1998 Volkswagen Cabrio GL

[johnapril]

In my neighborhood there is a 1998 Volkswagen Cabrio GL for sale by owner with 52,000 miles. The second owner is asking $6250. The car looks perfect. Am I getting a deal or a nightmare? Does anyone know about maintenance on a 10-year-old VW?

Thanks in advance.

 

[redtree00]

As long as you have a local (non-dealer) VW mechanic, the upkeep will be moderate for a european car. Significantly higher than anything japanese or american.

Are you aware that the Cabrio is a chick car ?
I can't say I have ever seen a straight male own one.

 

[Dmax]

Agree with everything Mr. Redtree said.

The price does nor appear to be a spectacular deal. The engine is not really a fire-breathing beast either. Tthe car does not appear to have been driven much given the mileage and condition and if you really like it should serve it's purpose just fine. As far as VW reliability, some people had horrible luck while others had no issues whatsoever. If you have an independent mechanic who can work on the car at reasonable rates you should be OK.

Other similar cars you may want to consider are Mazda Miata, Toyota MR-2, Ford Mustang Convertible, and Mitsubishi Eclipse Convertible.

 

[jkennett]

I'd be very weary of buying a 10 year old VW. Repairs won't be cheap, and it is very likely they will be necessary.

 

[billiebob]

That price seems very high to me, for a 10 yr old VW, but I'm totally out of touch of the convertible market. Jettas of this vintage (right before the re-design) can go for a little as 3K.

 

[crazyquik]

VW, especially of that era and before (I don't know about now) were not known to have the best electricals. The more manual accessories (seat, windows, locks, etc) the better.

Maybe they've gotten all the ironed out with the newer models.