1991 Volkswagen GOLF CADDY

This particular Caddy was first registered in 1991, and was delivered new to its first and only owner, who purchased it for his wife to use as transport for her small gardening and plant-growing business.

As a result of its intended usage and the local scope of the business, this venerable workhorse has covered only a mere 33,036 miles during its 31-year life, and has been maintained regularly irrespective of cost, such was the importance of the vehicle to the owners.

Remaining entirely standard throughout and wearing a lovely age-related patina that will no doubt appeal to many of you, the only modification made to the vehicle is a custom-cut bed cover, which attaches to the bed through two tonneau buttons and a number of bungee hooks, which provided a waterproof enclosure for the plant transportation business.

In recent years, the car has been looked after exclusively by Tewkesbury-based specialists Retromarques, with numerous invoices attesting to the meticulous maintenance that this Caddy has enjoyed, irrespective of cost.

Patina, ageing, wear, charm. Whatever you want to call it, this caddy has it in spades, and if you ask us, it’s all part of the appeal. There’s something wonderfully fitting about a workhorse that wears its years with pride, even one that has had a rather easy going life by most standards!

Naturally, this charm does mean that very little - if any - gloss remains in the paintwork, replaced by faded finishes, some sun bleaching and patches of mis-matched paint. There is also some bubbling paintwork noted around some of the arches and on the rear of the cab, and some corrosion-related wear which has been documented in the gallery below.

That said, the corrosion we did notice appeared to be only superficial, and the bodywork is generally impressively straight throughout, with only a few dents and dings noted - consistent with a working vehicle.

All four wheels show some typical corrosion to their surface - being made of exposed steel, this is natural - though they are perfectly useable as they sit, and match the patina on the rest of the vehicle.

Despite the heavily worn exterior, the cabin remains in fantastic condition, and it is here you really start to see just how cherished this workhorse really was.

The cloth seats, for example, show some heavier wear to the base of the driver’s seat, but otherwise present in excellent condition, as do the dashboard, high-traffic areas, door cards and headliner, with only a light amount of sun warping visible around the heater vents at the top of the dashboard.

In the rear, the load bay is in surprisingly good condition, testament to the light work that has been carried out by this Caddy. The liners are all in great shape with only minor marks and wear visible, along with some more paint scuffs and a couple of small indentations around the upper edge of the bay.

As far as we could tell, all systems inside the cab are working as they should be, though the vendor notes that the fuel gauge is a little temperamental, and we’re not 100% sure that the temperature gauge is working correctly, though the fans do cycle on-and-off as they should once the required temperature has been reached.

Under the bonnet, the 1.5-litre inline-four petrol engine has also been given plenty of love over the years, as evidenced by its excellent visual condition and generally great condition of the engine bay.

Looking around, we saw no sign of any major oil or fluid leaks, though we did note that the auxiliary belt appeared to be rubbing slightly on the cam belt cover, which the vendor stated he would have attended to.

Starting on the first turn of the key with impressive ease, the engine settled into idle quickly, though there is a distinct tapping noise, which can be heard in the video below. The vendor states that this is a new development with the vehicle, and has only occurred following the car being stored for a number of weeks. This information, coupled with the fact that the noise diminished to almost nothing once the car had been warmed through, suggests the noise is a sticky lifter, though inspections are always encouraged, and you can get in touch with the seller using the ‘contact seller’ button at the top of the page.

Looking underneath the vehicle, whilst there is the usual smattering of ‘bloom’ and wear typical with a vehicle of this age, there is nothing that appears to be too immediately concerning by our judgement, and the recent MoT exam - dated 02 December 2021 - resulted in a pass, with the following advisory items:

• Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

• Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive inner and outer sill and front of wheel arch (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Impressively for a vehicle of this type, the history has been incredibly well-documented by the one and only registered keeper, and fills up a box file with ease.

Alongside numerous miscellaneous documents pertaining to the cars insurance, taxation and registration, there are bundles of invoices from VW and Vauxhall OE dealerships regarding servicing and maintenance, numerous invoices from recent works by Retromarques, the V5 showing 0 former keepers, and two sets of keys.

As always, we’ve photographed all of the documentation, and it is available to browse at your leisure below.

Charming, simple and rugged in the way that only a retro workhorse can be, this 1991 Volkswagen Caddy has lived an easy life, with only one gentle registered keeper and has been known to the vendor for the majority of its lifetime, and has been maintained by his outfit for a number of years now, meaning this Caddy is a ‘known quantity’ - always a bonus in any automotive sale.

Presented in well-loved condition but with an impressively preserved interior and wonderfully original state, this Caddy would make a fine basis for a factory-fresh restoration, or a wonderful marketing opportunity for a small business looking to drum up plenty of attention.

Offered with a guide price of £5,000-£8,000 this Caddy has bags of potential, it’s simply up to the next owner how they’re going to utilise it!

Viewing is always encouraged. This particular car is located with the vendor near Tewkesbury, Worcester. 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’.