As a stock 71 SB.....it sucked is all I can say. Dang auto stick but was faster than the 4 speed bugs until 80 and easy to make a 'power shift' lol. MPG? That just wasn't there probably because of trying to keep up with traffic? Making a curve on a slick road.....better off riding a bicycle at speed. Valves staying adjusted....that didn't happen. Would rather have had a 71 /6 Valiant over that thing any day. Was it a lemon? May be but my Mopars took all of my abuse and kept on ticking and I didn't give that Bug abuse like I did my Mopars. Once the Bug showed me it didn't like my driving style, I adjusted for that and even then, it still didn't like me. Winter times in the Houston area weren't all that bad but that bug hated cold weather and once it was running and warmed up....still not much heat came into the cabin. Hey, you can have em lol