Top products from r/Volkswagen

Get the Books!

The three wisemen as I call it.

In order of usefulness

• The Muir Book
  
• The Bentley Manual
  
• The Haynes Manual
  
  I will argue that the Haynes manual is mostly redundant if you have the other two.
  
  check out ratwell.com and the type2 mailing list.
  as someone else pointed out, the samba is a great resource too.
  
  Also invest in a nice torque wrench.
  
  Replace all the rubber fuel lines in the bus.
  I don't care if the guy you bought it from "just did it", do it anyways.
  convert to electronic ignition. Hotspark is affordable and works well. Others swear by Pertronix. YMMV. Keep the points in the bus with you and a spare set just in case. At less than 10 bucks, its a lot cheaper than a tow.
  Spare coil is also good to have.
  Put it all in a "go box" make sure you have what you need to get going again for most problems.
  
  I have a 75, with a 77 block, and the fi from a 79. These vehicles are almost always frankenstiened together.
  
  Take oil leaks seriously.
  
  Finally, Have fun.
  Owning a bus has been one of the best experiences in my life. Its not all sunshine and rainbows. I have had my fair share of strandings. But now my bus is a champ. I know her inside and out and when I drive her it puts a huge smile on my face.
  
  Welcome to the club!

Who cares? You're 17! Whatever happens, you'll have a great story to tell for the rest of your life. I would have LOVED to go on an adventure like this at your age. Remember, "Adventure is misery recounted at leisure."

The car may be able to go about 65-70mph on the freeway but I wouldn't recommend running it at that speed for long. This car was made before the national 55mph speed limit but 60-65 is probably about as fast as you want to go on a sustained basis if the car's top speed is 73. Running ANY car at or near its maximum speed for any length of time stresses it pretty badly.

I *would* recommend that you carry a spare alternator belt, ignition points, spark plugs, and condenser. Know how to change those out at the side of the road, and how to set dwell and timing. Get a copy of How To Keep Your Volkswagen Alive by John Muir. Carry a rudimentary set of tools: assorted screwdrivers, assorted pliers, a set of metric combination wrenches, a metric socket set, a dwell meter and timing light.

It's not unlikely, if you get towed to a shop, that yours will be the first Bug the mechanic has seen outside of a museum or a car show. Mechanics who know how to work on those cars aren't that common, any more.

If this is a *literal* cross-country drive, like, you're starting out on or near the West Coast...be aware that we're heading into the time of year when roads and passes through the Rockies can get shut down because of snow conditions. If you're traveling through desolate areas, don't count on cellphones to work. If you'll be traveling through the desert, read this.

ETA: Hopefully you can get your parents to agree to all of this. Also, if this is a multi-day trip, at 17, you may have problems doing things like getting a motel room, because you're a minor. I'm not sure how that would work even if your parents were to authorize you to use one of their credit cards.

I've never bought a set of wheels for a car. I've only had to replace one rim in a set when my sister drove the family minivan into a curb and broke a chunk out of one of the alloy wheels.
I still have the OEM Alloys on my Passat. If you are looking for a set of OEM Alloys you could check eBay, Craigslist, or a local junkyard and you may be able to get a decent set of used wheels without setting you back too much money. If you'd rather go aftermarket, I don't really know the best places to shop for rims but I'm sure many other people on this sub can help with that.

As far as the headlights go, i have used the Turtle Wax Headlight Restoration Kit and it works pretty decently. Just a little elbow grease and about an hour of your time and your headlights will look much much better.
You can also choose to just replace the headlight. A quick google search should give you plenty of options whether you want to keep the OEM look or go for something a little different.

Hope this helps!

If I could give you one piece of advice and no other it would be this....

Make absolutely CERTAIN all your engine tin is in place and that your engine seal is in fantastic condition. You really want to keep all of that heat out of your engine compartment. Here's a pic of a beetle seal http://beingwolfy.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/dscf3758.jpg. but that's the idea

I chased so many other things to attain good cooling on my last motor, got everything fixed with my new hot rod engine though. The air cooled design only works well when every piece of the system is there. Probably any parts shop could show you anything that is missing and they'd be happy to sell it to you.

Also get the Idiot Guide, it helped me survive driving a $0 beetle to college and making it run right.
http://www.amazon.com/Keep-Volkswagen-Alive-Step---Step/dp/1566913101/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1371515944&sr=1-1

Oh I have so much else to say...

Have fun, keep an open mind and get ready to read and get greasy!

Here you go! If you need any help installing it feel free to shoot me a DM. This being said it's super easy. Just make sure your surface is very clean first. iJDMTOY 10-Inch Germany Flag Color Stripe Decal Sticker for Euro Car Audi BMW Mini Mercedes Porsche Volkswagen Exterior or Interior Decoration https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OU8V5IO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_5WYBDbB5C1MMT

Well, the vehicle platform would be the Type 2, but the engine would likely be the Type 4 if it is a U.S. Westfalia Model. The parts for that engine are generally a bit more expensive and less readily available, but I don't think it should rule the selection out by any means. The wikipedia article on the bus has some more details on the specifics.

If you do wind up getting an aircooled VW of any kind, I cannot recommend John Muir's How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive enough. Illustrations and step-by step guides for pretty much anything you can think of, troubleshooting guides, and maintenance tips that are valuable for anyone from beginners to pros.

Edit: You might consider crossposting to r/Fahrvergnugen, they've got a bit more classic VW content.

Good choice. I ended up doing the same for all of my VWs. After going through a lot of options I found the Philips X-treme Vision bulbs to give the best light output and last the longest for a pretty white light color.

Upvoted for truth. Prepare to live on the Samba and look into this book https://www.amazon.com/Keep-Volkswagen-Alive-Step-Step/dp/1566913101

IT will help you with everything you need to know about Aircooled.
Investing in a Bentley Manual is wise as well.

Good luck! Here's some crucial literature as well!

http://www.amazon.com/Volkswagen-Station-Official-Service-Manual/dp/0837616352/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1416243503&sr=8-3&keywords=vw+bentley+manual

http://www.amazon.com/Keep-Volkswagen-Alive-Step---Step/dp/1566913101/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416243535&sr=8-1&keywords=how+to+keep+your+volkswagen+alive

How long have you had it?

The Rola is one of the ones I have been looking at.

Looks like a nice low profile. Easy attachment to the crossbars?

Depending on what VW radio is in there now, I would look at the RCD330G. It's a factory VW part that's plug and play on most VWs of that vintage. I replaced the RCD510 in my 2012 Passat with one and it's been awesome. Planning on replacing the RNS315 in my wife's '12 Tiguan with one as well. Make sure it's model number is 6RD 035 187B as that's the one with CarPlay. Supports Android Auto as well.

Here's one on Amazon, although you can find them cheaper on eBay. RCD330G

This site is janky but has a lot of info: rcd330plus.com

These are what I use, and they're probably the best I've used out of all the various 921 bulbs I've tried (Sylvania, Philips, Diode Dynamics, incandescent, etc.)

And these are the headlight bulbs you want.

I used this stuff with a microfiber. Didn't take long at all and came out really nicely. I was just amazed at how much soot built up in a few months.

Amazon But search around. Some are better quality than others. Idk about this, I just searched for an example to show you. Mine came w/all 3 colors like the image shows, but for some reason they weren’t “connected”. I had to place each color stripe one at a time.


edit: btw, check out my past posts, I have other photos showing it better

i bought this thing below (there are others as well). combined with a free android app. you can check codes as well as all sorts of engine info. coolant temp, timing advance, voltage, intake temp, intake flow rate, and alot more. ive found it very handy.

http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-PIC18F2480-diagnostics-compatible/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377318285&sr=8-1&keywords=bluetooth+obd2

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.prowl.torquescan&hl=en

I have the OEM bars on my MK5 GTi. I like them. I'd recommend them. I believe Amazon had them for around ~$250

So my state requires me to have it on as well which is pain; dealer never drilled holes which I'm fine with so I went right on amazon and found a $30 one. It's knock off and it works...but honestly I wish I spent the money on either the platypus plates or the one from US Milworks is really really good.

I went the cheap route and it's not the best but it does it's job

As a black car owner:

• A good wax
  
• A California Duster
  
• Quick Detailer
  
  EDIT I feel like someones going to chime in and say I'm wrong. This is the way I keep my black car clean & new looking. I bet there are better ways but I do what works for me...

Sorry I forgot to respond. What worked well far me was the following:

• BAFX Bluetooth OBD Scan Tool - $23.99 (I've seen them price it as low as $19.99 though depending on the day, may be worth watching the amazon page for a couple days)
  
  
• Carista Android app - free download but it costs $20 to unlock the feature that actually lets you apply new settings.
  
  I can vouch for this combination as I was able to successfully use it to configure options (such as windows and fog lights) in my CC. No problems. The only catch is that they claim the BAFX tool only works with Android. I have an Android phone so it's not an issue for me. If you have an iPhone you may have to look for a different tool. Carista actually sells one on Amazon but it's pricier ($40 last time I checked).
  
  This won't get you the full array of features of a real VAG-COM but it's also $200 cheaper.

this is the one box of the kit that any vw dealership should have, my dealership had like 6 of these boxes and all were different

I like the look of OEM bars, they're flush in that the bars don't extend beyond the roof and hit you.

http://www.amazon.com/1K0-071-126-Original-Volkswagen-Racks-06-14/dp/B0063KI3V4

I'm looking into getting this one. Well rated, cheap, and it works with the Torque app.

But I haven't tried it

Confirmed, free Torque app + dongle does oil temps and a whole host of other readings.

I have used the BAFX Products 34t5 Bluetooth OBDII Scan Tool for Android Devices (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NLQAHS) for about three years on two different cars with no issues.

I don't know if they are any different, worth mentioning there is one made for VW GTI: http://www.amazon.com/Platypus-Holes-License-Volkswagen-2015-2016/dp/B00MARZUI8/ref=pd_sbs_263_3?ie=UTF8&dpID=41dd8M7bIHL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=1X81BGSEM9H48RDDF998

Again, don't know how different it is from the BRZ FRS one.

Rola. It's very sturdy too. Here's the Amazon link :

Rola 59504 Vortex Roof Mounted Cargo Basket https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004R34HDC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_CAf4wb8VBQAWY

$25 w/free shipping on Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/FAST-VOLKSWAGEN-GOLF-WHAT-DOES/dp/B006H7BQCG

edit: added desktop link fwiw

She got it from Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B006H7BQCG/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmr1_1?qid=1398530224&sr=8-1-fkmr1&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70

Agreed, but FYI buying a Carista and changing the throttle coding from "Gradual" to "Direct Throttle Response" helped a TOOOOON with making acceleration more linear. Unfortunately it sounds like "turbo lag" is a very real thing on a lot of new cars out there, though.

Instructions for the direct throttle change here (you can also use OBDeleven/VCDS but Carista was the cheapest and looked the easiest): https://www.reddit.com/r/GolfGTI/comments/8suyqd/how\_to\_increase\_throttle\_response\_this\_worked/

How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive: A Manual of Step-by-Step Procedures for the Compleat Idiot https://www.amazon.com/dp/1566913101/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_.7Zfvb1QXATZJ
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1566913101/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_.7Zfvb1QXATZJ

Buy this and you will have no questions. :)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MARZUI8?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00

Your VW dealer should be able to sell you the adapter. I bought one when I had my '09 Jetta TDI. It was less than $10. Comes in a capped plastic container with a pair of rubber glove.

Here it is for $12 shipped.

This stuff works wonders, and it's less than $10.
http://www.amazon.com/Turtle-Wax-T-240KT-Headlight-Restorer/dp/B001TI5IIQ

Alternatively, you could switch your headunit for the RCD330 and get a USB port with carplay

https://www.amazon.com/Amzparts-RCD330-RCD330G-CarPlay-6RD035187B/dp/B07BSP6Y24

Here you go.

Get the Bentley service manual. PDF is floating around.

I mean... it’s cheaper on Amazon...

Kinda. Not really. You're better off spending the $13 on a restoration kit.

Since Google seems to not be your strong suit.
Bently Manual

For VW specifically you can get a set on Amazon.

Or just a big spline socket and a hammer.

Wheel locks are just there to make it more difficult than the car next to yours, but they're far from impenetrable. If someone wants your wheels there isn't a whole lot you can do other than parking it somewhere they can't get to.

And I think TDI owners should have one of these for the hopefully rare occasion when the only diesel you can get is from the big commercial truck nozzle... I got mine after and I was able to squeeze some into my car but it was an annoying process.

Go get one of these and do it in less than 15 minutes without even climbing under the car or getting your hands dirty.

damn that sounds slick, I ordered a Carista in hopes that it will work for what I needed it for. I've seen some of the features available and it seems very similar, so hopefully it offers the option for my audio. It has a 1 month free trial for the app, but 40$ a year. Hopefully I can setup the features I want and avoid the cost

Worst case scenario I just return it and do it via a legit vagcom cable, or just have them fix it next time I need to bring it in.