Volkswagen Repair: rattling noise in my golf, vw gti vr6, vw gti

Question
i have a 97 vw gti vr6 with 80k miles on it.
whenever i go over the slightest imperfection in the road i hear a rattling noise. i thought that it was a loose exhaust system so i realigned it and replaced the hangers... the noise is still there...

i have heard the same complaint from other mk3 gti owners but the only solution they could suggest was replacing the hangers...

do you know of the cause of the rattle sound and what can i do about it? or do you know anyone who is familiar with this car and i could ask them?

Answer
Andrew,

I've noticed that the heatshields on the downpipe come loose when the welds crack.  Also the heatsheild attached to the body (Between shifter and centre pipe) also rattle when the clips rust away.

Tap the various metal sheilds under your car, including the ones over the mufflers.

Good Luck,

Paul