age group of current VW hobbiest

[mukluk]

Current poll stats are showing slightly better than 10% are under the age of 36 years... our hobby obviously isn't doing very well getting newer generations interested and involved.
_________________
1960 Ragtop w/Semaphores "Inga"

[Zundfolge1432]

[60ragtop]

yes, I see younger people at the shows, they just don't mingle with the gray beards on the samba
_________________
Rick
Certified Mechanic by the State of Michigan in 1977
ASA certified in 1987
Certified Hunter Wheel Alignment Master Technician 1986

[static]

[ZENVWDRIVER]

[mukluk]

I agree there are a decent number of young folks at shows, but it seems very few actually own an aircooler, so the interest is somewhat there but the involvement is lacking. Lack of involvement will most likely eventually end up killing off their interest.
_________________
1960 Ragtop w/Semaphores "Inga"

[60ragtop]

[AlmostHeavenWV_VW]

The tides ebb and flow with everything. To be precise there's an entire thread dedicated to this phenomenon of cyclic increase/decrease of activity on this very forum:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=691884&highlight=declining

Also there is currently a large group of people who own very very nice ACVWs, but are adamant on keeping them (I am included in this group of 'holders'). This creates a larger demand than supply of ACVWs, since all of these surviving examples currently have dedicated owners who typically respond to any inquiry for sale with
"You can buy it off of my widow/kids/estate when I'm gone."

Everything has it's thing. Currently solid, near-perfect, running and driving Mopar cars of the same vintage as my Bug can be had for $2k or less. If a some person is looking to begin their indulgence in 'classic motoring' there is of course a financial aspect. Currently, ACVWs are not the cheapest 'entry point' into classic car ownership, because demand for solid ACVWs is currently high and supply is low (it's currently a 'seller's market' as it's known in Realty circles). Therefore, whether or not there is interest- many people are not able to enter into the ACVW hobby financially.

Just look at the condition of ACVWs you can buy today for $1600. Then consider that last week, I know someone who bought a 1987 Dodge Diplomat from the original owner which has been garage kept for its entire life, is peerless in form and function, has nearly every 'bell and whistle' available at the time of production, and has required no work/additional investment to enjoy immediately for that same $1600.

For new classic car enthusiasts, it comes down to money. ACVWs are not 'cost-effective' currently.

I think prices on the ACVWs as a whole are just too high currently to allow for any 'new guys on the block' to enter into the aircooled world. Not when running, driving water cooled cars are the same price as an ACVW 'roller project' without an engine.


Just my look at it.
_________________
1973 Standard Beetle
1600DP AK case
Solex 34PICT3 Carb
Bosch DVDA 205AJ Distributor

[ZENVWDRIVER]

AlmostHeavenWV said, "I think prices on the ACVWs as a whole are just too high currently to allow for any 'new guys on the block' to enter into the aircooled world. Not when running, driving water cooled cars are the same price as an ACVW 'roller project' without an engine. "

... very valid point. VWs are silly-high prices - I recently looked at an engineless, title less rolling1960 bug shell for $2K - even though I have 95% of the parts in my stash, it's not worth that to me.
... have to say, sorry, younger guys. Wish we old timers weren't so greedy.
_________________
5/50, pastel green 11G - SOLD
8/50, gray 11A Beetle
6/52, pastel green 11C - SOLD
11/4/52, black Zwitter - SOLD to my little bro.
1954 Porsche, pre A, with VW 36 horse- SOLD
1/54, black 11C Beetle - TRADED
2/55 Iceland green Beetle, on a 1965 pan
3/55 113 Beetle, stratos silver
1955 Messerschmitt KR175 - SOLD, sadly
1960 single cab
1962 SO33, with SO 42 interior
9/63 Pacific blue, Ghia
'87 Toyota MR2
'02 WestFORDia E-150, GAVE TO OUR SON

All super-heroes, wear a MASK

[Zundfolge1432]

[quote="mukluk"]I agree there are a decent number of young folks at shows, but it seems very few actually own an aircooler, so the interest is somewhat there but the involvement is lacking. Lack of involvement will most likely eventually end up killing off their interest]

Agreed

[APPLEGREENVW]

[VWAdam]

[ZENVWDRIVER]

[static]

[VWAdam]

It was meant as sort of tongue-in-cheek phrase. My tattoos are covered up if I'm wearing a shirt and long pants anyway.

One VW friend of mine, who is in his 60s, saw a group of younger guys pulling up in the hammered, narrowed beam ratty cars and said "I wouldn't be caught dead in something like that. Damn those are ugly. But it get the kids into VWs so I'm glad to see it." I liked that sentiment.
_________________
All he needed was a wheel in his hand and four on the road.

'59 Euro Beetle ragtop
'63 Standard Microbus

Come to my show! www.volksjam.com

Looking for badge/sticker/frame from Western Motors in Great Falls, Montana

[type2rescuemaine]

Hi all,

I guess here on thesamba I'm considered an outlier in terms of age at 15 years old. I joined when I was 13, and I've logged on at least every other day since I joined. You might recognize my screen name from burlyhammer's 15 window thread (I'm his son). I help him as much as I can on it and I've got to say, through the work I've seen him put in and the work I've put in, comparing what it looks like now to how it looked even a month ago can be described by no words other than insane.

Undoubtedly, I've got the vw bug (never heard that pun before ).

As for owning a 'collector car' at an age under 25, I guess I sorta fit into that category. A few years ago, my dad dragged a 63 double cab and a 62 kombi out of a junkyard about 30 minutes from our house. It's been his dream to get that double cab going, and we intend to do that right after we get the 15 window running and driving. As for the 62 kombi, my dad, as of last year when I decided a 72 bay was a little too normal for me, 'gave' the kombi to me to make my own. It's pretty rough, but if I'm able to tackle this as a first time learning experience, I figure I'll feel like I'm able to tackle almost anything!

As for interest within people my age in air-cooled vw's or vw's in general, it is there, just not in the way many of you would like. When my friends see my dad cruising in our '79 Westy, they always say how cool it was to see us and how they'd 'like to travel the country and see the world' in an 'old hippie bus' when they're older. I don't have a problem with that! I've also got a few of them looking out for me; whenever they see an old vw somewhere they send a pic to me and tell me how much they want it and how much they think I should try to buy it! Super cool.

Of course, my generation is much different than most of yours, and many of my friends and the other people my age in general these days do not have the means to get into the hobby, whether it is enough interest, money, or knowledge (I can't say I have much of either of those last two things but if I have enough of the first what can go wrong??) People are just different these days, in and out of the car hobby and that's understandably difficult to grasp.

Not that any of you asked for a perspective from someone as young as I, but my point is, I don't think the hobby is dying, I just think it's taking a turn! For the better, for the worse, who knows? We'll just have to wait and see.

[wcfvw69]

I think the poll verifies what us long time Samba members already knew. It's for the most part a 50+ year old crowd. These are 40 plus year old cars. We've seen a LOT of the older generation on this site with tremendous VW knowledge pass on over the past 15 years that I've been on here because they were the first generation to own these cars in the 50's and 60's.

I think there's still more folks out there with disposable income that will join the air cooled VW scene. Many will be in the 40 plus year old range and will have memories and nostalgia for these cars from their youth.

As far as teenagers getting the air cooled fever, I don't see it at all. Kids today just don't seem to be into cars like the earlier generation. Hell, many don't even get their drivers license when they are eligible. To everyone else's point, these are not the cheap beater cars of today like they were in the 70's, 80's and even the 90's. I do get many teen and early 20 something girls telling me "they sooo want a VW bus". Unless their parents have deep pockets, it's not happening for them.

It will be interesting to see what transpires in the next 20-30 years with these old classics.
_________________
Contact me at [email protected]
Follow me on instagram @sparxwerksllc

Decades of VW and VW parts restoration experience.
The Samba member since 2004.

**Now rebuilding throttle bodies for VW's and Porsche's**
**Restored German Bosch distributors for sale or I can restore yours**
**Restored German Pierburg fuel pumps for sale or I can restore yours**
**Restored Porsche fuel pumps or I can restore yours**
**Restored Porsche distributors or I can restore yours**

[type2rescuemaine]

[Zundfolge1432]

The world of VW is not unlike car collecting in general and I read an interesting piece just a few moments ago. Hagerty recently surveyed a cross section of American drivers and here are the findings. 37% of those polled said they loved driving, they’re passionate about it. Over half said driving is a hobby for them, not just a means of getting from point A to point B.

Millennials appreciate driving for same reasons as older drivers: freedom of movement, sense of adventure and satisfaction of doing things for yourself.

I would tend to think an insurance company would have pretty good stats and especially if they were a collector car insurance company. More than a few here have Hagerty insurance and now they put out an excellent magazine six times a year that is great in content. Regular contributors include Jay Leno and Wayne Carini and several others. Some might like this because it covers trends in the car hobby as an ongoing topic. More often than not VWs get covered too.

[VWAdam]

d who liked old Volkswagens. Sure I was a typical elementary school kid of the early 90’s. I watched Ninja Turtles and loved playing my Sega Genesis. In high school in the early 2000’s I was the only air-cooled VW in the parking lot. Being the minority doesn’t phase me much. When I started traveling to shows and meeting others, it was a revelation. There were others like me!
_________________
All he needed was a wheel in his hand and four on the road.

'59 Euro Beetle ragtop
'63 Standard Microbus

Come to my show! www.volksjam.com

Looking for badge/sticker/frame from Western Motors in Great Falls, Montana