1993 Volkswagen Corrado 2.0 16v £7500

I can almost sense what you’re thinking: this does seem stiff money for a 21yo Volkswagen. However, Corrados have a base of die-hard fans.

Our friends at AMS Vehicles, Stockton-on-Tees, offer this one for sale.  Those ‘in the know’ rate the Corrado as among the best cars VW has yet made. They’re as satisfying to drive as they are handsome.

Demand is such that the value of good ones such as this can only edge up over time. Of course, you can easily find Corrados offered for far less than this. Some, though, will have been ‘modified’ to lower the suspension and run with bin-lid-sized exhausts. And others will be on sky-high mileages. And, true, this isn’t the one that true fans want. That’ll be the G60, running a supercharger with a 1.8 motor. But the 2.0 16v, which gives just shy of 150bhp, makes the car quick enough. It’s also the sensible choice because it’s relatively tough, simple and capable of running for big mileages if correctly maintained.

This one is a rare survivor in that it’s had only one past owner, covering just 38,000 miles and servicing it regularly. It’s also had its cambelt changed recently. What’s more it’s not been modified in any way – even retaining its ‘period-correct’ Sony stereo. So far, it’s covered fewer than 2000 miles a year. At its current mileage, it promises plenty of use still to come. There are two schools of thought, though, about old cars so little used. On the one hand, they are highly prized and highly valued because of their excellent condition and ‘survivor’ status. On the other, don’t go expecting as few problems as you might encounter on a far younger auto showing a similar mileage.

Cars go bad unless they are used properly. If left to sit too long, even in a garage, coolant hoses deteriorate, electrical connections dry and wiring goes brittle. Keeping a 21yo such as this going, especially if it is to be used daily, will require ongoing preventative maintenance and a hefty dose of tlc.

There’s also a Catch-22. This car commands its price because of its low miles. Tempting though it may be to use such a full-on drivers’ car often and as exuberantly as its designers intended, to do so will inevitably hurt its value, the more so if you were to add miles at a good rate.

Still, such are the pains and pleasures of owning any modern classic. It would be most unfair to single this Corrado out for such blame. As it is, this is a rare opportunity to buy something rather special.

If you aren’t tempted, you should be.