 195/65R15 tires, which are considerably more expensive. Even the 195/50R50 tires that I used on my G3 were cheaper in comparison.
The G4 is a small box .
Opening the glove compartment in the G4 is not possible without first sliding the seat all the way back and then bending your legs. This is not a problem with the G3.
The legroom in the G4 is a tight space. In contrast, the G3 offers plenty of room.
In the back seat, there is significantly less space compared to the G3, due to a longer trunk in the G4. Those who need to install a child seat in the back will especially notice this (thankfully, my wife is very small ).
The trunk space in the G4Var is actually an insult. A flat loading surface only exists with the optional "utensil box" (a kind of intermediate shelf, costing around 350 euros extra). Due to the extreme cladding in the trunk, the interior width of the luggage compartment has been significantly reduced (my tent poles no longer fit across the width of the car in the G4). Only the length of the luggage compartment has increased by a few centimeters in the G4.
The G4 is significantly heavier, which unnecessarily increases its power consumption.

The standard suspension in the G4 is, of course, significantly better. The G4 is the better choice, especially on the highway (much smoother). However, for country roads and city driving, I would opt for the G3.
Even for use with trailers (which was important to me), the G4 is the better option.
The improved crash safety is likely to be a clear advantage of the G4.
The G4 is noticeably quieter due to the thicker interior linings (but is that really that important for a city car?).

I'm not saying I regret buying my G4, but if I were buying a car for short distances, I would choose the G3.

Greetings from G3 to those migrating to G4.

Bertil.

Bertil wrote:

With the G3, you can use 185/60R14 tires, which are readily available and relatively inexpensive. In contrast, the G4 requires at least the more expensive 195/65R15 tires. Even the 195/50R50 tires on my G3 were cheaper.

NOPE

The G3 VAR TDI is not allowed to have 185 tires in the summer; 195/60 14 tires are required. They have a large rolling circumference, but they appear quite wide on the 6J rim, which doesn't necessarily improve road handling. I run them at 2.5 bar to prevent the vehicle from bottoming out.

Bertil wrote:

Opening the glove compartment in the G4 is not possible without first sliding the seat all the way back and then bending your legs. This is not a problem with the G3.

Did you have a G3 with dual airbags? My passengers regularly get blue shins because the glove compartment under the airbag slams into their bones.

Bertil wrote:

In the G3, the rear seat offers significantly less space than in the G3, due to the design prioritizing a longer cargo area.

Here's an extra "3" and a missing "4". So, does the G4 have a longer K-space?

Bertil wrote:

The trunk space in the G4Var is actually an insult. A flat loading surface only exists with the optional "utensil box" (a kind of intermediate shelf, costing around 350 euros extra). Due to the extreme cladding in the trunk, the interior width of the luggage compartment has been significantly reduced (my tent poles no longer fit across the width of the car in the G4). Only the length of the luggage compartment has increased by a few centimeters in the G4.

"You're right, the G4 doesn't have those flared K-shaped areas (those bulges behind the wheel arches) anymore. It has storage compartments or something like that, right?"

http://www.luxus-wg.de/~martin/auto_bilder/radhalter/
especially:
http://www.luxus-wg.de/~martin/auto_bilder/radhalter/TN_DSC01365.JPG

Bertil wrote:

The standard suspension in the G4 is, of course, significantly better. The G4 is the better choice, especially on the highway (much smoother). However, for country roads and city driving, I would opt for the G3.

Chassis G3 Var ??? That's a state!
I have Bilstein B4 gas shock absorbers (standard characteristics and length) that are 1 year old, and 1-year-old Continental Premium tires. The vehicle doesn't handle very well on the road, and it looks awful with those huge wheel arches (I can fit my hand standing up between the wheel arch and the tire - I'm not familiar with this on the G4, and I can't even get my hand flat between the wheel arch and tire on a standard Vectra B).

http://people.freenet.de/golf-schrauber/orlandos.jpg

Greetings.
martin

In my opinion, the Golf 3 has the clearly better suspension. At least, when you drive a lot on country roads. With the Golf 4, you have to expect seasickness at the same cornering speeds as with the Golf 3, because the car rocks and sways. At least, that's the case with the Golf 4 Variant. My impression is that the suspension was really designed for old grandpas. However, the Golf 4 is quieter than the Golf 3, but with the 90 hp TDI in the Golf 4, well... That thing is just incredibly heavy because of the good insulation of the TDI. The seats in the Golf 4 aren't really my thing either, at least the seating position. But the seating position in the Golf 5 is even worse; you almost feel like you're in a van.
I'm not sure if I would buy a Golf3 Variant. The problem is that it only has drum brakes in the rear. Those parts are just a constant source of trouble with the Golf3.
My preference would be for a Golf 3 AFN, either a 2-door or 4-door model, with some equipment. For around 7500, you should be able to find good examples from 1997 with features like air conditioning, power windows, 2 airbags (possibly side airbags), GT sports seats or Recaros, power antenna, central locking, and possibly even climate control.

dieselmartin wrote:

...The G3 VAR TDI is NOT allowed to use 185 tires in the summer...

... Mine was allowed to. But you had to pay attention to the load capacity!!
"However, I've always used 195/50R15 tires, which are only slightly more expensive than the 185s, but they look *much* better."

Quote:

Did you have a G3 with dual airbags? My passengers regularly get blue shins because the glove compartment under the airbag slams into their bones.

Yes, it had dual airbags.

With the 4-seater, you don't get very far. In order to sit comfortably as a passenger, you would have to press the leg rests into the dashboard. The dashboard is pulled in much too far on both sides.

Quote:

Here's an extra "3" and a missing "4". So, does the G4 have a longer K-space?

The 3-series Gran Turismo offers more legroom in the back, but has a smaller trunk. Is that correct?

Quote:

"You're right, the G4 doesn't have those flared K-shaped areas (those bulges behind the wheel arches) anymore. It has storage compartments or something like that, right?"

What's the point of having large storage compartments if you can't fit your cargo inside?

Quote:

Chassis G3 Var ??? That's a state! I have Bilstein B4 gas shock absorbers that are 1 year old (standard characteristics and length) and Conti Premium tires that are also 1 year old. The vehicle doesn't handle very well on the road, and it looks bad with the excessively tall wheel arches (I can fit a hand vertically between the wheel arch and the wheel -

So, it seems your car is having a serious problem.
The handling on country roads was excellent in the 3 Series and much better than in the 4 Series. However, the 4 Series is noticeably more stable on the highway. With the 3 Series, I always felt like it was prone to bouncing at high speeds. This made it very nervous and the straight-line stability was poor.
The "4er" is more geared towards "grandpa" types... what they call "parking" is actually "docking" }.


@x world one

The seats in my standard 3 Series were awful. I replaced the driver's seat with a Recaro SR. I guess I was lucky with my 4 Series. The G4 "Special" model comes standard with lumbar support, which makes a big difference. These seats are better than the ones in the 3 Series.

Hello everyone!

Thank you very much for your numerous recommendations and testimonials!

I would like to further characterize the intended use of the vehicle. My wife will be driving approximately 170 km (about 106 miles) daily to and from work, starting in September. This will mostly be on the highway (Autobahn), with the remainder on country roads.
So, the G4 is probably the better choice, right?

I would also like to point out that I myself drive an A3 (8L), which, as is well known, shares the same platform as the G4. This means that my experience with repairs can be directly applied, and spare parts (oil filters, wheel bearings, tires, etc.) are largely the same. I also see this as a clear advantage.

I personally prefer the G4 based on the subjective feeling of the interior. It somehow feels more solid and better designed.
But for me, the hard technical facts are, of course, the most important thing.

I welcome further opinions and comments on this topic.

Regards,
Alex.

Okay, a different question: What does your wife say? After all, she's the one who will be driving the car...
I initially wanted to get a 3-door hatchback, but my girlfriend convinced me not to buy the 'heap of junk' (which was a Golf III Variant GT Special) with strong arguments. I would definitely let her decide, because replacement parts are already expensive, or having more legroom is preferable to constant nagging.

donalexo wrote:

This whole process happens mostly via the Autobahn (German highway) and the rest via country roads. So, the G4 is probably the better choice, right?

... definitely G4!

Quote:

I would also like to point out that I myself drive an A3 (8L), which, as is well known, shares the same platform as the G4. This means that my experience with repairs can be directly applied, and spare parts (oil filters, wheel bearings, tires, etc.) are largely the same. I also see this as a clear advantage.

Yes, that's a clear advantage.

Quote:

... because they are already expensive replacement parts, or offer more legroom compared to constant nagging.

Well, I'm lucky, my wife is so small that the space issue isn't that bad.
Unfortunately, she prefers driving the G4 over the 3 Series... and that's why I often have to take the Lupo (shock absorbers + springs = pancake ).
When it comes to buying parts, she always has a crying fit...

@Bertil
Luckily, I have the GT Sports seats installed. They're not great, definitely worse than the ones in my old Golf 2 16v. But the E36 M3 Recaros are definitely good.
The seats in the 4-seater version are also very good, but unfortunately, the lumbar support is fixed in our Pacific. Because I have quite a bit of back pain, it doesn't fit perfectly, as I also struggle to find the right seating position. However, if you were driving the car alone, it would probably be fine.

Regarding the Golf, the 4-series is likely a bit safer, unless you find a 3-series with side airbags. However, I suspect the fuel consumption of the 4-series Golf will be slightly higher. Especially for highway driving, I wouldn't recommend the 90hp TDI. I don't know your wife's driving style, but those engines are not suitable for highway driving if you ever want to go faster than 160 km/h. Also, the 1Z engines will be quite noisy in that situation. An AFN might even be more fuel-efficient. My new 1Z manages to achieve 5 liters per 100 km on the highway at a maximum speed of 140 km/h, and I even managed an average of 4.8 liters. I wouldn't subject the extra weight of a Variant to that driving profile.

It's logical that the G4 looks better inside; it's a newer generation of vehicle. However, I think, like Ulf, that a car from the first generation of a model series always has some teething problems.

Otherwise, just test drive both of them.

... just a quick side note:

In this thread, only (former) 1Z drivers have responded (Ulf is the exception so far).

... just a quick aside:

In this thread, only (former) 1Z drivers have responded (Ulf is the exception so far).

Therefore, I have only been reading here so far and have refrained from making any (subjective) comments .

I prefer the AFN engine (90 horsepower - I believe - wasn't really that powerful).
Ultimately, I would leave the decision to the person who will be using the item.
drives; she has to spend about 2 hours of her day in it every day.

Best regards, Rudi.

Hello!
Anfang 2001 bin ich von einem Golf 3 GT TDI (1Z) auf einen Golf 4 TDI Comfortline BJ 05/98(ALH ?) umgestiegen. Da ich den Wagen von meinem Vater übernommen hatte, war er mir nicht fremd, trotzdem überkam mich damals ein wirkliches AHA-Erlebnis. Fahrwerk, Geräuschentwicklung ,Innenraumgefühl, aber besonders die Bremsanlage waren schon 2 Klassen besser geworden. Die Sitze und sämtliche Oberflächenmaterialien machten einen wirklich sehr guten Eindruck im Vergleich zum alten Golf 3. Er war einfach viel moderner. Trotzdem nicht uneingeschränkt besser. Bei vielen Dingen hatte ich nach kurzer Zeit den Eindruck, daß in erster Linie der äußere Schein von Bedeutung war, vieles aber nicht gerade auf Langlebigkeit ausgelegt war. Besonders auffällig fand ich dies im Innenraum, dessen Oberflächen extrem empfindlich und sehr schlecht zu reinigen sind. Da ich ab und an auch mal etwas sperrige Sachen transportieren mußte, störte mich besonders, das man den Fahrersitz sehr weit nach vorn machen mußte, um überhaupt die Sitzbank richtig umklappen zu können. Bei dieser Gelegenheit habe ich mir auch eine Türverkleidung kaputt gemacht, welche nur aus 'gummierter Pappe' bestehen. Das Handschuhfach war auch eine Fehlentwicklung. Mehrfach ist der Öffnungsmechanismus einfach abgefallen. Die Lampe funktionierte nicht richtig und das gedämpfte Öffnen funktionierte nicht wirklich lange.Eine besondere Eigenart dieser Modelle ist wohl der 'vibrierende Schaltknüppel'. Wegen dieser Besonderheit hatte mein Vater einige Termine beim Händler seines Mißtrauens. Nachdem u.a. andere Getriebeschrauben verbaut wurden, mußte letzendlich das Tilgergewicht seinen Platz räumen, was zwar das Vibrieren eindämmte, aber schon ein gewöhnungsbedürftiges Schaltgefühl mit sich bringt. AnsonThe mechanics did a very good job on the engine and transmission, except for one issue with the mass airflow sensor.
All in all, the Golf IV was a nice car, and I happily drove it for 60,000 km over two years with virtually no problems. Ultimately, I think it comes down to a matter of price. I can't quite believe that the price differences between the G3 and G4 are negligible when considering the same mileage and year of manufacture. A G3 should be relatively inexpensive. G4 TDIs with low mileage, on the other hand, seem to be quite expensive.
And in terms of maintenance and upkeep, the G3 is ultimately cheaper.
Ultimately, the G3 would probably be the more traditional, but more affordable, choice.
Okay, that was a statement from someone who switched from a G3 to a G4.

P.S: By the way, I'm currently driving a 1Z again, this time the 35i Variant. I don't miss the G4 very often, but sometimes I do .

Hello!

Given your wife's driving style, the G4 would likely...
do a better job, but I would prioritize the first option.
focus on Climatronic. If none of the Golfs you're considering...
Climatronic hat, würde ich einen anderen suchen. And then it gets...
Probably it's already a G4, because the G3 with Climatronic is...
rare (back then, I searched for a whole year to find a GT, 4-door model).
(Looking for a vehicle with adaptive cruise control (ACC) and Climatronic).

Personally, I don't like the seating position in the G4 at all.
The instruments are harder to read, especially that one.
Climatronic display.

My wife is (strangely enough) always happy about it too.
if we can exchange the G4 loaner cars back for our G3s.
However - and this is the difference from you - she drives.
No long-distance flights.

Greetings,

Klaus.

"Der schnelle braune Fuchs springt über den faulen Hund."

Volkswagen Golf 3, AFN engine.