What embodies the VW lifestyle to you?

[Q-Dog]

VWs are just comfortable to me ... like old friends. They've just always been around. I've owned my convertible for about 30 years.

My family had air-cooled VWs since before there was a "scene" ... when they were just inexpensive, dependable, economical daily transportation ... when they were still available new from dealers. I took my drivers test in a 1972 Beetle that my dad bought from the original owner, and that I rebuilt the engine in the previous year after it dropped a valve. I've owned or driven a VW for most of the past almost 35 years. (that really makes me sound old)
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Brian

'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle

[Maikel_rox]

The type of relationship you have with your car, one that i never experienced with any other car i've owned.. The random thumps up and getting appreciation from from all sorts of people. Doing all of the maintenance, adjustments and improvements by yourself, and in your own garage.

And the most important: the way my air-cooled car fits in my rebel-ish kind of personality. Being different from the rest, being a grease monkey and stuff. (meaby the little bit of f*ck you society appearance of the car helps)

[tirekicker]

[ebenasky]

I agree with everyone else. I enjoy the fact that little kids love Bugs. They will point and just smile or wave.

Now that my dear wife has allowed me to get a Type II, I'm sure I will experience different reactions from people. My office mates have already told me to "get out of the '60's" - although it's a 71 Bus. They didn't say those things when I'm driving my '64 beetle!

Having VW's in high school/College and now getting back into them has been like a "coming home" party. ACVW's really ARE in a league of their own.
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"I don't fix 'em to look at 'em, I fix them to drive."

- '60 Beetle "Ruby"
- '70 Beetle "Peace"

[bugnut68]

I would never call playing with cars a lifestyle, but purely a hobby... I laugh when I hear people talk about an automotive hobby being a "lifestyle," whether its the sport compact tuner, the ham-fisted muscle car guys or the eccentric air-cooled VW guys.

[bugnut68]

[bugnut68]

[wisdom]

When you meld man with machine an extension of you. No driving experiences compare

[Breviin]

When I'm driving other vehicles it feels like a chore but when I'm in my bug its.... calming. Nice and slow with that unique combo of smells, just makes my day so much better.

[68ohiobug]

I believe that no matter how crappy, tried, worn down, or pissed off you get, if I can working on, driving, or hell even thinking about my car puts a smile on my face.... Its what makes me "Me"..
And its a VW...
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Mind The Spelling Errors
"I hAve aN AppItlatiOn EDumidCAtion"

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6374489&highlight=#6374489

[Dr OnHolliday]

VWs have elements of being a 4-wheeled motorcycle, old car, hot rod, different than the grocery-getter of husbands-of-stepford-wives, still relatively cheap, good mileage...take your pick and mix n match....
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1965 Type 1 sunroof Baja / about 70k miles on self-rebuilt '74 1600 and counting / SP heads and aftermarket valve keepers / non-doghouse shroud with external cooler and filter / 1.5 qt extended sump / Weber 32/36 DFAV progressive carb / 009 dist with Pertronix / 1.25 ratio rockers and ball adjusters / 1.5" stainless steel J-pipes and carbon steel baja exhaust

[Typ3nut]

This pretty much says it all.
Volkswagen Culture Lifestyle Motto :

[pondoras box]

Not sure I can say anything that would say what the "life style" means to me, I just like driving them, looking at them, and working on them.

Best way to describe it is I listen to the radio when driving anything other than a VW, when I am driving an ACVW I do it with the radio off. Does that make any sense?
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Looking for anything from Hal Casey Motors out of Hamburg New York, from license plate surrounds to matchbooks.

1961 23 Window (Bobo)
1965 11 Window (Zelda)
1965 13 Window (Lucas)
1957 Oval ragtop
1988 Cabriolet VR6 conversion
Plus a lot of other rusty junk

[Stuart Maingot]

Blood, sweat and tears about sums it up for me.

[daisy71]

Pumping the breaks before you leave for a ride
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71 Super beetle

[EvileNV]

Growing up I always associated VWs with hippies, so when I work on my VW I try to keep that going sometimes, using good, used parts; fixing it myself, not striving for show car perfection, helping my friend's fix theirs, and enjoying the slow and fun ride
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69 Beetle, 64 GMC 1000 (1/2 ton), 59 Ford Ranch Wagon (for the wife and kiddos), 92 Motorhome for vacationing.

[BIGMIKEY]

The Fall in the Northeast. When the leaves have turned and are falling. I get the urge to drive the back roads and watch the leaves swirl in my wake. That's all. Pretty simple.

And the years when I didn't happen to own a VW the Fall would bring an urge to hunt for one to buy.


Mike T
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BIGMIKEY

Deserter Series 1 project.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=787047&highlight=

1973 Beetle Driver, Marina Blue.

[deaaaanno.vw1966]

maybe.... always stopping to a car(VW and non VW) on the side of the road that seems or look broken. and trying to help with whatever i can. i just hate the feeling of having a broken car on the side of the road with no tools or parts but is a quick fix just to get home. ever since i got a 66 bug had quite a lot or breakdowns. and people always stop or asked if i was okay. we just have to pay it forward.