yeah if you want to be safe in a wreck, this is not the car for you. nice to run around town but not something I d want to drive on the freeway with
When I got my first full time job back in 1965 and was searching for a car, I looked at the VW Beetle. My parents talked me out of my purchase–they didn’t think it was safe. They knew several people who had roll-overs in these VWs. These VWs had swing axles as did the Corvair which was the basis of the book “Unsafe At Any Speed” by Ralph Nader. The VW, in my opinion, was even more unsafe with a higher center of gravity.
When I was a kid, my dad drove a 1968 that we were very fond of. Of course, it was replacing a spartan Buick Special with bad brakes, so it really was better. We did make it up onramps safely (assuming they are of modern length) and we could cruise at 65 easily enough. If you prefer to drive 80 this is not the car for you.
And it shouldn"t be the car for you unless you want to be very uncomfortable on your 27 miles of commuting. The ride is rough, steering takes effort, seats use springs and you’ll feel them, it will be loud, the heater was a joke, so I hope you’re somewhere with mild winters, or go away for them (that’s what it sounds like). Most didn’t come with AC, but a little dealer-installed unit was about all you could get on any economy car back then. The VW has a small cabin, so keeping it cool isn’t a big job, but those units had a poor rep. We had a 1975 Datsun with dealer-instalked AC, and it was pathetic. Probably lowered the temperature by 5 degrees. When it would have otherwise been 105 it was 100. Fuel economy is unspectacular and these cars always smelled like warm vinyl. As others have noted there is far more maintenance needed than on any modern car. Back then neighborhood service stations did these kinds of jobs cheaply and conveniently. Now you need a mechanic who specializes in old VWs. He won’t likely be either cheap or convenient.
What would I buy? A 2-3 year-old compact, preferably from the Asian makers, though a few domestic models would do. Rely on the Consumer Reports car buying guide, readily available, to give you an approximation of reliability. They aren’t perfect, but cars that get low scores from CR usually have serious problems. Read the descriptions. If the problem is with the audio system or minor hardware, don’t worry too much. Worry about the items that cripple a car or make it unsafe to drive.
Models I like of that era: the predictable Civic and Corolla, but also the Honda Fit. The Mazda3 is an excellent car and has been for many years. The Sentra is very ho-hum, but it does the job. The Hyundai Elantra and Kia Forte are decent, though the older Elantras were seriously ugly. Domestically the older Ford Focus (before the last redesign) is not as stylish or good to drive as the current car, but it’s more reliable. The next bigger size are also good. The Accord and Camry are always expensive, but the Nissan Altima is also a nice car that sold well, so there are plenty of them. The Hyundai Sonata, both the current one and the one before it, are very nice cars. The Ford Fusion of a few years ago was exceptionally reliable and comfortable, if a bit bland. The four cylinder versions of these cars get nearly the gas mileage of the smaller cars. And they’re more comfortable and quieter.
My dad owned an early 60’s beetle which on at least one winter morning he had to thaw out the doors so he could get in. But then when he got to work the doors had frozen shut again,climbed out the window. On his way to visit my mom where she was living at the time a little pin fell out that connected the brake pedal with the rest of the system. No brakes at the end of a 40 mile journey. Good thing mom lived on a flat street with no other traffic. He had the car from 1968 to sometime in 1973 when he bought his new Mazda RX3. I understand the appeal of these cars but most anything from the 80’s on up for the same money would be a better daily driver.
An old Beetle would be fun as a toy but possibly not as a daily commuter. A lot could depend upon the area where the commute is. Heavy traffic, high population density, and freeways would not necessarily be a good thing to face every day.
The OP says they’re lacking in car knowledge and that could be a detriment as the air cools take a lot of maintenance. The one redeeming feature is that maintenance is easy and cheap on them.
The '67 is somewhat of a desireable year but overpriced unless it’s slick both inside and out.
If you need a reliable daily driver that doesn’t require routine repairs, this isn’t the car for you. A car like this is for a hobby or to be collected.
I agree with all the previous comments - not a daily driver.
But it would be a good antique. The basic design dates to the 1930s, refined a bit over the years. Think how advanced it was in 1938!
In the winter I often needed to use a dipstick heater to get it to start in South Dakota.
what is a dipstick heater @Bing?
For regulars on this site, it’s called a “heating pad.”
Long thick wire type engine heater with a cord. Youtake the engine oil dipstick out and put this in all the way and plug it in. Heats the oil in the engine. Works for air cooled engines where there is no coolant. Used to be able to buy them anywhere.
I like that idea. thanks.
wes
I’m late to this thread, but as a person who drove a '72 Super Beetle for 35 years, I think it is not worth $5600.00 if it isn’t fully restored. You could get a better and safer car for the same price elsewhere.
Kiddie54
Looking at a 67 beetle - very decent shape - $5800 -
Unless this car is immaculate, at least one of those zeros needs to go.
Has a 68 motor.
Well so much for an original restoration.
Previously owned by a woman in Hardwick who commuted about 3 miles a day.
Yeah, I had a 61 Bug 40 years ago, and driving any further than you were willing to walk back home was a bad idea.
Those old air-cools will chug along forever if they’re maintained correctly. A '69 Beetle which was given to me for free became my daily commuter even after I moved out of town and the commute became about 60 miles a day round trip.
The '61 and '65 models I had were beaten into the pavement by me; especially the '61. I flogged that car all over the state including floodwaters.
I’ll never forget my first experience driving a VW back in 1963. I was a teaching graduate assistant and was giving the final exam. I looked back at the class and one student was ready to pass out–the color was completely gone from her face. I got another GA to proctor the exam and got this student to the health center. It turned out that she hadn’t slept in 36 hours due to the fact that she had a sick baby at home. She was given a shot and was to go home. When I asked her if I could call someone to come get her, she replied that she had the couples only car and she needed to drive home so her husband could get to work. The doctor and I knew she was in no condition to drive, so we called the campus police. She lived about 20 miles away. She rode in the campus police car and I followed in her car–a 1960 Volkswagen. Well, the campus policeman decided that it was time to blow the carbon out of the squad car. I really had to push the VW to even keep him in sight. I know that I had the accelerator on the floorboard. After I got her home, I rode back with the campus policeman.
The student came in a day later and wanted to complete her final exam. I had already made out the grades and with her record up to the final exam, she had done enough on the final that she earned an “A”.
On my 200 mile commute to school, the pedal was always on the floor on the highway. I’d take whatever it had to give. Usually 65 but less on hills and more going down. What do ya expect from 36 horse?
Back in the mid 70s a small town about 40 miles WSW of where I live had an early 60s 40 Horse VW Bug that they used as a police car.
It had the Bubble Gum light on top, magnetic PD signs on both doors, and to quote the town cop; “I can’t catch anyone but my radio sure can.”.
I think this is a fantastic idea. What could be more fun than driving a 67 Beetle to work everyday? These cars are still very popular, so parts remain widely available, as do shops who know how to fix them.
I do have a few caveats. First, rust is what kills these air cooled Beetles. And the rust is caused mostly from road salt getting sprayed onto the undersides during the winter. So hire a mechanic for an hour to put it on a lift and inspect all the parts of the car you can’t see from the top. Ask him to give you an assessment of the car’s structural integrity, especially looking for repairs done – rather than welding in new metal – with body compound. The ducts that route the passenger compartment heat are particularly rust-troublesome, as are the bumper supports. If your VW is indeed in sound condition body-wise, your $5800 will be an investment that – unlike newer cars – will grow in value. Second, to preserve your investment, you need a place out of the weather to keep it when you aren’t driving. Especially in the winter. This car should not be parked on the street on a routine basis. Best with a garage or at least a carport. Third, make sure your pocketbook is big enough to support the needed routine maintenance, and a reserve for some unexpected repairs. It is not at all unlikely for example the engine will have to be rebuilt or replaced during your ownership. No worries, there’s plenty of ways to get that done, but there will be some expense involved. Fourth, these air cooled Beetles are not nearly as safe in a collision as even the most modest post-1985 econobox on the road. That’s a compromise you have to decide for yourself.
There’s a couple of magazines on this subject you might want to take a look at before making up your mind. "Hot VW’s focusses on the American view of the subject, while “Volks World” focusses on the British and European view. Both magazines have their merits, but I prefer Volks World.
Folks, I think the OP has left the building.
But my memories of my '61 Beetle will linger forever.
Shall we put this one to bed?