to all,

been on the forum for many years but dont make any postings (I go on here to look at members rides and photos etc) because Ive never owned a beetle. So hello everyone, im stephen and trying super hard to buy a beetle on a budet price.

Im situated in perth and have noticed lately that anything that is not a total wreck is usually priced at some pretty high amount. In recent months people have been trying sell quite average 70's beetles for around $5k and I dont really see why it should be priced that much (no beetles are special I agree, but comon, wheres the greed coming from?). I can do 3k max, absolute max for a beetle at the moment and have been chasing one but dont know whats going on.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Volkswagen-1-6L-Beetle-1975-/131318716724?  - anyone come across this? what the hell is going on? anyone know who is selling this and can I get in contact with them?

What is the point of putting a reserve on ebay for a car if people cant know what you really want for a car? Isnt it just better to put a max price and negotiate?

Ive been trying to get in touch with the seller and view the car but lately thats a no go. I dont have their phone number, and cant figure out how to tackle the issue. My intent for the car is to get the engine running and take it over the pits but I need to get it for the right price.

Should I play their game and bump up the price until it hits reserve or should I be ethical and wait for a response? how do you all deal with people who become difficult when trying to buy a car from them?

Also, what do you think this car is worth, judging from the photos?

sorry to make it a rant, I feel like im desperate to just throw money to anyone and they dont want to take it, im totally bewildered...

end rant/

Stephen

I guess a big part of your problem is being in WA.
Limits your opportunities to some extent

Dumb question - but have you tried "ask a question" on the eBay add?

As for what it is worth it all depends on the rust.
It isnt going at the moment - so you need some repairs and rego.

If it is a 1975 it is the best model for Supers as it is rack and pinion as opposed to steering box
Hard to tell from pictures.
It has a square cut bonnet but appears to have indicators in guards

if it is a 75 in great rust free condition and only needs a battery, new indicators and a wash it is easy $2,000....... if rusty, shot motor, not a 75 and other mech faults, i reckon it is over priced now

thanks for the reply,

Yes, ive even looked into importing a beetle from overseas as believe it or not, roro on a shippin vessel actually works out cheaper than putting a car from say sydney on the back of a truck and transporting over here. Transport from sydney is in the ballpark figure of $1500, thats half of my budget. roro shipping from say japan is $900 so that doesnt make sense.

As for this seller, its sitting in a yard a few suburbs away from my house, I can be there in 10 minutes to check it out and if what he wants is an ok price, i can have a tow truck round in another hour and its gone. It doesnt need to be that difficult. We wouldnt even need to negotiate if the price is ok.

As an example of how thin vw's are here in perth, I had a seller last week selling a 72 ordinary. There was some crazy custom paint work over the sides but it was still running and licensed and they wanted 2k for it. I called the young woman as soon as it came on gumtree and she said come round at midday tommorrow and I am not available unti then. cool, send off an another text at 11.30am the next day "is it still ok for midday?''", reply was 'yes". Turned up at around 12.10pm- it was gone, already down the road, didnt even have a chance to look and im quite punctual but the weather was lousy in perth and negotiating streets in heavy rain is difficult.

Im running out of options of what i can do but really, the current listin on gumtree is a 1974 for 10k... wtf

stephen

btw: ive tried everything with this seller on ebay.

I wouldn't pay any more than 500 for it.....

Battery = $120
Tyres = $650
indicators and new lenses = $90 maybe?
Bumpers straightened and rattle canned = a few hours and $30 in paint
Rear guard = hours with a hammer and dolly + $35 in bog
Paint for the front and rear guard = $500ish maybe?
Cv boots which probobly need replacing = $65ish
New fuel hose = $20
Road worthy = $65
Rego = $400ish for 6 months

That is $2010.00 assuming it doesnt have rust everywhere, engine starts with some fresh fuel and a battery, brakes are good, electrics are functional, tie rod ends, ball joints, shift linkage, shock absorbers all good......etc.

it could end up being a $5000 car very soon if the above are issues and you aren't particularly handy........ or you get fed up like this owner has and sell it on.

for $500 I would do it......no higher. Thats just me.

Hold on to your cash.......they made a lot of beetles. unless this car is special to you it is probobly worth waiting for another.

Nick

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/perth-region/cars-vans-utes/1972-volkswagen-16...

thanks nick,

but I have to stay true to 3000. I really just cant see paying more for a 70-75 unless it was restored somehow.

the point of this post was to try and get in contact with the owner as there is no other "budget'" beetles in perth (ones that require 1000 hours of bodywork, a new enine/gearbox to be bought as the original got sold off/used somewhere else, and half the parts missing).

Ive been saving cash for a long time, now was supposed to be the time for buying but I guess that I wont be buying now or soon, not because they dont exist, but because the price is going up to insane levels.

Stephen

it says $3,500 negotiable

Wave $3,000 in crisp $50's under his nose and see what he says

he can only tell you to "naff off"

Recently been through this exercise.

IMO anyone selling a Beetle for $3,000 that does not need at least $2,000 worth of work is smoking the wrong stuff.

From my recent experience, a good rust free vehicle in reasonable mechanical condition and registration starts at $5,000, without RWC, even then expect to spend $1,000+ on it.

Just hold onto that 3000 and wait,look every morning lunch and night till that bargain comes buy.if you rush you most likely end up with a lemon...and I agree,people are dreaming for the prices they are asking over here in WA...I have only seen one good priced bug 68/69 model for sale early last year in Albany and it took a while to sell?? Most likely because it wasn't a pre 67.....

Good luck and don't rush..that blue L bug looks trashed and its been sitting outside in the rain....

Fabo....

I am pretty sure there was an early 60s ish beetle running and licensed there advertised for 2k or nearest offer
or do you just want a super bug.

sorry, I didnt rply to your post mat54, im looking for anything- I dont have a car at the moment, I have no transport whatsoever, any beetle would be fine- I just want the price to reflect the value of the car. If I have to replace door cards, Interior fabrics, tyres, rubber parts on the car etc thats ok, but I wont pay top dollar for a car that is in a state like wa where supply is far less than demand.

I saw this today: http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/belmont/cars-vans-utes/vw-beetle-1500/1059352822,  and it was truly sad. The rego is almost about to expire there too. Not only did it have rust EVERYWHERE, the tyres were bald and even the electrical work was hacked to bits to put in a sound system. The parts that were not covered in rust were not original, as in the seats came from out of a hyundai excel, parts were held in with wood screws- i was told parts were cheap to replace- I know that but why? the car had been through serious neglect that nobody had made any offer on it that even if parts were only $1 each, it would cost 1k to replace anything that needed replacing. And what really drove me wild was that the car was being sold to fund a familys trip from perth to brisbane for 4 people. Once they got a few thousand they were going to pay for flights and accom so make up some crazy pie in the sky figure because as every seller in perth will tell you anything that is 40 years old is magically vintage no matter how crap the condition, it could also be a lada niva and worth 5 figures because someone feels its '"rare and exotic'". The real nutbuster is that they originally wanted 3k for it, no negotiations, im truly surprised the engine runs. It would have costed me another 5k to get it in a normal condition- excluding a paintjob. no really, every part of the car was awful, not one single piece of the car worth keeping. Itf it was a hyundai, it would have been crushed into a cube many moons ago.

I wont rant anymore, its not how I normally am. I like to think that I am a polite enough person to talk enough sense, but being without transport is upsetting. I have seen the price comparison between wa and sa and will be considering buying a beetle from sa from someone who has shown some care at least, or would like to support a member of this forum by picking up on an offer they have (im sure you all look after your cars). Im also trying hard not to get so emotional.

Thanks to the people who have stuck with me reading this thread. I havent been helpful, I am sorry. I will not bother you all anymore.

Stephen

I understand that beeing without a car is annoying.
What youre looking for is not something that grows on trees as you have noticed already.
Maybe get a cheap runabout car of any make or model and take the stress of having to find a classic car that is ready for daily transport with a low budget.
This way you may be able to pick something up cheap that needs a little bit of fixing while you still have a daily.
Or maybe consider a type three. These arent yet as sought after and usually cheaper.
I recently sold a type three here in perth for your budget that was a daily driver.
Anyway just trying to help out getting you into a cool vw with some more options and considerstions.
Hope you find whatcha looking for.
Cheers
Steffen

Trouble is people often associate the VW badge with a gold mine.

They can base the price on anything and ask whatever they want, but regardless of how they polish it, a turd is still a turd and as you have proven, just because they ask it doesn't mean they'll get it. There's dreamers then there's motivated sellers. You just need to find the right one.

It is likely though that with your budget, you will not easily get something classic and VW ready to go. Maybe not a bad idea to buy a POS runabout for a grand and save up for the beetle.