What did you do today?

[Bazfr69]

Since when did the crapness of a car have any relevance in our desire to own it?

I agree on the MG prices being stable especially as my preference would be the rubber bumper era but Beetle prices are definitely going up as the numbers of unmolested cars are dwindling in my observation.
Our local NI Facebook group would verify my opinion regarding the Beetle.

It wasn’t that many years ago I thought a good mini would always be within my budget. I sold my last one, a 2000 Cooper for £4500 thinking I could jump back in when I felt like it. The same car would cost me at least 10k atm which puts it completely out of my reach.

[LynehamHerc]

Having owned both of these for 44 and 13 years, well the beetle is actually a beetlebus, a T2, the mechanicals have been no problem although the MG has been off the road for the last 13 as it was parked up when the T2 arrived.
Rust, on the other hand is but not to the extent of 1970s Japs for instance.
Parts are generally easy to get, I have had some problems with the T2 at times as it's an early production one and they changed some of them after the first 6 months.

[Bazfr69]

I did consider a T2 when I got rid of my mini back when you could get a reasonable bay for around 7 grand.

Those days are also long gone.

I’m very aware of missing the aircoooled boat completely if I wait much longer.

[LynehamHerc]

I think that the prices have dropped quite a lot by a lot of the comments on the Bay forums.
Whether they'll receive a boost due to people staycationing is a moot point I guess but given the economic impact of the sniffles I suspect not.

[SiC]

I’m off work today and I’ve been mainly sitting around cultivating a strong desire to buy a classic Beetle while I might still be able to afford a half decent one.

Go stand in the corner and think about what you've done

I really want one though. I narrowed the choice down to a Beetle or MGB GT, both of which I loved as a kid but the Beetle is going to be outside my grasp sooner rather than later.

I got told the MGB GT is a heap of shit and I would hate it. I wanted one for a long time soon after passing my test but didn't because everyone (and especially my parents) said to not waste my money owning one. I now own one and my MGB is my favourite car* to drive that I own at the moment...

According to Car & Classic, the MGB GT was in the top 5 most searched for cars during/after lockdown.

I like the rubber bumper with the Leyland Special Tuning splitter on the front. Kind of wish I got one instead of the chrome bumper one I have. Also wished I had a Webasto roof.

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Mate had a Beetle in the Cali look (afaik just lowered and no bumpers?) back when I was at uni. My memory of it was uncomfortable, pain to work on, steering had so much play that you could move the wheel around 90 degrees to no effect on the steering and the fuel gauge empty marker was a 99p price sticker on the gauge.

Oh and the fuel tank is in the bonnet and is your crumple zone in a crash. Luckily the drunk drive that hit him clipped the back end not hit the front. This led to the engine being ripped out and it's guts leaking all over the tarmac. He was devastated.

I also remember that girls loved it and it got a lot of looks when driving past. He loved the car too.

I'd probably only own a Beetle out of curiosity than love for the things.

* EDIT: The recently acquired Clio 172 is very close to taking that top spot in my fleet though. Possibly will once I've had a few more miles on it.

[SiC]

To add to the above, in my opinion I don't think it's worth a test drive to determine if you like it or not. The test drive will just be invariably enjoyable as you've finally got a chance to drive one. Only after you've owned it and driven it for a bit can you really determine if you like it.

So find a good one, in budget and go buy it. If you don't like it, something like a Beetle or MGB GT will be easy to sell on as always a ready market for it unlike rarer and more obscure stuff.

[LynehamHerc]

I've seen a few pics of rubber bumper MGBs with the bumpers the same colour as the car, which make them look far better in my opinion. I think that when they first came out you couldn't get a paint that would stay on them as a number of people tried and failed.
I had a ST front spoiler which mysteriously disappeared when it was in a garage in Leeds for new wings.

I would add a caveat to Sics test drive comments.
I don't know if it applies to Beetles as well as T2s but the gearchange can be absolutely horrendous and really off putting.
Normally it can be fixed by replacing the bushes or, if you're lucky, spending a bit of time on adjusting it.

[MLOR]

<snip>
Normally it can be fixed by replacing the bushes or, if you're lucky, spending a bit of time on selling it.

FTFY

[Bazfr69]

Go stand in the corner and think about what you've done

I really want one though. I narrowed the choice down to a Beetle or MGB GT, both of which I loved as a kid but the Beetle is going to be outside my grasp sooner rather than later.

I got told the MGB GT is a heap of shit and I would hate it. I wanted one for a long time soon after passing my test but didn't because everyone (and especially my parents) said to not waste my money owning one. I now own one and my MGB is my favourite car* to drive that I own at the moment...

According to Car & Classic, the MGB GT was in the top 5 most searched for cars during/after lockdown.

I like the rubber bumper with the Leyland Special Tuning splitter on the front. Kind of wish I got one instead of the chrome bumper one I have. Also wished I had a Webasto roof.

20170626_201821.jpg

Mate had a Beetle in the Cali look (afaik just lowered and no bumpers?) back when I was at uni. My memory of it was uncomfortable, pain to work on, steering had so much play that you could move the wheel around 90 degrees to no effect on the steering and the fuel gauge empty marker was a 99p price sticker on the gauge.

Oh and the fuel tank is in the bonnet and is your crumple zone in a crash. Luckily the drunk drive that hit him clipped the back end not hit the front. This led to the engine being ripped out and it's guts leaking all over the tarmac. He was devastated.

I also remember that girls loved it and it got a lot of looks when driving past. He loved the car too.

I'd probably only own a Beetle out of curiosity than love for the things.

* EDIT: The recently acquired Clio 172 is very close to taking that top spot in my fleet though. Possibly will once I've had a few more miles on it.

I love that colour. I think that, chartreuse or brown would do it for me, I wouldn’t like a Cloth roof though.

As for the safety side of things I must admit I’m pretty unconcerned. It won’t be a commuter for bombing up and down the motorway and some of my formative years were spent flinging a Firenza around with mole grips for a steering wheel.
I’ve no wish to rush towards an early grave but anything from the era I’m looking at currently will have its own safety issues so...

[PhilA]

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I was part in buying some future piece of shite, but it's a means to an end. Give it 15 years and I'm not sure how well it'll have lasted though.