# 1980 Dasher opinions?



## Paddler511 (Aug 13, 2012)

Howdy, I'm looking at this 1980 Dasher diesel with a 5 speed and 160k miles. If has been owned 
by an old lady in So Cal who has kept it in mint condition. They are asking $2500. Ive been lookin for an older VW car to convert to run on Veggie and go on kayak trips. So My questions are... Do these cars have adequate power? A 1.5 seems a bit small for that big tank. How is the suspension? I sometimes haul a load of people and kayaks and don't wont to ride on the bumpstops. 2500 seems a little steep even though it's in great condition. Thanks for looking and hopefully you have some insight on whether this is a worthy investment or not. I know some of you are going to say i should get a rabbit, but i need more room for my dog and peeps! Here is a link to the posting With pics. http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/cto/3194400773.html 

Cheers- Will


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## bimrpwr (Jun 9, 2008)

Well it will be slow, but will be a good car and i think 2500 is worth it. I see the add has been deleted so i am sure it is gone by now.


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## krautwhlz (May 10, 2010)

Well, Paddler511… if you wanted it, hope it was you that got it. $2500. sounds like a very decent price for a well-cared-for minty late Dasher. Once available at dirt cheap prices, the good ones are getting much more rare & have gone up noticeably in price over the last 10 years or so. As to the 1980 Dasher diesels, yeah, they were the 1.5L n.a., not really the pick of the early VW diesel litter, but can do well if maintained properly & driven reasonably.

Having had several of each for a few hundred thousand miles, IMHO the Dasher was definitely a more comfortable all-around vehicle than the early Rabbit. We regularly did 1,500-3,500 mile road trips & the Dashers’ extra room was always appreciated. The hatchback sedans have almost as much load space as the wagons… and their superior aerodynamics allows a few more MPG on the highway. (still have 1 of each!)

From the factory, the diesel Dashers were all equipped with 4-speed manual trannies, so for the vehicle you were checking out, someone liked it enough to swap in a 5-speed. The Quantum 1.6L td’s 5-speed transaxle has fairly close gears & is an excellent match to a 1.5 n.a. in a Dasher, which weighs a few hundred pounds less than a corresponding Quantum model. When engine replacement time finally comes (some 1.5L diesels lasted up to 400,000+ miles), a Quantum 1.6td is almost a bolt-in, and the similar engines from the 70s-80s Rabbit/Golf/Jetta are only a little more involved. Even the 1.9L diesels fit right in & mount up, although they don’t seem to get quite the MPG of the 1.5L/1.6L engines. Have fun.

J.R.
SoCal


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## Maggiolone (Aug 20, 2007)

Buy a minivan if you want to carry lots of junk.

Don't destroy a nice Dasher with that veggie fuel garbage.


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