Sorry, The Car Has Been Sold

1993 Volkswagen Corrado SLC/VR6

Mileage: ~148,000 miles.

(Click on any of the thumbnails for a higher resolution, bigger picture)

General Overview

    I am the third owner of this vehicle.  I purchased it in 1999.  The car is in good condition but realize that is is 12 years old and does have close to 150k miles.  Mechanically, it runs great and has no problems.  I have kept up with the maintenance quite well and have lots of receipts (including those given to me by the previous owner).  Any problems have been fixed right away and the oil has been changed every 3,000 miles.  The paint is designated by Volkswagen as "Burgundy Pearl Metallic", but as you can tell from the pictures it looks different in varying light conditions.  At night, the car looks almost black and during the day more violet.  The car does have the speed activated rear spolier and a tilt-and-slide moonroof.  It has power windows, power locks, power mirrors, the factory VW alarm, cruise control, tilt steering, a/c, rear window defrost, ABS, and the radio details given below.  It also has the 2.8 Liter VR6, 6 cylinder engine and a 5-speed manual transimission.  For more information on Corrados in general, a good website to start is The Corrado Club of America.

    I am selling the car because I will be re-locating to a new job and a new climate in a few months.  A 4 wheel drive vehicle with more hauling capacity unfortunately will be a necessity.  I have also been driving a Corrado (a 1990 model before this one) for the last 11 years, I think it's time I made a change..  I have really enjoyed Corrados and will be sorry to see this one go, but circumstances are what they are.

    The Kelley Book Values for this car are right around $4,000 for a private party sale and $6,150 from a dealer.  Here are the input parameters I used:

Engine: V6 2.8 Liter
Trans: 5 Speed Manual
Drive: Front Wheel Drive
Mileage: 150,000
 

Condition: Good.

    Only a little over 2,100 Corrados were sold in the U.S. in 1993.  This means that the market for used Corrados in 2005 is very limited and specialized.  It does have some issues, which I will outline below, but there are some extras with this Corrado also.  I'm not absolutely sure of the local market and I probably have some bias towards the car built in, but I am not unwilling to compromise with the right buyer.   I'll proceed first with the negative issues, then list the additions and pluses.  More pictures are also included at the end.

Known Issues - The car isn't absolutely perfect, if it was I would be asking a whole lot more!  This list is what I would like to be informed of were I to buy the car.

• Reverse Lights

    The only functional problem is with the rear "back-up" lights.  When the car is put in reverse, they do not come on.  I have checked the fuse and the bulb and have been unable to locate the problem.  My guess is a loose wire somewhere but I haven't been able to take the time and really track it down.  I drive in reverse at night a very, very small amount and have been able to get by with the regular red light emitted by the brake lights.

• Cracked Fog Lights

    This is a design problem that originated with Volkswagen.  Apparently the lights are too hot for the lenses and the lenses eventually crack.  The lights still work fine.  The fog lights are located in the front bumper, towards the inside of the turn signals.

• Paint Chips/Dings

    These are the minor chips and scratches that come with a car that has 150k miles.  The resolution of most pictures isn't high enough to catch every detail; so, in the interest of providing potential buyers with as much information as possible about the car, I have included close-ups the areas where I notice marks.  First there is the front hood/bumper.  Over time sand, wind, dirt, etc. wear on this area.  The rear bumper has a mark that was on the car when I bought it.  I have also included a close-up of this area.  I'm not sure what caused the mark but it hasn't changed any in the years that I have had the car.  Last, there is a close-up of an irritating door ding the car received a couple of years ago.  It is on the passenger side of the car.

• Tires

    The tires I have on the car currently are really great Yokohama Z-rated tires.  I say great because they stick like glue and aren't very noisy.  Unfortunately, the tradeoff for very sticky tires is longevity.  They have some tread left but I would recommend new tires in the near future (~1,000 to 3,000 miles)

 The Good Stuff - Here's a list of the parts that I have added and the work that I have had done in the recent past.

Schrick VR6 Intake Manifold
Techtonics 2.5" Exhaust with Borla Straight-through Muffler

Thermal Exhaust Tip 4" Outer Diameter-Angled Tip. 2.5" Inner Diameter, 8" Long
Neuspeed Front Upper Strut Tie Bar
Autotech Rear Upper Stress Bar
VW Motorsports Rear Control Arm Bushings
Autotech Front Control Arm Polyurethane Bushings
Neuspeed P-Chip Engine Computer Management
2.9L European Throttle Body
TSW VX1 16" Wheels
Yokohama AVS ES100 205/45 ZR-16 Tires
Painted OEM Lucas Brake Calipers

Mintex Brake Pads F&R (Installed 9/2003)

Cross-Drilled and Slotted Brembo Rotors F&R (Installed with new front wheel bearings 9/2003)
European VR6 Headlight Conversion
H&R Sport Lowering Springs
Pioneer DEH-P9200R Head Unit w/ Remote
Pioneer CDX-P1270 12-Disc Changer
Rockford Fosgate Punch 60 DSM Amplifier (Older, but still powerful and durable)
SAS Bazooka EL 10" Subwoofer & Enclosure
JL Audio Evolution Series TR 5.25" and 3.5" Fronts
Eclipse 8462E 4"x6" Rear Speakers
Nardi/Nothelle Steering Wheel
Momo Competition Shift Knob and Boot
Escort Passport 4500L+ Radar/Laser Detector
Custom Leather E-Brake Cover
Custom White-Face Gauges

OEM Heater Core, Radiator, and Hoses replaced mid-2002.

Hood Latch Mechanism Replaced - early 2005.

Clutch Replaced - 2003.

By browsing through the links I think you'll be able to see how much I've put into this car.  It's quick and handles very well.  However, the suspension is stiffer than stock and the exhaust is louder (it doesn't ride near as quiet and smooth as a Cadillac, but it handles about 10 times better than one!).  The addition of a cold air intake would probably add another 5-10 hp or so.  The original front seats were tan leather but they weren't in great shape when I originally purchased the car and got worse with time.  I replaced them with a set of seats from a Corrado that were in better condition, but black in color.  They are indeed a step up over the previous seats.  There are interior pictures below.  It is worth noting here that the headlight conversion, intake manifold, P-Chip, and 2.9L throttle body alone represent about $2,500 in parts by themselves! 

 

I have enjoyed the car alot and I think it would be a great car for the right person.  It has the character and uniqueness of Corrados (along with the Corrado rattles and quirks), and it is an opportunity to own a distinct German sports car that you won't see everyday.

Corrado Gallery

 

              

              

              

              

 

I attempted to photograph the headlights but the camera requires the shutter to stay open too long and blurs the pictures.  The "city lights" are like U.S. driving lights.  They are a low wattage bulb that glows a purplish-blue color.  It doesn't show up well in the picture.  The normal headlights (no brights, no fogs) are in the middle picture and the bright lights with both sets of fogs on is the last picture.  The European headlights are a huge improvement over stock I would recommend these to anyone that owns a Corrado.   The bulbs installed now are standard U.S. bulbs; however,  the enclosures and wiring will also accept the higher wattage bulbs allowed in Europe and Japan.