Best VW owners clubs in the UK

Volkswagen has enjoyed the best of times of late. The German manufacturer has famously been involved in an emissions scandal which dates back to 2008 has so far cost the company €30bn (£25bn) – and it’s rising. But VW still has a strong fanbase – especially among classic car owners.

VW has made some of the best cars (and vans) we’ve ever seen. The Volkswagen Golf continues to be one of the most popular classics we insure here at Lancaster Insurance. It has gone on to become the most successful car in Europe – succeeding the incredibly popular VW Beetle, no less.

Then you have the VW Polo, the VW Transporter, the VW Scirocco… all classics in their own right. And the list could go one. So, while VW rightly has its critics these days, there’s no denying it has produced some incredible cars. And we’ve insured all of them – check out why so many VW owners trust us when it comes to classic car insurance.

VW owners are some of the most passionate classic car enthusiasts, as testified by the many VW owners’ clubs all over the UK. We’ve rounded up some of the best VW owners’ clubs in the UK – so if you’re a VW owner, you should be able to find a club that aligns with your ownership.

Volkswagen Type 2 Owners Club

The VW Type 2 – more commonly known as the Transporter – is an iconic vehicle. Last year (2020) marked its 70^th anniversary, becoming one of the most converted vans in the world. Converting a VW Transporter can be huge fun.

If you’re hooked on this popular classic, you might want to sign up with the Volkswagen Type Two Owners Club – ‘The VW club for all Type Twos!’.

Born out of the British Volkswagen Festival of 1991, it filled a void for owners of a Transporter with a single pane window (T2). There was already a club for owners of split-screen vans (T1), and the sheer number of owners of a T2 van meant it was only a matter of time before an all-encompassing club was started.

The newly-founded club embraced all models of Type Two (T1, T2, T25, Vanagon, T3, T4, T5 and T6) making it a natural home for all VW transporters.

The club aims to support owners of all Transporters based on the Type 2 Volkswagen van chassis, helping them to get the best of their vans. It does this by offering technical advice to owners; negotiating discounts with useful retailers to save owners money; organising fun camps and get-togethers for members; and publishing a club magazine where you might even get your own van mentioned!

As well as being an incredible knowledge base for VW Transporter owners, members also get discounted entry to some of the major VW shows.

VW Cabriolet Owners Club

You might not think VWs would make for natural cabriolets – but you only have to look at the Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet to have those preconceptions dispelled.

Many classic car enthusiasts have fallen in love with VW cabriolets – and they can share these passions as part of the VW Cabriolet Owners Club.

Formed in 1978, the club quickly grew its membership and by 1980 had arranged its first international meeting which saw VW ‘cabrio’ owners from Holland, Sweden and Germany in attendance.

Fast forward to today and the club has more than 400 members, who enjoy a raft of benefits for the price of their membership including technical help when they run into restoration issues, special discounted rates with main parts suppliers including replacement hoods, free classifieds and wedding/car hire advertising and an annual full colour club magazine. They can also tell you where to get a birth certificate (Vehicle Identity Certificate) for your cabriolet.

But membership is about more than just the benefits. Members often meet in the evenings for a drink and a bite to eat at a local pub. The international reach of the club has been retained via an alliance with similar clubs in Belgium, Holland & Switzerland. Each year there is an international meeting in one of the four countries, as well as an annual pilgrimage to either Wolfsburg or Osnabrück in Germany.

VW Corrado Club of Great Britain

The successor to the Scirocco, the Volkswagen Corrado – once fitted with the VR6 engine in 1992 – was a car that some people believed was so good it could have worn a Porsche badge. However, for whatever reason, it didn’t sell all that well – although it did build something of a cult following.

According to Corrado World, it was “the fastest Volkswagen ever made” and “certainly the all- around best car ever to be produced by VW”.

Members of the VW Corrado Club of Great Britain will certainly agree with this statement. Formed in 1996, the club started its life as the 'Corrado Register'. Its principal aim was to catalogue details of as many UK Corrados (and their owners) as possible – no mean feat with 9,000 of the cars in circulation!

However, it wasn’t long until the register became a full-blown club. The first club meeting saw 22 Corrados and their owners in attendance – complete with motoring press ready to document the day.

It hasn’t looked back since. The club now offers a whole suite of benefits to its members for the price of an annual membership, including discounted parts, reduced servicing costs, and a copy of bi-annual club magazine called 'The Sprinter'.

Perhaps the most valuable benefit, however, is the Tech Know service where Corrado experts are on hand to answer any tricky questions you might have about your classic.

What’s more, you don’t need to own a Corrado to become a member – a passion for the car is assumed upon joining the club!

Cornwall Volkswagen Owners Club

Cornwall is a lovely part of the world. And a great place to be the owner of a classic VW. Founded in the late 1960s by a group of VW enthusiasts, the Cornwall Volkswagen Owners Club had a decent run of 10 years, before being disbanded during the 1970s – only to be revived again in the early 1980s.

Since then, the club has been going from strength to strength, with membership remaining steady around the 200 mark. Its membership numbers are boosted by the fact it embraces all types of Volkswagen rather than just a single VW model.

This inclusive club is also an active one, too. It puts on a wide range of social events throughout the year, with the aim of having at least one meet-up each month. These events include a diverse range of activities including camping weekends, quiz nights, ten-pin bowling and more. It also hosts a Christmas Party for owners and their families, just to underline how welcoming it is.

It epitomises what an owners’ club is all about. In addition to the slew of events on offer, members enjoy certain discounts and as well as free ‘wanted’ and ‘for sale’ adverts.

When you join, you might want to send in a photo and some information about your car to feature on the club’s website – give it the platform and exposure it deserves!

London & Thames Valley VW Club

Run by a team of volunteers – like so many clubs – the London & Thames Valley VW Club invites anyone with an interest in VWs to join. The aim of the club is an earnest one: to increase owners’ enjoyment of the whole VW scene with its family ethos.

And it’s doing a great job. Formed way back in 1968, it claims to be one of the largest VW clubs in the UK, with hundreds of members from all over London and the south east.

Its membership is growing, too, thanks to an offering which includes discounts with many VW suppliers and garages, plus a free magazine subscription. The club also organises regular meets-ups and trips to help members bond and pool their knowledge.

New Lancs VW Club

The vibe of the New Lancs VW Club is a relaxed one, meaning members feel comfortable socialising, sharing advice and making friends. Club meetings are frequent affairs, while members also regularly get together at VW shows and local classic car shows, while the club organises its own events.

The majority of the members come from Lancashire, but the club also attracts VW owners from Merseyside, Manchester, Cumbria, Cheshire and Scotland. It’s a testament to just how welcoming the club is, with anyone who is interested in joining urged to just come along to one of the meet-ups – you don’t even have to be a VW owner!

Historic Volkswagen Club

The Historic Volkswagen Club was created in 1974 by a group of enthusiasts, including the club’s current President, who bonded over VW Type 1s.

The club may have grown and evolved over time – but it has stuck to specialising in Type 1 models built prior to the end of European Production in 1979. Members can expect advice on the restoration, maintenance and preservation of these vehicles.

The quality of the advice – and the fact it is the only club to cater exclusively for early Volkswagens in Britain – means that the Historic Volkswagen Club attracts members from all over the UK, most parts of the UK and even some from overseas.

The club actively tries to encourage an interest in re-1979 Volkswagens, providing owners with all the advice they need to preserve, restore and exhibit their vehicles. With so much expert knowledge held within the club, it is able to provide confirmation of vehicle age of VW vehicles for UK registration purposes.

It also runs a shop stocking some exclusive VW merchandise, as well as obscure items required to keep air-cooled VWs on the road. It really is the one-stop shop for anything VW Type 1.

Inspired to buy a VW?

With so many great VW clubs in the UK, being a VW owner can be a lot of fun. If you’ve been inspired to go out and get your hands on a classic VW, here’s what you need to know about three absolute classics: Golf Mk1, VW Transporter and the VW Beetle:

Golf Mk1

Reliable, reasonably quick, with solid handling and a timeless look, the Golf GTI MK1 is a great choice for people looking for an everyday classic. Just make sure you get one in good nick as they’re getting on a bit now!

VW Transporter

Depending on the age and condition of the base vehicle, restoring a Transporter can be a labour of love, taking up lots of your time and money. So, make sure you have both in abundance!

VW Beetle

One of the best-selling cars of all time, the Type 1 (Beetle) was in production for more than 80 years. The rarest and most desirable are the early models with split rear windows – but parts for these can be hard to find! Better sign up to one of the clubs above!

Protect your investment with classic car insurance

If you do become a VW owner – or are already one – make sure you come to the specialists at Lancaster for a classic car insurance quote before you go anywhere else.

Did you know that Lancaster Insurance is the broker of choice for owners of 96,000 classic and retro vehicles in the UK?

Like you, the team at Lancaster is passionate about classic motors and we want to help preserve them for the future.

Benefits of classic car insurance through us can include:

• Up to 25% classic car club member discounts
• Salvage retention
• 90 days EU cover
• Static show cover
• Cover for historic rallies
• Limited mileage discounts

One of the best things about being a member of a classic car club is getting out and about to the various shows around the country where you can really show off your classic with pride! Fingers crossed that the 2021 Classic Motor Show at the NEC can go ahead – we’d love to see you there.

We enjoy chatting about classic cars, restorations and maintenance and can even arrange a two-year agreed valuation if you’re not sure how much your classic is worth.

Get a quote for classic car insurance today.

Policy benefits, features and discounts offered may very between insurance schemes or cover selected and are subject to underwriting criteria. Information contained within this article is accurate at the time of publishing but may be subject to change.