# Volkswagen Beetles: Do they really float?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/volkswagen-beetles-do-they-really-float/7003>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 10, 2000, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/volkswagen-beetles-do-they-really-float/7003 "2000-02-10T19:01:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2000, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/volkswagen-beetles-do-they-really-float/7003/21 "2000-02-11T04:47:00Z")

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Elmer J. Fudd wrote:

> [@](#):
>
> Who needs a coathanger? The old VW bugs were the easiest cars in the world to open without a key. In between the side roll down windows and the windshield are the little pivoted triangular windows we used to call “wind wings”. A rapid, alternating, chopping motion with the heels of each hand on this window would vibrate loose the wind wing’s lock in less than 30 seconds.

Are you kidding? I drove a bug for 12 years. Not only were the wing latches very tight, even if you could have moved them by pounding on the outside you would have needed to turn the car upside down to get them to move in the right direction to unlock them. The only way I ever succeeded in getting in without a key was to open the trunk (which I had fortunately left unlocked) and remove the glovebox from inside.

To get back to the OP, my bug did once “float” across a dip in the road that was full of water. At least enough to keep me from bottoming out.

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