Not a new bug - an OLD bug. I have always wanted to play with one of these things. I am slowly doing some research. I am willing to forgo good mechanicals for a good body. Mechanicals don't bother me, bodywork does. I am looking for overall advice here ladies and gentlemen. SHould I beat my daughter until she swears off the bug? If not, what should I be looking for? What should I be expecting to pay for a decent body? She is not interested in the baja's or the buggy. She wants pretty much a stock VW. AT what price point, if any, is it worth it just to have the title and something to start with?

Well man, looks like you're out anywhere from $750 to about $4,500...

They really range. The nice bodied ones usually have been done up and are costly. At lease around here they are.

Scan Craigslist in your area's there are usually several everywhere you look.

I've had a couple in the seventies. Rust will be the biggest problem. I tried to buy one with a Porsche engine in it... it ran high 15's. Really decent cars if you can find a Super Beetle

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You can't condemn the bad if you don't commend the good

I have and still do think the "bugs" were some decent cars, at least for their intended purpose and target audience. One of the few cars that a road side repair, including changing engines - is pretty easy to handle. I tried to interest my 'Non-car guy' step son by getting him one...figured sooner or later it would break down, as easy as they are to fix - I would then be able to ease him into the car culture. It didn't work, it wasn't "flashy" enough to impress his "crew". So, it was 2 more years of catching rides,  pedal power, skate boards and walking... I just could not understand turning down a free car (any car!) when the alternative was walking.

With a daughter, its different. I still wonder if they are survivable against the idiot drivers on the roads today. One good thing though, she will not be bringing home many (any?) speeding tickets, parking tickets maybe, she may even lose it in a parking lot and have to wait until the lot is empty to find it.

Could build a cage in it for safety sake.

I thought that they stoped building the old style ones in mexico not too long ago...

Here we are: http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0730/p07s02-woam.html

They're neat cars, and simple as hell to work on. When I was in high school I restored a 60 Bug and during the same time I had a 66 Baja Bug, a 67 Bug, and two rail jobs.

Beowolf,

The older daughter wants a convertable. Doesn't matter as to car as long as it is a convertable and at least from the 80's up. I am thinking fox body mustang convertable w/ 2.3 HAHAHA(aren't I evil!!) or a New Bug Convertable from 98 or so. This is the one I worry about speeding ticket wise. The daughter that wants the old bug..... if you saw her - her personality just makes you think 'flower child' on sight.

BTW: I do not know if the older one's dislike of old cars is genuine. She got awful mad at me when I got rid of my '67 Galaxie. Both got upset with me when I sold my BMW K100LT.

I hope the bug is simple. I just swapped out/ upgraded the tranny in a '93 Mark VIII. That is tight - a real pain.

I'd talk her into a new body bug. Water cooled, a/c, good stereo, safer, 23+ mpg in town, even better on the highway, and dirt cheap for the earlier years of that body style.

2.0 liter can be had for nothing, and will run forever with regular oil changes.

She may like the old ones, but driving and working on a new one is so much nicer, and I bet it would be just a cheap for a decent one


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- 70 Fastback Mustang, 489 cid FE, TKO-600 5 speed, 3.70 9 inch
- 71 F100 shortbed 4x4, 397 cid FE, headers, Street Dominator, 280H, 5 lug Dana 60, 4 speed

I tried. She has her heart set on the old one. Of course, she is 10. I have time to change her mind. If she stays consistant on the old bug for a couple more years, then I will have to be serious about getting one. I took her to see one that needed a lot of work and she wanted one even more.

I have a buddy who used to rebuild the engines as a side job while being a teacher. Many years ago he said the parts got too expensive and harder to get.

I rarely see bugs on the road anymore, but the main reason I suspect is the rust factor. They rust out at the door bottoms and when the pans go, they get real scary. Also, the suspension mounts in front get rusted through and the torque tubes break. Lots of areas in them to catch road salt and water.

Lots of good memories in them except the one where I hit the windshield with my head after getting hit in the rear with a moving truck that pushed us into a van in a line of stopped traffic. That could explain a lot about me today!

When I think of VW's, I can't help but think of these: I still think they're cool!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cars-Trucks___1956-Porsche-356-Speedster-Replica-New-Int_W0QQitemZ110288908034QQddnZCarsQ20Q26Q20TrucksQQddiZ2282QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item110288908034&_trkparms=72%3A727%7C39%3A1%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1308&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245

I like Porsche, but only the 911 interest me, I thought the Carrera (wasn't there an "America" varient for salon racing in 72 or so) from the 70 - 80 were nice, The Turbo Porsche were/are really nice.... a freind of mine had one in the '90's, 'got a deal on it so the price wasn't "that" bad. I was a little Pit Bull of a car - definately NOT a sleeper. The car was bona fide "Honey wagon", them Honey's would drip all over it.... . Almost make me want to be young again, Ahhh - OK ... enough dreaming, I wasn't all the popular even then. The filly I cut out of the herd was the best thing that happened to me.

I never could "get" the cult status of the 'bath tub' early Porshe 356. They have no power, questionable handling and - bad as it sounds to say out loud, they are butt ugly. I just don't get it?

I'd take a Micro Bus or early Volks over one of them - especially a replica - in a heart beat.