1986 Volkswagen Golf GTi

This delightful 1986 Volkswagen Golf GTi is fitted with the iconic 1.8-litre, 8-valve engine. As an early Mk2, often referred to as a 'Type 19', it is of a type only made for a few years, retaining some Mk1 features such as the front quarterlight and the placement of the wing mirrors. Other distinctive Type 19 features that were removed from later cars include slimmer steering column stalks, a 7-slat grille, and slightly different badging. This example is finished in Tornado Red. It has been recently resprayed – and that was a proper job with all the glass removed. With just two former keepers, this five-door Golf comes with a fabulous service record and a meticulously compiled history file. Running well and driving as it should, it would make a great buy for an enthusiast looking for a GTi they can drive without fear of adding too many miles while still being smart enough to be able to show without embarrassment. A Goldilocks example, if you like – and we all know how rare they are.

The resprayed Tornado Red paintwork looks fabulous, doesn’t it? The eighties were a time of conspicuous consumption and we really didn’t see the point of wearing our success lightly, so a bright red GTi was just the thing to tell the world you were a bona fide yuppie. (Whose next car would be a BMW 325i, which in turn would be a stepping stone to the Porsche 911 you really coveted…) But, enough reminiscing because this is a cracking example of one of the decade’s most iconic hot hatchbacks. The panels are excellent, being straight and true and beautifully aligned. VW build quality was right up there with the best of them back in the day and this one is a cracking example of the German firm’s craft. The front end, with its thin red stripe around the grille, twin headlamps, and GTi badge, told slower motorists they were about to be overtaken by a legend. This one’s VW badge has survived the attentions of Beastie Boy fans too, and while the front spoiler might look modest by modern standards, it was a huge increase on the vestigial one the earlier cars were fitted with. Chunky full-length door protectors and a thick black pinstripes complete the GTi look. The sunroof fits the aperture very well and opens and closes as it should via a distinctly analogue handle. The seal is a little frayed, so you’ll probably want to get that changed if only on aesthetic grounds. The plastic bits are glossy and deep black, and the bumpers wear the iconic red stripe. Even details like the wiper arms, rubber window seals, and door handles are in great shape. Which means it won’t surprise you to see that a set of refurbished Pirelli alloy wheels completes the exterior and while they do have the odd small mark, refurbishing them would be straightforward. It’s also nice to see these are fitted with a set of Pirelli Cinturato P1 tyres in the 185/60R14 it would have left the factory wearing. It goes without saying that they’re in great shape. (Should you want to go bigger in the future, fitting a set of 195/50R15 would be an accepted acceptable upgrade in line with the Pirelli Plus One principle we all came to know and love when we uprated our MKI Golf’s 175/70R13 tyres to the MKII size this one wears.) The badges, lamp lenses, and glazing are all good and a set of dealer numberplates is a nice touch. Apart from sorting the sunroof seal, we can’t see anything here that needs remedying unless you count the minor blemish on the nearside corner of the rear bumper.

April 2021 saw the foam on the back of the seat repaired and the vinyl replaced by Goldsmith Upholstery of Ipswich – and if you think this hints at a high level of diligence when it comes to the Golf’s curation you’d be right because the interior is an absolute delight. Trimmed in Candy Stripe fabric - a material that might not be quite as iconic as the tartan of the first cars but nonetheless takes men of a certain age straight back to their youth when cars like this were unattainable – it is in time warp condition, which is remarkable when you consider it’s got 155,000 miles under its belt. All the GTi styling cues are there including the four-spoke, four-button steering wheel, the coin holder ahead of the gear lever, the simple MFA trip computer in the dashboard and the famous golf ball gear knob. A Clifford alarm has been fitted but the status of this is unknown. A modern JVC head unit replaces the original, so you might want to set up an eBay search for something more period-appropriate. The boot floor is solid and provides support for a space saver spare wheel and a good parcel shelf keeps the contents safe from prying eyes. It wears it years lightly and while the window winder handles have inscribed an arc on a couple of the door trims, this is a patina we love. There is a little more wear here and there but only a little. The vinyl near the offside rear seat latch is untidy and there’s some leakage on the MFA display between the speedometer and rev counter. The gear knob is also a little more worn than most would like too, but that’s most definitely a job for Future You.

The engine bay is the usual jumble of wires and hoses we’re used to seeing on stock GTis. They left the factory looking a little untidy, so this one is entirely in keeping with how they should be. As you can see, it starts well and revs strongly. There is a small amount of fluttering when coming off idle, which will need looking at. It’s pretty clean under there too, and while the K&N sticker won’t be to everyone’s taste, that that is the extent of the work we think needs doing under there speaks volumes. Heck, it’s even got the plastic covers on the top of the front turrets. The underside looks strong but we can see a fastidious owner might like to touch up the underseal to hide the overspray and, perhaps, remove some of the surface rust that’s present on some of the suspension components.

The Golf’s MoT certificate, which is valid until May 2024, was gained with no advisories. The history file includes what looks to be a complete run of expired MoT certificates dating back to the first in 1989; it’s clear the seller takes the annual test just as seriously as the two previous owners. But then this usually goes hand-in-hand with the correct planned preventative maintenance, and if you’ve been paying attention so far, the following won’t surprise you:

• • 29.12.1986 and 10,738 miles – service
• • 06.01.1987 and 20,129 miles – service
• • 21.06.1988 and 31,068 miles – service
• • 16.02.1989 and 34,325 miles – service
• • 17.10.1990 and 44,594 miles – service
• • 02.12.1991 and 56,488 miles – service by Goodwin Cars Ltd
• • 14.01.1993 and 70,908 miles – service by Goodwin Cars Ltd
• • 16.02.1994 and 81,244 miles – service by Goodwin Motor Engineers
• • January 1995 and 91,867 miles – service by Goodwin Motor Engineers
• • 1414.02.1996 and 102,279 miles – service by Goodwin Motor Engineers
• • 18.02.1998 and 106,335 miles – service by Barnett & Small
• • 22.02.2000 and 108,625 miles – service
• • 04.03.2004 and 113,896 miles – service by Barnett & Small
• • 04.02.2006 and 119,000 miles – home service
• • 02.10.2006 and 127,000 miles – home service including fuel filter
• • 20.09.2021 and 155,513 miles – service by Vehicle Surgeon of Woodbridge

There are dozens and dozens of other bits of paper. In fact, we counted 116 pages of paperwork in total, so why not make yourself a brew and take a few minutes to browse through them to get an idea of how well it’s been maintained over the years? The recent Vehicle History Check is clear and the Golf comes with two keys.

Given where the price of Golf GTi MK1s is now, it’s only a matter of time before the price of the MKII follows – and given that every petrolhead’s favourite game is predicting which cars are currently undervalued, the smart money has to be on cars like this, surely? Beautifully maintained over the years and running well, it’s a car you can drive long and hard without fear you’re devaluing it by piling on the miles while still being smart enough to be able to display with pride at your local classic car show. As to the likely hammer price, we estimate it will fetch somewhere between £8,000 and £12,000 but the seller has enough faith in the market to offer it with No Reserve, so it’s going to sell from the very first bid!

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at the Bonhams|Cars Online HQ; 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’.