[Tim Hancock]

Originally Posted by Normy

In 1988...

YES....1988-

My brother bought an '81 VW Rabbit diesel. It was a 5 speed, and it was EASY on fuel!

How easy? There was no "power-recovery turbo" on this engine, in contrast to proliferating low-boost turbos that we see today on products such as the VW 1.8t, 2.0t, the new Saab Turbo X, and other various low-boost cars.

That 51 horsepower car STANK! What else should your little brother do but stink? Chris had a job that took him to Detroit on a regular basis. Problem: we lived in Temperance, about 50 miles south. The diesel was PERFECT. Back then, diesel sold for about $1.00 per gallon, and it literally cost him $2 to drive to Detroit and back.

That car, that '81 diesel Rabbit? It had a top speed of 70 mph. Since it didn't have cruise control, my brother tossed a brick onto the front left floorboard one day. If he had to go to D-toilet..he'd simply get on I-75 and then position the brick in front of the gas pedal. Voila...he was in D-toilet 45 minutes later. After a cloud of smoke~

That little car was cool! Chris eventually destroyed it in a very un-good fashion [some other time], but that little tank was a PLAIN but good car anyway.

N

My parents had an '81 rabbit diesel also, until I totaled it one night after a party in college. 70mph was indeed top speed. It did not seem like a big deal back then in the early 80's, but now with speed limits 65-70 on many roads in Ohio and Michigan, I wouldn't be able to live with a car that can't keep up with the 75-80 mph flow of traffic.