The drivers door lock stopped working, along with the central locking. Even the key doesn't work, and I can't even pull the door pin. Already snapped one trying to do it.
Now the central locking is controlled by the after market toad alarm. Which was probs installed in the early 2000's. I don't use the key to open the car. A feature of the alarm is that it locks you in once you turn the ignition, which can be unlocked by simply pulling the drivers doorpin. This has recently been getting worse when trying to pull the pin up to open the door, without having to go through the hassle of turning the car off, which would then unlock it. This is how I snapped a pin recently.
Tonight, it's totally gone. Key barely turns in the driver's door, the pin and puller on the outside both twitch slightly. The passenger door key hole works, but just unlocks that door old school style. There is no more central locking! Pump is silent, but I suspect that's because it still thinks it's locked. The alarm still arms thankfully, but now I have to climb through passenger door. The driver's door pin is locked down solid.
There's no point trying to get Toad involved as although they still exist, the company claim they have nothing to do with Toad, despite the number being called is on the damn website, along with all of their toad other alarm products. Basically they're not interested.
Can anyone help me with suggestsions etc? Otherwise I'm just going to end up calling an automotive locksmith.
Not been as active on here as I'd like. Such is life.
I have an issue. My H reg mk2 GTI 8v Digifant is over heating. Essentially the fan wasn't coming on. This has been a gradual thing, as before the fan would kick in but rather late, by which point the temp gauge was flashing at me. It'd cool down once the fan kicked in, but the fan would be on almost constantly. Motorways and fast moving traffic it was fine of course.
Now it has been a little ropey up to this point, with it stalling when coming to a junction, whilst the engine is cold. Once warmed up it was fine, idles fine, albeit when the revs drop it would stutter everso slightly a moment before regulating itself again.
Anyway to cut a long story short. The fan isn't kicking in. Now the fan is only a few months old so I don't think it's that. It had power going to it when the AA tech tested all the connections. (I came off the m6 on my way up to Mancester when traffic was gridlocked)
I have drained the coolant to take a look at the 'stat. (removing the PAS pump was a bit of a nightmare). I have tested the 'stat and it starts to open at the tempt set by it at 87c. So it's not that. So now I'm thinking it's either the rad sensor, or the tempreture sender unit or the thermo switch? I have the later version which is 2 sensors going in to a hose connector on the side of the engine with the spark plugs.
I have heard horror storys about these sensors, namely the blue one. Haynes calls it the ECU temp sensor. What I am unsure about is would it even play a part with the fan? I don't know how interconnected these are given it's an old car. I would've thought the fan would run off from the rad sensor, which is linked to the overall coolant temp, and works in tandem with the 'stat?
Basically where I am now is I don't want to waste time and money sticking coolant back in, putting the PAS pump back on, and then pissing about takings things off again, like the rad sensor. (Can't actually get it off as I don't have a big enough spanner/socket.) I also hear I have to reset the ECU after swapping the ECU temp sensor.
I will attached a link to some images, including the old and new one. The old one does look a bit knackered and is probs the original. It's VAG and VDO brand. The new OEM one I have bought looks cheap in comparison, although it certainly wasn't to buy.
Bascially can anyone give me any suggestions or tips? I want to get my baby back on the road as I miss driving it!
So I had a little accident in the Golf, which caused me to mount the enbankment. Car is ok but I lost my black side skirt and partially ripped the rear wheel arch off. Both on the off side.
Now I'm looking but I can't find the damn things online. I've been to ebay, VW classic parts in Germany, Heritage parts centre. The only wheel arches I've seen that look like they'd go on mine are down as being for a g60. I've no idea if that makes any difference.
To be honest I think it might be ok. I need to properly look in the daylight. The damn side skirt is what I really need!
I don't think it makes any difference, but my Gti is a 5 door.
So I've finally started addessing some of the little rust spots. The first, and worst is the blank wiper bung. I swear it was getting worse each week. And my god it was a pain to remove the bung! Lots of grinding with the dremel, and now some Fertan rust treatment on it. I've had to cover it with a little bin bag tent tonight. Hopefully it'll be ok over night and all being well I can prime it.
It's a bit keyhole surgery with the windscreen seal. Again, this is the worst spot on the car. The rest ammounts to a few little surface spots with no bubbling, to a little bit of bubbling at the bottom of the doors.
So I want to do a few mods to the car, but part of me is very anti. I'm all about subtle mods, but part of me feels it lowers the value of the car?
Examples would be... Removing the old electric antenna and installing either DAB or a bee sting. (I do enjoy watching the old antenna extend though). Swapping out the steering wheel for something like a Momo. (maybe a snap off?) Instaling a Votex style centre console and throwing some later VW cup holders in there.
I know it's my car ultimately, and I don't plan to sell it for a long time yet (Only just got the bloody thing). What's the general stance from folks in the community?
A friend of mine suggested I try to forums in trying to track down a beloved family car. "Don't underestimate the power of social media and a concentrated group with a love of a particular thing"
So soppy back story ahead.. Back in 1991 my mum bought a brand new MK2 Golf driver in Tornado red. It had the twin light GTI grill with red band, a seat trim that I've not really seen on many in the classifieds, and so on. She had this car for many years. We would drive to Wales from Northampton at night to see her dad, and little me would be sleeping across the back seats. (it was the 90's).
She eventually sold this to my older brother who lives in Kingston Upon Thames. He owned it for a good few years, but neglected it massively. Other than putting some little TSW wheels on it, it remained standard. The paint started to fade, it had some mould growing inside. There was always a plan for me to have it off him, and I would restore it with my body shop studies I was doing at the time. By now it's about 2006/07, I had a job in a garage with recovery so I eventually got the key from him to give to them and collect when in the area. By now the car has no tax or MOT.
Now he lived in an end terraced house on Cambridge road, and next door to him was a wine shop. Majestics. The back of the shop was actually facing the main road. He had an aggreement with them to park it on their "driveway". (You can see where this is going) Well Majestics left that unit, and the landlord didn't take kindly to this car being parked there. From speaking to my brother, the landlord was an asshole and said he had the car taken away, "at much expence!". Why my brother didn't make any effort I don't know, other than he doesn't really care for cars.
So that was it in my mind. Either my borhter bullpooted me and sold it, or a scrappy had it. He didn't have the v5c, or much else in the way of documents. Couldn't even remember the reg. Well fast forward to present day, I'm now 30 and still sore about this, and cry when I see the price of MK2 now. I still have the key for it. I was chatting to mum about it, and she suddenly remembers the reg! I check the DVLA website, and holy poo, there it is. Still on the books! The MOT expired 2006, as did the tax.
Now I'm not an idiot. As much as it hurts to say it, I know that it's probably long gone. Part of me hopes that maybe, just maybe, there's a chance it's sat somewhere. I realise it's unlikely a scrappy would go about registering it as scrapped, and would just shred it. I know it's a tall order, and I've probs got more chance of seeing Jesus. But since finding out he reg, and seeing it still on the books, I have a tiny bit of hope.
My brother is being no help at all. "I don't have time to speak to the DVLA". I've called a few scrap yards in the area, none were interested in helping at all. Only one actually listened and tried to offer advice.
So now I reach out to you guys, what do you think? Is there a chance? Have you seen anything?
TL:DR
The Reg is H966 EBD Golf Driver in Tornado red. Last seen in Kingston Upon Thames area..... 14 years ago...
