The seller thought there was a leak in the molding and dropped the price. It turned only to be leaves gathered in the engine well, stopping up water and flooding the passenger side... my bonus.
The strut mounts had gone bad. A common repair with high miles.
The a/c didn't work, and after a $300 recharge and check, I discovered on my own it was the fan control module behind the glove box. Common problem with the VW's and a $20, 20 minute fix.
The heater hose cracked. Not a cheap part from the dealer, but can be purchased after market for about half.
The sunroof track broke. A painful fix to remove the headliner and just about all the trim pieces to get to it. As anybody who's done this kind of work knows, it's impossible to tell what type of clips are holding trim on until you've broken them off... then it's too late. Be careful.
Sunroof headliner fabric sagging. This is a nuisance.
Fog lamp lenses were cracked when I bought it. The hella replacements are a fortune, but check around for cheap fog lamps with similar lenses. With some good aluminum caulking they can be a good substitute.
Turn signal switch broke. Expensive, but easy fix.
Fog lamp switch broke.
VW makes a quirky car, there's no doubt about it. A finicky driver will get frustrated by all the little annoying things that go wrong with the car. A true enthusiast will absolutely LOVE this car, despite the quirks. It handles great. It drives great. It's super comfortable on the short hop and the long haul. VW was ahead of it's time with features like heated seats and auto down windows. The performance is great... for it's time (it pales in comparison to today's pocket rockets, but it's still a mega-head turner). I get offers for purchase and when my wife drives it she's always getting attention from eurosport-heads. If you don't mind minor repairs and electrical frustrations monthly, this is a car worth owning.
Great review. I own a '92. I have to question your statement of it "pailing in comparison to todays pocket rockets" however. I consider a pocket rocket to be any sub-compact to normally not exceed 30k. While there are some that perform better (R32 for one), many of them really don't.
Yeah, I have a 92 SLC VR6 and I smoke pocket rockets all day long.
I agree with many things you say.. I own the VR6 in "Undeniable Virility and Adrenaline in a Car".
I agree with the other comments though.. I can smoke just about any other pocket rocket out there. The only one I cannot touch is the Subaru Impreza... not surprised at all of course. maybe you need a "Mod" chip or a K&N air filter. Respectfully, Either way your aren't driving it to it's full potential. Great review.
This will make Subaru owners upset... I've raced a couple of non-STI WRX's on the highway from 60mph on. Starting side by side, they cannot pass me in my stock VR6. I'm sure it would be totally different at a red light. However, the VW has less drag and friction (only 2wd) than the Subaru which accounts for it's relative high-speed performance despite a horsepower deficit.
I guess I need to clarify my comment about the "pocket rockets" based on my experience. When I went to pick up the SLC in Pennsylvania, I drove a buddies car there... a Subaru STI, with performance mods! So, stepping out of that and into this otherwise cherry Corrado left that impression on me.
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