grl@hou2e.UUCP (G.LEBLANC) (08/23/85)
I am thinking about buying a 1980 diesel Rabbit for around $3000, and would like to know if anyone had any experience from which I can draw. Please post any pros or cons. Thanks in advance, George LeBlanc v:(201)949-6379 e:hou2e!grl
notes@harpo.UUCP (08/26/85)
I have an 80 Diesel Rabbit with 78,000 miles on it. It was the first and last VW product I will buy. It cost me more in maintenance than what I am saving in fuel. Furthermore it is noisey.- During the last year I had to have the head gasket replaced because of an oil leak for about $300. Irv McNair ATTT Bells Labs Whippany ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
zrm@prism.UUCP (08/29/85)
The diesel Rabbit is probably the only driving experience more degrading than a Chevette. It is spartan, noisy, and the motor mounts are poorly designed and cause the car to shake all the time. And $3000 is on the high side, even for a gas Rabbit in excellent shape. The gas Rabbit, on the other hand, is a very good car. Not as reliable as a Toyota, but lots of Fun-To-Drive and even more potential for performance mods.
schley@mmm.UUCP (Steve Schley) (09/05/85)
In article <1300014@prism.UUCP> zrm@prism.UUCP writes: > >The diesel Rabbit is probably the only driving experience more degrading >than a Chevette. It is spartan, noisy, and the motor mounts are poorly >designed and cause the car to shake all the time. And $3000 is on the high >side, even for a gas Rabbit in excellent shape. > >The gas Rabbit, on the other hand, is a very good car... I don't know whether zrm has ever owned a diesel Rabbit. I owned a '79 until very recently, and still own an '81, and I can't let his/her comments go unanswered. Granted, 49 hp isn't much, but the car is not necessarily spartan -- the diesels are the same as the gas models in this department. Noise? Yes, especially on the older ones (the new Golfs are wonderfully quiet). Shakes? Some, but you really only notice it at idle, and it's not so bad once you get used to it. When it comes to diesel Rabbits, these points should be remembered: 1) 40+ mpg around town cancels a lot of ills (especially for '79 cars) 2) You can't be shy with the accellerator. Get used to putting it to the floor. 3) If you want accelleration, get the RPM's up! The engine is rev-limited, so you won't over-rev. For acceleration, put the pedal to the floor until the engine stops going faster, then shift. 4) Maintain the car. (So what else is new? Good advice for any car!) 5) The diesel hurts you only in the straight-line performance. Cornering and all-around agility get high marks on all Rabbits. Having said all that, $3000 is a bit high for the average '80 Rabbit. $2200 to $2500 for a good specimen is more like it. Have it looked over by a mechanic who knows VW diesels before buying, though. -- Steve Schley ihnp4!mmm!schley
ron@wjvax.UUCP (Ron Christian) (09/09/85)
In article <1300014@prism.UUCP> zrm@prism.UUCP writes: > >The diesel Rabbit is probably the only driving experience more degrading >than a Chevette. It is spartan, noisy, and the motor mounts are poorly >designed and cause the car to shake all the time. And $3000 is on the high >side, even for a gas Rabbit in excellent shape. **** Uh, hi. Remember me? I was the one that flamed the Rabbit Diesel a few articles ago... As to driving the diesel bunny being a degrading experiance, I have to disagree. When the damn thing *runs*, it runs well. Sure it makes a godawful racket when you start it, but most of the noise goes away when it warms up. Friends of mine who rode in it when I first got it couldn't believe it was a diesel. Yes, it has only 49 horses. This means you will have problems with hills occasionally. But for in-town driving, it's really not a problem. The car handles as well as the gas rabbit and can be fun to drive. [BTW, to the person who said you have to keep it floored to get any performance out of it, maybe so, but you're gassing out the poor driver behind you. I found that a light touch on the throttle minimizes the dreaded Diesel Black Smoke. Yes, keep the RPM's up.] But, as I said before, it won't run more than 4 days in a row before it breaks something else. I'm on first name basis with the only respectable diesel mechanic in the area, and I know more than I ever wanted to know about how that car is put together. Since my original posting on the car, the bunny has learned a new trick: Something, either the ignition switch, one of the many relays, or a connection buried in that mass of intermittants called a wiring harness, prevents the fuel pump from getting the signal to turn on when you start the rabbit. Jiggling the key, cursing at the thing, and a good boot on the relay panel will usually cause it to start. If the battery doesn't expire first. Why me, Lord?? Anyone want a 79 rabbit diesel, cheap? Ron -- Ron Christian (Watkins-Johnson Co. San Jose, Calif.) {pesnta,twg,ios,qubix,turtlevax,tymix,vecpyr,certes,isi}!wjvax!ron Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: "If you are seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it." -- -- Ron Christian (Watkins-Johnson Co. San Jose, Calif.) {pesnta,twg,ios,qubix,turtlevax,tymix,vecpyr,certes,isi}!wjvax!ron Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: "If you are seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it."