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beetlepower wrote:Lol at wonderful world of watercooleds, but yeah they do make great dailies, whether old or new...
They sure do! My Golf 4 Variant is probably the most practical car I have ever owned, it's 10 years old, 220 000km on the clock, and no rust. Aircon, power steering, ABS, 160km/hr and <10l/100km (well, not at 160 of course, in fact, never with me driving, but Gill's managed it often.) It's comfortable and it carts around ACVW gearboxes and engines and front sucpensions, two blond Labradors, mountain bikes, dive gear and tanks, and even tows the boat. Obviously not all at the same time. And she never gives kak. Turn the key, she starts.
But then, isn't that what you expect from a Volkswagen?
Must agree that new watercooled cars gets the job done.
None of my aircooled vehicles have ever let me down next to the road. (Touch wood). If a minor hiccup occurs, i first ask myself: "What have i done to the car to cause this to happen". And therein usually lies the answer. Valve clearances adjusted regularly, fuel hoses checked/ replaced, engine compartment well sealed to keep engine cool. All still have the factory thermostat for longer engine life, lower fuel consumption and better performance when cold. And their heaters i keep in good working condition. (So that passengers do'nt refer to them as "that unpleasant cold car" in winter.)
My 36 year old kombi is the most practical vehicle i have. Over the years it has towed more broken down much newer watercooled vehicles of family, friends, and colleagues than i can count on the fingers of my hands. It does not have aircon, power steering, electric windows, ABS, ABC or XYZ.
My oval is still running as nicely as 20 years ago when i assembled it's modified engine. And it can cruise all day at 130km/h and fuel consumption still excellently low.
In my extended family there is a Honda CRV that sometimes overheats. Over R20 000 spent and now it is so-so, still using water. A Mitsubishi that recently overheated had an imported engine fitted, and R72 000 later, 3 turbos, etc (been to several "experts"), it's still not fixed. A new VW kombi broke one of it's 5 injectors, was R10 000 to replace.(Another 4 to go.) Chris (from this forum), had geabox trouble (7X i think), with his new Transporter, and VW charged R10 000 for just the pulley for his Jetta's alternator. My sister's Corsa recently decided to blow it's head gasket.
Onto older watercooleds: a Neihbour's son's Toyota Corolla (the last RWD type), regularly tries to commit suicyde. When braking hard, it pulls the radiator backwards into the mechanical fan. It's body has become "pap" with age, and distorts when braking. My one sister had a BMW. It's steering coupler broke and the car just carried on straight. Recently happened to one of my mother's neighbours as well with their older BMW. The other day at Midas i saw a guy in the que with torn steering coupler as sample, and said to him: "I know, thats from a BM". He replied: No, it's from a Toyota.
But there are good watercooleds in the family. My father's Merc 123 series car only needed a clutch cylinder kit and a bulb all these years, plus the normal tyres and batteries. And the various company- owned cars i drove during working hours did the job. At the George airport car rentals i once asked for "something that has a manual window winder that still works when the ignition is off". Rented a Kia Picanto, and even did the Montague pass with it. By the way, the Montague pass is far from Montague, it was the old mountain pass from George inlands.
Just my own humble experiences, not meant to upset anybody.
Staying Aircooled is so much nicer.
Do'nt assume anything- (While doing fault-finding).
Ja well, no fine, the last time I went through there, it was all untarred. I mean, how decadent the people are these days...
I have had all kinds of VWs, air cooled, water cooled, a dozen of each at least, new, old, beautiful, ugly, but they were all, without exception, great cars. None of them left me stranded, although it's been close now and then. In the UK I was briefly unfaithful, I owned a Vauxhall Cavalier 1.8 GLi, a C-reg. That was also a good one. And hats off to Gill's little Toyota Corolla 130 (It's NOT a Tazz!!!), what a little work horse that is. And then there's the Audi. I love my Audi. I sooth my conscience with "it's almost a Volkswagen... It's owned by Volkwagen... It has lots of Volkswagen parts..."
