My first and only car is a VW Beetle. Got it at 17, 19 now. Adore that little guy, he’s like a friend. Picked him up for $2.5k. He was a driver but needed a lot of work before he could be considered reliable
This is the exact same story as mine, even the price and ages are the same! Previous owner cheated the inspections, the car had absolutely no parts in good condition, even the steering wheel was cracked in two underneath its cover and was being held on by freaking duct tape!
1975, my first car was a '64 bug. Paid a hard earned 500 bucks for it. Got me off of my 10 speed! My Dad got me the idiot book and I did all my maint. Great car. Took it on a 900 mile road trip with a buddy in '76. Never had a worry. 40 years later, I have another '64 sunroof bug. Bone stock. 300 miles on a tank of gas. I only use valvoline VR -1, 30 wt. These engines need zinc. Secure an owners manual for your car, as it has many procedures and tons of info. My reliability comes from all stock German parts. No China or Brazil stuff. 28 PICT-1, big cap dizzy, Pierburg pump. All restored to brand new from the the Samba guys. I had my stock radio converted to AM,FM and aux input. Samba. This car will be with me till the end. Cheers from West Texas!
Awesome story! Yup good parts last, do valves every oil change and make sure you have some zinc and they’ll almost never leave you stranded. Jealous you could drive all 4 seasons there, salt kills cars up here in northern illinois.
I owned a 70 Bus, and had John Muir's "idiot" book to do the maintenance. Adjusted my own valves, did the oil changes, did my own brakes, usually had to replace the clutch cable every year, and once overhauled the engine. If you're a beginning car restorer, this is probably the cheapest route to go, but every air-cooled VW ever made was underpowered, and high maintenance.
YES! I like what you said about building a VW "almost entirely out of a catalog." I recall an article series in "VW Trends" magazine many years ago. The series was called, "Project Mail-Order Resto-Custom." In it, they revamped a Polar Silver '57 'Oval using almost ENTIRELY catalog-available components. If you look around today, that fact still holds true. AWESOME POST!
I've had over 20 bugs. Never bought newer than 69. I used to get 2 each year and repair them to sell. Fun times. I currently have a fiberglass model T body that I'm mounting to a bug motor, swing axle and a T front end.enjoy
I’m so glad I have the opportunity to own a 1974 beetle. When my grandpa died I got the car so it has grim beginnings but Ima keep it vintage style/stock+ with bags
I currently own a 1973 super beetle I’ve had it for about five years and I’m still trying to get it back together so I can finally enjoy driving it and this video has definitely inspired me some I’m even debating on daily driving it once I get it together to bad i live in Wisconsin and the winter would not be a good idea
Make it your "good weather" driver. Rust is a pain. Im from the midwest too and salt just destroys these cars, if you can avoid winter driving, I would.. but i also get cars were meant to he driven, and rust is fixable if you stay on top of it. Either way, I love seeing other beetles on the road! I say get her mechanically good and work on other aspects of the car as they come up/when you have the time (or funds) to do so!
@@notenoughram3312 While I've never been there, thanks to a couple UA-cam channels I watch I know a bit about the weather in Finland, and believe it or not the North Central portion of the US has about as severe of winters as you. The rest of our country doesn't know the meaning of the word winter though.
My 1st car was a 66 bug and I loved it. One the piston hit a valve and I was walking for a couple of days but when I got it back, the fun started all over again.
Bought my first beetle in 2016 at 15 years old, have a differnet daily driver now, but my beetle is my only car ive never sold. Love the thing. Has a crappy autostick but still love my little 73 super. Waiting to have my own little garage to fully restore it
I had a 69 bug in high school. I'm 48 and bought a baja 4 years ago and built a 2110cc for it. I just recently bought another 69 bug.and am building a 1904cc motor for it. I forgot how much fun these cars are. I will always have an old aircooled vw from now on.
My first car was a 1956 VW oval rear window bought it in 1970 for $500NZ did my own servicing keep it for 4 years. A great car loved the air-cooled exhaust noise. Missed it now. Niced to see them around running.
I drove a '76 as my first car when I was in high school. After it started to have major problems when I was in college, I sold it to a mechanically minded friend. I hated to sell it but I needed a car to get me to school and work...so I vowed I would get another one as a fun car when I made enough money. For a mile stone birthday present to myself, I bought a '78 convertible (Champagne Edition I) that I pamper and only drive in nice weather. That's been nearly 8 years ago, and they sure have gone up in price since then!
Any issues finding parts? I’ve heard that vette parts are hard to come by. I always wanted a soft top (the sunroof style) with patina, but owning my 2 bugs is enough vw for me. Plus anything with a sunroof was too pricey IMO. You’ve got that right. Even in just a few years time. I bought the orange one for 4500 a few years ago, I bet it’s worth 6-7k now. Early vw stuff… the avg person can’t even afford any of that stuff anymore. It’s crazy because I’ve always wanted a vw and remember everything being less than half the price of what it is now just 10 years ago
@@NoTraction Not an issue finding parts. So far I've only replaced the fuel pump and hoses. I bought the car from a mechanic who's specialty is vintage VWs and he can get about anything from Mexico ....plus he is well connected in the vintage VW clubs. The only part that I had an issue finding was an original AM/FM radio. Took me eight years to find it. They make reproduction radios that are easy to find but they don't look or function like the originals. I try to keep him the way he was in 1978.
I and many others can relate to your affinity for vintage, air-cooled VWs. My fleet includes '62 Ragtop (40 hp), 2 x '67 Beetles (projects), 3 x '69 Beetles , '69 Bus, '72 camper...love 'em all!
@@bobtoto4750, that's a popular question these days. Especially, when one seeks a good, dual-relief, magnesium alloy case. Hopefully, the supply of good cases will open up once again. Best of luck to you.
Thank you! Get one, you won't regret it! Worst case you keep it for a year or two and as long as you don't overpay, you should be able to let it go for what you have into it.
It's crazy to think these still-running beetles from 60 years ago are worth so much. I bought my first bug in the mid-1960s, 13 years old, for $275. I still miss it. Oh and the 'Idiot' book: indispensable!
I'm picking up a 1983 Beetle with a pre-70's look tomorrow as a first car!! So so so excited. It's wider, lowered and has a metallic dark blue BMW paint. And a sound system for your music and it's absolutely perfect. I can't wait!!!
I had a 1969 and then a brand new 1973 Beetle. Now at 70 years old, I realized I just had to have another. Now I have a restored 1972 Super Beetle. SO much fun to drive.
My dad just recently bought a avocado green '61 beetle with a narrow beam and snowflake tailights for $4k. The 1600 engine that was going to be placed in it is currently being repainted and stuff but just looking at it in general makes you smile.. Had the same experience 7 years ago with his 70s bug
My first car was a 62 Beetle. What a fun car! Drove it on logging roads, drifted it on dirt roads, and rolled it over twice. I recently retired to South America. I bought a 74 Brazilian. Stupid reliable.
This video is spot on i love my bug. I have a 1972 bug and also in my garage I have a aston martin db7 vantage but smiles per mile my bug wins hands down.
I completely agree... I bought a '66 Beetle myself last summer and found myself driving it more than any of my other vehicles. Even often squeezed my whole family (pregnant wife + 2 kids) into it to drive places rather than taking our SUV or truck. The whole family and everyone we drove past was smiling... tons of character and gets more attention than any exotic car. Here's a video of mine... ua-cam.com/video/7zmpVBR9_LU/v-deo.html
I loved my ‘66 bug. The only reason I wouldn’t use one for around town driving is safety. Even in a small accident, you’re hitting metal and probably dead.
I woned a '69 Ghia for a few years (it was a beater daily driver), not in very good condition. I liked it. It was a little bit faster than a bug, same engine but a little liter and better aerodynamic, but the back seat was pretty much useless, except for small children.
I'm 14 and my dad bought me VW beetle because they may not exist in the future anyways my whole family drives it in the time being because I cant drive it because I'm to young its a 1973 NORMAL beetle and its the same colour as the one at 8:21.
Hey, thanks for all the information on Beetles! Soon I'm going to buy a frame with original wheels and body for 800 bucks, needs lots of interior and exterior work and has no motor but It'll be my first car!
This video is real, dont get a Bug if you don't want to talk to people. They won't just talk to you, they will tell you their entire story, which is exactly why I love owning one.
Parents bought non running super beetle for 5k this past Friday. Cleaned out the tank and put new fuel in it and the thing fired right up. I drove it about 10 miles. Needs a tune up but it's definitely a fun car. My 4 year old laughed any time we took a curve.
Thanks for your video. It's Christmas and I have been on the edge about buying a Beetle to take to Cars and Coffee's and other VW Shows in Nor Cal and you pushed me over that edge. I'm calling the guy tomorrow to see it if it's still available.
On the 26th I am driving down to So. Calif to look (Buy) it and drive it home about 475 miles. The owner is a Master VW Mechanic and says it's in great condition to drive home.@@NoTraction Thanks for asking.
Excellent video. Thank you so much. I remember my Dad's 1964 beetle which he had in the late '60s and early 70's. I was a kid and I remember all the external and internal details to this day.
I’m working on a Lowrider 62 impala that’s been my first classic car I’ve been restoring. I’m really interested in these bugs I want one and you just confirmed me getting and saving for one! I want a classic daily and I think this is perfect for me. My impala is like a land yacht Id like something smaller lol
2:01 they try saying the same about the corvairs but they don't actually leak once you replace the seals and the block split doesn't leak when properly assembled either. You could lose an entire bank of cylinders and the engine will still run until it loses too much oil.
You are fortunate to have good suppliers of spare parts. Here in Brazil today, we have many pieces coming from China, totally out of the measures and the quality standard that the original ones had. Result: Constant replacement of parts and parts that just don't work. This has seriously hampered the maintenance of Volkswagens here.
I had a 69 bug which went through hurricane Andrew in August 24th 1992 in the heaviest winds and survived with one minor scratch. I would suggest to carry a fire extinguisher in case of a fire from a gas leak.
they are like a go cart, driving one will bring a smile to your face, watch for rust...vw will turn you into a mechanic....supers ride better than standards....then there are the busses ! Mike FN and Marci and Mustie1 talk about those....Marci has links to other vw and to VW Life....i'm never worried about moving, the new place, will have vws and it's like, we get it, nice to meet you.
Firstly, you don’t buy a Beetle for the speed. Beetles are very reliable if you take care of them. I had a ’70 VW Bus and then a ’73 Super Beetle in the mid-late 1980’s. Both of them stole my heart. Every bit of spare money went into buying random upgrade parts. Wish I had the Super Beetle now to use a weekend driver.
New subscriber, so glad I stumbled upon this video! I had one and sold it, it was a great little car but it went to the right home (Father/Daughter bonding type thing with her first car). Now I need to find another one in Northern Michigan with solid floorboards! Wish me luck 🙂
I’ve just joined the Bug scene this year in March. A little patina ‘69. Definitely needs some engine work, but, still wonderful to be apart of. This showed me a lot more is available for all kinds of budgets.
I used to have a ‘61 VW van that I kept up the maintenance on and STILL had to get the engine rebuilt regularly. I just bought a very pretty ‘64 Beetle on “Bring a Trailer” for $17,500. I’m having it shipped to a shop in Austin for an electric conversion to make it turn key reliable and 4 times the torque.
Should be a blast! Can you keep the manual transmission w/ an electric conversion? Idk, haven’t had a fast vw (yet - key word) but the manual transmission definitely makes them more fun in stock form imo.
@@NoTraction Yeah, it’ll keep the manual trans. Most of the time it will remain in 3rd and be driven like an automatic around town. You’ll put it in 4th on the freeway. It’s arriving in Austin within the hour!
I just bought my first bug, it's an '05 New Beetle, but I still love it and I get wayyyy better miles per gallon than I do with my Ford Triton lol. So I'm happy
me and the wife are going to pick up a 69 beetle this week. i was looking at prices for parts and they are cheap compared to my 72 Plymouth Road Runner which is on the top of classic car parts price for example set of comp headers for Big Block Chevy was $100 cheaper than the same Headers on my Mopar. cant wait to get this car and enjoy it
I bought a running but needing love 1973 Super for $1800. Just had my first major issue pop up with valve adjustments being off. It’s been so easy to work on it’s like a dream
IIRC, the recommended interval for valve adjustments was 6,000 miles. It's important to keep them in adjustment, as you can burn a valve or valve seat if they get too far out of adjustment. Fortunately valve adjustment is pretty easy to do. Buy new valve cover gaskets. Don't try to re-use the old ones (I learned this the hard way. Oil all over the place.
I have eleven classic cars. Three 57 Chevys a 55 Chevy a 66 Chevy C10 a 47 Ford a 41 Mercury 2 Model A fords and a Citroen 2cv. So what do I drive every day? Car number 11 is a 73 VW beetle. Three thousand dollars ten years ago good on gas and with a stock 1600 cc dual port engine it's fast enough. And by the way I never saw one leak oil between the case halves. The valve covers pushrod tubes and the oil strainer gasket have been known to leak. A little or a lot. Love my bug it's the best.
I bought a 68 sunroof and only got to drive it for a little while till the motor died. The guy I bought it from was a hack and I did not know better about VW's. I had to by a short block and rebuilt the engine as a 1600 as the idiot before had put a 1200 in it. I got it running and then started fixing the cancer that was eating it alive. The deeper I dug the worse it got. Ended up finding a 64 body and did the swap. A few mods had to be made to put it on the 68 pan but nothing major. Got it painted and drove it and loved it. But my first engine build was not the best as I was still learning so I had to pull the engine. By this time kids had come along and funds were short so the poor bug has sat for many years just waiting on me to get back to it. Soon very very soon!
Got my 4th beetle for £175 but it was a bare rolling shell, it sat in my garage for 20 years, then I got it out and rebuilt it into the Red Baron , I built the engine myself which is 1835cc full race with a Kennedy clutch and a race gearbox, all done in 3 months by myself, sprayed the body shell in red metalflake, and yes it’s a daily driver and lives outside.
I've got an 81 Moto Guzzi G5 and now I'm saving up for my first classic car...a Beetle of course! Looking for a 68 to 70 model. There's a nice VW community here in Thailand. You got a new subscriber 😊👍👍
Heck yeah man! I've never seen one in person, i had to look it up, looks like a pretty sweet ride. Can't wait for you to join the community! I've heard they have a great vw community there. One of the many places I would like to visit someday!
Man that's awesome. Never get rid of it or you'll kick yourself in the future. My first car was a '69 nova, that I still own. Kind of a father son project with my Dad. So many memories made with that car. Hope your beetle brings you the same joy/memories I have with my first car!
One of my all time favorite cars. I know nothing about building engines, restoring cars...but this video makes me want to try with a classic VW Beetle. "Think small" :-)
My advice, buy a decent driver. Work on stuff when it breaks. If you buy something relatively stock, you can find an article/video on how to replace/fix said issue 99% of the time. When I got my fist car (the nova in the bg) I couldn’t change a tire, now I can do pretty much anything besides complex electrical work. That’s about 10 years of working on my junk whenever it needed something or I wanted to upgrade something. As the saying goes, it takes about 10k hours to master a skill. The good thing with cars is you don’t need to be a master. It’ll be intimidating at first, but you’ll build up the confidence and know how to a point where you start trusting your abilities and will take your car pretty much anywhere. There’s almost always a way to limp a car home or to a shop. Good luck! Hope you end up with one, they’re great fun little cars.
They are slow. My 62 would only do 72MPH. On a looooong down hill stretch of interstate. Still loved that car. I owned it 42 years ago. And here I am, watching Bug videos... again. lol
Can you make a video covering the pros and cons of having a classic bug as a first car? I've been looking at a couple for a while under $1500 running and driving
Not going to happen maybe a late 70’s and poor shape for $1500 I have 66 for about 8k and it has disk brakes all around, new transmission, new motor new front beam and more. In California these cars are just going up in price.
I really enjoyed your video. I wanna get a lowered patina bug like yours but need to sell my modified jeep wrangler first. Would like to see a video on the patina bug and the nova.
Weird, I just bout a TJ a few months back for the winter😅 Going to try and be better about posting once it warms up and the salt is off the roads, probably mid - late April. Keep an eye on marketplace for the best deals, the samba is a good site too, but usually harder to find stuff local-ish and usually a bit more of a premium on price.
Love those little fun cars my first VW that I have had for 26 years was stolen this year got it back but they stole the engine and front hood found another one for 500.00 that I drive daily
I paid 2,000 for my patina 67 bug and I'm fully restoring it all the way besides paint because it has a company logo on the door from 30 years ago mine will have a narrow beam only 2" and Porsche 4 lug 2 liter wheels and Disc all 4 corners ,I'm in Cali and the car came from Nevada to Texas to Cali... really no rust I only replaced the luggage tray and passenger floor ..
Awesome man! Disc brakes make a TON of difference, definitely worth the money! And of course one of the first mods you have to do to any car is an exhaust. lol. Good luck with it, they're awesome little cars
I am 18 years old and every since I was like oh I don’t know 8 I’ve been obsessed with Volkswagen beetles. When I was younger it was the early 2000s model, the ones that are all round and bubbly looking. Now that I’m older I absolutely love the classic VW’s, and I am looking to get one, one day. I would like a VW beetle to be my everyday car. do you guys think I should get a classic, or one of the newer ones, but not the super new ones I don’t like those like the early 2000s ones? Please help me out because I cannot see myself in any other car besides a volts wagon beetle, they’re just so stinking adorable.
Beetles are super simplistic cars to maintain. So, like many cars, if your Beetle is in good condition and serviced properly, it'll be as reliable as any car out there.
@@julianricky1720 OMG, 🤦♂ that shop is fkn useless! Like I said, it's the simplest of cars! One carburettor, 4 spark plugs, points and a coil to make the spark and that's it! No computers. Ah, that's prolly why the shop couldn't fix it! No bloody skills apart from plugging a lap-top in! 🤦🏼
My first and only car is a VW Beetle. Got it at 17, 19 now. Adore that little guy, he’s like a friend. Picked him up for $2.5k. He was a driver but needed a lot of work before he could be considered reliable
2.5k is a steal… where I am it’s impossible to find one under 4.500€ :-(
Got my 68 for $3k running and driving, but desperately needed work. Was also eight years ago.
This is the exact same story as mine, even the price and ages are the same! Previous owner cheated the inspections, the car had absolutely no parts in good condition, even the steering wheel was cracked in two underneath its cover and was being held on by freaking duct tape!
I’m gonna get one as my first car in a few years
They used to be that cheap but now a good one is 10k😭
1975, my first car was a '64 bug. Paid a hard earned 500 bucks for it. Got me off of my 10 speed! My Dad got me the idiot book and I did all my maint. Great car. Took it on a 900 mile road trip with a buddy in '76. Never had a worry. 40 years later, I have another '64 sunroof bug. Bone stock. 300 miles on a tank of gas. I only use valvoline VR -1, 30 wt. These engines need zinc. Secure an owners manual for your car, as it has many procedures and tons of info. My reliability comes from all stock German parts. No China or Brazil stuff. 28 PICT-1, big cap dizzy, Pierburg pump. All restored to brand new from the the Samba guys. I had my stock radio converted to AM,FM and aux input. Samba. This car will be with me till the end. Cheers from West Texas!
Awesome story! Yup good parts last, do valves every oil change and make sure you have some zinc and they’ll almost never leave you stranded. Jealous you could drive all 4 seasons there, salt kills cars up here in northern illinois.
I owned a 70 Bus, and had John Muir's "idiot" book to do the maintenance. Adjusted my own valves, did the oil changes, did my own brakes, usually had to replace the clutch cable every year, and once overhauled the engine. If you're a beginning car restorer, this is probably the cheapest route to go, but every air-cooled VW ever made was underpowered, and high maintenance.
YES! I like what you said about building a VW "almost entirely out of a catalog." I recall an article series in "VW Trends" magazine many years ago. The series was called, "Project Mail-Order Resto-Custom." In it, they revamped a Polar Silver '57 'Oval using almost ENTIRELY catalog-available components. If you look around today, that fact still holds true. AWESOME POST!
Oval window parts are prohibitively expensive these days. 3 grand for an early oval hood is fairly common.
@@socaljarhead7670 YIKES!
My first car was a 1970 VW Beetle purchased used in 1974. It was a good choice!
I've had over 20 bugs. Never bought newer than 69. I used to get 2 each year and repair them to sell. Fun times. I currently have a fiberglass model T body that I'm mounting to a bug motor, swing axle and a T front end.enjoy
You messed up. Never should have bought newer than ‘67.
A realistic and sensible commentary about vintage Beetles 👍
All true! An electric engine cost a little more upfront (comparing new to new) But you get it back in maintenance & gas.
I’m so glad I have the opportunity to own a 1974 beetle. When my grandpa died I got the car so it has grim beginnings but Ima keep it vintage style/stock+ with bags
I currently own a 1973 super beetle I’ve had it for about five years and I’m still trying to get it back together so I can finally enjoy driving it and this video has definitely inspired me some I’m even debating on daily driving it once I get it together to bad i live in Wisconsin and the winter would not be a good idea
Make it your "good weather" driver. Rust is a pain. Im from the midwest too and salt just destroys these cars, if you can avoid winter driving, I would.. but i also get cars were meant to he driven, and rust is fixable if you stay on top of it. Either way, I love seeing other beetles on the road! I say get her mechanically good and work on other aspects of the car as they come up/when you have the time (or funds) to do so!
@@NoTraction i agree, im from finland so its probably worse here (never been to the US)
Well once you get it running drive 🚗 it daily and have some fun
@@notenoughram3312 While I've never been there, thanks to a couple UA-cam channels I watch I know a bit about the weather in Finland, and believe it or not the North Central portion of the US has about as severe of winters as you. The rest of our country doesn't know the meaning of the word winter though.
@@Devin_Stromgren yeah i guess
My 68 is a daily driver ! I've owned bugs for the last 25 years...love em !
My 1st car was a 66 bug and I loved it. One the piston hit a valve and I was walking for a couple of days but when I got it back, the fun started all over again.
Bought my first beetle in 2016 at 15 years old, have a differnet daily driver now, but my beetle is my only car ive never sold. Love the thing. Has a crappy autostick but still love my little 73 super. Waiting to have my own little garage to fully restore it
When I was younger beetles were cheap but I had no money. Now I have money and they're expensive. I'm right back where I started 😂
I had a 69 bug in high school. I'm 48 and bought a baja 4 years ago and built a 2110cc for it. I just recently bought another 69 bug.and am building a 1904cc motor for it. I forgot how much fun these cars are. I will always have an old aircooled vw from now on.
We just bought a 1970 beetle, has the original window sticker, $1800 dollars, and transportation from Germany was $37.50, unreal !!!
My first car was a 1956 VW oval rear window bought it in 1970 for $500NZ did my own servicing keep it for 4 years. A great car loved the air-cooled exhaust noise. Missed it now. Niced to see them around running.
I drove a '76 as my first car when I was in high school. After it started to have major problems when I was in college, I sold it to a mechanically minded friend. I hated to sell it but I needed a car to get me to school and work...so I vowed I would get another one as a fun car when I made enough money. For a mile stone birthday present to myself, I bought a '78 convertible (Champagne Edition I) that I pamper and only drive in nice weather. That's been nearly 8 years ago, and they sure have gone up in price since then!
Any issues finding parts? I’ve heard that vette parts are hard to come by. I always wanted a soft top (the sunroof style) with patina, but owning my 2 bugs is enough vw for me. Plus anything with a sunroof was too pricey IMO.
You’ve got that right. Even in just a few years time. I bought the orange one for 4500 a few years ago, I bet it’s worth 6-7k now. Early vw stuff… the avg person can’t even afford any of that stuff anymore. It’s crazy because I’ve always wanted a vw and remember everything being less than half the price of what it is now just 10 years ago
@@NoTraction Not an issue finding parts. So far I've only replaced the fuel pump and hoses. I bought the car from a mechanic who's specialty is vintage VWs and he can get about anything from Mexico ....plus he is well connected in the vintage VW clubs. The only part that I had an issue finding was an original AM/FM radio. Took me eight years to find it. They make reproduction radios that are easy to find but they don't look or function like the originals. I try to keep him the way he was in 1978.
Sweet, straight to the point, and with real experience behind the wheel of bugs. Great video!
I've got 2 and I use one of them as my daily driver! Easy to maintain and a pleasurable drive.....
I and many others can relate to your affinity for vintage, air-cooled VWs. My fleet includes '62 Ragtop (40 hp), 2 x '67 Beetles (projects), 3 x '69 Beetles , '69 Bus, '72 camper...love 'em all!
Got any extra engines?
@@bobtoto4750, that's a popular question these days. Especially, when one seeks a good, dual-relief, magnesium alloy case. Hopefully, the supply of good cases will open up once again. Best of luck to you.
Just took over my pops 74 can’t wait to start working on it!
This is a very practical review, Now I am thinking about getting a classic VW Bug. Thanks for this very practical video.
Thank you! Get one, you won't regret it! Worst case you keep it for a year or two and as long as you don't overpay, you should be able to let it go for what you have into it.
@@NoTraction Thanks, You seem to have a lot of great knowledge about Bugs!
Excellent video. A ton of information with no unrelated info. Very refreshing.
It's crazy to think these still-running beetles from 60 years ago are worth so much. I bought my first bug in the mid-1960s, 13 years old, for $275. I still miss it.
Oh and the 'Idiot' book: indispensable!
I'm picking up a 1983 Beetle with a pre-70's look tomorrow as a first car!! So so so excited. It's wider, lowered and has a metallic dark blue BMW paint. And a sound system for your music and it's absolutely perfect. I can't wait!!!
Hell yeah man, welcome to the community!
@@NoTraction thank you so much!! I'm really excited!
Enjoy the little car
@@stephanieadkins9369 thanks a lot! It's absolutely amazing. I love it!
Yes! This past October I picked up my first classic project. A 71 beetle. Only a few months in and I have a car I can easily daily under 3000
I had a 1969 and then a brand new 1973 Beetle. Now at 70 years old, I realized I just had to have another. Now I have a restored 1972 Super Beetle. SO much fun to drive.
Fun to read how your love for VWs is still strong!
My dad just recently bought a avocado green '61 beetle with a narrow beam and snowflake tailights for $4k.
The 1600 engine that was going to be placed in it is currently being repainted and stuff but just looking at it in general makes you smile..
Had the same experience 7 years ago with his 70s bug
My first car was a 62 Beetle. What a fun car! Drove it on logging roads, drifted it on dirt roads, and rolled it over twice. I recently retired to South America. I bought a 74 Brazilian. Stupid reliable.
My dad had five of these..... My dad told me when all of those were gone;BTW, my fav car!
This video is spot on i love my bug.
I have a 1972 bug and also in my garage I have a aston martin db7 vantage but smiles per mile my bug wins hands down.
I completely agree... I bought a '66 Beetle myself last summer and found myself driving it more than any of my other vehicles. Even often squeezed my whole family (pregnant wife + 2 kids) into it to drive places rather than taking our SUV or truck. The whole family and everyone we drove past was smiling... tons of character and gets more attention than any exotic car. Here's a video of mine... ua-cam.com/video/7zmpVBR9_LU/v-deo.html
I loved my ‘66 bug. The only reason I wouldn’t use one for around town driving is safety. Even in a small accident, you’re hitting metal and probably dead.
When I got my first car, I will take this to the next level
I had a '68 in college. loved it
I own a 1995 fuel injection beetle and i love it is fun to drive, and you are right about the car.
Have had 11 VW's over the years. My son and I found a 69 Ghia that we saved from the car crusher 👍 Hope to see you out there on the road!
I woned a '69 Ghia for a few years (it was a beater daily driver), not in very good condition. I liked it. It was a little bit faster than a bug, same engine but a little liter and better aerodynamic, but the back seat was pretty much useless, except for small children.
I'm 14 and my dad bought me VW beetle because they may not exist in the future anyways my whole family drives it in the time being because I cant drive it because I'm to young its a 1973 NORMAL beetle and its the same colour as the one at 8:21.
what do you mean they may not exist? The cars or your dad?
@@AngloTracks the volkswagen beetle they become rare every year
Beautiful cars. What year is the light blue car in the background?
Hey, thanks for all the information on Beetles! Soon I'm going to buy a frame with original wheels and body for 800 bucks, needs lots of interior and exterior work and has no motor but It'll be my first car!
That's awesome! You'll learn a lot. Cant wait for there to be another vw on the road. Welcome to the community!
This video is real, dont get a Bug if you don't want to talk to people. They won't just talk to you, they will tell you their entire story, which is exactly why I love owning one.
Parents bought non running super beetle for 5k this past Friday. Cleaned out the tank and put new fuel in it and the thing fired right up. I drove it about 10 miles. Needs a tune up but it's definitely a fun car. My 4 year old laughed any time we took a curve.
Thanks for your video. It's Christmas and I have been on the edge about buying a Beetle to take to Cars and Coffee's and other VW Shows in Nor Cal and you pushed me over that edge. I'm calling the guy tomorrow to see it if it's still available.
Did you end up getting it?? If not, I still recommend one!
On the 26th I am driving down to So. Calif to look (Buy) it and drive it home about 475 miles. The owner is a Master VW Mechanic and says it's in great condition to drive home.@@NoTraction Thanks for asking.
One week from today I am driving down to So. Cal to make a deal and trailer it home. It only has 16,000 miles!!! I am MORE than excited! @@NoTraction
Excellent video. Thank you so much. I remember my Dad's 1964 beetle which he had in the late '60s and early 70's. I was a kid and I remember all the external and internal details to this day.
Nice video. I had a bug for about a year when I was 18. I'm 61 now and just bought a '69 a couple of years ago.
Never to "old" or to "young"! I got my first one when I was 22. Wish I would have gotten it sooner!
Similar story. Had three between ages of 18 and 22. Just bought another at 60 this year and really enjoying it.
I’m working on a Lowrider 62 impala that’s been my first classic car I’ve been restoring. I’m really interested in these bugs I want one and you just confirmed me getting and saving for one! I want a classic daily and I think this is perfect for me. My impala is like a land yacht Id like something smaller lol
2:01 they try saying the same about the corvairs but they don't actually leak once you replace the seals and the block split doesn't leak when properly assembled either.
You could lose an entire bank of cylinders and the engine will still run until it loses too much oil.
72 Panama Blue fuel injected FASTBACK.
$1200 10 years ago.
3rd
Had a 64 bug & 63 Karman Ghia
Fastback is now My only VW❤️
Not going to lie the way the patina looks with the color I love that look
My uncle had 3 bugs and a bus. I couldn't understand it as a kid. Now I do.
Id argue a Willys CJ2a is a good first start for a classic car. Reliable, easy to work on, and still easy to get parts for.
I also have two. A 74 standard and a 73 super. WAY FUN TO DRIVE. I USED TO HAVE A RAIL I BUILT FROM SCRATCH.
You are fortunate to have good suppliers of spare parts. Here in Brazil today, we have many pieces coming from China, totally out of the measures and the quality standard that the original ones had. Result: Constant replacement of parts and parts that just don't work. This has seriously hampered the maintenance of Volkswagens here.
DID U KNOW JESSE KOZ&SHURASTEY🧔🐕HE HAD A BEETLE DODONGO🚙..TRAVELING FR BRAZIL🌎 TO ALASKA..BUT THEY WERE KILLED ON MAY 23.2022 IN OREGON...😭😭😭😭😭🙏🏻🙋🏼♀️
@@harrisonheart5043 Dear Sir, I didn't follow their channel on UA-cam, but I heard about this sad event.
i love everything you said about volkswagen. this are simply amazing. thanks.👍
One time i heard "beetles are high performance cars, and can be driven like high performance cars, but they are slow"
I've got two red beetles! And I love them sooo much! I've learned so much in your vlog.
That's awesome! What years? Blue is my favorite on bugs, but red is a close second
My first car was a vw beetle and I got it when I was 13
Well it is my first car.
It’s a 74 model year and I’m in love !
I had a 69 bug which went through hurricane Andrew in August 24th 1992 in the heaviest winds and survived with one minor scratch. I would suggest to carry a fire extinguisher in case of a fire from a gas leak.
hey i just discovered your channel and i have to say that you are really talented!
Thank you for the kind words!
Thanks for sharing, job well done. Good deal you got on your latest purchase.
they are like a go cart, driving one will bring a smile to your face, watch for rust...vw will turn you into a mechanic....supers ride better than standards....then there are the busses ! Mike FN and Marci and Mustie1 talk about those....Marci has links to other vw and to VW Life....i'm never worried about moving, the new place, will have vws and it's like, we get it, nice to meet you.
Firstly, you don’t buy a Beetle for the speed. Beetles are very reliable if you take care of them. I had a ’70 VW Bus and then a ’73 Super Beetle in the mid-late 1980’s. Both of them stole my heart. Every bit of spare money went into buying random upgrade parts. Wish I had the Super Beetle now to use a weekend driver.
Currently looking at saving for a beetle shell to fix. They're so expensive (for me) but I love em
Keep an eye out! Good deals are still out there. But, yes it's still a lot of money regardless. Good luck in your search!
New subscriber, so glad I stumbled upon this video! I had one and sold it, it was a great little car but it went to the right home (Father/Daughter bonding type thing with her first car). Now I need to find another one in Northern Michigan with solid floorboards! Wish me luck 🙂
I’ve just joined the Bug scene this year in March. A little patina ‘69. Definitely needs some engine work, but, still wonderful to be apart of. This showed me a lot more is available for all kinds of budgets.
I used to have a ‘61 VW van that I kept up the maintenance on and STILL had to get the engine rebuilt regularly. I just bought a very pretty ‘64 Beetle on “Bring a Trailer” for $17,500. I’m having it shipped to a shop in Austin for an electric conversion to make it turn key reliable and 4 times the torque.
Should be a blast! Can you keep the manual transmission w/ an electric conversion? Idk, haven’t had a fast vw (yet - key word) but the manual transmission definitely makes them more fun in stock form imo.
@@NoTraction Yeah, it’ll keep the manual trans. Most of the time it will remain in 3rd and be driven like an automatic around town. You’ll put it in 4th on the freeway. It’s arriving in Austin within the hour!
I see one identical to the blue one in my little town of Bellflower Illinois.
Hi, new sub. Liked your video and I agree with it. Your spot On ! I have a 73 SB Orange. Great vintage rides. Thumbs Up !
That's awesome man! Thanks for taking the time to comment! Do you have an instagram? I need some more super beetles in my feed
I just bought my first bug, it's an '05 New Beetle, but I still love it and I get wayyyy better miles per gallon than I do with my Ford Triton lol. So I'm happy
me and the wife are going to pick up a 69 beetle this week. i was looking at prices for parts and they are cheap compared to my 72 Plymouth Road Runner which is on the top of classic car parts price for example set of comp headers for Big Block Chevy was $100 cheaper than the same Headers on my Mopar. cant wait to get this car and enjoy it
I’m crazy for old bugs, i plan on getting one in the near future.
I bought a running but needing love 1973 Super for $1800. Just had my first major issue pop up with valve adjustments being off. It’s been so easy to work on it’s like a dream
IIRC, the recommended interval for valve adjustments was 6,000 miles. It's important to keep them in adjustment, as you can burn a valve or valve seat if they get too far out of adjustment. Fortunately valve adjustment is pretty easy to do. Buy new valve cover gaskets. Don't try to re-use the old ones (I learned this the hard way. Oil all over the place.
I have eleven classic cars. Three 57 Chevys a 55 Chevy a 66 Chevy C10 a 47 Ford a 41 Mercury 2 Model A fords and a Citroen 2cv. So what do I drive every day? Car number 11 is a 73 VW beetle. Three thousand dollars ten years ago good on gas and with a stock 1600 cc dual port engine it's fast enough. And by the way I never saw one leak oil between the case halves. The valve covers pushrod tubes and the oil strainer gasket have been known to leak. A little or a lot. Love my bug it's the best.
I bought a 68 sunroof and only got to drive it for a little while till the motor died. The guy I bought it from was a hack and I did not know better about VW's. I had to by a short block and rebuilt the engine as a 1600 as the idiot before had put a 1200 in it. I got it running and then started fixing the cancer that was eating it alive. The deeper I dug the worse it got. Ended up finding a 64 body and did the swap. A few mods had to be made to put it on the 68 pan but nothing major. Got it painted and drove it and loved it. But my first engine build was not the best as I was still learning so I had to pull the engine. By this time kids had come along and funds were short so the poor bug has sat for many years just waiting on me to get back to it. Soon very very soon!
Got my 4th beetle for £175 but it was a bare rolling shell, it sat in my garage for 20 years, then I got it out and rebuilt it into the Red Baron , I built the engine myself which is 1835cc full race with a Kennedy clutch and a race gearbox, all done in 3 months by myself, sprayed the body shell in red metalflake, and yes it’s a daily driver and lives outside.
And yes it’s reliable and oil tight, total cost including the car £3.000
I've got an 81 Moto Guzzi G5 and now I'm saving up for my first classic car...a Beetle of course! Looking for a 68 to 70 model. There's a nice VW community here in Thailand.
You got a new subscriber 😊👍👍
Heck yeah man! I've never seen one in person, i had to look it up, looks like a pretty sweet ride. Can't wait for you to join the community! I've heard they have a great vw community there. One of the many places I would like to visit someday!
Love the bug, I have a 59, and a 66, the 66 is for sale. In California
I am 14 and my 1st car is a 74 beetle luxury edition and I am restoring it myself
Man that's awesome. Never get rid of it or you'll kick yourself in the future. My first car was a '69 nova, that I still own. Kind of a father son project with my Dad. So many memories made with that car. Hope your beetle brings you the same joy/memories I have with my first car!
I’ll keep it forever and a nova is a sweet car man just seeing my car brings me joy
And I’m putting a 180 horse power motor in it and an upgraded trans. It’s in rough condition but it can be fixed
Thank you.......... Cannot wait , so excited about the electronic beetle☺
I'd love to have a rad bug as my daily. Actually I'm looking for one. Great video man
Love the bugs
One of my all time favorite cars. I know nothing about building engines, restoring cars...but this video makes me want to try with a classic VW Beetle. "Think small" :-)
My advice, buy a decent driver. Work on stuff when it breaks. If you buy something relatively stock, you can find an article/video on how to replace/fix said issue 99% of the time. When I got my fist car (the nova in the bg) I couldn’t change a tire, now I can do pretty much anything besides complex electrical work. That’s about 10 years of working on my junk whenever it needed something or I wanted to upgrade something.
As the saying goes, it takes about 10k hours to master a skill. The good thing with cars is you don’t need to be a master. It’ll be intimidating at first, but you’ll build up the confidence and know how to a point where you start trusting your abilities and will take your car pretty much anywhere. There’s almost always a way to limp a car home or to a shop.
Good luck! Hope you end up with one, they’re great fun little cars.
Great video, thank you! Enjoy those Bugs😁👍
Great video. I’ve got a ‘71 Super Beetle (clementine orange)
They are slow. My 62 would only do 72MPH. On a looooong down hill stretch of interstate.
Still loved that car. I owned it 42 years ago. And here I am, watching Bug videos... again. lol
Someday want a Baja Bug...
I got a ‘71 fastback type 3 as my first car. Worth it
I think I have seen your bug around.. The lowered one with the roof rack, in FL... if not its one that looks JUST LIKE IT.
Must be a doppelgänger out there then lol. I’m from illinois and haven’t taken it across more than a couple states at a time
@@NoTraction WOWW~ I thought for sure it was you! lol.. It hangs out on the beach all the time here in FL.
Can you make a video covering the pros and cons of having a classic bug as a first car? I've been looking at a couple for a while under $1500 running and driving
Not going to happen maybe a late 70’s and poor shape for $1500 I have 66 for about 8k and it has disk brakes all around, new transmission, new motor new front beam and more. In California these cars are just going up in price.
Very nice review. It is true Volkswagen Beetle is a very practical car and very dueable. It is proven and tested until in this new generations.
Thank you man now i realize that i want a stock or drag beetle
They’re all fun! Getting one of mine out for the first time this year, always brings me a smile
I really enjoyed your video. I wanna get a lowered patina bug like yours but need to sell my modified jeep wrangler first. Would like to see a video on the patina bug and the nova.
Weird, I just bout a TJ a few months back for the winter😅 Going to try and be better about posting once it warms up and the salt is off the roads, probably mid - late April.
Keep an eye on marketplace for the best deals, the samba is a good site too, but usually harder to find stuff local-ish and usually a bit more of a premium on price.
Love those little fun cars my first VW that I have had for 26 years was stolen this year got it back but they stole the engine and front hood found another one for 500.00 that I drive daily
I paid 2,000 for my patina 67 bug and I'm fully restoring it all the way besides paint because it has a company logo on the door from 30 years ago mine will have a narrow beam only 2" and Porsche 4 lug 2 liter wheels and Disc all 4 corners ,I'm in Cali and the car came from Nevada to Texas to Cali... really no rust I only replaced the luggage tray and passenger floor ..
Got my 66 for 4700. Love it gonna put disc brakes and vintage exhaust on this summer
Awesome man! Disc brakes make a TON of difference, definitely worth the money! And of course one of the first mods you have to do to any car is an exhaust. lol. Good luck with it, they're awesome little cars
My daily driver is a 58 rag and has been since 83
They get more attention then any thing your spot on there
I am 18 years old and every since I was like oh I don’t know 8 I’ve been obsessed with Volkswagen beetles. When I was younger it was the early 2000s model, the ones that are all round and bubbly looking. Now that I’m older I absolutely love the classic VW’s, and I am looking to get one, one day. I would like a VW beetle to be my everyday car. do you guys think I should get a classic, or one of the newer ones, but not the super new ones I don’t like those like the early 2000s ones? Please help me out because I cannot see myself in any other car besides a volts wagon beetle, they’re just so stinking adorable.
All of the other vw group are from California or taxes . It's feel good that you are in Illinois I am also In Chicago and have vw bus and beatel .
Honestly wished I lived somewhere I could drive them all 4 seasons tho haha
@@NoTraction I also planning to move Florida beaches of weather 🌡️
Beetles are super simplistic cars to maintain. So, like many cars, if your Beetle is in good condition and serviced properly, it'll be as reliable as any car out there.
@@julianricky1720 OMG, 🤦♂ that shop is fkn useless! Like I said, it's the simplest of cars! One carburettor, 4 spark plugs, points and a coil to make the spark and that's it! No computers. Ah, that's prolly why the shop couldn't fix it! No bloody skills apart from plugging a lap-top in! 🤦🏼
I bought my first car at 18, is a 69 beetle, i cant wait till it gets here on PR