1983 Volkswagen Rabbit review from North America
"Boxy little cars with the potential to be made into killer autocrossers cheaply"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
I bought the car at 120K miles with a burnt exhaust valve (This was the result of a hose failure not tended to by the previous owner.) Vent windows came loose from their pivots. Front fender rust. Still a solid car.
General comments?
I have replaced the original 1700cc engine with a good used one (1900cc from a GTi) and have had few problems since. These cars are plentiful and cheap as used parts cars, and they have wonderfully stiff chassis and great aftermarket parts availability. Mine has lots of aftermarket speed parts and they have all worked and fit perfectly. Check any VW or Compact car magazine and there will be many, many sources. Rabbits make great autocross cars with minimal investment. Mine was the 3rd place vintage import in the 1995 One Lap of America on a total investment of 1200.00!
Recommended reviews
| Low and fast |
|
| 1982 - Rabbit C 1.6 diesel WVO Old Rabbits do what they say they can |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1983 |
| First year of ownership | 1994 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2000 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.7 liter Manual |
| Performance marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 7 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 120000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 136000 miles |
| Previous car | Volkswagen Rabbit |
| Date of Entry | 25th June, 2000 |