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 The two cars were very similar, basically just an older and a newer version of the same idea, which usually means a pretty close vote, and indeed, it was.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?
I loved those Passats. The VR6 was alchemy.
The G20 is a less complex car and very good. Lots of potential. But the emotional choice is the VW.
Neither. Both are overpriced and nothing special. They are 30 year old commuter cars. The VW is very likely being sold because it cannot pass emission testing and is basically worthless.
There is a reason you don’t see these cars on the road anymore. Old =/= interesting. Cars that were boring when new are still boring today and modern car development make them even less appealing. The VW is a 18 MPG car. Who is going to buy an old commuter car that gets the fuel economy of a Chevy Silverado?
I was ready to vote Infiniti even before I saw it was a 5-speed. Also, that Passat is way overpriced for a 29-year-old sedan that won’t pass smog.
Guess I’m driving home from Sandy Eggo.
I really wanted to vote for the Infiniti, but that missing BBS wheel would drive me nuts and I’ll bet finding a replacement won’t be cheap or easy.
Thought it would be the Passat going in but that drivetrain is my least favorite now for diy maintenance.
I wonder how the supply of 5th gear repair parts are holding up for those Nissan 5speeds.
The G20 was the best looking Sentra SER ever made. Basically a Unicorn with the manual too. I could absolutely work with that!
I owned a ’97 VR6 and typical of most of these type of German sedans it was slow right off the line and I recall it being pretty composed on freeways. Great car for the two years I owned it.
Its beat to hell, but SR20DE with a 5 speed? if you know you know.
My coworker had a Passat, forgot what year. She had a lot of electrical gremlins in the dashboard. Finally got rid of it.
Passat by a hair – better color, better condition, being a grand cheaper pushes it across the line. I’m inclined to not like it because of what it could be but isn’t so if I liked it the search would begin for a manual wagon with cloth.
The Passat wins based on the condition. To fix that error could range from 50 to 650. Depending if it is hose or failed part. If you paid full price then you are looking at a 4000 grandish car. Not bad for a good a to b with some longer trips.
Since the other car is a VW I would have to pick the G20.I will take scrapes and dents over electrical nightmares any day.
Eh. Neither.
If I had to choose, I guess I’d go with the (scrolls back to look again)
uh
(looks again)
huh.
I see a video teaser with David talking about the Slate truck, I’ll go with that.
Same here today.
There is no way a car with that many damaged body panels is a $4,500 car. Passat, grudgingly.
My heart says Infinity, even with the damage.
Most of it should be PDRable, and I’d source another OEM wheel for it. The interior and extra pedals just make it a nice place to be, and I trust old Nissan electrical more than old VW.
I would definitely negotiate the price down as much as I could though.
The Infiniti’s driver-side door mirror looks like it was a perch for a very sick bird.
Man, I really wanted to vote for the manual, but not for more $$ to look like that.
I am not sure I could love a Nissan Sentra in a fairly light disguise in my mind. SE-R motor and 5 Speed are more appealing than a VR in front of an auto, but in the neither of these are really that compelling for anything but a beater daily and the low miles on the VW make it more interesting as a result.
Newer, lower miles, and in better condition?
Passat. Easy choice. It should be running away with the voting.
The Passat can’t be registered without an unknown amount of work to fix the emissions issues. It also is certified at 18 mpg.
Have you BEEN to Oklahoma? I’m pretty sure I could register a nitro powered go kart with a VIN I cut off a snowmobile.
I don’t live in Oklahoma. I live in inside the DEQ zone in the Portland Metro. Even independent shops around here charge $175 and hour. The Passat is basically worthless where it sits.
It is also so old and overpriced that there is basically no chance anyone from Oklahoma is going to considered a fly and buy trip or shipping it.
I like a G20 but not this one. Pretty Passat for me.
If the driver’s side of the Nissan looked like the passenger side, this would have been a slam dunk. Since that’s not the case, I’m more inclined to dance with the VW, in spite of it being a less engaging package.
I went with the Infiniti because it is the better looking car and has the right number of pedals.
My only complaint is the name – I dislike cars with alphanumeric names. Even VW’s nonsensical model names (Touareg, Tiguan, etc) are better than random combinations of letters and number. I’m not sure what a “Passat” is, but if all else where equal, I would rather drive something called a Passat than something called a G20. Hell, I would rather drive something called a Kumquat than something called a G20.
IIRC, VW names at least some of their cars using the German word for wind.
Golf – Gulfstream
Jetta – Jetstream
Passat – trade winds
Don’t forget perhaps the best – Scirocco!
Doble steam cars were BONKERS fast and powerful and quick to build a head of steam thanks to their on-board scirocco blower-equipped flash boiler. (Basically what an oil furnace in a home has – a blower with a nozzle and a spark source to burn atomized #2 heating oil – or in the Doble’s case, kerosene)
https://www.damninteresting.com/the-last-great-steam-car/
Interesting! I knew the Scirocco was named after a wind, so I was semi aware VW used wind-related names for some models. I never new the Jetta and Passat were wind-related, though.
I am not always fond of the names VW chooses, but at least they are unique.
Touareg is a group of nomads from the Sahara.
Tiguan is a nonsense word, though.
Yeah, I know Touareg means something. It may not technically be nonsensical, but I would argue it qualifies as functionally nonsensical since it has no meaning and is nearly unpronounceable to the target market.
I actually like Tiguan better than Touareg. It may be a made up word, but if I knew nothing and had to guess which was the name of a real thing, I would pick Tiguan.
Sadly, not available here in the States, the Amarok body-on-frame pickup truck refers to a gigantic wolf in Inuit mythology, known for stalking and devouring those who hunt alone at night.
So when I go to pass those cars, I’m passing…wind?”
I’ll see myself out…
When it first came out my thought was “a G20 is a 3/4-ton Chevy van.”
https://youtu.be/2Ue5Nh6NJZo?is=DcdULGi48-7UoaMJ
Completely agreed…I can’t stand alphanumerics; they are not names.
I still picked it since it’s manual and more reliable so sometimes I basically have no choice but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.
“So what do you drive?”
“Oh yeah, I drive a d8d6e6heh3iu3uehjejehheueeueu373y3hehrudhdhr373uj4iirj4jrh3heue74”
A nearly three decade old VW is probably a horrible idea but a beat to crap Infinity is likely a worse one.
bad idea when new
Neither is always an option.
I can’t resist the siren song of an SR20 and a stick, even if it has some touring car damage.
I’ll take the one that isn’t beat to shit on the driver’s side.