1982 Volkswagen Rabbit L review from North America
"A fun little car. Even the non-GTI versions are much sportier than many things on the road"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Rear brakes replaces.
Muffler fell off.
Steering rack (couldn't turn right).
Overheating (due to accident).
No heat (due to poor do-it-ourself repair).
Clutch slipping, then totally shot.
Tune-up (car stalled when foot not on the gas).
Loss of electrical power (car would stall, battery would die caused from a bare battery post shorting on the fan shroud). Fixed with duct tape.
Rear shocks, ball joint, and CV boot.
General comments?
Surprisingly, it has been reliable and I have only had to fix general repairs that you expect from an old car.
No idea how many km, odometer quit before I bought, typical VW quirk.
Very little rust, unlike most VWs, car looks great when washed.
Lots of power, beats lots of Civics off the line.
Instrumentation is modern. I drive a 2001 Suzuki Swift at work and I have more cargo room, more comfy seats, and better controls in my bunny.
Burns oil, wipers don't work for a few minutes in winter, and it has strange things happen, but it has been a great first car.
I am lucky to have a great mechanic. He is German and he only fixes German cars. He gets his parts from somewhere cheap. Canadian Tires quoted me $60.00 for a part, he got it for $16.00. You can do a fair bit of do-it-yourself repairs. All in all it is a fun car! Look around, but get find a good mechanic!
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| A worthy heir to the Beetle |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1982 |
| First year of ownership | 1999 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2001 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.7 4 cylinder fuel injected Manual |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 7 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 9 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 148735 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 148863 kilometres |
| Date of Entry | 23rd January, 2001 |