Volkswagon Rabbit (Diesel, 1981

[KaNGiX]

Hey guys was just scanning around looking for fuel efficient vehicles. I ran into these old early 80's trucks. Anyone ever have one? While shes no looker like the VX at the quoted 45mpg mark she'd be a prime work truck.

http://www.mpgomatic.com/45_MPG_Pickup_Truck.html

I'll be getting a promotion to a company wide QC job and will be expected to drive around 800 miles a week. FL to NY. Not only that it stop the beating from my izusu.

[tom4bren]

The white-walls definitely make the truck.

[Ldub]

A friend of mine had a diesel Rabbit (not pickup) & IMO, you should also have a support vehicle to follow along behind it to pick up the pieces that fall off.

However, it would be a GREAT car if your favorite thing to do is wrenching on vw's.

[Techy-D]

A co-worker had a Rabbit and his dad had a pickup. I drove the rabbit a number of times on long trips (6 or 7 hrs at a time). You could feel the ride (Kinda like my old gremlin), but it wasn't all that bad. The thing you notice is that it had almost no getup and go, but you could lug it up any hill.
They both loved their rigs and ran them for YEARS and YEARS and MILES and MILES! They either lucked out or they were reliable???

[Bulldoggie]

I had a rabbit as a driver....
top speed about 70mph felt like it needed another gear.
I averaged 53mpg or 500+ miles per 10 gal tank of fuel.
I put KYB gas struts at all corners, made the car handle great.
I also put two replacement engines in. Due to overheating.
In hindsight, I believe this is due to the cloth wound hoses would steam the coolant out, even though psi test were normal and no leak visable.
Diesels run about 225F
I still concidered it to be a FREE car, paying for itself through fuel savings

And stick with a radio, it rattled two high end tape decks apart

[Zorak]

You might have trouble fitting inside it if you are taller than about 5'10"...that seat doesn't travel back too far before it hits the rear wall of the cab