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 The two cars were very similar, basically just an older and a newer version of the same idea, which usually means a pretty close vote, and indeed, it was.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’m going to take the Infiniti. I actually drove one of these when it was new on a test drive. It wasn’t quiet and luxy inside like a contemporary Lexus, but it was spunky, and felt decent to drive.
The best looking Passats were the gen after this one. This one looks comtemporary to the Mk4 VW Golf, Jetta, etc… If this were a TDI (which it isn’t) it could go far on a tank of diesel, but whatever. Any VW this old (IME) will not be a carefree ownership experience. I wouldn’t want it no matter which engine/trans it has.
For the “driver side dents, wheels and mirror don’t bother me” crowd, good for not being picky about aesthetics I guess. At $4500 I’d regret my choice every time I got in the car.
I don’t trust that gen of Passat at all. So the Infiniti. Still has the 90s Japanese goodness.
G20 all the way. FYI it’s based on the P10 Primera, people! Not the Sentra or Altima. Shared the same 5-link front suspension with the R32 Skyline and the Z31 300z.
FYI it’s based on the P10 Primera.
Yes as mentioned in the article: 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.
I really want to vote G20–I’ve liked these since day 1–but it’s way too banged up to be priced like that. The VW is such a good deal, you can’t Passat up.
Close one for me today. I’ve wanted a G20 manual, but not this one. Low mileage Passat for me. FYI you only need DEQ in Oregon in Portland and Medford.
Easily the G20, despite the body damage. I have a ‘93 Sentra SE-R, and I drove a ‘96 G20t as my primary car for 7-8 years. It was a great sports sedan, and I miss it. I’d enjoy the heck out of this one, even without the LSD and fold-down rear seat. It’s too expensive given the body damage, though.
G20! (Even though I prefer cars w/ real names) I like both but going old skool Infiniti today for reliability. Also preference, because I MUCH prefer the Jetta of that era over the Passat. When I hear Passat, I always automatically think unreliable; although I have heard some good things about them on here. I still think the Jetta is more reliable and has a better looking squared off body style. This gen of Jetta is the last good VW (in general) that I prefer and would buy, to me at least. That Passat is in pretty good shape/low miles but too many negatives. I also had maroon on my 84 Jetta but didn’t really like it (it’s still better than greyscale) That car was a blast to drive. This Infiniti looks like a ton of fun, plus manual!
The dings/dents don’t both me at all…also never smoked in? Well, it’s about to be! Ha ha
I’d rather have the G20. If the VW had a manual, it might have swayed my vote.
I’m abstaining today. For the price on the G20 I can get a decent G35 which would be far better, and I just can’t find any interest in an upscale automatic Jetta.
I wanted both the Primera/G20 and the Passat till I saw the driver’s side of the Nissan.
Yeah, it’s a Passat day.
I nearly owned an identical Passat back in the late ’90s. However, I am going G20 because I know first-hand it will be more fun to drive and the manual that came in these can be surprisingly satisfying to use.
That G20 is one mirror and one wheel from being the obvious choice. That Passat interior is looking loose and saggy though.
Normally, I’m all for a V6 and an actual car color, but it just isn’t doing it for me today.
And about $2k less in price. Seller wants undamaged money for a clearly damaged car.
There is that.
Don’t love either, but on balance the G20 seems like it’d be slightly less prone to break one’s heart. At this age the body damage seems fairly irrelevant. (but those wheels, oy.)
Passat for me even though it will be a little needy.
I’ll take the G20 and go look for some Sentra SE-R wheels
Looks like a nice day for a walk.
I have owned the Passat as a TDi. If it was a nice running Tdi…probably still walk.
I don’t want either of these. But if I needed wheels and that was my budget, I’d go for the Piss-squat. I tend to be a little judgey of folks that drive around in banged up cars, and I doubt it’ll be easy to source replacement panels for the Infiniti.
Slushbox V-dub gets my vote today, and my hopes that emissions bits for that 20 year old VR6 aren’t made of unobtanium yet.
I learned to drive on a Passat VR6! Have to vote for it out of nostalgia.
The driver’s side mirror of the Infiniti appears to be covered in feces. This is upsetting to me.
Definitely something going on with that mirror. I suspect it was also a casualty of whatever caused the rest of the driver-side damage.
That manual is definitely going to require more manual labor and probably sooner/quicker than the Passat and I got an automatic extra grand in my pocket to put a cranberry on top
SR20DE all day long!
I had a 5MT 96 G20 (sadly not the T model) and loved it.
I wonder if a QR25DE would fit…G20 SER
That’s blasphemy.
Is it? I found it to be a great torquey 4-banger.
I actually replaced my SR20 (200SX) with a QR25 (Altima), so I’m kind of joking, but SR20s are legendarily modifiable and durable and QR25s are . . . fine?
I think the Infiniti is overpriced for the body damage, but it would be a fun car to rip around. I love that generation of Passat, a friend had one with a 5spd that was straight piped and it was a really neat car and the Vr6 sounded pretty cool. For a small sporty sedan I will take the manual every time despite the damage.
Funny that, in Europe the Infinity G20 was a less well equipped Nissan Primera GT, and was considered a sports sedan in its own right.
It was relatively light (sub 3k lbs), the chassis was deemed good even by French automotive reporters (which were merciless back then), it accelerated like a regular Golf Gti and was good for 140mph.
I always giggled a little every time I’d see a G20 in the US, as my guess is Europeans would have salivated for the interior and whatnot.
I once drove a high school friend’s hand-me-down from mom G20 and it was a shockingly well put together package. It was genuinely fun to drive and the SR20 revved like a well engineered sewing machine. G20 all the way for this round.