TDIMeister
Phd of TDIClub Enthusiast, Moderator at Large
http://www.bakersfield.com/102/story/213112.html
Tehachapi man wins VW contest, gets new Touareg in exchange for '77 Rabbit
BY DREW PHILP, Californian staff writer
From dirty-banana yellow to shiny-silver in a matter of only 30 years.
Photo by Drew Philp
Clinton Wilson takes one last look at his old diesel VW Rabbit before driving off in his brand-new Touareg at Family Volkswagen of Bakersfield on Tuesday morning.
Tehachapi resident Clinton Wilson's yellow '77 Rabbit has won the oldest diesel Volkswagen in America contest, and in return he gets a six-month lease on a new silver Touareg V10 TDI and a $500 gas card to drive it.
He's first driving to Lancaster to show his father-in-law, then he's off to Vegas, "Frisco" and ... the world.
"This is where I get to be a little kid at Christmas all over: Don't touch it!" Wilson plans to instruct his friends.
He bought his '77 Rabbit from a neighbor who was selling it for some cash to send to his son in the service.
It has no air conditioner, the rebuilt motor has about 130,000 miles on it, and the suspension's old, so "it's a little bumpy." (It does get almost 50 miles to the gallon -- put that in your pipe and smoke it British Petroleum.)
Cost of '77 Rabbit: $2,000. (The neighbor wanted $3,000 but Wilson paid in cash.)
Cost of new Touareg: $60,000-plus.
The new car only gets about 20 miles to the gallon "if you keep your foot out of it," according to VW public relations manager Keith Price, who was at a Tuesday event at Family Volkswagen of Bakersfield. But man it's fine: Leather interior. Power seats. Bowel-loosening 310 horsepower V-10 diesel motor. It smells like new car too!
The hoopla comes from the 30th anniversary of VW in America. There was also a contest for the diesel VW with the highest mileage in America. Some guy in Ohio received that honor.
Wilson has been asked to blog about his experience, and VW will show his old diesel Rabbit around the country.
The new car is being leased, not given, to Wilson so he can have it completely free, no taxes or fees.
"This is a press fleet vehicle," Price said. "We're loaning it to him under the same auspices as Car and Driver Magazine."
This is the first thing Wilson has ever won. He plans to keep his friends from messing with the car, and may not let them eat and drink inside.
"I might even make them take their shoes off," he said, grinning.
Tehachapi man wins VW contest, gets new Touareg in exchange for '77 Rabbit
BY DREW PHILP, Californian staff writer
From dirty-banana yellow to shiny-silver in a matter of only 30 years.
Photo by Drew PhilpClinton Wilson takes one last look at his old diesel VW Rabbit before driving off in his brand-new Touareg at Family Volkswagen of Bakersfield on Tuesday morning.
Tehachapi resident Clinton Wilson's yellow '77 Rabbit has won the oldest diesel Volkswagen in America contest, and in return he gets a six-month lease on a new silver Touareg V10 TDI and a $500 gas card to drive it.
He's first driving to Lancaster to show his father-in-law, then he's off to Vegas, "Frisco" and ... the world.
"This is where I get to be a little kid at Christmas all over: Don't touch it!" Wilson plans to instruct his friends.
He bought his '77 Rabbit from a neighbor who was selling it for some cash to send to his son in the service.
It has no air conditioner, the rebuilt motor has about 130,000 miles on it, and the suspension's old, so "it's a little bumpy." (It does get almost 50 miles to the gallon -- put that in your pipe and smoke it British Petroleum.)
Cost of '77 Rabbit: $2,000. (The neighbor wanted $3,000 but Wilson paid in cash.)
Cost of new Touareg: $60,000-plus.
The new car only gets about 20 miles to the gallon "if you keep your foot out of it," according to VW public relations manager Keith Price, who was at a Tuesday event at Family Volkswagen of Bakersfield. But man it's fine: Leather interior. Power seats. Bowel-loosening 310 horsepower V-10 diesel motor. It smells like new car too!
The hoopla comes from the 30th anniversary of VW in America. There was also a contest for the diesel VW with the highest mileage in America. Some guy in Ohio received that honor.
Wilson has been asked to blog about his experience, and VW will show his old diesel Rabbit around the country.
The new car is being leased, not given, to Wilson so he can have it completely free, no taxes or fees.
"This is a press fleet vehicle," Price said. "We're loaning it to him under the same auspices as Car and Driver Magazine."
This is the first thing Wilson has ever won. He plans to keep his friends from messing with the car, and may not let them eat and drink inside.
"I might even make them take their shoes off," he said, grinning.
