VW Beetles

[Battis]

Looking for opinions and experiences with 70s VW Beetles. My wife has always wanted one so we started looking around. I'm talking about a restored one, not one that needs alot of work. Prices seem to run around $10,000 for a decent one, and much higher for really good ones. Friends had them back in the day, and we drove them alot, but looking at them now...not so sure. I'm not talking every day use, or even year round, though, as I remember, they were good in the snow but the heaters were bad.
Ideas?

[Finster101]

There is no such thing as a VW Beetle that does not need a lot of work.

[Mal Paso]

The heaters are boxes around the exhaust manifolds powered by engine cooling air which then has to make it to the front without cooling too much. An iffy proposition as the vehicles age.

I grew up with John Muir and "How to keep your Volkswagen Alive", adjusted my valves every 3,000 miles and still managed to drop valves. Got really good at rebuilding..... They were fun, I think.

The real John Muir not the naturalist bum. LOL

[super6]

There is no such thing as a VW Beetle that does not need a lot of work.

I have had at least 20 buses and beetles over the years and Never paid more then 200$ for any of them.

[wv109323]

My family had a 1958,1961 microbus,1964, 1965,1969, and a 1972 or 3. The last one had much more power and with radial tires it handled very well. It was the regular front end and not the "Super Beetle".
Heater problems was rusted out heater boxes/ductwork or non working control cables. The heater was air blow over the exhaust manifold into the interior.
The down side is no cruise control or air conditioner. Parts and service availability may be expensive as time goes on.

[Jim22]

I would be surprised if one of them would meet any emissions standards. Then there is the safety question. No engine in the front to protect you in case of a colission. Instead of putting an engine up there they put the gas tank up front. Seems like every argument there was against the Corvair applies to the Beetle.

One thing, though. Parts should not be a problem. Beetles were built in Mexico until about ten years ago.

Jim

[Texas by God]

There is no such thing as a VW Beetle that does not need a lot of work.

Truth. Like a Harley- something always shaking loose. My first car was a 67 beetle. Fill it up with oil and check the gas! A fun car for a crazy teenager ( guess who?)in the early 70s.

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[XDROB]

Floor rot, runing boards rotted. Heater vents down on floor near your feet rotting. Heater boxes (basically exhaust manifolds) rusted. I was and still not a fan of the Super Beetles. Couldn't modify the suspension easily. Original twin tube frt end are easy to work on. My last one had a 2100cc modified engine. Never dynoed it but estimated horses was around 180 to 200. Ran 14 inch wide radials and adjustable shocks to lower it. H as d sway bars frt and back. Handled like a slot car. Had a 40 Ford fiberglass front end on it. I tinted the windows by spraying tint on the glass and letting it run done the glass. Was not an easy or fun job. Tint film was not invented yet. That car was a BLAST to drive. I raced all my buddies in their Camaros, Chevelles with their big V8s on back roads. Pissed them off every time they couldn't catch me.

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[Electrod47]

There is no such thing as a VW Beetle that does not need a lot of work.

My thoughts exactly.
Owned 2 over the years. Strictly a novelty item in today's driving scenarios. It had its place and time. At the prices mentioned before, I think the novelty would have worn off.

[MaryB]

I would be surprised if one of them would meet any emissions standards. Then there is the safety question. No engine in the front to protect you in case of a colission. Instead of putting an engine up there they put the gas tank up front. Seems like every argument there was against the Corvair applies to the Beetle.

One thing, though. Parts should not be a problem. Beetles were built in Mexico until about ten years ago.

Jim

Probably exempt in most states... no emissions test needed.

[fastdadio]

Buy her a Mazda Miata and enjoy life a little more.

[Thumbcocker]

If you want to know what its like to be a passenger in a 1964 model that got totaled lm your guy. Short version it sucks.

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[Finster101]

Truth. Like a Harley- something always shaking loose. My first car was a 67 beetle. Fill it up with oil and check the gas! A fun car for a crazy teenager ( guess who?)in the early 70s.

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Can't quite agree with all of that. The last bike I had to keep tightening things on was a shovelhead sportster. My 93 EVO and 08 Twincam I have had zero problems with except putting four compensators in the Roadglide till Harley finally built one right. Enough of my thread drift.

[Beagle333]

They're fun to drive, if you really like working on something a lot. John Muir's book helped me keep mine running. But you'll need at least one that runs and two more for spare parts. I don't regret owning any of mine, but I wouldn't do it now that I'm an older guy.

[hporter]

I'm not talking every day use

For a garage queen that is taken out on sunny days, as long as it's not rusted out, I can't imagine a cheaper car to maintain over the long run.

If that is on the bucket list for your wife, why not? I seems that they will only go up in value over time.

[Smoke4320]

A hundred Davidson shake something loose .. say it aint so

[Battis]

My daughter had a Miata. Didn't take long to get that out of her system, and mine.
Yeah, the VW would be a novelty item. Plus, I don't have a garage, or the desire to work on cars. I just sold my 1998 Chevy S10 because it needed alot of work.
We looked at a Super Beetle the other day. Even though it was in great shape, I think her interest might have waned a little when I pointed out the safety issues.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

If I had a hankerin for a Beetle, I'd look for a modern one that was 10 or 15 years old, with low miles.
Leave them vintage air cooled rear engine units for the mechanic/collector types.

Funny Story:
My Dad was a car guy. When I was growing up, he had all kinds of different cars/trucks, all the American cars of course, but also some foreign ones, including; Fiat, Saab, MG, Sunbeam, bug-eyed sprite, There was also some foreign (British?) jeep-type thing made for desert use (extra large fuel tank and large water tank).
ANYWAY, one of the cars my dad and I looked at for me when I needed a commuter car, was A 60s VW Beetle. We test drove it. Now, I am a big guy, and I was a big guy in 1985 when I graduated college, and my Dad was a big guy. We get into the Beetle and close the doors. My left shoulder was tight against the door window and my Right shoulder was tight against my Dad's shoulder. My dad said he was wedged in as well. We drove it and it had obvious engine problems and very little power. I told my dad, I guess the Beetle is out of the question. I always liked the 1973 Saab 99 that my Dad had, so I wound up finding a 1976 Saab 99 with low miles as a commuter car for my first real job after college.

[Smoke4320]

Saab 99 was a great car

[super6]

I had a 1968 saab station wagon at one time, The gay people Were all over it. Must have been a thing.