Anybody know anything about volkswagen type 3's?

[Gucky]

I can't find much information on them and it seems like they're hard to find. I live in the US.
Please just answer any questions you know the answer to
Are they reliable? whats the mpg? Can i buy them in the US? What is the relative price range, can i buy one for around 8,000? Are parts really expensive compared to most cars? I'm 17 1/2 and this will be my first car. Is it just a bad idea to get one?
notchback, if it makes any difference

 

[DoingtheMath]

Type 3 is an old car. Air cooled motor variety. Beetles were Type 1, Vans Type 2,//notchback (kind of a small car with a trunk) or squareback(a station wagon type)
Those books should be in your public library car maintnance and repair section on this model.
Type 3 had a pancake engine (really no different than a beetle except for the dog-house shrouding) but because of the more streamlined design than a Beetle or Van; it handles better on the highway so seems like it has more power.
Many parts are interchangeable between all the models so it is a matter of finding a couple of auto salvage yards that have them.
It is not a race car. If you need high horsepower then buy a high horsepower engine type car right off. Not a VW.
It will get you around from point A to B for 100K miles without a major problem. If you had a repair manual, you can do all the work yourself. Because you will be the only one who knows what is going on.

Even though a station wagon sounds like something your uncle or aunt would drive, I found them great because I could sleep in the car stretched out in the back(which is great when I go fishing or travelling.).

Any brand of vehicle can be driven into the ground if mistreated. But they can take a lot of _hit. I taught a couple of girl friends how to drive manual in a VW.

Oh; you want manual over any autostick automatic. It is a minor thing to learn standard shift and once you learn it you can drive "any vehicle" on the road. From 3 speed to 18 speed(automatics are a given).

Why buy new when used will do? It is an old car. Salvage or a VW specialty shop is the only place you are going to find it. Not really costly as most parts can be overhauled or repaired.

Inspect the body closely for body rust or bodywork. Once you understand how the heating system works it is a metalworking hammer that is needed to tap the shrouds tight together to the exhaust.

I would buy another one tomorrow if I could find one. It is a rugged vehicle. The new cars are all plastic and definitely not the same hardiness. And as it is gonna be your first car, it is better than spending several(quite a few) grand for a new car which cannot handle mistreatment.

I Googled it and found it instantly on the net.

Pretty certain it is in the US. (after all they did import the ugly beetle)

Should be cheaper than 8 but they are becoming a collector car. So find somebody who is not a collector but has the car. Runs on leaded, non leaded and gasohol.

The advantage of buying a used car from a private person - if that person bought the car, chances are they are an older couple and it was their grocery getter. So it was not raced around. You found a good deal.


Check the public library in car maintenance and repair section. There will be a book on it specifically. You will be looking in auto salvage yards for parts as it is an older car. Should not cost a lot as it was not as popular as the Beetle or the Van. However just as reliable. Get a repair manual and read it because you can do all the work yourself.(except wheel alignments) but the rest is fixable.
It is a tough car. You can break any car if you try hard enough.

The first one I had was a single carb model and the second one I had was dual carbs (and I adjusted it on the side of the road by memory of how to adjust motorcycle dual carbs) Carry tie wire, duct tape, and some electrical wire and electrical tape and you are unstoppable. I was getting 35 MPH




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[BUSTER]

Basically the same as the bug, just a different body style, and they laid the cooling fan down like they do on the bus, there as reliable as any VW of that era, easy to work on, engine parts are still made and available, and you can still get aftermarker body panels and floor pans, avoid any of the later models with fuel injection as they were a pain and expencive to repair. other than that cool first car.