The newer VWs are all computerized, a bear to work on, and horribly expensive to maintain. Think $600-900 for your routine 40,000 service -- that's if nothing is broken or needs to be replaced. There's nothing like your car computer deciding something is broken (when it isn't), and helpfully disengaging the ignition, to put a kink in your morning commute. After it did this about 6 times I was wondering if I could manage to cause it to go up in flames without getting caught.

The old VWs were a piece of cake and dirt cheap to fix. I don't know when the changeover started happening, but since your friend is driving a car that was discontined in 1984, I suspect his doesn't have all the new bells and whistles :)