European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 27, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse The Beetle buffs and then there was the Beetle aficionado who clothed it in striped by Linda Amster new York times Are Alfa Romeo Mercedes Ferrari but Beetle boosters take a backseat to no one in enthusiasm for their Winnie for has 10 Vintage Volte wagons in various stages of repair on her front Lawn in Dale another keeps five Volkswagen on his Lawn in Volkswagen dont need he that for Sissy cars a a West with the National Bureau of bought his first Beetle in you didst have to steer the Early he they just fell their Way around the teeters and Hoppe Are among the americans who bought a total of five million Volkswagen since the cars were first marketed in the country in beetles Are still sold in the United but their sales have dropped from in 1974 to in 1975 and last year in part because of vows introduction of the less expensive and larger about beetles Are shipped to dealers in the United states each Why the Beetle becomes a beloved object to Many of its owners is not but a spot Check of owners around the country suggested that the whole somehow becomes More than the sum of its a pharmacologist with the environmental Protection acquired her Beetle Fleet gradual beetles have she its a car you can really relate the 51yearold grandmother at tended night classes in Auto mechanics and has rebuilt three Beetle she had two 25horsepowcr engine blocks shipped from Louisiana for her 1952 the Pride of her there called split window models because the rear window is in two she they Are considered the classic the Paul Desjardins have the next generation of the one with the Oval rear at their Home in its been in their and in running Ever since it was bought in ours was the first Volkswagen Desjar dins we bought it because wed had a and we wanted a Tough two rebuilt engines and More than Miles the Blu Egray Beetle is still getting 35 Miles per gallon on the open its such an intelligent car in goal and Desjardins the front an 8foot and every Lalni we used to take eve 10 sheep or 800 pounds of o tra ordinarily their 19year of venerable to to Many who see theres no Gas and i have sandbags from says u the whole thing lot Gether at the last they can buy in re never when i was my Parer the Hospital in it even the most ardent to Are hazards in driving the ugh you might As Well say y you get hit in a Headon a Melvin Schofield of the the Episcopalian p 000 Miles on his White 1966 b u seems to get better some like George contend that their b with another i Kaye said who u Beetle away and the Cadilla runs Fine a few other Beetle owners have n the car was totalled when through said Peter 2eb doctor in the emergency Roon my face said they Call the to evidently i want the first o a True Beetle j Beetle with the insurance the its a 186 equipped with a rear Spacal a Hole in the my Mother and father a he but i prefer me and Ive treated u v other Beetle owners speak of wheels by Jehru Flint new York times Foh too the people have been holding off it has to he a Good says a Lerv who Sells Toyota cars in Cam it looks As if he is right imported car sales Are on the Way for the following reasons the importers Are throwing sleek new models at americans gone Are the Days when an import looked like a Box with rubber Mals on the floor today there Are even sporty dolled up with akm Bright paint and body and new larger though still lines mileage is climbing As the English and French arc Fine tuning their engines for import dealers have picked up thai Fine old de troit custom of discounting the Competition is fierce among the top Sellers Volkswagen and Honda and those that Are trying to wove up such As Mazda and Ken weve got a Sale said one Toyota dealer a of works and were kno Ramg 5 per cent off every list a Dat Sun dealer said that he would Knock hundreds of dollars off the Price of the More expensive models and even off the lowest Pru models i or tue lie would throw in a radio and of that Doest mean imports Are a Bright Green two door Volkswagen Rabbit stands in a dealer the top line on the Price Slicker reads but with for for Leatherette for the comforts error Mance package Stool belted carpeting and the like for afm radio and sales the Price pushed to theres not much coming out of Detroit to match the imports yet in the minibar general motors builds the Chevrolet a solid Little car but without the Pep Zero to 60 Miles per hour in 12 of Coral of the Rabbit or the styling and slicked up interiors of the japanese some imports Are that Sec u a said Alan who Sells the Mercedes Benz in n wipe your a sign on the showroom door u you wanted to pay you would still have to lie noting that he will have Only four of the sporty coupes to sell for the rest of the year luxury cars Arent the Only ones that can be hard to hondas new Accord of the Best we have according to consumer reports is in Short some Honda dealers Are jacking up transportation and dealer preparation and adding options such As roof Racks to make More Money from a Tan they Call it Gold Honda Accord slant Back with five Speed afm and electronic warning lights lists at but or dealer prep and transportation plus sales tax pushes it to 45 plus or almost says a sales and theres no discount on this hot seller anyone Hunting for a new import this Spring should remember two facts of life those foreign cars arc no longer the Little Low priced bargains they once the ads displaying or prices usually refer to stripped unappealing and not too popular if they Are even with the trim the carpet Tow radial the and the transport Pogo 14 the stars and stripes dealer prep at May be about after a dont expect l Era government Stead of those approach 50 nov lower City Mac two Miles a Gall that a 29 cily probably anyone much i pointed with the a stripped Toyota but that bar Bones May not excite mat popular Dat Sun b2 radio or other gear add the sales tax t count and its still not quite Bare about mileage int All the foreigner their Boom and dont have the the formula the latest entry like a Little carnal Peter with steel Del is now they Are scan Las Mustang like o factory but no air condition Wagen Sil a european is has lots m age advantage Over imports made manufacturers a a
