Used Wartburg 353 for Sale near Worcester, MA

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4.0 Overall rating

(2 reviews)

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James B

4.0

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).

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Simon C

5.0

Reviewed a 1984 Wartburg 353 on Jan 30, 2012

With its 3 cylinder 2 stroke engine giving the equivalent power to that of a 6 cylinder 1.8 4 stroke engine acceleration is very good. All panels are bolted on and the car has a separate chassis for ease of maintenance. The engine only has 7 moving parts so is very reliable and you never have to mess around changing engine oil and filters. Designed and went into production in 1966 and was front wheel drive looks are really cool with plenty of chrome. Interior room is great with flat floors give plenty of legroom. Column gear change and freewheel on all gears make driving 2 strokes a total pleasure. Fuel consumption when driven steady ie cruising at 60 mph is around 40 mpg but drive it hard and 2 strokes do love to be thrashed and mpg drops to around 28.

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