1993 Volkswagen Cabrio Cabriolet Classic from North America - Comments

Nothing other than normal wear & tear items for an 11 year-old car.

I have owned a number of Volkswagen Cabriolets, my latest edition a very clean one-owner Cabriolet Classic with only 64k original miles on the odometer.

VW Cabriolets are not perfect cars. The reliability of VW's from this era is not their strongest points. But Cabriolets are fun, fairly quick, well-handling little convertibles, packed with charm and personality.

If you buy an older Cabriolet, expect to spend some money regularly on replacing wear & tear items on a regular basis. VW electrics can also be very quirky.

Acceleration with the 1.8 and 5 speed manual is actually quite good. Gas mileage is excellent. Handling is superb.

Choose a good all-season performance tire and you will be set for all weather conditions. These cars handle snowy conditions with aplomb.

I recently replaced a set of worn Dunlop's with BF Goodrich Traction T/A's

and am very please with the handling characteristics of the T/A's.

Perhaps the best feature of the Cabriolet is of course that it is a convertible! Lowering and raising with

padded top is a quick and easy one-person job.

In summary the VW Cabriolet is a fun, practical little car that you can drive every day with a personality perhaps not seen in a car since the original Beetle.

Clean examples of these cars will one day no doubt be very collectible as well.

Those old Cabriolets certainly are well engineered, cute, fun cars.

One complaint though-no cup-holders!

Oh well, I guess that's a reflection of the 1970's design.

Update: After a month and a half and 1,100 miles, the Cabriolet has been a joy to own.

The vehicle is in great shape and runs like a top.

Gas mileage is always in the high twenties to low thirties.

I have put the following into the car (all of which I knew I was going to have to replace when I purchased it) :

4 new Traction T/A tires,

windshield wiper motor,

Front brake pads and rotors.

I will probably replace the convertible top within the next year or so, since it still has the original 11 year-old top on it. It's still in decent shape, but I'm sure it will need to be replaced in the near future.

I will provide future updates as I put some miles on this little gem.

I purchased my 93 cabriolet with 54k original miles. The only thing I've had to replace is the original struts that came with the car. Everything else in my car is superb.

I have a 1992 Cabriolet with just over 160,000 miles on it and its still running strong. The only major $$$ I've spent on it was for a new top last spring ($600) and an alternator a few weeks ago. It has no rust and the original paint is still excellent--and I live close to the beach in NJ!

The Volkswagen Cabriolet is a really nice little car. The claims of poor reliability are totally unwarranted.

Few automakers have manufactured such a well-built

fun-to-drive little automobile.

My 1993 Cabriolet spent the first 11 years of its life

right on the ocean in Marblehead, MA. In fact it was parked within a couple hundred yards of the water.

I am amazed at how the paint still looks like new having been so near to the ocean. The vehicle is rust free and still has the original top as well. In fact, other than the tires, battery and wear and tear items,, the vehicle is original throughout. (Not even the stereo system has been changed)

The vehicle has been an absolute joy to own and drive.

I hope to keep this vehicle for many years to come.

It has been one of the best Volkswagens I have ever owned, and one of my all-time favorite cars.

Update-

Now that I've owned my '93 Cabriolet for exactly six-months, I thought I'd give an update.

In the early Spring, I replaced the original 12 year-old vinyl top, with a new Stay-fast canvas top. I am very pleased with my choice, as this high-quality top gives the little Cabriolet a very nice-looking upgrade.

I've had the engine tuned, replaced the ac condenser and had the system charged. So now it is blowing ice-cold air on those warm days.

I also replaced the water temperature gauge with a new one through Volkswagen parts. Believe it or not, parts are still relatively easy to get through Volkswagen.

The Cabriolet is an absolute blast to drive, and even more so when the weather is warm and the top is down.

Since the vehicle is a good example of a well-maintained

stock vehicle, I have kept it all stock, even down to the original Volkswagen stereo system which still works great!

I am very happy with the BF Goodrich Traction T/A's, that I put on the car shortly after purchasing it, and couldn't be happier with my little ragtop!

My '93 Cabriolet now has 72,000 miles on the odometer and continues to be a delightful little vehicle.

The only unforseen repair that I have done is the replacement of 3 wheel bearings. (I guess the 4th won't be far behind eh?) Actually the front left went first, and a few weeks later the rear left. So I had them replace both rears at the same time.

Otherwise my '93 Cabriolet is just as reliable as my '04 Jeep Liberty, and the wheel bearings are a typical wear & tear item.

I certainly hope this little Cabriolet lasts many, many years to come, as I can't see myself driving a New Beetle Convertible. I certainly appreciate the fact that it was one of the last built in Germany.

I've put another 10,000 miles on my little Cabriolet and have spend absolutely nothing more on repairs.

I've only changed the oil every 3,000 miles and rotated the tires every other oil change.

This little flivver runs, looks and drives like new and has been very reliable, even after 82,000 miles.

This is the kind of reliability I've gotten from my Volkswagens. Perhaps there are issues with newer models, but my 1993 Cabriolet has been wonderful!

My little '93 Cabriolet provided me with 20 thousand trouble-free miles. It was the best and most reliable Cabriolet I've ever owned!

I didn't want to part with it, but current circumstances required me to drive a vehicle with an automatic transmission.

After weighing my options, I purchased a Saab 93 Convertible and sold my beloved little VW.

The Saab is a very nice vehicle, very fast, quiet & comfortable, although it does exhibit a bit more cowl shake than the VW did.

I'll miss my VW, but I will certainly enjoy the Saab!

I Own a 1998 vw cabriolet. No major problems yet. I am waiting for new struts to come in. I was wondering how hard is it to change replace the top. and the back glass in it?

Thanks for any help

doug.