Brazilian Kombi going away / Last Bus made in Brazil

[Bruskyvw]

there is an lt 4x4 yellow in out neck of the woods. I've seen it a few times. Its pretty crunchy looking.
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Current VWs: 2001 2.0 New Beetle 250k
1974 Super Beetle
Past vws: 1977 Champagne Edition I Bus (Cedar)1991 Capri Green Wolfsburg Jetta 1978 Sage Green(Taiga) Transporter 2.0 FI (Paddy) 1980 Inca Brown Rabbit Diesel LS 1969 Karmann (funky weird blue that wasn't original) Ghia Autostick 1991 Bordeaux Red Vanagon GL 1992 Tornado Red GTI 8V

[VAVWFAN]

Curious what the 2012 Brazalian Bays have for an engine. Looks like a radiator cover up front. Is it water cooled??
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If it weren't for "last minutes;" -- nothing would ever get done!

[Buss Marius]

[HMBR]

[Wildthings]

[HMBR]

[Wildthings]

[blackjackatx]

So what is the possiblity of buying one of these new Brazilian Kombi and shipping it back to the U.S.

[Wildthings]

[Klaussinator]

[Dennis Perusse]

hello,



The only thing that truly surprises me is that VW can't or won't want to put in air bags and antilock brakes. True the design is outdated but it is its simplicity of design that makes it better than anything else that they have designed after 1992. Plus if they used everything from their vast parts bin the cost would be very small versus designing new.
The cost of construction is still way down compared to their t5, the carbon footprint is tiny since the design is 63 years old. I can understand why a company would want to discontinue it but if it has good sales worldwide then putting something like anti lock in and air bags shouldn't be that difficult if it can make them money in the long term. This vehicle is probably the last of their vehicles that has the original ethos that VW started with. Now, obviously, this just my opinion on this matter and people can disagree but these vehicles have a following that I don't see many of their newer vehicles obtaining. Especially where the quality of parts these days seems to be lacking in my opinion.
I dunno, I guess I'm lamenting on something that stirs my emotions as I would love to see these come into the country but it will never happen. The Bay is/was one of the few vehicles that can be worked on by human hands with common tools, many modern cars just don't have that and that is sad in many respects.

Dennis

[alikatcraig]

Sadly VW S America really don't care anymore. Forget any promises to keep parts available for 10 years. VW Mexico is to cease all air-cooled parts production at the end of this year - what they don't tell you is that since production of the bug ceased they were deleting parts on a regular basis. The same will happen to bus parts.
VW Germany under the Classic Parts Organisation are trying to ensure that all parts for their air-cooled stable are once again available. As VWM and VWB are significant part suppliers to them this may pose a problem.
Porsche was comissioned to work on side impact protection for the bug, and the cost was apparently minimal, but VWM were too busy doing what Germany did in the early '70's - overpricing the car to kill it. I heard the Mexican bug had the highest % profit of any car VW produced, primarily down to zero depreciation cost on tooling etc. I imagine the bus is similar, as it has not had an annual 'facelift' like all the other boxes on the market. A bigger engine, 5 speed trans and ABS would have made it a different vehicle, but I have found the braking in my '71 more than adequate. ABS is for people with poor driving skills who aren't paying attention in the first place.
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1967 Ghia
1971 Deluxe Microbus
1974 Convertible Bug
1973 Standard Bug
1998 Mexican Bug

[ccpalmer]

[alikatcraig]

Sorry, no snow down here. Wet roads are as bad as it gets.
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1967 Ghia
1971 Deluxe Microbus
1974 Convertible Bug
1973 Standard Bug
1998 Mexican Bug

[Westfabulous]

[tristessa]

Ron, any chance of getting a batch of windshields before they quit building the Bus? I'm needing one eventually, and what I've heard about the windshields available in the US has me thinking about a trip south of the border next summer...

[SGKent]

VW really misses the boat. They are restoring buses in Germany but there is no advertised if at all, mechanism for getting it done. It would not be a major undertaking for them to reverse ship vehicles back to Germany from any VW dealer for restoration. They could price the level of restoration and give close estimates before shipping back. Any dealer could send their body shop manager out with a camera and a magnet to take pictures and estimate the work that needed to be done. You pay a fee for that report. Internet it to the shop in Germany who gives an estimate. Customer pays upfront into an escrow account. Attorneys could work out the paperwork.

VW S America could easily guess what it would take cost wise to sell a bay here. Put an ad out that a limited number may be imported, who is interested? If enough are interested then move forward with it. We bought and restored a 1977 bay because new ones aren't available here. We would have bought a new one if they were. We are in the market next year for a new car. Right now we are thinking Subaru Outback. But if a new VW bay was available.......
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"Most people don't know what they're doing, and a lot of them are really good at it." - George Carlin

[Robert Ottolia]

Just return from vacation in Brazil,my dream was going to VW dealer and check out the KOMBIS that was one hell of a sight,air cooled,water cooled,they where there,will be sadly missed,that dealer was selling about 10 a dayjavascript:emoticon('')

[Pinetops]

[Hondaslayer]