A satisfied VW 1500 S user

Sir,

Your re-test of the VW 1500 S was of great interest to myself. I purchased a new 1500 S from Renwicks Garages of Newton Abbot, Devon, in February 1964 and my mileage to date is just over 30,000. I have nothing but the highest regard for the car. Apart from the normal servicing, my total repairs have been one headlamp bulb, four new tyres and front brakes relined at 22,500 miles. Mr. Shepherd of Messrs. Renwicks has always been most helpful and obliging, and their standard of work is always of the very highest.

I entirely agree with your observations that too much was probably expected of the normal 1500 S after the performance of the “hot” 1500 S in the R.A.C. Rally of 1963. However, I cannot understand the poor m.p.g. in your test car, as on my own car during a Continental tour last summer, with four passengers and luggage, I returned an average m.p.g. for 3,000 miles of 18.7 and I am regularly getting 40 m.p.g. in my day-to-day motoring; oil consumption is nil.

Enough has been written about the excellent finish to need any further comment, adverse criticisms yes: I do not like the “dead” feel of the clutch, and the car is badly affected by crosswinds. At the tyre change I fitted two Cinturato covers to the rear wheels, and road-holding and cornering have been vastly improved.

To sum up, I would say that the 1500 S has about average performance for its c.c. but by far greater reliability than any car I have owned during my 30 years’ driving, from Bristols to Fiat 600. I am looking forward to my next 3-4,000 miles on the Continent this summer, and another 30,000 trouble-free miles during the next 12 months.

Cullompton. – William A. Burnard

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