I sometimes have thoughts of trading in the 300d for a Beetle. I try to make them go away, but still they linger. Cheap and plentiful to acquire? Check. Reliability in simplicity? Check. Easy to work on? Of course. Manual shift? Yes please. 35 mpg? Fight the Man! That interior, that style, sweet goodness.

Okay. Got it out of my system.... for now.

__________________
1981 300D 205,000 mi.

I like old bugs too, I'm temped to pick up a convertable when I see them around. Not practical long trips, but pretty cool.

have fun adjusting the valves every 3000 miles, rusted heater channels, snapped clutch cables, and difficulty finding ACVW coolant

Their is no VW I envy, I had to suffer through two of them before getting a good vehical.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I owned a POS bug in college, if I bought one now it would be in perfect condition.

Hah! Yeah right! More like half that.

__________________
You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

in college "78to 83 we would drive anything - vw was the car of choice
cheap cheap
Try getting in one today - I'd feel vulnerable . Not enough metal around me .

Too many self absorbed folks driving around in their 4000 lb and such phone to the ear, kids texting etc etc

I'm thinking big body 126

It's still safer than my motocycle.

Really?

__________________
1984 300D, 228k, Light Ivory, Java MB-Tex

I still want an old ACVW.. Lots of fun to customize and tune.

I like my bugs slammed

They're POS's and reliable as long as you work on them often They're fun to drive around town though.

__________________
1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

drum brakes. horrible weight balance. enjoy that fishtailing, especially in the rain!

(volkswagen driver - various beetles - 1978 to 1992)

__________________
"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."

If you have these thoughts of wanting one, go for a drive in one in strong cross winds & have an 18 wheeler go past the other way!!! That should scare the c##p out of you & remove the thoughts for a while!!

__________________
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

Considering it takes less than 30-minutes to pull the engine - what's not to like about vintage Beetles......?

That's because you owned FC VWs. The RC Beetles of the late '60s - early '70s were a thing of beauty and simplicity. Fab cars!

The '80s-'90s VWs weren't anything that would interest me either....