TheSamba.com :: View topic - What kind of gas mileage is everyone getting?

Wed Feb 29, 2012 7:29 am

Just curious what year bug and size engine you all have and what kind of gas mileage your all getting. Thinking of getting an older pre 70's bug to save money on gas but can not find a good answer on what kind of gas mileage they are getting. Send some help my way people. THANKS. :P

Wed Feb 29, 2012 7:33 am

'70 Bug, 1600dp, 100 cam, 30PICT-2 carb, tall tires, 70-75 mph, 25mpg! :P

Wed Feb 29, 2012 7:53 am

Buying a vintage Beetle to save gas isn't the best plan. Stock will get you 25-35 mpg highway and you can get that with a Honduh or some other faceless, bland, boring Japanese import.

Wed Feb 29, 2012 1:39 pm

Other than the faceless, bland and boring part, I have to agree with
19super73. Unless you live in a small town and perhaps only commute
a few blocks to work / school, whatever, a vintage beetle isn't
the best plan. This is coming from a guy with a bus and two beetles.
(A '66 I've owned since new and a '73 super beetle.)

I also roll a 2006 scion XB. Some have called it the ugliest car they've
ever seen. Thats fine. I drove one in Japan a number of years while
working there and loved it. Coming home to find them on the market
here I got one new that year. Its been the most dependable car I've ever
owned. Haven't done a thing to it except change oil every five thousand miles and drive it. It will cruse all day at eighty and gas milage runs between 35 to 38 MPG. Absolute dead stock depenable ride.
(If thats bland and boring, bring it on.)

Many of these cars as well as other brands and models are available
on the used car market, like the American built Saturn sedans.
A much better way to go I think.

Oh yeah, my bus is a '63 15 window, with a 1600 SP. It gets about 24.5
MPG.

Wed Feb 29, 2012 2:12 pm

73 standard stock tires 1745 mileage motor...down the mountain 36mpg up the mountian 29mpg flats 33mpg
68 standard all stock everything 27 ~ 31 mpg

GMC P/U 4X4 17~20mpg

Wed Feb 29, 2012 2:29 pm

The past 3 years I averaged about 2 years/gallon. :D

Wed Feb 29, 2012 2:29 pm

19super73 wrote: Buying a vintage Beetle to save gas isn't the best plan. Stock will get you 25-35 mpg highway and you can get that with a Honduh or some other faceless, bland, boring Japanese import.

I'd agree. Old VW's do get good gas mileage, but the maintenance issue would chew up your savings.

I had an '87 Nissan Sentra E (the base model, no power steering, no power windows, stick shift, etc.) It got 30 around town and 38 on the highway and would be more reliable than a car that is 15 years older. Nowadays you could probably get an '01 or '02 that would do the same.

If you want VW, an older Golf might not be a bad idea.

Wed Feb 29, 2012 3:40 pm

55reasons wrote: The past 3 years I averaged about 2 years/gallon. :D

:shock:

You don't get out much, do you? :?

Wed Feb 29, 2012 5:28 pm

I was in Africa and Europe from 2009 to 2012.

The car sat in AZ.. :wink:

I learned a valuable once in a lifetime lesson about fuel stabilizer during that period. No idea how/why I f#cked that up.

Needless to say, I can now de-varnish an early VW gas tank and fuel system like a pro.

...thread-jacking over.

Wed Feb 29, 2012 6:02 pm

Drove my volksrod with 1850cc, 36mm Dellortos from Knoxville to Daytona and back. 1569 miles round trip and averaged 30 MPG all interstate 70 MPH.
Tim

Wed Feb 29, 2012 6:50 pm

15 mpg in my '76 Westy at 65 mph, about the same as my 4x4 Suburban at 75.

My Ford Focus gets 35 MPG at 80 mph in air conditioned comfort. I may get a Bug one day, but I'll be under no delusions it's anything but a fun diversion.

Wed Feb 29, 2012 8:07 pm

Right now, I'm getting 0 mpg (it's covered in garage for the winter).

When it's out.... usually get mid/high 20's.

Wed Feb 29, 2012 10:23 pm

55reasons wrote: I was in Africa and Europe from 2009 to 2012.

The car sat in AZ.. :wink:

I learned a valuable once in a lifetime lesson about fuel stabilizer during that period. No idea how/why I f#cked that up.

Needless to say, I can now de-varnish an early VW gas tank and fuel system like a pro.

...thread-jacking over.
Show off! Cool trips!

I average about 22MPG '72 auto 411

Thu Mar 01, 2012 6:42 am

20 to 26 or so depending on how i drive. 1776. 63 beetle. if you want good gas mileage buy a used prius. 50+mpg is much better and for the same price (or less) than a bug. I have been looking myself and have seen them going for around 5 to 6 grand for a few years old. less than i paid for my beetle.

Mon Mar 05, 2012 8:03 pm

Agree with the other posters, an old bug isn't going to save on gas. I'd suggest an original Fiat 500 which would get between 45 & 50 mpg. Of course only tops out at 50 mph. A Honda N600 or Z600 in decent shape run about the same as a Beetle can hit 65 mph and may get you mileage into the mid to upper 30s (or more). You can also look for a mid 80s Honda Civic HF which hit into the low 40s and are a blast to drive. Also look for an original Honda Insight. They will net you a legitimate 60 mpg (neighbor has one and swears to the mileage). Of course depending how much of a daredevil you are you could take the 2 wheeled approach and get an old Honda 90 and get like 100 mpg and cruise at 60 mph. Where an old VW saves you is it only costs $5 to 6 K and if you have even the slightest skills you can dovirtuall all of the maintenance yourself & parts are cheap. That more than offsets higher outlays on gas.

Mon Mar 12, 2012 11:04 am

nerfer wrote:

I'd agree. Old VW's do get good gas mileage, but the maintenance issue would chew up your savings.

It's tough (and expensive) to find good parts these days to keep your VW serviced properly. I average 37mpg with the 36hp in my daily driver 57 sedan if I leave the roof rack off. It's stock bore and stroke with a few modifications for a little better performance........but it's no race car for sure. The savings on gas mileage would mean nothing if I had to pay someone to do the service and didn't have the on hand inventory of good parts I maintain. I drive an air cooled car every day, it's what has kept me in the parts business for so long.

Tue Mar 13, 2012 8:25 am

Currently commuting 35 miles each way in the interstate
Keeping around 65mph.
Stock 40horse with a 019 dist.
40.5 mpg
Tweaked timing curve and rejetted carb.
A little higher tire pressures
And using some hypermiling tecniques.
has been much higher with a lower top speex