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Someone talk me out of this
sander288 - September 3rd, 2013 at 08:56 AM

Hi,

I've recently been increasingly frustrated with my bug to the point where I actually don't enjoy driving it anymore. The car is sort of at a point where it needs to be taken off the road and work carried out.

I want the car to be a representation of 60's rallying/appendix J racing that is road registered and quiet/comfortable enough to drive to events but also not be so compromised that it's at a disadvantage and also do non competitive nav rallies on public roads and go for jaunts on the weekend

My conundrum is that I've been looking into and reading alot on Porsche 924's and they are attainable at reasonable prices in fair condition; I can carry out all the above with a Porsche and have better performance/handling but also keep the Mrs happy in the car as at present she refuses to drive in the bug.... (noisy, cold/hot, bad ride, uncomfortable)

In order to get a Porsche I need to sell the bug; at the moment I'm very tempted too sell it at VW action this weekend, so someone tell me why getting a Porsche isn't a good idea as my only consult at home is very pro getting rid of the bug so I'm looking for a balanced argument.


matberry - September 3rd, 2013 at 09:03 AM

All 924's I know of seem t be substantial money pits just to keep them on the road....


bajachris88 - September 3rd, 2013 at 09:03 AM

2 reasons i can think of:

1. The porsche is still an old car. So the wife will probably still struggle to enjoy the drive as given the age, it will never be like a 2013 corolla. (My partner is the same gah!)

2. Its got the porsche badge / label. Spares particularly onces specific to that model, instantly will be exy compared to vw. Even in good condition, its an old car, replacement of some components will be guaranteed in the near future (such as bushes, steering or suspension etc.). Repairs are expensive given that porsche badge too!

Just my opinion :)


cnfabo - September 3rd, 2013 at 09:22 AM

Its more enjoyable beating a Porsche with a vw then beating a Porsche with a porsche:lol::lol:


HappyDaze - September 3rd, 2013 at 09:36 AM

Sell the Beetle, Shaun.....then a week [or maybe less] later you will think 'Why did I do that?".

I sold my VW sports sedan to Adrian Corvisy in 1981, and have been trying to buy it back ever since.

Cheers, Greg


sander288 - September 3rd, 2013 at 09:48 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by HappyDaze
.then a week [or maybe less] later you will think 'Why did I do that?".




I'm thinking this would be the case; I've owned the car since I was 15;

Definitely more fun beating anything with a bug than with a Porsche; when I was at the HSRCA doing regularity I had an American Austin Healey 100 driver demand to see what engine I had because he couldn't stay with me up the back of Wakefield; opened the lid and it was a stocko 1300... tried to argue that a mechanical advance dizzy was the source of my power.... :lol:


HappyDaze - September 3rd, 2013 at 09:58 AM

Looks to me like you've already talked yourself out of selling it.:yes:

You're thinking about all the stuff that usually comes to mind AFTER it has gone.


benny_acko - September 3rd, 2013 at 10:05 AM

Don't do it-you will regret it...End of discussion.

In all seriousness - isn't one of the reasons you have the Tiguan so that you have a comfortable everday car? And think of all the time, money and hard work you have invested already..

As for the Porsche are you able to do alot of the work yourself as you currently do with your bug? From what I understand servicing, parts and increasing the performance would be exxy.. I was just reading that the timing belt needs to be replaced every 30k miles - or earlier.And that one owner recommended not buying one for a daily but to keep it in the garage until it needed to be used for fun...


vassy66T1 - September 3rd, 2013 at 10:13 AM

I can understand that on occasions our beloved VW's are a source of frustration but given time and patience they are a joy to drive and own.
Persist with it. There are compromises but they are not too hard to live with.


68BUS - September 3rd, 2013 at 10:19 AM

Buy a 12volt heater and fan to solve one issue.
Then buy whatever you need to get the girl running well again.
If you add up the exspence than it probably still will be less than the swap and maintence.

If it was a toss up between a bug and a 356 my opinion is different however.:starhit:


vlad01 - September 3rd, 2013 at 10:27 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by matberry
All 924's I know of seem t be substantial money pits just to keep them on the road....


+1, lot of Porsche wreckers specialize in them, says something.

A better bet is 914 more reliable as they are simple and run type 4 engine and if the engine is not what you are after there are number of well documented engine conversions.

From what I have heard, the 924 and 944 are renown for electrical problems rather than mechanical.


vlad01 - September 3rd, 2013 at 10:39 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by cnfabo
Its more enjoyable beating a Porsche with a vw then beating a Porsche with a porsche:lol::lol:


I bet the Porsche fanatics and owners would disagree :smilegrin:

I know I would prefer any Porsche over a beetle( except 928 and boxster puke!) any day even it the beetle is faster. But that's my personal opinion though.


LUFTMEISTER - September 3rd, 2013 at 12:05 PM

Sell the smelly slow old beetle. Buy the porsche ,then join the cafe latte group at milton , get a facial and manacure (grubby beetle nails) wax your bac,k become a metrosexual and enjoy and embrace your rebirth as a gentleman. Isn't the 924 just a bastard Audi? My2c


Sides - September 3rd, 2013 at 12:24 PM

A 924 is basically an L bug with a different body... with a heavy, underpowered engine stuffed in the wrong end... that Porsche very smartly balanced out by putting the transmission in the rear. It was designed for VW, but VW came to it's senses and realised they'd never sell many of 'em. Porsche tried to prove them wrong (and failed), and then as a mass apology to the world Porsche did the 944... not just prettier styling, but a car that actually works due to a lighter but more powerful engine, better brakes, better suspension tuning incl a wider track.

If you want a 924, get a pshrink appointment ASAP.

If you want a 944, get prepared for a long, long search for a good one. Also how do you look in pastel or Hawaiian shirts ?

If you want a Porsche, start saving... both to buy the car, the usual running costs, then the tyres & maint to compete it.

Keep the bug. So long as you smile more than you swear, you're ahead.

Anyone ever had a smile on their face from driving a 2013 Corolla ???


hellbugged - September 3rd, 2013 at 01:38 PM

How much would you sell it for?


benny_acko - September 3rd, 2013 at 01:54 PM

Or the engine?


Sides - September 3rd, 2013 at 02:26 PM

btw - I should've really started my little rant with "A wise man in China once said..."

:lol:

DON'T SELL THE BUG !!!


HappyDaze - September 3rd, 2013 at 03:15 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Sides
btw - I should've really started my little rant with "A wise man in China once said..."


That might confuse us.


Isola - September 3rd, 2013 at 06:11 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by sander288

I'm thinking this would be the case; I've owned the car since I was 15;


That is all I would need to say to convince myself not to sell it.


I wish I still had my first Beetle!


sander288 - September 3rd, 2013 at 08:31 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by 68BUS

If it was a toss up between a bug and a 356 my opinion is different however.:starhit:


If I had to option to get a 356 for the money raised selling the bug I wouldn't be asking on this forum whether it was a good idea :lol::lol::lol:

And this isn't my first beetle; I owned a 1500 '69 Auto that had been converted to manual that I bought off Kombi Zoo in Katoomba when they closed (that was 12y/o); still in the family with my uncle

I think all the above are awesome points. I think from here Plan is fix up a few foibles that the car has; free flowing/quieter exhaust, and a return of a little carpet and sound deadening behind the back seat and some carpet mats up front.

Also love the smile/swear ratio.... pure gold


waveman1500 - September 3rd, 2013 at 09:14 PM

924s and 944s are both boring and to be honest very slow. I've driven a friend's 944 and it wasn't really any faster than my 1600cc S-Bug! It just wasn't really much of anything, it lacked the character of an old car but was also too slow to be a performance car. Not only that but it was unreliable, cost my friend thousands in repairs and eventually the transaxle blew up and hence economically wrote off the car! I would recommend all sorts of other cars as being better, faster and more interesting than a 924/944.

Perhaps, the 944 turbo might be worth having, but there are a lot of more modern and faster turbo cars available for the money.


Isola - September 3rd, 2013 at 09:35 PM

Sorry for the assumption about it being your first Beetle. But having it since you were 15 still makes my point very valid (in my mind anyway).

The only Porsche I would want is a 1980s 911 Turbo. I still don't think I'd get rid of my Beetles to own one thougbh.


Gringo_54_oval - September 4th, 2013 at 06:23 AM

Sell the beetle cry later
Buy a porsche cry at the first parts purchase.

"Dont do it"


sander288 - September 4th, 2013 at 07:44 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Isola
Sorry for the assumption about it being your first Beetle. But having it since you were 15 still makes my point very valid (in my mind anyway).



Nothing to be sorry for wasn't having a go; it definitely is a key consideration for me; the other bug didn't take me through my L's, P's and beyond


pfillery - September 4th, 2013 at 08:06 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by IsolaThe only Porsche I would want is a 1980s 911 Turbo. I still don't think I'd get rid of my Beetles to own one thougbh.


+1.

Buy the wife a nice corolla and keep the bug! Or just buy another bug.....:lol:


SuperOwen - September 4th, 2013 at 05:12 PM

Avoid every water-cooled porsche. All the expenses of a 911 without any of the fun of owning one.

Look into the cost of rebuilding a 911 engine properly and your beetle will seem a whole lot better


pete wood - September 4th, 2013 at 07:52 PM

Quote:

I want the car to be a representation of 60's rallying/appendix J racing that is road registered and quiet/comfortable enough to drive to events but also not be so compromised that it's at a disadvantage and also do non competitive nav rallies on public roads and go for jaunts on the weekend


= 1916 + berg front mount + oldschool stickers.

Honestly, no one ever knows what is inside a VW motor until you tell them. A bigger engine will make the car a lot more fun. The berg front mount will keep it quiet. Old school stickers will have them thinking it's original. ;)

P.s. Have you seen the 924 in ultra VW...
http://www.pocketmags.com/viewmagazine.aspx?catid=1030&category=Aviation+...


sander288 - September 4th, 2013 at 08:14 PM

haven't seen that 924; just looked at it on Ultra VW FB page; what could have been... pretty wild conversion :lol:

I did consider the 1916 route but it meant alot more money than what I wanted to spend; the hopped 1300 is pretty thrifty (fun quick, not quick quick) just noisy.


pete wood - September 4th, 2013 at 08:31 PM

If you could get a decent 1600 2nd hand, it's just the price of pistons/barrels, machining and a gasket set really. Sure, it would go better with some kadrons, but again, even they're pretty cheap these days. That's pretty much a basic 1916 as stan sells them.

Or you could put an AMR500 supercharger on your 1300...
http://www.keicarshop.com/ 
and put a judson sticker on it. Most people wouldn't know any different and it'd be fun. :smilegrin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUuDKGd1mVE&list=TLBysCfh8ekcw 


TOPCAT69 - September 4th, 2013 at 09:14 PM

I have the same problem , so you are not alone. my wife and one daughter can't stand the bug
- its too noisy , no room , the roofs old and mouldy , no new music always cold chisel playing
can't open the doors , no windows ,the seats are ripped , it smells, it leaks, the paint looks shit ,
the kids at school laugh at us
etc etc etc etc etc etc
DO NOT SELL DO NOT SELL DO NOT SELL
every beetle I've had I wished I'd kept , even the 1982 T3 transporter I lost $4 grand on.

Any way i feel better now , hope to see you at action day I'm the bloke all alone cause my
family think I'm crazy. Feel free to say hi I'll be in the cold chisel shirt---- cheers TC