I wonder if this is a case of the seller “under-selling” a car, as, despite the high mileage reading of almost 300,000, this 1979 Volkswagen Scirocco S is in surprisingly nice condition. It certainly helps that it has benefitted from a recent respray in its original color, and while the seller contends it’s not perfect (and likely doesn’t look quite as sharp in person), there’s still no denying that this Scirocco has survived to a very high standard despite the huge mileage it’s racked up. It has an engine rebuild in its history folder and was locally owned by the original owner up until just recently. Find the Scirocco here on eBay where bidding has reached $7,455 with no reserve.
For a very short while, I owned a 1988 VW Scirocco 16-valve. Long story short, I did not enjoy this car at all, and sold it at a loss. I have this issue with unloved cars; once I am done with them, I want it gone. I just couldn’t get down with the buzzy, frantic nature of the car, which I’m sure some people find endearing. Earlier this year, a colleague reached out to ask what I had done with the car and I shared that it was long gone and he told me I should drive a first-generation Scirocco like this one before I wrote off the model. In his opinion, the earlier cars actually feel more substantial, or at least constructed to a higher quality, despite being a lighter, more tossable version of the Scirocco overall. This one sports some cool period details, like the OEM mudflaps and “Scirocco” script on the doors.
One thing is for sure when comparing the two eras of the Scirocco is this: the earlier car interiors are decidedly more charming, making liberal use of plaid cloth, along with that iconic three-spoke steering wheel and auxiliary gauge pod in the center stack. Any Scirocco interior is generally clutter-free, but the first-generation models take it to a whole new level of delightful simplicity. The dash is cracked, sadly, but that’s to be expected with a car that hasn’t been garage-stored since new. That being said, it will come with extensive documentation going back to the day the original owner picked the car up.
Current mileage is just over 291,000, and the listing notes that the four-cylinder engine was rebuilt at approximately 198,000 miles; all supporting documentation of the rebuild is included with the sale. The seller highlights a rust spot in the engine bay that should “absolutely” be fixed, if for no other reason than the rest of the car is so clean. There’s some surface rust evident on the door sills and trunk sill, but no other rot is noted. If you’re looking for a perfect car, you may have to re-do the respray, but honestly, I’d leave it alone. It looks good as is, and is absolutely stunning for an example with this sort of mileage. Bidding is already quite strong for this high-miler; do you think it will keep climbing?
I’ve never warmed up the these either. Preferred the Rabbit. Maybe it’s the higher seating position and more greenhouse that makes the Rabbit a better drive.
I absolutely love these cars. My dad had a 81 scirocco S in light blue. They are as rare as Hen’s teeth these days. Perfect car for a 1.8L GTI engine be it a 8V or 16V. As you can see with bidding being so strong on a well used example they are very sought after. I still have my 86 Scirocco 16V in the cards to get restored. Let me tell you I was really surprised how hard it is to find body and trim parts for these. But I managed to find a pair of good tail lights and bumpers and even a NOS cylinder head as I plan to rebuild the engine as well. Stay tuned fans as this will show on BarnFinds when it’s ready.
I look forward to seeing your Scirocco! I’ve got a Golf GTI 16V that I’m trying to get back on the road and parts are surprisingly hard to find. You would think with how many were built and how loved they were that you could find every nut and bolt. I bought a GLI 16V parts car just to get visor clips and a few trim pieces. Let me know if you need any fuel injection parts for your car, I kept the distro block and a few other parts that were in good working order before sending that car off to the junkyard.
I do need a fuel distributor and injectors. I was planning to send it out to get rebuilt. When I received the car I tried to start it based on the previous owners description. Pulled the plugs and fuel shot out of one cylinder. Injector was spraying all the time.
I found the Samba to be a good place to look for used parts. That’s where I found a seat, bumpers, emblems, and the cylinder head.
FWIW, I have an 86 Golf Westie, and an 86 Jetta on Northwest CT Craigslist, if you need parts.
They both need to go . . . unfortunately, they’re both diesels, if you need engine/fuel parts.
Joshua try Bob Hindson Racing in Kansas City, Missouri
816-561-6665. Aaron Holstrom is the owner. He is in my mind of the 10 tecs. In this country for Porsche, VW and Audi. He built my 92 GT I up to be an absolute screamer, we felt easy it was producing 230 HP at wheel.
Massive torgue steer. If you weren’t ready for it you would be going East or West instead of North. It’s down in Memphis now with a very good car guy. If the part is hard to find and you need it machined Aaron can do that. But if he can’t he knows so many people in this side of the industry, plus you will get nothing but the exact truth!!,
I too had an ‘81 S in Cirrus blue with the black & red interior and accents. Was a bit small but oh so tossable in the curves!
Scirocco: My first (borrowed ride) foray into ice Racing in Michigan.
Now that was some real fun to be had in the wintertime!
My wife has owned a 1979 and a 1987. I enjoyed driving both of them and hated seeing them replaced by the Corrado. That was a huge mistake by the VW folks. The Sciroccos had personality. 300,000 miles doesn’t seem to be having any effect on the bidding. $7500 is “take the money and run” territory.
My friend had an ’80 & automatic. Not very good mpg & it still had a points & condenser distributor! Ridiculous for 1980, tho it’s unlikely u’ll need a tow!!
https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/volkswagen,1980,scirocco,1.6l+l4,1285545,ignition,ignition+breaker+points,11337
I wonder if any car past 1980 still used pts & condenser. lol
A respray AND a rebuilt engine? NICE SURVIVOR LOL.
And it might just collapse under its own weight when it comes back from being dipped. Maybe somebody will save it, at which point they’ll have enough money in it to have bought a nice 911 SC driver at current prices.
One of my favorite cars! These were a blast to drive. You felt like you were flying at most any speed. Whipping into a shopping center parking lot, the inside rear wheel would easily lift 6 inches from the pavement! Fun fun cars. Too bad they disintegrate so easily.
I had to hit the like button on all the positive comments. I had an 81 S in dark gray with Recaro seats. Loved it.
The auxiliary gauge pod with an oil temp gauge was an eye opener, it was amazing how long it took the oil to warm up.
These are fantastic cars to drive. More precise & stable in corners than even the rabbit, IMHO & I currently own Rabbits. There’s no myth to the story of how they (rabbits) multiply. One day you have 1 & you wake another morning to find you have 2,3,4, etc.. I love them but honestly miss my Scirocco the most.
I had a ’77, non-S model. I don’t think the S arrived in the states until 81-82?
Still kick myself for letting mine go, gulp, to a wrecking yard. To far gone @ the time & there was little foreseeable value. I didn’t have resources & AOL & Ebay were in their infancy. Not the access to things there is today. I saved what I could. I still have the minty fresh dash & grille from the car. I’ve saved them all these years, hoping to find a need for it someday.
BTW, best of luck to anyone who owns/buys a MKII Golf or Scirocco that’s looking for parts. A lot of original key parts in nice shape are unobtanium & not available aftermarket.
Side note: Frank S.
If the Scirocco platform had to be killed (?), I think VW absolutely nailed it w/ its successor, the Corrado! Unfortunately, like the MKII’s, necessary “bolt on”, body related resto parts are few & far between.
Wish I was a contender on this car. The sunroof kills it for me, period. GLWS!
These were so much better looking than the second gen version. They were everywhere when I was in high school in the late 70s, but most were beaten into the ground, rusted into saltines, and then discarded. Very rare to find a decent example now, much less an S model.
I had a 78 Scirocco, it was my first car and I loved it!
Me too, but the values were shot at 40K and overall reliability was just average. Absolutely loved the Recaro buckets and the console gauges. The single wiper was trippy too.
BITD I had an ’83 Audi GT which I thought of as big brother to the Scirooco. Were I ever to go home again, I’d look for a very well-kept example of one or the other. IMO, hard to go wrong here.
I’ve always kinda liked them but ever since that family guy episode where Stewy finds the key to one at his grandparents house every time I see one I think back to that show.
Better-looking than the later ones, but the Corrado was awesome, imo. My son had a G80 and it was a blast!
Oops- make that a G60.
My first new car was an Ancona Blue 1976 Scirocco 4 speed. Once you lower the car by about 2″ (cutting the springs), install Bilstein shocks, and tie the front lower control arms together. (to keep them from flexing too much) It is a completely different car. With the proper air pressures the car will be completely neutral to minor oversteer. (which is a blast in a front wheel drive car, just correct and keep the hammer down) When it was a week old I placed first in class in an autocross and later in the year started ice autocross. This led to a class championship for two years in a row. It was then “T” boned at 65 MPH on the right side. A customer had a 1975 that was “T” boned on the left side. So I split the cars down the middle and “glued, screwed and welded” the 2 good halves together and built a pro-rally car. (I never weighed the car,but could lift the rear wheels off the ground by myself) So much fun and still not enough power even after a cam, headers and major engine work. I was able to drive a Rabbit on the ice course that had the same shocks, tires and wheels as my Scirocco back to back. I felt no difference at slow speed (up to 85 MPH on the ice).
I once had my Scirocco up to 130 MPH drafting a BMW Bavaria. Just to attest the strength of the car, after I was “T” boned by a Nova, I was still able to drive the car in and out of the garage for several months before stripping it down.
Great fun! I ended up with owning 3 MK I Sciroccos (blue, yellow and red) and would dearly love to have another. I built one for a buddy using a Weber carb, fuel injection head and nitrous! It held together for many years and would spin the tires for about 40 feet.
I had 3 of them and did much the same. Once you lowered and “tightened” them up (strut tower braces, springs) and some engine mods they were a ball! I rolled one of them into a ditch driving home from my ski-patrolling job. Snapped a tie Rod and lower A arm and drove it out of the ditch with 3 wheels. Underpowered, but still so much fun! Also in tight cornering the inside rear tire would often lift off the ground (common for torsion bar rear suspension). Didn’t seem slow it down though hahahaha
i had a 79 non S 4speed, charcoal with red interior, i loved that car…..
the steering wheel is one of the best !
actually drove an 81S in red but the seller was giving the nice phoenix stahlflex 3011 tires to a buddy and the whole thing threw me off, the brakes were also wired to a switch on the dash so he could speed i guess lol
Ended: Feb 04, 2022 , 10:01AM
Winning bid:US $7,955.00
[ 9 bids ]
Located in:Salem, Oregon