The Rabbit A1 (Golf MK1)
Designed by the prolific Italian - Giorgetto Giugiaro and introduced in 1974, the Golf was the successor to the de-facto family car, the Beetle. This front-wheel drive, water cooled hatchback, with the help of Audi and various other German car manufacturers, helped revive Volkswagens ailing profits in the early 1970's. Japanese cars, made cheaply had entered the market and were gaining ground. The rabbit, however, was introduced at a similar price and when oil prices rose dramatically, its popularity shot up. Available in 2 and 4 door variants, as well as a range of engine sizes (both petrol and diesel) the Rabbit became popular very quickly. The Golf GTI which featured a 1.8 litre fuel injected motor and sportier stylng and trim was the car that gave birth the the "hot hatch" genre. Mechanically very simple, the Rabbit was and still is a very reliable small car. In South Africa, the Rabbit is still manufactured and is available with trim and styling that is featured in Volkswagens other small cars. For those that love Rabbits, buying one and getting its associated parts is not very easy (unless you live in South Africa where they are everywhere), but thanks to a thriving community its not impossible. A culture of modding exists the world over and rebuilds, engine swaps, forced induction (turbo and super chargers), custom spray jobs and chasis modifications are common.
If it has never been done and you can afford it, then get it done for peace of mind. If it is due in next service, then have it done under the service BUT if the cam belt goes, it takes the engine with it usually - not worth risking for long. True of any car you buy, though. 1.8 20v engines are snapping their timing belts at 70,000 - 80,000 miles and the extensive damage this causes is not repairable. The car will need a replacement engine. Timing belt of 1.8 20v needs changing before 4 years or 60k miles (whichever comes first). Get the tensioners & water pump done as well while they're doing the work. Get it changed now, miracle a 10 year old belt with 53k miles is still in one piece. Average mileage for cam belt changes is 60k miles or 5 years. Pros and cons on the 1970's or later edition VW beetles? Thanks to anyone who answers!
The biggest con is that the old bugs are death traps. You aren't likely to fare too well in any head on collision. If you're in a cold climate be ready to freeze your tail off. The heat will not work. They are also pretty small cars, so if you want something roomy, you probably want to look somewhere else. Another con is that they all leak oil and will break down (in small ways) frequently. Biggest pro is that repair work when they do break down is EASY. The air cooled engine design requires little maintenance (except adding oil occasionally). The carburetor is simple and can be rebuilt in less than an hour if you know what you're doing. Even an entire engine change can be done in 6 or so hours. Another big pro is that they are easily customizable with fiberglass body kits and a million engine dohickys that can be added.
I've had several and they are a lot of fun , but I wouldn't want one as my primary vehicle. They are basically just really cool Toy cars. 10 mph. its not just about the car in crashes. 4 speed manual without power clutch so clutching is a little rough, heat is not that great but if you get things set up and working properly you will certainly get too hot in the car. 2000-3000 miles you HAVE to change oil clean/replace oil strainer, adjust valves, check timing, check and gap spark plugs, check points/condenser, check dwell and some other things i know im forgetting. 81mph. i usually get around 25mpg, acceleration from 0-60mph is about 18-20 seconds. My '03 VW Polo oil light keeps coming on, i've just had the timing chain replaced? Any ideas what may be wrong? The oil level is fine! Obviously you should physically check the oil level with the dip stick.
If the level is ok, check around the engine block to see if there are any loose wires dangling & 'bright' metal terminals you hadn't noticed before. This is the most common cause as they may not have been reconnected! If everything appears ok obtain a new oil switch from a local motor factor ( not Halfords ). A 10 minute job to fix. Usually diagnosed by a drip of oil coming from it. Very easy to change and inexpensive. Are VW New Beetles gutless? I drove a friends kia rio recently and it was so gutless! Anywho are new beetles like a kia rio because they're both v4? The Beetle was never designed to be a performance car. American cars are gutless and look like crap as well. Seems MKIV VW's have a common problem with the door locks. My door light shorted out and started buzzing while I was driving. Scared the hell out of me too. You could also check your fuses.
