What am I getting into?

"and 100 more" (nth256) 01/15/2015 at 12:54 • Filed to: None

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Attn: Opponauts w/ VW-specific knowledge (and anyone else who wants to chime in, because I'm all-inclusive, like Sandals)

A neighbor of mine has a VW Fox (random GIS picture above, not his) that has been sitting unmoved for about 6 months. I'm thinking of asking what's wrong with it, and making an offer on it, and either flipping it or using it as a commuter.

I'm unfamiliar w/ VWs; can anyone give me some tips on VW-specific (or Fox-specific) wear items or other issues to ask about or look out for? Should I run away screaming reconsider and buy something else? How hard are these to work on? How hard would they be to find parts for?

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > and 100 more 01/15/2015 at 13:03

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One vote for run away screaming. These are an odd concoction of VW and Audi parts and while you'll be able to find water pumps and timing belts for it; smaller, odder pieces like suspension bits could be hard to source.

The good side is that these are actually decently reliable if well maintained. Seeing as your prospect has been sitting for half a year I would assume that it will take a lot of work to undo the neglect.

fhrblig > and 100 more 01/15/2015 at 13:04

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Oh God, I have a totally irrational love of VW Foxes. I suspect parts availability will be scary, but I'd totally do it.

505Turbeaux > and 100 more 01/15/2015 at 13:07

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totally a simple car. I have owned 2 of them, one wagon, one "coupe". Parts are easy to find, and there is a ton of space to work on things under the hood. Techtonics still makes a stainless exhaust for <300$

and 100 more > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 01/15/2015 at 13:08

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Fair assessment, thank you.

I'm in that shadowy place called vwvortex right now, doing some study.

and 100 more > fhrblig 01/15/2015 at 13:10

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See, I have a conflict between my "would totally" and my "can afford to" when it comes to doing it.

Wait, that didn't come out right...

and 100 more > 505Turbeaux 01/15/2015 at 13:11

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Sweet, thank you!

I live in a fairly rust-free state, so I'm not too worried, but did these ever have rust issues?

Coty > and 100 more 01/15/2015 at 13:14

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VWVortex? May god have mercy on your soul.

Also, get a Beetle. I help you.

505Turbeaux > and 100 more 01/15/2015 at 13:19

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sometimes in the floor pans, but that was really only up here in New England. Heres some pics of my old wagon!

and 100 more > Coty 01/15/2015 at 13:22

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Yeah, I'm just lurking over there. I've heard... stories.

Beetle, hmm? Maybe... I'm only looking at this Fox as an opportunity because it's literally right in front of me at least once a day as I leave for work.

You're in Austin, yes?

505Turbeaux > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 01/15/2015 at 13:22

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nah, never had a problem finding anything for them, even in the small bits department.

and 100 more > 505Turbeaux 01/15/2015 at 13:24

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Oh yeah, i remember seeing you post one or two of those pics here before! I gotta say, the two-door wagon looks particularly badass.

Coty > and 100 more 01/15/2015 at 13:27

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Nah, I'm all the way up in New Hampshire.

Beetles are awesome:

505Turbeaux > and 100 more 01/15/2015 at 13:30

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I love the shape. That exhaust is one of those techtonics SS too...center exit!

and 100 more > Coty 01/15/2015 at 13:45

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Agreed!

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > and 100 more 01/15/2015 at 13:57

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My father had one. Parts were a bit tricky to source sometimes, but a local VW dealer here has them up for ordering.

and 100 more > and 100 more 01/15/2015 at 14:05

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For my own reference later:

http://www.lunaticfringe.org/vwfox/vwfox.ht…

Stuff I learned:

-N-S engine w/ an Audi transaxle

-The engine is, by and large, exactly the same as same-year Jettas, except for smaller valves, and a restrictive exhaust gasket at the cat

-Suspension is mostly Fox-specific, but struts can be shared w/ Audi 4000.

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > and 100 more 01/15/2015 at 14:17

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A friend had one. I've never seen a car that attracted that much rust in a state that doesn't use salt on the roads....Other than that, it ran pretty well, but always seemed to have electrical gremlins and disintegrating plastics...I do know that the people that still have them are fanatical about them, though.

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > 505Turbeaux 01/15/2015 at 14:28

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You're making me miss my father's old Fox. that thing just rusted away in my back yard for 6 years. What year is that? his had the same grille.

rotundapig > and 100 more 01/15/2015 at 14:33

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If you are looking for an excuse to visit Brazil, this will give you one, since that's where you'll be headed for parts.

and 100 more > rotundapig 01/15/2015 at 14:38

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Not that I needed another excuse to visit Brazil.

505Turbeaux > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy 01/15/2015 at 15:05

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88

TotallyThatStupid > and 100 more 01/15/2015 at 15:05

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I dig these, and remember when they launched, 'cause I'm old.

Anyway, they always seemed like mini Audi 4000's, which struck me as kind of cool. The one detail I think looks odd is the wheelbase - in proportion to the rest of the car - is a little too short. The shooting brake version exacerbates that aesthetic. Packaging being what it is, I get it. The Passat/Quantum from that era suffer as well. Or maybe the wheel openings are just a little too small.

Every now and then a clean one pops up for sale and I think, "Oh, yeah. That." Be a neat winter ride if it had ABS and bun warmers. The latter is probably an easy retrofit, the former not so much.

and 100 more > TotallyThatStupid 01/15/2015 at 15:08

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I've been researching a little since my original post, and they actually share a bit of suspension stuff with the Audi 4000, good eye!

I live in a fairly dry, snow-free portion of Texas, with a slow freeway commute, so something like this (plus the aforementioned bun warmers) would make an awesome commuter.

PardonMyFlemish16 > and 100 more 01/19/2015 at 18:52

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Silhouette looked like a Maserati Biturbo. I was going to say a world of pain. I see it's a VW Fox, so it's more like a world of boredom and parts chasing.