Re: Done with VW's, I've had it.

[scirocco86@home.com]

On 15 Jun 2000, at 21:32, Scott Williams wrote:

> scirocco86@home.com wrote:
> 
> > Thanks for the help while you all were here, but I'm done with
> > these cars.
> 
> So what are you going to move on to? Isuzu, Porsche, Chevy -Schwinn?

Mazda. A 323 GTX is looking like a very nice sleeper. If not one of 
those then a mustang or a camaro.But I'm not looking at picking up 
another car for a very long time and it will be the new toy with the 
scirocco being a daily driver. I can deal with gas guzzling as long 
as I'm not wasting my time underneath of the car constantly 
sinking money into it for expensive rare parts, and always kicking 
the shit out of it trying to get it to run right. I'm keeping the scirocco 
as it has too much in it already. My whole sickness is of the stupid 
little shit that goes wrong with these things. It's ridiculous the 
amount of problems these cars have even when well maintained. 
The rattles, the engine management system etc. The last breaking 
point was today when the DPR wont drop below 13ma, the car 
wont time or idle either. I can't believe how erratic and pathetic 
mechanical injection is. In 1986 on their flagship car you would 
think they'd use some EFI sequential multiport injection, but no. 

> > ...thank those that were there for help and guidance as I learned my lesson
> > about these cars.
> 
> The lesson that you've learned is probably that you can't polish a turd. Start out with a turd, throw
> some money at it, and what are you left with in the end? Its still a turd. I drove your 16v, though,
> and it seemed fine to me. What could possibly have gone so bad that you couldn't just replace the
> part? Any car is prone to failure at some point or another. 

Yeah, you can polish a turd but it will only reflect so much. I like 
the car, but im sick of the problems it has and all the problems 
these cars have in general. Once things start breaking on a VW, 
they never stop. If parts weren't so outrageously expensive, and 
local to get I might be able to deal with it. The 16v car wont run 
right, leaks exhaust *HORRIBLY*, the power steering rack has way 
too much play and leaks, the water pump just took a shit, and 
misc. other silly things. I also lack a social life now, because of 
this car eating up so much time. "What are you doing this 
weekend?" "I'm trying to get my car to run right, and going to 
junkyards picking up replacement parts for something that has 
become my existance" I guess maybe you can't polish a turd, but 
I've  managed to make this one reflect a little aside from it's wealth 
of unreliability.

> 
> > Unfortunately I've put far too much into this to get a return out of it, so I'm stuck
> > dumping more into it to keep it running and from poisoning me.
> 
> So, cut your losses and move on to a more suitable project. Obviously there is something to this VW
> thing in general or so many of us wouldn't be hooked on them. Yeah, I admit that our enthusiasm goes
> way beyond the practical sometimes but that is half the fun. I just suspect that you're starting off
> with a half-baked car and trying to make real out of it. Categorically deriding VWs isn't really an
> effective way to address your situation imho...

Unfortunately, I don't have financial backing to just cut my losses 
and go grab whatever I feel like. I don't think I would if I could either. 
I like my scirocco, but I also like driving. I like it better than 
borrowing other cars and driving them, but at this point It's like a 
stationary object. Something is always going wrong and breaking. 
I've absorbed all the "Bad luck" I can, at this point there is nothing I 
can do but just upkeep it, and find another toy when funds are 
willing which wont be a VW after all the negative experiences I have 
had with them. What it boils down to is i like my scirocco too 
much to sell it, I have too much money in it to get a return, and I've 
already told myself it's never leaving my ownership unless it meets 
ill fate. But I'm really sick of this pathetic reliability the car has. So 
I'm stuck ya know? It's been a lesson though, cheap german cars 
can be had for under 5 grand for a reason.......  The amount of 
hours I've spent working on this car is ridiculous. If I could count 
them, im sure It'd classify me as a part time mechanic, except I 
don't get paid for it and it's an uphill losing battle. There is 
something to this VW thing, I definately agree. When the cars run 
right and everything is good they are an *ABSOLUTE* blast to drive 
and own. However, the polar opposite is just that, the opposite. 
When something goes wrong it is generally an absolute pain in the 
ass, and expensive. Unfortunately, it seems to be more of the latter 
than the former...

> 
> What are you going to buy a reliable appliance-like sedan with 50k mile tires, numb steering, and an
> automatic transmission? Come on, man. What's the dil?

I'm looking into my options. Come on, I *COULD'NT* drive a car like 
that. I get sick driving a 99 z24 cavalier, and that is supposedly 
something pretty "hot" today. Like I said, I'm thinking mazda 323 
GTX, 3rd genmustang 3rd gen camaro, e30 chassis BMW, 2nd 
Gen turbo RX-7, and maybe a older 280zx. They are possibilities, 
and if any of them happened they wouldn't be for a long time. At 
the moment im more concerned with having something reliable so I 
can get a job and not have to call out from work just because the 
car doesn't feel like running. I mean I can look back at the oh 3 or 4 
months I was stuck driving a geo metro until I wrapped it, and it 
was way more reliable albeit 500x more boring. The great thing 
was, I could come outside put gas in the metro and drive........ I 
guess maybe it boils down to not having a VW as a daily driver. 
*shrug* to each is own, but I need something that isn't going to let 
me down all the time. In a perfect world other events in my life 
would be tolerant of a car that was tempermental, but that will 
never happen.  So I'm thinking of possibly getting a mind numbing 
econo box, (think another metro, 60mpg and getting back and forth 
to a job without breaking down or getting carbon monoxide 
poisoning is a good thing, right? :) just to drive. I love being able to 
downshift and smash the throttle keeping my car hard in a turn, but 
when shit just starts breaking and doesn't stop there is something 
wrong here. If all of this didn't make any sense, im sorry but it does 
to me. Like I said, im not out to start a flame war or anything, and 
I'm sure im going to get some harsh responses, but everyone has 
their own opinion and starting a flame was not my intention at all. I 
wanted to thank the people here for advice, since without them I 
would have driven this car into a river long ago. I'll be getting rid of 
some of my extra things soon, so i'll make a post to the list. 
Thanks,
		Gary Huff

> --
> Scott F. Williams
> NJ Scirocco nut
> SCCA ProRally driver
> Hotrod Rabbit GTi
> 
> Check out our rally team's website!
> http://www.usrallyteam.com
> 



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