Used Volkswagen Lupo review and buying guide (1999 to 2004): which one to buy and what to check

Which used Volkswagen Lupo should you buy?

Buy a manual Lupo and leave the four-speed automatic alone, because that gearbox has a history of problems. The Lupo was sold from 1999 to 2004 as a single generation, so your choice is about the engine, the gearbox and the build year rather than which shape to go for.

Be careful with a 1.0 or 1.4S built in 2001. On those cars the crankcase breather pipe can block when it's colder than minus 8 degrees centigrade, as condensation in the sump turns to sludge, and the engine can then be starved of oil and fail. VW changed the part, so don't buy a 2001 car without evidence the modified pipe has been fitted.

Don't expect much from the 1.0, which is painfully slow. It's simple to squeeze into tight spaces and fairly hushed for a small car, but there isn't enough documented about any one engine to call it a safe pick. Choose the car on how it checks out against the weak spots below, not on the badge.

Which Lupo engines and gearboxes are the safe choices?

None of the Lupo's engines comes with a clean record, so pick the one whose weak spot you can check. On the 1.0 and 1.4S it's the 2001 breather pipe. The 1.4 16v has a plastic tensioner in its timing drive that's been failing regularly, so it carries a known risk the other engines don't.

The 1.6 GTI 16v can blow blue smoke from the exhaust, and that can mean blocked crankcase breathers or worn valve stem oil seals. They're two different jobs with different outcomes, so don't buy a smoking GTI until you know which of the two it is.

Neither the five-speed nor the six-speed manual gearbox is strong, and both can wear their selector rods, so a manual is the better choice only when its gear change is tight. The four-speed automatic is the one to avoid outright.

What should you check when viewing a used Lupo?

Open each door and watch whether it drops as it swings, because the Lupo's wide doors can sag on their hinge pins. A door that has to be lifted to latch is the giveaway. Run every electric window up and down too, since they can stick.

From a cold start, watch the exhaust for blue smoke, especially on a GTI. On the drive, go through every gear slowly and feel for a vague or sloppy change, which points to worn selector rods. Check the paint on the rear spoiler for flaking while you're walking round it.

Ask for paperwork showing the modified breather pipe on a 2001 1.0 or 1.4S. A car built in 1999 should also have proof the brake servo recall was done: VW checked and replaced the vacuum pipe because cracks in it could take away the brake assistance. If that's missing, don't take the car until the recall's been confirmed.

Paste the advert into the free check and it runs these against the listing, the MOT history and the DVLA record before you travel.