Heritage Day dream buy

The customization options for the Citi Golf are also endless. To celebrate this motoring icon, we, here at Autodealer have decided to include it in our Heritage Day dream buy because, let’s face it, deep down inside you still want one.

Before we give you some tips and advice on what to look out for when buying one of these cars, here’s a little bit of heritage information.

When Volkswagen released the Golf Mk 1 in 1974, the car was an overnight success. It was easy and economical to drive with impressive handling compared to other small hatchbacks of the time. It was also easy and inexpensive to maintain. Volkswagen South Africa started assembly of the Golf Mk 1 in 1978. When the Golf Mk 2 was launched in 1984, VW South Africa found itself falling short of a demand for a small, affordable entry-level car, as the Golf Mk 2 was bigger and somewhat more expensive than its predecessor. The best viable option for VW South Africa was to continue producing some variant of the Mk 1 to fill the gap in the market. This was made easy due to the fact that they already had all the tooling in place at the VW assembly plant in Uitenhage.

The Citi Golf was a fine favourite amongst just about everyone looking for transportation. It experienced a long and prosperous lifespan of 25 years. Unfortunately due to market demands on safety and cost effectiveness Volkswagen ended production on the 21^st of August 2009. Justin remembers hearing the announcement on radio; he won’t admit it but he told us before that he cried a bit.

The Citi Golf was released is an array of different models over its lifespan. One such model was the special, Heritage edition, called the Citi Mk1. It was released as a celebratory model. These are numbered 1 to 1000 and have several special features including lowered suspension, 15-inch alloy wheels, tinted windows, a leather sports steering wheel with airbag and chrome foil side stripes. We found one fine example on our website; follow the link: here to find out more.

However, what are some key points to look out for? We have a list of things here:

• Well, the Citi Golf has been around for so long that Volkswagen ironed out most of the issues. What we can tell you is that you might want to have the car checked out by a reputable mechanic or at a Volkswagen dealership;
• Check for any accident damage or rust. Make sure that the front control-arms are in good working condition;
• Make sure that the services are up-to-date and that the service book in in order;
• Parts for the Citi Golf can be found just about everywhere and they are not very expensive. Make sure you shop around to get the best deal. Service items are also inexpensive and if you know your way around an engine you can probably service it yourself;
• The only problem that you might encounter pertains to insurance fees. Insurance on the Citi Golf can be costly because the car is a high risk vehicle. Criminals love them so make sure that you add some anti-theft devices.

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