1989 Opel Manta 1.8S

Welcome to our latest auction, this time for a rare Opel Manta 1.8S with just the one owner from new until the vendor bought it in 2020 and 39,000 miles on the clock.

Finished in Carmine Red (Karminrot 535), as an end of production model it is fitted with an Irmscher bodypack, quad headlights, front and rear spoilers, and a factory sunroof. The interior comprises grey cloth Recaro-style seats and an Irmscher steering wheel.

Dry stored for 20 years and recommissioned when the vendor bought it a couple of years ago, he drove it here from his home to our HQ. Complete with a long MoT certificate, this slice of 1980’s fried gold is sure to evoke the same teenage memories in you that it did in him.

The Carmine Red paintwork looks terrific from a few feet away, being bright and cheery and very of-the-period. The driver’s door is especially good and we suspect that it might have been repainted at some point.

The metal body panels all align well too, including the factory metal sunroof. The window glass is all good, including the windscreen, and it’s the same with the badges and light lenses, all of which are as they should be.

The 13-inch steel wheels have been refurbished and they are fitted with matching 185/70R13 Uniroyal RainExpert tyres, all of which have good tread on them and sport the sort of wonderfully tall sidewalls we’d almost forgotten about.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

That’s the good news.

The bad is that the car really would benefit from a respray. The vendor was the first to point this out but argues persuasively that a car is only original once and he was keen to let the Manta’s future direction be dictated by its next owner rather than him; a lifelong fan of the model, he feels he’s ticked this one off his Bucket List and is keen to keep buying more of his childhood heroes, hence this sale. (Like so many of us, he reminisced that it was the cost of insurance rather than the purchase price that prevented him buying one when he was younger…)

So, the paint is flaking off in places (i.e. #22, #29, and #147) and there is also some rust (for example, #129 and #130). It’s most noticeable at the front, where the bonnet slam panel has holes in it and will need to be repaired or even replaced (#251).

Some of the Irmscher body kit could do with realigning too as its fitment is a bit hit and miss, although it must be remembered that Opel’s quality control at the time would not have caused its German rivals many sleepless nights…

Other remedial work includes repainting the alloy window trims, which are showing signs of corrosion (#84 and #85) and sorting out the small hole in the front grille (#75).

The interior really is very good, and everything seems to work as it should, including the central locking. Nor are there any warning lights illuminated on the dashboard.

Sure, some of the seat fabric, especially on the back seats, is loose but it’s whole and free from damage. There are no extraneous holes in the dashboard either, and it all looks pleasingly original in there.

The headlining and carpets are equally good, as is the boot. The latter is clean and contains the spare wheel plus a few spare parts to help you keep it running sweetly.

Period touches include a Fischer cassette case in the centre console, a Philips/GM radio cassette player, door mirrors that can be manually adjusted from the cockpit, and that lovely Irmscher steering wheel that is so much cooler than an aftermarket Momo ever could be.

Faults? Well, apart from needing a good clean, the passenger-side window is a little stiff, the heating fan doesn’t work on its lowest setting, and the cover is missing from the handle for the sunroof. Nor are we convinced that the aftermarket Cobra alarm works as it should.

As you can see, the 1.8-litre engine starts and runs well, something the vendor confirms was the case on the 70-mile journey here to The Market’s HQ near Abingdon.

The engine bay’s appearance is commensurate with the car’s age and appearance, which is to say it’s neat and clean but not perfect.

The underside has had some welding done to it to pass its first MoT in 2020 and some surface corrosion remains.

The Manta comes with its original owner's book pack, including a service history booklet, a current V5 registration document, the original invoice, radio guides and a Haynes workshop manual. Quite rare to find all of this on a car of this age! Its MoT certificate is valid until January 2023.

To find out more, do make an appointment to pop along and see the paperwork and the car in person.

If you’re anything like us then your dad’s loyalty was either to the blue oval or the griffin – and never the twain shall meet. So, the chances are that you are either a Ford Capri kinda bloke, or an Opel/Vauxhall Manta chap.

Which, if you’re the latter, means you’re in luck because not only does this rare, last-of-the-line Manta have an unusually low mileage and owner count, it is also likely to be significantly cheaper to buy than the Capri.

Because, at a time when we’re seeing the prices of fast Fords having risen beyond the reach of the average enthusiast, we think this beautifully preserved Opel will only sell for somewhere between £6,000 and £10,000, which is a pitifully small sum for such a lovely thing.

And, it’s being sold with no reserve, so will sell from the very first bid. So, why not pop in a cheeky bid now and see what happens? After all, the very worst outcome is that you’ll end up owning a classic 1980’s Manta in one of the very best colours of them all.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.