To keep a car running, change its oil every 3000 miles,” says 76-year-old Richard. His advice is nothing new, especially for anybody who owns an old Volkswagen, and he has applied this saying to his 1983 Volkswagen Beetle, which has served him for over 20 years.
Some 20 years ago, Richard got a call from a friend saying that there was a Beetle for sale not too far away from him. He decided to take a look, and the moment he saw the Bug, he instantly fell in love with it.
“It’s pretty hard to explain why I bought it,” he said. “Maybe it was its color, or maybe it was the fact that I could afford it, but I knew that it was something special that I couldn’t just pass up on.”
This is no ordinary Beetle though. Richard’s Beetle is a special Aubergine edition, one of 3,330 built. Part of this car’s charm is that it has never been restored. You won’t find freshly sewn seats or sparkling gauges. Driving this Beetle gives you the authentic experience, complete with arm-wrenching steering, patina paintwork, and a number of other quirks.
Dents or scratches are the last thing on Richard’s mind when he takes his Bug out for a spin, saying “You shouldn’t serve the car, the car should serve you.” He understands that a car is supposed to take the driver where they want, even if it means getting a little tattered along the way.
Richard firmly disagrees with anyone who says that a car is merely a tool to transport them from A to B. While traveling to different car events in Lithuania and around Europe, he doesn’t always have the luxury of staying in hotels.
“Spending a night in my Bug won’t kill me,” he says candidly. “I put a roof rack with a small tent on top of it and it becomes my best friend when I’m on the road – there’s no need for a Kombi when you’ve got a Beetle!”
Would he sell it, though?
“Well, there’s no possession that I wouldn’t sell,” he concludes with a big laugh and a smile. “That said, it would definitely have to be a price that’s so out of this world that only a crazy person would buy this old Bug of mine!”
With no real plans of finding a new home for his beloved Bug, Richard continues to use it as his daily driver in the warmer months of the year. Loved and well maintained this very special Beetle will continue to serve its owner for the remainder of their lives together, and accompany him to countless trips and events around Europe whilst clocking up thousands more kilometers.
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