Best Lil'l Car?

[tyb525]

'81 Volkswagen Rabbit, 1.6 diesel. 44 mpg last tank. Its not a racecar, but it's fast enough. It's not easy to get a speeding ticket ;)

I've done some work to it, mostly regular wear items like wheel bearings.

I wouldn't be driving it if I didn't  have a love for VW diesels though.

[Sonofman]

Rockman, I know what you mean about the lack of rust. Back in the early 70's, my brother had just started out as an auto mechanic, and his employer sent him to Atlanta to a Ford assembly plant for a training class. There were people there from all over in the class. He commented to me that there was one guy there from 'Up North' that commented, Gosh, look at all the old cars, and not a speck of rust on any of them.  :D

[alecs]

I use a 2010 VW Golf TDI for work travel.  Six speed manual, two door.  Only got 35k miles on it so far, but I expect it to last at least long enough for my kids to learn to drive on.  (ages 10, 8, 4).  Easy to get 45+ mpg on a tank, esp in the summer.  Also, it's a hoot to drive and much smoother and less smoky than the old VW diesels. 

[tyb525]

...much smoother and less smoky than the old VW diesels. 

But the rattle and smoke is half the fun of driving a diesel! :D And somehow the MPGs are just as good as the new TDIs!

[tempforce]

my little truck is a '83' ford ranger. with the mazda built 2.2L perkins diesel in it.
it has 59hp and no turbo, so it's a bit on the slow side...     8)
i've gotten up to 40 mpg with it.. and as low as 24mpg loaded and pulling a utility trailer
(scales read over 6500 lbs total)... i was getting passed by loaded trucks going up the southern oregon mountains..  :-O
that trip (2800 miles), i averaged 27 mpg...
i think the odometer has zeroed out 3-4 times...
i'm on the third bench seat...and third transmission...
doesn't burn more than a cup of motor oil between changes..

[in10sity]

Here is mine, don't see many of them out there anymore. 



1985 Toyota Corolla, 1.8 1C Diesel.  45 mpg.  189,000, previous owner rebuilt the engine and transmission.  Runs great and strong.

[SwampDonkey]

You haven't run it very much if it's still only 189,000 miles. Mom's uncle had an S10 for 20 years and never had 5000 miles on it. The car he had for 10 years and he never drove it, just the wife going for groceries. He was an old ......... he's where he belongs. :D

[tyb525]

Here is mine, don't see many of them out there anymore. 



1985 Toyota Corolla, 1.8 1C Diesel.  45 mpg.  189,000, previous owner rebuilt the engine and transmission.  Runs great and strong.

Those toyota diesel's are neat. Looks like that's non-turbo? Doesn't look a lot different from a vw diesel

[in10sity]

Non turbo on the Toyota diesel.  Not that familiar with the VW diesels, or the Toyota.  Was looking for a inexpensive high mpg car when I stumbled onto the Toyota by chance.