A friend of mine owns a 1985 Volkswagen Polo – so old that it has ‘Made in West Germany’ stamped under its bonnet. It’s so strange when you get in one of these old timers after being in a more modern car – there really isn’t much to them. These motors, I thought, are of the sort that breakdown cover firms are not so keen on.
The first time I saw the car (my friend would prefer I used the label ‘her’) I can’t say I was particularly enamoured. It took ages for the heating to come on, needed something called a ‘choke’ in order to perform simple operations such as moving off, and gave one the distinct impression that the engine could fall into the road at any moment.
In time though, I have to say, I have warmed to this rusty piece of Teutonic engineering. Not least because when the heating system does eventually get going, it feels like you’re being pre-heated for a Sunday roast - wonderful in these winter months. And cars of a certain age just don’t contain all the wizardry you get in modern cars (brakes, for example) which means fewer things can go wrong.
Having said that, the car has indeed been to the garage recently. According to the mechanic, the condition of the engine meant the car would be unlikely to pass its next MOT. Unperturbed, my friend has vowed to find a new engine for her, however much hassle and whatever the cost.
These cars certainly do get under your skin. You really feel like you have a connection to the road again in a 1985 Polo, as well as to manual locks, wind-down windows, archaic stereo systems, rust, the intimate details of your car breakdown cover – and of course the Cold War.
Breakdown Cover from 
