Description
Volkswagen Lupo 1. 0 E in Jazz Blue for sale. It has a five-speed manual gearbox and has covered just over 118, 000 miles.
I bought this car in December 2022 to teach my girlfriend how to drive. Now that she’s passed (no thanks to the insanely long waiting list for driving test bookings these days - but that’s a rant for another occasion) and has got some more miles of experience under her belt, she’s looking for a change.
It proved a brilliant and faultlessly reliable car in which to learn to drive/ give lessons, but equally it’s just a great thing to potter around in. Having come from the VW heyday of greatly over-engineered everyday stuff, it feels incredibly grown-up and refined for a tiny city car that’s approaching 25 years old, and has never let us down.
For the more nerdy car fans among us, that age holds some significance now because this 2000 (X reg) Lupo will be an ideal car for the Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional. It wouldn’t take much effort for a committed owner to turn this from a very good example into a genuinely superb one.
Good bits:
- This Lupo has had just three owners from new (including ourselves). The previous owner bought the car when it was roughly three years old and ran the car for almost 20 years
- The car has a full service history, stamped 24 times from 2001 until the most recent in November 2024. The first three were carried out at a Volkswagen main dealer and the rest at independent garages
- The most recent service was carried out in November 2024, where the rear brake shoes and brake fluid were changed, addressing a couple of advisories noted in the last MOT around handbrake strength/ braking imbalance
- The first service during our ownership, in 2023, was carried out at VW Group specialists VRT. In addition to the regular service work, they replaced the exhaust system from the catalyst through to the back box, changed both front anti roll bar links and the pollen filter - all for genuine VW parts. They also provided a detailed report about the general health of the car - ideal for any prospective owner to refer to if they want to make the car perfect rather than merely enjoy it in its existing great condition
- Other replacement parts worthy of note before my ownership include a new radiator in 2021 and a new thermostat housing in 2022
- In addition to the many new mechanical bits, I’ve treated the car to some minor cosmetic sprucing up including brand new OE Volkswagen centre caps and fresh number plates
- The MOT runs until May 2025
- Spare key and original emergency key included
- The interior is in great condition - it is genuinely hard to believe that it’s approaching 25 years old and has lived through 118, 000 miles
- Predictably, it’s cheap to fuel. My partner and I have covered roughly 2, 500 miles between us, and even though the majority of those miles were during driving lessons and/ or around town (neither of which are the most flattering for a car’s efficiency) it still mustered up an average of 44. 4mpg.
- While this is the base E model, the original owner dipped into the accessories catalogue to equip not only 13-inch alloy wheels, but also a CD player to go with the standard radio/ cassette. So if you’re one of those few that still owns any CDs, then you’re in luck!
- The bodywork/ underside is incredibly solid, with no bubbling paintwork or crusty bits in the boot. The front lower suspension arms have a little surface corrosion, but structurally the car is superb.
- All four Hankook tyres have good tread remaining
Less good bits:
- Cosmetically the car is fine from a few metres, but there are a few imperfections that pop up as you get closer. Some lacquer peel on the front bumper, small scuffs here or there, and a slight dent ahead of the nearside rear wheel arch all slightly detract from what is otherwise a tidy-looking thing.
- The front brake discs are worn. However, the pads have plenty of meat remaining, so it’d make sense to work through those before changing the whole lot together
The car is based in Maidenhead, Berkshire. Please feel free to give me a shout if you’d like to know more!
