OK... at present prices, $1000 will buy you about 300 gallons of gas
which will take you 3600 miles in reasonable safety. And if your
present vehicle is relatively trouble-free, has working windows and
working AC, the first repair will make that equation 500 gallons and
6000 miles. Then fixing the windows...

Unless all you want is a beater-car to drive until it drops, have no
"state inspection" system such as Pennsylvania that requires at least
basic safety stuff to be checked once a year, the math just doesn't
make sense for a 20 year old vehicle that has no other virtue than
decent mileage at the immediate moment.

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA

I am looking at a 1987 Jetta Deluxe Diesel 2 door that a guy down the
street is considering selling. Runs good, looks fair, 1.8L 5 speed, 210,000
miles. A/C does not work, windows won't roll up or down, and fan switch
isn't working. Also, for some reason the wipers run constantly??
 However, he tells me this car gets over 40mpg. That beats the heack out of
my current 12mpg truck! Could someone advse me what this Jetta may be worth?
He thinks he'd like to get around $1,000.00 for it. And anything I should be
watching for? I assume the windows cranks and fan are minor repairs, not all
that worried about the A/C if it would be a huge expense. This would be my
first diesel vehicle. Is the 210,000 miles too high to consider? Or is it OK
on a well maintained diesel engine?
 Any advice will be appreciated!

 Thanks!
 Tim