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rhody
I've been a physical therapist for over 40 yrs. Back in the 60's as a student at Kessler Rehab in NJ I had a patient who was a high level Quadriplegic because her VW beetle had flipped over, damaging her spine. The car had only about $20.00 damage. I agree with mom.I bet the ex husband wouldn't drive one himself!!
rustfetish
Old VW Bugs just like any car out there can have occupants injured when in an accident. Air bags and the plethora of safety equipment on cars do help save lives but people still meet their demise or are terribly injured. One of the best safety features on any car is a safe driver. We have been trained to just drive, led down the path that safety features make you invincable just as everyone who buys an SUV that is 4 wheel drive or All wheel drive thinks it will get them through anything. I have driven older VW's as well as my son. He barrel rolled one 3 times with it stopping on it's roof. After righting it and hooking the battery up he got in and drove home. Newer Mini Coopers have problems with the electric power steering failing an it losing it's ability to steer. Some cars have problems with sticking throttles, some are known to have brake problems. My point is that all cars have weaknesses and falacies, it is the driver that can make a difference at times. Whatever car she gets do some research on it and make a decision based on that.
macwagen
I have a 1974 Beetle and a 2000 New Beetle. I was surprised to learn that my New Beetle is actually worth less than the old one, dispite the fact that it's fully loaded (Turbo, Leather, Moon Roof, etc). I have held on to my old beetle because it's my all-time favorite car, and I know if I get rid of it, I'll likely never have another one. HOWEVER, if I had to choose between the two models, I'd go for the New Beetle hands down. I've taken countless road trips in the NB and it ALWAYS gets me where I need to go, it's very safe, and very comfortable on long trips. The heated seats are a godsend. I've also taken long-ish trips in the old one, and it's uncomfortable, scary as all getout, and you smell like gasoline if you arrive at your destination without breaking down. So...what I would tell your daughter is go find a nice 2000+ model year New Beetle and get most of the good looks of the original with infinitely more practicality. And if she's dead-set on the old-school Beetle...maybe I'll sell her mine. :)
wagnerism
@rustfetish: I disagree that old VW Bugs are not just like any other car when it comes to occupant injury. From their original manufacture to today and beyond, they are outclassed in all areas of occupant protection and accident avoidance by just about every other car on the road. There are exceptions but track the next 100 cars you see on the road and figure out how many are less safe. The feature of being a safe driver only goes so far with the other drivers' lack of attention, bad habits or reckless behavior. Defensive driving is key and having a defensible castle (with airbags!) is much safer. I agree that the simpler cars of the past can be more reliable, but your son's lack of serious injury from the triple barrel roll was pure luck. All of your anecdotal evidence disregards the many Toyotas and Hondas that have passed the 100,000 mile mark with no issues. You would have been just as relevant bringing up all the warts on the small American cars of the 1980s. Finally, The emissions of a vehicle this old are obnoxiously high compared to modern cars and all bugs would be best relegated to the antique/show circuit, not the daily driver circuit. Commuting in VW Bugs today is dangerous, ignorant, and inconsiderate.
rustfetish
@wagnerism: My point with that statement was that there is a possibility of injury no matter what kind of car you drive, old or new. Safety features do help save lives but are not a guarantee. There is no car on the road that is free of problems and absolutely safe. My advice was to research whatever car she was considering and base a decision on that information. Knowledge is power. The number of people who died by motor-vehicle is listed at the CDC as 36,399 vs 31347 by firearms. Safety is a very hard word to use safely. Enjoy and have a good day.
Techguy
Critical questions to be asked is 1) where do you live and 2) where will the car spend most of its time? Where one resides raises the question on how important a good interior climate control becomes? If you have 4 season weather, well the Bug's inadequate performance of its heater system becomes an issue. If you have severe summers, then a/c is a must and admittedly, unless the motor is modified to provide more power, installing an a/c (even on a 1600 cc Bug) places demands on its limited power output. If one intends to use the car for simple neighborhood commutes with rare forays on the interstate, then the small 4 cylinder engine can provide adequate power for those stop and go situations (low end acceleration esp. in the 1st 2 gears can surprise some folks). Issues on fire erupting Bugs are focused on the battery (residing under the rear seat) and the fuel line (which arcs on top of the distributor). The right choice of battery (with side or even recessed top terminals) can eliminate the problem of shorts when someone sits on the right side of the back seat. To even provide more protection, an old rubberized floor mat laid on top of the battery should provide added insulation against the seat springs. High quality fuel lines with positive clamping (screw types) can eliminate potential fuel leaks. Later model Bugs have front disc brakes as standard so braking performance is far improved over the all drum variety (w/c needs manual adjustments every so often). Hope this adds to your technical insight to the car.
BlahBlahBlockChic
Maryann, A couple of comments. I suppose at 24 your daughter is old enough to make her own decisions, but it would be nice if as parents we could convince our kids that we made many mistakes (well I certainly did) and in hindsight saw that our parents were right and had our best interests in mind. Sadly, we're often not successful in such an endeavor, all the more worrisome because the decision under discussion regards life and limb of your daughter. Sorry, I'm not trying to scare you but I've been there. Techguy asks some germane questions and there are more besides. Often the first question is the budget. From there, is this to be her only car or just a second fun car? Is she still in school? If she works and it's her daily commuter, how far does she drive and what are the weather conditions? Is she mechanically inclined or is she prepared for the cost and time for frequent trips to the shop that such an old car might require? As rustfetish indicates, good driving is important, but your daughter's good driving is less of a worry than other people's bad driving, and it's here that the latest accident avoidance and occupant safety features make all the difference. One need only look at accident and injury rates per miles driven over the last few decades to see the enormous benefits of all the latest safety equipment. The following links should help. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety - Highway Loss Data Institute: http://www.iihs.org/default.aspx National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: http://www.safercar.gov/Vehicle+Shoppers/5-Star+Safety+Ratings/1990-2010+Vehicles I couldn't find any data going back far enough to describe the safety of the old Beetle. However, some of the HLDI data really surprised me. Although it's not exactly the same thing as injury rates, etc,. the information is a good proxy for such data. For the most part bigger is safer, but there are exceptions and surprises. The big Chrysler 300 and only-slightly-smaller Dodge Charger leave a lot to be desired. The Toyota Camry also is not so good. ALL SUVs that are rated have good to excellent occupant safety and the vast majority average to substantially above average in other categories as well. (I'm dismayed, rustfetish, that your son barrel-rolled the Beetle, but I'm very glad to hear he's okay.) I was surprised, even shocked, to find that one of the very safest cars on the road regardless of size is the half-pint Smart ForTwo. If your daughter is looking for the fun factor, I agree with the Brothers M that the Mini is a good choice. So is the New Beetle (but I don't know about the brand new model) and New Beetle Convertible and the Mazda Miata. Anyway, I hope it all works out for you and your daughter - without messing up things with Dad!