Reliability, Speedsters, and Expectations

A recent thread and some of the responses got me thinking about expectations and what draws me to own a replica speedster. I made the comment that some people think a speedster should be as reliable as a Honda, and that buying parts should be like shopping at Wal-Mart, and that perhaps they would ne happier with a MR2 or something else instead. For me, a BIG part of what makes a speedster desirable is the fact that they AREN

Stan,

The thought occured to me about expectations of a Speedster might be biased by some peoples experience with a VW beetle in their past. I had a 66 beetle and with a notable exception of the windshiels wipers, was about as reliable as a car could get. Granted I had to change oil every 3000 miles and adjust the valves, but overall the car was dead reliable, even starting one morning at 25 below zero when I got disgusted that it did start. I knew I had many miles of absolutely frigid INSIDE temps to deal with. I think we have gotten used to all the modern cars and their air, power windows, 12 speaker sound system, power seats, etc, etc. I can understand how some can't cope with the sparse creature comforts the Speedster offers and sell the car after a short time. That's fine the way I look at it, guess they can't understand that there are some of us out here that simply love the lack of creature comforts in one of the best looking rigs to come down the pike for years. To us the knowledge that we are different is reward enough for me.

In the boonies too, Bruce

Well put, Bruce & Stan. And as for the comment about those who find out after they purchase that a Speedster just isn't right for them . . . and they sell it . . . that's FINE. It helps a LOT of us trade up!

I agree with Stan, Volkwagen built & sold over 23 million Beetles worldwide. And that figure doesn't include the Type 2 (Bus-series) or the Type 3 (Fastback, Squareback & Notchback) If reliability was a real issue with these cars, I don't think Volkwagen would have had the opportunity to manufacture them for as long as they have begining in 1938 (prototypes) thru July 2003 (Mexico-built).
Throughout those years, VW did improve on the car. But improvements came about as evolutionary, NOT revolutionary. From it's humble beginings, it remained the same car for nearly 65 years. I still see quite a few Pre 57 Beetles roaming the streets here in Southern California on a daily basis. But I certainly don't see many, if any, Hondas/Toyotas/Nissans built prior to 1985.
Basically, if you keep your VW powered Speedster well maintained (like a newer vehicle) I'm sure it'll last for many years. Treat your car like a pile of $#!+, and I'm sure it'll do the same to you.

Back in the 60's and 70's I owned three beetles and never had any problems, other than one gas tank that started leaking. I beat the hell out of these cars, drove them at WOT on the highway (unless the winds were 20 MPH or higher), and generally had the feeling they were really bulletproof. I used to think part of it was due to the simplicity of design, but after reading the ongoing stream of messages on this site about reliabilty problems, parts falling off, etc., I am staring to wonder: Is there something fundamentally different about our replicas, or was I just plain lucky?

Perhaps some of the problems are due to over stressed components that were not designed for the extra HP? Perhaps some of the aftermarket parts are fundamentally weak? Perhaps hand assembly with poor quality control is factor? I would really be interested in some qualitative feedback as to the top three causes of reliabilty problems and what might be done, if anything beyond less aggressive driving,to minimize them? I like a certain amount of fixing and tinkering, but driving the car is even more fun.

If there are no magic bullets, then perhaps I should just sit back and try to enjoy each crisis as it occurs!

I started driving funny lookin furrin cars in 1958 (a '54 TR2). Quickly found that if I wanted to drive them I had to learn to fix 'em - so I did. Parts weren't always available, had to find something close and make it fit.

A lot of years and sports cars later I found my speedster, a CMC, built ~'86. Prayed it would get from Cleveland, Oh. to Dayton without making a large mess on the road. Chucked a fan belt about 4 mi. from home. Working gauges (speedo, tach and gas) didn't indicate and probs. and dumb me didn't realize what had happened. Got pretty toasty but it survived with no apparent ill effects.

Reliability?? Have an old 635 BMW for that. The Speedster is FUN, takes me back to my roots if you will. I have reduced the probability of imminent disaster to the point I am not overly concerned about getting home when we go places. It

Stan said," you can

This is a great topic Stan. And I agree, it does go hand in hand with the logic for buying.

This Spring I will live out one of the dreams I had when I bought into the Speedster mystique two & 1/2 years ago. I will have an adventure.... driving out to Knotts for our rally! If I recall correctly, it's 1500 miles plus from here to there, with an overnighter in Flagstaff, AZ. And I have a reasonable amount of faith that the car will carry me there, then a mini-trip up PCH with my wife if she flies out, and back. Why not! I've only lost a fan belt once in 17,000 miles, and then had to adjust the linkage on the right carb to hex bar..... THAT's IT! Of course I'll have the standard VW ER kit tucked under the lid for most possibilities. That and a Cell Phone, VISA, and Haggerty Towing Card.

I maintain that's why people fly when they could drive.... it's boring in 90% of what we buy. Flip the cruise, edge 80 Mph with the seats set just so-so, the tint restricting the view, the temp control keeping us at a perfect 72', three gas stops, and yawn... it's LA... gee just as my 12 disc changer was recycling.

Having a Speedster is much like the bike thing... wind in the face, sensing the smells, sounds, road ahead, weather, the sound of the engine requiring your attention all the way..... You opt for taking a scenic road back, like the high road to Taos, and stop off at Chimayo for lunch. Driving you hear the leaves rustle, the stream beside the road, and you stop for gas at an old mom/pop station that still sells Orange Crush in the bottle.... iced down.

Yeah take me back a few years in a car that I love to drive, that I feel the road with, that is unlike 99.999999% of what will roll down I-40 that day. The small risk that it might sputter and require a small adjustment makes it all the better. Watching a thunderstorm on the horizon and calculating the distance to Grants Pass for shelter heightens the adventure. Master and Commander... across the High Desert!

Jim Ward
Edmond, OKC by way of Tulsa, Manitou Springs, Dallas, North Shore Oahu, Hanalei, and Phu Bai/Hue. Next Adventure...? cross country to our rally!

This has been a good, if not nostalgic, thread. I, too, had a few Beetles when I was young, a '57, a '62 and then a slew of dune buggies, all T1 powered. The Beetles were super reliable - never had anything that left me stranded anywhere, but I always carried a windshield scraper in the Winter for the INSIDE of the windshield and died from the cockpit heat in the Summer!! The dune buggies (everything from stock 1,200's to Corvair powered) were a bit more prone to minor problems, but, again, never left me stranded anywhere. I've built every air cooled engine I've ever used from the 36hp's on up to my current 2,110cc. I put them together carefully, with proven components and used a lot of stop nuts to keep things from loosening up. Still, even with my latest one I found a minor oil leak at the pressure sensor (fixed with teflon tape) so you STILL have to vigilent! NO, driving my speedster is not the same as cruising effortlessly at 80 or so in my F150 with the A/C on, but that's not why I own it. I've never carried more than the most basic VW tool kit, but ALWAYS carried a spare fan belt and tools to replace it with - Hell! lose the fan on a VW and you're screwed! Common sense tells you to bring along the basic stuff needed that can't be found easily on the road, but if it's all assembled with care and an eye toward reliability, I see no reason why anyone's speedster can't be as reliable as anything else out there. Of course, this is coming from someone who does all his own work.......if you're not that kind of person and have to work with other people to find/fix problems on these cars, then this could become a whole different story. I guess the moral here is that these are hand-built cars that will always require a bit more TLC than you neighborhood Civic.

Gordon

Hey Jim,

You're a poet! Couldn't have said it any better if my name was William Least Heat Moon. We'll compare notes at Knotts and see who has the best road stories!! I may decide to get on the PCH myself rather than runing I-5 down into La La land. I-5 is very scenic from Oregon until you get thru Redding, Ca and then it is a straight strip of concrete all the way into Los Angeles. In fact when you leave Knotts and go north on the PCH, I may tag along for awhile! We'll see how things work out. I have no time constraints so when in Rome.....

Bruce

Ron:

My oil filter problem seems to be solved. A HD Fram filter has done the trick. I guess my IM, being a west coast car, had never experienced cold weather before, but now in Ontario, it has.

Anyway, Henry recommended the filter change.

Bob

Yo Jim,
Me thinks there may be just a bit 'o the Walter Mitty in you too.
John H.

Every adventure has key elements , excitement, challenge ,effort uncertainty, passion, fear, reward. People just looking for the coolest ride in town aren't willing to invest these qualities in a car, all they want to invest is money. That's what separates people like us from them. Oh sure, they may think they want that much commitment for awhile, but the novelty soon wears off for them. It takes a different type of person who isn't afraid to experience the frustrations as well as the rewards that these cars bring. Just my take on it. Eddie

It's like dating a beautiful model, with a personality disorder that comes to the surface every now and then. You wonder if she's worth the effort, but then you take her for a ride and you feel much better.
Ron

What an inspirational thread. Great posts by everyone! And yeah, I dated a 9.5 semi-psycho for a year or two........ and your description of the "why" was right on the money. I'd be ready to make a break and then I'd take just one more ride.....

Jim

Fantastic thread, Stan and everyone! Now I understand why - after the last time I drove my speedster I just wanted to lay on my back and smoke a cigarette.

it wasn't worth the cigar?

It's probably worth either one, but I don't smoke anymore. I don't drink anymore either, but I also don't drink any less. IMHO, I think it's worth a Manhatten on the rocks, made my way of course.
2 jiggers of Dickle
1 jigger of sweet vermouth
2 cherries, toothpick optional
1 teaspoon cherry juice
six to eight shakes of angostora bitters
fill tumbler with ice and enjoy
Yes, I have a sweet tooth. I used to enjoy Southern Comfort Old Fashions (SCOFS)as well.

You know Ron my car is remarkably similar to the last supper model that I dated except for the part were she pisses me off, I locker in the garage and then drive my other car. Maybe I

Bruce, I have read the discussions about a female being revealed in the Last Supper painting(fresco?). I didn't realize you had dated her...it was a few thousand years ago wasn't it? That is quite a boast.

And it's rumored she was a virgin.....!

Bruce.. the tag team trip north sounds like great fun!

Jim

Good one, Mike.
Ron

I knew she was older but

This is a great thread! It makes me wish that there wasn't a foot of snow out and minus 20 so I could take my car for a ride. As it is I'll have to be content looking at its shape under the cover for the next 5 or 6 months.

I can't relate to many of your experiences as I've only had my car for 3 years and in that time I've put less than 2,000 miles on it. There just is no place to go up here. I look forward to taking it on a "road trip" to someplace other than the corner store or gas station.

That time is coming soon though as I've bought a house in Ontario and hope to move there in a year or two. That was the purpose of buying my car three years ago...I knew I would be moving someday.

Anyway, I look forward to experiencing the trips that I can only read about in your posts.

Brian

Brian, what do you do up there?
Ron

Most of the time I wish I were someplace warm...

Seriously, work with the Government. Went up 23 years ago for a 6 moth transfer to Rankin Inlet on the west coast of Hudson's Bay and ended up staying here in the NWT. Left "cars" at that time...had a snowmobile, 3 wheel Honda and a dog team with 40 some odd dogs. Got rid of the dogs in 86 and bought the first Mercedes 300SD and started back into cars again.

Having said all that, just bought a house in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario and plan to move there in the next couple of years.

Brian

Brian,

Welcome to Canada. I plan to drive my Speedster across Canada when it's finished in 2005. I will start in Montreal and head West to Vancouver and then south for the 50th anniversary celebration of James Dean's untimely death in Salinas, California. It would be wonderful to get Canadians in a small caravan to go. Maybe Mike, Jos