Re: When will people get their facts straight?

> think the Beetle is cool for the wrong reasons - like ease of maintenance,

This link has been floating around the net today. I think "ease of maintenance" is an issue of relativity. ;)

Well Bob I can't really argue with you. But I do know that a basic well-tuned stock beetle gets better gas mileage than many mid-size or bigger SUV's and PU's (many of which can't crack 20 mpg). I also know that it certainly feels better knowing that I throw in under $20 a tank compared to some SUV's where that tankful can run over $50 (at today's prices).

Part of this is psychological too. I feel a whole lot more independent being able to work on my bug, even if it is just an oil change, valve adjustment and other routine maintenance at this point. I missed that as I used to do basic maintenence while in college. My wife's recent model Accord is another thing altogether. The scheduled maintenance (and their costs) just makes me shake my head.

I guess my point is that while a Beetle is old and dated, how many other cars of its vintage are still in regular use in any sizeable numbers in the US. Yep, driving one certainly has it drawbacks, but it also has many advantages too, like costs savings through purchase price and insurance costs. - DB

Driven a Ford lately?

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To All:

You can eliminate the need for tune-ups and thereby reduce a major portion of the required-maintenance budget but you'll even reduced to the chassis-specific chores you're still looking at about 5x the maintenance man-hours needed by a modern vehicle. That's simply the nature of antiques.

There isn't much you can do about the fuel efficiency. Any modern water-cooled engine using EFI and a combustion-management computer will make even the best-tuned air-cooled VW look like a gas guzzler. If fuel cost is a major factor you might consider an engine of smaller displacement.

The handling thing is a bad rap. With the chassis properly tuned and running the right tires, the 4-joint VW still handles better than most cars in its weight class. However, it will not do so at speed, due to the shape of the body. Anything over 100mph, you're liable to lose it due to aerodynamic forces unloading your suspension. If you want to cruise at two miles per minute it would be best to begin with a KG... or a Corvair :-)

-Bob Hoover

JJS reminisced "My, that's a right proper Scottish build" I'm in my 40's and have never before come across that one ;)

"race was whatever the hell society wanted to make it" Where else outside the US do you see the term Hispanic used?

But I digress too much from ACVW

-DB

What a bunch of baloney. I have a frequently visited relative 110 miles up the road. I can go up there and back on one tank of gas in _either_ my Bug or my 4WD GMC Full-Ton 'burban. :)

Here, here! I opened the hood of a Mitzibishiamahaondaru the other day and couldn't identify a single part!

How many gallons it take to fill that 'burban?

Nice to see that someone 'gets it'. :) Answer: 40 gallons. I don't drive the monster because we moved out of the country where we really needed it. Besides, I got tired of making truck payments at the gas station.

Mileage is mileage. Doesn't matter (to me) what size engine (or vehicle) it is. I see no difference in comparing a little puny 25/36/40 hp VW getting

I actually find maintaining my VWs therapeutic.

Max

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Lemme see if I got this right: You're comparing an 1800lb vehicle fitted with a 96cid engine to a 6000lb vehicle with a 450cid engine?

You better stop smoking those funny smelling cigarettes.

I know a professional diver. He drives a huge PU with dualies and a bed that carries a crane, compressors, all the stuff a diver needs and pulls a

Puppy.

.............A 40 foot long dive boat on a trailer? Does he do salvage work in the North Atlantic?................John, have you been letting those bean sprouts & funny looking mushrooms ferment too long again?

:-)

...............I need therapy but my parts are on order.

.........sigh

Why not go in style? Besides, the Mississippi up here is miles wide. I kid you not. Look up Lake City, Minnesota.

I have an electronic version of the shop manual for my Nissan Xterra. It weighs in at a fairly hefty 2,720 pages. The top three chapters, page-count wise are:

Engine Control System - 1198 pages Automatic Transmission - 342 pages Electrical System - 268 pages

Fortunately, at 67k miles, all I've had to do is change fluids, battery, brake pads, tires and a rogue power window switch panel.

The most esoteric part of the vehicle, thusfar, has been trying to find GL-4 gear lube for the manual tranny. Otherwise, it's a pretty simple solid axle body-on-frame truck chassis with nothing really odd-ball like side curtain airbags, HID lighting and so forth. Knock on wood it'll be reliable for many more tens (or hopefully hundreds) of thousands of miles. I can't imagine owning some high-dollar SUV like a Lexus, Escalade, Denali or the like.

NAPA is the only source I've yet found.

"For example, the world's bestselling vehicle, Ford's F150 pickup, uses a magnesium radiator mount - which gets crunched every time an F150 runs into anything. Magnesium is strong and light, but brittle"

Errr... when did the F-150 become the worlds bestselling vehicle???

maintenance,