1992 Volkswagen Golf Driver

This 1992 example of the Golf Driver is a very clean, late model car, brought out before the Golf III made its way to the market. It’s done just about 46,000 miles in nearly three decades and has had just one owner from new. The car has also got a fairly clear MoT history, having failed just once in the last 15 or so tests. It has a certificate valid till April 2022.

The accompanying service book has dealer and specialist stamps, right from 1992 (which is when the first maintenance service was carried out) to 2017. Also included with the car is a bunch of manuals and booklets containing dealership addresses from when the car was new. It’s obvious that some of these mightn’t be in business today, but having that booklet is a nice throwback to when the car was new.

Having said that, it’s a nice car that drives well, and doesn’t have too many miles on the clock. So it’s safe to say that the new owner won’t need to depend on such throwbacks alone to experience what owning a newish (if not entirely new) Mk2 Golf Driver would’ve been like.

The Mk2 Golf might’ve lost the sharp lines of the Giugiaro-penned Mk1 car, but it made up with its more aerodynamic styling. What made the Mk2’s appeal wider than ever is that the models which succeeded it couldn’t quite match it, let alone come close to the classic design of the Mk1.

From the factory, the Golf Driver came fitted with things like twin headlamps, ‘sports wheels and tyres’, steel sunroof, tinted glass and black wheel arch extensions. Both three and five-door models were available on the Driver trim. The bumper-mounted indicators were now available with white lens, too.

This 1992 example looks immaculate from a distance, its red paint looks nothing short of striking and the prominent character lines are complemented well by it. On closer inspection, you’d find that there are a few age-related blemishes (like on the bumpers and door handles), but nothing that spoils the overall look. Rust doesn’t seem to be present on the body, and the doors are clean, too. Having said that, it’s not quite rust-free underneath; and more on that below. The wheels, although in decent condition, aren't entirely scratch-free either.

The Mk2 was bigger on the outside, which opened up more space in the cabin, hence making it more practical than the Mk1 Golf. The improvement in dashboard material quality was a wise move by Volkswagen since it made the interior long-lasting. This is evident once you have a gander at this 1992 example. Another thing that works really well in this car’s favour is that this one seems to be an untouched example, so no unnecessary speaker cutouts or modifications made inside the cabin.

It has the original Philips cassette stereo fitted, the parcel shelf is still in place, and the dashboard hasn’t suffered any damage either. The door cards and seats look to be in good condition, too. The headlining has begun to sag near the rear doors, though. The carpet shows no signs of age, and the hard-plastic surfaces, which might look old and outdated, can be expected to last a few more decades. The manual sunroof works well, and the clean boot also houses the spare wheel and jack under the carpet.

The 1992 Mk2 Golf Driver is powered by a 90 bhp 1.8-litre engine. Buyers could opt for either a 5-speed manual or a 3-speed automatic gearbox as seen on this. This mightn't make it the ideal car for a sporting event but as a daily driver, or as a collectable that gets you direct access to VW shows, it’s going to be a good choice.

It’s only done 46,000 miles or so, which means for someone looking at fresh Mk2 Golfs, it can be the perfect buy. Of course, it doesn’t have the power or handling prowess of the more focussed models, so that needs to be kept in mind. And while 90 bhp might not sound a lot in modern terms, the Golf is hardly an overloaded car. Its clean exterior, remarkable interior, and a service record to prove that it’s been maintained well make its case stronger.

While on the outside there aren’t traces of corrosion, the underside isn’t immune to that, and you can spot rust there. The latest MoT report mentions that both the rear tyres have slight damage, the exhaust has a minor leak, and the offside rear brake pipe is corroded. In addition to that, it can be seen in the photos that there is some paint damage in the boot (on the inside). The engine bay, although largely clean, exhibits some marks on the paint.

Registered first in 1991, this Golf Driver has been with its owner from new. With no former keepers recorded and just 46,000 miles on the clock, it’s one of the cleanest and freshest examples of the Mk2 Golf you can find.

Its service history includes stamps from the VW dealer and a number of specialist garages. The pre-delivery inspection was done in October 1991, and the first service is recorded to be carried out in October 1992. The latest service, according to the book, was done in 2017. This was done at 45,362 miles and included MoT test and cambelt replacement.

According to the MoT data, the car hasn’t done more than 3,000 miles in the last 10 years. It’s also worth noting that there were no tests conducted for 2014 - 2016 and it hardly covered a thousand miles during the 2013 and 2017 MoTs. The first MoT test in 2017 failed due to some faults but there was nothing major. Since then it’s cleared all the tests; some of those not without advisories.

The 1992 Volkswagen Golf Driver presents the opportunity to enjoy a Mk2 Golf in great shape. The zero-former-keeper example has fairly low mileage, and as the records show, it’s not done too many miles in the last few years. The presence of an automatic gearbox will make this more usable, especially for short drives around town. And while the values of the driver-orientated models have seen a rise, this one, with an estimated value of £4,000 - £6,000, can be a great alternative as an everyday runabout.

The factory Tornado Red paint looks gleaming and the interior is particularly clean for its age. The underside has some rust present, and that might need some looking into. The MoT advisories aren’t deal-breaking, although they’ll also require some attention. But let’s not forget it is a three-decade-old car, and none of this is unexpected.

Viewing is always encouraged, within Govt. guidelines of course, and as stated this car is located at our Abingdon headquarters; we are open Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm and to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.