1989 Volkswagen Polo C review from UK and Ireland

Fuel tank leaked.

Radiator leaked.

Oil leaked.

Rear wiper doesn't work.

Slow puncture on n/s front tyre.

Constant clicking sound from the same wheel when car is in motion.

Rust in the wheel arches, lower side panels and sills - inside and out. Nothing severe though.

Some parts of the engine are showing signs of corrosion - this is restricted to pipes and lines, rather than smaller components.

Pretty comfortable inside, if not the roomiest of interiors.

Reliable car. If you look after them, they will keep going for years.

Still one of the best small cars around. Even though Volkswagen stopped making this particular Polo more than 10 years ago, there are still loads of them on the roads.

Cheap to buy, run, insure and put right. Parts can be attained easily, whether from new, or found in scrapyards.

Nippy cars, with pretty good acceleration. Don't expect too much, but they do the job, and aren't sluggish.

Ideally suited to getting around town, rather than long-distance journeys.

Tendency for the engine to overheat, or at least feel a bit strained during/after long journeys or travelling at high speeds for a certain length of time.

Sounds pretty trivial, but it's extremely annoying to find wheel trims for these cars, as they just won't fit on. Proper VW ones are required.

The ideal car for someone who's just passed their test and wants a good runabout for a couple of years before moving onto something else.

Can frustrate now and again with niggly little problems that appear out of the blue, but likeable cars nonetheless. Just depends on how you look after them.