Might buy a ‘74 VW Beetle, Bad idea?

[Captain Wheelgun]

One of my Dad’s neighbors is selling a 1974 VW Beetle, and I’m thinking about buying it. Been looking for a 2nd car, something with better gas mileage than my truck. Looking for a driver, not a project.

This one seems to be in good condition overall, but I’ll be taking a closer look at it this coming weekend.

Any VW owners here that might have advice?

[Precision]

I have been considering buying a VW Beetle specifically as a project car. They are HUGELY easy to work on / fix / modify and they are super fun to drive. Also thinking about it as a taunt for the sociopath 17 year old who is too lazy to get a job --remainder redacted

[Netpackrat]

You're talking about a 1940s design car built with 1930s technology. No matter how reliable it may have been considered in its day, I would expect it to fall far short of what we would consider reliable today, without even taking into account its age. Let alone safety standards weren't really a thing when it was designed.

Now if what you really want is a hobby car, that's another matter entirely.

[Cobar]

I don't know the particulars on beetles, though I have heard they are easy to work on. I guess they might be popular enough to get parts for relatively easily. Anything that old is going to become a project if it is driven regularly.

[MiddleAgedKen]

Parts availability (especially drive train & suspension) probably not a major issue, considering the continuing popularity of old Beetles along with Formula Vee.

[HTRN]

Looking for a driver, not a project.

Then buy the newest model Corolla with the lowest mileage you can afford. My early 2000s Corolla got 40+ mpg on the highway, cost me just over a grand, and only had a100k on the odometer. Admittedly that was like 5 years ago, but I still found this with 30 seconds of searching:
https://cnj.craigslist.org/cto/d/bridge ... 98080.html

[Windy Wilson]

Beetle (and all the variants) parts are still available. I do not think they are OEM, but are made by third parties.
I agree with HTRN. Buy the newest Toyota Corolla (or whatever the Mazda equivalent) you can afford, is good advice. You will benefit from the decades of development in safety, reliability, and MTBF.
I have driven VW (wasserpumpers) since 1983, so I like them. My 1983 Jetta had water pump problems for a while, but nothing like that in the 2005 Passat. Newer tends to be better.

[blackeagle603]

Definitely a bad idea. Definitely something I would do.

[HTRN]

My 1983 Jetta had water pump problems for a while, but nothing like that in the 2005 Passat. Newer tends to be better.

Never buy any car made in Europe that isn't covered under warranty..