hey just in need of your thoughts..

do you think its safe to use a 69 beetle for and every day family car?

i have two young kids (under 2 yrs old)

[ Edited on 12-2-2007 by Teya1969vwbug ]

if its road worthy, and you are happy that the child restraints are correct, then why not?! as a side note carry a fire extingisher. this is not jsut for the kids, but for all dubs.
a bonus is that you will find that other drivers usually treat you more coutesy than in a normal type car. abvously soemthing to do with everyones inner child and the trusty beetle.

I had a 2 yo in my dub...he loves it...(he's now four) ...my car is OJ or CAR & gets the hugs on sight from him(AJ) .....other cars are just crap (according to the four year old)

But, U should carry a fire extinguisher (all beetles should)
*if ur budget stretches far enuf, move ur fuel pump away from the engine bay (or very least distributor) and
*reinforce the points if ur using any 'snap' child restraints.

I used booster seats for bubby, and secured him in using the rear seat belts. But make sure they are fine every time, because my darling liked trying to loosen them during the trips.

cheers
donna

What's it like to only have two kids??
There's a good reason I own 3 buses. :cry

i have a van and 2 beetles...edith for when its just Aj Ally & I....blue belle for Adrian and I....van for all other occassions...like the 28 friends Ally likes to bring home...all at once...

thanks guys i planned on the fire extinguisher kids or no kids.. lol

the kids are still in the baby car seats atm but ill have them fitted by a pro..

i guess if i dont get a new car i could spend more money fixing the vw up.. hehe be the mrs didnt think bout that...

spook its fun with two kids but id love more and id love a bus to go with too.. your lucky to have all that if you ask me

I would have 2 external mirrors fitted one for each side

Although yr up the central coast so the traffics not too bad

Not much room to carry all the kids stuff around after you fit 2 child seats in the back Probally better off with a Kombi

how many kids have u got spook?
I am 31 with 5 kids and its real hard i love my kids but its sending me insane

Quote:

Originally posted by bugeyedbabe i have a van and 2 beetles...edith for when its just Aj Ally & I....blue belle for Adrian and I....van for all other occassions...like the 28 friends Ally likes to bring home...all at once...

Two kids in a beetle is fine but the biggest problem is where do you put your pram?
If I'm out in the beetle I put the pram on the roof rack, but not much fun if it was raining.
You could get roof racks and a pod, this would let you carry heaps of suff and its protected from the rain etc.
Just food for thought.:thumb

PS The kids love it as they get older they find they can kick your seat! LOL

yeah mine already kick the seat.. i just put the one with short legs behind me.. the mrs hasnt figered out why he always sits behind me.. lol

we use them $30 strolers from kmart so they fold up real small so im hoping they will fit on the floor or in the boot (front thing)

Yeah they are perfect, they fit in the front and I think they will also fit behind the rear seat.
I think having them in the cars great fun and they seem to just love it.
They can see heaps.:P

i know my sister started with teh vw.
now with three boys she had to progress to teh lowlight bus. no other way to fit everything in.

hey, I can fit two fold up chairs, and two fully kitted softball bags into my boot...and the esky in the back....along with son (4yo)in back and daughter (14yo) in front

PS: for shopping, grab those nice and nifty canvas bags...u can fit two of those in the front, and two each side in the back....i use them alot (my preference is to take edith when I can...she's so pretty and pink right now..lol)

lol yeah mine are alot younger my eldest just started highschool he is 12 and my youngest two girls are 2 and twins then i have a 3 yr old boy and a 6 yr old girl who just strted yr 1
I have yet to get the extras lol my son is a bit of a loner he finds it hard to make friends although he had a girl blowing kisses at him all day yetserday

As they get bigger, so does everything else.

I've have (& need) two of the biggest electric fry pans they make, 3 catering size saucepans. The eight seat lounge is custom made. 2 fridges, two freezers, the next size up in washing machines is industrial :P
Silly things you don't consider til you need them.

If I come out of the supermarket with change from $300, I've forgotten something. $200 at the butcher is common.

Like I said, must be nice to only have two kids.:P





[ Edited on 13-2-2007 by Spook ]

I too was a little nervous taking my daughter in beetle for first time. But she absolutely loves it!! I own a 75 kombi and she likes going in that but the borrowed beetle is the fav. She can see everything out of both sides and front, and is close enough to feed and water en-route without stopping!! its true people are far more courteous to you in a beetle - especially if they can see a rugrat in the back!!

I've got 1, wouldnt swap her for none.... but drives me insane all the same. I have retired from the reproduction game. I know someone from a family of 5 (3 boys) and they would go on family holidays in a beetle. I'm not sure how they did it, obvioulsy werent married to my wife. I had to pack my Falcon twice last christmas to fit everything we 'needed' for our camping trip.

I must be a little soft, cos I cant use a VW for daily driver at all. Have tried it a few times but after a year or two I go back to my aircon. Couldnt say that an old beetle is AS safe as a late model, but if you get hit by a Landcruiser you'll be just as dead in a beetle as you would be in a Corolla/any other small car. Only difference is that you wouldnt have the powder from the airbags.

visibility is a big bonus, some generic cars seem to be almost invisible to some drivers, but your beetle should stand out which should make it easier for other drivers to do the right thing around you and not make stupid mistakes.

having said that i was at work today directing a van driver, in a red cap and reflective silver and yellow vest and had to jump out of the way as a bus cut across the corner of the van where i was standing so tightly that he folded the vans mirror flat and would have done more damage if the van hadnt quickly moved, bus driver didnt even blink as the space i had been standing in before jumping clear absolutely dissapeared, and you wouldnt think i could be much more visible then i was! :o

it was safe in 1969 so what has changed except our attitude. unless you are planning to get yourself in an accident. an insurance survey showed that over 95% of cars never use there major safety devices over there expected lifespan. and those that did nearly all were driving outside the legal road rules (speeding/drinking/fatigued/drugs). did you purchased the car because you wanted to drive it or admire it. my2c

a agree with what has been said re it is definately a good daily driver it it is in good condition.

i don't have a registered vw at the moment, though i'm getting to a point where if that doesn't change soon i'll go insane. it will be used as our familys second car and i'm sure see regular school runs etc (hopefully family outings too, but that is in the hands of she who must be obeyed)

while we are comparing age and children i'm 31 with 3, 2 daughters 10 and 9 (soon to be 11 and 10), and a son who's quickly heading on for 2. my wife keeps saying when harry is 5 we'll talk about having another but i'm thinking that i might just buy another vw (after the home vascectomy (sp) when my wife sees it, the option will be removed ).

spook your a game man, 3 is enough to have me banging my head against the wall. i wouldn't swap them for the world, but i now understand what i put my parients through (and have apologised numerous times)...

mind you in a sick kind of way i'm looking foward to embarrasing my daughters in front of thier friends with how daggy thier dad is. is this something all parients look foward to?

henry.

Not game. I found out what was causing it & sorted it.