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VW as a daily drive car?

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Sammy Learner Dubber

12 posts · joined May 2011 ·

#928354
Hi,

I'm considering selling my 1970 Beetle to buy a newer car as I currently drive it every day and can't afford to keep the Beetle in a garage etc and pay rego etc on another car.

So, I'm wondering how many people use their VW as a daily drive? Everyone keeps telling me I shouldn't drive my car every day but keep it for weekends only.

I drive about 15 minutes down the road and back to work.

Just interested to see what everyone else does. 🙂

hellbugged 48's and straight cuts

5,080 posts · joined Apr 2003 ·

#928359
Beetles are great daily drivers.......it would love doing a nice 15 minute drive!

surreyp Casual Dubber

45 posts · joined Jan 2011 ·

#928361
Theres plenty of them getting around in South West Sydney. They seem to get along pretty well.

coletrickle Wolfsburg Wizard

661 posts · joined Apr 2009 ·

#928362
Mate that's what they were made for!I'm doing it every day 2332 ida's close ratio box and loving it but it is built rite and I have a good mechanic for the stuff I can't do/ don't want to!I runs better than a lot of stockers.As long as your prepared to do some basic servicing etc get a mechanic you can trust not to say steal parts out of you car while your paying him to work on your car!There will be some tring moments but well worth it.

LUFTMEISTER Veteran Volks Folk

2,041 posts · joined Jul 2005 ·

#928365
Been that for 50yrs, don't know why they suddenly would not be suitable.👍 Unless the owners have got softer 🙄 👍
Customer service is not dead in Australia.

Always after HAZET & MATRA & VW factory tools

Craig Torrens 6 times Australian, 7 times State Hillclimb Class Champion

8,040 posts · joined Jan 2003 ·

#928367
Old vw's (or any old car) are fine as daily drivers. The biggest problem IMO is that owners don't stick to a maintenance schedule when they have old cars, so they just fix things when they break.......this is when driving older cars become a PITA !

If its serviced and maintained at regular intervals there is no reason why it can't be a trouble free daily driver.


69bug Officially Full-On Dubber

300 posts · joined Jan 2012 ·

#928377
Drive my 69 everyday....
Seats hurt the shit outta my back but the old vw hates to sit
1969 1500

polarbus93 just cruisin slowly

197 posts · joined Apr 2008 ·

#928398
ive got the 73 panel as a daily drive

vwvic Seriously Crusin Dubber

192 posts · joined Jun 2007 ·

#928405
I drive my 74 camper every day and love it.The kids love getting dropped at school in it and cruzing in it on the weekend Ill be driving the beetle as a daily when it's finished.
(trying to cut down the fuel bill the bus is a bit thirsty)
59 beetle,61 beetle,72 dual cab,58 beetle,55 splitty,
65 manx,74 camper,60 Rat beetle.....and many more to come

helbus Administrator Mad fabricator, paint and body

7,386 posts · joined Sep 2002 ·

#928406
We have had a 71 Beetle as a daily driver for 7 years now. The Kombi was the daily driver before that, and is now used a bit less..

Maintenance is the key. Every 5000 miles we get ours checked by a VW mechanic.

Then you only have to garage one car, pay rego and insurance on one car and have a real cool car.
EJ22 into Bay Microbus - Finished project build thread- click on this spot here for info

beetleboyjeff Custom Title Time!

1,790 posts · joined Feb 2009 ·

#928409
Yep, been driving my 75 L bug as a daily for about 25 years now - great fun.

I do agree you need to keep up maintenance to keep it reliable.
From your ole' mate Jeff

dragsters for life Fahrvergnugen

953 posts · joined May 2011 ·

#928421
been driving my notch daily for 2 and half years with out a problem
volkaholics.net come check us out

Sammy Learner Dubber

12 posts · joined May 2011 ·

#928429
Thanks guys. My car is really well maintained and very reliable. I've never had a problem with it and I've had it for almost two years. It's in great condition mechanically and body wise. Unfortunately we haven't been able to find a good mechanic to work in it in Adelaide as it's been to two of the better known places and both times my husband has had to fix something they've messed up on it. But fortunately my husband is a car guy and I know enough to keep it going etc so between us it does pretty well.

We're possibly moving further away from my work and I will need to go on a road that does 100 (which I have to say, my car doesn't love), but I will keep thinking about it for now.

h fractals - an ever changing lifestyle

7,671 posts · joined Feb 2005 ·

#928431
gosh, if you sold that beetle n replaced it for a Hyundai or something equally ewh = regret
once you get a good VW keep it, they don't make em anymore
and yep you don't have to do 100 just leave a little bit earlier
keep it and be extra happy especially on the weekend runs 😉
fractal geometry; the inner most limits of mind altering abuse

Fantasy http://seventhchronicle.com

Z = Z2 + C1/r = 1/0 = infinity

Barrels www.barrelman.com.au

VW Workshop - aircooledgarage.com.au
allcooled.com.au

matberry Moderator Go hard or go home

8,114 posts · joined Mar 2006 ·

#928433
All good advice. BTW your car should 😍 100 kmph. Something isn't right if it doesn't.
Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE

donn Wolfsburg Elder

3,515 posts · joined Nov 2005 ·

#928435
Hmm, dosn't like 100, the wench cruises at 110 all day, even when I went over to WA it just kept on going and that was towing a trailer, methinks you are being a bit soft on the poor dear.
I dream of a day when a chicken can cross a road without being asked for it's motive!

L469 Officially Full-On Dubber

288 posts · joined Mar 2010 ·

#928451
matberry wrote:All good advice. BTW your car should 😍 100 kmph. Something isn't right if it doesn't.
^ they were made for autobahn cruising pedal flat too the floor all day . my car performs the best on a freeway stretch .it seems to get into its stride. would definitely be looking at why ? your car lacks steam good luck ,don't give up on the car !😎

joesbuell Seriously Crusin Dubber

190 posts · joined Sep 2011 ·

#928457
I drive my 64 everyday and it LOVEs it! 🙂

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 ·

#928467
I've got boring modern mainstream cars but I still mainly use my bug more as a daily, usually about 300kms a week, much more fun to drive.

ClockworkMonkey Seriously Crusin Dubber

199 posts · joined Oct 2009 ·

#928473
I drive my '69 bug almost everyday to work down the ipswich motorway (40 mins each way @ 100km/h... maybe 80kms a day or something) and it's a 1500sp stocker 🙂 i love it!! never had major dramas with the car either... serviced like clockwork and i have a great mechanic.

instead of selling your car to buy a new one, spend that new car cash on some nice bits for your bug 😎

sander288 "Bolt-on Master"

1,404 posts · joined Aug 2008 ·

#928475
Yep using a bug as a daily is awesome; I enjoyed driving mine around for years; favourite was working in Bondi Junction and living in Hornsby it was sooo much fun working down the pacific highway every day; some days the traffic was awful but mostly depending on lane selection it was great fun!

IMHO stock bugs rock as daily's; once they get modified it starts to depend on how and what you've done if they remain enjoyable as a daily thing
BMW R65 LS
1967 1300 Deluxe
Swing-axles FTW ❗

Canni. Wolfsburg Wizard

471 posts · joined Sep 2003 ·

#928496
I bought a daily new car (a vw at least, polo GTI) and whilst its comfortable and safe and does 100km/hr no problems... its just downright boring compared to the dub! It has also been terribly unreliable (I'm on my second engine and I don't trust the DSG auto which is the biggest failing of the car for me...and I thought I was just unlucky but many I have spoken to have similar issues). Being a new car its so bloody complex and the dealer tells me they can't find the issue cause the computer says everything is okay. Whenever I see a aircooled dub doing its daily thing I glare at them enviously!
Heidi - 1960 White Beetle
'65 Kiwi Ghia

crazyfiggi Wolfsburg Wizard

657 posts · joined Jun 2003 ·

#928512
I've been driving different air cooled dubs daily for about the last nine years and wouldnt have it any other way! Admittedly I have been cycling to work for about a year now which really cuts down the kms I drive per year.

vlad01 Compulsive Aussie Vee Dubber

4,270 posts · joined Jun 2010 ·

#928531
Craig Torrens wrote:Old vw's (or any old car) are fine as daily drivers. The biggest problem IMO is that owners don't stick to a maintenance schedule when they have old cars, so they just fix things when they break.......this is when driving older cars become a PITA !

If its serviced and maintained at regular intervals there is no reason why it can't be a trouble free daily driver.
+1 I personally think if an old car is maintained with the proper factory parts they will be more reliable and trouble free than a 00+ car due to less complexity and original parts for older cars being better quality than that of a new car.

old cars ftw!

71 notchback,
Past owner of, 70 NB, 73 SB and 72 FB TLE

69bug Officially Full-On Dubber

300 posts · joined Jan 2012 ·

#928557
It's the suspension and steering that make 110 nervous!
1969 1500

65standard Officially Full-On Dubber

373 posts · joined Apr 2009 ·

#928568
69bug wrote:It's the suspension and steering that make 110 nervous!
Why's that? Like a lot of others on here, I drive my '65 EVERYDAY. If the susprension and steering make 110 nervous, something's amiss.

Those who know about my roadtrips, know the ol' '65 does it with minimal fuss.

As has been said, proper maintenance at the scheduled time save a lot of tears down the road when you least expect it.
If it ain't broke, fix it till it is!

yarrum Casual Dubber

29 posts · joined May 2011 ·

#928637
I drive my 76 single cab everywhere.In fact I have never owned a modern car.They realy aren,t worth buying.To much Carbon spent in making a new Car anyway.Old car,s only make it will you use them.