Why buying Wartburgs and Trabants makes sense today.

1. They were made up until around 1990, so there's still plenty available although they
are more scarce every year.

2. They're remarkably cheap as far as classic car values go. A really good Trabant that
needs no work can be had for around £1000, or 1250 euros with 12 mths test.
Wartburg 353's in the same condition are a little dearer, but £1500 or 1800 euros will get
you a really good one.
Tatty cars with mot can be had for 500/600 pounds and euros, so easy to buy.

There were approximately 3 million Trabants made and about 1 million Wartburg 353's.
Trabants are easier to sell on and currently have more of a following
but the Wartburg will fetch more money when you find
the right buyer.
They'll also appreciate more in time as they're that little bit rarer than the Trabant.
The 353 will become more sought after in time, as they become rarer.
Even older cars, 30+ years can be bought very cheaply( if more expensive) compared
to Dkw's and Saabs of the same era and they're really very similar underneath, so
these cars represent great value at the moment which will change one day.

3. Wartburgs and Trabants are the closest thing to modern day Dkw's, yet sell for a pittance
compared to Dkw's.
If you want one for regular use get a late 80's or 1990 example, they still use the original
 Dkw technology albeit they may also have electronic ignition fitted,
which makes them more reliable and better suited to regular driving than the old points systems.
Their rugged simplicity added to the electronic ignition and an electric fuel pump( 353) gives
them a reliability that matches modern cars.



4. Later cars used a fuel mixing ratio of up to 50:1, petrol to 2 stroke oil.
(although personally I would prefer 40:1) and need very little maintenance.
Older cars need their lubrication points greased more regularly and require
generally more maintenance.

5. Later cars had the most advanced ( if that's the right word when discussing archaic
2 stroke engines) engines and are more fuel efficient, at least in the case of the Trabant.
The Trabants from the mid 80's had a different carburettor fitted than previous ones that
gives slightly less acceleration but more mpg.
The Trabant Kombi I had returned over 50 mpg.
The 353's I had were harder, the saloon returned an average mpg of about 35 and the
Tourist estate only about 28-30.
The 311 remarkably returns more mpg than the 353 and will return 40 mpg on a journey.

6. I believe these cars if maintained will rapidly accumulate in value over time as their
uniqueness also increases.

7. You find many Trabants and to a lesser extent, Wartburgs popping up on Ebay regularly.
Some of these cars will have been driven from Eastern Europe to the Uk and not registered.
Tread carefully, but if you do , you can often get good cars and save the expense of going to
Places like Poland, Bulgaria and Hungary yourself.
The poorer countries of Eastern Europe as afore mentioned usually are the best places
to buy as the cars will have been used as regular transport and are not viewed as classics.
Poland and Bulgaria in particular I've noticed some cracking cars at really low prices.
Germany too has many fine examples for sale but prices there have got a lot higher in
recent years and will be double what can be had elsewhere in Europe.
of course, going to these countries and driving a car back or having one shipped
 incurs much expense, plus insurance etc, so has to be budgeted for and factored into
the overall expenditure.

The Wartburg/Trabant IFA club also often has cars for sale through club members, often
at good prices. I would recommend this option as a starting point if looking to buy as most
members are enthusiasts and tend to keep their cars better than non-enthusiasts.
Cars often appear through the club at very low prices.
The reverse is also true though, the club is not a good place to sell your car unless it's
cheap.

8. They're surprisingly decent transport if you get a good one that are cheap to run and
maintain. If you want a car just to take to shows, then you will pay more for an older car
in good condition but will also get free road tax and classic car insurance if old enough.

9. Their simpicity is understated and in itself makes these cars extremely robust and hard
to kill. All parts are available from Uk or certainly Germany including new pistons and new
crankcases, so even if you buy a non-runner that needs work, it's a lot more doable than
many other classic cars.

Points to watch for.

1. Most of the body panels on the Trabant are made from duroplast so do not rust.
Underneath these panels though is steel underpinnings, basically a steel body shell
which of course can and does rust. Along the bulkhead/firewall in Trabants, particularly
under the battery tray are common rust traps.
The door sills often also rust badly.
The floor can also rust badly and moisture often seems to gather and sit in the front
footwells in some cars.
Remember, anywhere underneath those duroplast panels can rust. If you notice
rust anywhere where the duroplast and steel meet, you can be sure there's more under
the surface. That said, Trabants and Wartburgs are pretty good compared to most other
cars of the same vintage as regards their tendency to rust.

2. The Wartburg has a separate box frame chassis, is not a monocoque like the Trabant so
the chassis can be replaced if necessary. However, this rarely is necessary as rustproofing
was carried out in the factory when made and they're remarkably sturdy and solid by nature
anyway. The front wings on the 353 are prone to rusting, but skins can be got from Germany.
Of course, the Wartburg is a steel car, no duroplast excepting the rear tailgate on some
Tourist models so it can rust anywhere. The above mentioned are the most common I've noticed.
The steel used in the Wartburgs is a much heavier quality generally than that used in the
Trabant and resists rust better. Remember these are generalisations, cars differ!