Today’s Nice Price or No Dice VW Thing is like a Cars 101 class—a basic introduction to the motor vehicle and nothing more. Let’s see if we can all make an educated guess about what it might reasonably be worth.
I have to say, I was a bit surprised at the voting outcome on yesterday’s 1994 Jaguar XJS convertible. These cars have found a footing in the collector market and, as such, have seen a steady rise in value. In addition, because of the unique nature of our car, which has a rare factory manual (one of 99, so claimed by the seller), it seemed the seller’s $16,900 ask should be within reach. Most of you disagreed, however, drubbing the big cat in a 72 percent No Dice loss.
When new, yesterday’s Jag strove to be the height of luxury comportment and a symbol of wealth and attainment. Today’s 1974 Volkswagen 181 ‘Thing,’ on the other hand, proffered none of those aspirations in its initial mission.
First developed as a military vehicle, VW decided to bring the 181 to America in civilian form with the hopes of it profiting from the off-roading craze created by aftermarket dune buggies and Baja Bugs that employed the company’s older Beetle products. Like those cars, the 181 was unabashedly plain Jane.
Cheekily designated the ‘Thing’ in the U.S. by VW’s marketers, the 181 was made from a hodgepodge of parts, utilizing drivetrain components from the Beetle and Bus and the platform from the Karmann Ghia. Atop that is an open four-door, five-seater body with all the style and class of an industrial washing machine.
For all their bare-bones simplicity and tenuous safety, they are endlessly endearing and charming. However, that charm couldn’t sustain the Thing here in the U.S., as safety advocate Ralph Nader singled out the model for its shortcomings. That led to the U.S. government in 1975 reclassifying it as a car instead of a truck, which caused VW to pull the model from the market following the determination that it couldn’t reasonably meet the stricter safety standards that entailed.
According to the seller, this one isn’t originally from the U.S. but instead was once used for public service by the Mexican government. That means it was likely built not in Germany but in VW’s Puebla plant in Mexico. Since its public service days, this Thing has seen a significant restoration, with the ad noting new paint, wiring, and body rubber, with the result giving the car an overall tidy appearance.
It’s also said to be mechanically sound, its 1.6 pancake four having received a recent valve adjustment and tune-up. Other plusses include new brakes and tires plus a pair of comfy-looking front seats. There’s also a new top, although that’s not shown in the ad. The side curtains are shown in the froot shot, but they don’t look all that hot. Also questionable are the headlight eyelids that make the car appear like it’s being constantly admonished. Then there’s the fact that many of the photos in the ad look like they have been taken during the car’s restoration, so we don’t exactly see the car as a whole.
Despite that, we get the seller’s reassurance that the car is in “excellent” condition and sports a modest 64,000 miles on the clock. Its working days in Mexico now far behind, this 181 maintains a clean title and current Arizona registration. Oddly enough, it’s offered in the Reno, Nevada Craigslist and is listed as being in the Sierra Nevada town of Portola, California.
Now, before we get to the price, we should note that the market for VW Things, like that for Transporters and Busses, has been hot for some time. Their basic nature might lead one to believe that these are four-figure cars day in and day out, but like it or not, that hasn’t been the case for years. At $12,000, this 181’s price is at the low end for even today’s deflated market. That’s not, however, to say it’s a deal.
What do you think? Is $12,000 a fair price tag for this 181? Or does that price warn us to leave this Thing alone?
You decide!
Reno, Nevada, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
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