Mk2 buying
How to read the VIN sticker
VIN sticker in boot
zzz are spacing letters.
53 is the VW type number. eg. Beetle=type 1, Polo=type 86, Scirocco=type 53.
z is another spacing letter.
E is the year of manufacture. eg. 1980=A, 1981=B, 1882=C, 1983=D, 1984=E.
K is the place of manufacture. eg. Wolfsburg=W, Emden=E, Karmann of Osnabruck=K.
012345 is the body number.
Line two has the full type number and sales code.
534 is a RHD Mk2 Scirocco. 531=LHD Mk1, 532=RHD Mk1, 533=LHD Mk2.
C34 is the Storm sales code. This is not used for any other Scirocco. A good way to check if your car is a real Storm.
Line three has the engine and gearbox code.
DX is the 1.8 injection petrol engine. 4Y is the 5 speed manual sports gearbox
Line four has the paint and interior trim codes.
LK5Y is Cosmos blue metallic. 95 is the blue leather interior.
The bottom numbers are the options included. eg. 560 Steel sunroof.
527 Passenger side interior adjustable exterior mirror. 719 Storm extras.
Mk2 Scirocco buying guide pt2
Engines
Engines are shared with thousands of other vehicles from the VAG range, so are of good pedigree and long lasting. The straight four 8-valve Scirocco engine can run well into 100,000 miles before a major overhaul is necessary. Long life is made easier by regular oil and filter changes (around every 5000 miles). Oil filters should have a non return valve -genuine VW filters always do.
GTX
Bottom ends are extremely strong and only fail in isolated cases. The cylinder heads are similarly hard wearing but can often suffer from valve-stem oil seal failure, identified by blue tinted smoke from the exhaust. Mk2′s until mid 1984 have solid lifter tappets which can make their presence known by become noisy and clattery, regular oil changes will help to keep them in check but adjustment or replacement is possible with the right tools. Post mid 1984 the tappets were hydraulic. The Cambelt should be checked every 5000 miles and replaced every 60,000 miles. Maintenance is fairly straightforward with most service parts easily accessed. The cylinder head and oil sump can be removed with the engine in situ. Routine servicing should be carried out around every 6000 miles.
Check all coolant items. The radiator should be in good shape with little damage to the fins and not leaking. All hoses should be free of splits. Hoses are easy to obtain and replace. Water pumps are usually hard wearing but can fail, look for telltale crystalised coolant around the outlets and coolant weeping. Thermostats are located at the bottom of the water pump. Antifreeze should contain corrosion inhibitors and be used all year round, with flushing and refilling every three to five years depending on vehicle usage.
Exhaust
Up until mid 1984, exhaust manifolds are connected to a downpipe via six bolts, ensuring that replacing a downpipe is fairly straightforward. Post mid 1984 VW decided to clamp the manifold in place with two clips, which can be a nightmare to replace without the correct tool. Genuine VW systems are long lasting and the system itself consists of a downpipe, a middle box, an over-pipe that clears the rear axle and a rear box. Connections, clamps and rubber hangers ensure easy replacement. Manifolds do have a reputation for cracking but this may be exaggeration in practice.
Transmission and Drive Gear
The four and five speed rod-change gearboxes are well documented to be very hardwearing. Synchromesh can be a tad stiff with first and second gears from cold but should be ok once the car has warmed up. If persistent, a gearbox rebuild may be on the cards. Sloppy gear change can be rectified by replacing the nylon bushes that are at the pivot points of the selector rods. This is an easy DIY job. Clutches can last beyond 70,000 miles and well into 100,000 miles. A slipping clutch will be the most obvious sign that it needs replacing but a crunchy reverse selection may be a sign of poor clutch adjustment. › Continue reading
Mk2 Scirocco buying guide pt1
Mk2 Scirocco
Launched in March 1981 in Europe and reaching the UK in mid 1982, the second generation of the Scirocco stretched the coupe with a hatchback concept further and was designed in-house by VW. The chassis was taken directly over from the Mk1 Scirocco meaning that the wheelbase and track dimensions remained the same as the outgoing model but the body was enlarged giving more room inside and increased luggage space: 14.6 cu ft with the rear seat in place, rising to 42.2 cu ft with the rear seat folded. Aerodynamic design was improved with the Mk2 Scirocco having a drag coefficiency of 0.38 (an improvement of 10% over the Mk1) with the high rear spoiler being an integral element to slippery shape. More details found in the design history article.
Specification
The Mk2 was subject to specification and trim changes regularly throughout its life but the alterations were largely cosmetic. In the UK, initially three models were offered, the CL, GL and GTi, all with single wiper and small rear spoiler.
The CL had a 1457cc capacity carburettor engine, four speed gearbox and 155×13 tyres. The CL specification included cloth interior, laminated glass, rear wash/wipe, heated rear window and three speed heater fan.
The GL was powered by a 1588cc 70bhp carburettor engine with a 4+E (E for ‘economy’) and 175/70×13 tyres on 5 inch alloy wheels. In addition to the CL it was equipped with fog lamps inboard of the main headlamps, headlamp washers, seat height adjusters, internally adjustable door mirrors and velour interior.
Mk2 GTI
The GTi was launched with the 1588cc 110bhp fuel injection engine with a top speed of 117mph, surpassing the contemporary Golf GTi. Standard equipment included an oil to air cooler, ventilated brake discs, anti-roll bars front and rear, five speed sporting ratio gearbox, 5.5×13 ‘nine spoke’ alloy wheels, sports seats and oil temperature gauge. Unlike the GL the inner lamps on the GTi were additional high beams, with fog lamps hung under the bumper. The GTi was also identified by the legend ‘SCIROCCO’ lettering underneath the spoiler on the rear screen.
In 1983 the Scirocco was given the new range of higher torque engines from VAG and increased specification: the CL gained the 1595cc 75bhp engine, 4+E gearbox and 175/70 tyres; the GL the 1781cc 90bhp unit, anti-roll bars and alloy wheel width was increased to 5.5 inches; and the GTi the 1781cc 112bhp fuel injected engine. The GTi also gained a tilt/slide sunroof, split folding rear seat and MFA computer that monitored average mileage, journey time, oil temperature and external ambient temperature amongst other things. The oil temp gauge was therefore changed to a volt meter on the GTi. Late 1983 also saw the introduction of two windscreen wipers replacing the mono wiper across the entire range. › Continue reading