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Bad Purchasing Decisions: Share Your Stories

65 messages,  Last post on Oct 19, 2007 at 5:28 AM

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What is this discussion about? Car Leasing

Messages Page 4 of 7

#26 of 65 Re: purchasing mistake and now wants to swap [ksap] by paul138

Jun 20, 2005 (10:35 am)

Replying to: ksap (Jun 19, 2005 3:32 pm)
Yes the car is hers..But you could write a letter to the actual owner
of the dealerhsip explaining the situtation, and in this letter maybe
drop a sutle hint that you are the person in your family people come
to for advice and you have brothers sisters,cousins,etc as well as many friends
that you could refer to this dealership if they step up and help your friend.

#27 of 65 Re: 1980 VW Rabbit... [isellhondas] by lemmer

Jun 20, 2005 (12:06 pm)

Replying to: isellhondas (Jun 19, 2005 11:01 am)
Were any small cars not tinny pieces of junk in 1980?
 
At least Rabbits were fun to drive in comparison to their competitors.

#28 of 65 Re: 1980 VW Rabbit... [lemmer] by kyfdx HOST

Jun 20, 2005 (12:28 pm)

Replying to: lemmer (Jun 20, 2005 12:06 pm)
All tinny? yes...
 
All junk? nope..
 
Corollas, Civics and Accords were all reliable, fuel-efficient cars, even in '80... Of course, they would eventually rust away, but they didn't have all of the problems and glitches of a VW..
 
But, 1980 was a dark time overall for the car industry and enthusiast...

#29 of 65 Agreed... by isellhondas

Jun 20, 2005 (12:35 pm)

The newly imposed restrictive emission requirements caused a LOT of troubles too.
 
And, kyfdx is correct. VW had major problems back then compared to other makes. To a degree, this is still true today.

#30 of 65 Re: Agreed... [isellhondas] by lemmer

Jun 20, 2005 (1:49 pm)

Replying to: isellhondas (Jun 20, 2005 12:35 pm)
I know you guys are right, but I still liked VWs back then. Part of the problem (or excuse) is that VWs were a little more complex than other similar cars. VW was offering fuel injection and 5-speed manuals, where Hondas mainly had carbs and 4-speeds. Honda also had that wonderful shift it yourself 2 speed automatic - just what a 60 horsepower car needs. VWs also had rear independent suspension when most of their competitors had a beam axle, so on and so forth.
 
VWs also got great gas mileage and would outhandle pretty much anything other than a sports car.
 
And yes, I had VW of the era, and it was one of the least reliable cars I have ever owned.

#31 of 65 I always thought.. by kyfdx HOST

Jun 20, 2005 (1:52 pm)

...that VWs were cool then... and, I think they are cool now.. I just can't bring myself to own one...
 
Heck.. even Consumer Reports thought that the Rabbit was the greatest thing since sliced bread... until the repair surveys started coming in...
 
It is too bad.... they make neat cars...

#32 of 65 They still cause trouble... by isellhondas

Jun 20, 2005 (3:50 pm)

Nice cars to look and to drive but the nagging problems are enough to cause me to steer people away from them.
 
Heck, I grew up with old bugs and buses and I still have a soft spot for them.

#33 of 65 Re: 1980 VW Rabbit... [lemmer] by bolivar

Jun 23, 2005 (9:31 pm)

Replying to: lemmer (Jun 20, 2005 12:06 pm)
I drove and compared new a 1981 Rabbit and Chevette.
 
The Rabbit was somewhat 'peppier', handled better, and my 'World Advisor' Consumer Reports thought they were the sub-compact to end all sub-compacts.
 
The Rabbit was about $1,800 more than the Chevette. Trying to 'deal', the salesman acted like he was selling a Mercedes.
 
I just couldn't see giving that much more for the Rabitt.
 
I bought the Chevette. It was a commute-to-work car. Just a few miles a day. It got a clutch at about 40,000 miles (in-town driving took its tole). The relay for the rear window deicer went bad. It leaked a little oil. The seats were great. I still think this seat was about as good as any car I've owned. I didn't work at all on the highway. The tire and wind noise was so bad you couldn't hear the radio. And, I think for a little 4-banger 4-speed, its highway milage of 23mpg was horrible.We had another car, a 1979 Malibu, then a 1984 Toronado for the road. But when the reports of valve oil seal leaking, oil burning and electrical horror Rabbits started to come in, it made that little white Chevette shine even more.
 
Kept it for about 6 or seven years. Traded it in on a used Corvette.

#34 of 65 Agree about VW -- very frustrating by smittynyc

Jun 24, 2005 (7:07 am)

If it weren't for the reliability problems, I'd be a chronic VW buyer. I love their exterior and interior designs, and the cars are usually exceptionally fun to drive and functional.
 
If only they could follow through and make problem-free cars. What is preventing them from doing that, anyway? Is it the designs themselves, is it the labor, the engineering . . . ?
 
Sandwiched around that 1980 VW, my folks had a 1976 Rabbit (a true stripper model, bright orange with black interior) and a used 1984 (?) Rabbit Diesel. Both of those cars were outstanding -- the 1976 was t-boned in an ice storm by a guy driving a huge domestic who slid through a stop sign. The car was totalled (badly), but my dad walked away from the accident.

#35 of 65 Early Rabbits by oregonboy

Jun 24, 2005 (9:25 am)

My father-in-law had a 1977 Rabbit, which was also an orange stripper. I think '77 was the first year for fuel injection. It was a great little car... made in Germany.
 
james

Messages Page 4 of 7

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