what do you get a 17 year old boy obsessed with his 77 vw bug as a gift?

Question 1
what do you get a 17 year old boy obsessed with his 77 vw bug as a gift?...  i've been trying to find something but all he tells me is "accessories for his bug" or stuff for his bug, he really doesn't give me any idea just something for his bug.

Answers
1)   a new product to wash it without water. - flutterby

2)   remember the love bug ? how about a big smile on the front - jr

3)   tinted windows, license plate frames, seat covers, shifter knobs, a detailing kit, maybe a gift card to somewhere, whatever he needs on it...... exhaust system, bumpers, i don't know..... - Jimmy S

4)   A blank piece of paper and get him to right the accessories he wants in order of precedence , you can take it from here - Barking_Dog

5)   a girlfriend. - Yamamoto

6)   How bout you get him a giftcard to autozone, or advance auto. That way he can choose his own accessories for his car. You can also buy him little models of a car similar to it. - Corey

7)   if he doesn't have one already make him an emergency repair kit to put in the trunk. thinks like an 8, 10, 13, 15, 17 mm wrenches and sockets an adjustable wrench a new fan belt. maybe a set of locking pliers and a new fuel pump (im assuming since its a 77 its still fuel injected?) which makes the fuel pump about $75 more and electric. the locking pliers are to clamp the fuel hoses. some flat and phillips head screwdrivers of various sizes. its really a good idea to have these things in a bug because things on them tend to go at the most inopportune times like when you're 50 miles from home in a snow storm at night. - Air-Cooled

8)   If you buy an Accessory. It should be one that is functional and in plain sight. He will always be reminded who gave it to him. I like buying people a new shift rod handle. They are available in millions of styles. Another thing is a custom steering wheel. Maybe a rosewood or a racing type looking one. Either way don't buy anything cheap. Its the quality that makes any accessory stand out from the crowd. - dewhatulike

9)   a can of raid bug killer lol - James N

10)   Empi Engine Dress up kit

Similar to what is advertised on this site

http://shopping.aol.com/empi-deluxe-16-pc-chrome-dress-up-kit-4580-30-382000/740437068 - Replica


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Question 2
What is the value of a 1970 vw bug , no rust , good shape?...  Has new paint, vw type chrome wheels,

Answers
1)   type into search box

1970 vw bug for sale


wil get others for sale can look at prices and others guess or set your price - kelly_f_1999

2)   Man! Good luck with this issue. Sorry i can't be of any help. I am most sympathetic to you. I get the same type of trouble once in a while 8P - Molly

3)   that all depends on you. what you are willing to buy/sell it for. there is no set worth for it - Sonny

4)   car has no "book" value at this age,not to be smart,but it's worth what someone is willing to pay for it.....if car is stock other than wheels(hope it's painted an original color,and not a glow inthe dark one) it would bring more money with these 2 items changed to stock. as a guess i'd say $3000.00 ,you can always come down but you can't go back up in dealing with one selling medium at the time - ramcharger

5)   Depends on what your idea of good shape is. The 1970 is not a car that collectors like as much as earlier cars. So your car could go from $2500 to $4500. - uthockey32

6)   you need to take many things into consideration with old bugs. check the floor pans, especially under the rear seat where the battery sits as they like to rot there. also ask about the motor, like how many miles, last oil change, valves gaped, plugs gaped. if it was ever rebuilt. also check the heater channels that run along the lower door jam on both sides. tap on the lower part of the rear quarter above the running board. they rot there as well because the heat carries moisture with it and it likes to stay in there and just rot away the metal. as for the price. i bought an original 1970 bug in september that was wrecked in the back and needed work for $1750. it only had 75000 miles. if all the answers you get are good id offer the seller $2800 and go from there. - Air-Cooled

7)   It's all in the eye of the beholder. If you wind up selling it to a dealer, he will give you squat for it. He is looking to turn a profit. If you sell it to a VW enthusiast. You can name your price. They are getting more and more rare as turn key vehicles. - dewhatulike

8)   about 2 grand, split windows and verts get the most money. - James N

9)   Depends if you are buying or selling. And "where". Generally start by looking in the local newspapers and checking out what the price is for a similar unit. I don't care about the paint or chrome wheels(it has to be sold with wheels of some sort on it). Its painted....why did that come about(as most oft is the case of body damage(rust or crash)
If the local papers are devoid of such a vehicle spread your search to the nearest large city and scour their papers and see what the going price is. (look at car lots and private sales and you have a ball park figure to work with.) of what you can expect to pay/ask (allow for 10% dickering).
It all comes down to demand. If your area is a "bug hungry" area, then prices are gonna be higher than if you are in an area where everyone drives Japanese or domestics." - Pancho


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Question 3
is the 2002 Volkswagon passat a bad car?...  i have the money for my first car and i found a 2002 volkswagon passat, but my family is saying that all volkswagons are bad because they have a lot of problems and are expensive to fix. opinions??

Answers
1)   family is right on this one - Sonny

2)   Actually if your family will check they will see that Volkswagens have some of the best reliability reports and some of the highest customer loyalty ratings in the auto market. I own 2 vw jettas a 2006 tdi and a 2007 2.5 I had a 1996 jetta 2.0 and I must say I will not own any other car based on my past and present experiences. I also work on my own cars and since many parts are interchangeable with audi then a lot of parts means inexpensive parts. I would however say that I do not recommend the passat to a young person. They are a heavier car than the jetta but not much bigger. This means that the passat gets less mpg than the jetta. Also the turbo motor only gets 19-26 mpg in the passat while the 2.0 gas motor gets 27-35 mpg in the jetta. Also the jetta has less expensive insurance. The last thing I have to say is I trust vw to get my family where it needs to get at any time not something I can say about the other brands I have driven. I CHECKED CONSUMER REPORTS COULD FIND NOTHING STATING BELOW AVERAGE RELIABILITY MAYBE THAT PERSON SHOULD PROVIDE A DIRECT LINK TO THE OBSERVED BELOW AVERAGE RATING SO THE REST OF US COULD READ IT TOO. I DID CHECK WITH EDMUNDS.COM AND ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS TYPE IN 2002 VW PASSAT AND YOU WILL FIND BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE REVIEWS. THE SAME AS YOU WILL FIND WITH HONDA AND TOYOTA AND ANY OTHER MAKE. THE MAIN THING TO DO IS TEST DRIVE THE VEHICLE HAVE IT CHECKED BY A REPUTABLE DEALER/MECHANIC AND GO FROM THERE. - marksman

3)   Consumer Reports says the 2002 is below average in reliability - pickmefirstplz

4)   Yep junk. Anymore questions?

Listen to your family or pay the price...and they probably won't help you with the repair costs if you go all in on what will be a very large very heavy paperweight in about 3 months.

[Forgot to add: VW transmissions are probably made of plastic because they only last 2-3 years and they don't have to deal with a whole lot of torque...that's why!] - Theneelster

5)   My sister has a 2000 VW Golf. It has over 160,000 reliable miles on its automatic transmission. The car has never once let her down.
However, on the Passat; IMO the VW Jetta or Golf would be a better choice. The fuel mileage is much better, parts are less expensive, and insurance is less.
Plus, I drive a VW GTI with 53,000 unsurpassed quality miles on it . This car was voted 'Car of the Year' in January's edition of Automobile Magazine.
Look up Americas Best Loved Cars in Yahoo Autos; Best Mid-size car was won by Passat [picked above the Mazda 626 and the Honda Accord]. Best Entry-Level Luxury Car was won by VW CC; 2nd place went to Cadillac. Best Compact Sporty Car was the VW GTI; 2nd place Honda Civic.
My wife loves her 2005 Jetta. She says its the next-best thing Ive ever bought her [her engagement ring comes in 1st of course]. We drive the Jetta up and down the East Coast on vacation several times a year. With the roof rack, we can take our bicycles and kayaks wherever we go.
As far as expensive to fix, VWs are no higher than any other brand. I have owned Mazda, Ford and Toyota cars. Some of my friends drive Hondas, All good cars. But when they break, it costs $$$ too. Part for part, VWs cost as much as any other.
VW sold 6.4 Million vehicles last year. All of those people cannot be wrong. Fact is , the VWs we and our friends own have superlative reliability . No opinions here, just fact.
Sure, VW is not perfect. What is in this world? They wear out or break just as any other mechanical item does.
Most of all though, aside from fuel economy, reliability and safety, VWs are a driver's car. They inspire passion and enthusiasm. Their road-holding and accident-avoidance prowess surpasses all other cars in their class. There truly is something different about driving a VW!
Bottom line; try a Jetta or Golf [or Rabbit, it is the same as the Golf except a different name]. We guarantee that you will love the experience..... - fenton

6)   vw's are not expensive to fix. you have to maintain the car more then lets say a honda. if you have a good ear you can spot out $100 problem before they turn into $1000 problems. as for quality they are very well built just watch out for transmission and wiring problems. - James N


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Question 4
Do you own a vintage beetle and is it hard to maintain?...  Are parts or repairs expensive, etc..?? Thanks!

Answers
1)   I do not, but my father did at one point - he fixed it up himself for a while, but eventually abandoned the project. Apparently the quality of the metal was such that the floor on the drivers side fell off... of course, aging metal is of concern in ANY old car. I wouldn't recommend even buying one unless you plan on garaging it, and not driving it in wet weather. - Lola

2)   Not at the moment, although I have in the past. John Muir wrote a book on the subject. Get it.

How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive 19 Ed: A Manual of Step-by-Step Procedures for the Compleat Idiot

Read it and believe it. Don't try to do shortcuts, just do what the book suggests.

Couple of things to remember. Oil and air are the only things keeping the engine cool. Change the oil when it needs it, it's cheap insurance. Keep the air flow deflectors on and clean. - oklatom

3)   Depends on where you live...in Nevada (little rain/snow/moisture) I see a ton of them but they're all gutted mechanically and usually have newer engines and better components than were originally in there. Still...it's not a cheap thing to do and requires a lot of fabrication.

So...no...you don't want a car that's been sitting around for over 30 years. - Theneelster

4)   definitely an easy car to work on yourself. but if you dont plan on doing most of the work yourself like regular oil changes, valve gaping and plug gaping. changing the generator belt, changing the fuel pump, new points and the like i would not get one as paying someone to do that can get expensive even though the parts are cheap and available - Air-Cooled

5)   While being relatively easy to maintain. As parts are getting harder to find, these will be the only rising expense you'll see. Labor should remain the same, relatively less than bigger boats. - dewhatulike


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Question 5
Volkswagen Thing as a 1st car?...  I am trying to figure out what car i should get as a 1st car. I was considering to get a jeep cherokee but i am loving the Thing. if you guys could give me a little more information on the thing that would help a lot the internet itself doesn't have enough info on the Thing and that's the one thing i need before i buy a car. I need pros and cons

Answers
1)   Are you kidding me,even if you could find more information on the thing where in Gods name are you going to find one? How long ago was it 30 or 40 years ago? I must admit that it would be a fun car as a first car but you would have to know a little about cars to keep it running but it would be fun - Tony k

2)   The largest issue with the type 181 is safety; simply put, there isn't any. Things that we take for granted today; disc brakes, effective heater & defroster, power door locks, power windows, intrusion beams in the doors, safety cage construction for the passenger compartment, other assorted safety regulations are missing from the VW thing. Fuel economy isn't great either, but at least it will run on the cheapest regular gas you can find. Power is low, but at least various engine modifications are easily found that can remedy this.

The pro's are: easy to maintain. You can convert the point and condenser ignition system to solid state (no points or condensor) easily enough; the engine has been around foreverr and then some, high performance parts are available for the engine and easily found in the aftermarket. Cheap to run; though fuel economy is somewhat low for the performance (if I remember correctly, 0 to 60 was about 18 seconds or so for the 1974 model, today even a Kia Rio, among the cheapest new car sold in the USA with an automatic transmission can do under 12 seconds, a full 1/3 faster than a stock thing), no smog required, easy open air driving, the doors come off without tools, windshield folds down and the heater and defroster can be made more effective with the usage of a blower fan or in some cases, a gasolene powered heater was available at one time. Also, to a lot of people. they are fun to drive and mechanical parts are easy to find.

Cons: body parts are disappearing fast; though the model was made in Mexico into the early 80's, not that many were made and body parts are getting somewhat expensive. No modern conveniences (at least stock), no a/c, power windows/locks/power steering/power brakes etc.
The heater and defroster are feeble at best (at least stock), though a blower assist motor can help and a gasolene powered heater was available at one time; doesn't drive like a modern car, not even like a 20 year old Hyundai !!! But, the largest most important issue is safety: like I described in the first paragraph, there isn't any. VW stopped selling the vehicle in either 1974/5, because it couldn't meet changing safety regulations in the USA.... And braking is something of a sore point too: the all drum brakes aren't noted for short stops either, though, again, the aftermarket has an update kit with disc brakes in the front that can be fitted.

Don't get me wrong; I like the Thing and think its a neat vehicle. But unlike the Gremlin I once owned, its far less practical for every day driving (though I don't think a Gremlin should be an everyday driver either) and the lack of safety features is another reason to give pause. But, that's just my opinion based upon cold, hard facts. Your emotions will be the deciding factor...

Hope this helps, a car nut. - a car nut

3)   The VWThing is a fun car,but that is just what it is, a fun car.The Jeep and the Thing are in totally different clases. Jeep is a car built for freeway duty. The thing on the other hand would fold up like a wad of paper if it were hit by the JeepCherokee. If you insist on buying one. There are two types. One is built on a Type two bus configuration. The other is built on a Type three configuration. You know the frame used on the VW squareback and the VWType 3 fastback. The Type 2 is allot more studier, built more like a generic Jeep. The type 3 on the other hand was built for more comfort. Utilizing the more comfortable suspension and front end.Both are very rear indeed. I would imagine if you don't care about looks and comforts in a vehicle, the Thing is a good choice. The windshield folds down and the doors are removable. Did you know the Thing is a replica of a WW2 German staff car? - dewhatulike

4)   I would actually recommend a beetle before a thing,
Easy to take care of, free heat, no radiator, dang near indestructible engine.

The thing is a decent vehicle, i know a guy in my town that has 6 of the lil buggers,
But in the winter, it ain't so great, the vinyl covers tear, ice stretches the top, takes forever to get going, God forbid a small incline.

Alternately get the cherokee, and get the thing as a fun car. - Brandon

5)   A VW Thing, or any old European car is a terrible car for a young girl. Get a Cherokee, much more reliable and cheaper to fix. ANY car can potentially break down, but the chances are greater with e European car, and MUCH greater with an old European car, please for your personal safety don't get the "Thing".

The Cherokee, with it's 4.0 6 cylinder motor has been proven extremely durable and reliable, and as long as you do basic maintenance, should last you as long as you want it to. - p3200tmz


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