O.K. I am a college student but my job is really far away currently I
am driving a 2002 jetta but between work and school the miles are gonna
kill it before long at this rate anyway. So I am thinking about getting
a second car to just use for school and running around town. I am need
something that is pretty reliable and low maintance (since i dont have
much money to spare) . I was wondering if a old bug would be good for
me. There is one for sale in town and it has sparked my attention. It
seems to be in good shape. I guess I am just wondering if they are
pretty durable, and is it more expensive to get them worked on then
newer cars. thanks for helping a newb to bugs out!
yours,
al
Speedy Jim - 27 Aug 2005 20:36 GMT
> O.K. I am a college student but my job is really far away currently I
> am driving a 2002 jetta but between work and school the miles are gonna
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> yours,
> al
Unless you are ready and willing to do most work yourself...
fuhget it.
That's not meant to sound rude. But in most parts of the US,
you won't find *anyone* who knows anything about them and
when they do are able to charge bigga bucks.
--
Speedy Jim
http://www.nls.net/mp/volks/
Seth Graham - 29 Aug 2005 20:59 GMT
> That's not meant to sound rude. But in most parts of the US,
> you won't find *anyone* who knows anything about them and
> when they do are able to charge bigga bucks.
The west coast still has a lot of acvw-only shops, and the handful
I've personally used were resonable with pricing. On an annual basis,
cost a hell of a lot less to pay them to maintain my bug than I'm
paying now for my girlfriend's 97 cavalier.
South San Francisco bay and Portland, OR were both great places to
own one. Almost too good because I didn't take the time to learn
nearly as much as I should have when I had ready access to hands-on
help.
Jan Andersson - 29 Aug 2005 21:43 GMT
So...
Where would you guys like me to move and open an AC only VW shop?
:D
Jan
>> That's not meant to sound rude. But in most parts of the US,
>> you won't find *anyone* who knows anything about them and
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> nearly as much as I should have when I had ready access to hands-on
> help.
Seth Graham - 29 Aug 2005 22:37 GMT
> So...
>
> Where would you guys like me to move and open an AC only VW shop?
2049 Golf View Ct. Apt 1B, Wheaton, IL sounds good.
I live in 1A.
>:D
>
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>> nearly as much as I should have when I had ready access to hands-on
>> help.
Jan - 30 Aug 2005 08:19 GMT
>>So...
>>
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
> I live in 1A.
LOL
I'll get right on it :D
Jan
Shag - 29 Aug 2005 22:56 GMT
>So...
>
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
>Jan
Raleigh, NC. I have a rail that needs some professional help. (Not
"less-than-professional," but "professional.") You move here and open
up an AC VW shop and I'd proudly be your first customer. :-)
Jan - 30 Aug 2005 08:20 GMT
>>So...
>>
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> "less-than-professional," but "professional.") You move here and open
> up an AC VW shop and I'd proudly be your first customer. :-)
Hmm... climate-wise it sounds better than IL. Hmm.
jan
remco - 30 Aug 2005 12:56 GMT
> >>So...
> >>
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> jan
Unless you like your climate in Finland, forget what I mentioned about
opening a shop up in CT (it is way not as nice weather as where Shag lives)
Tim Rogers - 30 Aug 2005 13:27 GMT
> Unless you like your climate in Finland, forget what I mentioned about
> opening a shop up in CT (it is way not as nice weather as where Shag lives)
...............I suspect that Jan is yearning for a warm & dry climate and a
lot of ACVWs to play with. Arizona/Southern California would satisfy his
needs and then we would all have a place to stay while on winter vacation.
Remco - 30 Aug 2005 13:45 GMT
> > Unless you like your climate in Finland, forget what I mentioned about
> > opening a shop up in CT (it is way not as nice weather as where Shag
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> lot of ACVWs to play with. Arizona/Southern California would satisfy his
> needs and then we would all have a place to stay while on winter vacation.
I like the way you think, Tim! :)
Jan Andersson - 30 Aug 2005 15:38 GMT
>>>Unless you like your climate in Finland, forget what I mentioned about
>>>opening a shop up in CT (it is way not as nice weather as where Shag
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> I like the way you think, Tim! :)
Me too :)
Jan
Joao Eliseu - 30 Aug 2005 14:22 GMT
>>>So...
>>>
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
>jan
..don't forget the food and the wine
Joao
72 Super 1302
Joao Eliseu - 30 Aug 2005 14:29 GMT
>>>So...
>>>
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
>jan
and the beautiful woman’s...
Joao
72 Super 1302
Remco - 30 Aug 2005 14:33 GMT
> >>>So...
> >>>
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> Joao
> 72 Super 1302
I wonder if he'll need help and be hiring soon.. :)
Jan Andersson - 30 Aug 2005 15:39 GMT
>>>>So...
>>>>
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> Joao
> 72 Super 1302
I can look, but not take full advantage of the situation ;)
I already have one, don't need another.
Jan
Joao Eliseu - 30 Aug 2005 15:59 GMT
>>>>>So...
>>>>>
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
>
>Jan
I also think that one is enough, but is it great to look for what is surrounded
by the bikinis when we are on the beach :-) I love the summer...
Joao
72 Super 1302
remco - 30 Aug 2005 03:22 GMT
> So...
>
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
> Jan
Anywhere in Fairfield county, Connecticut.
> >> That's not meant to sound rude. But in most parts of the US,
> >> you won't find *anyone* who knows anything about them and
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> > nearly as much as I should have when I had ready access to hands-on
> > help.
Michael Cecil - 27 Aug 2005 20:39 GMT
>O.K. I am a college student but my job is really far away currently I
>am driving a 2002 jetta but between work and school the miles are gonna
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>yours,
>al
I wouldn't say bugs are low maintenance, it more that the people who own
them know how to do basic maintenance themselves so they aren't paying
someone else to do it every few months. If maintained, they are super
reliable. My bug is past 300K miles and only once in the last 23 years
have I been stranded (because I screwed up the engine too, not a
reliability problem really.)
Get yourself the Muir manual (not technically accurate but a good source
of inspiration) and the Bentley manual first and see if doing stuff like
changing the oil every 3000 miles and doing a valve job is within your
abilities, then go find a well-maintained bug to buy.

Signature
Michael Cecil
http://home.comcast.net/~macecil/
http://home.comcast.net/~safehex/
remco - 28 Aug 2005 01:49 GMT
> O.K. I am a college student but my job is really far away currently I
> am driving a 2002 jetta but between work and school the miles are gonna
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> yours,
> al
Hey Al
I'd hate to steer you away from bugs but I'd hate for you to make a wrong
choice more, curse us out and hate bugs for the rest of your life:
Bugs will require a fair amount of maintenance. Unless you already know how
to work on bugs, you don't want to learn by working on one you rely on to
get to from A to B (that's when you'll start cursing us out if we told you
to get a bug).
If you want a reliable car, fairly low maintenance that will most likely get
you decent mileage and will last for a while, I'd get a Subaru. I've had
several and they are very good basic transportation, not hard to maintain
and fairly easily worked on. I got my daughter an older Impreza at during
the first year of college and she's now going for her masters' (so it has
lasted a bit).
If you live in an area where you might get a decent amount of snow, the four
wheel drive aspect is your friend.
Join the dark side, get a third car and let that be a bug :)
Remco
P.J. Berg - 29 Aug 2005 01:24 GMT
>>O.K. I am a college student but my job is really far away currently I
>>am driving a 2002 jetta but between work and school the miles are gonna
[quoted text clipped - 30 lines]
> Join the dark side, get a third car and let that be a bug :)
> Remco
Or get an 80's Mercedes, very reliable if you find one from a good home
which has not been eaten by the steel worms..
J.
remco - 29 Aug 2005 01:36 GMT
> >>O.K. I am a college student but my job is really far away currently I
> >>am driving a 2002 jetta but between work and school the miles are gonna
[quoted text clipped - 33 lines]
> Or get an 80's Mercedes, very reliable if you find one from a good home
> which has not been eaten by the steel worms..
Yeah, that works too.. While were dreaming, why not a nice gull wing? :)
P.J. Berg - 29 Aug 2005 17:30 GMT
>>>>O.K. I am a college student but my job is really far away currently I
>>>>am driving a 2002 jetta but between work and school the miles are gonna
[quoted text clipped - 62 lines]
>
> Yeah, that works too.. While were dreaming, why not a nice gull wing? :)
Mmm, my regular car is a -82 W123 230E... The last of the good ones..
J.
Remco - 29 Aug 2005 19:17 GMT
> >>>>O.K. I am a college student but my job is really far away currently I
> >>>>am driving a 2002 jetta but between work and school the miles are gonna
[quoted text clipped - 66 lines]
>
> J.
Nice wheels! Agreed on the newer body styles - they all look like
German Hondas now..
P.J. Berg - 29 Aug 2005 23:25 GMT
>>>>>>O.K. I am a college student but my job is really far away currently I
>>>>>>am driving a 2002 jetta but between work and school the miles are gonna
[quoted text clipped - 69 lines]
> Nice wheels! Agreed on the newer body styles - they all look like
> German Hondas now..
I dont have a problem with the latter body styles so much (2000
something).Just the quality, unless we are looking at 500 - 600 series,
which are waaaaay out of my league :o)
J.
remco - 30 Aug 2005 03:19 GMT
> >>>>>>O.K. I am a college student but my job is really far away currently I
> >>>>>>am driving a 2002 jetta but between work and school the miles are gonna
[quoted text clipped - 76 lines]
>
> J.
When it comes to Mercedes, I just know what body style I like. A friend of
mine had an older 450, which is just a beautiful car - bad in snow or rain,
but beautiful. Always have been partial to Gull Wings since I saw one when I
was a kid.
Never owned one (am partial to Saabs myself) but do remember wondering what
the heck happened to their style - or lack of - around later 80s; they all
just started to look alike. Mercedes had such a nice difinitive style in the
day.
(Hate the looks of the new saabs too, though, so it is probably just me. :)
Wild Bill Tucker - 29 Aug 2005 20:39 GMT
Hey Al,
Welcome to the wonderful world of Air Cooled VWs. John Henry has some
MUST reading that you should check out prior to making a decision about
VWs.
http://www.thebugshop.org/gotech.htm
Keep the group posted on your decision and if you need any help.
Be Cool.....AIRCOOLED !!
"Wild" Bill Tucker
President
Rare Air VW Club
Pensacola, Florida
'78 VW Bus ( "Old Rusty" )
'76 Bug "The Grape"
'69 Squareback , Arizona car, Automatic
Rare Air VW Club Website:
http://www.devoted.to/RareAir
or
http://community.webtv.net/stlkikn/RAREAIRVWCLUBINFO