What would be the best replacement for a 1958 VW beetle?

Question 1
What would be the best replacement for a 1958 VW beetle?...  The car in question named Albert has more miles on it than a porn star. Albert receives better care than a presidential pet; change the oil every month using oil more expensive than Starbucks coffee. When I drain the oil, I strain it through high-grade cheese cloth, and save any bits of metal (a sign of possible internal problems). Whenever possible, I reassemble this bits and compare the result with the owners parts manual. Recently, the engines shuts off when I turn the lights or windshield wipers on thus restricting travel to sunny days. Time to leave Albert in the back yard with all the old appliances I ever owned. I must have a car with a manual choke. What is the newest vehicle with a manual choke available? Please rush this one; I am walking further everyday than Lincoln did going to school.

Answers
1)   The 64 to 67 VW, a bit more reliable bit more power, and still a great we car, get one from the little old lady just around the corner they are still available good luck. - wayne

2)   1st, someone would love your car and breathe life into it. I'd have someone just trouble shoot the electrical system or get the elctrical dvd advertised in the back of Hot VWs. Doesn't sound very serious to me. S0 why do you really want to get rid of such a wondwerful car? - MrNeutral

3)   Well, I myself have 8 Volkswagen's, and I would love to buy yours. But
if you don't wish to sell your bug, I'll just have to live with that. If you are looking for something dependable, I would say the Toyota tundra is a good choice. I probably spelled that incorrectly, but I've heard they are really dependable good trucks, and not too bad on fuel either. I live in Las Vegas, and know someone who loves VW'S, and knows how to make them work the way they are supposed to. If you live in or around this area, e-mail me and I'll hook you up. But if you are willing to let your VW go, one of us would love to buy it, okay?

(0\_!_/0) - Bug

4)   If you see bits of metal -large enough that you can identify where it comes from....you have a problem. The damage has happened. Who ever rebuilt that engine did not do it right / and it is coming undone -end of story - no ifs,ands or buts.
So I would be tearing that engine apart to put it together(especially if you are noticing nuts coming out in the oil) which would be coming off the connecting rods which hold the pistons to the crankshaft. If a monkey wrench comes out in an oil change, yes, take it apart, yesterday by yourself. It can be done. Get an overhaul kit. which includes all the gaskets you will need to reassemble it. And get a good torque wrench. It will last a lifetime, so no use in buying crap.
Best replacement? Get a repair manual for you VW. Nothing fancy. Mine is just a grey hardcover "Repair your Volkswagen" book. By GW publications. Can get it in a secondhand book store for a buck. It has all the pictures and instruction in there for all the air cooled motor(they are all basically the same) from the first VW to the SuperBeetle. Specs have basically remained the same on everything for tightening bolts to air gap between the ignition points. Or one from Chilton, or Clymer. Or have 2 or three different ones, so you can cross reference them when doing a specific repair. Look through them before you buy for you may notice one has more pictures than the other or one has wiring and the other doesn't. You need that wiring info too. It may look complicated, but it isn't.
Now, looking at your porn star. The engine turns off when you turn on the lights or windshield wipers. I am thinking "What is similar about all 3?" Electricity. They all need it.
Where does electricity come from? The battery. How old is it? Batteries last about 5 or 7 years(if you are lucky). Is it full of corrosion? Do all the cells got enough water in each of them?
Now you are saying, the battery is not needed once the car is running, power is coming from the generator. Yes and no. At idle speed, the generator does not produce enough power to operate the lights and run the engine(which also needs electricity) so the battery is the backup supply. If the battery is down. Then the generator supplies power to the lights and the engine and tries to charge the battery. At high revs it can do that, at idle it can't so something suffers(or they all suffer) And you notice because the engine shuts off.
The generator brushes may be worn out. Drive the car one sunny day to an auto electric shop or maybe WalMart and have them take a look at your generator output. It may not be charging the battery. Once the brushes are worn out they are gone. It is repairable(getting new carbon brushes) but not from Wal~Mart but it is worth knowing which is hooped. The battery may be gone too. Because the generator was not doing its job (because it died a long time ago.) Its main job is to recharge the battery. One supports the other. You need them both. And a properly functioning regulator.
I could go on and on and on. Better you get a manual or two and sit down and read(and understand). You seem to have the time, if you are willing to strain dirty oil in a cheesecloth?? Hindsight is worth 0. Depending on what tools you have and how mechanically inclined you are(hopefully, a little more than changing oil-which any girl can do) and how organized. A weekend job with the right tools. I am talking about a complete overhaul of the engine and proper reassembly and tune up and also checking and fixing if need be the clutch, the starter, and electrical system.
And eyeballing the brake shoes too and shocks.
That is using metric wrenches and sockets, not pliers.

Manual chokes went out in the mid 60's.
Do it right and you only have to do it once. for another couple of years. Do it wrong and you will always be working on it. - Lam Sanders

5)   If Albert shuts down when you simply load up the electrical system, I wold look to see if your generator is shorting out and creating such a load that it seizes the engine.

Disconnect Alberts fan belt for a few minutes (no more).run the car and turn on one of the items (lights or wipers). If the engine does NOT shut down the problem lies in your generator.. an easy fix, or the wiring.. also an easy fix. It might be the brushes in the generator but that is unlikely since they would not grab the engine. Remember to rehook the fan belt.. this is important !

As far as a replacement.. I would repair Albert.. keep him warm and cozy and clean and go buy another VW .. 66 or later.

Albert is rather valuable.. if he is in good shape you could likely buy TWO or THREE newer bugs with his value... But you need to continue to take care of him until you sell him.

You can find a new Generator at

JCwhitney.com
or
thesamba.com

good luck and say Hi to Al for me...

. - ca_surveyor


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Question 2
My 2004 gti 1.8 is making an odd noise...?...  right after I turn it on. Any ideas? Its only right after the engine starts it makes a low screech noise then stops.

Answers
1)   deff ur belt...thats a given ....try belt dressing ...u can get it at autozone...75 percent of cars will do this lol





thanks for both lame asses for sayin what i said



btw u dont have a fanbelt...u have a serpintine belt...and an electric fan.. dumbass with the fanbelt theory - stephen

2)   Could be a squeaky fanbelt? Get that checked out - ωσg вσу αитн

3)   Hard to tell the kind of noise without being able to hear it. Belt noise is the most common. Have it checked at a service shop. - monsieur joy

4)   The screech is the belt, but the belt itself usually isn't the problem. Putting belt dressing on the belt doesn't fix anything, it just hides the problem. You're more than likely looking at a bad belt driven accessory like the alternator or the tensioner pully.

I had a 2003 jetta TDI in the shop a few weeks ago that was doing the same thing that you're describing. I used a mechanic's stethescope ($10 at pepboys) and listened to all the accessories. When I hit the alternator I heard the tell-tale rumbling noise of a bad bearing. Replaced the alternator and that fixed the problem. This seems to be a common problem on the newer VWs with clutch type alternators as I have replaced several over the last year or so. - Nick


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Question 3
Where can I buy an older model Volkswagen "bus" that is automatic?...  The price range is from $1000- $3500...

Answers
1)   Try the "Samba". - David S

2)   Volkwagen never really made automatic. They made automatic stick shift. which just meant you had no clutch pedal, but you still had to shift from 1 to 2 to 3(letting off the gas in order to shift). That is what they had available. It first came out in the Type 3 model(station wagon). Never really took hold in the beetle or van. It is suited for low horsepower engines(but the pancake engines of the station wagon were slightly higher horsepower than the beetle. They knew they had a low horsepower engine and mainly gave it a standard transmission which is the most economical with no waste in fuel as there was no slippage or loss in horsepower as there is in the fully automatic transmissions of domestic cars. Easier for you to learn how to drive a manual properly as most (99.9%) of VW's are equipped with that. And exotic high powered sports cars such as Ferarri and Lamborgini. - Lam Sanders

3)   The other answers are right on, the auto was a pure under powered car let alone in a bus. Stay away from these and learn to drive a stick, other then that your not getting the whole VW experience.
P.S. Automatics are a real turd, when you have a big rig barreling at you and the bus just whines then you know why all of us have said there crap.Even a 4 sp is a Bitch when your going up hill, Ive owned 4 and have a 78 now with all the go fast that can be added. - DR DEAL

4)   You can find a 70's bay window bus on the samba or craigslist for $2500 or so. Once you purchase it, you can buy a stick-o-matic from a type 1 or 3 (good luck finding one) and do a swap. They are JUNK and not worth swapping
Learn how to drive a stick. It is not hard and you can learn in less than an hour in a parking lot. - Rod Knocker


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Question 4
I put gear oil in the flywheel housing of my 98 Jetta.?...  I put gear oil in the flywheel housing of my 98 Jetta ( the little green cap to the left of the clutch reservoir ) and now the flywheel is coated with a layer of gear oil. Needless to say it slips. Is there anyway I can remedy this? Flush it with something? Replace? Thanks for your help.

Answers
1)   You just soaked your clutch disc with oil. Chances are its time for a new clutch kit.................md - Uncle Jed

2)   You can try degreaser and water. It is worth a try. - Philip

3)   NEW clutch. - JOHNNY C

4)   I totally recommend trying a product called "Big Orange" by Zep, it will clean everything and not wreck your clutch disc.
:o)
L. - Prince$$


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Question 5
what to do to stop pregnancy?...  i want to stop child bearing with using pills

Answers
1)   Have you ever tried a vasectomy? that'll do the trick. - jronnie22

2)   just say no. - MrNeutral

3)   make the guy wear a condom - steven p

4)   There is the "anti-penis" pill. Talk to your doctor. It is a special prescription. - Lam Sanders


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