Daily driver advice needed

[Da67goatman]

Vile: Way to rain on my parade.  That was def not what I wanted to hear.  Anyway I am still looking, found a few.  Pursuing one in particular, its a "98 Passat 1.8L turbo with 5 speed 120k miles very clean car.  has an electrical gremlin but the price is well within budget.  I would like to hear more from drivers of said VWs, since I have heard lots from the mechanic point of view.   I welcome the suggestions but I have a very tight budget with no fudge room, under 2k period.  Most of those vehicles would be way out of my price range, and not really my style.  I need something other than the Burb that I can drive back and forth to college.  Thanks again.

[VileZambonie]

Sorry to rain on your parade but it will nickel and dime you to death.

[Lt.Del]

if you are young and are learning how to work on cars, VW will give you much frustration because of the special tools you need.

My wife has a 96 Taurus V6 that I love to drive.  She drivers her Escape, I keep the miles off my sub and 79 pickup, so, I drive the Taurus quite a bit.   It gets 18 city and 30 hwy so it is a bonus.  The yamaha engine is pretty peppy. 

[1980c10]

The only way I would consider another VW is if I leased it and if under warranty for the duration.

also keep an eye out for oil sludge problems on vw especially the 1.8L

also ask when the timing belt has last been changed and ask for proof, without it, plan on getting that done too.

They won't really nickel and dime but they will need hundred dollar bills quite often.

[HAULIN IT]

Sorry to rain on your parade but it will nickel and dime you to death.

Don't you mean Quarter & Dollar you to death? I agree with the others...VW stuff should never get the hype it does, just goes to show how the Motortrend, Consumer Report, ect. can make something out to be something that it is not. The list of vehicles I would want before a VW...Boy would that be LONG! Lorne 
 

[thachevythang]

I've got a V6 dodge magnum that gets 32mpg on the dot. I made it from el paso to ft. worth without having to fill up! Here in west texas unless you drive for an hour in any direction you're not getting anywhere. So a good economical daily driver is a must. I'd expect the same from any V6 charger or Chrysler 300. Before that had an altima and it was probably better on fuel. I was in the military and would made two moves from duty stations. East coast to georgia and from there back home to texas. Did me good with basic maintenance.

My brother used to have a 4 cylinder jetta in high school. It was a good comfortable drive and ride to me. Didn't give him any problems and he drove like a maniac. I had a volvo and it was pretty much the same. They say volvos are easier to work on but the price of parts just like the VW labor evens them out. Just my 2 cents!

[Blazin]

I should add, In my opinion VWs are great cars if they are less than 5 years old. They are sturdy cars. Its just when they get some miles, and age on them they will empty your bank account rather quickly as stated allready. Electrical gremlin, I run away from that one as fast as you can!
 I had a 78 Ford Fiesta years ago. I would own another one of them. I ran the wheels off it for over a year, all I ever did to it was a battery, and four used tires. It was like driving a go cart with a beer can for a body but it got around 25 MPG. had a Toyota Starlet too, Put Celica wheels on it. That thing cornered like it was on rails after that! It got around 25 MPG too.

[Da67goatman]

I can't see this VW costing more than my Burb, its taken an average of 1400 bucks a year for the past 3 years to keep my truck on the road, not including gas and it gets not even half the mileage of that VW.  I have no problem spending a hundred here or there, its those 1200 dollar fixes that scare me.  I haven't heard anything bad about a VW from someone that's driven one

[Blazin]

Of course not, they aren't going to admit they didn't listen to the guys that have worked on them!! HAHAHA!!!

[roadrage41]

buddy of mine just got rid of his 97 jetta, owned it less than a year. replaced wheel bearings bi-monthly. starter is integrated with one of the motor mount bolts, had loads of electrical issues. factory sunroof leaked, replaced seals, still leaked. appeared that it always had. he bought it from an older couple with 96k miles on it. VW enthusiasts are like Mac enthusiasts, youll never hear anything bad.

get an s-10 and drive it into the ground. wash, rinse, repeat.

[Lt.Del]

its taken an average of 1400 bucks a year for the past 3 years to keep my truck on the road,

I'd say $116.66 a month for transportation costs isn't bad at all....there is more to costs than just gas expenses.  You will find that our trucks, as guzzling as they are, are the cheapest things to keep on the road....that's why i have 2.  Parts are cheap and plentiful, maintenance is easy, and you can change engines in a day.

If you bought a $2,000 vehicle, just so that it would be less expensive on gas, you have to include that car price and add any mechanical issue costs (which, as we are warning, could be high for a high mileage VW) then add gas costs and insurance for another vehicle.

if you paid $2,000 and keep it 3 years, you are already, with an empty gas tank, adding $55 a month if you keep it 3 years. Then add gas and insurance and maintenance/mechanical issues that cost money.   I'd stick to the $116.66 a month and call it a day.

      

[slammed79]

With as much driving as I do, the 74 gets about 14 right now, its still costing me less to keep that truck going and insured than it would be to pick up a payment on something.

[Grim 82]

get an s-10 and drive it into the ground. wash, rinse, repeat.

^this, or any GM car with a 3800. It won't make VW mileage, but you can burn alot of gas for what you'd save in maintenance.

[slammed79]

get an s-10 and drive it into the ground. wash, rinse, repeat.

^this, or any GM car with a 3800. It won't make VW mileage, but you can burn alot of gas for what you'd save in maintenance.

My sister had a 04 Impala w/ the 3400, plenty of low end, and it pegged 30mpg on the freeway, great road tripper.

[txchainsawgogi]

I've got a V6 dodge magnum that gets 32mpg on the dot. I made it from el paso to ft. worth without having to fill up! Here in west texas unless you drive for an hour in any direction you're not getting anywhere. So a good economical daily driver is a must. I'd expect the same from any V6 charger or Chrysler 300. Before that had an altima and it was probably better on fuel. I was in the military and would made two moves from duty stations. East coast to georgia and from there back home to texas. Did me good with basic maintenance.

My brother used to have a 4 cylinder jetta in high school. It was a good comfortable drive and ride to me. Didn't give him any problems and he drove like a maniac. I had a volvo and it was pretty much the same. They say volvos are easier to work on but the price of parts just like the VW labor evens them out. Just my 2 cents!

i just met someone the other day that has the magnum v6 and they made it to katy texas and back up to georgetown on a tank of gas.