OK. I am new here, so please be kind I have been in the vw scene for over 20 years. I am on many VAG groups/ facebook groups and go to a lot of the shows (VAG at the manor was a blast last year). So I may have bumped into some of you at some point. My pride and joy is golf mk2 GTi 16V I have owned for 17 years (fully rebuilt by myself) and was mag featured in 2012.

 

Anyway I have two Skodas, a red Octavia VRS mk1 and a yellow Octavia VRS mk1.

 

The red one is an 03 reg has 86k on it with FSH with 3 previous owners. I recently did cambelt, water pump, all pulleys and drive belt change myself. I used a Gates make. I had no issues fitting the parts but that engine mount was a pain to remove. I also did an oil change, air filter and spark plugs. The red one has bad paintwork and a lot of stone chips. I bought for cheap. The red one drives 101% perfect.

 

The yellow is an 02 reg one I bought off a club member on a skoda facebook group for very cheap. Its a rare sunroof model with rear parking sensors. It has 137K on the clock and paintwork way better than red one. Sadly it needs a lot of love. The gearbox leaks oil and wines, the engine smokes and uses oil so probably valves guides/stem seals and there are two faults with electrics, driver front window reg and passenger front central door locking model I think.

 

So I am thinking of doing an engine swap and replacing the clutch at same time. I have removed and replaced/ rebuild a few engines in the past. Both engines are AUQ 180 hp models.

 

How easy is it to remove the front end of the car? And likewise the engine? Do I sell the red one as is and buy a second hand engine or rebuild the yellow engine or just swap engines? The red engine goes perfect and uses no oil. I have all the tools and space just having the time.

 

What would you guys do? Costwise in rebuilding the engine I think, £60 headgasket kit, £100 on new valve guides (fitted) head skimmed £40 plus £180 on cambelt kit (assuming not piston rings) I did a compression test and 13 bar as average on all four cylinders, I did a cold test and hot test with throttle fully open. The red skoda is probably only worth £1500 if that because of the bad paintwork. So if I took off what I wanted and sold as spares and repairs I might break even. Cost of a gearbox £150 - £200. Then I want to swap interior over. Or I could sell both a wait for a better yellow one.

 

What would you guys do?

I have a yellow and had a red. Why not respray the red one and keep the other for spares?