YACT: Thinking of getting a 1990 VW FOX

[CrackRabbit]

Was puttering around ebay bored and came across This
Its inexpensive and would get much better gas milage than my K-Car (21/23 vs 25/30)
I dont know much about this peticular model. Are they hard to work on, or anything I would want to watch out for?
Any coments at all.


CrackRabbit

 

[CrackRabbit]

anyone?

 

[Baked]

Serious Junk.

 

[DainBramaged]

Originally posted by: Baked
Serious Junk.

I had a Fox as my first car. Repairs are unbelieveable. DON'T DO IT!

 

[CrackRabbit]

Originally posted by: DainBramaged

Originally posted by: Baked
Serious Junk.

I had a Fox as my first car. Repairs are unbelieveable. DON'T DO IT!

What did you have go wrong with it?

 

[Colt45]

Sounds like its been pretty neglected. Luckily since it is relatively simple, repairs aren't too expensive.. but it is probably more or less in throw-away condition

 

[Sluggo]

Its inexpensive and would get much better gas milage than my K-Car

But oddly enough, exactly the same shape.

 

[CrackRabbit]

Originally posted by: Sluggo

Its inexpensive and would get much better gas milage than my K-Car

But oddly enough, exactly the same shape.

Actualy my K-Car is boxier. And probably heavier than the Fox.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Alt is easy to replace when it finally goes and since the a/c works you don't need the windows too . Only real problem I see is your going from a $100 car you know to another $100 car you don't. BTW you should be getting better then 23mpg highway with a k-car.
http://www.allpar.com/fix/80s-codes.html
run the codes

 

[CrackRabbit]

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf
Alt is easy to replace when it finally goes and since the a/c works you don't need the windows too . Only real problem I see is your going from a $100 car you know to another $100 car you don't. BTW you should be getting better then 23mpg highway with a k-car.
http://www.allpar.com/fix/80s-codes.html
run the codes

Actualy I'm a memeber of the Allpar Forums
No Codes on my car.
The reason my car doesnt do so great on the gas milage is that the Lock up torque converters that help with milage weren't standard until '88
Mines an '86, Its tuned decently and runs fine though.

 

[thedarkwolf]

86 so its still carbed aswell. Have you had the privilege of rebuilding it yet? They all either need it or have had it done .

Pretty sure my non-lockup converter running turbo caravan pulls out 23mpg on the highway.

 

[CrackRabbit]

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf
86 so its still carbed aswell. Have you had the privilege of rebuilding it yet? They all either need it or have had it done .

Wrong again its a 2.5 TBI , no rebuilding needed. Though I should probably clean the IAS motor.

 

[thedarkwolf]

damn I could swear it was 87 they went tbi .

 

[1990yj]

they're simple to work on, but reliability is hit or miss (as has been with VW for the past 20 or so years) finding replacement parts may not be as easy as with your K car, the fox was a flop, and of course the early 90's were the years VW was inches from leaving the US market.

if you know how to work on cars, it should be no problem for you. rust shouldn't be a problem, but if you can, check the strut mounts for rust. don't want one of them going through the hood.

can't really go wrong for $200.

shameless plug: VWVortex forums

 

[jlarsson]

Don't do it. I had a 93 Fox for my first car, and the thing was far from reliable.

Instead of listing out all that went wrong with the car, lets just say that I certainly got my money worth with my AAA membership.