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1998 Volkswagen GTi VR6

For most enthusiasts, last week’s 1997 BMW 318ti M-Sport represented too little car for too much money; sure, the M-Sport looked great, but as pointed out by one of our readers the performance didn’t necessarily live up to the badges. The M-Sport was fast in appearance and carried a hefty price tag to go along with it. A fully optioned 318ti M-Sport in a special color would set you back around $25,000 – a steep asking price considering the M42 engine with only around 140 horsepower motivating it. So the 318ti M-Sport was a bit of a sheep in wolf’s clothes; a good car, but with the promise of more performance than it could deliver.

On the other end of the spectrum was the original giant-slayer hot hatch, the GTi. While not all versions enjoyed great performance, if you opted for the VR6 variant you got a handsome, well built and good handling package capable of out-drag racing, out-turning and out-carrying the 318ti. Best of all, it was about $5,000 cheaper than the BMW. Outwardly, aside from the wild-colored Jazz Blue or Ginster Yellow examples, to many the GTi VR6 was virtually indistinguishable from the standard Golf – for many, part of its huge appeal. It was, simply put, the wolf in sheep’s clothing:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1998 Volkswagen GTi VR6 on eBay


Year: 1998
Model: GTi VR6
Engine: 2.8 liter narrow-angle V6
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: 135,886 mi
Price: No Reserve Auction

1998 Volkswagen GTI VR6 “Drivers Edition”
NO RESERVE! Relisted due to non-paying bidder!! PLEASE only bid if you’re ready to buy!! Super nice 1998 Volkswagen GTI VR6 DE! This Driver’s Edition GTI was enthusiast owned and has some nice upgrades that makes a great sports car even better! With just over 135,000 highway miles, it’s apparent the previous owner took excellent care of it! I’ve put a few hundred miles on it and it runs & drives great! Upgrades include Magnaflow exhaust (sounds great!), Neuspeed springs with Bilstein shocks, Neuspeed underdrive pulleys and P-FLO intake. Finished in beautiful Yellow with Charocal Cloth interior with Yellow stitching and accents. The exterior finish looks great! The paint shines beautifully with no major imperfections to be found. There are a few small areas of clear coat peeling and some small rust bubbles starting to form (please review the photos carefully). The tires are showing approximately 70% tread remaining. The interior is very clean and fresh with no pet or smoke odor. Equipped with power windows, power door locks, power tilting & sliding sunroof, aftermarket AM/FM/CD stereo system, climate control with hot heat and ice cold A/C. The 6-cylinder engine starts right up and runs great. The 5-speed transmission shifts great, exactly as it should. Clutch feels great with no slipping or chattering, feels like it has plenty of life left. Brakes, steering and suspension all feel great. Overall a fantastic running & driving GTI! Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions!!

The Speedline wheels look great and are great to see, as often these GTis are far from stock. Ginster Yellow is also a great color, with accents that carry over to the sport seats. Having spent a considerable amount of time in a Mk. 3 Golf, they’re great driving cars that are fun – the up the refinement considerably from the Mk.1 and Mk.2 variants while retaining the light, toss-able feel that made the GTi a sporting option. Unfortunately, they’re also known for rusting and this car has some rust popping through in the usual suspect areas of the hatch and fenders. Get it quickly before it spreads if you’re serious about this car. Miles are reasonable, condition overall appears to be good and there are minimal modifications – all big pluses for these cars. Best of all, though, they’re still a relative performance bargain compared to the 318ti – this particular car, with only a little over a day to go, sits well below $3,000 with no reserve. I’d love to pick one of these up as a fun commuter car; they won’t turn heads like the BMW M-series will, but you’ll be smiling just as much behind the wheel and when you look at your bank statements.

-Carter

6 Comments

  1. Oscar
    Oscar September 2, 2014

    There is no such thing as a 1998 GTI GLX, that particular one is a Driver’s Edition. Also is not described properly since it has rust in the quarter panel……

  2. Poorhouse
    Poorhouse September 2, 2014

    MKIII VR6 cars are underappreciated by enthusiasts.

    Their performance numbers aren’t staggering, but the torque makes them feel plenty quick on the road.

    I’d love to have another one. With some minor suspension work and an exhaust they are very satisfying dailies.

  3. Carter
    Carter September 2, 2014

    Hi Oscar,

    Actually, as written the Driver’s Edition was 1997 only. The changes to the DE carried over to 1998, but strictly speaking, this isn’t one.

  4. Dan
    Dan September 2, 2014

    I have a 1998 GTI VR6 that I bought new in June 1998. I agree with Poorhouse above in that they seem to be fairly under appreciated. My car is Porcelain Blue, in outstanding condition and is remarkably original, which is not an accident. It’s no longer my daily car but I just can’t bring myself to sell it. Mostly because too many have been bastardized and gutted and I can’t justify letting that happen. A price still under $3k for this one is only reaffirming my plan to keep mine.

    The 1997 Drivers Edition pretty much became the 1998 car. But as I recall they still marketed the Drivers Edition in 1998. It was Ginster Yellow and had red brake calipers. But otherwise was the same as any other 1998 VR6. I nearly went with one but decided on the blue as there were fewer blue ones available according to the VW dealer computers at the time.

    Great car anyway. I have always wished it carried over a little more of the MkII 16V look with larger fender flares or something to clearly differentiate it from the base Golf, but in any event, I’m glad I still have it….

  5. Poorhouse
    Poorhouse September 3, 2014

    Dan,

    Congrats to you for keeping yours. Porcelian Blue is a great color. This thread really has me missing my MKIII. It was a ’95 Jetta GLX, red over black leather. It was fully loaded with the BBS wheels that came on the early VR6 cars. Sold it to a young guy who promptly totalled it. To his credit he rebuilt it, only to total it again… Hopefully he moved down to a 2.0 as the 2.8 was apparently to much for him.

    If you decide to sell please post the car here. A Porcelain Blue ’98 would look great next to my restored ’78 Rabbit.

    Se pics of it here:

    http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?7008544-78-Rabbit-CA-transplant-to-MT

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