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Mon Sep 29, 2008 9:49 am

I know it's apples and oranges, but given the choice what would you choose and why??

Late model westy 1977, early Square, westy has new paint, runs great, needs a bit of work not much, mostly original, square is a survivor and completely origional, and rust free??

Mon Sep 29, 2008 9:54 am

Square

Mon Sep 29, 2008 10:13 am

i would get the westy if it were me!

Mon Sep 29, 2008 10:37 am

Having owned several Westy's I can say they are a lot of fun, but for practicality, the Square with a tent is better for vacationing or camping. If you are camped out in your Westy for a week or so and decide to go do some sight seeing, you have to pack up your beds and stuff before you can leave your campsite. With the Square, just throw your crap into the tent, zip it up, and away you go. Come back later and you don't have to remake your beds or anything.

Mon Sep 29, 2008 11:07 am

If you put a full length rack on a square it will haul anything and quicker than a Bus! :D

Mon Sep 29, 2008 11:12 am

Square

Mon Sep 29, 2008 11:32 am

Hi,

Depends on the trip.

I quick weekend away with only a night or two, the square back would / does work wonderfully, you can sleep in it if it rains (have done just that) and does haul a pile of stuff. Goes quicker and better fuel MPG's.

Now, if you are off for an extended traveling vacation where every night is a different spot and maybe just a freeway rest area, you can't beat the Westy (done that too!)

If you've got the $$ to just have a camper, I'd get the westy and a squareback for the daily grind. If it needs to be a daily driver AND a camper, go squareback. You will spend a lot more time enjoying the car like qualities than you will the camper qualities in a 52 time week period.

Dave

Mon Sep 29, 2008 12:01 pm

Tough question, just do like me and get both.

I enjoy driving the square more. Its roomy enough for any weekend trip.
Mine is a little more reliable then my bus.

For camping, obviously the westy wins. I dont camp much but beach days, concerts and hang outs, the bus is nice to have.
The bus runs hotter, uses a little more gas, worse visability.
Mines a 1.8 type 1 motor, you are looking at a 2 liter type 4 bus i think, it will go move along nicely. But parts are more $$, and less qualified people out there to work on it.

If you are want do do your own work, depending on what you already know the square will be simnpler. A 77 bus has vacuum assist brakes, fuel injection and other more complicated/expensive bits. (my $200 vacuum booster failure on my 71 westy taught me that). I dont do fuel injection as I just dont know about it. I had it on a 77 vert and when it worked, it ran great.
My square has been my favorite vw of all time, out of about 15 i've owned now. Just depends in what you want to use it for.

Mon Sep 29, 2008 3:07 pm

What are you going to use it for?

If your going to drive it back and forth to work the Squareback, if you are planning a long road trip and going to camp then the Westy.

Personally I'd go for the Squareback... actually I'd like to have the 74 I let go years ago.

Mon Sep 29, 2008 3:48 pm

Mostly driving every now and then, a few shows etc.

Mon Sep 29, 2008 4:14 pm

fireman9027 wrote: Mostly driving every now and then, a few shows etc.

If this is ALL you're using it for, get the one YOU like the best, doesn't matter at all what we say.

BB

Mon Sep 29, 2008 5:05 pm

In 20 years from now the Westy will have a much higher resale value. In 20 years from now you will still have a hard time selling a Square.

Mon Sep 29, 2008 5:35 pm

baileyboy wrote: fireman9027 wrote: Mostly driving every now and then, a few shows etc.

If this is ALL you're using it for, get the one YOU like the best, doesn't matter at all what we say.

BB

Just having a hard time deciding, wondering if anyone can bring something up that will set that lightbulb in my head off...

Mon Sep 29, 2008 6:29 pm

vwracerdave wrote: In 20 years from now the Westy will have a much higher resale value. In 20 years from now you will still have a hard time selling a Square.

Matter of opinion.

Mon Sep 29, 2008 7:12 pm

i would go with the square cause like you said originallity.
bus is nice if you truly plan on using its features. I cannot tell you how many motor homes sit and rot because of lack of use.
Where is the square located you need to let us know your city in the avatar.

Mon Sep 29, 2008 8:12 pm

vwracerdave wrote: In 20 years from now the Westy will have a much higher resale value. In 20 years from now you will still have a hard time selling a Square.

Since you can see into the future, any long term investment advice for all of us?

Comparing a early (maybe wide 5?) unseen square to a late unseen 77 westy is comparing apples to oranges IMHO for later resale value.

If I had the choice I would take the square since it has a type 1 style engine and not the type 4, but for investment reasons the westy I think would be a easier sell at this time, but 20 years from now who knows?

Tue Sep 30, 2008 4:02 am

fireman9027 wrote: baileyboy wrote: fireman9027 wrote: Mostly driving every now and then, a few shows etc.

If this is ALL you're using it for, get the one YOU like the best, doesn't matter at all what we say.

BB

Just having a hard time deciding, wondering if anyone can bring something up that will set that lightbulb in my head off...

Hi,

There was a previous comment about you telling us where you live. It really does help to know where you live when giving advice.
IF you live in the Frozen Northern states then by all means get the squareback, no question whatsoever. The heat design in that car will provide you with all of the warmth you could ever ask for.
Whereas..... the big giant empty poorly insulated and heated box? Brrrrrrrrrrr. It will be many many miles before that box comes anywhere near comfortable.

If you live in the South, heat isn't an issue but AC might be. Most likely neither of these are conditioned but they just might be, one of my vans had it.

The Squareback is just a lot more fun to drive than the van. You labor at driving a VW Van, you are always calculating, can I fit there, can I pull out here and build up speed quick enough, is anybody in my big blind spot, what gear should I hit that hill with, etc, etc, etc. On the other hand you can simply enjoy motoring in a Squareback, limited calculations and a lot of fun.

Dave

Tue Sep 30, 2008 6:03 am

Guess I should have said I'm in Florida, hot humid and flat....

Tue Sep 30, 2008 7:53 pm

fireman9027 wrote: baileyboy wrote: fireman9027 wrote: Mostly driving every now and then, a few shows etc.

If this is ALL you're using it for, get the one YOU like the best, doesn't matter at all what we say.

BB

Just having a hard time deciding, wondering if anyone can bring something up that will set that lightbulb in my head off...

Drive them and decide which one you feel more comfortable with.

Thu Nov 20, 2008 7:29 pm

Never owned a Square, but I'm on my second Fastback and have owned a Westy. There is no question at all that the Type 3 is a more stable, relaxed, mind-at-ease driver. Busses aren't BAD, I quite enjoyed driving mine, but it is larger, slower, doesn't handle as well, etc. Type 3s are pretty good little cars and I feel are quite a bit in front of a Beetle or Bus for daily driving on modern roads.

But camping in the back of a Square or using a tent is not going to be as nice as a Westy. Although I kind of like tents, there just isn't always a place to set it up. On a long trip you can park the Westy anywhere (legally of course) and sleep for the night. It would be a lot more complicated in a Square.

But how often are you going to be doing long-distance no-motel road trips? How often are you going to go planning. I love both, but even as a teacher with summers off I find that I can only go a few times a year, and I don't mind using a tent for those trips.

I'm going to build up my new fasty and use it as a daily driver/road trip car (and will be built with this kind of simplicity and reliability in mind). It will still be a compromise from the 2003 GTI VR6 I drive now (and yes it is genuinely GONE when the Fastback is done), but not as much as a bus would be, IMO.