I've been looking to purchase one of those old VW buses because they look cool and are real cheap. But my moms on my case about how easly they tip and how they're hard to handle. I dont know shit about cars, so how unsafe are they really? Wouldn't it be cool if we had a automobile forum in here?
Geeze you are young to be buying a car of any kind.I did'nt get a car until I was 23! How old do you have to be to drive a car where you are?Anyway the Kombis I have looked at are always too expensive for what they are.The only attraction for me is it is one fitted out with all the camping gear (fridge, sink ,cooking ring etc.) Having said that some other parts of Oz, it is possible to get them for about $500.In the area I am in, you would never get one for that price. What many hippies are getting into now are old Toyota Hi-Aces (from the late 70's and early 80's.Where I am you can get them quite cheap.At the last Confest I went to, although there were a quite a few Kombis , I would say there would have been even more Hi-Aces.There was one that had a couple of domes added to the top.I had silver frosting and bits of artwork on it.The inside was realy cool.In a way the Hi-Ace has taken up where the Kombi left off.Maybe you should go back to your mum and say she is right , you are getting a Hi-Ace. The only downside of Toyotas is that the genuine parts are expensive.If you have the room, a cheap write-off of the same model for spares is worth having. My personal forum The Backyard Mechanic is here: http://hipforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=206
VW buses are quite tippy and don't handle well compared to other automobiles. I never wrecked the two I've owned, but I know some who have. I think more trouble occurs when someone who has experience driving say a sedan and jumps in a VW bus and drives like they were in something else.
i have to say that they handle well .... at slower speeds that is! yes they can tip. i dont think that they are that bad... most of the people around here... they keep thier distance when driving around me cause they think bad things about me being a so called hippie. i think that its a good vehicle cause its reliable to a point, and you can fix it easily... ive met so many guys since ive owned it that know so much shit about busses ... they cant speed. unless you have very long down hills around you.... ive almost tipped it only once and that was stupidity... hmm what else is she worried about??
i own one, an 82 westfalia, and its heavy and feels quite stable on the road to me. It has an awesome turning radius which i like. I've never come close to tipping it. Sef is right about not speeding in them, mine has 2000k on a rebuilt engine, and even it wont do much more than 125kph. beyond 150 000k id say the engine will probably be tired.. mines for sale , check it out in the gallery..
ive never heard of one tipping, we hjave one out back behind the garage its a 74 red and white, it runs drives great 16 is the age you are legally able to drive in most states for the person in australia who seems shocked my first vehicle was a 69 F-100 longfleet pickup, when i just turned 16, since then i have had over 200 or maybe over a limousine, and etc. fords, chevies, pontiacs, buicks, gmc's, cadillacs, mercuries, not very many foreign jobbers though, do have a toyota 2wd pickup though, good luck
i almost tipped mine a few years back. wet road, cars in way, swerve, then I saw the ground coming toward me out the drivers side window. I dont know how it stopped tipping over. maybe i cut the wheel in a weird way where it caught itself, maybe the hand of God reached down Matchbox-style and saved my sorry ass. crazy. I always felt a little freaked out about sitting in front of the front wheels. I didnt feel safe there. If I wrecked into anything I would be crushed. They are super rad though for all the non conventional needs. wesfalias kick ass to live in. all the hippies Ive known that have owned a VW like to talk about how cool it is you can fix a VW with a rubber band and a paper clip. that may be true but it seems they must go thru a lot of rubber bands and paper clips. to each their own. i love the options available in the auto realm. i wish they would wise up to the alternative fuel issues. I would love an auto forum.
In my VW bus experience I really haven't had many problems with them. I haven't had any safety issues or accidents. Mostly I have just had mechanical issues. I've never felt like they were going to tip over. My biggest concern when I got my first one when I was 15, was a front end collision. I only know one person who had a major front end collision in his bus and he only had minor injuries.
As long as you dont drive like a speed demon you will be fine. Most hippies dont drive like that. Just something cool to cruz in.
I think they are SUPER hard to drive. Might be hard to learn to drive on, but if you can drive them you can drive anything!
yeah i love my bus but everyone who i let drive it... the 2 people... they say its hard... it makes it easier to drive other cars.... i think that it really keeps you actually driving, not everything automatic and special...
i drove my dads old 1989 Ford Aerostar for a while and it was a pretty good van. Had it up on 2 wheels once doing some tricks n stuff. Just putting in my little experience with vans.
Mine is a 76 and its not that bad to drive except in the wind thats when it gets kinda of tricky, up matience and basic up keep is really easy on them. Also they arent speed demons so momma dont have to worry about that. I would totally recommend them as a first vehicle. they are a lot of fun. Its like havin a whole other room to go hide in. Theres a picture here http://www.hipgallery.com/photopost2/showphoto.php/photo/22858/sort/2/cat/500/page/1so go and take a look.
