1990 Volkswagen Golf GL |

Sold

1990 Volkswagen Golf GL

Sold Price

£2,438

Mileage~39,087
TransmissionAutomatic
Engine1.8L
LocationEaling

SOLD

1990 Volkswagen Golf GL

I WANT ONE

Introduction

Darren Rungasamy

Automotive Editor, Photographer and Consigner

The Mk2 Golf is a great all-rounder and a great classic option.

The Volkswagen Golf name is synonymous with durability and has with every generation has maintained an enviable demand. Originally presented as a replacement for the much-loved Beetle, the Golf quickly gained a following and established itself as the car to be seen in. The second-generation Golf was released in 1984, quickly becoming Europe's favourite family car. This facelift version of the 1.8 GL is finished with a durable cloth interior, electric windows and has seen a handful of useful upgrades. Aftermarket and OEM VW Classic parts are widely available, with the extra incentive of being a great DIY accessible classic.

Owned by the same family since 1995, the car has an impressive volume of carefully organised invoices, including full-service history and every MOT since the owner has had the car. As expected for a car that has yet to exceed 40,000 miles, the interior is in excellent condition and the structure and mechanical durability of the car is in great shape. In need of minor cosmetic attention, the car would make an ideal car to tinker with over the winter for what has to be described as one the best starter modern classics available.

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

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.

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

The car has been a constant and dependable part of my life, it's never missed a beat for me.

Neville bought the car in 1995 and used it as a runaround for local journeys. Originally bought for his wife, who happened to be the cars second female owner, the car has seen every mechanical need, service and repair resolved by a specialist garage.

Appreciating the solid construction and mechanical durability of the Golf, he has not seen any reason to replace the car as it has served him well. However, as the car is located just within the ULEZ London emissions boundary, this has forced the need to sell the car. Neville will be happy to answer any questions you have on the car in the comments section below.

Neville

Vehicle Owner

Neville saved £0,360* when they
sold their VW with us.

SELLING MADE EASY

We'll take the photos & create the listing.
We'll market it to our 62K buyers & online.
You'll keep your car until it's paid for.

PEACE OF MIND FOR BUYERS

They can fully review our cars online.
They can buy on our trusted platform.
They're able to buy without leaving home.

LEARN MORE

EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

The handsome chiselled styling still looks good today, careful ownership have left this car in great stead.

Wheels and Tyres

The wheel covers are reflective of the age of the car and would need replacements. The mixed brand tyres are all under 10 years old and have a good level of tread. Being a GL, we'd imagine that sourcing replacement items shouldn't be an issue.

Bodywork

Structurally the car is in excellent shape, with no issues in regards to the engine bay, chassis rails, floor pan, suspension mounts, inner wings or boot floor. It's worth watching the mechanical video to observe this.

The car has a handful of parking marks and repairs on the body, most are in line with the environment in which the car has been used. The main distractions are the uneven front bumper which has had a light bump, the front door sills well and blemishes noted on the nearside panels. The overall panel gap and fit are good, with very little in terms of visible corrosion. Take a look at the extensive photo review to see the detail.

Paint

The silver paint finish is mostly of a positive standard, with a few minor scrapes and age-related marks noted on a reason gloss. The paint has matted somewhat on flatter surfaces, but overall the coverage is even with a few touch-ups noted, mainly on the near-side rear arch.

View the exterior video to see the detail.

Glass and Trim

The glass is good, with good rubbers seals and trim. The body plastic trim is complete and shows typical signs of age but are mostly intact. The later style big-bumpers help to modernise the car, showing the odd blemish in places. It has been fitted with a GTI style front grill and light set-up.

VIEW ALL

INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

The interior is reflective of its decades of careful ownership, having remained in the same hands for ~26 years.

Seats and Carpets

The interior has been remarkably well preserved, with the hard-wearing seats belying its age. The seats retain a pleasing firmness and show very little in terms of wear. The carpets show some wear but are far better than one would expect from a car of this age.

Dashboard

There are no issues with the dashboard presentation, with nothing more than a deep clean required. All of the functions, controls and dials work, with no notable wear observed on the switches, dials or controls. The alarm has been disconnected but the wiring and controls have been retained. All of the electric windows function well.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

The gear lever and steering wheel are in decent condition, with no significant evidence of wear or damage.

VIEW ALL

'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

The Golf's mechanical durability would be difficult to fault, these are hardy engines that stand the test of time.

Engine and Gearbox

The engine has been subject to regular attention, with servicing and mechanical parts spending all covered in the paperwork. The original troublesome Pierburg carburettor has been replaced with a more reliable manual Weber unit, which performs well, with a little run-on when the engine is switched off.

The car starts well, the cold start video was conducted after two days of non-use in December. Once warmed up, the car idles and runs well with no issues detected while the car was on the move. The gear change is said to be slick, with no slippage and no belt squeals or knocking were observed.

Suspension and Brakes

Recipients of regular and professional maintenance, the cars braking, steering and suspension are in good working order. Watch the video to see the underside of the car.

The Drive

The car drives well, its replacement carb offering a surprisingly sprightly urge to the character of the car. The car has seen very low mileages over its years, with its usage mostly confined to London use.

However, its regular servicing and maintenance record should alleviate any issues with its ability to perform as a usable classic.

Electrics and Other

The manual sunroof is believed to be functional but not tested on this occasion. The radio may also need investigation.

VIEW ALL

History and Paperwork

This is where the car shines, there are 53 invoices totalling £27,000 over its lifetime, in the same hands for ~26 years, this is a cracking car selling with no reserve on auction.

The car has an incredible body of paperwork and invoices, all of which have been carefully summarized by Neville. The main highlight is the full-service history, by VW and a specialist which has been carried out on an almost annual basis since 1995.

The mechanical costs over the years are mainly focused on mechanical serviceable items, covering running gear and engine sundry items. The head gasket was seen to in 2013, cambelt in the following year and front wishbones in 2015. A load sensing valve, window motor, alternator, water pump. power steering pump and another cambelt in 2017. The most recent work covers a new timing belt, water pump, drop links and thermostat housing - all carried out by a specialist garage that focuses on German cars. It comes with two keys, all of its original owner's manuals and workshop manual.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a HPi check on the vehicle.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, and as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment on the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bid/s, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Service History

Date	Type	Mileage
19-01-2021	MOT	38,970
19-01-2021	Service	38,970
21-01-2020	MOT	38,787
21-01-2020	Service	38,787
25-01-2019	MOT	38,408
25-01-2019	Service	38,408
01-02-2018	MOT	37,908
01-02-2018	Service	37,908
08-02-2017	MOT	37,658
18-02-2017	Service	37,656
28-01-2016	MOT	37,348
28-01-2016	Service	37,348
03-02-2015	Service	37,090
03-02-2014	MOT	36,673
03-02-2014	Service	36,673
06-02-2013	MOT	36,176
06-02-2013	Service	36,176
06-02-2012	MOT	35,678
06-02-2012	Service	35,678
26-01-2011	MOT	35,115
26-01-2011	Service	35,115
18-01-2010	MOT	33,394
18-01-2010	Service	33,394
11-02-2009	MOT	32,867
11-02-2009	Service	32,867
07-02-2008	MOT	32,234
07-02-2008	Service	32,234
09-02-2007	MOT	31,312
09-02-2007	Service	31,312
20-10-2006	Service	31,109
14-02-2006	MOT	30,492
14-02-2006	Service	30,492
17-02-2005	MOT	29,161
17-02-2005	Service	29,191
05-12-2003	MOT	28,610
05-12-2003	Service	28,610
10-12-2002	MOT	27.961
10-12-2002	Service	27,961
04-12-2001	MOT	27,171
04-12-2001	Service	27,171
07-12-2000	MOT	26,421
07-11-2000	Service	26,421
26-11-1999	MOT	25,175
26-11-1999	Service	25,175
07-12-1998	MOT	24,198
16-12-1998	Service	24,100
29-11-1997	MOT	23,267
16-12-1996	MOT	22,318
16-02-1996	Service	22,300
02-02-1996	MOT	21,235
25-08-1995	Service	20,014
08-02-1995	MOT	18,041
15-02-1994	Service	15,607
26-02-1993	Service	12,810
26-02-1992	Service	9,477
22-1-1991	Service	5,208