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NO LBC / Need VW advice

To: mgs@Autox.Team.Net, spridgets@Autox.Team.Net
Subject: NO LBC / Need VW advice
From: Nory@webtv.net (Nory)
Date: Sun, 19 Jul 1998 08:37:29 -0400 (EDT)
Sorry to bother you folks with an off-make post, but I know there are
some people on the list who are knowledgeable about VWs, so maybe
someone can help.  My brother is thinking of buying a used VW.  I don't
know anything about them, so I'm looking to those more experienced than
I for advice.  The following is his email to me about the car:

>Someone is selling a white 1987 
>Volkswagon covertable. I forgot the 
>name of the model, but it begins with 
>Co... with an automatic transmission & 
>has 85,000 miles on the car. The body is 
>in almost brand new condition. He 
>originally wanted $1000 for it. After I 
>looked it over & listed everything I found 
>wrong with it, I got him to come down 
>with his price considerably. 
>There are lot of little problems that I can 
>probably fix myself cheap. Although the 
>axles are good enough to last another 
>year or so, they'll have to be replaced. 
>The speedometer dosen't work. The 
>catalytic converter needs replacing. It's 
>not fully clogged but bad enough where it >probably caused a little
heat damage to 
>the engine or valves. The manifold 
>should be replaced but should also be 
>good enough for another year or so. 
>There's some oil on the top of the 
>engine, but it looks like I should only 
>have to replace the valve cover gasket to >fix it. 
>The car was in storage since last 
>summer. After we charged the battery 
>up, it started up smoothly, right away on 
>the first try. I drove it for about 5 miles, 
>including some thruway driving. It ran 
>smooth & nice. 
>I originally went there just to charge the 
>battery & get the car ready so he could 
>sell it to someone else. The fella that 
>was going to buy it, took it to an import 
>specialist who claimed it was going to 
>cost $4,000 to fix & it should be junked. 
>So he doesn't want to buy the car. A 
>cheap mechanic I took it to says he could >fix it up good enough for
only about 
>$350. 
>After we washed it & I drove it around, I 
>like it. Being a convertable, it's a cute car >too. I'm not familiar
with volkswagons 
>but always did a lot of my own work on 
>my cars. My friends tell me those 
>volkswagons are crap & I shouldn't buy it. >Am I missing something? I
looked this 
>car over very carefully. I can't find that 
>much wrong with the car that would cost 
>$4,000 to fix & warrant junking it. 
>I couldn't find any reviews on them on 
>the net. I'll be able to get this car cheap. 
>He'll even let me take it home & use it for >a few days next week to
see if I like it. 
>It's still insured under his company's 
>name. Has anyone heard or read 
>anything about these cars? These 
>engines look identical to Volvo engines 
>from the same era & they keep running 
>'till past 150,000 miles. 
>My old station wagon cost me $100. 
>Everyone told me I'd be sorry. I ran it for 
>4 years, put over 50,000 miles on it. I 
>only spent $174 (except for tires) on it in 
>all that time. When I got rid of it, it was 
>still running. The engine is still even 
>running today, in another car. It had 
>almost 120,000 miles on it.

So, what do you think, gang?  Does this car have a chance?  Or is it
hopeless?  What would be a reasonable price to pay for such a vehicle?

TIA 

-NORY

Don't assume that because you have found one problem, you have found the
ONLY problem.

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