Tom Heath wrote:
Early VW Rabbit (See above, probably less reliable but much cooler.)
I
I see no reason that an early rabbit could not be a reliable daily. I used them pretty much exclusively for a decades worth of everyday motoring. The aftermarket is HUGE. Spare parts are clogging every junk yard in the nation.
This caddy was the best vehicle I ever built. All the utility in the world and 156hp at the wheels with a mild 16V swap.
Everyone pratters on about the dodgy electrics and yeah...VW made a mistake and placed the fuse panel under a windshield seal that often leaked. But you know what? That fuse box is still avaliable brand new so you can cure all those issues easily. The rest of the car is as simple as a stone. There just isn't much to go wrong.
A german built rabbit (pre-79) with a cheap 5spd and 2 liter swap from a junked A3 might just be the perfect semi-classic commuter. An easy 35mpg in town, comfortable, lightweight, can cruise all day long at modern freeway speeds and has enough power to keep you entertained.
GSCReno wrote:
In reply to RacerDave600: The question was raised on one of the BMW forums recently as to why decent E30s are still commanding higher prices than E36s... The general response from 3 series guys of all stripes was that the E36s in general were not very well engineered/built cars by way of comparison. Please save the hate mail E36 guys, as I'm merely repeating what I read there. Also, I think it's important to make the distinction between the cost of parts and the cost of service (labor). That said your statement is true, IMHO... It's not hard to be blinded by love, therefore justifying the cost of keeping an example of one's favorite marque on the road (or in the shop). Cheers, Scott
I've never personally owned an E30, but I've got countless hours driving the family version. I still get excited over a good 325is when I find one. Although I think my E36 drove great, and in some ways better than the E30, I also think the E30 is a much better car. Given the choice, I'd spend more on an equally presented E30 than another 36.
And the Rabbit truck is way cool! Rabbits can be made into very quick cars. The first time I autocrossed one I was astounded at how well it drove!
In reply to ditchdigger:
I'm leaning closer to a Rabbit by the day. I've always liked the Caddy, but need to have 4-seat capability in a pinch.
In related news, the Benz is now for sale.
http://grm.racingjunk.com/category/202/Mercedes_Benz/post/1994368/1991-Mercedes-300te.html
