1984 Volkswagen Polo C review from UK and Ireland

Battery had to be replaced and gave no trouble thereafter.

Various light bulbs went, but what more can you expect after all these years!

Handbrake cable snapped - cheaply rectified.

Notorious headlamp rocker switch broke. Replacement obtained from local breakers yard.

New rocker cover seal, cheaply fitted to rectify minor oil seepage.

A superb first car. Although there were minor niggles, which is perfectly excusable for a car of this age, there were never any mechanical faults.

It never let me down, always starting on the button every morning, sun or snow!

The seats were extremely comfortable, and there was little wear to the driver's seat, - clear testimony to the longevity of this marque. Back seat passengers unanimously agreed it was a far more comfortable bench than any modern car.

There was very little surface rust, and when cleaned, the paint-work looked as new. No fading or discolouring.

These early Polos had no servos on the brakes, so braking performance was not good by modern standards. However, for a first driver, this could only have been a good thing: it encouraged me to drive more sensibly, in an active rather than reactive manner.

Performance was surprisingly sprightly for a 1 litre engine. Once warmed it would happily mix it with the big guys on the motorway, and acceleration for such an old engine was excellent.

The car was very solidly built. The metal used was much thicker than modern-day Peugeot 106's or Citroen Saxos, for example. Luckily I was never involved in an accident, but I feel sure it would have stood up well to an impact.

Fuel economy was its forte: who can grumble at 230 miles of motoring for £20, considering the age of the car.