Ok Folks,
I know you lot are probably the wrong crowd to be asking this as i am actually looking for a balanced response but here goes.........
Should i buy my 16yo daughter an old beetle as her first car????
Pros and cons?
We live 50km out of town so it would do a few k's.
Fire away......
LUFTMEISTER ·
They are good daily drivers if you maintain them. These are not modern computer manufactured vehicles. they require regular human maintenace to achieve their best. Depending on how old you intend to buy will determine how much input you will need. As a first beetle I would suggest a '68 plus as they have disc brakes,larger glass,sealed beams,safety steering column,3 point seat belts,2 speed wipers,better suspension. Rust is your biggest enemy, then crash damage, then bad maintenace. Luckily you can buy EVERYTHING you need to rebuild/maintain the car. Good Hunting 👍
cam070 ·
From a learning to drive point of view, and my experience learning on a bug, if you can drive a bug everything else seems easy. I wouldn't say they are the easiest cars to learn on, with no power options.
Getting back into one after years without one is weird.
Something else to consider is, will she appreciate it? If so that makes the maintenence a lot easier.
STIDUB ·
i learnt to drive in my bug 😀 best thing i ever did/was forced to do, now love dubs, my suggestion would be go 68> though, & supers are a decent option (especially if you want a toy later on) if your down that way, from looking on here, edgeworks L bug/1303 is an awesome buy, location would help alot as there is probably a friend of friend that knows of a good dub locally off here
ps, they are forgiving, for a learner thats a good thing 🙂 just make sure the brakes & suspension is in good condition & it will be right, rust as perviously mentioned is the downside, find one with good body/pan decent engine & box & your onto a winner, the downsides are, she will probably hate no air con, or power steer, or silence while driving but honestly even my sister learnt to appreciate that while learning herself.
ask plenty more questions on here though because the year makes a HUGE difference & fine tuning can make a world of difference to transform a shit heap to an awesome daily, the key is simply maintainence 🙂 wouldnt hurt for her to learn that either👍
DaveCarter ·
I learnt to drive on beetles and now drive a superbug and wouldn't have it any other way. Learning to drive in a car with no power steering, no abs, a short shift kit and a car that may break down has made me a much more mechanically empathetic driver. Instead of just driving on oblivious i listen to the engine in my car, i can jump in my friends cars and drive if i have to. Things like that are invaluable and another plus is that beetles aren't really quick enough for your daughter to get herself in to trouble. She will also get the respect for driving an older car, especially a manual 😂
71-BEETLE-SEDAN ·
I learnt in a beetle and am glad i did. Ever since i started driving it ive learnt aloot about the mechanics of them and how to maintain them and also to do some repairs verry quickly.
Like mentioned before they are forgiving, and ive also learnt how to controll a slide because of my bug. And now i can get in nearly any manual car and drive it with ease.
And beetles do have air con, there is too flaps in front of the windows, they are reffered to as vent windows 🙂
Bizarre ·
IF you decide to go this way then buy a post 1973
disc brakes
collapsable steering column
BIG tail lights that others can see
IRS
high back seats
Not as cllectable but MUCH easier to drive
It WILL take a while to get it reliable
Just make sure your daughter is comfortable with the prospect she MAY be stranded once and a while
Bizarre ·
I sought of agree John with the air bag bit
We are going through that with my son and wife
My opinion is to spend money on an advanced driving course
That is the best safety device
Laverda Bomber ·
Good responses guys.
I've talked with my daughter about it and she reckons a bug is her dream car.
We have just bought a 77 campmobile (See First Post by Newbie) and have been tidying that up ready for rego.
A had a Dormobile splittie 15 years ago that i sold and have been kicking myself ever since. Know where it is, still unrestored, but chances of ever getting it back are slim.
Had 2 trips around Europe as a young fella in Kombies and my dad had a late 60's wagon when i was a little tacker.
Hence my attraction to them.
Tried to convince my missus we should be an all volksie family when we first got married but she wouldn't come at it.
My 18yo sun is a dreadlocked surfie with an econovan who wishes it was a Kombi. Funnily enough it was me who talked him out of it as i new the reliability might be an issue and he is not mechanically minded.
My daughter is no different but she probably won't be doing weekend surfing trips too often so i reckon the bug closer to home might be an ok option.
And if it doesn't work....I'll just keep it and get her something else.
We have a brilliant mechanic and i like tinkering and am reasonable with the spanners having been into bikes since i was a kid so between me and my mechanic i reckon we could do it justice.
I am quite partial to superbugs to so your comments re later model benefits all add up.
Keep the comments coming.
Bomber
Bizarre ·
Super parts are cheaper as well
Elephant foot tail lights $30.00
Oval hearts $500++++
71-BEETLE-SEDAN ·
i would d an advanced drivers course
and when im driving my car i know im gunna get hurt if i crash so i drive more carfully
NuZo ·
just let her know, yes beetles look "cute" but they have no aircon, no power steering, no electric windows, none of the luxuries alot of young girls expect from cars. but if she is really set on one, then go for it.
like many others, i learnt to drive in my beetle. once u master a beetle, you CAN drive anything...
Just as per usual, shes young, dont let her do silly things.
Great cars 😀
GL HF!!
barls ·
71-BEETLE-SEDAN wrote:i would d an advanced drivers course
and when im driving my car i know im gunna get hurt if i crash so i drive more carfully
i think they should be mandatory for all p plater. i learned to drive in a bug and a lada. if you can drive ether of them you can drive anything.
Joel ·
gotta agree with most of whats been said here
later models are much safer cars, more common and also parts are cheaper and easier to get
to all the people saying that learning in a bug you can drive anything thats a load of CRAP!
these people need to get out and drive a few more older cars
just cos bugs dont have power steering or brakes and are old doesnt mean there hard to drive, they're one of the easiest things to learn in
an old 3onthetree holden/ford with no steer from the same era takes alot more skill
geez i did my years as apprentice parking in overcrowded carparks in LWB hiaces and expressvans with no windows in the sides and no steer
that is like parrallel parking the friggen titanic with a blind fold on
DylanTheDubber ·
She will love it as her first car but because shes learning an L bug (super bug 73 onwards) Will be ideal as it has better handling from its front strut suspension and a dashed dash for safty. There great cars to learn on but if the 50 km is going ot be an issue than go for the l bug.
From Dylan
donn ·
My sons' first car was a Lada 4x4, great car to drive and would go anywhere (while it was going) he also did an advanced driving course and although he has a very good driving record with only one speeding fine and no accidents (in his 30s' now) after the driving course he did think he was gods giift to driving and his attitude changed for the worse for a while. I would have to agree with IN2VWS though, my thoughts are that she will get sick of the VW pretty quickly especialy if she has had or gets experiencedriving a more modern car, but trying to change the mind of the young around to what you personaly think is usualy like pushing the probervial up hill with the pointed stick. Good luck with your decision.
ian.mezz ·
Laverda Bomber wrote:Good responses guys.
I've talked with my daughter about it and she reckons a bug is her dream car.
Keep the comments coming.
Bomber
No
Dream car😂
While your out driving around this weekend count how many people you see driving a old beetle 🤪
I would always recommend to buy a Toyota,hyundai, Kia or laser or something like that before I told someone to go buy a 40 year old car its just common sense.
and how much money you have to buy a car.
If buying her a new little car ,Hyundai getz or kia about $1200o new
auto air, power steer. and good on fuel
LUFTMEISTER ·
Statisticly everyone dies. 100% Its the time between birth and death that is important. If you are not here to follow your dreams then what are you here for? to become a programmed drone. Make sure she DRIVES her dream car so she makes an iINFORMED decession on her purchase. My car is 49 years old and never been in an accident. There is only one reason for that = the driver(S), not ABS,SPC, seat belt tensioners, traction control and air bags. I see a lot of people who drive their cars like they WANT to test out their safety devices. The facts are 98% of cars NEVER use their secondary safety systems. And they still pull alot of dead people out of cars with airbags (ask your local towie) My2c
h ·
my 2c
sure get her an old bug for week-end good times and fun and learning how to fix it up (they all need fixing)
and anothery daily hack like a hyundai or equivalent that she can be safer in (air bags etc)
that she can wreck whilst doing the learning curve bit
for me i wouldnt want my darling 'when i have one' to be learning in an old car that they dont make any more
we have moved on in relation to safety and thus should be utilised on a daily basis
you cant beat air bags ABS etc when it comes to cheap safety
ok thats 4 cents 🤓
DaveCarter ·
I got this argument from my mum when dad bought me a beetle. "Why doesn't he drive something newer and safer" rah rah rah. Then when the beetle was off the road getting a respray and i had to get a corolla to get around in, she was happy. Even though it had no airbags or abs and was more powerful. People have it in their head that newer = safer but until you start buying cars from the mid 90s, your daughter would be just as safe in a beetle and im sure she would be happier. Plus good luck finding a car with air bags and abs in good condition for cheap.
LUFTMEISTER ·
Quite simple really. All the safety devices in the world wil not save you if you get yourself into a situation where they need to activate. Idiot drivers kill themselves and others everday on our roads. Smart drivers do not require them. They drive within the boundaries of the vehicle they are driving.if you are unlucky enough to be hit by one of these idiots then maybe you will make it, maybe you won't. lifes not a guaranteed outcome. Would you sit in a Hyundai and get rammed by a Landcruiser at 70mph and hope your airbags protect you? Why do they make cars that can do 300kmh when the national speed limits 110KMH?
interesting logic?🙅
IN2VWS wrote:.......interesting logic.......
Why do they have ABS or airbags at all then????
h ·
LUFTMEISTER wrote:Quite simple really. All the safety devices in the world wil not save you if you get yourself into a situation where they need to activate. Idiot drivers kill themselves and others everday on our roads. Smart drivers do not require them. if you are unlucky enough to be hit by one of these idiots then maybe you will make it, maybe you won't. lifes not a guaranteed outcome. Would you sit in a Hyundai and get rammed by a Landcruiser at 70mph and hope your airbags protect you?
yes korean crap at 70mph rather than my old beetle without seat belts any day of the week for me
over the years i have found on very rare occasions that ABS has cut in and helped me avoid horror smashes when i have you know answered the phone, changed a cd or a tune on my ipod, having WW3 with my missus or opening a beer etc
smart drivers arn't always smart and are not always in 'on' mode unlike active safety built into modern cars..
its unfort a fact of life and anything that can help avoid a horror smash/injury has to be good
LUFTMEISTER ·
Sorry H the outcome would be the same. Fire hose time😵💫
h ·
agreed - RIP all.. can somebody get me the number for 000 please.. 😂
DaveCarter ·
To be fair though ABS becomes almost un needed if you teach your daughter how to break properly. Instead of teaching her to rely on ABS to save her when she brakes to hard, teach her to back off the peddle when she hears it lock up. Really the argument of whether or not to get one comes down to the decision between safety in an accident or teaching her the best ways to avoid one
LUFTMEISTER ·
Back on subject. Get her the car that makes her happy and with in her budget. Buyers choice as it should always be.👍
HappyDaze ·
My opinion is to spend money on an advanced driving course
That is the best safety device [/quote]
That's about the best advice you'll get!
I sent our boys to Peter Finlay when they got their licences. They are now in their 40s, and survived those dangerous first few years. That was probably one of the best investments ever!
Cheers, Greg
Phil74Camper ·
Why not look at a second-hand New Beetle (2000-onwards)? They have the same cute looks as the original Beetle, but have a modern Golf 4 platform and running gear underneath. They have ABS, airbags, etc etc. Older ones have 2.0-litre 85 kW Golf engines which are strong and reliable, and they come in manual or auto. They are a perfect 'bridge' between the classic air coolers and modern VWs.
Ian wash your mouth out with soap - No Hyundais or Kias or Toyotas thanks.
ian.mezz ·
ok try this exercise
Go into a Repco , Autopro, Autobarn stores and ask for some 1970 vw service items🙅
Then ring a few Auto service centers and ask about getting some work done on a old 1970 vw bug🙅
ian.mezz ·
Phil74Camper wrote:Why not look at a second-hand New Beetle (2000-onwards)? They have the same cute looks as the original Beetle, but have a modern Golf 4 platform and running gear underneath. They have ABS, airbags, etc etc. Older ones have 2.0-litre 85 kW Golf engines which are strong and reliable, and they come in manual or auto. They are a perfect 'bridge' between the classic air coolers and modern VWs.
Ian wash your mouth out with soap - No Hyundais or Kias or Toyotas thanks.
🤪 I imagine to buy A decent bug these days you would pay between $5000to $8000
for that sort of money you could buy 3 to 4 Hyundais😂
and when one brakes down just leave it on the side of the road and go buy another one😂🤪😂
colonel mustard ·
ian.mezz wrote:No
Dream car😂
While your out driving around this weekend count how many people you see driving a old beetle 🤪
I would always recommend to buy a Toyota,hyundai, Kia or laser or something like that before I told someone to go buy a 40 year old car its just common sense.
and how much money you have to buy a car.
If buying her a new little car ,Hyundai getz or kia about $1200o new
auto air, power steer. and good on fuel
I just lost a fair bit or respect there Ian. The Hyundi getz is in my list of top ten worst car's iv driven. It's stupid and doesn't even drive like a real car.
I agree with Dave carter's comment. If you know how to use brakes correctly, you don't need ABS.
Mate, if your happy to pay for the upkeep on a beetle for your daughter, go for it - but they do cost a fair bit to run, students cant afford it unless they are selling drugs.
desh ·
Laverda Bomber wrote:Ok Folks,
I know you lot are probably the wrong crowd to be asking this as i am actually looking for a balanced response but here goes.........
Should i buy my 16yo daughter an old beetle as her first car????
Pros and cons?
We live 50km out of town so it would do a few k's.
Fire away......
I will go against most of the comments here and say no,
buy her a Volvo, Mercedes, Audi or BMW sedan for similar money, far better brakes, headlights, tensioned seat belts, safer in a crash, P Platers are still learning to drive, it takes years to have the maturity to look at road conditions, make an assessment, and drive accordingly,
Beetle's may well be cheap on petrol, which is what kids are after in their first car, but really the chances of crashing into something are quite high, do that in a large European car sedan and you have a much greater chance of walking away.
Volvo's are not a "cool" car but you are the one alive when you can walk away from a crash, when someone else in a small piece of Japanese or Korean rubbish has died.
I am not Beetle bashing, I love to drive VW's, the Beetle has endless amounts of charisma and character, but the brakes are rubbish, steering is very light at highway speeds, single speed wipers. etc.. etc.. its not something I would have wanted to learn to drive in, otherwise I might have crashed, and died.
There are far easier and safer cars out there to learn in,
EDIT: a last thought to add, a mate of mine recently got rear ended, at an estimated 10-20k's at a set of lights, in his Mitsubishi Magna, ruined the car, smashed the bumper, lights, boot, and he has neck problems now and with his knee.
Do that in a 30 year old, $1000 Mercedes and you wouldn't hardly feel the small tap on the back of the car.
ian.mezz ·
colonel mustard wrote:
ian.mezz wrote:No
Dream car😂
While your out driving around this weekend count how many people you see driving a old beetle 🤪
I would always recommend to buy a Toyota,hyundai, Kia or laser or something like that before I told someone to go buy a 40 year old car its just common sense.
and how much money you have to buy a car.
If buying her a new little car ,Hyundai getz or kia about $1200o new
auto air, power steer. and good on fuel
I just lost a fair bit or respect there Ian. The Hyundi getz is in my list of top ten worst car's iv driven. It's stupid and doesn't even drive like a real car.
I agree with Dave carter's comment. If you know how to use brakes correctly, you don't need ABS.
Mate, if your happy to pay for the upkeep on a beetle for your daughter, go for it - but they do cost a fair bit to run, students cant afford it unless they are selling drugs.
you funny , I hope you like my $500 1991 auto ford laser
its a sweet ride.
I wonder how much money I would have to spend on my supa to get it to handle as good as my $500 laser😂🤪😂
ang3lsholocaust ·
I just lost a fair bit or respect there Ian. The Hyundi getz is in my list of top ten worst car's iv driven. It's stupid and doesn't even drive like a real car.
I agree with Dave carter's comment. If you know how to use brakes correctly, you don't need ABS.
Mate, if your happy to pay for the upkeep on a beetle for your daughter, go for it - but they do cost a fair bit to run, students cant afford it unless they are selling drugs. [/quote]
And what is a so called 'Real car'?? I highly doubt you have driven every single car out there to make a judgement..People buy what they can afford at the time , just because you don't like something, doesn't mean everyone has to dislike it .. And your comment about students can't afford them unless you sell drugs is aload of s&*^ really..If you use your money wisely and cut back on certain things you don't need to be wasting your money on, I'm sure students can afford a beetle, How are you going to afford a much newer car then??
Back on subject if your daughter wants a beetle and is willing to learn how to drive in it, and maintain it let her have the car she wants. You can't protect her from the other idiots on the road. There's no doubt that she will have an accident sooner or later, no matter what car she is in..It's the gamble you take getting behind the wheel . You and your daughter get what you can afford, In reality, nothing is going to be safe enough for your daughter as she is your flesh and blood..There's pro's and con's about every car that's on the road..Take her out one day looking at all the different cars that are in your price range, if you are still unsure on a beetle
Jess
Phil74Camper ·
I also think that the days of picking up a cheap Beetle for day to day transport are over.
The last model made here was the 1600 in 1976 - that's almost 34 years ago. Every other Beetle you see on the roads is older than that. The newest 6-volt Beetle is 43 years old! They are now enthusiasts' vehicles, like say, MGs. You only buy one if you are prepared to tolerate their quirks, have a workshop and special tools to support them, and spend your spare time working on them. Or have money to pay a specialist to do so.
Ian made some good points about Beetle parts and service too - you can't buy Beetle parts at Supercheap or Repco, and Kmart or Ultratune can't work on them. You have to go to a VW specialist - like you would go to an MG specialist if you owned an MG. That's OK, but you are going away from the 'mainstream'.
I do that with my Kombi (which is a youngster at only 36). But for everyday use I stick to the Golf. And when my daughter reaches driving age, we'll be going out in the Golf.
For a combination of classic VW looks, but modern car dynamics, comfort and safety, you can't go past a New Beetle. And then you can stay on this forum without looking like a hypocrite! I'm not even sure if there are any forums or owners clubs for Lasers. Maybe Ian goes to the meetings in that phonebox in Hunter St.
desh ·
You do make a very good point there Phil about the New Beetle, it has some of the charm and character of an old Beetle with modern safety and comfort,
With prices of 2000 model NB's down to around $10,000 they do make an attractive offering when compared with the new sticker price.
Phil74Camper wrote:I also think that the days of picking up a cheap Beetle for day to day transport are over.
The last model made here was the 1600 in 1976 - that's almost 34 years ago. Every other Beetle you see on the roads is older than that. The newest 6-volt Beetle is 43 years old! They are now enthusiasts' vehicles, like say, MGs. You only buy one if you are prepared to tolerate their quirks, have a workshop and special tools to support them, and spend your spare time working on them. Or have money to pay a specialist to do so.
Ian made some good points about Beetle parts and service too - you can't buy Beetle parts at Supercheap or Repco, and Kmart or Ultratune can't work on them. You have to go to a VW specialist - like you would go to an MG specialist if you owned an MG. That's OK, but you are going away from the 'mainstream'.
I do that with my Kombi (which is a youngster at only 36). But for everyday use I stick to the Golf. And when my daughter reaches driving age, we'll be going out in the Golf.
For a combination of classic VW looks, but modern car dynamics, comfort and safety, you can't go past a New Beetle. And then you can stay on this forum without looking like a hypocrite! I'm not even sure if there are any forums or owners clubs for Lasers. Maybe Ian goes to the meetings in that phonebox in Hunter St.
Canni. ·
I learnt to drive in a beetle ('60) and daily drove it till I nearly finished uni... for the past couple years I've now been daily driving a '71 type 3 ... cost wise was a non issue for me the beetle wasn't expensive to run, never let me down mechanically except when my clutch went on the way to uni one day...parts wise because it was so early I did have some minor issues sourcing things when they broke.
If I were to repeat.. the type 3 is actually a far better daily driver, easier to drive, quite a bit safer to drive and actually gets FAR more comments from non VW people than the beetle ever did on 'coolness' lol.
I agree with the safety factor...but in my family all of us kids drove cars without abs and airbags etc because at the time these were unaffordable for us initially (mostly 90's model cars). Now you can pick up these cars for first car prices (we just sold our '96 passat for cheap and that was a safe car but I guess not that cool lol) so considering the accident rate for P plate drivers it might be an idea to start off there and then move onto the dream car.
ian.mezz ·
Phil74Camper wrote:I also think that the days of picking up a cheap Beetle for day to day transport are over.
The last model made here was the 1600 in 1976 - that's almost 34 years ago. Every other Beetle you see on the roads is older than that. The newest 6-volt Beetle is 43 years old! They are now enthusiasts' vehicles, like say, MGs. You only buy one if you are prepared to tolerate their quirks, have a workshop and special tools to support them, and spend your spare time working on them. Or have money to pay a specialist to do so.
Ian made some good points about Beetle parts and service too - you can't buy Beetle parts at Supercheap or Repco, and Kmart or Ultratune can't work on them. You have to go to a VW specialist - like you would go to an MG specialist if you owned an MG. That's OK, but you are going away from the 'mainstream'.
I do that with my Kombi (which is a youngster at only 36). But for everyday use I stick to the Golf. And when my daughter reaches driving age, we'll be going out in the Golf.
For a combination of classic VW looks, but modern car dynamics, comfort and safety, you can't go past a New Beetle. And then you can stay on this forum without looking like a hypocrite! I'm not even sure if there are any forums or owners clubs for Lasers. Maybe Ian goes to the meetings in that phonebox in Hunter St.
At the end of the day its your money and you can buy what ever you like.
Ive just been wasting time on here because there is nothing on TV.🤪 And they took away all the phoneboxes so no laser club anymore😂🙅😂
good luck with what ever you buy.
h ·
ahhh avd ruckus
cool saturday night entertainment.. 😂
kill me
Joel ·
Phil74Camper wrote:I'm not even sure if there are any forums or owners clubs for Lasers. Maybe Ian goes to the meetings in that phonebox in Hunter St.
you would be surprised phil, theres a forum for pretty much every kinda car on the road in aus,
fordlaser.com is a pretty decent sized forum and has a large number of members who have their runs and meets etc
theres a pretty substantial difference between "real" beetles and new beetles for pretend enthusists and im not just talking price tags
they are horrible to drive and a golf which is just the same car underneath is such so much nicer in so many ways
i agree with what Ian says though, modern FWD cars have alot more forgiving handling in adverse conditions than a bug which is something to really consider for an inexperienced driver, especially on rural roads where accidents tend to be alot more catastrophic
Laverda Bomber ·
Ha Ha
Great guys, good to see my topic got a healthy response.
As you can imagine I had been weighing up pretty much all that has been said prior to posting.
Will i feel comfortable with my daughter in an old car? Will the reliability be a pain unless i throw unrealistic amounts of time and money at the bug?
My son drives an econovan with no abs, no airbag and no metal in front of his feet which also makes me nervous.
If he got creamed i would no doubt always regret letting him have a van.
but.... a van is exactly what he wanted.
I would most likely only spend 3-4K on a first car for my daughter as money is not unlimited so i don't even know whether i could get a car with airbags for that price.
No doubt a Toyota corolla, nissan pulsar etc etc would handle, stop, turn heaps better than a bug.
I think there are so many variables that there are no difinitive answers.
I ride motorbikes too. Anyone who was risk averse would never do it...
Mind you i did breath a sigh of relief when my son said he didn't want his bike licence. he's been riding since he was six but thought bikes on the road were too risky.
One compromise for my daughter may be to get a superbug for her to learn in with me beside her and then make the call in 12 months time whether it is the right car for her once she has her P's or whether I keep the bug and get her something more modern.
That way i can score a second vee dub by stealth....
Now there's a plan....
Bomber
colonel mustard ·
ang3lsholocaust wrote:And what is a so called 'Real car'?? I highly doubt you have driven every single car out there to make a judgement..People buy what they can afford at the time , just because you don't like something, doesn't mean everyone has to dislike it .. And your comment about students can't afford them unless you sell drugs is aload of s&*^ really..If you use your money wisely and cut back on certain things you don't need to be wasting your money on, I'm sure students can afford a beetle, How are you going to afford a much newer car then??
Jess
I agree. I was a pretty crap comment to make actually, My apologies. What I mean is that it is an expensive car to run and maintain on minimum wages, when you have large course fee's (no hex), living expenses, etc.
Having purchased my car myself at 18, and paying for everything for it myself, (fuel, insurance, rego, repairs) I know how much it costs. My parents don't buy me cars or pay my phone bill, I have to do it myself... so i know how much it is and all that.
Anyway.
Have I driven every car there is, no. - However, working at a service centre, dealership, used car lot (All in one..) I have driven a very wide variety of cars, and to be honest, I have found them terrible. I don't just love VW's. I really appreciate other cars, Mazda's, nissans, etc. And, As Ian says, Lasers are great. Very good first cars. (and yes, There is a laser forum - one of my friends joined it when he owned one.) I owned a 89 KE laser, It was a great first car - however, amazingly easy to drive compared to a beetle. But the great thing about a beetle is that they are fairly basic, and thats good to learn with, because you then know how it all works, and aren't taken by fancy buttons re: traction control, abs, etc.
Again, I will say I agree with Dave, leaning to drive a car without all the new features makes you a more switched on driver... focus is important and your driving skills grow from that.
Hope that helps.
rose ·
colenel mustard you've seen dave's car how can he be focused with the big doof doof and all those pretty lights 😂😂
I learnt to drive in a 66 HR holden with 3 on the column, no power assist brakes or any fancy stuff and you built up muscles driving it. And my boyfriend paid $900 for it and gave it to me to learn to drive in.
I can still remember my driving instructor telling me how impressed he was that I could ride the clutch without using the brake on a hill. But he said don't do it when you go for your licence. I even had to drive it one day when the clutch went. That was my first car I use to do a lot of silly things in my HR and I'm still here & never had an accident just luck of the draw I think.
When I earned enough money I brought a VH 6cyl commodore when I was on my p's.
My dream car use to be a Lamborghini Countach but I didn't have rich parents to buy me one😂😂
If you can afford to buy your dream car just do it. And if she don't like it make sure it's not pink and you score yourself a bug.
djnee ·
My experience...
I grew up in the UK and had a Beetle as my first car. I ran this for 2 years when i only had an income of £28 a week. (around $60)
$20 went to my mum for 'boarding', leaving me $40 to pay for fuel / insurance / tax / MOT (RWC here)
But i managed to do it!
Not once did i have an accident...and i guess statistically i should have! The UK has 3 times the population of Australia...and all that extra traffic has to cram itself into a space the size of Victoria! Plus people drive a lot slower here. I regularly did 80mph (about 130kmh) on UK motorways...just to keep up with the flow of the traffic.
Yes, i broke down a few times, but this was in 1991 with no mobile phones...these days breaking down shouldn't be a worry i reckon, as 1 quick call on the mobile and it's sorted!
Yes, Beetles don't have airbags / ABS and all of the other things we've come to rely on in the past few years....but you live with that and drive accordingly. When i drive our Beetle i automatically leave more distance between me and the car in front, and i also i find i'm a lot more aware of what other drivers are doing / about to do... switch to driving our new car and it's totally different as i almost rely on these things to make up for mine and others bad driving. I don't do it intentionally, it just happens.
When we bought our blue 68 bug when we arrived in Aus, the guy we bought it from explained how it was his 'last' Beetle. He had bought all 3 of his daughters Beetles as their first car. He explained that he felt it safer that they were in cars that were pretty slow, and not the sort of car you can be a "hoon" in! He also got comfort from the fact that he could always hear that familiar Beetle engine noise from 4 blocks away, which meant they were nearly home and that he could then go to sleep!
Had this topic have been "i am trying to convince my daughter to have a Beetle" then i'd have had different views....but if it's her that's asked for it, then i'd say go for it. You can only advise really, as ultimately as a young adult you have to trust her judgement now...just as your parents trusted yours.
Best of luck in whatever you go with 🙂
trickysimon ·
I reckon go for it.
Your going to die if you hit a tree at 110km/h, no matter what car your in.
You just need to teach her not to text while driving, not to drink and drive,
and to just generally stay aware.
ian.mezz ·
Laverda Bomber wrote:Ha Ha
Great guys, good to see my topic got a healthy response.
As you can imagine I had been weighing up pretty much all that has been said prior to posting.
Will i feel comfortable with my daughter in an old car? Will the reliability be a pain unless i throw unrealistic amounts of time and money at the bug?
My son drives an econovan with no abs, no airbag and no metal in front of his feet which also makes me nervous.
If he got creamed i would no doubt always regret letting him have a van.
but.... a van is exactly what he wanted.
I would most likely only spend 3-4K on a first car for my daughter as money is not unlimited so i don't even know whether i could get a car with airbags for that price.
No doubt a Toyota corolla, nissan pulsar etc etc would handle, stop, turn heaps better than a bug.
I think there are so many variables that there are no difinitive answers.
I ride motorbikes too. Anyone who was risk averse would never do it...
Mind you i did breath a sigh of relief when my son said he didn't want his bike licence. he's been riding since he was six but thought bikes on the road were too risky.
One compromise for my daughter may be to get a superbug for her to learn in with me beside her and then make the call in 12 months time whether it is the right car for her once she has her P's or whether I keep the bug and get her something more modern.
That way i can score a second vee dub by stealth....
Now there's a plan....
Bomber
In my day my first car was what I could afford to buy just Like Rose and djnee said .
But now its what mum and dad buys ,things haven't changed that much, we didn't buy cars cause they looked pretty its was what we could afford and to be practical.
I dont know whats all the talk about saftey is about, after all most of us drive old VW for a hobby.
Bizarre ·
ian.mezz wrote:after all most of us drive old VW for a hobby.
Ummmm.....................no 🙅
Its my daily transport
NEEDS to be reliable
You just need to works at it, getting all the bugs out 😂
donn ·
Yeah, reckon I agree with the "I dont know whats all the talk about saftey is about" I was thinking about buying a Proton Jumbuck, then the news about them only achieving one safety star hit the news, I got advice including special phone calls to advise me against it, not safe they cried, what if the sky falls on you they asked. Hmmmm, how safe is the Kalita, and I'd drive that every day if I could. Case dismissed.
get what makes the girl happy as long as she is fully aware of the consequences, sounds like the worst that will happen if she decides she dosn't want / like it is you will end up with your own Beetle, that can't be too bad.
HappyDaze ·
Any car - including a VW - is only as dangerous as you want to make it! Have fun, but take care.
Cheers, Greg
coletrickle ·
My 2 cents worth if your daughter/son cannot ride a push bike competently.IE do they understand that if you lock up the front brake and crash it's because brakes locked =no control =crash=gravel rash!They have no right to a licence.Same situation in a car is a lot more serious!And old car is a little special these days so when all your kids freinds are driving "safe new cars"you son/daughter can cruize and be cool!Have you ever seen Arthur Fonzarelli aka "THE FONZ" racing around in public?No cause he is Cool.🙅But seriously a series of driving courses are well worth it.
Rural Baja ·
Welcome to AVD 👍
Well i am 17, got my p's on the first of december and drive a 64 beetle around launceston (Driving it nearly as a daily as the falcon ute uses too much petrol)
I have found around town its a great little car, however on the open road things can get a little hairy. I drove back from Bridport today and with the wind i had to work on the wheel quite a bit. Seeing as she will be travelling the west tamar highway, if you did decide to get her a beetle, id go post 69. they may not look like the classic beetle but would be a much better choice for her.
Oh and if you see my Herbie getting around town, give us a toot!
Cheers William.
Laverda Bomber ·
I'll keep my eye out William.
I reckon I'll consider a superbug for her L's and play it by ear.
see what i find for sale over the next coupla months.
bomber
71-BEETLE-SEDAN ·
To make it better in the wind drop some air outta the tyres, mine was jumpy as all hell ntil now, ive got about 20 psi in the front, its soooooo much better in the wind now. Only down side is harder to park and stuff but hey id rather that then get blown around everywghere.
If you get one while she is on her ps you can se how she likes it and how she drives it. That way you too can drive it and see if you want your daughter driving it.
Rural Baja ·
Laverda Bomber wrote:I'll keep my eye out William.
I reckon I'll consider a superbug for her L's and play it by ear.
see what i find for sale over the next coupla months.
bomber
Im checking one out tommorow. Ill keep you posted 👍
STIDUB ·
on the superbug / Lbug note, id highly recommend assuming the bushings are all stuffed & allow a day to replace them, www.topline.com should prove useful for parts, failing that you can get most things in aus from vforce or your preffered supplier.
If you want to learn more about supers specifically, check out SBO & GL forums, strut bug people, not the types that say just sell it & buy a beam bug 🙂