As swan songs go, today’s Nice Price or No Dice VW Golf is quite the sendoff. It offers a handsome wagon body, AWD, and a six-speed stick. Let’s see if it also offers a low enough price to make us rue having to say goodbye.
The seller of yesterday’s 1981 Land Rover 109 warned prospective buyers that it was rough but reassured the faithful by claiming, “If you know what this is, you will love this one.” Too few of you found solace in that statement, and fewer yet found the truck’s $13,500 price palatable. That resulted in an 83 percent No Dice loss.
Here in the U.S., the traditional station wagon, or “estate” if you’re putting on airs, is a dying breed. Not only has its role as family hauler been usurped by SUVs and crossovers, but those that remain typically are burdened by plastic fender flares and increased ride heights to better fit in with their taller and less efficient cousins, thus making them more palatable to the buying public. And should you be crazy enough to want a wagon with a manual transmission? Good luck!
Well, we just so happen to be in luck, thanks to the used car market and this tidy, low-mileage 2019 Volkswagen Golf SEL Alltrack. Yes, it does have the raised ride height and black plastic fender flares that the standard Golf wagon lacks, even in AWD trim, but to make up for that, it has three pedals and a six-speed stick.
That rare option is bolted to a great engine as well. The Golf sports the 1.8-liter edition of Volkswagen’s well-respected EA-888 16-valve turbo four. At 168 horsepower and 199 lb-ft of torque, it’s not as raucous as the 2.0 in the GTI, but it makes up for that somewhat by requiring only regular gas. In fact, almost everything about this Golf is Mama Bear middle of the road. It’s a parkable size, while still having plenty of room for five and their bags inside, and it achieves pretty reasonable mileage for being an all-weather AWD.
With just 20,500 miles on the clock and under six years of age, this Alltrack is even on its original warranty. It looks to be in excellent condition, and the seller touts a history of meticulous dealer-serviced maintenance that has kept it looking like new. The ad touts it as completely stock, aside from the replacement of fluids and other consumables. Being a top-of-the-line SEL model, it’s also chock-full of comfort and convenience features.
One of the main pain points on these cars is the sunroof, which can suffer clogged drains, causing damaging leaks. The seller reassures buyers that this car’s drains have been confirmed cleared and that no issues with the sunroof exist.
Other plusses here include a full set of Monster mats and the VW cargo area protection pad with its funky adjustable constraint blocks. Overall, the car presents as new and, as you might expect, comes with a clean title and drama-free Carfax report. The asking price is $29,800.
Whoa, hold on… Where are you going?
OK, yeah, that’s a lot of cheddar for a half-a-decade-old Golf that doesn’t sport an “R” badge, but this car is unique—the seller notes that the SEL was only available with the manual in 2019—and… well, it’s just something that isn’t even being made any more for the ridiculous reason that too many people like to sit up really high when they drive.
At any rate, we will judge this Golf simply on its merits and, with that, at its $29,800 asking. What’s your take on this rare last opportunity for a nearly-new manual wagon at that sort of outlay? Does that seem like a fair exchange? Or does that price ensure this Alltrack is not all it’s cracked up to be.
You decide!
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
H/T to Don R. for the hookup!
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