Mythbusters test the lumber-hauling prowess of a Jetta

[NewsFeed]

Remember the old saw about German cars being "over-built?" Well, if this doesn't lend it some credence, nothing will.

MythBusters decided to try its hand at debunking the decade-old "Lumber Car" photo. You know you've seen it at least a dozen times by now - the Volkswagen Jetta with the giant stack of plywood and two-by-fours on the roof? So the guys found a Jetta III, bought some 3,000 pounds of building supplies, and... Well, we can't tell you exactly what happens, as that would spoil the ending, but you can clearly see that they at least managed to get the car loaded.

Maybe VW ought to try something like this with its "Great For The Price of Good" Jetta to convince the faithful it is still building them in the German tradition?

Watch the whole four-and-a-half minute "MiniMyth" Continue reading Mythbusters test the lumber-hauling prowess of a Jetta

Mythbusters test the lumber-hauling prowess of a Jetta originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Nov 2011

[chittychittybangbang]

LOL, I too have seen that picture of the Jetta with a stack of plywood on the roof. It's a real picture and not staged. Here is more from snopes: http://www.snopes.com/photos/automobiles/lumber.asp

[chudzikb]

That is simply fantastic! Never underestimate the stupidity of people and cars.

[Keith_J]

And to think it would have pulled that load in a trailer without damage...

I've pulled a trailer that had 18 sheets of 10 x 4 Hardie Panel (90 pounds each) with my 2000 Jetta. Sure, I felt the load. But with full control.

[eatpasta]

Im astonished that they actually were able to recreate that and the car holds up.....



of course.... still nothing compared to stuff you seen in Vietnam....