Paris Van Gorder
Paris Van Gorder Associate editor
12/19/24 11:02 a.m.
feature_image

Original paint, matching numbers, blue and yellow California plates, never been in an accident–and it doesn’t cost an arm or leg? This 1985 Volkswagen Jetta seems too good to be true, especially for Facebook Marketplace.

According to the ad, this Volkswagen has been meticulously mai…

Read the rest of the story

ZOO (Forum Supporter)
ZOO (Forum Supporter) UltraDork
12/19/24 12:02 p.m.

I think I'd take this over the Civic . . . though I wonder if all the door locks and window regulators work on this example?

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
12/19/24 12:08 p.m.

Would totally drive this one as well. I had an ’86 Golf at one time. The red looks similar if not the same. (I’m assuming it was the same, but you know what happens when you assume....)

Colin Wood
Colin Wood Associate Editor
12/19/24 12:24 p.m.

But why do German cars of this vintage look so good on basket weave wheels?

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
12/19/24 12:55 p.m.

Super bonus points for the asymmetrical Neuspeed upper rear strut brace. 

Coniglio Rampante
Coniglio Rampante HalfDork
12/19/24 1:38 p.m.

And it has a "save the manual" sticker on the rear window.  "Gooble-gobble, one of us!" and all that.wink

It's a nice example, looks well maintained/preserved.

DavyZ
DavyZ Reader
12/19/24 1:57 p.m.

Tasty example and a reasonable price for what that is.  I would think a VW lover would snatch it right up for a little less coin.

 

Regarding Colin's comment about the basket weave wheels: correct!

Jesse Ransom
Jesse Ransom MegaDork
12/19/24 2:01 p.m.

Wow. Yeah, someone does need that. Not this someone, I swear.

Woody (Forum Supportum)
Woody (Forum Supportum) MegaDork
12/19/24 2:08 p.m.

Seven grand doesn't seem all that unreasonable for that car.

 

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
12/19/24 2:33 p.m.
Appleseed
Appleseed MegaDork
12/19/24 3:22 p.m.

I swore I'd never own a German car. There are always...exceptions. 5 years from now, we'll all be kicking ourselves for not buying mint $7,000 Jetta.

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
12/19/24 3:25 p.m.

In reply to Appleseed :

Yup. 

RB
RB New Reader
12/19/24 3:45 p.m.

While now known as a dedicated Miata/Honda guy Andy Hollis had a Wolfsberg Jetta 2 door.

buzzboy
buzzboy UltraDork
12/19/24 5:34 p.m.
Colin Wood said:

But why do German cars of this vintage look so good on basket weave wheels?

All cars look good on basket weave wheels

Jettaman
Jettaman New Reader
12/19/24 5:54 p.m.

Beautiful car. Theses Jetta's were very well built and a blast to drive. Someone is going to enjoy this ride.

Loweguy5
Loweguy5 Dork
12/19/24 10:31 p.m.

My dad passed down his 1985 Jetta 2 door stick base to me when I went away to college.  It had 110k miles on it and got damned near 40 mpg on the highway.  I beat all 80hp out of it frequently and wished for a little more pep, but it truly never left me stranded and really drove like a small German car.

I got rid of it around 150k miles for a then nearly new 1992 Olds Cutlass Calaise coupe with the quad 4.  While the Olds was much faster, I never felt it had the soul of the VW.

11GTCS
11GTCS SuperDork
12/20/24 8:15 a.m.

Somewhere in the house there are a couple of pictures of a young guy and his brand new '86 Jetta GLI in gunmetal gray with the red stripes on the bumpers and body trim.  God I'm old.   

As noted with a whopping 102 HP it wasn't fast but wow was it fun on twisty roads and I'll second the accidentally great gas mileage (No trouble averaging 32 mpg). I kept it for 12 years, taught my then brand new wife how to drive stick in it and she loved driving it too.  Two kids in car seats and everything else that goes with kids eventually meant parting with it for the first of several Ford Explorers.

Peabody
Peabody MegaDork
12/20/24 8:56 a.m.

We had one of those and it reinforced my 10/100 theory of VW so perfectly it made me laugh.

It was a great car, and we liked everything about it. Until it was about 9 years old and a little over 100k, which is when it started. By the time it was 10 I was constantly working on it, and it was nickel and diming me so bad we started car shopping. Within a month we bought a new car, and on the way home the Jetta gave us the finger one last time by blowing a head gasket for no good mechanical reason that I could tell.

Woody (Forum Supportum)
Woody (Forum Supportum) MegaDork
12/20/24 9:02 a.m.

A friend bought a new white Jetta GLI back in 1987. It was a really nice car, but it seemed like the radio was getting stolen out of it at least once a month. 

93gsxturbo
93gsxturbo UberDork
12/20/24 9:50 a.m.

Per Schroeder has entered the chat....

Oh man...if that was a 2 door I would be on a flight out tonight!  Euro headlights, 16V swap, now you are talkin.  

JimS
JimS Reader
12/20/24 2:12 p.m.

I bought an 85 Jetta GLI brand new. Guards red or whatever VW called it. Family car driven everywhere. Quick for its day. Everyone in the family could drive a manual. Our other car was a 78 Fiesta S that I turned into an itc car. 

You'll need to log in to post.

Our Preferred Partners
Vjpqewhe1XzXqwY5rpSV5Aa87hYHG46r9MD2jKtGkcqqvDvAMtiIFabf8kAvz37v