when it was almost new...a big Ford had a blowout during a thunderstorm on the Washington Capital Beltway, and I broadsided it...the VW "trunk" crumpled and absorbed all impact energy. Had a water-cooled engine been in the FRONT end of the car where...it was 'sposed to be... doubt I'd be pounding these keys right now.

Jim, I certainly am glad that you made it ok. Accidents are awful. I've never owned a Beetle, but once I worked on one; I was sure glad to have that fire extinguisher...

I can get to about 91MPH in my 240d (manual trans), but it takes forever to get there. 0-60 is around 30 seconds. The mileage seems to drop significantly above 70MPH or so, so I don't usually speed.


Robert

Every first car gets destroyed. Buy both a VW and a Mercedes, wait until the VW bites it, then fire up the Mercedes. The difference will force an appreciation of it.

BTW, I've also had both.

Wow dig up the old threads!

Its over 2 years old since last post!

I wonder if the car (whichever was chosen) is still running...

i heard a similar story but it was about a vw diesel when they were new. so they all got sick of his bragging, added fuel more and more for a while til the guy was on cloud nine!.....then they started taking fuel out til he dropped and dropped. so that was the last of the bragging.

i had one beetle. a 59 that i bought in amsterdam in summer of 70. myself my first wife and a buddy and his girlfriend. bought it for 300 guilders ($90). drove it all over europe, changed the oil a couple of times, changed one tire and sold it back to the guy we bought it for $35. it was about perfect for what we needed.

when i got back to europe in 73 for a years traveling fellowship i bought a 61 220b for 750 in brussels, drove it for ten months and sold it in rome for 700. changed the oil a few times, the plugs once and points once, and had to add brake fluid once.

so both represent two of the best values i have ever owned.

so that is the only vw i have ever owned. but i have owned 29 benzes.

fun thread.

one of my wackiest ideas is to put a 911 drive train in a corvair. good looks with good reliability. pretty sure i wont ever do it.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I think my Super Beetle could take on a 240D

They've got their place. Both are best in class in my book

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89 300E
79 240D
72 Westy
63 Bug sunroof
85 Jeep CJ7
86 Chevy 6.2l diesel PU

"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane."
Marcus Aurelius

Not if I were to put a turbo OM616 in it with a 5 speed from 300D

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99 Gurkha with OM616 IDI turbo

2015 Gurkha with OM616 DI turbo

2014 Rexton W with OM612 VGT