From: eldred@rrunner.jpl.nasa.gov (Dan Eldred)
Subject: Re: Buying an old VW Rabbit
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1992 19:11:08 GMT

In article <17ocumINNkf7@sirius.crhc.uiuc.edu> amber@crhc.uiuc.edu (Amber Roy Chowdhury) writes:
>Hi World,
>
>I am thinking of buying an 81 VW Rabbit (2D H'back). The particulars are 56K miles,
>5-speed, fuel-injected gasoline engine, AM/FM stereo, AC. The buyer's check revealed that
>it needs a new muffler, rear brakes and 1 CV joint. The car drives well -
>good pickup and smooth transmission. The clutch is tight - does not slip
>but engages the moment you step on it. In the mechanic's opinion this can
>probably be adjusted but I may need a new clutch later on. The body is good
>except for a rust patch the size of a couple of quarters next to the driver's
>side door and some scratches on the paintwork.
>The engine is good and has low miles on it.
>
>I can get the car for $1100 but have a couple of days to decide. Any opinions
>on old rabbits would be most welcome, given the particulars of this specific
>car. Is $1100 a fair price or is it too much? (The NADA retail value is only
>$1050 and the trade in is only $250 but this seems like a car that will last
>once I fix it up).

My '84 (167,000 miles, runs as new) has been excellent, with the exception of
a required cylinder head replacement at around 100,000 miles.  In light of
its reliability, sporty handling, and very low resale value, I would consider
it to be a good choice if I were in the market to buy a used car.  Actually,
I would like to upgrade to something larger and more luxurious, but it's
hard to justify with the Rabbit running and looking so good, and worth so
little.

On the other hand, an '81 is not a new car, and you can expect problems other
than those you know about.  I don't know the particulars, but I have heard
of a problem with the fuel pump relay in pre '82's, as well as an valve
seal problem (make sure it doesn't consume excessive oil).  Pre '82's also
were prone to cracking the exhaust downpipe--this was fixed with a
different design in the later models.  Also, 56,000
miles in 12 years comes to less than 5000 miles per year, which probably
means that almost all of the driving has been on very short trips--too
short for the oil to properly warm up. This means that contaminents don't
get a chance to boil out of the oil.  Furthermore, most of the engine
wear actually occurs during startup before oil pressure builds up.  So
I would double check that the engine is indeed in good condition (check
the compression).

Replacing the clutch is difficult==expensive, so make sure to add this to
the purchase cost of the car, unless you are able to convince yourself that
the clutch is ok and it's only the adjustment.  Ditto with the CV joint--
I believe new ones cost about $60 at a discount, and if you have it replaced
the total bill will be $150-$200.  If one CV joint is bad, probably all
need to be repacked and have the boots replaced.

One thing I really like about the Rabbit is the low cost of tires--it's
the size that tire stores advertise to give the impression of low prices
to lure customers into the store.  My current set, which have a 50,000 mile
warranty, were just $26 each.  And they last at least this long, too.

VW's are good cars, but they don't take a lot of abuse or neglect.  If you
buy it, make sure to maintain it--change oil, oil filter, air filter, fuel
filter, coolant, and brake fluid on a regular maintenance schedule.  Get
the valves adjusted every 30,000 miles or less.  Watch all the rubber
parts (mainly hoses) and replace them before they go bad.  There are
rubber hangers that hold up the muffler that tend to break after about 
40,000 miles.  Water pumps only last for about 50,000 miles, and you
have to replace the timing belt every 60,000 miles, or so.

Back to price--for $1100 you're not going to get a new car.  The Rabbit
is a pretty good choice, in my opinion, in large part due to its low
resale value these days.  But, at least here in the LA area, it doesn't
seem to be a very unusually low price--I have seen many '83's and '84's 
advertised in "exellent condition" for less than $1500.  So in my opinion
it seems like a reasonable but not bargain price, so a lot depends on
the condition of the car.

Good Luck, Dan