Runaround clunker? 1995 VW Rabbit? What else?

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

OK, with the forced career change and other such things we have been thinking about an inexpensive alternative to putting all the miles on the Porsches. Budget is $3,000.00 and preferrably less!!!! We had wanted to stretch to $5K but just do not see it right now unless we could miraculously sell a few cows or a horse.


Got a lead on a 1995 VW Rabbit for VERY cheap. No codes showing, 180,000 on the clock, clean synth oil, manual that shifts nicely, starts and runs without any smoke, gas engine. Brakes done last year. Only bad noticed so far was where a deer and literally run into the side of the car and dented the door and broke the side mirror, door will open and close and would be dented. Know owner, he pulls own maintenance. We would be left with most of our budget in our pockets.

Lead on a couple of Subarus, have not viewed them. All high miles and at the $3K or more asking price. Did not find any decent (read not riced) Hondas at this price. Wife does not want a toyota. Have not looked at Taurus just yet.

Any ideas? Goal: Fairly dependable, easy to work on (I'll do my own on this as well), good fuel economy, CHEAP!!!!

[porsche4life]

I assume its the 1.8 rabbit? Not bad little cars at all... I loved my Corrado... The supercharger just made it a maintainance nightmare....

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Rather basic little Rabbit, nothing fancy, little frills, 2-door hatchback.

[Jagshund]

Look for a 914. I have $600 in my car including the purchase price and 90k mile Subaru drivetrain. You can get them for under $3000 and if you squint your eyes you can pretend you're driving a Porsche.

[RWebb]

take a look at Cons. Reports used car issues - that will help

BTW with a few exceptions the Subarus will run a looong time; just looking at the mechanicals reminds you they are built by a heavy equip. manf. (Fuji Heavy Industries) -- so don't be put off by mileage alone, but watch the head gasket issue

I'd worry about parts for the VW.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Saab 900SE Turbo. You can get them very cheap, lots of power, tons of cargo room.
Mk 1 Rabbit/Golf

[Scott R]

Originally Posted by RWebb

take a look at Cons. Reports used car issues - that will help

BTW with a few exceptions the Subarus will run a looong time; just looking at the mechanicals reminds you they are built by a heavy equip. manf. (Fuji Heavy Industries) -- so don't be put off by mileage alone, but watch the head gasket issue

I'd worry about parts for the VW.

Late model Subaru's have very, very expensive parts. 1995 Subaru for example, 250 for a mass airflow, 260 for a map sensor, 220 for an alternator. Not only are they very, very hard to work on they get very expensive when small things go out. And the parts can be a bear to find sometimes. We were looking for a used shifter with the red 4x4 button in the center, took us a few weeks to track a working one down.

The upside is that brakes and clutches are cheap. But we don't buy them anymore, between the parts cost, and the rust, we can't recondition and sell them withing our margins.

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

I'd rather have the Subarus!!

VW cost: $800 (VW is currently seeing ~1,000 miles per month, we know the owner superficially)

Subies are listed $3,000 on up and run from '98 to '01.

Now we get to simple economics. Put one Porsche on weekend driver duty (lower insurance), use beater for daily drives (wife drives Porsche), fuel savings expected $30 per week. 27 weeks to break even on the cost based on fuel. Insurance washes.

Subies have longer break even point.

Questions become: Can the VW hold up to the miles per month for 6+ months without issues? Is the '95 VW dependable enough to trust my life on (no shoulders on most of the drive)?

But then again, in this price range not too many vehicles are going to be 100% trustworthy, more like a 50/50 shoot.

Parts costs on the VW seem equivilent to the Subies.

Wife struck down 914/912/911 with Suby drive train. I liked the idea...

I'm overthinking this no brainer...

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by Scott R

Late model Subaru's have very, very expensive parts. 1995 Subaru for example, 250 for a mass airflow, 260 for a map sensor, 220 for an alternator. Not only are they very, very hard to work on they get very expensive when small things go out. And the parts can be a bear to find sometimes. We were looking for a used shifter with the red 4x4 button in the center, took us a few weeks to track a working one down.

The upside is that brakes and clutches are cheap. But we don't buy them anymore, between the parts cost, and the rust, we can't recondition and sell them withing our margins.

are you talking about the sporty ones or the Outbacks, Foresters??

I don't see anything like that around here...

[Schumi]

'86 VW GTI.

Fun, easy to work on, parts are cheap as hell.

'88-'91 Toyota AE92 Corolla GTS. I've beat my AE92 to death. Spend $1500 on the car and $1000 on the suspension and you'll basically have a front engined Lotus. Same goes for a Mk1 MR2

[porsche4life]

No joke.... Mk1 and Mk2 GTis are the ****.... I would have owned one but someone didn't let me know about the listing fast enough.... Beginning to think it was all part of his plan...

[VincentVega]

I picked up my 95 bmw 3er a few years ago for ~$2500, cant remember. Great car. ~30mpg, cheap parts and simple to work on, not that it's needed much.

[Schumi]

^ early-mid 90's BMW 318, 325... if the electrics are good and it's been maintained, it will run forever.

[Scott R]

Originally Posted by RWebb

are you talking about the sporty ones or the Outbacks, Foresters??

I don't see anything like that around here...

Those are quotes right from AutoZone.com | Get In The Zone! for a 1995 Legacy. If I posted the same parts for a 95' SVX then we are talking about a small mint for items. Step up to say 1999 and look at a MAP for an Outback, also around 270, for a sensor the size of a walnut. Subaru has always been like this, very, very expensive parts.

AutoZone.com | Vehicle Selection | Year

$284 for a 1995 SVX MAF, that's more than a MAF for an 04' Land Rover. When you start to have problems with Suby it gets nasty fast. I remember having to replace a AC compressor last summer on an Outback we had, at our cost the compressor was $400, factor in the dryer, charge and o-rings and such which were also nasty expensive and we had $900 in ac repair in under an hour. Would have close to $2000 at a shop.

People do tend to drive these until the wheels fall off, or the problems and leaks overwhelm the vehicle cost. I can't comment on the Rabbit however, we never buy them.

[racer]

My wife had a '95 Golf (not rabbit). Was dependable. We sold it with around 100K miles. Generally boring 2.0 liter 4cyl with about 115hp. Hated the "motorized" front seat belts (no airbags yet)

I think the bigger question is how long is the "forced career change" going to be "permanent". Maybe its no longer fair to expect to be a two porsche household?

The other issue is the "what if" right? What if you buy a "clunker" daily driver and the thing eats a motor in the next 10K miles? or needs $1000 worth of repair etc?

Even a Porsche with limited insurance (say $300 year) and limited use (say another $500/yr in gas and another $500/yr little maintenance issues) is COSTING $1300/yr. Or, 100/mo.

[rattlsnak]

I have a very nice neon 2 door sport ( i know, right?) 1997, 210,000 on the clock, but have ALL receipts from an engine/trans rebuild and just about EVERY part has been replaced. Needs nothing, cold A/C, emissions passes just fine. I drive it everyday. Matter of fact, your wife saw it when she was here!! $1,500...
Matter of fact, here is my son driving it in his first AX last weekend..!!

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Going to do one more thorough walk through on the Golf (Rabbit still sticks in my old brain) on Saturday morning. Nothing is throwing up huge red flags at this stage.

Yep 2 Porsches might seem a bit, much? Only maintenance parts required (except filters/oil) up to this weekend since 2008 has been a headlight. Doing some brake work and checking out the bearings on the SC this weekend. Have not actively advertised anything for sale, but as always, most everything is...

In about 16 months the job situation should have turned around. Employer is fully paying for a Masters (complete March 2012) and I am ahead on my required training (completed first years core work in five months and am 1/3 way through second years). Just playing a holding pattern without touching the Porsche Repair Fund or retirement funds. Keeping up and updating/repairing a small farm can be expensive as well.

Hmmm, all Wife mentioned was Porsches, BMWs, Jaguars, and a couple of pick-ups ;-)

I'll keep this in mind as it is within budget but was not on our list of vehicles to look into. What are yall getting in fuel economy?

Again, mental massdebation on ways to cut costs and do cost avoidance.

[gtc]

Too bad you're not closer; I have a friend selling a nice 130k 1997 accord EX wagon for $3200.

[Jagshund]

Originally Posted by Scott R

Late model Subaru's have very, very expensive parts. 1995 Subaru for example, 250 for a mass airflow, 260 for a map sensor, 220 for an alternator. Not only are they very, very hard to work on they get very expensive when small things go out. And the parts can be a bear to find sometimes.

PAP has them all the time. I bought all the parts you listed here- in working order- included with my '95 EJ22 for $150 + $15 for the ECU and harness. The newer stuff is getting kind of scarce.

[Scott R]

Originally Posted by 1968Cayman

PAP has them all the time. I bought all the parts you listed here- in working order- included with my '95 EJ22 for $150 + $15 for the ECU and harness. The newer stuff is getting kind of scarce.

If we get another one in on trade I check into those guys, thank you.