Welcome to STATUS VW PARTS for VW Beetle parts, VW Camper Van Parts and all the VW Air-cooled models.
Since 1998, we have become established as one of the leading names in the air-cooled VW scene. Now we have become part of the VEWIB group - the global brand that meets or exceeds original VW quality. With VEWIB's backing, we have secured our place as one of the best VW parts suppliers in Europe
Our reputation for supplying the very best quality VW beetle parts is second to none. Our range of standard original VW parts covers the whole VW Beetle models and all the other air-cooled models. We can now also offer a huge range of performance, tuning, styling and custom parts - just check out our ever-increasing range in our on-line shop.
Do you know anyone who knows about VW Beetles?
Even if not, you probably know someone who knows someone who does. The Volkswagen Beetle has the status of a modern icon – indeed, in Germany, it is something of a national institution. And this is both a blessing and a curse.
It has always been the case, and still applies today: when it comes to the VW Beetle, everyone considers themselves an expert – often for the sole reason that their aunt’s brother-in-law used to drive a bug, or perhaps their best friend’s parents owned one and they have fond memories of hitching a lift in the space behind the back seat. Nostalgia, hearsay and a more or less well-founded half-knowledge merge to form a general “VW expertise”, which, in terms of its validity, is about as historically accurate as the common myth that Hitler “built the motorway”. Hardly any other car has as much nonsense talked about it as the Beetle. Wild exaggerations regarding its alleged indestructibility are as widespread as are incriminations about its technical shortcomings – which often are merely down to the fact that, even if deprived of any form of care or maintenance, the Beetle just keeps on going, huffing and puffing, for another 100,000 kilometres, when every other car would have long given up its ghost.
“With a Volkswagen everything is always the same”, used to be the common wisdom amongst car mechanics well into the 1980s. Indeed, many still think this even today. The reason for this is that the VW Beetle was the only car that did not bring out a completely new model with radically altered appearance every few years. Instead, a continuous evolution took place in its details. A permanent development in the minutiae of the vehicle, leading to an inextricable maze of minor changes in parts and spares. This was Heinrich Nordhoff’s development policy (which, by the way, was highly controversial at the time) – an approach that remains unique in the history of the automobile.
No layperson or interested hobbyist can possibly keep track of all these thousands of detailed changes – not helped by the fact that the car’s appearance hardly changed at all. However, this exactly was the Nordhoff principle, and this is now the cause of some confusion.
It starts with the Volkswagen terminology. Even a straightforward question, such as “which model are we talking about?”, can already lead to confusion. What exactly is meant by “Export Model”, “1300” or “Standard”? Why can you be almost certain that, when someone talks about a “1300 Cabriolet”, they rarely mean what the term, strictly speaking, refers to (namely the 1966 Cabriolet model only). And how many people know what “1303A” stands for? (It is an economy version of the 1303 model, with a 1200cc engine and minimal trim). Let’s not even mention the 1200S....
Also, why is it that some easily refuted technical “facts” are so stubbornly maintained? Such as, for example, the persistent myth that “a steering wheel shimmy is caused by a faulty steering damper”. (The reverse is true: if the steering wheel shakes the damper is likely to get damaged. The cause of the shimmy is something else entirely).
Or: “if the headlights are dim you need to convert to 12 volts”. (About as useful as saying, if your exhaust pipe is broken you need to install a bigger stereo so you can drown out the noise.)
Or, the classic Beetle gripe: “the heating system is poor”. (Anyone who’s ever been lucky enough to drive a properly looked-after, one-owner Beetle knows that, even on a cold winter’s day, it will get cosily warm in there. The problem, as far as the Beetle’s image is concerned, is that it keeps going for another 50 years even if its heating system is broken, whereas, on most other cars, if the heating system breaks the head gasket tends to blow and the car no longer goes anywhere at all.
So, as you can see, it’s one of those things with the “VW expertise”. It all looks very simple, and you may even be able to accumulate some basic knowledge quite quickly, but real mastery of the subject takes a very long time. In Germany, there are only about thirty known experts who have acquired that level of comprehensive and detailed Beetle knowledge (plus a handful of real specialists with expertise in a particular model, such as KdF-Wagen, Barndoor bus, Ghias or Schwimmwagen).
Some of these experts are the people behind STATUS VW & VEWIB, who have been working with Beetles for several decades, having turned their hobby into a profession. Our particular interest has always been the parts and spares market and its history.
When have which parts been installed in the Beetle?
Where did the parts come from?
Which suppliers were producing what, when and at what capacity for the Volkswagen works?
Where did the production facilities relocate to, and to what extent could they be resurrected today?
These are the kinds of questions we ask every day – and some of them we have been able to answer. Many of the original Beetle parts that are now available again on the spares market are so thanks to our initiative. Driving out low-quality reproduced parts and cheap copies from China, Brazil or India by offering newly released originals has always been one of our objectives.
A highly motivated team of colleagues throughout STATUS VW and VEWIB are responsible for the business side of things, storage, distribution, IT and administration, thereby creating the solid commercial base to transform the abstract wealth of our expertise into a tangible and marketable products.
Now you too can benefit from this unbeatable combination of serious boffin knowledge and sound business skills. STATUS VW VEWIB unites the two. We are able to offer you something that, economists are telling us, cannot exist: a genuine niche product, a top-quality antique coupled with optimum availability, expert knowledge and worldwide distribution – and all this at an affordable price.
Please take a look at our secure on-line shop, all our regular stock items are listed here - happy shopping! We send parcels all over the world fully insured and accept payment by all major credit and debit cards. You will find a list of all the shows we visit on the site as well, please pop in to our stand at the shows and say hi! Links to other air-cooled VW sites can be found as well.
We are dedicated to supplying the very best in quality VW Beetle parts, at affordable prices - no compromise. We look forward to helping you with the restoration, maintenance and enjoyment of your Volkswagen air-cooled pride and joy! We hope that you will find everything you need for your Cars, Beetles or VW camper vans right here. Please don't hesitate to contact us with any questions or comments you have.
Best VW regards,
The STATUS VEWIB Team
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