Aircooled VW South Africa

Hello guys, William here

I'm looking to buy my first aircooled car.

Which would be the better car to buy,a Beetle or a Type 3, in the following aspects:-

1)Pricewise-What is cheaper to get?
2)Parts wise, which car is easier to get parts for?
3)Which car has better handling? I spoke to a guy who reckons that the Type 3 handles much nicer than a Beetle, is this true? Because they both share the lethal swingaxle
4)Which one can be made to go a little faster with minimal effort?
5)Disk brakes-Can the same kit be fitted to both cars?

Thanks!!I apologise if the questions may seem stupid , but there seems to be a lot of knowledge on this site...

I'll try to answer your questions to the best of my ability, but keep in mind it is only my personal opinion:

1)Pricewise-What is cheaper to get?

Depends, Beetle prices tend to skyrocket and Type 3s are not as popular yet in SA as in the rest of the world. Chances are that you might get a Type 3 for less than a Beetle, especially in your part of the country. (I saw a few Type 3s about 5 years ago on a farm near Luckhoff, not too far from Orania)

2)Parts wise, which car is easier to get parts for?

Depends once again on what you are looking for. Body parts, windows and brake system parts on a Type 3 is quite hard to find, but it basically shares the same engine parts as a Beetle. Normal maintenance parts (fan belt, plugs, coil, points etc.) can be bought at any automotive shop. But then again the demand for Type 3 parts are also a lot less, you might get lucky?

3)Which car has better handling? I spoke to a guy who reckons that the Type 3 handles much nicer than a Beetle, is this true? Because they both share the lethal swingaxle

Type 3, for certain! More aerodynamic, and with a (claimed) lower centre of gravity, sticks to the road better. Automatic Type 3s have IRS and disk brakes.

4)Which one can be made to go a little faster with minimal effort?

Most probably the Beetle, cause you don't have the limitation of the decklid over the (flat) engine, and bolt-on performance parts are all designed for Beetles. But on the other hand, a standard 1700 Type 4 engine from a 411 or 412, or a 2liter Kombi engine is a straight fit to a Type 3 with no modification. (Ask Eben and IMPI )

5)Disk brakes-Can the same kit be fitted to both cars?

I can't see why not

Thanks!!I apologise if the questions may seem stupid , but there seems to be a lot of knowledge on this site

There is no such thing as a 'stupid question'. People who don't ask questions are stupid!

The disk brake conv. is not interchangable.

Wow!!That was a quick reply!

Well, Pine, I'm actually in Pretoria not Orania, that was just a joke that a mate of mine said that I should put there

Well, from what i see on the forum, IMPI,Calooker, Blitzkrieg are all huge Type 3 fans. I think that a nice Fastback or Notchback would look good in the driveway

Personally, I like them more than the Beetle, now I think that I should just go and buy a Type 3

expect to see a lot more Type 3 related questions from me soon

Thanks guys!!

There are a few around in Pretoria and I saw a nice one a while back for sale for R15 000 and it was top notch....

Excuse the pun...........

Hey don't be a square, if you bought it then you could have had your money and some profit fast back now

nah I've been told off for being a flipper.................lol.

Sticks and stones Mate, sticks and stones...

yeah, they leave bruises.........

Now I just flip in silence.............

flatfourfan wrote:There are a few around in Pretoria and I saw a nice one a while back for sale for R15 000 and it was top notch....

Excuse the pun...........

Hey FFF, was this a Notch or Fasty?

calooker wrote:The disk brake conv. is not interchangable.

that buggoff and i learned the expensive way ,still left with the discbrake front suspension thats not usable on a "normal" beetle