Beetle Buying Guide

Advice on buying the more affordable Beetles from the 1970s onwards.

The Volkswagen Beetle was arguably the bestselling family car of all time – Toyota may claim that title for its Corolla, but that nameplate has been applied to 13 generations since 1966 and the car itself has changed beyond all recognition. In contrast, despite undergoing a continuous programme of development itself, the first and last Beetles quite clearly share the same DNA.

Developed in the 1930s, production of what became the Beetle actually began in 1938 as the KdF-Wagen (KdF stands for Kraft durch Freude, which translates as Strength through Joy), but the second world war saw manufacturing put on hold in favour of military vehicles. After the war had ended, the Beetle was initially offered to existing car manufacturers from the Allied countries, including

Ford and Rootes, none of whom thought it had a future and all of whom rejected it. However, former British army officer Major Ivan Hirst of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers had been tasked with getting the factory back on its feet, and it is thanks to his vision that production of the rear- engined Beetle was slowly and painfully restarted amid the destruction of a town that was renamed Wolfsburg. It then continued until 2003, with worldwide production exceeding 21 million cars.

Officially known as the Type 1, there have been numerous upgrades and improvements over the years, including switching from all-round rod- operated drum brakes to a hydraulic system with discs up front, changing from 6v to 12v electrics and incorporating MacPherson strut front suspension. Engine sizes have increased too, but basically the same air- cooled flat-four engine has remained, mated to a four-speed transaxle gearbox or occasionally a semi-automatic.

With such an extensive production run and large range of models, this buying guide is concentrating on the more affordable and practical examples, which largely means those manufactured from the 1970s onwards when production had expanded beyond Germany to countries including Brazil, South Africa, Australia and Mexico.

Size and space

In theory, the design of the Beetle ensures the engine is tucked out of the way, leaving room up front for luggage, but its curvaceous shape means that the front compartment can’t swallow as much as a conventional boot at the back of a front- engined car. Plus there’s a fuel tank and spare wheel underneath the bonnet, so once you’ve added a selection of tools and spares, there’s only space for a squashy bag or two – forget about suitcases unless you fit a roof rack or make use of the rear seats.

The Beetle is moderately compact, being the same length as a modern Mk6- 8 Ford Fiesta at roughly 4m, but some 24cm (10in) narrower. It’s also lighter at under 900kg in most cases.

Repairs and restoration

Underneath the all-steel bodywork of the Beetle, there’s a separate rolling chassis, which consists of a tubular backbone with floorpans welded to it and the suspension bolted in position. This means the bodywork can be unbolted

and removed, allowing you to work on this rolling assembly and overhaul or replace any components.

If you’re keen on completing a restoration project, the Beetle is ideal not only due to its simplicity and design, but also because there are numerous specialists and parts stockists, meaning there are very few parts that are no longer available. As ever though in a market driven largely by price, the quality of parts can vary.

The affordable Beetles we’re focusing on use metric fixings, including Allen (hex) keys. Special tools are helpful when it comes to engine builds (available from specialists) and undoing the rear hub nut that’s tightened in some cases to 350Nm requires a substantial breaker bar. (On some models, the nut has to be undone to remove the rear brake drum.)

Whether you intend to restore a Beetle or buy one that is roadworthy and simply maintain it, the support from clubs, groups and specialists plus the wide selection of workshop and technical manuals means you won’t be alone.

Routine servicing

If you wish to buy a Beetle that has been looked after and is seemingly ready for the road, then evidence of routine maintenance is essential. The engine oil must be replaced every 3000 miles, or at the very least every year regardless of mileage. Some air- cooled engines only hold around 2.5

litres of oil, and there’s a very simple strainer that acts as a filter, which is why regular oil changes are so important.

Other engine service components, such as the air filter, spark plugs and distributor components should be replaced annually, but they don’t generally affect the engine in the same way as neglecting to change its oil. These parts are cheap and plentiful.

The same principle applies to other aspects of the Beetle, such as its suspension which should be routinely lubricated at least once a year. There are several grease points in which to pump multipurpose grease to help lubricate and preserve the suspension. Like any other car, the brake fluid should be refreshed every two years and the brakes, whether they are drums all round or discs and drums, should ideally be stripped, checked and cleaned annually to avoid the risk of seized pads and shoes and the build-up of brake dust. Drum brakes need to be adjusted at least once a year to ensure they remain efficient and avoid dragging.

The Beetle is perhaps one of the simplest classic cars to maintain and repair, with a clutter-free engine bay providing access to all the main components. However, modifications are popular, with larger engines, twin carbs, bigger exhaust systems and lowered suspension being just a few. These can be a bonus if already fitted (budget £400 or more for a pair of downdraught carbs), but make sure such mods are what you want. Lowered suspension for instance may look cool, but could provide a harsh ride quality, while a big bore exhaust system could be noisy and annoying. Also, check that such a car can be insured or that it won’t cost too much above a standard vehicle – some insurers are reluctant to cover a modified car, or may require an engineer’s report to clarify the parts that have been fitted.

What to pay

Original specification seems to demand a higher price over a modified Beetle in many cases. Roadworthy examples start at around £5000, although some advertisements sound too good to be true. At the time of writing we found a 1970 Beetle 1200cc for a bargain £5750 which had supposedly been fully restored and resprayed by a specialist, but offered very few details and only one photo. For a similar price we spotted a modified Beetle with garish paintwork and lots of modifications (but no specific details, not even an engine size). Both cars raise two important points to consider, assuming the sales are genuine. The first point concerns the quality of the work, especially the restoration and respray – it’s hard to tell whether the rust will return in a few years’ time. And secondly, a modified Beetle may look fantastic with wide wheels, lowered suspension and a highly tuned air- cooled engine, but the reality of driving it may be bone-jarring with bump steer and engine noise. Choose wisely and don’t simply look for a bargain.

A realistic budget for a roadworthy Beetle seems to be

closer to £7500.

Restoration projects are not that cheap at around £2500, and the cost of a thorough overhaul could easily be four or five times as much. Collectible Beetles, such as genuine convertibles, are advertised for around £20,000 or sometimes more.

On the road

If you’ve always driven front engine vehicles, then there’s a distinct novelty value in driving a car where the engine is in the boot. Engine noise isn’t generally any lower than inside a car where the engine is up front, it merely resonates from a different area. There is, however, a different feel to acceleration – with the rear wheels propelling the Beetle forwards and raising the front suspension, it’s noticeably different to a front engine, rearwheel- drive vehicle.

Performance of the Beetle’s air- cooled engine isn’t startling from the smaller motors. If you’re looking for a car that can keep up or ahead of modern traffic, then find a Beetle with a 1500cc engine or larger. But remember that these aircooled engines were originally designed to be underpowered and long-lasting, so pushing their performance means preservation is essential – look for upgrades such as an external oil cooler, a larger sump and gauges to monitor the oil’s pressure and temperature.

The Beetle gained a reputation for being a reliable family car when it was new and modern, but don’t expect the same level of loyalty from a vehicle that’s several decades old and possibly equipped with a mixture of genuine and nongenuine components. Typical of many classic cars, a Beetle will need routine maintenance to keep it running well.

Body and chassis

Open the doors, lift the carpets and inspect the floors (both above and below) for corrosion. Repair sections and complete halves usually cost under £100, but they can be time- consuming to fit and will inevitably result in more extensive repairs being required in adjoining metal.

Look along the sills of the bodywork (all sides of them) for corrosion. These sills incorporate the heater channels, which blow warm air from the engine into the cabin, so run the engine and check they work. Extensive corrosion, such as several holes, may mean that very little warm air travels to the interior. Corroded sills will also affect the structural rigidity of the bodywork and may mean the doors don’t close so easily.

Check the door bottoms and around the A- and B-posts for corrosion. Move around to the wings and thoroughly inspect them. Replacement wings may only cost around £80 each and bolt on, but don’t forget to factor in the cost of paint and fitting. And once the old wings have been removed, there may be more corrosion to deal with.

Look closely at the front of the Beetle, where road debris can result in stonechips and corrosion. Lift the bonnet to inspect this area, and look behind the front bumper. Repair sections are available, including a complete front valance for around £40 and inner wing sections for a similar price, again plus fitting. Remove the contents of the front compartment to look for corrosion, checking around the petrol tank and the spare wheel well. The metalwork here, including the reinforcement panel, can be replaced and costs around £65. Inspect the scuttle panel, which can corrode and may require the windscreen to be removed to repair it – the repair panel below the windscreen costs around £70.

At the rear of the Beetle’s bodywork, check the metalwork around the rear side windows and the rear glass. The rear quarter panel can corrode around most of its edges, and whilst a replacement section costs under £100, the work involved in fitting and painting will generally cost a lot more.

Engine problems

With the engine switched off, grip the crankshaft pulley and try to move it forwards and backwards. A small amount of movement (end float) is acceptable, but this should be no more than 0.15mm, which means you should be able to feel only a tiny amount of movement. Unfortunately, there’s no way of telling exactly how much end float is evident without using a dial gauge, but if there’s a noticeable amount of movement, the engine probably

needs a rebuild.

Look around the underside of the engine for oil leaks from the rocker covers, pushrod tubes (four long tubes underneath the left and right sides of the engine) and where the engine and gearbox join together.

Oil leaks from these areas are common and require new seals, but in some cases owners live with it and ensure the oil is routinely topped up.

If an oil pressure gauge is fitted, check it’s around 60psi when the engine is cold or at high revs and down to 20psi when warm and at idle. The oil is cooled via an oil cooler mounted inside the fan housing, unless an external oil cooler has been added. The fan housing contains a fan that is driven by the drivebelt. This is one method of cooling the engine, along with directing airflow from underneath the vehicle when travelling. Consequently, it’s important to check that all the engine’s tinware has been fitted to direct air over the engine. Shiny chromeplated tinware isn’t as effective at cooling as black tinware, so be cautious with such an engine, especially if it has been modified too – extra power means extra heat. Engine failure often starts with a knock from the big end bearings. A DIY strip and rebuild is feasible, providing you have the tools (see the May and June 2019 issues of Classics for a step-bystep guide), although exchange engines are sometimes a better option. Budget for around £1000 or more for an overhauled, exchange engine, although costs vary depending on whether you want new or reconditioned parts. As a guide, The Engine Shop charge as little as £599 for a short block 1600 (minus the cylinder heads) and up to £2664 for a 1914cc big bore engine equipped with a fast road camshaft.

Gearbox trouble

Most Beetles are equipped with a four-speed transaxle gearbox rather than the three-speed semi-automatic, and this is what we’d recommend as the easy option. It is generally reliable, but ideally the gearbox oil should be replaced every four or five years. Check the operation of the clutch, ensuring gears can be selected up and down the ‘box and there are no signs of the clutch slipping. And make sure there are no crunching sounds when selecting gears as you change down the ‘box, such as from third to second. Specialists such as The Engine Shop charge from £749 to overhaul a manual gearbox. They also sell clutch kits, which range in price from £79.50 to £121.50 for standard Beetle engines.

Suspension and brakes

The Beetle’s front suspension incorporated MacPherson struts from 1971 with lower arms and an anti-roll bar, although the older twin beam design was retained for a few more years on some models. This older design consists of two transverse beams housing leaf springs that are connected to the upper and lower suspension arms, the steel leaf springs twisting under suspension arm movement. There are also telescopic dampers and an anti-roll bar. At the rear, there are trailing arms controlled via torsion bars and equipped with telescopic dampers. There are two designs here – the traditional swing axle with a trailing arm at each side and the IRS with a triangulated twin rear trailing arm link.

The general opinion seems to be that both designs provide a good ride quality so long as their components are in good condition, but there appears to be more that can fail on the later front suspension, such as fractured coil springs, leaking dampers and worn top mounts.

Look for corrosion of the front beams (pre- MacPherson strut) as a replacement bare assembly costs between £300 and £400. Inspect the dust covers on the balljoints of the ends of the front suspension arms as they can split and allow dirt and water inside. If MacPherson struts are fitted, visually inspect the coil springs for fractures and corrosion. At the rear, there’s not much to see, but just like a front beam, look for corrosion.

If a Beetle has been lowered, this may have been done by fitting drop spindles, removing leaves from the beams’ springs or fitting shorter coil springs to the MacPherson struts. There are numerous combinations of suspension modifications, such as narrowed beams with adjustable ride height, so find out exactly what has been fitted and who supplied or manufactured it. The quality of components can vary along with the resulting handling and

ride quality.

At the rear, the torsion bars can be adjusted, or adjustable spring plates fitted. Find out what has been done and whether it can be adjusted. If you intend to drive the Beetle with three or four people on board, try doing this on a testdrive to make sure the tyres don’t foul the arches, especially if it has been lowered.

Also on a test- drive (if possible), apply the brakes and see whether the vehicle pulls to the left or right, which could suggest a drum needs adjusting or there’s a sticking or binding caliper. On a disc/drum set-up, the brake pedal travel can feel long if the rear drums are not correctly adjusted. Trace the brake pipes and inspect them for corrosion. Many are exposed to road dirt, so they can deteriorate.

Interior and electrics

There’s not much to the interior and the electrical systems on a Beetle, but don’t gloss over these aspects. Check all upholstery and interior trim for damage and ensure that any parts you need to replace are available – most colours, fabrics and finishes are, but you may find them hard to match, especially if the rest of the interior has aged. As a rough guide, a full set of seat covers can cost around £200 or more, and a headlining kit costs upwards of £100. Seat covers are not too difficult to fit, but it can be difficult to achieve a professional finish with no creases. Headlining is very difficult to fit, and remember that the bows are fitted in a specific order.

Check all instruments and electrical equipment work. 12volt systems were introduced in 1967, although many pre- 67 Beetles have been converted from their original 6-volt specification and this is one aspect of originality that doesn’t seem to be desirable. Be aware that some components are not cheap to replace and can catch you out. If the rear-view mirror has fallen off a cabrio (19681979) for example, you might want to buy an aftermarket sucker type because a new assembly costs around £120.

Our verdict

The Beetle was once a cheapto-buy everyday car or classic, and whilst it’s not so cheap to buy anymore, it can be cheap to maintain providing it has been thoroughly restored or meticulously looked after (or both). If you are looking for a restoration project, check your parts prices first to ensure you won’t run out of money. However, at heart the Beetle is an ideal entry into the classic car market because of its worldwide popularity that means great parts availability, specialists and owners’ clubs.