I'm looking for any info about '80s mexican built VW bugs, namely 25+ years old. This may turn into a fly-n-drive eventually, or I may just have my mexican co-worker pick it up on one of his several trips per year back south of the boarder.
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June 20, 2011 9:10 p.m. neon4891 SuperDork
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June 20, 2011 9:14 p.m. jimbob_racing HalfDork
I'm interested in this as well.
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June 20, 2011 10:11 p.m. rob_lewis Dork
I thought they weren't legal in the States? Or, would this be a "parts car" for your "current" Beetle?
jimbob_racing wrote:
I'm interested in this as well.
Ditto.
-Rob
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June 20, 2011 10:14 p.m. stuart in mn SuperDork
If they're 25 years old or more, they can be brought in to the US.
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June 20, 2011 10:19 p.m. integraguy Dork
You can import a car more than 25 years old....but why a beetle? Having lived in Texas in the mid '80s I've seen 1 or 2 of these beetles from the '80s. They are all that "regular" model that VW was producing up until they introduced Super Beetles. I don't believe they have catalytic converters on them, or fuel injection, which the last of the "old" beetles had. They had the small taillights that '60s beetles had, but did have 1 difference that VW could have incorporated on U.S. beetles, but never did....front turn signals that were in the front bumper instead of on top of the front fenders.
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June 20, 2011 10:23 p.m. digdug18 Dork
I understand they are slightly less devastating on the fruit crop then the Japanese Beetles, but are still known to cause a havoc.
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June 20, 2011 10:52 p.m. joey48442 SuperDork
Step 1: drive rotten old barely running US beetle over border.
Step 2: buy newest beetle possible
Step 3: switch VIN plates
Step 4: drive home!
Joey
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June 20, 2011 11:19 p.m. oldsaw SuperDork
What's the price difference between a Mex Beetle vs a US-spec version?
Older US versions are out there, you just have to look and be prepared to pay for quality or restoration. My neighbor just found and bought a nice '74 a few weeks ago for 3-3500 bucks. She had a paint job thrown on it so I don't know the "real" price. It looks good and the exhaust flutter always lets me know she's going or coming.
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June 21, 2011 8:14 a.m. Javelin SuperDork
joey48442 wrote:
Step 1: drive rotten old barely running US beetle over border.
Step 2: buy newest beetle possible
Step 3: switch VIN plates
Step 4: drive home!
Step 5: Get busted at border for Federal Felony!
Joey
Fixed that for you.
No point in VIN-swapping when any 25 year old one is 100% legal anyways.
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June 21, 2011 8:30 a.m. joey48442 SuperDork
Javelin wrote:
joey48442 wrote:
Step 1: drive rotten old barely running US beetle over border.
Step 2: buy newest beetle possible
Step 3: switch VIN plates
Step 4: drive home!
Step 5: Get busted at border for Federal Felony!
Joey
Fixed that for you.
No point in VIN-swapping when any 25 year old one is 100% legal anyways.
Details, details. Once they realize you don't have a trunk full if illegals/cocaine, you will be treated as kings!
Joey
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June 21, 2011 9:02 a.m. jrw1621 SuperDork
For a fly and drive I too would recommend a visit to www.thesamba.com and look through the classifieds. For $5k you can get a real nice runner that likely has most of the parts replaced since the '80 making it as good (or possibly better) than a 25 yr old Mexican daily driver.
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June 21, 2011 9:19 a.m. fast_eddie_72 Dork
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June 21, 2011 10:31 a.m. 93EXCivic SuperDork
A guy I knew my freshmen year had a 2000 aircooled VW Beetle. I don't know how he managed it. I vote the VIN swapping idea. No one will ever know.
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June 21, 2011 2:49 p.m. mad_machine SuperDork
actually.. find a nice beetle here in the states with minimal rot.. but has the floor pans gone due to a leaking battery.. drive to mexico and pay somebody a couple hundred to swap the pans.. and drive home
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June 21, 2011 2:54 p.m. Klayfish Reader
Are you interested in the Mexican only Beetles for what might be stashed in all of it's nooks and crannies?
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June 21, 2011 3:31 p.m. Vigo Dork
The last mexican beetle i saw (in san antonio) was WAY more modern than any other old beetle ive ever seen and it was probably one of the first to ever make me want a beetle. Id like to have one. Id convert it to electric, though.
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June 21, 2011 3:51 p.m. Cotton Dork
Hmm does Mexico have it's own ebay? That could be fun to browse.
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June 21, 2011 8:22 p.m. AquaHusky Reader
Didn't the mexican Beetles also have A/C added on as an option as well?
