Guide: Affordable classics of tomorrow
For every day
VW Golf IV
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The days are getting colder and so more and more cyclists and public transport users are switching to cars for everyday use during the cold season. Why not combine the pleasant with the useful and bring an affordable classic to your own doorstep that will last longer than just one winter?
The temperatures are getting cooler and cooler and some people are wondering how cold and long the winter will be in the 2023/2024 season? Many don’t have their own Car, switch from bike to bus or train and freeze on the footpath here too. How cozy and warm would it be to get into your own car in the morning and simply drive to the office with your favorite music while the air conditioning and heated seats warm your body and mind?
There is the often expensive purchase of a new car or the purchase of a young used car – both of which are easy to do and usually carried out without much emotion. You don’t have to get a cheap clunker in your driveway because you usually pay for it. But how about a youngtimer or a young classic at an affordable price that retains its value or, at best, increases it with appropriate care and ensures a big appearance next summer? Here are some very different tips that will not only put you in a good mood while driving, but may also bring back some of your own youth.
The Baby Benz became a star late in life and is still parked in the shadow of the larger sedans, convertibles and coupés with the star. The quality of the Mercedes 190, internal designation W 201, is generally considered to be very good. With good care, the engines can easily last 200,000 kilometers or significantly more. Only the high-performance engines of the sports versions 190 E 2.3-16 / 2.5-16 are vulnerable and the basic version of the 190 E 1.8, which was added later, can be avoided, as can the very barren Mercedes 190 of the early days due to persistent lethargy. A good choice is the normal 190 E 2.0 or even the more powerful versions 2.3 and 2.6 with the 118 kW / 160 hp six-cylinder, which also powered the E and S classes. Diesel engines are considered to be particularly durable, but due to their pollutant classification they are no longer available in some inner cities. With an H license plate, this flaw is erased and the Mercedes 190 D 2.5 is a real miracle weapon in terms of comfort and range on long journeys. The Mercedes 190s are often poorly equipped, but if you spend a little time looking, you will not only get mileage of under 200,000 kilometers, a traceable care history and comfort equipment that at least includes electric windows, a sunroof, seat heating and air conditioning for prices starting at 5,000 euros.
Why not make an affordable compact sports car your future dream car? The good first and second generation Golf GTi have long since become expensive and rare. But things are completely different with the VW Golf GTI III / GTI IV or perhaps even its big brother VR6. The technology is more than solid, the rust problems are either visible or non-existent and the range of spare parts is large. A VW Golf GTI from the late 1990s, admittedly more of an equipment variant, already offers all sorts of comfort features such as electric windows/sunroof, heated mirrors, heated seats and often air conditioning for prices starting at 6,000 euros. The 150 hp engine could be sportier; But it is always strong enough to move the front-wheel drive car quickly through all four seasons. For winter fans there is the 2.8 V6 4motion, which is often even better equipped, but in addition to 150 kW / 204 HP it also has significantly higher maintenance costs. The 1.8-liter turbo, which fuels a wide variety of vehicles in the Volkswagen Group with outputs between 150 and 225 hp, is cheaper in all versions. The Golf GTI TDI is more for connoisseurs with mileage ambitions.
Unfortunately, over the years, Opel has largely said goodbye to its former sporty genes under the Stellantis umbrella. One of the last real athletes is the Astra GTC / OPC, which with its three-door body was one of the most impressive models with a flash of the last 50 years. But the Astra H GTC not only looked good as a particularly sporty OPC version, it is also a real driving machine, as the propulsion was provided by a turbocharged two-liter four-cylinder with an impressive 206 kW / 280 hp. The condition of most models on the market is very good and the equipment corresponds to that of a top model. You should just make sure that you don’t fall into the tuning pitfall, because many vehicles on the market have been optically and technically optimized over the years and this is usually not to their advantage. A good OPC from 2010 to 2015 with a mileage of less than 150,000 kilometers is usually in a price range of 11,000 to 15,000 euros. You can look forward to next spring and empty country roads more than ever.
Those were the days when Volvo didn’t sail under the Geely umbrella, but was closely linked to Ford. One of the coolest Volvos of recent years is the C30, technically related to the Ford Focus without adopting its design quirks. The entry-level Volvo is a real exotic car – but one that has solid technology, looks good and has what it takes to become a category classic. Provided you don’t opt for the pale basic engines and economical equipment. Even if the C30 T5 with Focus RS genes is usually priced in a different range, it should at least be the C30 2.0 with its 107 kW / 145 hp Ford engine. A solid engine with no significant weaknesses and good durability along with appropriate parts supply. You don’t have to worry about the equipment of the Volvo C30, especially with the more powerful 1.8 and 2.0 liter engines. Some offer automatic air conditioning, seat heating, leather seats and aluminum rims at prices under 8,000 euros. Not a car for the masses – but for driving fun, the cold winter and much more.