New to MKIII's, what to look for when buying

mirage83 · 04-06-2009, 01:48 AM

More general info...

The targa seals can leak and be a real pita to resolve the problem. If you're going targa you might want to plan on replacing all the seals (4 of them) if the old ones have gouges or tears, or are already leaking though you might be able to work through that by cleaning them and the tracks up good.

Body flex. Again related to the targa top model. With the targa in the body is pretty solid, just a hint of flex and twist. Not as solid feeling as a hard-top, but close. With the targa out, you'll have a noticable amount of body twist and flex. Some people find that disturbing but get used to it since riding with the targa out is just one of those things you gotta do (person opinion).

The TEMS system, active suspension control system. Some people swear by it, others don't care for it. The only shocks which will work with the TEMS system are Tokico Illumina II's, about $400 for a set of four. Now, if the car doesn't have TEMS or you don't care if it works or not, you have a lot more shock choices.

Brakes. MkIII's are heavy for their size and for the size of their brake systems. You'll want to use quality rotors and pads and bed them properly to have good braking abilities. There are even some aftermarket kits to go with larger brake rotors and caliper assemblies.

04-06-2009, 01:48 AM	#3
mirage83 12psi boost Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Georgia Posts: 359	More general info... The targa seals can leak and be a real pita to resolve the problem. If you're going targa you might want to plan on replacing all the seals (4 of them) if the old ones have gouges or tears, or are already leaking though you might be able to work through that by cleaning them and the tracks up good. Body flex. Again related to the targa top model. With the targa in the body is pretty solid, just a hint of flex and twist. Not as solid feeling as a hard-top, but close. With the targa out, you'll have a noticable amount of body twist and flex. Some people find that disturbing but get used to it since riding with the targa out is just one of those things you gotta do (person opinion). The TEMS system, active suspension control system. Some people swear by it, others don't care for it. The only shocks which will work with the TEMS system are Tokico Illumina II's, about $400 for a set of four. Now, if the car doesn't have TEMS or you don't care if it works or not, you have a lot more shock choices. Brakes. MkIII's are heavy for their size and for the size of their brake systems. You'll want to use quality rotors and pads and bed them properly to have good braking abilities. There are even some aftermarket kits to go with larger brake rotors and caliper assemblies.