hi all,
new to the site,looking for a heads up on my first vw
i have found a 1972 beetle s in good condition anybody know what to look out for and what kind of money i should be paying??
thanks
lee
Hello and welcome!
I have one of these S Bugs.
The first thing to look out for is rust in the body. Pay particular attention to the area around the rear window, the heater channels, floor pans and battery tray (under the rear seat), also the bases of the A pillars, the base of the front firewall and the front framehead. Also, take it for a test drive and make sure that the gearbox shifts nicely, doesn't jump out of any gears (especially reverse) and doesn't make any nasty noises. Check that the engine runs nicely and doesn't blow smoke.
How much you should pay is a very good question and depends on what you mean by 'good condition'. I would personally pay around $3,000 for a nice roadworthy car and no more than $8,000-$10,000 for a show winner. You could pick up a cheap one for as little as a few hundred dollars but you will still have to do a fair bit of work to it to get it up to scratch.
On pretty much any S Bug the front suspension is likely to need work, especially replacing the swaybar bushes. This is fairly cheap and easy though so I wouldn't let it put you off buying a car.
