VW Bus Update

 

I thought it might be funny to update this blog, years later, with various thoughts on my vehicle collection. Some things have changed, I've bought a few new rides, retired a few. My perspective has changed a bit, and I've covered thousands of miles.

Once, I think it was Brad, who joked about starting a music review site and reviewing albums such as the Postal Service. “This album has been out for ten years, and I'm finally ready to tell you that it has some catchy numbers on it, and really it's a nice listen.”

The Fun Bus – my 1971 Bus – is now in storage at my parents' barn. I drove it from Portland, Oregon to Alfred, New York (about 2900 miles or so) in the summer of 2010. I loaded it down with everything I owned. I camped in it in Colorado. It didn't break down, but I did need to buy new tires along the way (the preowned tires I bought from a hippy for $50 in North Portland in 2007 weren't as reliable as I thought).

I still drove it once I moved to Alfred. It was a band van. I enjoyed driving it in the snow. The engine died in winter of 2011 and I bought another engine and had it installed. I drove it around more around 2012, and started driving a hand me down Ford Ranger pickup (aka the Ford Anger) as a daily driver instead.

I've considered selling the Fun Bus, but instead I went and bought a VW Golf.

I just saw an ad for the new Alfa Romeo 4C sports car. In no subtle terms, the ad says that if you buy an Alfa, beautiful women will jump into bed with you. Buying the VW Bus has been similar to this, although instead of attracting women it attracts weirdness, adventures, and breakdowns.

The VW Bus is a case of DO meet your heroes. I had always wanted one back when I was in middle school and high school. Driving one for years was as fun as I thought. Too bad prices on them are through the roof now.

PROS:

Interior space is amazing – I literally fit everything I own in this van.

Incredibly fun to drive

Actually reliable, durable, and cheap in the long term

Absolutely everyone thinks the VW is really cool and wants to talk to you about it.

Roof rack fits almost anything up there.

People ask me to sell it to them a lot – resell value is actually going up

Fweem engine sound is really cool

Handling is great, even off road.

CONS:

Lots of rust holes

No safety features whatsoever

Slower than 150cc Vespa.

Door locks only kind of work

I hate the horsehair seats. What was VW thinking?

Moonroof kind of leaks every once in a while