As you might guess, I look at a lot of classified ads for cars in the course of doing this job. But for every ad I click on, I scroll right past fifty more. Why? They’re all the same thing: all the best-selling vehicles from fifteen or twenty years ago. I don’t have any interest in writing about them, and you probably don’t have much interest in reading about them. That’s why I gravitate towards cars I haven’t seen in a while, in the hope that you haven’t seen one in a while either. I can’t speak for anyone else, but for me, these two qualify.
On Friday, we explored the classier side of cheap cars by looking at a pair of Rolls-Royces. The two cars were very similar, basically just an older and a newer version of the same idea, which usually means a pretty close vote, and indeed, it was. The Silver Shadow’s more classic R-R shape won by a slim majority, despite its higher price and love-it-or-hate-it green interior.
That’s the way I’d go too. The Shadow is such a classic shape; it’s unmistakable for any other car. The Silver Spur’s unfortunate rectangular headlights make it look too much like an American sedan from the era. That body style looks a lot better as a Bentley, with round headlights.
I know they’ve fallen out of fashion a bit in recent years, but I still like a good sporty sedan. A willing engine and a good-handling chassis wrapped up in four-door bodywork so your friends can ride along easily is a wonderful thing. And it doesn’t even have to be all that fast; just a little something extra over your average commuter-mobile does the trick. They’re often a little nicer inside than typical commuter-oriented sedans, too. You’ll have to search pretty hard to find a good one on the market today, but back when these two were built, they were all over the place. Let’s take a look.
1994 Infiniti G20 – $4,500
Engine/drivetrain: 2.0-liter DOHC inline 4, five-speed manual, FWD
Location: San Diego, CA
Odometer reading: 171,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
Nissan launched its Infiniti brand in the fall of 1989 with a bunch of weird ads that didn’t even show any cars. When we finally did get to see the cars, they included the complicated V8-powered flagship Q45 and a rebadged Nissan Leopard called the M30 (there’s Nissan denying America the cool names for its cars again). Those two were followed shortly after by this car, the G20, which is a fancy version of the Nissan Primera, a popular model in Europe.
Unlike later Infinitis to carry the G nomenclature, the G20 is front-wheel-drive, powered by Nissan’s SR20DE four-cylinder engine. It’s a rev-happy engine that became a darling of the street racing crowd thanks to its ability to be modified to make way more power than Nissan ever intended. This one is stock, from the sounds of it, and is paired with a five-speed manual gearbox. It runs and drives great, according to the seller, and has been very reliable.
Since this car was part of Nissan’s premium lineup, it’s better equipped than its European counterpart. All the power stuff you would expect is standard. Only three options were offered on the G20: an automatic transmission, a sunroof, and leather seats. This car has the two good ones. We don’t get a great view of the interior; this is about as good as it gets, but it does look clean from this angle. The seller says it was never smoked in, which is a bonus.
Unfortunately, the outside isn’t as pristine. The right side looks good, but the left side has several dents and scrapes; something bad happened to it. Looking at the tight neighborhood in the photos, I wonder if it was street-parked and hit by a passing car (or three). I just noticed that the left rear wheel doesn’t match the other three either. Better check the alignment carefully, I guess.
1997 Volkswagen Passat GLX – $3,500
Engine/drivetrain: 2.8-liter OHC V6, four-speed automatic, FWD
Location: Portland, OR
Odometer reading: 78,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
The VW Passat was a new name to US buyers in 1990, but we had seen the car for years. The first generation Passat was sold here as the VW Dasher; the second as the Quantum. Neither one was a huge seller here, and they’re incredibly rare cars today. The third- and fourth-generation Passat isn’t exactly a common sight on US roads either. I haven’t seen one of these for sale in quite a while.
Unlike earlier and later Passats, which shared a platform with an Audi model, this generation of Passat is basically a stretched Jetta. Its engine is mounted transversely instead of longitudinally, and it uses VW’s narrow-angle VR6 engine designed for such installations. A VR6-powered Passat with a manual transmission is a fun car to drive, but unfortunately this one has an automatic. It’s still quick for its day, and it still handles well, but it’s just… you know… automatic. It runs and drives well, but it currently has a check-engine light for a P0411 code. That’s a fault in the air pump system, part of the emissions controls, and it means it won’t pass Oregon’s DEQ emissions test until it’s fixed. If you live somewhere that doesn’t require emissions testing, it can probably be ignored.
It’s a fancy GLX model, with leather seats. It’s generally in good condition inside, but there’s a weird stain on the rear seat, and some discoloration on the driver’s door panel. I don’t know if they can be cleaned up or not. The seller doesn’t mention anything being broken, but like a lot of VWs, this car’s Achilles heel is minor electrical gremlins. Make sure everything works, or that you’re able to fix or live with anything that doesn’t.
Outside, it looks great. It’s a good color, and it’s straight and rust-free. Some of the black plastic is fading to gray, but that’s typical of any old German car. It is also sitting at the stock ride height, and wearing its stock wheels, which is increasingly uncommon for VWs of this era. I guess being an automatic Passat helped it escape some of the indignities heaped on Golfs and Jettas.
So, we’ve got one sedan that’s in great shape mechanically, with a manual for extra fun, but it has some unfortunate body damage. And then we have a really pretty sedan with a powerful engine, but it suffers from an automatic gearbox and the potential for electrical issues. Shopping at this end of the market is always a compromise. Which set of attributes is more important to you?
90s Nissan was at their peak, 90s Volkswagen was at their peak auto transmission failure rate.
Price feels a little high, but the seller probably invites you to try finding another with a stick.
Only one was in BTCC
I remember when these came out and the accompanying commercials showing that the G20 can be luxurious and sporty. (Including British Touring Car footage I believe) . That sold me on that. Plus it had the same engine as my brother’s SE-R. That engine is a gem
That generation Infiniti G20, of which I learned to drive a stick on, is woefully underrated in all of our memories. SR20 and excellent handling from sophisticated suspension for the time.
I remember when significant body damage and stained interiors would severely reduce the asking price. This timeline is such crap.
I would go for the Nissan but heavily negotiate the price.
I knew a fellow who had a couple of these Primeras (sequentially, not simultaneously) until he put one into a stone wall at exuberant speed. He bought an Audi once he could drive again.
And I had a full-page fold-out ad for these Passats on my bedroom wall as a kid, along with many other ordinary cars from the era, but no G20.
But I was still ready to take a younger Niall’s advice, depending on the spec of the Passat, because another friend had a G20 and loved his too…
…until I scrolled down and observed that today’s G20 would need to come with a fourth OEM wheel and an alignment shop’s all-clear printout for that money, and would it have killed the seller to have a PDR guy at least look at it if he’s going to call it “clean”? Sure, the rest is clean, just like the upholstery in the Passat is clean. Just don’t look back there if you can help it.
With the asking prices what they are, VW. I can picture my mechanic scowling, but the car I already actually own is a simple Toyota, so I can take time to argue with the Passat myself. It would’ve aged out of emissions testing here years ago even when it was required, or were it to be again. All of that said, at the same asking price, with the same known and unknown issues, I’d be back around to the G20.
At this sort of age, the Primera is going to be way more reliable.
I remember both of these from when I was younger,but I know the Infiniti as the Nissan Primera,the always were pretty good. My family had this generation Passat as well,only a manual wagon,and it was a pretty good burgundy colour. If the Passat was manual it would have gone for that,but these automatics are sort of terrible,even with a vr6.
Not sure what I picked that constantly revolving ad or videos or whatever didn’t allow me to comprehend anything I read. When did this start?
Yeah, me too. They must be putting the pressure on us cheap skates to become members. It’s almost working.
Passat. The G20 is severely understyled. It looks like a cheap Econo-box loss leader. If you’re building a premium car, at least try to make it good looking. The 1994 Sentra is nicer looking.
Shame about the body damage, but I’ve had too many experiences with VW – you couldn’t pay me enough to do it again.