1992 Volkswagen Corrado SLC review from North America

Things that have gone wrong with the car, are more or less due to improper repair/care for my specific vehicle, along with a lengthy tour on the road.

When I purchased the vehicle at 244k I replaced:

- Driver and passenger brake calipers.

- Spark plug wires

- Exhaust system

- OEM "basket woven" BBS wheels

- Windscreen

- Shift linkage

- Shift assembly

- Ignition switch

- Cabin/Cigarette/Accessory LCD display fuse blows within days of replacement

- CV boots, joints

- OEM suspension

- US spec Headlights

Currently, at 266,000 miles, the following are issues:

- Spoiler motor shorts out fuse when descending into the hatch from 60mph.

- Brakes need to be updated all around, as they are spongy.

I'll admit, when I first purchased my 1992 Corrado SLC, I was brash and naive. My previous car was the most economical version of the Ford Escort, so naturally when a friend offered this for sale, I chomped at the bit.

Before this car, I had really no knowledge whatsoever of automotive workings, let alone something that needed to be so specifically well maintained.

Although I did invite my own undoing, two years ago I finally managed to make my auto a rough and tumble daily driver.

The Corrado expects to want to be treated better than your lover, for the most part, and you'll go broke catering to both. Parts for this car are harder to find than for my Porsche, and just about as expensive.

It's nice to have something that some people mistake as a Porsche, others as a Scirocco, without the design being terribly dated, and appropriately aggressive. It's not that the car lacks its own identity; people just grasp at straws trying to figure out what the heck it is. However, there is no question that there is a following for this car, but not nearly as fleshed out as a GTi or 911 circuit would be. Corrado owners seem to be the hermits of European car culture, so knowledge is fairly hard to come by.

I've spent a lot of time and money bringing the life back to my vehicle, and I won't trade it for any other. The only car that VW offers that compares to the Corrado, at least in spirit, would be the MkIV Golf R32. I bought one and got my SLC off the road, so that when I have kids, heaven forbid, I can deny them the keys.