Distance | How far would you trust your VW to take you?

[Jeremby]

So I've owned my 64 for just under 2 years now, and I've learned the cars "personality" you could say. But there is still two more learning curves I have yet to kinda go through/deal with.

1. Interstate travel.
2. Long Distance travel.

For some context, This little 64 is a dream, putts around just fine, runs perfectly, she's all ready and rearin' to go when I need her to. I live in Northwest Indiana, and there's alot of backroads and county roads to take to get from point A to B, and if you're not driving around town it's easily 20 minutes to the next one over. However, there's not a very large VW scene in my area, everything is either in Fort Wayne IND. (2hr drive) or Indianapolis IND. (2hr 45, 3 depending the route).

Only very recently did I take it on Interstate 94, but that was at night and heading east when the traffic is light, that way I could cruise a lil' bit and see how the car would handle. She seemed to do just fine.
The furthest I've ever taken the car is about 25 miles from home, which don't sound like alot, but for the area, that's about an hours worth of travel before going to where you need to go.
What I'm asking is basically, how long and far do you trust your VW to take you, and at what point is the drive not worth it for the cars sake, and ontop of that, is highway travel a bad idea during more lively hours of the day?

Appreciate the input fellas,
-J
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1964 DeLuxe Beetle | (ò\ ! /ó)
1959 Custom Beetle | (o\ ! /o)

[60vwnewengland]

I’ve driven my bus from DC to Cape Cod twice already in the last three years. It’s about 1000 miles round trip. Mostly highway driving. In addition to longer trips from Cape Cod to various parts of Massachusetts 1-3hrs away.

I’m the mechanic so I know mechanically the bus is fine and the parts I’ve rebuilt and or replaced and feel very comfortable driving long distances. I also carry lots of spare parts and tools with me in case anything should happen on the road.

If I’m on the highway I stick to the right lane almost entirely, so folks can zoom by. I also try to drive to DC on 95 early in the morning to avoid dense traffic. Can’t speak to long distance, I only stop for gas and food and keep going. No point in stopping for cool down breaks or anything, motors just gunna warm up again. So might as well keep driving and that air moving through the motor to keep it cool.
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77 Westy - Cape Cod Sage
RIP TheWalrus (Big Jack) 1988-2024

[Malokin Martin]

50 years ago there were service stations at every exit. Cars broke down often. So even brand new, there were routine issues. Expect them.

Every car has its gremlins. Drive it 25 miles, then 50, then 100… and so on. Once you go through a few repair cycles and get a feel for it, you can begin to trust it.

But even then, there’s no such thing as never breaking down. AAA and a few simple wrenches is all one needs.

It also depends on HOW you drive it. There’s a lot of retards out there that swear it’s ok to drive 75 all day long in their aircooled.

[markendee]

When we were kids we would drive our Beetles anywhere any time without the faintest thought of being let down.

Most every time no problem.

I think we have lost our trust a bit.
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Member # 145244

[mukluk]

Being the sole mechanic of my car and having repaired or maintained everything from bumper to bumper for the past eleven and a half years, I have complete confidence in my VW to get me as far as I wish to or am able to go. These days I'll admit the car is far more capable of driving for hours on end than I am, an hour or two driving is typically sufficient to cripple my right knee and lower back to the point I can't walk more than fifty yards at a go, but in the not so distant past I would routinely head out for a cruise of 200 miles or more without blinking an eye, even took a couple multi-state trips covering 1000 to 1600 miles. While these old VWs do require more periodic and preventative maintenance than the newer cohort in order to do so, they're still perfectly capable of long distance travel with a little due diligence and attention to what they're telling you.

Like others, I tend to pretty much stay in the right lane when on the big interstates and let the rat race blow by, the car seeming to be most comfortable settling into a 65mph cruise for the long haul. My preference though, whenever possible, is to use the older US highway system or backroads less traveled as I find most drivers these days to be way too aggressive, in way too much of a hurry, and too distracted by all the pretty touch screens and phones in their cars.

Of course sometimes despite one's best efforts you're visited by Murphy whilst out on your jaunt (best laid plans of mice and men 'n such), so it's always best to have some tools along.

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1960 Ragtop w/Semaphores "Inga"

[DocNexil]

[oprn]

We have owned and driven this car long distances for about 7 years now. The furthest we have driven to this point is 11 hours straight. That is through the mountain passes. We are planning several more long distance trips this summer.

I do not carry any spare parts, not even a spare tire, just a hand full of tools. What I do carry though is a jerry can or two of gas as the fuel stops here can be few and far between.

^^^This is a picture of us on our first trans-mountain 11 hour trip at the summit of the Rodger's Pass. That was with the tired 1600 DP engine that came with the car. Yes we are pulling a trailer with a canoe on it! We used about 2 1/2 quarts of oil on that trip.

^^^This is the same route 3 years later after an engine upgrade. That is the trip that the transmission started to show it's age and would pop out of 4th gear on a hard bump.

I have been through nearly every part of this car over the years and upgraded/renewed them with good used parts and some new parts all except the wiring harness. That is this winter's project.

^^^This is how it sits today with a late model IRS and 4 wheel disc brake upgrade. We are ready to travel as soon as it warms up a bit more!

I trust this car to take us anywhere in North America anytime we want to go. Just toss in some extra fuel, this Beetle tank is pretty small!

Don't be so timid! These cars were meant to be driven distances and they are perfectly comfortable doing it!
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Our cars get old, we get old but driving an old VW never gets old!

[Hobug]

I took my bus along with 2 other Buses and a Ford Van on a 2400 mile trip from Bishop GA to Northport MI and back. We had no issues than a little preventive maintenance.

We avoided highways as much as possible, but had no trouble when we had to use the highway. Drive it and enjoy it!

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73 Thing (Typ481)
76 Westy
69 Squareback auto
74 Bug
63 Bug
87 Scirocco

[kingkarmann]

I'd confidently drive the Ghia's anywhere. Cars were made to drive however I do feel that since they have survived for more than a half century they deserve to rest a bit more.

I've ventured a couple of hundred miles with no issues. The time in the seat is a killer. Anything longer than an hour is about all can take these days.

That being said, the jackassery on the roads and general inattention of others put's me at additional risk that I just don't want to chance anymore.

When I do take a longer trip I definitely route plan and try to avoid the worst roads and traffic. It's not easy when you live in a larger metropolitan area.

You really have drive these old cars very defensively.
Happy trails
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"Depression is a malfunction of the instrument we use to determine reality.”

Mike Gerson

What is your "Bespoke Reality"?

[oprn]

Yes, stick to less travelled roads and off hours if you can. I take on the the biker mindset that everyone on the road hates me and is trying to kill me. It's worked so far...
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Our cars get old, we get old but driving an old VW never gets old!

[Shonandb]

VWs were built to be daily drivers and as long as they are in decent shape and have regular maintenance, you should be able to drive it as far as you'd like and in most conditions. Sitting unused for long periods of time is more of a problem than driving them often.

I drove my 73 Bus coast to coast a few times (once stopping only for gas) and had no issues. The only time I hesitated to drive it was in crush hour traffic on hot days. The Bus was fine but my clutch leg got tired and I sweat my but off.

With my 76 Westy now, I don't hesitate to drive it anywhere but it's not stock so that doesn't count. We regularly drive 500 to 1000 miles on long weekends and put about 8,000 - 12,000 miles on the Bus a year.
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76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
Previous 1973 Panel Bus:
Click to view image

[baldessariclan]

These are 50+ year old cars for the most part nowadays, so if you're going to take them long distance, you'll need to know how to work on them, and have all the critical mechanical components in good enough shape for long trips. That said, I've repaired and restored most of the systems in my car over the years, to the point where I'm comfortable taking it on very long trips -- up to 400+ miles per day or more on some occasions.

[slayer61]

[oprn]

[KTPhil]

How far?
I'll let Ralph answer the question.

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Current Fleet:
'71 Fastback
'69 Westfalia
Retired:
'67 Beetle
'65 Beetle (x2)
'65 Bus
'71 Squareback

[kingkarmann]

One thing is for certain…
My time on this plain of existence will end behind the wheel of a Karmann Ghia.
That trip will be incredible 😎
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"Depression is a malfunction of the instrument we use to determine reality.”

Mike Gerson

What is your "Bespoke Reality"?

[OB Bus]

I would trust our 69 Westfalia to go anywhere anytime, and any distance. Realistically, I would not want to because the comfort and fatigue factor.
The contrary tune is that our 2002 Eurovan camper is incredibly comfortable and easy to drive. I would not only trust it to drive it anywhere anytime any place but I would enjoy the ride.
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Larry in OB
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
69 Westfalia and 2002 Eurovan Camper.

[TDCTDI]

I average over 30,000 miles a year on my VW, I wouldn’t think twice about hopping in it & driving it across country.

Like previously mentioned, I tend to take the back roads, I’d rather be the fastest car on a slow road, than the slowest car on a fast road. Besides, the scenery is so much better off the beaten path.
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Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[slayer61]

[KTPhil]

I've had VWs as my daily driver for many years (1970s through 1990s). So I made them reliable, slowly, by fixing what broke and eventually rebuilding engines, transaxles, brakes, steering, wiring. VWs responded well to as-you-go, side-of-the-road fixes to get me home, done with a promise to them that I'd fix it right when I got home. I regularly drove from SoCal to the Bay Area without incident, but I always brought my tools and expected spares.

Now that they are cars for leisure and pleasure, I have had the time (and being older, the resources) to do more preventive repairs and rebuilding. At this point I'd drive them much longer distances. In the last two months I finally got the last of the major work done on my camper bus (steering, brakes, engine, trans), and now I'd take her anywhere. I would consider the west coast Treffen if it starts up again.
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Current Fleet:
'71 Fastback
'69 Westfalia
Retired:
'67 Beetle
'65 Beetle (x2)
'65 Bus
'71 Squareback