How rare are MK1 polo's?

s1oww · Post by **s1oww** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 2:20 pm

I've hunted everywhere and cant find any for sale.

What are they worth and how often to they come up?

I know they are a rare car and were only made for a few years, but wow they are hard to find. Most i have found are rotten sheds.

NornIron · Post by **NornIron** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 4:47 pm

One obvious way is to save a search on eBay, then you'll get details of (supposedly) any which are listed. There have been quite a few over the last six months, but bear in mind the youngest of the Mk1's are 25 years old now, and to many people (the uninitiated

) they are only a little, slow, old car...not worth saving!

As regards value, there isn't a "guide", as it's supply and demand...what the individual car is worth to the prospective buyers out there. An apparently very clean pre-facelift sold on eBay for Â£1020 about a month ago, whereas a late facelift car with MoT in need of some tidying (but by no means a dog!) sold for Â£250!

Here's a teaser, but keep looking

s1oww · Post by **s1oww** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 6:14 pm

Is that yours? It looks lovely, has it got next to no miles on it?

I'd really like a N as they have the small chrome bumpers.

They do seem to be really rare, i saw that amazing orange one sell for Â£1780 on ebay, but i think that seems quite a lot. Saying that, i think i may know the guy who won the auction.

SteB · Post by **SteB** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 7:21 pm

My late 'N' doesnt have small chrome bumpers? God knows how the specs worked, will have to check the old reference library later

As David says, ebay is a good start, but you'll probably have to travel to get the one you want.

Will post any I see in this thread in the next few days

NornIron · Post by **NornIron** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 8:44 pm

s1oww wrote:Is that yours? It looks lovely, has it got next to no miles on it?

I'd really like a N as they have the small chrome bumpers.

That is mine, rebuild was completed (is it ever completed?

) last year. She is one of the last, June 1981, with 48k on the clock.

Regarding "N" spec....the early model (1975 & 76) Polo (no N designation!) had small steel painted bumpers, with the Polo L having plain chromed bumpers. The N was introduced in 1977, but still had painted bumpers, when the L was renamed the LS. For 1978, the N still had painted bumpers, however the L was reintroduced in addition to the LS, both with chrome bumpers and rubber inserts!

1979 saw the facelift with the larger plastic bumpers fitted to all models...now called the N, L and GLS. These designations remained until production of the Mk1 finished in 1981; N models had plain grey bumpers, whilst L and GLS models had the chrome trim strip fitted to the bumpers!

As Steve said, we'll keep you informed of any we see for sale!

I'll now get my anorak and go......

SteB · Post by **SteB** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 10:21 pm

NornIron wrote: Regarding "N" spec....the early model (1975 & 76) Polo (no N designation!) had small steel painted bumpers, with the Polo L having plain chromed bumpers. The N was introduced in 1977, but still had painted bumpers, when the L was renamed the LS. For 1978, the N still had painted bumpers, however the L was reintroduced in addition to the LS, both with chrome bumpers and rubber inserts!

1979 saw the facelift with the larger plastic bumpers fitted to all models...now called the N, L and GLS. These designations remained until production of the Mk1 finished in 1981; N models had plain grey bumpers, whilst L and GLS models had the chrome trim strip fitted to the bumpers!

Pure brilliance! I bow to your superior knowledge

Mk2Adam · Post by **Mk2Adam** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 10:30 pm

obviously i'm slightly biased towards the newer polos e.g.mk2+3 but if you're spending close to Â£2k on a mk1 polo with less than a 1litre engine...would it not be better money spent on a G40 which is predicted to be a future classic and is getting rarer by the day?

just seems to me like there would be more buyers in the future for a g40 rather than a mk1? but then this is 100% just my own opinion so please don't take this as an offence, still totally respect guys like norniron who restore a mk1 from the ground up

also anyone know what sortof numbers of mk1 polos there are left in uk? i've never actually seen one on the roads, think theres about 250-ish G40's left.

WildChild · Post by **WildChild** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 11:17 pm

Mk2Adam wrote:obviously i'm slightly biased towards the newer polos e.g.mk2+3 but if you're spending close to Â£2k on a mk1 polo with less than a 1litre engine...would it not be better money spent on a G40 which is predicted to be a future classic and is getting rarer by the day?

just seems to me like there would be more buyers in the future for a g40 rather than a mk1? but then this is 100% just my own opinion so please don't take this as an offence, still totally respect guys like norniron who restore a mk1 from the ground up

also anyone know what sortof numbers of mk1 polos there are left in uk? i've never actually seen one on the roads, think theres about 250-ish G40's left.

Mate i'm telling you this as a fact, i loved both my MK1 & MK2, but the MK1 was a FAR FAR better, more enjoyable car to drive than the MK2. The MK1 will remain in my heart forever. My MK2 is in amazing nick as well, only 1983, 30K on the clock, original paint job with no rust and a "as new" paint job on it.. mint interior.

MK1's are Beautifulllllllllllll cars, but MK2s are seriously ugly fuckers, theres no real class to em, they only look good as rat cars or just normal boring squarebacks.

And i might add, if you had ever ever driven in a MK1 let alone experience it as a passenger you would understand why spending Â£1780 on a MK1 is easily better money spent than a G40 or a conversion.

I'm currently saving towards buying a good nick MK1 and either refurbing it completely to concourse or buying it at almost mint condition. And my budget is going to be Â£2500 not including tax, mot, insurance or any other paper work.

Also, that MINT condition 10K Orange 1977 MK1 that went on ebay was WELL worth Â£1780 and i was tempted to borrow the cash for it but wasnt stupid enough to get into debt over a car..

MK2Adam Please PLease go drive or grab a lift with an MK1.. ull understand why then.

mk1jones · Post by **mk1jones** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 10:32 am

Yeah, I have seen a few Mk1's on ebay recently, they have been real nice ones, all went for around Â£1500(ish).
I had my heart set on a mk1, but couldnt find one anywhere, then there was about 4 or 5 on ebay at one time!

There was one mint one, that i wanted, but it was 250miles away! So...... I made the journey, and picked it up for Â£550!

This was it when I got it. I have lowered it, and got Starmags for it, and done a few other things to it.

s1oww · Post by **s1oww** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 12:53 pm

mk1jones, that looks cool. I'd be happy to pay that for one, but its the small bumper model i really like.

As for a G40, i have no interest in one what so ever. They look to much like an "old polo" and i couldnt be doing with the hassle of the supercharger, unless it was running 9 second quaters

. I have my VX220 Turbo for blasting about in. I'm looking for a cool car i can take to VW shows and accessorise a bit.

I'm still tempted to go for a pre 57 beetle as my mates have these 58's.
My other friend is also on the hunt for a MK1 golf 1.1 or 1.3, but its proving hard to find a nice one for sensible money. I fancied a MK1 polo to be a bit different and because i think they look cool, i think i could get my hads on that orange one, but i'm not sure if i'd ever get my money back on it. What do you think?

mk1jones · Post by **mk1jones** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 12:16 pm

Its great to see someone trying to be different with there choice of car. But, I wouldnt worry about making your money back. I am planing to keep mine until "she runs no more". Yeah, and Â£550 is propa dirt cheap for one in the condition it is in. I reckon if you can pick one up for under Â£700(ish) you have done really well, and Im sure you will make your money back, if you did a little work on it.

Dirty Engineer · Post by **Dirty Engineer** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 5:30 pm

MMMMM i love my MK1, needs a fair amount of work, but that'l be a fun winter job, when i switch back to my crappy car, that orange one ebay looked mint, would love to get the chrome bumpers, but i doubt i will in the end, i was lucky i picked mine up for Â£250 off my mate, but get this.... he got if for FREE off his next door neighbour!!!!! i wanna sort out the rust patches and get a respray oh yeah and some phat alloys! like tramonts or starmags to really set off the look

s1oww · Post by **s1oww** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 12:58 pm

I' ve found the odd one for sale now, but nothing that floats my boat.
It seems you like you guys that own mk1's on here really love them. Good to see they have a following

mk2golf16v · Post by **mk2golf16v** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 2:32 pm

I've had mine a few months now and I'm still not bored of only being able to go 50! They have so much character, and look so good with very little work. Buy one, It'll be worth a lot of money one day.

SteB · Post by **SteB** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 9:47 pm

Ooooh, a white one!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1979-VOLKSWAGEN-P ... 0024757348

Crap pics, but low mileage, and looks really clean

Sweet interior