Date:         Thu, 26 Aug 2004 01:25:02 -0400
Reply-To:     Stephen Steele <steeles@HORIZONVIEW.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stephen Steele <steeles@HORIZONVIEW.NET>
Subject:      Re: Beetle TDI test drive (almost no vanagon content)
Comments: To: Donald Baxter <onanov@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <2c84d36404082508348b9f235@mail.gmail.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

D. Baxter wrote:
> ... I'll never buy another VW again and my partner has explicity
> instruction to shoot me should i ever seriously consider one again.  I
> don't think the TDI should be equipped with a rubber timing
> belt--almost every VW I've ever had had the timing belt break long
> before replacement time--disastrous on a diesel.
Well then, either you would be ducking the buck shot or you wouldn't be
interested in the 96 Golf that my son bought with 137K on the original
timing belt, would you?
Yes, it broke after TWICE its normal life expectancy. And, yes, he had to
have the head checked out by the local, good guy machinist. But all in all
he now has a very dependable car with all the normal amenities AND 35 mpg at
a very small fraction of what a new car would cost.
I have owned and driven VW diesels for quite a few years now and all of them
had rubber timing belts . None of them  ever presented a problem outside of
normal maintenance.  My personal opinion is that the NB is inferior to the
Golf or Jetta simply because of its body styling. Either of the others can
carry so much more efficiently and effortlessly AND cheaper.
My $.02 worth.  YMMV.
--
Stephen
Chillicothe OH