Clunkers: To Know Them Is to Love Them

Re “Some ‘Clunkers’ Are Classics,” letters, May 11: I am a proud owner of three classic VWs, but not only because they are classics. A large section of people in California cannot afford to own modern cars, because of cost, maintenance, insurance, etc. I bought my first VW for $300. I did all the work on it myself to get it running and have driven it for almost 100,000 miles in three years. It also gets better gas mileage than most modern cars; I get around 35 miles to the gallon.

This type of “clunker” is what makes transportation available for people like me, those who make too much to qualify for help but don’t make enough to make ends meet. I am all for old clunkers that I can work on myself -- and save money, not only in labor, but in parts, gas and insurance. So, even if I were a millionaire, I would probably drive these cars till the day I die.

Jason Hoppe

Long Beach