VolksWagen discrimination

**weekendwarrior** · 08-10-2009, 07:42 PM

As some of you know, I am a freak for the old, air cooled Bugs (the new Beetles are hideous). This is my 73:

The thing I have noticed is that a lot of the other classic car owners snub it at cruise ins (but the spectators love it), people tell me I should get something reliable, and people assume it is slow.

Why can`t people realize I like having to carry a tow bar in my Element to retrieve the car when it breaks down (which is about every 2 weeks), and I like having no a/c, and that 60hp is pretty fast when you consider the car weighs nothing, and has pretty good gearing? Lastly, why do people call every freaking Bug "Herbie", regardless of its paint scheme or model year?

**imported_Luster** · 08-10-2009, 07:58 PM

Originally Posted by weekendwarrior

Why can`t people realize I like having to carry a tow bar in my Element to retrieve the car when it breaks down (which is about every 2 weeks), and I like having no a/c, and that 60hp is pretty fast when you consider the car weighs nothing, and has pretty good gearing? Lastly, why do people call every freaking Bug "Herbie", regardless of its paint scheme or model year?

First off... very nice car! You already know the answers to your questions about why people are like that. Because they`re IDIOTS!!!!

They have to have something to make fun of, or to ridicule.

I go to a lot of car shows. My personal opinion is that every person there has a passion for the car he drove. I like Corvettes. The guy next to me may have a rusted out Bug Eye Sprite.... BUT, HE LOVES IT!!!!

Let`s face it... a lot of Vette-guys and Muscle-car-guys are [word I can`t say on the forum]`s.

So, if we all respected each others passions, the world would be a better place. (Sorry, I never get mushy.)

I had an orange `71 Super Beetle. Dark Gray interior, 4 speed, chrome extractor, High polished Ansen Sprints. Loved that car!

**FJF** · 08-10-2009, 08:14 PM

Originally Posted by weekendwarrior

The thing I have noticed is that a lot of the other classic car owners snub it at cruise ins (but the spectators love it)...

Speaking of cruise nights, my neighbor owns a number of older Chevys. He loves going to various gatherings and usually attends several every week. For a while now he`s been bugging me to bring my Evo to a cruise night. Personally, I didn`t think that a bunch of guys with volumetric high-performance pretensions wanted to be met by a rally car sporting a big wing and pushing more power than a stock Viper, but we went anyway. If it weren`t for an ex-coworker who brought his car along, barely a soul spoke to us the entire time we were there. Boo Hoo

**imported_Luster** · 08-10-2009, 09:08 PM

Originally Posted by FJF

Speaking of cruise nights, my neighbor owns a number of older Chevys. He loves going to various gatherings and usually attends several every week. For a while now he`s been bugging me to bring my Evo to a cruise night. Personally, I didn`t think that a bunch of guys with volumetric high-performance pretensions wanted to be met by a rally car sporting a big wing and pushing more power than a stock Viper, but we went anyway. If it weren`t for an ex-coworker who brought his car along, barely a soul spoke to us the entire time we were there. Boo Hoo

That is typical!!! Most "cruise night" guys are old retirees who are into serious American muscle.

If it ain`t that, you can go home.

I hate that attitude.

I`m kind of the black sheep of my "group". We will go walking around and I`ll force the other guys to look at some really nice tuner car and I`ll talk to them about the technology. They`re comin` around. It`s hard to overcome old prejudices.

**EclecTech** · 08-10-2009, 10:38 PM

That`s one handsome Bug, WW. I had a `68 back in tech school and got pretty good at scraping the windshield/windows between shifts during the Fort Wayne IN. winters. The spare tire pressure operated the windshield fluid and it took me years to get over being stingy with washer fluid.:smile:

Prejudice is uninformed at best.

Jack

**Old Pirate** · 08-11-2009, 06:51 PM

David , I get it all the time with my Mazda at Muscle car shows. I wonder why........

**mikeyg402** · 10-20-2009, 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by EclecTech

The spare tire pressure operated the windshield fluid and it took me years to get over being stingy with washer fluid.:smile:

Jack

OK got a few things here haha

To the guy I quoted above, I thought I was pretty smart, but I have never heard about that. LOL it took me a moment to sit and think on how that could possibly work, I got it now but Jesus those people were pretty damn smart to figure that out :w00t:

OP:
Great looking car! A family friend of ours owns 7. They are all 2000`s I believe. Mexico produced that body style of bugs till 00` or 01` I cant remember. But the last year they were in production he bought 7, yes 7 of them!!! Not sure why maybe one for each day of the week :thumbup: But now they sit in his warehouse of classic cars. They are all brand new, plastic over the seats/floor boards and all are in pristine condition. Here are a couple pics:

He has some truly amazing cars in there!! Like these two, The corvette enthusiast should know a lot about the L89 and how rare it is!

Sorry got a little off topic :p

But back to the bug, my dad had one before me married my mom and he said it was the best snow vehicle he ever had till he purchased his first awd Mercedes. He had driven lots of 4wd trucks/suvs and he said nothing compared to his little bug. He said if did get stuck, he would just get out move it and be on his way again :wink::w00t::hurray:

I agree with everyone else here too. When I go to an auto show, doesn`t matter what kind. I look and enjoy everything, from the Model T`s to the cars with the window stickers still in them. I just enjoy every aspect of the automobile world. Except Nascar. Not a big fan, but F1 YES!

**imported_Macgirl** · 11-06-2009, 09:32 PM

Hey David, that`s a character you have there. Very Nice! I can still hear the putter of that little engine in my head from the days when my dad had one.

**imported_Jokeman** · 11-07-2009, 04:37 PM

When I was growing up, my old man had a few of those bugs. Most of them the floor had rotted out on and was replaced with cardboard. I dig em.

**rockymountaindetail** · 11-08-2009, 08:22 AM

Some guys are Chevy guys, some are Ford guys, etc.

Myself...I am a CAR guy (and a truck guy and a MC guy!). I enjoy whatever make/model for it`s individual merits. Sometimes I may not agree with a particular modification or color choice, but if everyone`s ride was the same it would be pretty boring.

So let`s all try to be CAR GUYS.....why can`t we all just get along???Boo Hoo

**Bertoneman** · 01-04-2010, 04:49 PM

Aircooled VWs rock! Muscle guys just don`t get it. You must attend VW events as they are much more fun IMO.

I currently have three air cooled VW (95 hp dune buggy, 40 hp Bugatti kit car, and 120 hp street legal vintage one seater Formula V)and looking for a fourth (an actual Cali style Beetle this time).

OP... I love your car.

VW respect!

here are mine;

cheers

Bert