Advice on buying a Beetle.

[Jesse scott]

I am looking at buying a 1970 Beetle 1300. Got original 40 000km. Green colour and very good condition. Guy wants 55k. Can anyone tell me if thats a good price. Will I get my money back?

[oldschool75]

If youre buying a Beetle to get your money back - don't buy it.....

[Guest]

I'm am definitely not looking at buying it to make money or something like that. I don't have lots of money and i would like to know if I have to sell it one day would I get my money back. Is that a good price for that beetle?

[retrovan]

If you buying it for long term, then yes you will get your money back, that is if you do not mod it to

Is the price right for this market, that is up to you, if you like it, and it ticks all the boxes, then yes go for it.

The value of a car is what someone will pay.

Can you get cheaper, yes, that is if you willing to do some work your self.

So now I have given you more questions then answers, and you more confused then ever, but, how long is a piece of string.???

You know what you want to do with the car, daily driver, toy, weekend run, collector, runabout, sole form of transport.

If you want to buy and sell, then NO, pass it by, as its an old car......

Herman

[Jessescott]

thanks Herman, i am going to be using the car as a daily vehicle. definitely wont mod it or do any of that crap. it is what i am looking for but am not sure if its a good price, ive never owned a beetle but love them. do you think its a good price and people would pay that if i had to sell it? not for making money but financial reasons . what do you think of that specific beetle in the photo. thanks for the advice. jesse

[Tony Z]

I think that if it runs without issues then its worth the money.
If there is endplay on the crank that you can notice, then its not a genuine 40k km and the seller is lying, so rather walk away

[Jessescott]

thanks Tony, what. whats the easiest way to check if theres endplay

[Tony Z]

pull on the pulley at the end of the crank. If you can see it move, then its too much and the engine needs a rebuild.
New factory spec is 0.07mm to 0.12mm with rebuild required at 0.15mm
That said, many bugs still run with many times that, 0.5mm or more. But in reality, if you can visually see the crank move, then its worn past factory limits. And in your case, will prove that the seller is lying about the milage and if it was me, I wouldnt trust anything else he says

[Jdt1976]

I don't think 40 000km is correct from 1970. If the seller can proof it with service records or other info then you can believe it.

I have learned in the past one hear of "this car" and then build up some picture in your head with the things supporting your thoughts and
what the seller was saying. Like in this case I think you already thought this car belonged to an elderly person that hardly used it and only used it to drive to church on a Sunday so low km's.
If you don't know the seller, don't believe what he is saying, especially if he is a trader. Only work on what you see on the car.
Check the play on the door hinges. Rubber wear on pedals etc.

[73type2]

R55k is too much for a 1970s model, in my opinion. If it was in good condition original paint, then maybe. I would pay at most R40k for this car.

[73type2]

In your first post you mentioned R10k for new brake parts. I assume the brake system is standard? R10k seems exorbitant. I recently spent less than R3k on doing the brakes on a 1970 Beetle. That involved replacing all slave cylinders, master cylinder, skimming drums, relining shoes, new steel lines, handbrake cables, new rear seal kits, new front wheel bearings. Of course, I did the stripping and installation myself.