VW Heritage customer Richard Andrews bought his 1300 Beetle in 1971 at the tender age of 22. Now in his 60s, the car’s remained in the family and is still on its original engine and gearbox. It’s gone from white to purple, had new wings, bumpers, bonnet and door skins – and guess what? Richard continues to dote on it as he did over 40 years ago! Here’s his touching story of long term Beetle ownership…

“I purchased the Beetle on 1^st December 1971, when it was just six months old, just after my 22nd birthday. A friend told me that most people keep Beetles for 10 years but to be honest at the time I couldn’t even imagine being as ‘old’ as 32, let alone still having the Beetle… So what would I have thought had I been told that 40 years later I would not only still have the car­ – but I would be conveying my daughter in it to her wedding!

“Remember, the Seventies was a glorious time before speed cameras, post-codes on addresses, mobile phones and satnavs – and you had to be able to change your engine oil every 3,000 miles. Which I did, religiously – and perhaps that’s what’s kept the car going for so long…

“Of course I have accumulated lots of fond memories over the years, but a funny story occurred in 2010, having given the Beetle to my daughter. She was stopped at traffic lights near the Bethlem Hospital, Beckenham, Kent when a man in his 60s pulled up in a van and told her that he used to own the car and that it was originally white. Given that it had since been resprayed magenta purple, he obviously recognised the plate!

“I have often pondered on how he must have reacted driving along on a sunny Saturday, suddenly seeing a car that he probably assumed had gone to meet its maker long ago. Did he have delayed shock thinking he was hallucinating? Did he go home to his wife or partner and say, “Gordon Bennett, love a duck – I have heard of pink elephants and grey giant snakes but a purple Beetle is too much. Pour me a stiff drink!”

“Anyway, back to the story. When I first acquired the Beetle I was single, and during that time drove it to Amsterdam, as well as extensively around England. After I was married I took it to Portugal twice, Paris on three occasions, as well as using it as a family car when my children arrived in 1977 and 1980. After 1983 it was mainly used by my wife and then by my son until, in 1997, it was given to my daughter who had it professionally sprayed purple inside and out by Gonnella Bros in Catford; she has owned it since that date and still uses it to go shopping and visit friends. So it’s very much still in service!

When I first drove it to Portugal I gained a salutary lesson of ensuring that a mechanic who understands Beetles always serviced the car. Just before we left, I took it to someone who over adjusted the front brakes. This culminated in the repairs shown in the attached invoices from 1975, when it was repaired in Lagos in the Algarve, and required two new front brake drums and pads at great expense. This was pretty traumatic at the time, given that you were limited to what monies you could legally take abroad, credit cards were not widely used and it was a paraphernalia to get cash from a bank.

“The car’s always been looked after (mostly by my mechanic James Wooten who operates from a small workshop in Welling, Kent) and the oil’s been changed every 3,000 miles which is why it continues to run so sweetly. It’s incredible looking back at old pictures, thinking about the adventures we had in the car, and reaslising that it’s still providing reliable, fun everyday transport for my daughter. What’s more, with the new seat covers I’ve just ordered, I am hoping it will continue to look smart for many years to come. Now I wish I could tell that to my friend who only reckoned I would keep it for ten years!”

What a great story. If you’ve got one like it, let us know….

Ian