One of the more interesting import cars from the 1980s that has been popping up on collectors’ radar is the Volkswagen Scirocco. If you’ve watched some of the online auctions as I have, you’ve likely been slightly shocked to see some of the numbers these cars are pulling when purchased by nostalgic enthusiasts. The MK1 Scirocco is considered by many to be a highly underrated driver’s car, and this early Scirocco wears the desirable “S” trim. The seller claims he has other projects on his plate so this one is for sale, listed here on eBay for $5,000.
As many of you know, I have an affection for old European cars. One of the exceptions is 1980s Volkswagen products, which I thought I would love but come to find out it’s not the right chariot for me. The Scirocco I owned was a later 1988 model with the desired 16-valve engine under the hood, and I found the car to be buzzy and cheaply constructed. However, what’s one man’s rattle trap is another man’s “authentic” driver’s car, and many of the Scirocco faithful love how lightweight and tossable the Scirocco’s chassis is. When I was lamenting to another enthusiast how bummed I was about the car I bought, he told me I should have gone for an earlier car like this one, and that my experience would have been much different.
Who’s to say whether it would have been, but I will say this: the earlier Scirocco was far more stylish. The three-spoke steering wheel is a sought-after upgrade among MK1 and MK2 VW enthusiasts, and the wheel in this car looks to be in decent shape. The same can be said for those epic bucket seats with the oh-so-retro-80s upholstery that is in surprisingly good shape. I suspect the seats alone will sway someone to punch the buy-it-now as these nicely-bolstered seats are near impossible to find in intact condition. The Scirocco also rides on some very period-correct Enkei wheels, so from a visual standpoint, it has a lot gong for it.
The Mars Red paint is another feature many Scirocco enthusiasts will salivate over, and while it doesn’t currently run, the seller says it is very close to firing off. The listing also mentions that he has a 16-valve engine he can include should the next owner want to perform this very popular OEM engine upgrade. I personally wouldn’t go that route, as the Sciroccos with the S trim package and in as close to original condition as possible tend to bring the most money. Clean up that single-stage paint, refresh the suspension and cooling system, and just drive it with reckless abandon before selling it for a reasonable profit before enthusiasts turn their eye towards something else.
I grew up on VW’s and cut my teeth on these cars when I was a young technician. They were the premium entry level car with refinement over its rivals. Very fun to drive with a unique Teutonic feel. Yes the 88 16V scirocco was buzzy and I suspect your opinion is based on a car that was not properly sorted. Engine mounts are the Scirocco’s weakness. We used to replace timing belts every 30K on these. In addition we used to replace cam, crank, and intermediate shaft seals and o-ring. The water pump was replaced and the passenger engine mount was replaced. Unlike performing a major service on today’s vehicles performing one on a MK1 VW made the car feel new again.
Comparing a 80’s VW product to BMW or Mercedes is a apple to orange comparison but for what they were in the 80’s they were light years ahead of the competition. This car on the surface looks tempting but I see the rust around the left strut tower. That is the beginning of the end for those cars. A hard pass at 5K for me. Maybe a score at $1500.
I tried to give this reply a “thumbs up,” but the number remained on “3.” So, there may be many more “thumbs ups” that are not showing.
Those were desirable cars in their time, but not long-lasting. Many of them got driven into the ground – due to the kind of buyer attracted to them.
A young woman I knew, was in the market for a new car, about the same time as her 50-something father. Independent of each other, they both settled on VWs – she got a new Fox, he bought a year-old off-lease Scirocco, low mileage. He paid well over twice the price of a Fox for it, but it was his midlife-crisis gift to himself.
In time, each drove the other’s cars…and she confided to me how pleased she was with the Fox, because handling was nearly the same, and the Fox had a firmer gearshift (transaxle evolved from the Type 1).
Now, as it happens, both those VW models are rare. A shame, how VW changed, with its absorption of NSU…from the maker of sturdy, timeless economy cars, to that of light-construction, rust-prone vehicles that delivered great economy – and were well-balanced on the road – but were anything BUT economical to own.
I love these cars! My wife has owned a 1979 and a 1982, both manual transmissions. Too bad we lived in the Rust Belt and they both were belted by rust. I’m sure we could not afford a restored one, but I would like to own another sometime.
My first “real” car… bought it right after graduating from college and landing my first engineering position… Was a couple years old with 30k mi… traded my college beater. Loved this car… a blast to drive… easy to maintain. 78 hp and I used them all ;-). New England winters were hard on it however… the rust bug took hold and I didn’t want to deal with it… Traded it for a 2nd gen GTI…
Nice cars; this one has an engine bay full of bad wiring spaghetti (why?) and the rubber cap’s missing that connects the airflow meter to the plenum chamber.
Both they and Golfs are fun things to hoon around in.
My first high school girlfriends daddy bought her a brand new Scirocco. Traded in her 75 Beetle. It was definitely faster than my Pinto. And we liked the hatchback design.
My 1978 Scirocco was like $7k+ out the door new. Folks always asked what is was. The Scirocco & Rabbit gen 1 were the same floor & drivetrain with different bodies no more fun to be had up on 3 wheels & for me couple times 2 ! I’ve been working with Volvo for 18 years & have not driven any car but a Volvo up until last year I decided to buy & bought a late GTI. Just as much fun to drive the new one as the old one.
yep, I worked at a Nationwise auto parts store, and when I bought my catback Pacesetter exhaust I went thru the parts catalogs and found a rabbit pipe off the center exhaust and it perfectly matched up between my header and the catback exhaust. I too now daily a 2005 [mk4] GTI with a 1.8t 5speed and it is a lot of fun. If I still had the Rocco I would consider a 1.8t or 2.8vr swap into it IF it needed a lot of engine work.
I had a 78 sometime after high school, I loved that car.
lost a water pump on the way to work one day, and overheated it….my brother and I took it apart, I had a local VW shop do the head and add a aftermarket cam. installed a header and Pacesetter Monza exhaust [similar to Ansa except the chrome tips were yellow inside instead of the Ansa red/orange. I could not afford the new thing of +1 or +2 wheels at the time , but did have the widest Pirelli P6’s that would fit….man i loved that car.
A freak accident took it away from me…a semi carrying a load of construction electrical boxes passed me and lost a giant steel box, which bounced into my lane in front of me. As I was in a training program home in WV only for the Christmas/New Years holiday, I was back in Pa when the ins company for the Trucking company called me and said they were cutting me a check, had I been home I would have tried to negotiate to have kept it. :-(
Ahh, Bosch CIS fuel injection, one of the simplest systems ever.
I had the champagne edition I think -978. Loved it but got rid of it when the water drip from the antenna base shorted the main computer and I learned about all the fuses and switches that VW used.
I don’t remember any leaks on mine, but I do remember those fuses with the copper strip wrapped around the ceramic or plastic body. I jumped in mine one day and somehow kicked the fuel pump fuse loose, and it wouldn’t start……
after getting out and scratching my head a bit, and looking under the hood for any obvious reasons, I opened the door to see that fuse laying on the floor mat…duh
Rabbits and Foxes and that whole line in that time period were notorious for leaking windshields and ruined fuse/relay boxes.
That and failed heater cores… did my VWs, friend’s VWs, girlfriends VW… miserable job as I swear they mounted the core in a jig, then built the rest of the car around it…
I bought a new one in 1980 and absolutely loved it. The speeding tickets soon followed!! This was one car I can truly say that I wish I never sold. Hard to find one today as they rusted fast and those that survived seemed to have been modified.
I never cared for the look of the second generation that followed. The gen 1 Giugiaro design still looks fresh today.