volkswagen diesel questions

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Does anyone have real life, actual experience with Volkswagen diesels?

I've been toying with a thought of buying an older model volkswagen diesel. I don't think I want a new one, thinking they are probably computerized and complex, etc. It seems to me that the mechanical ones, while maybe not as efficient, would be more easily home-fixed, etc. Although I have a shop full of mechanics, I enjoy shade-treeing.

I saw a 1984 VW Rabbit diesel 4speed for sale, asking price $800, and it seemed to be in fair conditon.

I've always owned gas cars and trucks, but am thinking gosh what if the terrorists go plumb crazy and manage to shut off or restrict our import of oil. Gas would go sky high, might even be rationed. I think a small economical car that got about 45-50 mpg would be terrific to have. I work for a trucking company and my mechanics work on diesels every day, albeit a much larger scale of course. However, fuel would never be a problem in an emergency. And thinking about taking an old, salvaged used truck tank of 100-150 gallon capacity and setting it up at home in the garage or backyard shop/barn building, full of fuel. Seems somewhat prudent to me. Far safer than gasoline.

Way back in the early 80's I knew a girl who had a VW diesel and it seemed fine. I don't know anyone who currently has one. Soooooooooo those of you who have experience and knowledge of these critters, talk to me....and not just about the diesel engine, but the rest of the car, transmissions, etc etc etc of these little VW-mobiles.

Thanks

Gene

-- gene ward (gward34847@aol.com), October 10, 2001

Answers

From what I've heard they are great little cars and very economical to run. We're looking for something like that since someone totalled my husbands car last week and we only have the insurance money to buy a new car. My husband drove a beat up but reliable 92 ford escort. Would like to get a diesel VW rabbit but haven't seen any for sale, also looking at Geo Metro's that get about 43 miles to a gallon of gas. Good luck.

-- anita in NC (anitaholton@mindspring.com), October 10, 2001.

A buddy of mine had a rabbit truck. 54mpg

-- grant (organicgrange@yahoo.com), October 10, 2001.

Gene We got a 1990 vw jetta two months ago at the public car auctions stratford ont. for 1000.00 (can). We love it!!!!! It rides well and we get 50 miles to the gallon(can). It cost us another 1000. to safety it but the mechanic said if we changed our minds and didn't want it he would pay us 3000. for it.He's not geting it.Our daughter loves it too even though it has meant she has to really learn to drive .I'm prejudice I like standards best.It has good leg room and rides smooth like a larger car would and it handled well in the snow and hail we had on sunday; we took it out for a snow test drive and we were not nice about it and it did great even with the small tires. My husband did a cost factor for a trip to florida(90)dollars can. at 70 cents a liter. Cheap vacation eh? and so important in the winter to a Canadian. Email if you want to know more and my husband can help you. If you go to the car auctions take a mechanic or really knowledgeable person with you and you should do okay.

-- elly snyder (fireliteca@yahoo.ca), October 10, 2001.

Do a search on 'Volkswagen diesel' . There are a couple of really good discussion lists on the internet. This is one I found on the first try http://www.diesel-central.com/forums/default.asp . Scroll down to the Volkswagen area.

I suspect you've got a _long term_ member of your auto family.

Enjoy.

-- j (jw_hsv@yahoo.com), October 10, 2001.


I learned to drive standard on a volkswagon rabbit(diesel). It was reliable and fun to drive....got great mileage. We had a 3km long driveway that went up the side of a mountain and the car did fine in winter with the road plowed...after a couple inches of new snow, we had to put chains on, but on normal roads it was fine. The heater didn't work though...we were told it was a normal problem in VW rabbits.

-- Rebekah in Canada (rebekah_swinden@hotmail.com), October 10, 2001.


I have no experience,but saw an article on the net of a guy with a diesel vw truck that mounted a generator in the bed and had a way to run a belt through the bed of the truck to a pulley on the drive- shaft. He was able to quickly disconnect the driveshaft from the rearend so the truck could stay parked.

-- tradesman (tradesman@tradesman.com), October 10, 2001.

Gene not only good mileage but you can make your own fuel out of used cooking oil. havent tried it yet but have layed in the stuff to do it with. i bought a mercedes diesel just for this reason. a good book is from the fryer to the fuel tank by Joshua Tickell. also type alt fuels or bio. diesel in your search ingine. Bob se,ks.

-- Bobco (bobco@kans.com), October 10, 2001.

I used to drive both the rabbit diesel, and rabbit diesel truck for a company back in 1983. The truck was GREAT. I drove it 500 miles a day for this lab as a courier. It got an average ~50 miles a gallon. I think one of the regular rabbit diesel cars had 200,000+ miles on it before they considered replacing it. Even at replacement it ran good. The only time I was stranded was in the middle of one of the Minnesota cold spells(-30). The diesel fuel gelled up, and the car stopped running. Other than that, it was a great car/truck. A very good investment, I would say.

-- Marky (anic@erols.com), October 10, 2001.

I like them but 1984 is getting old. Non moving parts start wearing out. I had a nice old toyota truck that rusted in half. The bed was starting to hit the cab as it bounced down the street. Good luck

-- ed (edfrhes@aol.com), October 10, 2001.

I've had quite a bit of experience with VW Diesels. I like them. The engines are pretty reliable but they do like to be run wound up, kinda like the old air cooled bugs. Keep the rpms up so you don't lug the engine. Parts are pretty readily available too. Since you're a shade tree mechanic I'd suggest getting a decent shop manual. They're easy to work on.

Very important tho, if the previous owner can't tell you when the timing belt was last changed do it. If a belt breaks it can be catastrophic. They're an interferance engine so if the belt breaks, especially at highway speeds it'll be valves THRU the pistons and a destroyed engine. Its a fairly easy task to change the belt but its VERY important to follow the instructions in the book and make sure you don't lose the timing because even just a little bit off will cause the engine to run badly.

If you ever have to do exhaust work there's two funky spring steel clamps that hold the exhaust to the manifold. Unless you have alot of patience or the special tool cut those stupid clamps off with the fire wrench and when you put it back together buy a couple of cheapo c-clamps as replacements. Works for me and saves alot of time and aggravation, not to mention keeping the cuss index in check.

I've found the door latches are rinky dink, a common problem and I really don't like the shifting linkage. Unlike the other person who had trouble with the heater I've had no trouble at all. In general the heaters are awesome.

-- john (natlivent@pcpros.net), October 10, 2001.



Gene, I owned a 1980 VW diesel Dasher. Got about 50 miles/gallon. Liked that car except it didn't like all the road salt that we put on the roads here in MN. It rusted out. Also owned a Chevy Luv diesel and had received about 38 miles per gallon. It also rusted out. Now I have a 1989 Dodge D250 with the Cummins disel and get about 22 miles/gallon. It is also rusting out. Still have the Dodge but its rusting so bad that I may dump it. In the meantime, I purchased an older Chevy minnivan made almost completely out of figerglass. Now if I could only put one of those diesil engines in it, I might have an auto that might last a while. Good luck.

-- Bill (sticky@2sides.tape), October 10, 2001.

Hey elley, I've got a suggestion for your Jetta. If you're gonna drive it in the winter get a pair of skinny tires for the front. Chances are you've got those wide, low profile tires on the car now and they really suck in the snow----no traction. I put rabbit tires on the front of ours Jetta for the winter and it really made a difference.

-- john (natlivent@pcpros.net), October 11, 2001.

great cars i'm on #3 last one had 440,000k on it just change oil and all filters on time dont ever run them dry of water pull over and dont drive it unless you keep putting water in it don't overheat them or run the snot out of them or it will be head gasket time ive drove them for 14 years 100 miles aday but put in fuel additive that doesnt contain solvents my 3rd one got totaled by a big deer or i would still be driving it my new ones a 83 turbo rabbit

good luck and forgive my spelling

-- art (keneesha@telus.net), January 31, 2002.


Diesels rule! I've had affairs with 4 of them. 81 Rabbit, RBS (retired by salt), currently for sale for parts; 85 Jetta, on rd.; 84 Isuzu PU, gradually being reduced to eng. and 5 sp in back yd.; 81 Isu PU, totaled by stop sign runner, sold for parts. Miss all but the Jetta dearly. I'm in upstate NY, so I put block htrs. on all, not fun on the Jetta. Have done hd. gask. on Rabb, Jetta is next, tim. belts, clutches, struts on both- tensioner bolt strips out easily even with torque wrench. Rear wheel alignment can be done by shimming stub axles; Snap On sells the crow foot wrenches to change the inner tie rod ends on the Jetta; Try to buy German parts, (I like Geon)there's a lot of imported junk out there. Get the Bently svc. manual; If you set the injection pump up with the dial indicator, it makes a big difference. Change the fuel filters often, watch for air leaks in the fuel lines, like the Siloo fuel additive. The Rabb. fuel tank finally rusted out, so I stuck a 6 gal. plastic can with a supply and return hose to it in the trunk. I got about 35mpg av. on Rabb., up to 59 on the Jetta, neither odometer now works unless its cold. Diesels are low end mills, and you want to go easy on the rpms. You can still work on these, though the teutonic mindset being what it is, (take a look at the fuse panel!) you will need some speciality tools, though you can mfg. some yourself, and the c-clamp exh. trick above is a gem. Some sources are Snap On, Baum, and for parts tools and tips, you can't beat the Parts Place for VWs cat. (MIch.) I think on the web at: http://www.partsplaceforallvws.com or something like that. The rear drum brakes regularly need maintenance; I gave up on the pricey, easily rusted exhaust parts, sprung for some of that marine stainless steel flex from JC Whitney, and buy cheap generic mufflers from time to time. A diesel owning caller, asked by the car talk guys what he liked better, the noise or the smell, replied enthusiastically: "Both" That magic Summer evening several years ago when, right at dusk, I started up all 4 at once (hoods open), and just took it all in, is a moment that shall never be equaled! Unless I can get more! As a matter of fact, I am divorced, whatever made you ask?

-- Bob H. (rlhe@localnet.com), February 18, 2002.

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