Stuart MacMillan wrote:

> Good point, the grass is always greener!  I have a feeling we can count
> the conversions on one hand, and those with more than 50,000 miles on
> them are probably nonexistent.

I put just under 100,000 miles in five years with my 84 seater with a 1.8 GTI.

>
>
> It might be cheaper than converting, and certainly easier, to have a
> spare stock engine in the garage waiting to drop in if the one in use
> fails.  Little hassle, one or two days and you are back on the road.
> Conversions sound appealing, but I too would like to hear from someone
> who has put more than a few thousand miles on one.

The first signs of grief and that 2.1 in my 91 dog is gone!
I have a 16 V GTI in my 85, gets 20 mpg, and runs great.
Low end is equal to my 8V, top end is incredible, 60 to 80 mph in a blink.
Unless a 16 V is had cheap, (mine was free) I would recommend the 5 cyl but have no
experience on that.

Rob