1993 VW Golf GTI Rivage |

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1993 VW Golf GTI Rivage

Sold Price

£13,091

Mileage~99,921
TransmissionManual
Engine1.8L
LocationSheffield

SOLD

1993 VW Golf GTI Rivage

I WANT ONE

Introduction

Tom Valle

Professional photographer and consigner

The Golf GTI, as you probably already know, is classed as the original hot hatch - with just 470 examples of the special edition Rivage made, this is one cabriolet that does not disappoint.

With the popularity of the Golf GTI growing constantly since 1976, it was in 1980 that Volkswagen launched the cabriolet version of the Golf. It was produced by Karmann, the German coachbuilders. The Cabriolet GTI was only sold in the UK, and it was the engineers at the Karmann factory who decided to put the GTI engine in the Cabriolet to offer the sporty hot hatch performance with the option of dropping the roof. The Rivage edition, like the one we have here, was one of Volkswagen's run out models for the Cabriolet. The others were known as the Sportline and Clipper, each with their own differences such as wheels, colour and trim spec.

With the rarity of this special edition, this car was bought and put into storage in a cocoon, where it has been for the past 13 years. It's a last year of production example from the 3 year run, ending in 1993. Last year the car was treated to a full respray and new roof to freshen it up, with a view to using it more. Still not getting the use it deserves, the vendor has chosen to part ways with this GTI, for a new enthusiast to enjoy and continue custodianship. It comes with a service book full of VW stamps, and has just been serviced by the Volkswagen main dealer in Barnsley in preparation for sale.

This auction listing was written from information supplied by Tom after meeting Justin the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

I love the MK1 Cabriolet and just wished I'd used it more, rather than leaving it tucked away in storage.

Justin purchased the GTI Cabriolet in late 2008 as a car to enjoy in the summer months. As you can see from the MOT history, that plan didn't quite come together for him, and the car remained tucked away in storage.

This is what has led to the sale of the convertible. It was repainted last year with a view to using it more, and then went back into the temperature controlled cocoon storage. Justin will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have in the comments below.

Justin

Vehicle Owner

Justin saved £2,340* when they
sold their VW with us.

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EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

Finished in Classic Blue Metallic (LC5N), the Rivage has the more modern styling with the smooth bumpers and body kit.

Wheels and Tyres

The wheels on the GTI are the original 15" Le Castellet alloy wheels, which were refurbished in September 2020 with a diamond cut finish and highlighted painted holes.

The tyres are all matching Toyo Proxes, which are in as new condition.

Bodywork

The Golf is in excellent condition, and looking down the flanks of the GTI, there are no dinks to worry about. The bonnet looks to align nice and straight with an even panel gap. The same can be said for the doors on either side and also the boot lid.

The roof has been replaced with a mohair hood in the matching blue, as the original would have been. This fits nice and tight, with no noticeable creasing to be seen. The roof looks to work as quickly as it should, operating smoothly as it opens and closes. Please see the gallery for more detailed images.

Paint

The Classic Blue Metallic, as you would expect having been freshened up last year and not really used since then, is in excellent condition throughout.

Nice attention to detail by refitting the Rivage trim certainly goes a long way to show how much love there is for the GTI. Please see the image gallery for more detailed shots.

Glass and Trim

The windows for the convertible all look to be in good condition to the sides and rear, with no obvious scratches which we could see. The rear screen even retains the original Gilders VW dealer sticker. The windscreen has a blue top tint and looks to be in excellent condition.

The window rubbers all look to be in good condition, with no obvious signs of any shrinkage.

The 4 lamp grille is in good condition with no chips to the headlights, and the GTI badge still in place. The rear lights are also free from any cracks, and to match the window decal, the rear number plate is also the original dealer plate.

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INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

Dark and understated interior with cloth seats really takes you back in time.

Seats and Carpets

The seats in the Golf are in very good order for the mileage. Usually the first thing to wear in any GTI of this era is the bolsters, but we are glad to say that these look to have been well cared for when getting in and out of the car. There are a couple of small pulls to the fabric on the driver's seat base and back rest. There is also the same on the rear seat. The front seats are heated and these are reported to be working as they should.

The carpets are in good condition, with just some light wear to be seen. In the boot area, the carpet is nice and clean with the spare wheel hiding beneath the carpet, complete with the jack and wheel brace.

Dashboard

The dashboard is in good condition with no cracks. The instruments have an odometer reading of ~99,921 miles, and they are in good condition with no obvious scratching to the binnacle.

To the left, the switchgear shows no real signs of any wear and neither do the heater controls. There is a period looking snatch plate Blaupunkt Boston CC20 radio cassette fitted.

Please see the interior gallery for more detailed shots.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

The steering wheel is in good condition with just some minimal wear to the finish.

The leather gear knob is the same, with just some light wear to the leather, which we would say matches the mileage.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

A 1.8-litre engine is what powered the GTI to gain the status of the best hot hatch - together with the handling, this makes it an extremely fun car to own and drive.

Engine and Gearbox

The 1.8 litre 8 valve starts up just as you would expect. The car is reported to pull well, and there are no untoward noises to be heard.

The GTI is a dream to drive. Fitted with a 5-speed manual, the gear change is reported to be nice and smooth, with no real play in the linkage.

Suspension and Brakes

The suspension sits nice and level and the car is reported to handle well, with no noises coming from the suspension components. The dampers are Sachs units, and as you can see from the photographs, they all look to be in excellent condition with the sticker still visible.

The discs and pads have been replaced, along with the rear wheel cylinders and shoes, ensuring the GTI comes to a stop nice and safely.

The Drive

What's not to love about driving a Golf GTI Rivage. It has enough room for four people and will turn heads everywhere it goes, just because of what it is.

The 1.8 engine, coupled with the fantastic handling, ensures that you will have fun in the classic MK1.

Electrics and Other

All the switchgear is in good condition with no obvious wear to the lettering of the buttons. The electric windows are working as they should, and, as mentioned, the roof looks to open and close as it should.

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History and Paperwork

A last year of production 1993 example, this 1 of 470 UK delivered examples comes with a full VW dealer stamped service book up until 2008, and has just been put through another main dealer service ready for sale.

The Golf has been extremely well maintained throughout its life, up until it went into what turned out to be long term storage. There are 18 service stamps from Guilders VW, and 6 brake fluid stamps. When the car was repainted it was also given a full service, including the replacement of the timing belt. In March 2021, a new alternator, starter motor distributor cap and rotor arm were fitted. The car comes with some old MOTs tracking its history along with the original service book. This has had some liquid damage and the owners have tried their best to fill in the mileage counts where the ink has bled. Justin will be putting a new MOT on the car ready for the new keeper, and has just put the car through a fresh service with the local Volkswagen main dealer as pictured.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5, HPi.

This is an auction on behalf of a trade seller and normal auction rules apply, i.e. there is no warranty, no return policy and bids are binding with more info in our terms and conditions. As you can see, we go to great lengths to represent the car as fully and as accurately as we can, so please take time to review the entire listing, images and videos and also ask any questions you may have in the 'Ask Owner' section before placing your bid.

Service History

Date	Type	Mileage
24.03.2005	MOT	97,878
21.02.2004	MOT	96,603
27.02.2003	MOT	94,499
04.05.2002	MOT	91,224
18.05.2001	MOT	85,075
28.04.2000	MOT	77,695
15.01.1999	MOT	70,751
05.01.1998	MOT	59,724
03.01.1997	MOT	51,830