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Wed Nov 04, 2009 11:28 am

Im thinking of taking my bug on a trip to visit some family. Im looking at about 325 miles one way. Cruising at 65-70 MPH. Everything on my car is in good working condition except gas gauge. Anyone take their cars on long trips? Im still kinda new to air cooled and dunno if the oil and motor would get hot cruising at freeway speeds for hours on end seeing as the longest trip Ive gone so far is about 30-40 miles. Thanks :D

Wed Nov 04, 2009 11:35 am

Rommel drove air-cooled VWs across North Africa with barely a glitch.

If properly tuned and maintained, your VW will run indefinitely at freeway speed. I've regularly made 900 mile trips in my VWs, stopping only for fuel and bathroom breaks.

Wed Nov 04, 2009 11:55 am

Take a Jerry can with you with some fuel and stop every 100 miles to check the oil and fuel. Figure out the tank capacity and multiply it by what VW said the car should get and then subtract 50 miles just in case. 25mpg X 10 gallons should = ? If you miscalculate, you have the Jerry can and extra fuel as a CYA.

Wed Nov 04, 2009 11:56 am

You are forgetting these cars were the everyday family's main car for many years and people drove them thousands of miles without giving it a second thought. If the car is in good mechanical condition and the valves are adjusted, oil changed I'd hit the road and have a ball.

Given that our cars are 30+ years old now I tend to carry a few spare parts though. Fuel pump, hose, filter, couple of plugs, points, oil change kit, valve cover gaskets, fan belt and some oil come to mind.
Most of that stuff has been in each of my cars tool kits for many years untouched but I have been happy twice I had a fuel pump with me, filter couple of times and a V-belt once.

Wed Nov 04, 2009 2:49 pm

oil, oil, oil and you'll be fine

Wed Nov 04, 2009 3:20 pm

If everything's maintained, the car should be fine on that trip.

However...don't assume that anyone along the way will be able to help you out in a jam. I assume that you wouldn't ever DARE drive more than walking distance away from home without:
- a fan belt an tools to change it
- extra bulbs for all the lights in the car
- spare fuses
- at least a quart of oil of the kind you put in the engine

and, just to be thorough, before leaving have:
- checked all bulbs
- adjusted brakes
- topped up brake fluid reservoir
- checked and filled transmission fluid
- done a quick tune-up
- topped up the oil

Wed Nov 04, 2009 4:19 pm

gevmage wrote: However...don't assume that anyone along the way will be able to help you out in a jam. I assume that you wouldn't ever DARE drive more than walking distance away from home without:
- a fan belt an tools to change it
- extra bulbs for all the lights in the car
- spare fuses
- at least a quart of oil of the kind you put in the engine

This. Especially extra oil, depending on the condition of your engine.

I've driven mine 400 miles at freeway speeds a few times, and I wouldn't hesitate to do it again if necessary. I would drive my Beetle before I drove my Chevy truck that distance!

Wed Nov 04, 2009 4:39 pm

Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzing~~~~~

Wed Nov 04, 2009 8:09 pm

Dude, I have driven the wheels off VW--literally in my '64, the jam nuts loosened up, and my wheel fell off!

It may sound tired, but pack a fishing rod, an Idiot Guide, the tools and spares it lists, AAA coverage, blankets, a charcoal grill, some playing cards, a frisbeee and some refreshements, and JUST ROLL.

99% of the time you arrive with a sense of adventure, and 1% of the time you break down next to the Largest Living Sitka Spruce in The World (since fallen), and fix the car with what's at hand, take your cat swimming in a creek, and catch a mess of chunky trout--or some facsimile thereof.

Go! It's a car. Drive the fucker. :D

Thu Nov 05, 2009 10:57 am

I used to go to college in Durango, CO and I visited back every weekend to Denver in my 72 beetle 1600. That drive is through the mountains, over the most dangerous pass in North America and it is 350 miles each way. I would spend the money and fix the gas gauge. That car broke down in every way imaginable - that's how I learned everything about VW's.

I had trips that had broken heater linkage dragging, flat tire, ran out of gas 2 times, broken accelerator cable, overheated points, no heat, bad ignition plug (wouldn't start with the key), stolen radio, leaky gas tank, maladjusted valves (ran all the way on 2 cylinders), poorly adjusted carburetor, dead battery, missing engine nuts etc.

I would recommend bringing with you: jack and good spare with lug wrench, jumper cables, tow rope, quart of oil, extra set of points and condenser (maybe even mark your distributor position with a sharpie) If you want, carry extra accelerator and clutch cable, general tools; various screwdrivers, 10 mm, 13 mm wrenches and sockets with short extension, big crescent wrench that will fit oil and alt. nuts, electrical tape, zip ties, small vice grip, swiss army knife, needle nose pliers, extra permatex silicone and flashlight. Maybe bring a blanket and Muir book too.

Do a tune up or at least valves and oil change before you go too. And it's worth the money to join AAA.

Have fun

Thu Nov 05, 2009 4:11 pm

I got my first 74 VW sedan for $1200 in GA and drove it 600 miles straight to Miami without a hitch. I was damn lucky given the circumstances, but gave me the confidence I need in these cars.

AAA is worth it the first tow.

Thu Nov 05, 2009 11:21 pm

I did an 800 mile round trip from Atlanta to Biloxi in the middle of July this year in my '77. no problems at all and got 40 MPG!!

Now prepping the bug for a trip to Vero Beach FLA for Thanksgiving and leaving the GF's 1999 Cougar in the driveway again.

My trunk is a rolling VW shop as it is which helps. If you are prepared problems don't happen as often.