TheSamba.com :: View topic - 1985 Cabriolet Automatic. Contemplating purchase.

Sat Jul 12, 2008 5:13 pm

I am going to look at an 1985 Cabriolet tomorrow. It has only 78k and is supposedly very nice minus the non functioning AC. Some questions...

Is $3,000 too much for one of these - AC assuming it is very nice?

What can I expect from an automatic transmission in terms of longevity/ performance and even fun? I was bummed to hear it was not a standard. Something tells me a lot of automatic cabrios were produced.

Is there anything specific to Rabbits I should look out for when inspecting it?

Thanks for any info.

Sun Jul 13, 2008 2:53 am

Special stuff for the Rabbit Convertible? How nice is the convertible top, in appearance and function? Look for rust on the floor and underneath, condition of CV boots, visual check of the brakes and brake cables. Obvious engune and tranny oil leaks. Get the engine warm and do a compression test. Is the auto tranny fluid reservoir in good shape (they often dry-rot and get busted up) Check if the automatic-tranny-style metal heat shield still in place around the starter (you DO want it but it's kind of a pain to deal with and lazy-ass people might leave it off when replacing the starter.) Those are the things I'd start with on it.

Sun Jul 13, 2008 7:06 pm

I looked at the Cabrio today and thought it was really nice. Everything seemed right on accept...When I shifted the auto tranny from R to D. there was a pronounced "clunk". I had my wife shift as I looked under the hood and saw that the entire engine/tranny would move and tilt slightly as the with the gear change.

I'm guessing the motor mounts are bad. I was able to move the engine a little by pushing hard on it and saw the motor mount slide a couple mm.

Anyone have a similar experience? Does my guess on the culprit make sense? Thanks for any help.

Mon Jul 14, 2008 4:58 am

Heh...I've got one of those. Seller listed it for $2500 and it had no air. I was looking for a small econobox, this one looked clean - ran well, no rust at all, top was new-ish. Saw it and drove it twice before plunking down the money. As soon as I got it home - literally - the starter solenoid fell apart, the starter froze, the ignition keyswitch broke...
Took it to my mechanic who specializes in VW's, and he asked when the last time it was serviced in general. Since the PO had no records (did it himself, so he said), I said do it all. Winds up with a new timing belt (car has 255+ thousand miles and was still on the original belt), water pump, front axles and alternator belt. The next thing is a new radiator.
So, to answer your question, yes, $3K is far too much for the car unless the seller has all the maintenance records. The drivetrain issue seems to be the motor mounts which thankfully are easy to get to. KBB lists an '88 in perfect condition for resale at $1500, and Cabbys are a dime a dozen. If he doesn't back off the price, move on.

R

Sat Jul 26, 2008 9:32 pm

Letterman7 wrote: Heh...I've got one of those. Seller listed it for $2500 and it had no air. I was looking for a small econobox, this one looked clean - ran well, no rust at all, top was new-ish. Saw it and drove it twice before plunking down the money. As soon as I got it home - literally - the starter solenoid fell apart, the starter froze, the ignition keyswitch broke...
Took it to my mechanic who specializes in VW's, and he asked when the last time it was serviced in general. Since the PO had no records (did it himself, so he said), I said do it all. Winds up with a new timing belt (car has 255+ thousand miles and was still on the original belt), water pump, front axles and alternator belt. The next thing is a new radiator.
So, to answer your question, yes, $3K is far too much for the car unless the seller has all the maintenance records. The drivetrain issue seems to be the motor mounts which thankfully are easy to get to. KBB lists an '88 in perfect condition for resale at $1500, and Cabbys are a dime a dozen. If he doesn't back off the price, move on.

R

This is probably far too late for the OP, but, I have to disagree. While Cabriolets are "a dime a dozen", low-mileage, well-cared for Cabriolets are not, which is why prices for them are perceived as being high. $3K for the one described by the OP, given its issues, is a tad high ($2000 is more accurate; motor mounts are obvious, but the A/C will require diagnosing and a hope that it's not the compressor), but by no means is it out of line. But, yes, as with any car of any age, all maintenance/repair records should come with it and every car should be inspected by a mechanic prior to actually buying the car.

As for the transmission on that '85, automatics were not standard equipment, they were optional. There are actually far more stick-shifts on the road than automatics. VW automatics get a bad rap, but if well-cared for, they'll last a long time. The heat shield is pretty much useless, which is why most people end up installing a hot-start relay (a retro-fit kit was even offered by VW to fix the problem; not a recall item, but is listed as a service bulletin).

Anyone looking to buy a Cabriolet, here is a 20-page buyer's guide: http://www.cabby-info.com/Files/BuyingACabriolet.pdf .