should i buy a cabby ?

i have been asked if i want to buy a cabby, a friend of a friend ect.  anyway the car is a 1980 w reg gti cabby. it has the small dash, wolfsburg steering wheel, bodywork has odd rust scabs , needs a new wing, owner used to store it in a garage for many years but has asked a friend to sell it for her, he's then left it to stand outside and rot for a year but he did mot it before he left it. the roof is in good condition but there is a gap about an inch on each corner at the rear as if it has come unattatched or badly fitted.. it has some horrible aftermarket wheels and a leather interior ( looks tacky ) which i would like to replace for the original spec. owner will mot the car , any ideas how much it is worth ? i have looked at price guide/ buyers guide but it's not working for me. i think it will make a good car but i   just want to try owning a cabby and if i didn't like it sell without a loss. how much is it worth, how would it be worth restored ?

Sounds very like the one I bought last year…



I paid ?150 for mine, and ended up binning pretty much everything, carpets seats, hood etc, it needed loads…

It's worth whatever someone wants to pay for it though, and with older cars (especially old volkswagens, for some reason) it seems that people have a classic (which they do) and that it's worth thousands (which in it's current condition it is not)

Im interested to hear how you get on….

don't think it needs that much doing, owner is 3rd owner and she always kept it garaged and serviced for teens of years as did all owners i am told, girlfriend knows her and car, she has had it from late  80's and money has never been a problem, used as a second car only taken out on sunny days ect, believe it to be genuine,

Cabbys are usually in better condition than hatchbacks. Either they're newer (naturally because they carried on until 1993/94), or they've been used as second cars, so might have been low mileage, with no daily commute to-from work through traffic. They're obviously less practical too, so unlikely to have had kids in the back, cement in the boot, etc etc. Also they're unlikely to have been thrashed by boy racers. Also, they seem to be cheaper than hatchbacks in equivalent condition.

has anybody got any info about  a 1980 cabby gti ? any photo's, spec ect ?

If the car hasn't been driven for the past year you'll need to go over it with a fine toothed comb before a value can be established.
Flat spots on tyres, rusty fuel tank + filler neck, seized drums, knackered hood frame etc etc.  Depends how much money you think it will take to get it back on the road.  And if its rusty on the inside it could be worse underneath.

Sounds like the hood has shrunk, as they tend to lift if the corners whhen that happen. so a new roof would be on the replacement list. If its been left outside check under ther carpest as they can get very wet. also check the raer window surround as they rust very easily and are expensive to replace. I would say an aolder cabby would not be worth allot as there are allot of new better condition one around…whih had better rust proofing than theearly models. have you had a look on prowlers site, some graat like there for info.

Rob

Robb said

 also check the raer window surround as they rust very easily and are expensive to replace.
Rob

Called up my local VW dealer about this last week.  ?189 + VAT!

Sounds like a decent enough prospect if you get it for the right money? is it worth saving????even with an mot its not gonna be worth a massive amount ?200-?300 in my opinion, it will probably cost at least that again to get it "right" and thats not including the hood! but for less than a grand you could have a wicked little classic cab, i love my one, great little cars and just as much character as a tin top, other drivers dont see you as a threat in a mk1 cabby either!!! everywhere i go in my VR6 someone drives up my ar5e or pulls out on me! never get it in the sportline

Unless your looking for a project for the love rather than the money, I would tend to steer clear unless on a thorough going over it's a gem.  In real terms, if you could get it for ?100 or less, by the time you've sorted the interior, roof and other gremlins that are bound to be present, you'll be lucky to have change from a grand.  If you're lucky it may be worth ?750 in good nick.  

By all means don't let this put you off, have a look and see what it's like.  A cabby is a good compliment to a tintop, I really enjoy mine

For some useful info check out

Cabriolet Buying Guide

and

Our Hood Saga

NO

I paid ?700 for mine nearly two years ago. I think I got a bit of a bargain really.

Although it obviously was going to need the roof replacing fairly soon after I got it, it had low mileage - 86,000 and is in pretty good nick. White interior was grubby (and still is!) but in good condition apart from the wear on the bolster, and the tops of the plastic door trims is perfect, not split at all like they usually do.

And I disagree with paul c that they're not that practical. You can drop the roof and fit almost anything on the back seat and put the roof back over, and the folding back seat rest means you can get quite a bit in across the boot and back seat - and yes, it has carried bags of cement, compost, logs, and my old one even took a fridge to the dump! Although obviously a hatchback is a lot more accessible.

In a word YES rescue it, mend it and love it!!!!!!

     

You can't drop the roof and use it to carry stuff in the rain!!!! I'm just saying that, based on having both hatchback and cabby, and I find the boot awkward to put stuff in, the strengthening bar and the way the seats fold, not so good.

paul_c said

You can't drop the roof and use it to carry stuff in the rain!!!! .

Like I say, you drop the roof put the stuff in and then put the roof back up!!

Anyway, I carried two christmas trees hanging out of the back of the blue golf with the roof down and it was pouring!!!   

Get a hat - and seats dry out you know!     

Jim why not use Jo's for a week and make your mind up\ that way?


Hope your campaigns ok mate!

mk1jim said

has anybody got any info about  a 1980 cabby gti ? any photo's, spec ect ?

Its a GLi for starters  :wink: . 1588 EG, 5 speed, chrome trim, non-sports seats, 12 spoke alloys. Think GLS trim with GTi running gear.

Soft suspension, slow but a great pose.

Here is mine

 that's what it looks like chrome trimmings , small dash with round clocks, has horrible aftermarket wheels on it. any idea of value dubboy ?
  bringing back memories of gaydon there, that is my old silver campaign in the background.