1982 Volkswagen Rabbit hatchback review from North America
"Everything wears out, but the engine"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Blown head gasket.
Master cylinder died.
Lots of leaks.
General comments?
I own a 1982 Rabbit diesel that I drive to work and back, five days a week (at least), 65 miles each trip. I've been doing this for 3 1/2 years now, and other than a flat tire, the car hasn't let me down yet. Not too bad for a car with over a quarter million miles on it. The fluids that are supposed to stay inside leak outside, and the fluids that should stay outside leak in, the windshield is cracked, it rattles to the point where conversation is impossible, the CV joints are shot, and it's just plain ugly. (I think Rabbits were ugly when they were new). While it is not what I'd call a "babe magnet", it always runs, and will get 45 MPG on the freeway, if you drive slow. As an added bonus, the diesel engine will runs great on doctored-up jet fuel, which I can get free at work quite often. I guess there's trade-offs involved in everything.
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|
| A machine pure at soul |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1982 |
| First year of ownership | 2002 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2007 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.6L diesel Manual |
| Performance marks | 1 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 1 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 190000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 256000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 7th January, 2007 |