Car choice: A nice classic German from the 1980s

Jenny Lees is after a classic motor she can use every day. She is a child of the Eighties and loves German cars

(VW)

A car for the head

Probably the most reliable car made in the 1980s, and actually the most practical and fun too, was the Volkswagen Golf. They are shooting up in value, especially the GTI models. Jenny has a very flexible budget, but ideally she should buy the best she can afford – rust is a problem with all older cars and that is always the most costly part of any rebuild. The Mark 2 VW Golf GTI is tough and fun. We found a three-door 1990 GTI at £7,995 which seems to have been very well looked after and sold by a respected dealer.

(BMW (BMW)

A car for the heart

I know the car that Jenny really loves is the BMW 3-series. The model made from 1982 is the one that car fans will know by BMW’s internal code as the E30. Again, rust is the enemy and they are becoming quite rare. The four-cylinder-engined 318i was not as quick as the Golf GTI and actually a six-cylinder 3 Series such as the 325i would have bags of character and a useful turn of speed. We found a fashionably white 1989 325i saloon at £6,250. The mileage is a huge 172,000, but it had been well looked after.

If you would like James Ruppert to help with your car choice, email james@freecarmag.com. For more motoring views visit freecarmag.com