1986 Volkswagen GOLF GTi MKI Christmas Cabriolet - 1 Owner - 88,000 miles

This really is a car to get a bit excited about. One lady owner from new! Are you still allowed to say that? Well we are and in this case it means a proper MK 1 Golf GTi Cabriolet CC in the finest form of all – cared for properly, driven with respect and with all the ongoing servicing and work mapped out in paperwork.

The original owner lived in East London and rather liked the idea of a VW and a cabriolet too. This fitted all of the bills and she knew about the total popularity of the Golf GTi. I have to say that at first glance this beautiful white cabriolet doesn’t look like the natural choice of car for the Head of a local school…

Because the Christmas Cabriolet sold well, the original owner got her car from a Glasgow dealer (the only one with some left!) with some lucky person driving it down for her. Her words for the car are ‘it was perfect’. In fact she loved it so much that she would never let any garage do the cleaning or tidying in the car – she did it all herself using the traditional method of wash with soap and water and dry with a chamois.

The servicing was however done by VW garages, as the many service stamps up to 88,000 miles show. 

She has also kept it as original as possible – the way it was designed to be. The soft top has been changed after an attempted burglary from the car, which is a shame, but the new one is correct and of the highest quality. The car was then used solely for weekends away and for holidays, so the owner’s children came to know and love the car too. That says the original owner will always be her abiding memory of the car – a fun thing they all enjoyed. 

Now the exciting thing you see immediately when you look around this car, is the total originality of it. The panels, shut lines, the right trim, interior and the correct fittings. Gorgeous. Straightaway this is an unchanged and much-cared-for car.

Well this is something to see. All of the panels line up as they were intended to. The trim is all there – including the Karmann badges - CC decals and even original VW stickers are inside the boot and crevices inside frames even have genuine one owner car dirt in them! This is above all an honest car with only the smallest of little tidying jobs to do – a minor scrape here and a little ding under the front bumper on the valance - but tiny. The wing mirrors also show the signs of some driving over 33 years but nothing to disturb.

Under the bonnet is typical of a one private owner car – used and dulled by time but very capable of being cleaned up well by a new owner. But this is a car that always starts first time, runs smoothly and quietly and has all the power of that GTi engine and 5 speed gearbox. It is a car with only 88,000 miles on it and every service carried out and recorded in the dealership service book. That is a reassurance that we could all live happily with.

The wheels are the correct 14” Avus Alloys refurbished some years ago and looking brilliant. The replacement new roof in dark blue is also very impressive in its quality and feel – properly capping off such a nice car. Regrettably, roof material is no longer available with the CC branding the original had. Come down and see it for yourself – it’s incredible.

The same degree of quality is also shown on the inside of this car and again, it is totally original. The upholstery is CC embossed and still in remarkable condition for the years of use, the black vinyl is beautifully un-scuffed with no cracks or wearing, the leather wrapped steering wheel is there and again perfect, plus the Golf Ball gear shift accessory. Side panels are equally good with no tears or marks and of course the top of the new roof is in great condition. Finally there is the original roll bar across the car providing some safety security for any cabriolet. When you sit in this car there is no doubt that you feel safe and well cared for!

Again the underneath of this car is that of an un-restored one-owner car. It is solid and free of any serious rust but it does of course have a degree of surface grime and the beginnings of superficial rust, but all easily sortable by a new owner. The same applies to the engine and gearbox base, some oil collected over years and some discolouring of the alloy but again easy to clean up well. The exhaust system looks good too.

Suspension and steering and brakes are all in good order but again the steel of them would benefit from some cleaning attention.

On our brief test drives, the car has driven very well and the engine is "oh so sweet".

Could you have a better history than the one that comes with this car? We don’t think so. One lady owner from new, who is the Head of a local school, and only used the car for weekends and holidays. Personal attention to cleaning and caring for the car in a traditional way, plus a genuine love of the car, makes this a vehicle we’re proud to be selling. 

This remarkable history is backed up by the paperwork. All service stamps by a dealership in the service books is amazing to see. All MOTs confirm the on-going condition of the CC Cabriolet - a car to be very pleased with because of careful ownership.

Come and have a look at this car for yourself – it really is all of those remarkable things. Original. Honest. Cared for. It is also of course an increasingly rare CC Cabriolet – one of only 750 we are told – and a genuine MK 1 GTi, so fast and furious if you want it to be, and a real head turner. At an estimate of between £5500 and £9000, this could be a real best buy car. A vehicle that is instantly usable today as summer approaches. But which also has all of the core qualities to make it a real investment for the future. 

It may not be Christmas yet but why not treat yourself to this charming rarity?

We always encourage viewings. This Golf GTi is located here at The Market HQ in Abingdon. Just click the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to arrange an appointment. Ahead of that, or at any time during the process, you’re more than welcome to ask any questions or jot down observations in the comments section below. You won’t be shocked to hear that our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ section will answer general questions that are frequently asked about how The Market works. 

Also please note that we have a network of trusted suppliers with whom we work regularly and successfully: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.