What year of GTI?

I want to get a gti from the mid 80's or newer. What is the best model year in your guys' opinion? I don't have lots of cash now but eventually want to get the engine rebuilt with a turbo and IC.

Get the 95 year model. I say this only cuz my friend has one and it is pretty wicked!!

A 95 would be sweet but theres no way I can afford one that new. I'm thinking more along the lines of 86 or so.

Also what are the biggest rims anyone has put on a gti?

i've seen em big. damn big.
i would go with the 90+, b/c it has the nice doors with the mirrors in the corner of the window, and the big bumpers... you can swap in a vr6... turbo it... maybe awd from europe w/ a six speed if you are lucky. go with lightweight 18s... sticky tires... 4 headlite grille with tinted tails and a smooth liftgate... put the plate in the bumper
maybe in bright yellow...

oh yeah... recaros... corrado gauges and smooth the emblems off the whole thing...
and there is a company that makes m3 style mirrors for em... sick lookin... you can get em in power... go that route. sick shiet

That is basically the stuff I want to do when I get a gti, I want one so bad! Whats a good price for a pre 90's one and for one from the mid 90's? I dont mind switching lots of stuff in the future but right now I dont have much money. How rare are the gti's with the 2.1L 16v engine?

to get an idea...
a used corrado... 93 ish vintage is around 9k for a nice one...
figure at least half that for a similar year gti. pre 90s is alot, and i mean alot, cheaper... and you can swap doors and bumpers and motors, etc... the body did not change for like ten years... so you could get an 85 and make it look like a 92. hows that sound?
i believe the 2.1 was rare, but is it a twin cam, or sohc? i would go with the 1.8 g60 or a vr6 swap... which is extremely easy...
i know autobahn designs has done the swap alot... as well as 1552design, or talk to www.tap1.com they are mostly audi, but know that shiet as well... there is so much you can do to that...
it is kinda like a crx... just spend some cash (minimal) and it is a killer...
so much shiet is a straight bolt on that it is just sick... makes it hella cheaper...

I think I'm gonna have to find an 85', they look nice and the price is good. As soon as I pay off my loan I'm gonna get one and put all my money into it, you've given me some good ideas. How easy is it to find sh!t like newer doors and bumpers? I live in Canada so I think it would be harder to find anything.

i think abd is in canada... they do a tonna vr6 swaps...
the doors are easy to find...
the bumpers you can find after market for around 200 bucks... and get em with the smoked bumper lights up front ... and you can get em with the fog lite openings, and then run brake cooling ducts from there... it is easy... just a straight shot to the brakes from the lite openings... its fun to find stuff like that... any other questions, i got all sorts of ideas...
and if you get a chance, pick up performance vw from england... im sure you get it in canada... it is oversized, and has mad crazy golfs...

shawn van neer runs momentum motorsports in canada... makes nice cars...
just found the city here... he is in port coquitlam, british columbia
there is a for door jetta on www.maxpoweronline.com
that has 400 hp 1.8t in it...
if you go there, search the feature cars by manufacturer... trust me, you will not be disappointed

and....
on maxpower there is also a silver 85 gti with the doors and bumpers and grille... check it out

flywsi you've given me some sweet ideas. I have a loan that i'm paying off but as soon as I'm done it's time for a gti!

this is the kinda shit that i come up with when i sit online at work all day...
and i used to have a jetta two door... rare... very
so i am all about the vw, and i know way too much about that shit... moreso about euro gtis... there are some awesome cars over there... but i cant find the euro mags anymore, and when i do, they are fuckin like ten bucks a piece... and the us mags dont have much for me to look at...
so when you build that shiet, lemme know whatcha gonna do... im always up for a brainstorming session... its always cool to live my dreams out with someone elses money...

Hey flylwsi I found a couple cars on the net that aren't to far from where I live. All the prices are Canadian

-A completely stock 84' gti with 220,000km for $2500 obo

-85' with shaved door handles and a custom exhaust with 136,000 miles for $4500 obo

-90' in "showroom condition", Pirelli tires, new Sony speakers and kicker amp, Ricaro seats, sunroof, extra wheels and studded tires for winter16v for $7600

Oh I found even more, this time closer to home!

-85' rare US model c/w ps, a/c, 4 wheel disc brakes, tear drop mags, Recaro style seats, new calipers, Euro headlights, runs great. 124,000 miles for $3,995

-85' rare model, great shape c/w ps, Recaro seats, a/c, fact mags, full instrumentation, 4 whl disc brakes, custom exh, CD/stereo, $3995

-87' 16 valve, new paint, clutch, 2 sets rims, Euro bumpers, grill, nuespeed short shift, struts, alarm, remote start, stereo, need truck. $8000 obo

I really like the last one what do you think?

the last one sounds goood... it depends on if you want to buy a cheaper car and spend the cash to do what he has and then some... i would go with the last one... but i would have to see em and have a vw car nut check em out first...

IM ON A ROLL HERE... CHECK OUT RPI IN CANADA...
WWW.RPI-EQUIPPED.COM
IN THE SAME CITY AS MOMENTUM W/SHAWN VAN NEER

OR GO TO...
WWW.EUROSPORTACC.COM
IN CALIFORNIA

So many good ideas but so little money!

go with the 86 man thats what i ride and its a blast and only cost me a couple hundred not bad for a car that can top out at 120 and not catch on fire

Try finding something between 86-92.dont even think for a mk3. 90+ mk2s are beauties, big bumpers, twin headlights, one-piece front door windows are all stock, but all these just bolt-on at the previous models.the 2,1l is really really rare, i do not even think that it was an o.e. engine given through VW. any way just go for the 1.8 16v (136hp stock) for start. it can be tuned really good, both N/A or with a turbo... just fyi, I have tuned my 89'gti as follows: 1.8 16v engine- stroked it to 2.something (2048cc i think), carl schmidt forged pistons, gas-flowed head, new 276 deg schrick cams and you have 211 bhp . currently i am searching for two twin Weber 48 carbs, and if i find and install them, according to the guy at the machine shop, this will give some 30 more hp!!!!! it is just like having throttle bodies on , but at 1/10 of the money. i just tell you these to see what a little monster you can make out of a 15 year old b****. I just love this car. and once you buy one you will love it too....

You're all wrong!
You want one of these.
:rofl::rofl:http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/155216Beetle_041-med.jpg :rofl::rofl: