The bugs days are numbered...
 

wrote in message
...
On Sat, 05 Dec 2009 09:09:02 -0500, Gene
wrote:

Back in those days the VW was the best of a questionable choice of small
cars......... nowadays, not so much.


Only true because the "new" beetle is not the original car or concept.
They OUGHT to bring that automobile back.
--

I never understood how the VW escaped the wrath of Nader when he was
trashing the Corvair. They both had the same problem. (tucking the
real axle and flipping over).

BTW this is not the first time VW abandoned the beetle. I bet we see
beetle III (or is that IV?) some day.

That is an easy question to answer. The bug had a cult following, and the
Corvair was an easy target. Empi made the Camber Compensator that actually
made the car a lot safer. I think later VW stole the idea and added them at
the factory. By the time Nader attacked Corvair they had gone away from the
swing axles. I think the same year.

The bugs days are numbered...
 

On Dec 5, 11:39*am, Loogypicker wrote:
On Dec 5, 9:27*am, "H the K (I post with a Mac)"



wrote:
Gene wrote:
On Sat, 5 Dec 2009 08:20:40 -0400, "Don White"
wrote:

"Tim" wrote in message
....
http://autos.aol.com/?adl=61204%20&icid=main|main|dl4|link4|http%3A%2F% 2Fautos.aol.com%2F%3Fadl%3D61204+

VW is going to discontinue the "BUG" after *about *70 years of
production
Too bad, but for the same money a Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla is probably
a better value overall.
Heck...a RAV4 is cheaper than that top of the line 2010 New Beetle.
My first brand new car was a 1972 dark blue 'Super Beetle'.
Back in those days the VW was the best of a questionable choice of small
cars......... nowadays, not so much.

Only true because the "new" beetle is not the original car or concept..
They OUGHT to bring that automobile back.

I had a new Beetle way back when...bought it when I was working at the
KC Star. Fine car for getting around town, but...sheeesh...out on those
Missouri two lane "highways," if a big semi-truck was coming from the
opposite direction, the winds it created would damn near blow the Beetle
right off the road.

I love the car, though. Really reliable (ok...so I owned an MG-A so my
point of reference isn't that high!)- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Yeah, of course......
Everyone here believes you.

Of course, but NO ONE believes...you.****head.

The bugs days are numbered...
 

Scott Dickson wrote:
On Dec 5, 11:39 am, Loogypicker wrote:
On Dec 5, 9:27 am, "H the K (I post with a Mac)"



wrote:
Gene wrote:
On Sat, 5 Dec 2009 08:20:40 -0400, "Don White"
wrote:
"Tim" wrote in message
...
http://autos.aol.com/?adl=61204%20&icid=main|main|dl4|link4|http%3A%2F% 2Fautos.aol.com%2F%3Fadl%3D61204+
VW is going to discontinue the "BUG" after about 70 years of
production
Too bad, but for the same money a Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla is probably
a better value overall.
Heck...a RAV4 is cheaper than that top of the line 2010 New Beetle.
My first brand new car was a 1972 dark blue 'Super Beetle'.
Back in those days the VW was the best of a questionable choice of small
cars......... nowadays, not so much.
Only true because the "new" beetle is not the original car or concept.
They OUGHT to bring that automobile back.
I had a new Beetle way back when...bought it when I was working at the
KC Star. Fine car for getting around town, but...sheeesh...out on those
Missouri two lane "highways," if a big semi-truck was coming from the
opposite direction, the winds it created would damn near blow the Beetle
right off the road.
I love the car, though. Really reliable (ok...so I owned an MG-A so my
point of reference isn't that high!)- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -
Yeah, of course......
Everyone here believes you.

Of course, but NO ONE believes...you.****head.


Under $1500 for a brand-new beetle, with am-fm radio. :)

The MG-A was one of the prettiest but least reliable cars i ever owned.
It was *very* used when I bought it, but still looked good.

The bugs days are numbered...
 

On Sat, 05 Dec 2009 12:59:08 -0500, wrote:

On Sat, 05 Dec 2009 11:37:56 -0600, thunder
wrote:

On Sat, 05 Dec 2009 12:01:36 -0500, gfretwell wrote:


I never understood how the VW escaped the wrath of Nader when he was
trashing the Corvair. They both had the same problem. (tucking the real
axle and flipping over).

It's interesting to note, only one chapter in Nader's book was about the
Corvair. Nader was trashing the entire automotive industry, and
rightfully so.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unsafe_at_Any_Speed

That still doesn't address the question about why Nader singled out
the Corvair when he talked about the dangers of swing axle suspension.
The VW was famous for flipping

The Corvair had some other problem with the rear suspension geometry,
as I recall. It would break loose and switch ends easily if I recall.
Bugs didn't do that. Think they fixed the Corvair by the 2nd or 3rd
model year, but it's hazy.
GM has always been a good target. Still is.
The big boy.
Whatever the faults of the Bug, I never felt it was a bad driver.
Tracked well, braked decently. I never got aggressive with it.
How could you? Did feel it was a little top-heavy in cornering,
so I never pushed it hard cornering.
Found mine on the lawn one morning. Hit and run. Fender was bent,
but that was it. Just got knocked over the curb and deposited on the
lawn. Didn't see it happen, so maybe it rolled a few times. hehe.
Somebody mentioned bringing back the original Bug, but I don't know if
it could pass emission standards now.

--Vic

The bugs days are numbered...
 

On Sat, 05 Dec 2009 19:24:28 -0500, "H the K (I post with a Mac)"
wrote:



Under $1500 for a brand-new beetle, with am-fm radio. :)

Think my buddy paid $1395 for the '64 I eventually owned.
Good value.

--Vic

The bugs days are numbered...
 

Vic Smith wrote:
On Sat, 05 Dec 2009 19:24:28 -0500, "H the K (I post with a Mac)"
wrote:


Under $1500 for a brand-new beetle, with am-fm radio. :)

Think my buddy paid $1395 for the '64 I eventually owned.
Good value.

--Vic


That sounds about right. I remember there were two options
available...the radio and a gasoline powered supplemental heater.
I could be wrong about the heater.

The bugs days are numbered...
 

On Dec 5, 2:43*pm, John H wrote:
On Sat, 5 Dec 2009 09:36:49 -0800 (PST), Tim
wrote:



On Dec 5, 7:00 am, John H wrote:
On Sat, 5 Dec 2009 03:24:08 -0800 (PST), Tim
wrote:

http://autos.aol.com/?adl=61204%20&icid=main|main|dl4|link4|http%3A%2F% 2Fautos.aol.com%2F%3Fadl%3D61204+

VW is going to discontinue the "BUG" after about 70 years of
production

Adolph will be sad. A lot of shoulders will be relieved that
"Punchbuggy Blue.....WHAM!" is no longer played.
--

John H

A kid I knew from high school got on that kick "slug-bug... POW" *he'd
hit you right in the arm. It was funny for *while, then people told
him to knock it off. He wouldnt' do it. It was funny only to him. So,
one giant kid got tired of it, and when this kid started his "slug--
bug" crap, he turned and punched the jerk *right in the gut. About
knocked the wind out of him.

Took care of that!

Actually, if the big kid had just sat down across the table from the
little, mean kid, negotiated a bit, and offered some nice concessions,
I'll bet the little, mean kid would have grown a halo. The big kid
could have asked all the other kids for money to help pay for the
concessions granted the mean, little kid.

Pretty good idea, huh?
--

John H

Good in theory, John....

The bugs days are numbered...
 

Don White wrote:
wrote in message
...

http://autos.aol.com/?adl=61204%20&icid=main|main|dl4|link4|http%3A%2F% 2Fautos.aol.com%2F%3Fadl%3D61204+

VW is going to discontinue the "BUG" after about 70 years of
production

Too bad, but for the same money a Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla is probably
a better value overall.
Heck...a RAV4 is cheaper than that top of the line 2010 New Beetle.
My first brand new car was a 1972 dark blue 'Super Beetle'.
Back in those days the VW was the best of a questionable choice of small
cars......... nowadays, not so much.



A Rav4 is cheaper than most top-of-the-line vehicles. That certainly
doesn't make it better.

Rob

The bugs days are numbered...
 

Don White wrote:
wrote in message
...

On Sat, 05 Dec 2009 11:37:56 -0600,
wrote:


On Sat, 05 Dec 2009 12:01:36 -0500, gfretwell wrote:



I never understood how the VW escaped the wrath of Nader when he was
trashing the Corvair. They both had the same problem. (tucking the real
axle and flipping over).

It's interesting to note, only one chapter in Nader's book was about the
Corvair. Nader was trashing the entire automotive industry, and
rightfully so.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unsafe_at_Any_Speed

That still doesn't address the question about why Nader singled out
the Corvair when he talked about the dangers of swing axle suspension.
The VW was famous for flipping

Yeah but...with the rounded roof it could keep on rolling instead of
pancaking.



You really should avoid the "Yeah but" responses. You aren't smart
enough to engage in any sort of debate. You will killfile and run, as
always.

Rob

The bugs days are numbered...
 

wrote in message
...
On Sat, 05 Dec 2009 20:49:33 -0600, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Sat, 05 Dec 2009 12:59:08 -0500, wrote:

On Sat, 05 Dec 2009 11:37:56 -0600, thunder
wrote:

On Sat, 05 Dec 2009 12:01:36 -0500, gfretwell wrote:


I never understood how the VW escaped the wrath of Nader when he was
trashing the Corvair. They both had the same problem. (tucking the
real
axle and flipping over).

It's interesting to note, only one chapter in Nader's book was about the
Corvair. Nader was trashing the entire automotive industry, and
rightfully so.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unsafe_at_Any_Speed

That still doesn't address the question about why Nader singled out
the Corvair when he talked about the dangers of swing axle suspension.
The VW was famous for flipping

The Corvair had some other problem with the rear suspension geometry,
as I recall. It would break loose and switch ends easily if I recall.
Bugs didn't do that.
I think they called it trailing oversteer, at a certain point the
understeer they build into most cars switches to oversteer as the rear
tires lose traction and they both had the problem.

Think they fixed the Corvair by the 2nd or 3rd
model year, but it's hazy.
GM has always been a good target. Still is.
The big boy.
Whatever the faults of the Bug, I never felt it was a bad driver.
Tracked well, braked decently. I never got aggressive with it.
How could you? Did feel it was a little top-heavy in cornering,
so I never pushed it hard cornering.
That is why you never saw the problem. Most beetle drivers in those
days were more conservative. I did know a guy in high school who
rolled one but he thought he had an MG ;-)

Found mine on the lawn one morning. Hit and run. Fender was bent,
but that was it. Just got knocked over the curb and deposited on the
lawn. Didn't see it happen, so maybe it rolled a few times. hehe.
Somebody mentioned bringing back the original Bug, but I don't know if
it could pass emission standards now.

... crash tests, interior passenger protection, handling problems and
a bunch of other issues
They were still selling them in Mexico until pretty recently tho.
You just couldn't import one.

--Vic


Actually I think the VW rolled before it could switch ends. The Corvair was
a lot less top heavy than a bug.