A Head Turning MK4 Estate that started as a £300 Project

Let's hear a little bit about the driver - What's your name and where are you from?

My name is Steven Nicols. I’m from Newcastle upon Tyne in the north east of England.

What got you into modifying cars and what kept you in it?

My first car was a Ford Fiesta, I was an 18 year old lad who’s first thought after getting the car was, well, it needs lowered that’s for sure! Haha. After the first car came the main reason I got in to VWs and modifying cars. I bought a previous show winning car. Fair enough I didn’t build it, I did however do some touches myself. But it was a yellow Mk4 Golf 5 door PD100 with 130 turbo, injectors, dark side fmic etc. Ran about 200bhp! But it was on airlift V2 which I put on as I actually bought it on Coilovers! I used to do all the shows in the car and became particularly known for this one car! I then left the VW scene and got a 404bhp S3 saloon. This was a car I only had for around 2 years and decided to sell up so I could do some adulting and save for a house.

Ok ok ok... Tell us about your ride, what is it?

When it comes to my current Mk4 wagon, it’s a funny old story. After getting rid of the S3, I decided to buy anything I could get my hands on for under £500 to use as a run around whilst me and the lovely mrs saved up for the next chapter in our life, a house. A friend of mine knew I was looking for a car and said he knew of a Mk4 Golf estate which had been an apprentice mechanics car for the past 6 months. Before that it was a painter and decorators car - uh oh. After agreeing to the purchase for only £300, I went and picked her up. There it was, a PD100 golf estate, battered but never the less, ran a dream as a 1.9 diesel always does and always will! Driving home, I immediately began to feel the nostalgia of driving my old yellow Mk4, and I knew I couldn’t just leave this how it was. First stop was some used seized £40 coilovers (budget build) and then some VW Touareg Manhattan wheels, they look awesome on a Mk4! However, a friend of mine Anton Hall runs a competition page which was known as VAG RECYCLE COMPETITIONS. He was running a competition for accuair e level + £1000 for bags… after buying a ticket, I couldn’t believe to find out whilst sat playing on the Xbox, I had won the kit!! As soon as I got the car booked in at Unitsixteen automotive to get it bagged, I knew this car wasn’t going to be a rough daily much longer. Unitsixteen have played a very large part in this car and how it is now. Huge thanks to Jamie Winter and Tyler Loughead for all their hard work on this car also I must mention. The car is now running airlift 3p however as the e level unfortunately didn’t do me very well, I can go in to that another time haha.

Exterior Mods?

-Air ride with Airlift 3p management
-Airlift slam series XL bags
-Full respray in BMW yas marina blue
-Rare fit porsche lobster claw wheels 19x8 fronts 19x9.5 rears
-Anniversary front splitter
-Anniversary side skirts
-Srs Tec anniversary rear splitter
-Ocean tail lights
-Fully refurbished R32 xenon lights with U.S twindicator daytime running lights
-U.S. markers front and rear
-Genuine U.S front rubstrip made to fit UK bumper
-Front amber markers
-Rear Canadian red markers

Interior Mods?

-Full brushed aluminium trim
-Anniversary clocks
-Porsche 997 911 turbo front seats retrimmed in panna cream leather with rear bench retrimmed to match
-Retrimmed r32 gear gaitor
-Retrimmed handbrake cover
-Retrimmed door cards
-Retrimmed arm rest top
-R32 steering wheel
-VW bora flush vents with 3p controller integrated in to vent
-Auto running lights
-Custom star lit headlining with twinkle effect
-Reverse camera

Anything special under the hood?

Under the hood is currently just a remapped PD100 with a straight pipe. It’s Running around 155bhp however I will be eventually hybrid turboing it hoping to achieve 240bhp.

Currently only other mentionable things are:
-312mm Audi TT brake set upfront all calipers painted yellow
-Audi TT hubs + cast lower arms
-Audi TT quick steering rack
-6 gear box conversion
-Full exhaust system with hidden exit

What are some things you've done to your car that others might not notice?

The starlit headlining is one which is only noticeable at night however it’s a lovely touch! Other than that everything is quite noticeable with the bright colour it’s an absolute head turner!

Anything else you'd like to add? (could be about anything)

I feel like in a weird and wonderful way, me and Mk4s are just meant to be and I hope to keep this for years to come and show it as much as I can!