Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
My late-70s VW knowledge and interest usually circulate the Rabbit and the Vanagon, but today we have an impressively-kept example of the first water-cooled VW sold in the US – the Dasher. It may not be much of a prancer, but if you’re into brown 35 year old, 35mpg everymans cars with hubcaps, today is your day. It’s only covered 49k miles in those 35 years, leaving it crisp and clean inside and out.
Before the second generation Scirocco arrived in 1982, the original Giugiaro sport coupe would be given a sendoff by way of a special model, the “S.” These were available in three colors, Cosmos Silver Metallic, Cirrus Gray Metallic and Mars Red with red piping on the bumpers and different seat trim and came equipped with the 5-speed manual gearbox. As usual, there seems to be a good amount of clean Mk1s coming out of the woodwork, but early Sciroccos are a tough find indeed. This one for sale in California in Cirrus Gray Metallic is a claimed three owner car and from the paint to the interior trim looks to be all there and in rather tidy nick.
Convertibles are usually met with skepticism by enthusiasts, but there are always exceptions. For me, driving a Z8 helped me change my tune, followed by the decidedly non-German but incredible experience of hooning a Miata. When you live in Hawaii, it’s hard to imagine hiding from the sun and rising scenery of the islands, and VW Cabriolets are a very popular choice. Commonly associated with teenage girls, today’s cab comes with Berg Cup fender flares and enough performance upgrades to terrify teenagers and prompt families to hide their kids and hide their wives. A turbocharged 16V helps it back up the crazy flares and charge up the mountains like a true Berg Cup competitor. It’s a little out there, but to be honest, I’m kind of in love with this car. A serious rollcage counteracts the lost rigidity and fits in perfectly. The bodykit is just so out there that it works for me and I love the cream color. If I were to buy a convertible, I think I want it to be this one.
Westfalias and Syncros go for insane money (especially when it’s both), as I have documented here over the past few years. Today’s Westy reminds me of the one my friends’ family had, down to the perfect Wolfram Grey Metallic. A new 2.1l and a clean Westy interior make this a quietly hot commodity. The asking price is Westy-high, but it’s been loved for its 98k and makes me rethink my recent appreciation for solo life and desire some little kids to show the country to.
GTI values are climbing like Yvon Chouinard: untethered and towards a future of helping well-to-do people be subtly cool with expensive recycled utilitarian objects. If you’re ready to make as good an investment as can be made when betting on soon-to-be classic “normal” cars, this may well be the one to buy. Purchased 3 years ago at an estate sale, the owner has taken the time to take care of all the little things and make this 25k-mile GTI look like it’s exactly that. In the face of all the tuner Mk1s and crazily-priced Caddys, I’d take this low-mile gem any day. It may not be all-original or perfect, but isn’t that kind of great? It’s here to be enjoyed, and you could enjoy the heck out of this thing for a long time and not even get close to 100k miles.