According to the creator of its ad, today’s Nice Price or No Dice Rabbit needs a spring cleaning, among other minor work, to make it a summer runabout. Let’s see if it is right-priced to get us rolling up our sleeves.
In present-day usage, the phrase “good enough for government work” carries a negative connotation, implying a level of incompetence or shortsightedness in those who administrate. In truth, it originally meant the opposite, connoting that any solid piece of work was up to the high standards that governing bodies strove to maintain. It’s perhaps unsurprising to learn that the phrase originated in Canada—initially “close enough for government work”—and was first coined around the turn of the last century. It could be argued that, while not the most desirable or engaging model the company ever offered, last Friday’s 1999 Porsche 911 Carrera cabriolet was, in fact, “close enough for government work.” A $23,999 price tag worked for most of us, as well, earning the six-speed sports car a solid 68% Nice Price win.
Mistakes were made
The owner of today’s 1981 Volkswagen Rabbit convertible made a simple mistake; they left the car with the window open in the corner of the yard of an urban Los Angeles carburetor repair shop. For three years. During that time, it has been there through the rain and ash fall from the recent fires, as well as inviting all sorts of spiders and other creepy crawlies to condo-ize its air vents and other nooks and crannies. The result is an interior that looks like a set piece for “The Walking Dead,” the show about zombies that, itself, never seems to die.
The Karmann connection
Besides being in such a moribund state, the car seems pretty solid. The Golf/Rabbit convertibles were designed, engineered, and constructed by VW affiliate Karmann in Osnabrück, Germany. Despite that company’s penchant for having little regard for rust-proofing in their builds, this car shows no sign of road rot even after three years outdoors.
That’s not to say that time and lack of use haven’t taken their toll, however. According to the seller, the car’s fuel system has gummed up from that disuse (thanks, ethanol!), meaning the car will only sputter to life on ether and, hence, will need to be towed. Fortunately, these early Rabbits are pretty simple, and considering the lack of history on the car, it might make sense to simply undertake a whole-hog refresh of everything under the hood—timing belt, plugs, fluids, etc.—before giving its starter the old college try. Oh, and it will likely need a new battery since those things rarely deal well with long-term lack of use. In the plus column, there is a new alternator, and everything does look to be complete in the engine bay.
Spit and polish
The rest of the aesthetics seem salvageable, if needing a good bit of cleaning and maybe a hazmat suit. At the very least, someone should roll up the window to prevent further damage.
The bodywork is straight, but is missing the boot lid badging and the rub strip on the driver’s door. There’s also evidence of what looks to be either black spray paint or a blast of too-rich exhaust on the passenger side. Aftermarket wheels sit under all that and appear to be mounted on spacers as they stick out a good bit. Interestingly, the bumpers do not stick out, indicating that someone went to the effort to tuck them in on both ends.
The seller claims the interior to be in good condition, but it’s a little difficult to discern its state under the thick layer of dust and debris. There are some obvious signs of the stitching failing on the seats, and the decklid in the back is befouled by a pair of aggressively awful-looking stereo speakers. Other than those catches, nothing stands out here as particularly problematic.
Sorority sister
The car comes with just over 100K on the clock, and it does have a clean title. The seller says that they have moved 40 miles away, making working on the car an onerous task. Plus, they need the garage space at home for the sweet big Benz they also own. Because of that, the car is offered in its present state for $2,950 rather than cleaned up and running at a substantially higher price.
When new, these Rabbit convertibles were the official ride of sororities nationwide. Now that the model could be considered a classic, however, there’s no reason that the broader market shouldn’t give them a go.
What’s your take on this non-running Rabbit and that $2,950 price? Does that make it worth hopping on board and bringing it back to life? Or is this bunny too broken to ask even that paltry sum?
You decide!
Nice Price or No Dice:
Orange County, California, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
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