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#BS-1987-VOLCAB-2190

1987 Volkswagen Cabriolet

Based on reports from 12 owners and 3 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
12
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Recalls
3
TSBs
1
🟒

Preliminary Verdict

Proceed with Caution

Based on 12 complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, and 3 recalls. Complaint rate is 2.8x the class average.

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank AssemblyHIGH

8 owners reported fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly issues β€” failures commonly reported around 170K miles.

!Inspect the Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac System:heater CoreMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 3 more items in full checklistUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly (8 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly8 (67%)
Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac System:heater Core1 (8%)
Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer1 (8%)
Structure:frame And Members1 (8%)
Steering1 (8%)

1987 Volkswagen Cabriolet: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly Issues

Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly complaints account for 67% of all reports filed for the 1987 Volkswagen Cabriolet, with 8 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 170,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 170K-mile mark.

Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac System:heater Core Issues

Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac System:heater Core complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 1987 Volkswagen Cabriolet, with 1 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system:heater core-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer Issues

Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 1987 Volkswagen Cabriolet, with 1 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to visibility:windshield wiper/washer-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Structure:frame And Members Issues

Structure:frame And Members complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 1987 Volkswagen Cabriolet, with 1 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to structure:frame and members-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

3
01
1
02
1
03
1
10

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1987 Volkswagen Cabriolet. Recent trend: stable.

Don't negotiate blind β€” know what this car costs to own

Repair costs β€’ Negotiation scripts β€’ Mechanic checklist β€’ Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (3 recalls)

87V053000Jun 1987

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

FUEL PUMP, LOCATED INSIDE FUEL TANK, COULD SEIZE DURING HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES BECAUSE OF AN EXTREME FINE MESH FUEL FILTER RESTRICTING THE FUEL FLOW.

91V201000Dec 1991

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

A CRACK CAN DEVELOP IN THE FUEL TANK ADJACENT TO A SEAM WELD IN THE REAR OF THE TANK.

94V065000Aug 1994

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

A CRACK CAN DEVELOP IN THE FUEL TANK ADJACENT TO A SEAM WELD IN THE REAR OF THE TANK.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Volkswagen Cabriolet is the 1991 β€” worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

1987 Volkswagen Cabriolet vs. Class Average (Minicompact Cars)

This vehicle

12

Class avg

4

2.8x the class average β€” significantly more complaints than typical minicompact cars vehicles.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume β€” popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 12 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 3 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

1987 Volkswagen Cabriolet: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1987 Volkswagen Cabriolet?
The most commonly reported issue with the 1987 Volkswagen Cabriolet is related to the fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly, with 8 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 1987 Volkswagen Cabriolet reliable?
The 1987 Volkswagen Cabriolet has 12 complaints, 0 crash reports, and 0 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 2.8x the class average β€” higher than typical for its segment.
How much does it cost to fix 1987 Volkswagen Cabriolet problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 1987 Volkswagen Cabriolet have any recalls?
Yes, the 1987 Volkswagen Cabriolet has 3 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Volkswagen Cabriolet problems start?
Based on 1 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 170,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 150K+ mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records β€” then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence β€” what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you β€” no questions asked.
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