Most reliable older VW

I am considering purchasing an older used Volkswagen. I really like
Volkswagen cars, but someone is trying to talk me out of buying one
because they insist Volkswagens are not reliable as a Honda or any
other Japanese make.

I would like some opinions on which one of the following older
Volkswagen models is the most reliable:

Early 1980's VW Rabbit
Early 1990's VW Fox
Mid-Late 1980's VW Golf

Thanks

"Mr. D" wrote:
> I would like some opinions on which one of the following older
> Volkswagen models is the most reliable:
>
> Early 1980's VW Rabbit
> Early 1990's VW Fox
> Mid-Late 1980's VW Golf

I like the realy 1980's VW Rabbit the best (I drive a 1989 one)
But I suggest you to buy an after 1983 rabbit, since they have better
anti-rust protection.

The midlate 1980's golf is the Golf type II and that isn't nearly as
beatiful as the type 1 (on which the rabbit is based)

this is my car:
http://www.golfcabrio.nl/NEWSITE/showcase.php?show=31

hope you got convinced now ;-)

Greetings,

-= Roy =-

Although I love my GTI, I've always felt that most of the Japanese brands
offer better reliability. Although I feel that the basic design is sound, I
have to say that the build quality of my GTI could have been better (it was
built in Westmoreland, PA, USA a few years before the plant was shuttered).
You'll find used VWs in the US that were built in Germany, USA, Brazil, and
Mexico (where did I miss?), and I think most will tell you that you should
look at the German-built models first. I think the Fox was built in Brazil.
Overall, I have found in general that the '80s and early '90s VWs are fairly
easy to work on, are readily tuned for improved performance, and parts are
relatively cheap and plentiful. There are also a large number of competent
mechanics who are very familiar with these cars.

It's my experience that you either get VWs or you don't. Drive a bunch of
different cars including VWs to see if you get IT. If you do, enjoy IT and
don't worry about reliability.

--
Kent
1987 VW GTI 8V, original owner, 221,500+ miles

"Mr. D" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> I am considering purchasing an older used Volkswagen. I really like
> Volkswagen cars, but someone is trying to talk me out of buying one
> because they insist Volkswagens are not reliable as a Honda or any
> other Japanese make.
>
> I would like some opinions on which one of the following older
> Volkswagen models is the most reliable:
>
> Early 1980's VW Rabbit
> Early 1990's VW Fox
> Mid-Late 1980's VW Golf
>
> Thanks
>

Mr. D wrote:
>
> I am considering purchasing an older used Volkswagen. I really like
> Volkswagen cars, but someone is trying to talk me out of buying one
> because they insist Volkswagens are not reliable as a Honda or any
> other Japanese make.
>
> I would like some opinions on which one of the following older
> Volkswagen models is the most reliable:
>
> Early 1980's VW Rabbit
> Early 1990's VW Fox
> Mid-Late 1980's VW Golf
>
> Thanks

I have an '86 Cabriolet which has been very reliable, but has led a very
sheltered life and has only 20K miles. The build quality of this
German-built car is decent, probably better than the Pennsylvania and
Mexico cars of the same vintage.

Still, if reliablility is a high priority, I'd recommend a Toyota or
Honda, even though I personally like VW's and have two of them, the '86
Cabriolet, and an '04 Jetta Wagon TDI (also from Germany.)

Without a doubt the Japanese cars are a better bet for reliability and less
maintenence.
BUT
VW's are cars have a soul while Hondas are appliances.



"Kent" > wrote in message
...
> Although I love my GTI, I've always felt that most of the Japanese brands
> offer better reliability. Although I feel that the basic design is sound,
> I
> have to say that the build quality of my GTI could have been better (it
> was
> built in Westmoreland, PA, USA a few years before the plant was
> shuttered).
> You'll find used VWs in the US that were built in Germany, USA, Brazil,
> and
> Mexico (where did I miss?), and I think most will tell you that you should
> look at the German-built models first. I think the Fox was built in
> Brazil.
> Overall, I have found in general that the '80s and early '90s VWs are
> fairly
> easy to work on, are readily tuned for improved performance, and parts are
> relatively cheap and plentiful. There are also a large number of competent
> mechanics who are very familiar with these cars.
>
> It's my experience that you either get VWs or you don't. Drive a bunch of
> different cars including VWs to see if you get IT. If you do, enjoy IT and
> don't worry about reliability.
>
> --
> Kent
> 1987 VW GTI 8V, original owner, 221,500+ miles
>
> "Mr. D" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>> I am considering purchasing an older used Volkswagen. I really like
>> Volkswagen cars, but someone is trying to talk me out of buying one
>> because they insist Volkswagens are not reliable as a Honda or any
>> other Japanese make.
>>
>> I would like some opinions on which one of the following older
>> Volkswagen models is the most reliable:
>>
>> Early 1980's VW Rabbit
>> Early 1990's VW Fox
>> Mid-Late 1980's VW Golf
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>
>

"Mr. D" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>I am considering purchasing an older used Volkswagen. I really like
>Volkswagen cars, but someone is trying to talk me out of buying one because
>they insist Volkswagens are not reliable as a Honda or any other Japanese
>make.

Older VWs are relatively simple and very well engineered and have very solid
well-proven engines. As long as it wasn't abused and was maintained, it
should be a decent car.

But in looking at any older car, make sure that for the mileage that things
have been replaced as needed. Things still wear out, even on VWs, but the
basic engine and transmission will probably be sound.

> I would like some opinions on which one of the following older Volkswagen
> models is the most reliable:
>
> Early 1980's VW Rabbit
> Early 1990's VW Fox
> Mid-Late 1980's VW Golf

I'd put the Rabbit last because it'd be the oldest and any one you find will
have close to or more than 200K miles on it by now.

The Golfs you're talking about are the 1985-1992 models and they're very
sound vehicles. Try to stay as new as you can though.

Foxes are also very well made and usually are the simplest (I don't think
they even had power steering). Foxes were in our market from 1987-1993 but
got a freshening for 1991 (taillamps and nose styling). They're basically
the platform of a VW Dasher with a different body and a Golf/Jetta 1.8L
engine. People love to diss Foxes because they're from Brazil, but they
were actually rated slightly higher in reliability than Golfs and Jettas of
similar vintage. Foxes are also a little bit lighter and with a few simple
exhaust mods (the easiest/cheapest being removing the restrictor that VW put
in), they are just as peppy, if not slightly more so, than a Golf or Jetta.

The only bummer about Foxes that I've seen is that used examples seem to
have been beat on a bit more. Since they were the least expensive model in
VW's lineup at the time, I think buyers tended to treat them in a little
more abusive/disposable manner than other VWs.

What i've noticed from friends and parents of friends who own older Japanese
cars is this... After years and years of driving with only routine service
the cars basically just stop working... All of a sudden one really expensive
component kicks the bucket and it's worth more then the whole car is... so
they have to buy a whole new car (usually Japanese again).

Don't think you won't have to maintain a Japanese car either... they need
brakes, their exhaust systems are made of pretty flimsy metal, Toyota
transmissions on the old Camry's don't seem to last forever, you will need a
new alternator/starter on them too at some point.

The most common car i've seen around here with a broken axel, and the wheel
further down the road - the early 90's style Honda Accord sedan (the boxy
one that actually looked good IMO)

You will basically not have body work that is in good condition on an early
90's Japanese car... Even Acura/Infinity suffer this fate - not so bad on
the Lexus' tho.. they really do seem like damn fine cars.

They may run, but the smaller Nissans/Honda's/Toyota's don't seem
particualrly safe anymore... and there are some interesting noises that come
from them...

My 91 Golf never made any more noise then it did in 1991 (save for a heat
sheild rattle that I fixed in 20 minutes in my driveway), and the body still
looked decent - you couldn't see the badly faded paint on the roof unless
you were in an SUV... Hardly any rust for its age... and only surface
corrosion, no holes or anything affecting the structure of the car.



"D. Dub" > wrote in message
news:W3had.684474$M95.540361@pd7tw1no...
> Without a doubt the Japanese cars are a better bet for reliability and
> less maintenence.
> BUT
> VW's are cars have a soul while Hondas are appliances.
>
>
>
> "Kent" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Although I love my GTI, I've always felt that most of the Japanese brands
>> offer better reliability. Although I feel that the basic design is sound,
>> I
>> have to say that the build quality of my GTI could have been better (it
>> was
>> built in Westmoreland, PA, USA a few years before the plant was
>> shuttered).
>> You'll find used VWs in the US that were built in Germany, USA, Brazil,
>> and
>> Mexico (where did I miss?), and I think most will tell you that you
>> should
>> look at the German-built models first. I think the Fox was built in
>> Brazil.
>> Overall, I have found in general that the '80s and early '90s VWs are
>> fairly
>> easy to work on, are readily tuned for improved performance, and parts
>> are
>> relatively cheap and plentiful. There are also a large number of
>> competent
>> mechanics who are very familiar with these cars.
>>
>> It's my experience that you either get VWs or you don't. Drive a bunch of
>> different cars including VWs to see if you get IT. If you do, enjoy IT
>> and
>> don't worry about reliability.
>>
>> --
>> Kent
>> 1987 VW GTI 8V, original owner, 221,500+ miles
>>
>> "Mr. D" > wrote in message
>> oups.com...
>>> I am considering purchasing an older used Volkswagen. I really like
>>> Volkswagen cars, but someone is trying to talk me out of buying one
>>> because they insist Volkswagens are not reliable as a Honda or any
>>> other Japanese make.
>>>
>>> I would like some opinions on which one of the following older
>>> Volkswagen models is the most reliable:
>>>
>>> Early 1980's VW Rabbit
>>> Early 1990's VW Fox
>>> Mid-Late 1980's VW Golf
>>>
>>> Thanks
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

"Mr. D." > wrote in message
om...
> Well, I really was thinking about buying a Rabbit. Call me crazy, but
> I really love the size and shape of the Rabbit. There's a guy in my
> town who is selling an '84 Rabbit that's in top notch condition. It
> has 68,000 original miles on it and he really took good care of it. It
> has a new paint job and the interior has been recently restored. The
> only thing wrong with it is the passenger window crank is broken. I've
> heard nothing but good things about Rabbits, so I think it would make
> a good vehicle for me. He did say he could let me have it for a good
> price. I don't know if it would be a wise decision to purchase this
> car or not...

In that case, go for it. A 68K mile Rabbit is a rare find (and not typical
of a vehicle that age). I was speaking more in generalities about most
Rabbits that are at least 20 years old by now.

Let's just say in theory, that the 68K was the true original mileage
like the owner states. Would this be considered low for a VW Rabbit?
I'm not sure what's considered low mileage for any VW. Oh, and is
there anyway to tell if the odometer has been tampered with?


"Kent" > wrote in message >...
> May want to take the 68K with a grain of salt. If the odos on Rabbits were
> as failure prone and as easily tampered with as those on A2s, no telling how
> many miles are on this car. 68K miles on a 20 year old car sounds way too
> good to be true, so it probably is. May want to give the car a good looking
> over by a trusted mechanic and let the condition speak for itself.

"Mr. D." > wrote in message
om...
> Let's just say in theory, that the 68K was the true original mileage
> like the owner states. Would this be considered low for a VW Rabbit?
> I'm not sure what's considered low mileage for any VW. Oh, and is
> there anyway to tell if the odometer has been tampered with?

68K miles on any 20-year old car is rare, why would it need to be considered
differently for a VW rabbit? While they are nice cars, they dont fall into
the collectible car craze like muscle cars or rare exotics.