Kevin Bacon

Nope! You have a carbon can vent escaping into the bonnet somewhere, or a fuel leak :D

Lol, the Corrado isn't the only car in the world! Even the most dedicated get bored / fed up eventually and one less Storm on the road tilts the supply & demand in your favour. :D

VR6 I assume? They had 2 different size top caps depending on year. I think 94 onwards got the larger top cap, which is what you need to order from VW or scour off ebay!

Not much in the way of updates.

Stuck my usual Techtonics exhaust on as they are the best you can get for the money imo!

Quite a bit lighter and smaller than the stock system.

Perfect fit and finish, as always from techtonics! I also stuck some genuine VW 'ocean' rear lights on whilst I was there :D

The exhaust sounds superb! Quieter than stock until you boot it and no motorway droning. Spot on!

Lol, that over run sounds like popcorn popping!

It could be complaining about the ECT sensor. Need to see the codes really!

Had the corrado coming up for 8yrs now. Driven about 80,000miles in it. Replaced most things on it.

 

I have enjoyed working on it and glad I started learning mechanics at the deep end. But it's getting me thinking its never going to end and I'd only truly be happy building one from a bare shell.

Although I took it to more of an extreme, that is almost a carbon copy of my Corrado story.

Not sure what would replace it. Suitable for all year round. Something I can work on. Similar performance to corrado. Don't need spare seats or doors or any luggage space. Suitable for bad condition b roads. Corrado manages but doesn't like it. Really got no clue what I like.

MK4 R32

And you know how far I took my Corrado, so I don't suggest that lightly :D

Loving the HT lead guides. Nice touch!

I'm not sure I like standard VR6 engines without the DOHC VR6 cover, but excellent work as always!

The trick to replacing the seal is to warm it up first (ideal time of year for it!) and then superglue the starting point onto the roof panel. Then walk the seal onto panel whilst stretching it at the same time (the glue stops it moving). Then when the 2 ends meet, glue the end point onto the panel too. That will stop the seal moving at the seam over the different seasons. It's how VW do it. I think they also use a lubricant to aid fitment, but don't use oil or grease as it doesn't disperse. You could use fairy liquid but it has a lot of sodium in it, so make sure the panel isn't rusty!!

And finally, rub some silicon grease into the seal periodically and this will stop the flocked finish from rotting and crumbling off.

But as the others have said, it's not a seal as such, but rather a buffer strip to stop wind noise and keep big splashes out.

Now that looks sweet! :D

It would indeed. It may not fault code it as "Clutch switch" exactly, but maybe a related sender or some such.

I remember when I first installed my MK5 ECU and powered the motor up for the first time (after Stealth deimmobed it), I had a fault code list as long as my arm :D Then it was just a case of getting myself to Stealth (with a 5000rpm limit - no vehicle speed signal) and we shifted all of the codes one by one. Didn't have to install any brake or clutch switches and the ECU never coded them after Vince did his stuff.

As mentioned previously, the only R32 hardware I had to leave in place was the SAI relay, evap solenoid and something else I can't remember at the moment. All pretty minor stuff :D

It's not just Corrado parts that are getting onto the "Ask for any old ridiculous price" bandwagon - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-VW-GOLF-R32-OWNERS-LEATHER-WALLET-with-INFO-MANUELS-very-rare-excellent-/261238809806?pt=UK_CarParts_Vehicles_Manuals_Litterature_ET&hash=item3cd30be4ce#ht_151wt_966

£125 for a service wallet, FFS. Rare? Every R32 comes with one!

I despise these ebay idiots and more fool the morons who pay those prices too.

It's not needed if it's been coded out of the ECU.

Yeah do that to fix it in place but Corrado ajustable columns have never been super tight like modern cars. A bit of lateral play isn't life threatening but rotational play (such as worn UJ, worn rack, worn tie rods, worn front wheel bearings) is definitely dangerous and a fail.

So it was lateral play rather than rotational play, or didn't they say?

If you check your column and the rolled pin hasn't fallen out and it's all working as it should, go back to them and say it's by design.

It's the same with the rear wheel bearings. Many Corrados fail on that simply because the testers don't understand taper bearings.

Those and the ZW1s were the heaviest 'feeling' wheels I put on the Corrado. It may be something to do with 8J as well! It does look very good on them though. Silver + dark wheels is a good match.

I wouldn't own a GTR either. I've seen quite a few videos of them now and they seem very noisy inside and quite bouncy over bumps? There was an Autocar youtube clip featuring a GTR vs Audi S6 or S4 avant and the GTR wasn't that much faster overall, but the Audi was in a different league for ride comfort, refinement and quality, which is more my bag these days!

That pic looks ripe for the Corrado forum calendar to me, not that I'd ever hang such a thing on my wall :D

I can't believe you tracked it on those stupidly heavy wheels, but fair play :D You defo need the 3.68 if lugging those heavy boots around, lol.

That's nothing, check this out -

Crazy fools didn't wear seat belts back then!

Do these passion fruit people have a website?

The MK1 Scirocco is now apparently starting to get quite valuable purely because they all rotted away and finding a good one is nigh on impossible! Not so sure the MK2 will ever be looked upon the same way though..

Which is the same way the Corrado will go :D

Totally agree Kevin. I've been tempted to swap into a Mk4 R32 or maybe a mk1 TT as I see them having a far better chance of rising in value long term. But I genuinely like having a car that people don't recognise.

So did I and I enjoyed the shufties it used to attract, but bizarrely enough the R32 seems to attract more attention. I never thought I'd see the day a MK4 Golf getting more looks than a Corrado, but nowt queer as folk, as they say!

An R32 is a nice stepping stone along the VW career path. It's another handsome, brawny looking VW that's as rare as the Corrado, attracts as much attention & has similar performance, but it's a good 2 or 3 rungs up the quality and refinement ladder. It has everything I wish my Corrado had as standard :) Minters still command around £8K and that's where I'd be looking personally. There's a lot to go wrong on these cars (and TTs) and you'd do well to stay away from the £5K sheds imo.

If you get a TT, make sure it's an early one! Audi changed the wishbone bushes on the MK1.5 TT to dial in loads more understeer because of all the lift off oversteer publicity. But if you want the later styling of the 1.5, Audi's understeering work can be undone. You'll read a lot on the TT forums and fitting R32 ARBs and bushes etc etc to make them handle!

I think the TT might become a classic one day, and I stress might! The reason being there was just nothing at all like it at the time. It's exterior and interior were mould breaking and it was an instant success. Definitely the makings of a classic, imo.

The R32, hmmm, I'm not so sure. VW already have 4WD performance Golfs in the shape of the Rallye and G60 Limited, and neither of those have official classic status? It'll be remembered for it's engine and styling though.

And back to Corrados again, there was already a Coupe before the Corrado and I don't think that's a classic either, or is it? It'll always be a classic among fans and petrol heads, but becoming an acknowledged classic, hmmm, I can't really see it tbh. I think it will be forgotten about like all the good Lancias tbh.

I can't honestly see prices ever getting too high - it's not got the retro kitsch appeal of the MK1 or MK2 Golf immediately before it, and it is average against the more plentiful cars a little newer than it (R32, Civic Type R, Impreza/Evo, MK1 Focus RS). It's got a special place in the hearts of the people who have owned one or always wanted one, but sadly most people don't really know what one is.

That's a good point. The cars you've listed there were very succcessfully marketed and appealed to enthusiasts. The Corrado was sadly launched right the in the middle of the hot hatch insurance crisis and £20K + group 18 ins just didn't wash with a lot of people at the time. And it's cramped proportions also meant families didn't look at it twice and bought a 5 dr Golf VR instead for significantly less money. The Corrado always was and always will be a niche car, which means it will only ever appeal to a very small market.

And just to be pedantic, there are actually fewer MK4 R32s than Corrados (according to how many left) and love it or hate it, it's a well known car. You never get "nice GTI mate" type comments, like the "nice Scirocco mate" comments you get with Corrados!

Another thing to consider is VW's attitude to the Corrado. VW have been pushing their premium 'R' branding for 11 years now and people clearly want it. So when it came to producing a new coupe that would also get the R make over, it was the Scirocco that was chosen to be reborn, not the Corrado. As an enthusiast, it's quite a crushing blow that the father company doesn't give a schitt about one of it's best offspring and appears to be trying to wipe it from history by obsoleting everything and even omitting it from the VW timeline!! (which was later rectified). I suspect in part due to it's sales flop. The runt of the family they're trying to forget :D

If you want a car as an investment, but an E-Type or something with an already established classic status. "Future classic" is a phrase thrown around with gay abandon with 100s of cars and many of them never make it. The Corrado is a driver's car and should be the primary ownership focus imo. If you think your're sitting on a goldmine, you're not I'm afraid. I personally feel the car is likely to fade into obscurity.

First of all, perhaps your poster “ross k” could take a little refresher in the art of punctuation. A comment loses a lot of impact when the entire post consists of one continuous “text-speak” sentence with no breaks, etc. and speaks volumes about the sort of person who is posting.

 

I have to point out that we get this sort of thing every year. Invariably, someone, somewhere gets onto a forum after our show and starts spouting indignantly about their precious car being turned away.

 

It seems that these sort of folk think that rules are made for everyone else but them. I would like to point out that the age limits on the entries are there for a reason. We only have a finite amount of space and have to draw the line somewhere. If we allowed every Tom, Dick or Harry in with their later-model car, that they seem to think is the best thing since sliced bread, then we would rapidly run out of space.

 

I personally could well do without reading the rants of someone who wants to conjure up their own interpretation of the show entry rules and seems to think he deserves some sort of preferential treatment.

Hmmm, you hardly have a great attitude yourself. Firstly accusing our member of being an undesirable sort based on his writing style and then accusing people of being arrogant and misguided because they believe their car is a classic, which ought to be allowed in. I suspect the Marshall had an equally blunt attitude as yours, which is what perhaps angered him.

---------- Post added at 4:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 4:10 PM ----------

First of all, perhaps your poster “ross k” could take a little refresher in the art of punctuation. A comment loses a lot of impact when the entire post consists of one continuous “text-speak” sentence with no breaks, etc. and speaks volumes about the sort of person who is posting.

 

I have to point out that we get this sort of thing every year. Invariably, someone, somewhere gets onto a forum after our show and starts spouting indignantly about their precious car being turned away.

 

It seems that these sort of folk think that rules are made for everyone else but them. I would like to point out that the age limits on the entries are there for a reason. We only have a finite amount of space and have to draw the line somewhere. If we allowed every Tom, Dick or Harry in with their later-model car, that they seem to think is the best thing since sliced bread, then we would rapidly run out of space.

 

I personally could well do without reading the rants of someone who wants to conjure up their own interpretation of the show entry rules and seems to think he deserves some sort of preferential treatment.

Hmmm, you hardly have a great attitude yourself. Firstly accusing our member of being an undesirable sort based on his writing style and then accusing people of being arrogant and misguided because they believe their car is a classic, which ought to be allowed in. I suspect the Marshall had an equally blunt attitude as yours, which is what perhaps angered him.

Good stuff! Yeah a respray was on the agenda for me too if I'd kept it.

Yeah it was a Mef tuning box and I sold that and all my other DTA stuff last year unfortunately. The tuning box makes tuning on a lot easier as you don't have to keep looking at the laptop. You just turn the fuel and timing knobs until it drives nicely and then press a button to store it to the map. So much quicker to tune!

No mate, I don't go to shows :D

Well in apparently true corrado style I have come across a little niggle today which couldn't have came at a worse time week before national day.I was cleaning the front end/engine bay so had the headlight's out when i was replacing the driver's side something caught my eye on the belt at first i thought it was a bit of fluff from a rag or something on closer inspection it was actually part of the belt.The upshot of it is my mate is getting it off 2moro to try and determine which belt to use (correct size) At the moment national day is still very do-able have to see how thing's go tomorrow.I have told him to replace the tensioner bearing and anything else he feel's not happy with.

Thanks mate, I appreciate the kind words :D That motor did sit in there nicely and it was very easy to get it looking that way too :D

How is my old girl looking? I know Laurence had some plans for the wheels and stuff?

The Corrado Servo / MC has a 45 degree bolt axis IIRC and the MK3 has the more normal horizontal axis, so not sure it would work.