Clapped out

we have all seen with enough determination, hippie types can get a clapped out 1999 VW Golf as far down those forestry service roads as any Telluride driver will.


Here, what do you mean by “get”?
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In this context, "get" refers to the ability to drive or maneuver a vehicle down a certain path or terrain, such as forestry service roads. So, when the speaker says, "hippie types can get a clapped out 1999 VW Golf as far down those forestry service roads as any Telluride driver will," they mean that with enough determination, these individuals could drive their old VW Golf cars as competently or successfully on these challenging roads as someone driving a much newer or more off-road suited car like a Telluride. The idea is that both drivers may reach the same distance down the road, despite the differences in their vehicles.
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I never knew that “to get” means “ to drive”.
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"Get" is a very versatile English verb, and it can indeed be used to refer to successfully maneuvering a vehicle to a certain place. In this context, "get a car down a road" is somewhat idiomatic and informal, meaning to successfully drive or maneuver the vehicle along that road. This use of "get" is found in various expressions related to transportation like "get home," "get to work," "get around town," etc. However, it's important to remember that "get" has many other meanings depending on the context, and it doesn't always mean "to drive".
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“clapped out” means “worn out”?
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Yes, the term "clapped out" is a British slang phrase that describes something (usually a machine, vehicle, or piece of equipment) that is old and no longer functions well due to extensive use or wear. So in this context, a "clapped out 1999 VW Golf" refers to an old and likely heavily used or poorly maintained car. Hence, your interpretation is correct: "clapped out" can be thought of as equivalent to "worn out" in this usage.
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I see. “clapped out” and “get a car down the road” have easy words in them. But they create new meaning, way different from the individual meaning of each words they are comprised of. For example, “clapped out” has nothing to do with “to applaud “ That is why you can’t understand seemingly easy English expressions, I guess.
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You're absolutely correct! Your observation highlights an aspect of language called "idiomatic expressions" or "idioms". These are phrases or expressions that have a meaning different from the literal interpretation of the individual words. An idiom's symbolic meaning is quite different from the literal meaning or definition of the words of which it is made.

For example, "clapped out", while individually the words could refer to applause or the act of clapping, as an idiom it means something that is old and worn out from use. Similarly, "get a car down the road" doesn't necessarily mean to physically move or push the car along the road, it means to drive or navigate successfully.

Idiomatic expressions can indeed make learning and understanding English (or any language with such expressions, which is most of them) more challenging, because you can't necessarily understand the expression just by knowing what all the words mean. But once you adapt to this aspect of the language, it can also make it more interesting and expressive.
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Do you think that American, Canadians, Australians or people from New Zealand can understand British slang like “clapped out”? Or do you also think Swedish, Singapore, Indian people or any other people that are considered to have good command of English can understand too?
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While English is widely spoken and understood across different countries, its idiomatic expressions and slang, like "clapped out," can be quite regional or country-specific. As such, not all English-speaking people may immediately understand British-specific slang. For example, Americans, Canadians, Australians, or New Zealanders might not be familiar with the term unless they have had significant exposure to British English or specific context.

People from Sweden, Singapore, India, or other countries where English is widely spoken or taught often learn British or American English in school, so they might or might not be familiar with this British slang term, depending on their exposure to this form of English.

However, considering the impact of globalization, the Internet, and the spread of British media worldwide (TV shows, movies, music, literature etc.), the understanding of some British slang terms might be more widespread now than in the past. Plus, for any of these groups, if they encounter a term like "clapped out" that they don't understand, they can likely figure it out from context or look it up fairly easily.