James B

Reviewed a 1971 Wartburg 353 on Jan 29, 2012

IF (and it's a big if) you want to drive a classic for working purpose (hauling Trabant engines, tools, equipment, furniture, dead dissidents etc) then a Wartburg might be a good choice. Personally... I don't have a love affair with them, but I would be happy to own and drive one on a daily basis. Performance is better than many would anticipate from a 1000 cc 2-stroke. It'll hold a steady 80 (that's MPH too, not Kph) they corner heroically, these cars used to win world class rally championships... To get brilliant performance out of a Warty... Give it a hard time and don't be shy with the gas. Build quality ? Ok.... Moving swiftly on. Appearance, you love it or hate it, retro fans are hot on them, they have a certain something. Cost... If you understand the basic principles of spanner ownership, then it's as cheap as chips. Parts are readily available, as is help and advice from other owners. Fun.... Plenty if you are the sort who can have a laugh. 2-strokes. Before you think about buying a Wartburg... You MUST have a good understanding of how 2-strokes work. (there ARE 1.3 4 stroke Wartburgs... We shall not speak of them here).