New Beetle 1998-2011?

[Steve Carlton]

I have a friend who wants to get one of these in a coupe with an automatic transmission. Is this a horrible idea or are there some decent ones to consider? I can get an extended warranty for it for a decent price, so 5 years could be relatively pain-free. Any feedback would be appreciated!

[porsche4life]

They can have some gremlins, or at least my parents tdi did. a CEL that no mechanic could make go away. Oh and changing headlights is nearly impossible.

Great driving cars though, surprising amount of room in the front seats.

[yetibone]

Don't buy the extended warranty, because it will only cover a percentage of certain repairs, and the companies that issue them are VERY hard to work with. You will never get your dollar's worth out of what you pay for it, in the long run.

The car itself is Ok, but they have build quality issues that involve interior things falling apart. The drivetrains are fairly robust, and run a long time. Repairs there are usually relegated to fixing oil, and coolant leaks caused by degradation of plastic materials used for plumbing the cooling system, and crankcase breather components.

Like Sid said about the headlight assemblies, they can be hard to work on, and for folks that don't want to live with lit-up warning lights, sometimes they can be impossible to live with. Airbag lights due to bad electrical connections, ABS light due to pump relay failure, or wheel speed sensor failure, and of course, CEL most likely due to catalyst efficiency.

I'd say go for it only if it's a "get it out of my driveway" good deal, and I was only going to keep it for 18 months or less.

[pors1968]

Avoid 2L the 2.5 is better engine with less problem.

[Steve Carlton]

There's a 1.8T and a diesel as well. How are those?

[Z-man]

Mrs.Z had a 2003 Turbo Beetle with the 1.8l turbo. I have to admit, it was a fun little car. That motor was underrated - when that turbo spooled up, that thing would pull quite nicely. It did have some electrical issues - rear taillight would burn out regularly, and there was no easy way to get to the housing...

A nice thing about the Beetle is that it is unlike most other cars out there in terms of styling. Sometimes it is good to be different!

It is a safe car - very safe car. My wife was involved in an accident - a guy punted her into the curb. After the accident, she did not even have a scratch on her. The car looked like this:


Yeah - a rollover. Only the panel below the rear hatch window was not damaged. But again -- not a scratch on Mrs. Z. That round roof is a strong structure.

When we replaced the Beetle, Mrs. Z opted for a VW Eos 'vert. She did want another Beetle, but by then, they weren't making the 1.8T, and the only engine was the 2.5 5cyl, which was not to her liking...

[HardDrive]

I had a first generation 1.8t, and I loved that car. It did have sensors go on the fritz, I think I went through 2 MAFs in less than 4 years. Yes, getting at the head/tail lights requires some disassembly, but its only 10-15 minutes worth of work.

A word of warning, the rocker panels are not plastic bits, those are structural members. They are very low to the ground, and its easy for those with poor judgement to dent them getting too close to a curb or parking block.

Locate a good indy VW wrench. VW dealerships are SCUM BAGS.

[BeyGon]

I would want the second generation beetle only, the lowered top makes such a difference. They are that much better looking.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by BeyGon

I would want the second generation beetle only, the lowered top makes such a difference. They are that much better looking.

That is a matter of opinion... lets be honest the new beetle is marketed to women and the new squished look isn't as 'cute' as the rounded style (per my wife)

Having said that my wife lusts after a new(ish) round beetle, we even test drove a few used ones... her thrifty side want a new hybrid (Prius) but pretty sure is I could find a deal on a beetle she would be one happy little camper.

Originally Posted by Steve Carlton

There's a 1.8T and a diesel as well. How are those?

I REALLY like those! Beetle styling and hybrid mileage... win/win! However they are a little hard to find (but not imposable) in Cali.

Wife REALLY wants an old beetle... I like that they are super easy to maintain... but for safety reason no way I would put my wife in one as a DD.

YMMV

[Dantilla]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

Oh and changing headlights is nearly impossible.

My mother-in-law has a convertible with the turbo engine. It's been a great car, has very low miles, but a while ago failed to start.

My "over-the-phone" diagnosis was alternator probably failed. When I popped the hood, I thought no way am I trying to get that thing out. Definitely not designed for maintenance after it leaves the assembly line.

I went to pick up the car with my flatbed trailer to bring it to the dealer, and it started fine. Dropped it off. Dealer's service department couldn't get it to fail, couldn't find anything wrong, did nothing.

Car has been running like a champ ever since.