“get a VW Bug (older one)…the gas mileage is good…they are cheap to run”
Huh?
Since the VW bug was last sold in the US in 1978, you are suggesting that someone on a budget should buy a car that is at least 33 years old as his/her sole vehicle/daily driver?
Whether someone wants to consider the much more labor-intensive maintenance required by these cars as compared to modern vehicles, or the reality that a car which is 33-40 years old will now be extremely prone to breakdown, your suggestion lacks logic for anyone other than a collector or a hobbyist. For a cash-strapped younger person with a tight budget, this idea is bordering on wacky, IMHO.
Then of course, we have the issue of safety. While the VW bug represented decent technology for the 1930s, they are essentially death traps as compared to anything manufactured in the last 20 years. Whether you consider the lack of passenger protection or the lack of power for safe acceleration onto a highway, these cars are just not safe in comparison to a modern car.
Even in terms of gas mileage, a VW bug pales by comparison with economy cars of today. An old VW bug could usually be counted on for about 26-30 mpg when fairly new and in optimum mechanical condition. Any number of roomier, safer, faster, better-handling, and more comfortable economy cars can be found nowadays that easily exceed the gas mileage of the old VW bugs. Heck, my fairly large 2011 Outback with a 256 HP six-cylinder engine regularly gets 27 mpg on a long highway drive!
Nostalgia is a wonderful thing, but your fond memories of the VW bug have apparently prevented you from realizing that model’s limitations in comparison to modern cars.