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The dream of the VW bus: "Who likes to save, should do without a Bulli"

2019-08-29T03:13:26.683Z


Many people dream of their own VW bus. Enrico Nagy is a Bulli expert and advises interested parties, so that the dream does not become a nightmare. Here he names telltale details in advertisements and says who should not buy a bus.



SPIEGEL ONLINE: Mr. Nagy, why are so many people fascinated by the Bulli?

Nagy: I often deal with clients who were on vacation with their parents and Bulli when they were children, or who were even conceived in the Bulli. They are shaped by it. They want to revive the feeling then, in their generation. Which also plays a role: some travel destinations have become uncertain, many people now vacation in their own country, by car. That has also fueled the Bulli hype.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Same time basically - which Bulli suits whom?

Nagy: It depends a lot on whether it should go on a world tour or just down to Italy. For example, when traveling around the world I usually need four-wheel drive, a functioning air conditioning system and heating. Further questions are: Am I willing to accept a few workshop appointments? Do I want to tear down as many miles as possible? Frequent riders should take a T4 rather than a T3 or T2.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Are the older models not less susceptible due to their simple construction?

Nagy: Sure, less is more - especially on world trips. Less technology, less chance of failure. Older models are by their construction, however, not as mature as the T3 from year of construction 1987. When buying a used must always first possible repair backlog be eliminated. Then I should prepare the vehicle individually for the journey. All-wheel is by the way not a must. In the sixties and seventies, the T1 with the smallest engine and most vulnerable technology drove to India without four-wheel drive.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: What do you look for when you rate advertisements for your customers?

Nagy: First of all, I take a close look at the photos, they reveal a lot. Most of the time, the cars are stylish on the outside. The pictures of the engine compartment often tell a different story. Or if in the interior huge holes for loudspeakers have been milled or hanging around aromatic trees - then I am also skeptical. Even bungling when painting I can recognize relatively quickly with my wealth of experience even on photos.

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SPIEGEL ONLINE: Do newcomers really have to be prepared to be ripped off?

Nagy: The VW bus scene is a bit worn. Since heavily repaired vehicles are offered too expensive. The prices have risen again in the past ten years by 10,000 to 15,000 euros and the condition of the cars has become even worse on average. Almost all retailers shamelessly exploit the naivety of many customers.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: How can you imagine that?

Nagy: You buy bad cars for the lowest possible price and then upgrade them by optics tuning, polish or puddle paint. Anyone who has no idea about the matter can easily be dazzled by it.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Is there still the famous "barn finds" in the Bulli scene?

Nagy: Very rare. Such a "living mammoth" can be found every five to ten years. I've found one for a customer from Munich times. A T3, former fire engine. I knew that when I saw the first photo, that chance never comes again. We got it for a ridiculously low price. Only when I had the bus in the workshop, I realized: "What the rear! The thing has only 5000 kilometers on the clock ...!" That was a living mammoth.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: How and where did you find it? So what did you do with the car?

Nagy: The T3 has found a customer whom I have advised. People send me advertisements, to which I submit my mustard. The jewel stood at a slightly crazy hairdresser in Munich, who owned a whole parking garage with cars. The T3 was a box van, completely empty inside. I then built him a high-quality multivan equipment.

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SPIEGEL ONLINE: What should Bulli owners have a hand on it?

Nagy: Basically, if the bus comes after the purchase in a good workshop, you can drive him then relatively carefree. Check through once a year, that's enough. Of course, it makes sense, if you can fix small problems on the way. But anyone can teach that themselves, for example in a screwdriver workshop.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: How is the spare parts supply?

Nagy: There is everything, but you can not buy everything. Much does not last long or does not fit.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Can you give an example of bad spare parts?

Nagy: I just saw a door handle recently, made in China. The looked "new" worn out as the 40-year-old original.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Bullis are also becoming more popular with thieves - what is the best way to protect yourself from theft?

Nagy: It starts with not always parking on the presentation plate and not leaving any expensive things open in the car. Not having the most beautiful bus can help too. Specifically, pedal lock and a GPS location transmitter are useful. And I recommend the "secret death switch" so that thieves can not just drive away.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: What does the "death switch" do?

Nagy: He interrupts the ignition process. The bus will not start until you have pressed the switch. If you do not do it because you can not find it, the VW bus will not start.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: When does a Bulli make no sense for me?

Nagy: If you are an absolute fox. As with any project that should bring fun. If you like saving, you should do without a Bulli. This also applies to the purchase of a bicycle or good hiking boots. They also cost money.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Is not a Toyota the better Bulli?

Nagy: From my point of view, it does not make sense to say that a brand is the better one. It always depends on how I want to use a vehicle. Buying a car is generally not always a rational decision. That's what our auto industry lives from. Because we can afford to have fun, and not just buy meaningful or save it from the mouth.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: When it comes to bulli's often just about T3 or T2. What do you think about the T6? Is the starting price of just under € 30,000 for such a new vehicle justified?

Nagy: Here we are back to the question of who uses a car like this. What seems too expensive to one, is no problem for the other. The sales figures prove Volkswagen right, the T6 is a real bestseller.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Old Bullis are cheaper, but also make more dirt. Would a mandatory fine dust filter not be appropriate? After all, they drive around in the city often enough.

Nagy: That's a difficult policy discussion. There are relatively few old cars, and they cause negligible emissions in terms of the mass of vehicles. Much more useful than fine dust filters for old VW buses would be stricter rules for the cruise industry.

Source: spiegel

All tech articles on 2019-08-29

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