Help to identify a car

Dear all,

I am a new user to the forum and a prospective MK1 owner. I am looking to buy a car (hopefully attached to this post) but need some assistance. The car is advertised as Cabrio GTI and the log book is also states that it is a Cabrio GTI so no problem here. But I have a few things to ask:

1. From the photos I saw online some cars do have side signal lights, some do not. Which year have they been introduced or removed? (This one is a 1987)
2. Do all GTIs have that red framed front grille? If you can see the picture, this one does not have that front grille.
3. Do all GTIs have the lower big spoiler and, in my case, is it supposed need to be in white?
4. Obviously the front bumper supposed to be in white colour, am I right?
5. May this car be one of those "all white" editions? If yes the seats of this one are squares not stripes, what gives?
6. This does not have a Karmann badge on the front quarter panels, is this a problem?
7. I read somewhere that the circular gauges fittet at the centre console are not factory items, is this true for GTIs as well. This one has three.

Thank you very much for your help in advance. I am hoping it goes well and I will be one of yous. I will need a lot of help and guidance to restore this car if I buy it—————

Hi some anaswers for you

1. Think it was around 1986 model years
2. No, most GTI Cabbys came with a silver grille surrounds, but red does look great on a white car
4. No spoilers on Cabbys were small ones, but in white if you have one of the models in my reply below
 4.If you have one of the all white edition or CC edition or Quartet edition cars then yes a white bumper as standard
5. Think it will be a Quartet edition if it's original  these came in a pick and mix of body, hood and interior choosing from white, blue, sapphire and red
6. no problem you can buy them occasionally on eBay
7.Three gauges was a dealer option, all consoles have the three holes, just covered with a rectangular blanking plate if no gauges present.

1987 was the last year that cabriolets had no body kit, you seem to have a later 1988 grill fitted and no there is no red strip around the later grills even on the Gti, they just had a GTi badge.

Have a search online or on here and you can see the sales broachers.

The Gti should have a MFA (computer) in the dash which had oil temp, mpg etc so the gauges were dropped, they are useful if you have voltage and oil pressure but you don't really need 2 oil temperature gauges.  

Thank you for your replies, they're very helpful.

So my next question would be:

What would be a fair price for this car? However this looks a bit of a non sense question just judge by the looks. This will give me an idea of a starting point at least. Then I'll go through the engine, interior and body then guess my max. amount.

FYI: Hood is not usable and will need replacing.

Thanks.

If I was to be brutally honest and I usually am (sorry in advance) from that picture alone the car looks like a bad mishmash of parts

Which means from an originality point of view its not getting any bonus value wise

So we've dropped below the £4k band already but depends on many other factors

Mileage and proof of (on original engine or not)

Previous owners (more important to some than others)

History (more important to some than others)

Roof aside what else needs doing?

And most importantly the structural condition of the car, rust around spare wheel well, suspension turrets, chassis legs, sills, scuttle paneland around windscreen are all places to look out for

I have no idea why but this is my prediction (tell me if I'm wrong)

7 previous owners
120k some history
Respray a few years ago but not brilliant job
Bolsters on drivers seat knackered

That seems to be the most common advert on ebay in recent days and they can be had for around £2750

1985 I appreciate your view. I'm not here to hear what I want to hear but the reality, so thanks. I'll check the car tomorrow.

Could you share what parts are not right with me please?

If you're unsure of the car take loads more pictures and we'll be able to tell you more……

The car possibly not being 'original' may work for you.

What do you want it to be?

If you want a factory original car that'll be worth more money then this one might not be the one for you.

If you want something to enjoy and it's cheap then it may well be the one for you.

If it's just minor cosmetic stuff like a white bumper and spoiler then these can be painted.

I'd be on the lookout for rust, erratic idling, poor handling, a leaking roof, shabby interiror and any structural problems first. If these are all good then the rest can be sorted reasonably cheaply and easily.

Good luck

Ian

From that photo I would say the bumpers and grille,
Have a good look at the chassis legs and slam panel, they may have been replaced for a reason!

No big deal though, a grille from vw heritage is less than £20 and I think the bumpers look better black anyway

Like Ian said if you want one to just drive and enjoy then it doesnt make a difference and could be a good haggling point

Oh and when you go to view it make sure you let it get up to temp and that the fan comes on

Hi again all,

I am looking to buy something that I can restore it to something looks like an original with all te parts from the same year but in a long run I'd say. My plan is to restore it as have enough to invest on a part or two.

Buying a fully restored is way too much for me, I can't afford it, but as you say I do not want to end up with a car beyond restoration either.

I'll take some photos tomorrow and upload them here so you may give your opinions to help me.

Thanks for all your responses.

This will be tomorrow, it was raining in the morning and I postponed it. I have read a few comments not to inspect a car when it is raining not sure why though.

mertgor said

Hi again all,

I am looking to buy something that I can restore it to something looks like an original with all te parts from the same year but in a long run I'd say. My plan is to restore it as have enough to invest on a part or two.

Buying a fully restored is way too much for me, I can't afford it, but as you say I do not want to end up with a car beyond restoration either.

I'll take some photos tomorrow and upload them here so you may give your opinions to help me.

Thanks for all your responses.

You don't look at a car in the rain, because you get wet, and don't want to crawl under and over it.

A vert is nice to see in the rain as if the top leaks.

OK everybody. I viewed the car. It is a bit in a "low" condition, see photos. The car starts from cold alright and does not stall, but white smoke comes out of the exhaust pipe. It was sitting in a garage for 2 years the owner said.

93k miles, 12 previous owners (!)

The front grill came right off as I touched because the holes which the grille teeth supposed to hold on to are out of shape and rusty.

The fan came on after some time although took a while as it was a bit cold in the morning.

Front seats are not in a good condition but rear seats are ok. Lights & wipers work but the fog lights, blower and signals do not.

I could not see any bends in the front but left wing is not aligned with the door. Trims are fine but I think the door handles are not from this car, need advice here.

Rear window frame is broken and will need replacement, hood shock absorbers are not available and those steel wires are all snapped. PVC Hood material, inner insulation and headliner are wasted. Other mechanism related parts look ok.

Fuel pump is very noisy.

Doors close normal, no sagging etc.

Boot lid is ok however the shock absorber (!) is not.

Gears are a bit strange. I did not drive a golf before so I felt a bit "Is the gear in? Oh, may be not, let's try again" if you know what I mean. Brakes are in "What brakes?" condition.

Body is full of patchy paint marks as there are small rusty areas on the surface.

After all that, the asking price is 1700GBP but I think it will go down to 1300.

OK, opinions.

Thanks in advance.

That is a lot of Rust, and repairing it around the wind screen isn't for the faint of heart.

The Front Valance is a bit more crustier than I am use to seeing, the lower part being puckered isn't that unusual as parking lots and Concrete buttresses take a toll on it.

Top probably needs all 3 layers or 4 if you count the padding wrap, but I usually count that in the 3 pieces.

Top installs are going to cost you about the same as the purchase price if you can't do it yourself, I only know the prices over on this side of the pond.  

The undercarriage is a bit rusty/Corroded, and if you can hear the fuel pumps as in Noisy well that isn't a good thing either plan on replacing them sooner rather than later.  The exhaust looks leaky, and white smoke out the tail pipe could be condensate from moisture in the system after start which will dissipate when up to temp after 10-15 minutes and should be considered normal, it isn't that unusual, but Sweet Smelling when warm with vapor is a sign of a blown head gasket.


The driver door isn't aligned at all the questions are why?  as in it doesn't make good connections to the seals on the door or what.  The condition of the hood seals are important as well.  

No brakes? No parcel shelf or spare in the boot.  Iffy interior….. No parcel shelf is the leading cause of major rear window top failures.

I bought a 93 with a blown head gasket, top that had to be replaced as well as a dented left hand door.
and I only paid 1500usd for it. And I drove it 200 miles to get it home in the rain…

Figure on about 4K in repairs easily.

The issue I have seen over the years is "Rabbit" fever.
I have seen outrageous priced POS, and underpriced Gems…… this would fall in to the former.

If you aren't wrench worthy, and will rely on shops to get it back in shape, then you should have an open wallet.

If you can do repairs yourself then that isn't too bad, because the parts alone are going to be double at least to your purchase price alone to get it road worthy, and over there you have to get it MOT'd which may entail further spending that even I can't account for.

The hardest part is going to get it watertight, rust free, and back to Daily Driver state.  

It has been well driven and abused.

my 2 pence.

I wouldn't give 500 quid for that. 

Walk away. 

12 owners!!

7 of them have purchased it to restore before and decided against it, dont become the 8th!

The nights are starting to draw in….. there will be lots of better deals. Look for a better one, that ones got the makings of an unloved money pit. Depends if you want something to do up over winter?

By the time you've sorted the scabby body/paint, fitted a whole new roof and sourced a nicer interior + the million other little jobs (gas strut on tail gate, grille fittings, battery clamp) you'll be at the £ an already nice one costs without all the work.

Don't build if you can buy.

£1700?            

Erm No. Not a chance!

Keep looking. Far better ones out there for around the 2k mark.

Ian

OK all thank you for your advises, appreciated.

I will be on the look for a better one.

 

mertgor said

OK all thank you for your advises, appreciated.

I will be on the look for a better one.

 

 You will be glad you did, so will your pocket book.