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well I felt that I should add a little story here. what can you expect from a 412.. well alot . I have probably brutalized a 412 varient more than most folks have, add it is what convinced me that it was the best car I had ever owned. I bought a 412 from a fellow 8 years ago, after he had driven it across canada and back. the car was in pretty good shape all in all but had rusty rockers and some rust starting on the fenders. I ended up paying just 430.00 for the car and drove it home. I drove it daily for a couple of months but because of a cracked windshield I could not get it insured permanently, so it became my travel vehicle. I made two trips to the queen charlotte islands in the car, and spent months beating through old logging roads and mud bogs in the rain forests there. The car was able to go places that some of the trucks out there were not, I drove it through washouts big enough to swallow up the entire vehicle. on the last trip I made up north the car was loaded with a 20hp outboard motor in the tfront trunk along with two camping stoves, lanterns tents etc, myself and two passengers, all their gear, and a woodstove and twelve foot aluminum boat on the roof. Believe it or not I ran the car on the highway through the mountains like that for 18 hours straight with no problems, and months after beating it through the bush again made the trip back with no problems. I never lost a drop of oil nore did the oil temperature get above normal. after all that I decided I loved the car so much that I would restore the old girl to the best of my ability. so for the last five years or so I have been slowly bringing her back. she is now almost completed , and when she hits the road again she will be retired from ever beening beat up on again. I thought that maybe this story would give some idea to folks that think this is a delicate old car, that it is in fact a very sound and tough reliable car. so don't do what I did but please if you got em drive em that's what they were meant for. later folks

At this moment I don't own a 411/412, but I felt compelled to put my two cents in. The Type 4 is a very robust vehicle. It can take a lot of beating and still keep going, just like every other ACVW. VW built some nice cars back in the day (they are gaining that quality back, my 2002 Passat is pretty nice).

There are a few reasons why I'd keep from having a 411/412 as my only transportation. The first, and probably the main issue, is that replacement parts can be scarce to none. If you need to get to work and/or class the next day, having to spend time to find a part and bumming a ride isn't good.

Second, nice 411/412s are becoming scarce. Too many of these cars were neglected and abused, so finding a nice is difficult. My plan, someday, is to get a Type 4 and use it as an occasional driver. That way I can enjoy it regularly, but not compromise my professional career.

Just my $0.02.

Tuna