My parents found my 1972 Beetle for me in 1987, the summer I turned 16. I successfully convinced them an aircooled VW was a reasonable choice for a first car due to comparatively cheap and readily available parts, decent fuel economy, affordable insurance, and the robust network of mechanics and shade tree mechanics.

Over the years, it has served as a daily driver for about 10 years and as a back-up or fair weather car for the remaining years. Despite this, I have never been afraid to take it out in snow, as seen in these photos. The blue wheels were in 1980s and the other snow pic is more recent.

The car has had 200,000 miles put on it and until recently had the original carb and distributor. The engine was rebuilt 2x and replaced in the 1990s. The transmission was replaced and rebuilt as well. The car has had at least two repaints in a close-matching white as the original color. I continue to replace, upgrade, or change things as I see fit, such as adding a Bluetooth stereo to keep up with the times. Future projects include replacing interior seats, door panels, and updated carpeting.