1983 Volkswagen Golf GTI: The Rare Spec

While there’s always excitement surrounding the discovery of a GTO or Challenger, some of us get equally excited about the unveiling of an ’80s hot-hatch with an abundance of period-correct tuner goodies. This 1983 VW Golf GTI (eBay calls it an ’80, but the seller labels it correctly in the listing), also known as a MK1, is located in Greece, but can be found here on eBay. It might be a bit out of our typical price range, but it is just too interesting to overlook! Now, for those of you who don’t follow the import circuit, this car is stacked with period modifications from German tuning company Oettinger, which includes lots of cosmetic add-ons and a few engine tweaks, including upgraded camshafts and an engine oil cooler. The Zender body kit is equally desirable as are the Zender Turbo alloy wheels; all in all, this MK1 GTI is a mobile parts catalog for the 1980’s German tuning scene. When done correctly, that’s not a bad thing. I doubt this car will end up stateside, but considering how hard it would be to re-create, you never know.

1984 Volkswagen Scirocco: Back to Basics

Over the years, my emphasis on what matters most in a car has changed greatly. It used to be an obsession over exhaustive mechanical records and an ownership history paper trail above all else. And while that’s important and valuable, I’ve learned more often than not there still end up being a host of repairs needed even on cars with lots of records. That’s why I’ve adjusted a bit, now taking into consideration more often the car’s interior condition as well as mechanical needs. When an interior is mint, it tells you a lot about the care that’s been taken elsewhere – which is why this 1984 VW Scirocco on the Samba classifieds caught my eye for $2,000. Read more »

1987 VW GTI 16V: Won’t Get Cheaper

There are some cars that seemingly have vanished from our roads, never to return again. It’s not as if a Consumer Reports expose took it out, or the rust-proofing agents failed to protect body panels. No, it just seems the world shifted enough that those cars were no longer needed, and they were unceremoniously scrapped from the earth. The MK2 GTI is one such a car, as are most of the models in Volkswagen’s second generation lineup. I don’t even see them in junkyards, but someone needs to save this 1987 16V on craigslist for $1,050 in California before it ends up in one. Read more »