[Volhv]

The late cars have a few advantages:
-Plastic fuel tank, 80 liters! (we've all see the threads about cracked steel ones... and mystery fuel smells)
-Better/lower seats
-Electric speedo, not driven through hole in weakened spindle.
-Proper rear wheel bearings
-Easily replaceable nose panel (How many dented ones have you seen?)
-Does not need spacers on rear wheels for VW suspension to fit 944 body.
-Engines have bigger sumps, and better oil pumps


I find the 86 to be the best of both worlds....
Got the steel front control arms, manual steering, and AC delete on mine, so any advantage an 83 would have had, mine has.

The 86 may be a late car, but it's early offset, so you can run Fuchs, replace your strut inserts, and get cheap VW Fox upper strut mounts. And it's the last year to have an eccentric timing belt tensioner.