Thinking about getting a beetle.

Hello, I've been a water-cooled VW person for many years. Saying that I'm
well aware that VWs are maintenance heavy. And excluding air-cooled VWs. I
think all VWs suck that aren't diesels. VW dropped the ball after 92. But
.. I've got two decent vehicles now and my last VW Golf diesel is getting
real ratty. and not being used. I'm getting rid of it and my old Suburban
soon.

I have a friend who has had 6 VW air cooled beetles. His current is a 72
beetle he drove back from Vegas to Ohio. After changing the oil, points and
alternator belt. I drove in his 6 volt 66 . that had decent heat.
Generally he gets clean bodies that need paint, For less then 2 Gs. He said
he got this one on Samba for $1300. Then paints them and sits on it until
he decides to sell it later. And get another. He like to paint cars. He's
done a hot rod and a model A. And he makes some money on everything too. He
said he got ****ed on his first VW . Rusty, broken, and engine he rebuilt
using JC Whitney.

I guess I'm thinking of getting one. As a recreation vehicle. And I really
don't want to work on it much. I can see the benefits of the lack of
emissions and electrical crap to go wrong. Like my diesels. But
water-cooled VWs are basically Rolling junk that wont stop running.
Excellent drivetrains but every other damn thing breaks. I feel like I've
replaced everything in the 85 diesel, 3 times in 15 years. So I'm hoping
you guys can give me a clue as to what maintenance I will have to look
forward too.

Not the adjust valves / oil change stuff. Or the god awful rusted brake
lines/ brake cylinder. I'm trying to figure how many miles type of things.

How many miles will an engine run.
How many miles until driveshafts need changed. I'm saying 30,000 miles.
How long will a clutch last.
How long will brakes last.
And how long will the bottom take to rot in the moist salted winters of Ohio
sitting in an unheated garage every winter.

I'm hoping to get one for less then 3 grand max. That I wont have to do much
too except brakes , oil changes and adjust valves. I expect to drive it
less then 2000 miles a year. And its going to sit for 6 months through
winter. in an unheated garage.

Thanks. Diesel.

On 9/21/2010 8:34 PM, DogDiesel wrote:
> Hello, I've been a water-cooled VW person for many years. Saying that I'm
> well aware that VWs are maintenance heavy. And excluding air-cooled VWs. I
> think all VWs suck that aren't diesels. VW dropped the ball after 92. But
> . I've got two decent vehicles now and my last VW Golf diesel is getting
> real ratty. and not being used. I'm getting rid of it and my old Suburban
> soon.
>
> I have a friend who has had 6 VW air cooled beetles. His current is a 72
> beetle he drove back from Vegas to Ohio. After changing the oil, points and
> alternator belt. I drove in his 6 volt 66 . that had decent heat.
> Generally he gets clean bodies that need paint, For less then 2 Gs. He said
> he got this one on Samba for $1300. Then paints them and sits on it until
> he decides to sell it later. And get another. He like to paint cars. He's
> done a hot rod and a model A. And he makes some money on everything too. He
> said he got ****ed on his first VW . Rusty, broken, and engine he rebuilt
> using JC Whitney.
>
> I guess I'm thinking of getting one. As a recreation vehicle. And I really
> don't want to work on it much. I can see the benefits of the lack of
> emissions and electrical crap to go wrong. Like my diesels. But
> water-cooled VWs are basically Rolling junk that wont stop running.
> Excellent drivetrains but every other damn thing breaks. I feel like I've
> replaced everything in the 85 diesel, 3 times in 15 years. So I'm hoping
> you guys can give me a clue as to what maintenance I will have to look
> forward too.
>
> Not the adjust valves / oil change stuff. Or the god awful rusted brake
> lines/ brake cylinder. I'm trying to figure how many miles type of things.
>
> How many miles will an engine run.
> How many miles until driveshafts need changed. I'm saying 30,000 miles.
> How long will a clutch last.
> How long will brakes last.
> And how long will the bottom take to rot in the moist salted winters of Ohio
> sitting in an unheated garage every winter.
>
> I'm hoping to get one for less then 3 grand max. That I wont have to do much
> too except brakes , oil changes and adjust valves. I expect to drive it
> less then 2000 miles a year. And its going to sit for 6 months through
> winter. in an unheated garage.
>
> Thanks. Diesel.
>
>

Expect:
Engine: < 100K miles
Driveshafts: way over 100K
Clutch: 150K
Brakes: 50K

But the rust will kill you if you drive it in winter here.

If you *don't* drive in winter at all, the unheated garage will
have little effect. Biggest threat is mice building nests
in the cylinder cooling fins! Yes! Will kill the engine
on the next runup.

Speedy Jim (Cleveland)
http://www.nls.net/mp/volks/

Bit of a change in Australia. In the bush apparently Bush Rats have
developed a taste for the wiring insulation on hybrid Honda Cities. Couple
of mates (who were naive enough to buy them) have resorted to using nylon
"wrapping" around the looms.
john

"John" > wrote in message
...
> Bit of a change in Australia. In the bush apparently Bush Rats have
> developed a taste for the wiring insulation on hybrid Honda Cities. Couple
> of mates (who were naive enough to buy them) have resorted to using nylon
> "wrapping" around the looms.
> john
>

And what does this have to do with VWs. Or maintenance on vws.

> lines/ brake cylinder. *I'm trying to figure how many miles type of things.
>
> How many miles will an engine run.

65K to 200K miles depending on things like if you change the oil
every 1000 miles and whether or not you use a new case.

Oil. use one for classic cars with ZDDP like Brad Penn for less cam
shaft wear.
http://www.cbperformance.com/catalog.asp?ProductID=1283


The engine in my '73 beetle is a near stock engine. I have had it
for over 12 years and it has about 14000 miles on it.

I change the oil every 850 miles or every 3,4 months whichever comes
first.

I follow a good maintenance checklist:
http://www.vw-resource.com/maintenance.html


For starters you need :
brakes and front end
engine, clutch, and tranny
possible a new wiring harness
interior
paint job

....not trying to be a know-it-all. Just my 2 cents worth!

"DogDiesel" > wrote in message
...
>
> "John" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Bit of a change in Australia. In the bush apparently Bush Rats have
>> developed a taste for the wiring insulation on hybrid Honda Cities.
>> Couple of mates (who were naive enough to buy them) have resorted to
>> using nylon "wrapping" around the looms.
>> john
>>
>
> And what does this have to do with VWs. Or maintenance on vws.
>

maybe nothing.... that said, this is a group of people and in print or
person conversations always have a bit of sway to them...

On Sep 22, 5:26*pm, Jim Ed > wrote:
> > lines/ brake cylinder. *I'm trying to figure how many miles type of things.
>
> > How many miles will an engine run.
>
> * 65K to 200K miles depending on things like if you change the oil
> every 1000 miles and whether or not you use a new case.
>
> *Oil. use one for classic cars with ZDDP like Brad Penn for less cam
> shaft wear.http://www.cbperformance.com/catalog.asp?ProductID=1283
>
> * The engine in my '73 beetle is a near stock engine. I have had it
> for over 12 years and it has about 14000 miles on it.
>
> *I change the oil every 850 miles or every 3,4 months whichever comes
> first.
>
> * I follow a good maintenance checklist:
> *http://www.vw-resource.com/maintenance.html
>
> For starters you need :
> brakes and front end
> engine, clutch, and tranny
> possible a new wiring harness
> *interior
> * paint job
>
> ...not trying to be a know-it-all. Just my 2 cents worth!

This should read:
For starters you 'might' need :
brakes and front end
engine, clutch, and tranny
possible a new wiring harness
interior
paint job

Speedy Jim wrote:
> On 9/21/2010 8:34 PM, DogDiesel wrote:
>> Hello, I've been a water-cooled VW person for many years. Saying that I'm
>> well aware that VWs are maintenance heavy. And excluding air-cooled
>> VWs. I
>> think all VWs suck that aren't diesels. VW dropped the ball after
>> 92. But
>> . I've got two decent vehicles now and my last VW Golf diesel is getting
>> real ratty. and not being used. I'm getting rid of it and my old Suburban
>> soon.
>>
>> I have a friend who has had 6 VW air cooled beetles. His current is a 72
>> beetle he drove back from Vegas to Ohio. After changing the oil,
>> points and
>> alternator belt. I drove in his 6 volt 66 . that had decent heat.
>> Generally he gets clean bodies that need paint, For less then 2 Gs.
>> He said
>> he got this one on Samba for $1300. Then paints them and sits on it
>> until
>> he decides to sell it later. And get another. He like to paint cars.
>> He's
>> done a hot rod and a model A. And he makes some money on everything
>> too. He
>> said he got ****ed on his first VW . Rusty, broken, and engine he
>> rebuilt
>> using JC Whitney.
>>
>> I guess I'm thinking of getting one. As a recreation vehicle. And I
>> really
>> don't want to work on it much. I can see the benefits of the lack of
>> emissions and electrical crap to go wrong. Like my diesels. But
>> water-cooled VWs are basically Rolling junk that wont stop running.
>> Excellent drivetrains but every other damn thing breaks. I feel like I've
>> replaced everything in the 85 diesel, 3 times in 15 years. So I'm
>> hoping
>> you guys can give me a clue as to what maintenance I will have to look
>> forward too.
>>
>> Not the adjust valves / oil change stuff. Or the god awful rusted brake
>> lines/ brake cylinder. I'm trying to figure how many miles type of
>> things.
>>
>> How many miles will an engine run.
>> How many miles until driveshafts need changed. I'm saying 30,000 miles.
>> How long will a clutch last.
>> How long will brakes last.
>> And how long will the bottom take to rot in the moist salted winters
>> of Ohio
>> sitting in an unheated garage every winter.
>>
>> I'm hoping to get one for less then 3 grand max. That I wont have to
>> do much
>> too except brakes , oil changes and adjust valves. I expect to drive it
>> less then 2000 miles a year. And its going to sit for 6 months through
>> winter. in an unheated garage.
>>
>> Thanks. Diesel.
>>
>>
>
> Expect:
> Engine: < 100K miles
> Driveshafts: way over 100K
> Clutch: 150K
> Brakes: 50K
>
> But the rust will kill you if you drive it in winter here.
>
> If you *don't* drive in winter at all, the unheated garage will
> have little effect. Biggest threat is mice building nests
> in the cylinder cooling fins! Yes! Will kill the engine
> on the next runup.
>
> Speedy Jim (Cleveland)
> http://www.nls.net/mp/volks/
>


Unheated garage is fine, as long as it's well ventilated. The worst is
actually a heated garage and a car that gets used during the winter.
The salt-saturated snow melts in the garage overnight and the salty
water then gets everywhere. The temperature changes from freezing to
warm also cause a lot of contraction and expansion of different
materials, undercoatings, paints and bondo included Cracks may
develop which then let the salty water in.

A non-heated garage is great when it's real cold, because rusting stops
when everything freezes. And you don't get that salt water effect, the
salt stays immobile embedded in the snow or ice. Lesser and slower
temperature changes are more gentle on everything.

Ventilation is everything.

"Jim Ed" > wrote in message
...

> lines/ brake cylinder. I'm trying to figure how many miles type of things.
>
> How many miles will an engine run.

65K to 200K miles depending on things like if you change the oil
every 1000 miles and whether or not you use a new case.

Oil. use one for classic cars with ZDDP like Brad Penn for less cam
shaft wear.
http://www.cbperformance.com/catalog.asp?ProductID=1283


The engine in my '73 beetle is a near stock engine. I have had it
for over 12 years and it has about 14000 miles on it.

I change the oil every 850 miles or every 3,4 months whichever comes
first.

I follow a good maintenance checklist:
http://www.vw-resource.com/maintenance.html


For starters you need :
brakes and front end
engine, clutch, and tranny
possible a new wiring harness
interior
paint job

....not trying to be a know-it-all. Just my 2 cents worth!



How come so soon on oil changs. They wont get 3000 miles ?

"Jim Ed" > wrote in message
...
On Sep 22, 5:26 pm, Jim Ed > wrote:
> > lines/ brake cylinder. I'm trying to figure how many miles type of
> > things.
>
> > How many miles will an engine run.
>
> 65K to 200K miles depending on things like if you change the oil
> every 1000 miles and whether or not you use a new case.
>
> Oil. use one for classic cars with ZDDP like Brad Penn for less cam
> shaft wear.http://www.cbperformance.com/catalog.asp?ProductID=1283
>
> The engine in my '73 beetle is a near stock engine. I have had it
> for over 12 years and it has about 14000 miles on it.
>
> I change the oil every 850 miles or every 3,4 months whichever comes
> first.
>
> I follow a good maintenance checklist:
> http://www.vw-resource.com/maintenance.html
>
> For starters you need :
> brakes and front end
> engine, clutch, and tranny
> possible a new wiring harness
> interior
> paint job
>
> ...not trying to be a know-it-all. Just my 2 cents worth!

This should read:
For starters you 'might' need :
brakes and front end
engine, clutch, and tranny
possible a new wiring harness
interior
paint job


I put some feelers on craigslist. There's a few people want to trade
beetles for for winter cars or trucks . And I have a 85 diesel VW Golf and
an 82 3/4 Suburban Silverado. Im trying to get rid of.