npr/ need advise from those in the know..., the new beatle |
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npr/ need advise from those in the know..., the new beatle |
messix |
Nov 29 2008, 07:34 PM
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#1
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AKA "CLUTCH KILLER"! Group: Members Posts: 6,995 Joined: 14-April 05 From: between shit kickers and pinky lifters/ puget sound wa.north of Seattle south of Canada Member No.: 3,931 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
my niece is gonna be 16 come march and my sister is asked me what i know about the new beatles, well i told her that as far as i knew they were reliable and a also safe car . further more they'll be getting a new one [i know why buy new, but that is just them] and my niece wants it to be pink...... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) , any ways i told her that she should check to see if it could be ordered from the factory in the special color.
so what issues do they have and, what do you repair shop guys think? |
messix |
Nov 30 2008, 06:26 PM
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#2
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AKA "CLUTCH KILLER"! Group: Members Posts: 6,995 Joined: 14-April 05 From: between shit kickers and pinky lifters/ puget sound wa.north of Seattle south of Canada Member No.: 3,931 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
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r_towle |
Nov 30 2008, 06:30 PM
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#3
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Custom Member Group: Members Posts: 24,574 Joined: 9-January 03 From: Taxachusetts Member No.: 124 Region Association: North East States |
Its a rabbit.
Same interior crap as always...knobs and switches suck. Front end if typical cheap VW...it good for about 60k then all of it starts to get loose. Motor is VW...150k is time to sell. Rich |
ws91420 |
Nov 30 2008, 06:45 PM
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#4
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Yes I have one a Lensley 914 Group: Members Posts: 2,063 Joined: 10-September 03 From: Ruther Glen,VA (halfway between sticks and civilization) Member No.: 1,137 Region Association: MidAtlantic Region |
Have heard that battery changes can be a b**ch. If not done by a dealer you may have to get the ecu reflashed and then the ecu can only be reflashed 3 times. Not sure how much of that is truth and how much is rumour.
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VaccaRabite |
Nov 30 2008, 06:46 PM
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#5
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En Garde! Group: Admin Posts: 13,442 Joined: 15-December 03 From: Dallastown, PA Member No.: 1,435 Region Association: MidAtlantic Region |
If it is a new one, it should be okay. The Mk4 VWs should be avoided like the plague, but the Mk5 line seems to have fixed many of the previous generations problems.
It is a very safe car. In my experience, the VW manuals are better then the VW automatics, but I don't know what your niece wants. Zach |
ws91420 |
Nov 30 2008, 06:48 PM
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#6
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Yes I have one a Lensley 914 Group: Members Posts: 2,063 Joined: 10-September 03 From: Ruther Glen,VA (halfway between sticks and civilization) Member No.: 1,137 Region Association: MidAtlantic Region |
Also the diesel can be a pain when you change a fuel filter the shop I was at I think didn't prime the fiter by filling it so made for a hard time starting it.
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Ferg |
Nov 30 2008, 06:50 PM
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#7
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914 Guru Group: Members Posts: 5,948 Joined: 8-January 03 From: Boulder CO Member No.: 116 Region Association: None |
My suggestion regarding the Pink is get a black or white one and have it wrapped in pink. (like they do racecars, advertising ect) so that way when the 16 year old mind realizes pink was not the best choice, they have something of value.
Ferg |
messix |
Nov 30 2008, 07:59 PM
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#8
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AKA "CLUTCH KILLER"! Group: Members Posts: 6,995 Joined: 14-April 05 From: between shit kickers and pinky lifters/ puget sound wa.north of Seattle south of Canada Member No.: 3,931 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
My suggestion regarding the Pink is get a black or white one and have it wrapped in pink. (like they do racecars, advertising ect) so that way when the 16 year old mind realizes pink was not the best choice, they have something of value. Ferg ahh! very good idea,her dads business uses a wrap company to wrap thier marketing hummers. |
james2 |
Nov 30 2008, 08:16 PM
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#9
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Member Group: Members Posts: 97 Joined: 28-June 08 From: Georgia Member No.: 9,225 Region Association: None |
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Cap'n Krusty |
Nov 30 2008, 08:35 PM
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#10
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Cap'n Krusty Group: Members Posts: 10,794 Joined: 24-June 04 From: Santa Maria, CA Member No.: 2,246 Region Association: Central California |
Gezzzzzzzz, I own 2 Jetta 4s and I'd recommend them to anyone. I also have about 50 customers with New Beetles and Golf/Jetta 4s that have proven to be really good cars. EXCEPT for the auto transmissions, they're great. That problem goes waaaay back, and I'm not convinced they're ever fixed it. My 2 TDIs have well over 100K on them, and the problems are much like those of any other modern car. I have yet to see ANY suspension or brake problems on any of the ones I work on, and the engines appear to be bulletproof, assuming they're maintained properly. Water pumps and timing belts at 80K, services by the book, leaks promptly attended to as needed.
The Cap'n |
jonferns |
Nov 30 2008, 09:09 PM
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#11
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 2,081 Joined: 29-March 07 From: New Jersey Member No.: 7,631 Region Association: North East States |
A friend of mine has an '00 beetle with 230k on the motor, no problems thus far.
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jd74914 |
Nov 30 2008, 09:13 PM
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#12
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Its alive Group: Members Posts: 4,780 Joined: 16-February 04 From: CT Member No.: 1,659 Region Association: North East States |
A friend of mine has an '00 beetle with 230k on the motor, no problems thus far. Til tomorrow... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) That constructive bit out of the way, alot of my friends drive VWs and it seems like about 1/2 of them have had no problems. The other 1/2 complain about the cars being crap. I would tend to agree with the Capt'n because I know the ones with problems don't really understand the concept of PM. They guys who actually change their oil regularly have replaced timing belts at the right intervals, etc have had no problems. The mk4 guys have been pretty happy. I don't know anyone with an mk5 though. |
biggy72 |
Dec 1 2008, 12:45 AM
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#13
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Member Group: Members Posts: 209 Joined: 14-January 06 From: Olympia, WA Member No.: 5,418 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
My parents used to have an 03 TDI. The intake carboned up about every 60,000 miles or so and then it had to be pulled off and cleaned out.
Also I know that changing a tail light bulb is a pita... having to pull the inner fender out and then reach shoulder length up under the fender was not fun for something that should be an easy job. |
james2 |
Dec 1 2008, 08:13 AM
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#14
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Member Group: Members Posts: 97 Joined: 28-June 08 From: Georgia Member No.: 9,225 Region Association: None |
There is a fix for the intake carboning up, you can go into the ECU and disable the the EGR valve.
Anybody with a TDi should spend some time at TDIclub.com, lots of good info over there. My parents used to have an 03 TDI. The intake carboned up about every 60,000 miles or so and then it had to be pulled off and cleaned out. Also I know that changing a tail light bulb is a pita... having to pull the inner fender out and then reach shoulder length up under the fender was not fun for something that should be an easy job. |
DNHunt |
Dec 1 2008, 08:32 AM
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#15
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914 Wizard? No way. I got too much to learn. Group: Members Posts: 4,099 Joined: 21-April 03 From: Gig Harbor, WA Member No.: 598 |
Just bought an '00 for the kids to drive. Well maintained and documented and runs like a top. Went through it and changed fluids and plugs, checked stuff. Typical German engineering, they put three hoses below the oil filter so you get to dump a bunch of oil on yourself.
Front suspension bushings are shot, so new ball joints and bushings are on order. The hardware is single use. The rear bushings are slotted to soften road feedback and the webbing is breaking. Audi TT front bushings are a direct replacement and much firmer. So far, I like it but, there sure is some tough stuff to get at. I think German designers just like to have people say "What the F*ck were they thinking?" Dave |
Root_Werks |
Dec 1 2008, 08:43 AM
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#16
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Village Idiot Group: Members Posts: 8,319 Joined: 25-May 04 From: About 5NM from Canada Member No.: 2,105 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
My Wife and I have a 99' GLS Auto trans. Little troubles with it, but nothing that most other cars that get driven wouldn't have. Great car, very safe, LOTS of room for 4 adults. 2.0 has tons of torque, easy to drive and comfy for long trips. We average just over 30mpg each fill up. Usually 32mpg or so.
We did have to replace the trans brain with another used on off eBay for $135. I've heard it's a common issue with the 98-2004ish VW's. Bug would start out in 3rd and never shift. I guess that was its limp mode? Cars been cool since. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) |
Mountain914 |
Dec 1 2008, 05:18 PM
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#17
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Too much time in thin air! Group: Members Posts: 367 Joined: 22-May 03 From: Conifer, CO Member No.: 725 Region Association: Rocky Mountains |
I have an 06 new beetle TDI (46+MPG) and have to say it has pleny of pep (170 ft pds torque) for the mountains. I haven't driven a regular turbo though.
It's a bit noisey (rattles), but I just turn up the stereo. I like the "package 2" options, it looks OK (not too much a girly car until you paint it pink that is) And get this, my girlfriends mom does own an older pink one (she had it painted). She nor I have had any bad experiences with the new beetles. I've *heard* that they don't do well in head-on collisions (a-la tow truck driver) but can't speak to it one way or the other. My personal preference would be a 2 door golf, but this beetle was about the only thing I could find (2 door) in a TDI (which I know wasn't your concern, just throwing in why I own a bug!). My past cars have consisted of sciroccos, GTI's, R32's. I love most things VW. My Salsa Red TDI: (IMG:http://members.rennlist.com/mountain914/P_BugBra.jpg) And the lady's Mom's Pink New Beetle: |
highways |
Dec 1 2008, 06:11 PM
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#18
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 613 Joined: 18-June 05 From: Los Angeles, CA Member No.: 4,296 |
Oh my god that poor dog must be so traumatized!
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carr914 |
Dec 1 2008, 06:53 PM
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#19
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Racer from Birth Group: Members Posts: 118,516 Joined: 2-February 04 From: Tampa,FL Member No.: 1,623 Region Association: South East States |
I was team leader for the company that did all the testing and developement work on the New Beetle before they came out. They called me the Bug Killer. I think I personally destroyed 6 or 7 Auto trannies. We never had a car go over 100,000 miles, but we (me) were beating the living crap out of them. My personal favorite was the TDI with manual tranny - lots of torque as long as you kept the car in the powerband with the tranny.
I was amazed when the crash test data came out, as I saw the aftermath of one of my drivers wrecks. But then again we were dealing with hand-built prototypes. My opinion - not a bad car for the price. T.C. I even made it into AutoWeek (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif) |
messix |
Dec 1 2008, 07:39 PM
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#20
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AKA "CLUTCH KILLER"! Group: Members Posts: 6,995 Joined: 14-April 05 From: between shit kickers and pinky lifters/ puget sound wa.north of Seattle south of Canada Member No.: 3,931 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
thanks guys
i don't know of many vehicles that can take being abused for all of the 100k miles and still run. i have heard about the front end wearing the bushings out on passat's and this sounds like a across the board vw thing then?. they will be buying brand spankin' new so it looks like the auto tranny is the six speed auto, any other model use this and how's done in that car? and i wouldn't give the girl any crap for driving a pink car.... she'd likely pull out a volley ball and serve it into yer head at a high velocity (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chair.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) |
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