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start your search here, (fred's) Fred's TDI Page. TDIClub.com. VW TDI Enthusiast Community They have a great classified, but you have to be FAST, as the few TDI only dealers in USA will beat you to the good ones. I have got some real dandies here (for under $2000)
I buy most of mine (used TDI's) from SW USA areas. Often San Antonio, Austin or Dallas. I fly in and drive home, or ship via a hotshotter or uship.com
I only buy A3 TDI or B4 TDI (+GLX wagons), so pretty old stuff. I take a low mileage GLX and use a TDI as a donor and ends up being pretty decent driver. (52 mpg w/ 25 gallon tank... 1200+ mile range) Free fryer grease is plenty good for fuel. (Brew your own Bio Diesel or use a grease conversion or live in a warm climate.) Just a sample of a CHEAP processor (BYO for under $100) Appleseed Processor Kit - Utah Biodiesel Supply
Have a friend that is a jet mechanic? They usually have access to FREE Jet-A. Add a qt of 2cycle oil per 55 gal drum of Jet-A. will work fine. Soon (I hope) we will have commercialized Algae Bio Diesel. JETS love it, so there is much pressure to get available. Emissions are negligible.
If you find another nice 87 GT, BUY IT... You can drop an IDI Turbo Diesel in it for ~ $700. One hot 12v for the fuel solenoid and a 12V HD circuit with a Starter Button for Glow plugs and you have a 50 mpg FUN commuter. I have a few of those and some extra 'Teardrops'
My first car was a VW bug. Since then I have had a Karmen Gia, van and Rabbit. Then I left VW for Toyota and beyond.
In 2007, I went back to VW, purchasing a new 2006 Rabbit. Actually some of the paperwork said 2007, but manual says 2006. I paid cash, with trade, and the plan was to pass it on to my son when he could drive. There is so much I love about the car, but it has been my worst car-ownership experience ever.
Turns out, that year had transmission probs and so they extended that warranty. I took it in twice to have the transmission checked when under warranty, BC it felt like I was being tapped from behind when stopping, but they couldn't find the problem. My trade-in was an Audi A-6, so I thought I was just used to a smoother ride. Then I took it to another dealer when transmission was out of warranty and they said it was some air thing ($750), then, when the air thing didn't fix it, they said it was the transmission, which is what I asked them to check (for $100) initially. $5,500 estimate to replace.
If it was only the transmission, I would have it replaced. But the car also has electrical probs and the interior is awful- the black paint has rubbed off the dashboard, pieces fall off- I have a baggie of interior pieces that have fallen off, even the little tabs you hold to redirect the a/c have fallen off. The headliner is falling down. The body looks like new, even the floor mats look new- we've taken good care of it- but the upholstery stained from the beginning- almost like there was a black soot underneath the fabric that would come to the surface with a single drop of rain water. It's been a major disappointment.
You can't say it's losing when you are in a new car every 3 years. It's a cost of driving a maintenance free vehicle that is cutting edge.
Even if you paid cash for a $35K car and drove it for 10 years/120 months and got $5k for it at the end, it cost you $30,000/120 or $250 a month. Doesn't include a couple set of tires, and other maintenance items. Could even include a tranny or engine rebuild. I'll be on my 4th car when your still driving your 9 year old car that is costing you $250 a month and who knows what else to keep it running over 150k miles.
Not to mention when you buy your next car in 10 years. You'll pay cash for a new car for $35K let's say. So that's two car purchases in 10 years, $70K. You'll get something for car #1, let's say $10k to be liberal. Your $60K into it at 10 years, not including maintenance and repairs. A person leasing for $400 a month for 10 years is $48K in it. Sure you'll catch up in a couple years, but that person will be on their 5th car and will catch up again when you pay for your 3rd car 10 years later
I'm just saying leasing is a bit more expensive than buying, but being in a new car every 3 years and not having to worry about large repairs or being stranded is worth it to me.
The cost of leasing goes up dramatically when you exceed the allowable mileage limits. And if you have a longer-term lease, you are responsible for paying for maintenance.
Leasing is a total scam. You always have payments. My car has been paid off for nearly 4 years now and the cost of repairs have been about 1/50th of the total amount of payments I would have made if I'd been leasing.
I love not having a car payment. Leasing is only suited to those individuals that, for some odd reason or another think they need a new car every year. Makes no sense to me but hey, to each his own I guess.
I have nothing but good things to say about my 62 Bug and my 73 Thing
Mom drove a 76 Rabbit for 25 years and enjoyed every moment.
She had shoulder surgery and driving a stick became a problem otherwise, I'm certain she would still have it.
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