Wunderful!
The car is very dear to me, everyone notices the 37' front end. (Installed at the dealer) Unfortunately I am missing one piece of chrome.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 1st December, 2006
Practical and indestructible
Alternator - the ONLY major problem I ever had. $30 to replace.
Not fast, but very adequate, indestructible, and gets 30 mpg.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 25th July, 2006
I had a '72 Bug once back in the 90's. Loved that car. Took it everywhere, to Canada and back. Didn't miss a beat.
Loved the sound it made, that Bug smell, feeling like you were going fast, but really not.
Although it had been mistreated and sold to me in shoddy condition (our mechanic was going senile, but we didn't know it then when he checked it out when I got it) and he basically put the engine in wrong/backwards -- once I finally got it fixed by someone who knew what they were doing, there was no stopping me and that Beetle.
Simple, fun, cute car.
Drove great, but was hot as hell down south in the summer. looked great also
Burned up the engine one month after I bought the car. didn't know valves needed adjustment.
Car refused to run on any rainy day. what a pain!
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 18th March, 2006
Sorry to hear you had a bad experience with your Beetle. However, when buying an older car, doing a bit of research ahead of time is important. Valve adjustments, as you learned, are vital! And yes, if you're looking for air-conditioning, then maybe an old Beetle as regular transportation isn't for you. The air-cooled engine works very hard in the heat, and an air conditioner only aggravates that. The stalling in the rain is a common problem that a new distibutor cap and points should fix. Better yet, upgrading to electronic (pointless) ignition is inexpensive and will boost reliability.
All said, I've had a number of Beetles over the years and have fully enjoyed them. They don't have all the amenities of modern cars, however, they have a lot of character. They are simple, and because they're the best-selling car of all time, parts are plentiful and inexpensive. However, generally they are an older vehicle, so before you buy, do a bit of research. Having some mechanical ability (or being willing to learn) is also not a bad idea.
Best car ever in snow and great on gas!
Had to do minor repairs, tune ups, etc.
Had a little bit of rust on the body.
I loved the way it handled in the snow. In Colorado, there were several big snow storms that my car would perform in so well. Once, as I climbed a very steep hill, passing by all the other 4X4's and big rigs, that were supposed to be so superior in the snow, I kept patting the dash board of my little bug, congratulating it for passing all of them on our way up the hill! It was the best car I've ever had for bad road conditions!
Once, after a very bad snow, a tree branch fell on the hood of my bug, and put a large dent in it. I opened the trunk, and pushed hard, and the whole dent popped right out, just like new! Not many cars are able to "un-dent" themselves!
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 11th March, 2006
Sure its good in the snow, sure. Chains or spikes on your tires?
Actually, it handles so well in ice and snow, because the engine is above the back tires, and it is rear wheel drive. So... that gives it good traction for obvious reasons.
Re the above comment: wow, the engine over the drive wheels, why hasn't somebody else thought of that? Just think, if most cars had the engine over the drive wheels, nobody would need snow tires because of all the good traction.
Now, where can I find a car like that...
Buy a new Porche...
Regardless of the drivetrain layout, the weight of the vehicle is always tranferred to the rear upon acceleration. In an FF layout, the weight of the engine may be above the drive wheels, but some is "lifted off" when accelerating.
RR cars like the Beetle, Porsche, and Corvair already have the engine in the back so upon acceleration, it's like adding more weight to your drive wheels. Just look up "1960 Corvair" on Youtube for some amazing demonstrations of rear engine traction. All done on bias ply tires too.
Volkswagen bugs/beetles were always excellent in winter conditions and I drove one through the monster blizzards of the mid-70's in the midwest to know. They work so well because the narrow tires dig into snow without floating, they have very high ground clearance for a car, and they don't have enough horsepower to cause the tires to lose traction. The wind will blow them around pretty badly, but on snow, they really are great. The lack of heat and weak defrosts are another story.
29th Dec 2007, 17:22
Good car I have one.