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81rabbitdiesel · 01-26-2012, 04:42 PM

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the warm welcome.

The guy i bought the car from had a lot of stuff done to it. so the engine is very sound as is the tranny. it has new brakes and wheel bearings. the timeing belt was changed at 155k miles and the car now has 162k miles. The PO had all the work done at a VW shop in Dallas and kept all his reciepts. Heck he gave me a file folder on the car with all the work done to it.

I figure i will probably have the timing belt changed again at about 200k miles ...thats less than 60k miles on the belt but it would take me a very long time to put that many miles on it so i think its probably safer. I changed the alternator belt because it would Squeel sometimes and was annoying. it was hard to change and the belt i took off was nearly new but the VW shop he used put on a belt that looked to me to be about an inch to long.

At that time i planned on deleating the AC belt but then realized that my alternator belt runs off the AC pully so no can due. I got the car because its easy for me to see out of and it is cheap to drive. Im on disability and having some health issues that doesnt allow me to do alot. but i have to say I LOVE driving this thing.

im hoping maybe next year i can afford to get some fiberglass and make a front end cover that bows around the front at an angle so there is no flat surface and with help with the front tires having to buck the air as it is driven or coasts. also i am wanting to do a full belly pan. I read all the project sipster thread and did a bunch of searching online to find more info but there isnt much out there.

what i cant do is the engine swap. but i figure since i dont care to drive fast then maybe doing the areo stuff might help me get some serious mpgs out of this thing. My Wife hates the car cause i cant stop reserching and talking about it LOL.

i found where an 82 ford fiesta diesel 1.6 set a world record of 92.5 mpgs with an average speed of 48 mph. going 888 miles on one tank in 1988. this kind of stuff gets me really excited lol im shooting for 60 so i think i can get there its just gonna take me a while.

I had to put new tires on the car because the ones that we on it looked new but were dry rotted and 11 years old : ( i put skinny 13 inch tires on from walmart. I cant remember the size but they were the skinnyest they had. They have a 44 psi sidewall rating, i keep them at 50 psi.

thanks again for the the site and all the help you guys have given me without even knowing.

Don

01-26-2012, 04:42 PM	#5 (permalink)
81rabbitdiesel EcoModding Lurker Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: East Texas, Hill country North of Tyler Texas Posts: 14 DaRabbit - '81 Volkswagen Rabbit LS 90 day: 60.03 mpg (US) Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Hi Guys, Thanks for the warm welcome. The guy i bought the car from had a lot of stuff done to it. so the engine is very sound as is the tranny. it has new brakes and wheel bearings. the timeing belt was changed at 155k miles and the car now has 162k miles. The PO had all the work done at a VW shop in Dallas and kept all his reciepts. Heck he gave me a file folder on the car with all the work done to it. I figure i will probably have the timing belt changed again at about 200k miles ...thats less than 60k miles on the belt but it would take me a very long time to put that many miles on it so i think its probably safer. I changed the alternator belt because it would Squeel sometimes and was annoying. it was hard to change and the belt i took off was nearly new but the VW shop he used put on a belt that looked to me to be about an inch to long. At that time i planned on deleating the AC belt but then realized that my alternator belt runs off the AC pully so no can due. I got the car because its easy for me to see out of and it is cheap to drive. Im on disability and having some health issues that doesnt allow me to do alot. but i have to say I LOVE driving this thing. im hoping maybe next year i can afford to get some fiberglass and make a front end cover that bows around the front at an angle so there is no flat surface and with help with the front tires having to buck the air as it is driven or coasts. also i am wanting to do a full belly pan. I read all the project sipster thread and did a bunch of searching online to find more info but there isnt much out there. what i cant do is the engine swap. but i figure since i dont care to drive fast then maybe doing the areo stuff might help me get some serious mpgs out of this thing. My Wife hates the car cause i cant stop reserching and talking about it LOL. i found where an 82 ford fiesta diesel 1.6 set a world record of 92.5 mpgs with an average speed of 48 mph. going 888 miles on one tank in 1988. this kind of stuff gets me really excited lol im shooting for 60 so i think i can get there its just gonna take me a while. I had to put new tires on the car because the ones that we on it looked new but were dry rotted and 11 years old : ( i put skinny 13 inch tires on from walmart. I cant remember the size but they were the skinnyest they had. They have a 44 psi sidewall rating, i keep them at 50 psi. thanks again for the the site and all the help you guys have given me without even knowing. Don