As you may already know, Beetles and Kombis are air cooled vehicles and were designed for the colder climates of Germany and Europe. Because of this, overheating is a common problem, when driving these vehicles in Australia, particularly the hotter Northern Areas such as Cairns or Darwin. By adhering to the below rules and by driving sensibly and in a manner suitable to the weather and road conditions, it is unlikely you will have any problems

• Maximum speed of 90km/h - Cruising speed of 80-90km/h
• Do not drive for excessive periods of time without stopping to let the vehicle cool
• Stop every 2 hours for at least 45 minutes to let the vehicle cool. When stopping, open the back door of the motor
• not exceed 200km of driving per day
• If it is a hot day 30C+ do not drive in the heat of the day between 10am and 3pm. only drive in the morning to 10am and in the afternoon from 3pm
• Do not load up the vehicle with excessive weight
• avoid driving in stop start traffic.
• When travelling up hills, let the Kombi pull itself up, do not push it. Put it back to 2nd gear at about 60km/h if an automatic or third gear at 70km/h if a manual
• Use the correct oil – Shell or Valvoline Synthetic 20w/50. Any thicker oil (>15/50) may cause the engine to overheat. Oil is the life blood of a Kombi it is ESSENTIAL to only use the correct and quality oil
• Check the oil every time you stop and top up if necessary.
• At any sign of overheating including loss of power, or any other problems such as unusual noises IMMEDIATELY stop, report this to Righteous Kombis and let the engine cool for at least an hour. If the engine is not back to normal do not drive the vehicle. Follow the instructions included in the glove box for breakdowns.

The above provide a good description for maintaining the longevity of the vehicle but is by no means a limitation. As well as these rules, drivers should use their common sense for driving a 30+ year old air cooled vehicle.

Please feel free to add any comments on further pointers for driving an air cooled VW