1995 Jetta..Too cheap to pass up?

I just found an ad in my local paper:

1995 Jetta, 5spd, New Clutch, Sunroof, 2.0L Engine, Good condition, some dings, broken timing belt, $800

I'm curious if this is something I should look into? I usually post in aircooled forums since I have a 76 bug but I like to have heat in the winter!

thanks

Reply to
tmart
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Depends on how much you want to spend on the engine job... And the whatever else is broken job... And the next broken thing after that ...

Face it a 95 with a blown engine is worth just about what scrap is selling for and not much more. It's old, doesn't run, and may need some extensive work. OK, you may be lucky, and only a few things, but once you put about $1000 into the engine, what do you have? A car that has a book value of maybe (depending on condition) of about $2000 max. Good deal? No, not even slightly. If they will give it to you for free take it, if not walk away.

Reply to
PeterD

ok. Isn't the 2.0 a non interferrence engine? Is it common these are damages in timing belt breaks?

Reply to
tmart

Well I paid $400 for a 1996 Jetta with automatic transmission last year. It also would not start. I got it running very well, needed an ign coil, and then could not easily sell it due to body blemishes. I only got $1200 here in Chicago. BTW the owner also wanted $800 for that dead '96 Jetta, and no one else wanted it. ;-)

So $800 is too much with it being DEAD and not having a perfect body. You can't tell what else is wrong, like the transmission might have a bad reverse gear.

Pay $200-400 and hope that at least the transmission is good. You will make money on parting it out, if you have to. ;-)

JMHO

Reply to
dave AKA vwdoc1

My son's on his second 1995 Jetta. He loves the car from a driving standpoint. From a repair/reliability standpoint, both have been a pain in the neck (and elsewhere). We're hoping the (manual) transmission gets him to the spring so we don't have to change it in the cold. This one's had a new wheel cylinder, a master cylinder, a front wheel bearing, a front transmission seal (and, of course, the clutch as a result), and some things I can't remember right away in under a year.

Having said that, the first one threw a timing belt without bending any valves, so the engine might not actually be damaged. If the mileage is low the one you're looking at might be worth the money, but I keep asking my son whether he can spell "Honda" or "Toyota" because they...just...keep...working! (My other son's about to break 190K on a

1991 Accord, which in its lifetime has had fewer problems by far than either of the two Jettas have had in two years.)

Personally, I'd walk away.

Reply to
JRE

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none2u

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tacurong

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