Beetle me Baby

[fairkens]

That vanity plate would easily recoup the purchase price if you sold it on, they're an appreciating* asset

[purplebargeken]

Yeah must look into that as soon as possible*

 

It's the 1.6.

[purplebargeken]

Mileage is actually at tad under 61,000.

[eddyramrod]

I can't imagine you losing out with this, it's got to be a good deal at that price.  Mates' rates rool!

[Vince70]

I nearly bought another new beetle myself the other day for £370 but it needed new airbags and dash top and a new wing and lamp so it just wasn't worth my while as it would of still been a cat C and seeing that I like to change my cars often that one would have to of been sold very cheaply so I would most probably be out of pocket again once I sold it on.

 

The gauge issue will be the little green coolant sensor which are £2.50 delivered off eBay and the mirror problem will most probably be the door control module which should cost about £15 off eBay again..

 

I find the new Beetle is like a Mario Kart to drive and feels a lot lighter and is more fun to drive than its more boring cousins the Golf IV Audi A3.

 

Also what I like about the new Beetle are the seats as I find that they give just the right amount of support and comfort also the car is very easy to get in and out of as the doors are nice and light compared to the 2 door A3 plus you get three cigarette sockets in them which is a real bonus for a sat nav/ phone and iPod .

 

There's only two downsides I find with them and that is that you sit miles away from the front screen and of course the girly image but I would have another in an instant and lucky for me mine had blacked out windows so no one could see I was driving it.

But you will most probably have dented sills as most of them are.

Also when buying parts try and find the part number first as I found the parts a lot cheaper when ordering Golf parts as the beetle does seem to be more expensive for things such as switchgear to the golf, so I guess it must carry some scene tax.

[dave j]

I like them, my brother had one a couple years ago which was a bodykitted and to be fair it looked really good to me! Watch out for warning lights if you do buy a cheap one though! His car drove perfectly but he had 5 warning lights on the dash! When he paid a garage to sort it his bill was almost £2000! If it was my car it would have been broken for spares with that sort of bill looming!

[sporty-shite]

Mrs S had one a while ago. Bright blue 2.0 with dented sill and non-functioning passenger window. To be fair, it was a decent drive, but was epically thirsty, quite expensive to tax and not particularly fast. Front and rear legroom is good, and they are bright and airy inside. The only downside is that the boot is tiny.

 

I'd have one, but it would have to be a 1.8 turbo. Cheaper to tax than the 2.0, and quite a bit faster.

[barefoot]

... had 5 warning lights on the dash! When he paid a garage to sort it his bill was almost £2000!

 

Small, neatly cut pieces of black insulating tape are your friend here.

[bub2006]

Was it the vw 2.0 petrol engine that was quiet low powered for a modern? 110/115bhp if I recall? Must say these look quite smart for what they are. Did some silly quick engines too.

[Vince70]

Was it the vw 2.0 petrol engine that was quiet low powered for a modern? 110/115bhp if I recall? Must say these look quite smart for what they are. Did some silly quick engines too.

Yes the 2.0 petrol is the low powered one and is the old MK3 golf GTi lump I think... But to be honest I think it feels a lot quicker than it is on paper as the 1.8 I'm driving in my A3 at the moment doesn't feel as powerful but it could be down to the weight of the car.

It's a bastard to do a set of plugs on the 2.0 or so I'm told as the manifold has to come off.

 

The engines to have are the 1.9 diesel if that's your thing or the 1.8 or the 1.6 petrol engines but you also can get some big engines as well such as 3.2 in the R32 or the 2.3 in the V5 Beetle.

 

The one to really avoid is the 1.4 Beetle as I hear that can't pull the skin off a rice pudding but most of the bargain basement Beetles seem to be the 2.0 litre.

[cobblers]

Yeah the 2.0 is a mk3 golf gti engine but with a crossflow head instead of having both inlet and exhaust on the firewall side. Strange as that engine was reasonably economical in a mk3 golf (and still is in my t25 camper!!) but when put into a beetle they are fairly heavy drinkers.

 

I looked round a few of these when my mum was after something, they are nice to sit inside, a lot like a Lupo but bigger.

[Vince70]

I did find my old 2.0 litre very economical and must of been getting close to 40 to the gallon out of it.

 

But then I was doing 160 mile a day in mine and it was mainly A road and Motorway and as I was doing shift work I wasn't getting caught in any traffic as I was driving back home at 3 in the morning most mornings and being a tight bastard I didn't really thrash the nuts out of the old thing.

 

The 2.0 litre did feel very well suited to the car and you could drive it everywhere in 4th and 5th gear as you didn't have to constantly change gear in it.

 

I found it a much more pleasant car to drive than my Audi A3 and the Audi feels very cramped to the Beetle it's weird that the cars are the same platform yet are chalk and cheese to drive and the beetle feels so much more lighter to drive but it does have a few blind spots and mine had been scratched up on all 4 wings in the past by previous owners misjudging gaps

 

The only real tell tale sign between them is when you crash over a dirty great big pothole and you get the same bang and jolt coming from the rear end.

[Parky]

Yes the 2.0 petrol is the low powered one and is the old MK3 golf GTi lump I think... But to be honest I think it feels a lot quicker than it is on paper as the 1.8 I'm driving in my A3 at the moment doesn't feel as powerful but it could be down to the weight of the car.

It's a bastard to do a set of plugs on the 2.0 or so I'm told as the manifold has to come off.

The engines to have are the 1.9 diesel if that's your thing or the 1.8 or the 1.6 petrol engines but you also can get some big engines as well such as 3.2 in the R32 or the 2.3 in the V5 Beetle.

The one to really avoid is the 1.4 Beetle as I hear that can't pull the skin off a rice pudding but most of the bargain basement Beetles seem to be the 2.0 litre.

My tame mechanic reckons he has been able to change plugs without disturbing the manifold by incorporating two UJ's. it's only plugs 2 and 3 that are awkward, 1 and 4 are relatively accessible. He did caveat that by saying it does depend how much resistance the plugs offer up, if they are mega tight or partially seized the manifold will "probably" need to come off.

[purplebargeken]

Am overwhelmed by the secret Beetle liking on this here forum. Most impressive like.

[Vince70]

We need some pictures of your new pride and joy.

 

Because of you Ken I nearly bought the write off beetle that I had my eye on, it was only because I got a 4 month contract working away yesterday that I decided against it

 

But even then I was still thinking about it and leaving it in my garage for 4 months but luckily for me I don't have any spare time with sorting out training and digs next week that it's now been made impossible for me to get it now

[purplebargeken]

I have been blamed for many things, some of them appropriately, some not.

 

I have never, ever been blamed for someone nearly buying a Beetle. I am however, bloody impressed. I thank you.

 

Now you just have to actually buy one. 

[purplebargeken]

Well I am now insured and road taxed via DD. That was very easy by the way and on this occasion the right way forward.

 

BC (Beetle Collection) will be taking place tomorrow at mid-morning at Watford Junction train station.

 

I nearly haz Beetle, just one more sleep!

[purplebargeken]

Sorry for the delay folks, had a few things to do after collection of said Beetle. I met my former colleague at Watford Junction this morning. History file, V5C, keys and money were exchanged and off I drove.

 

First impressions?

 

It is a comfy car to drive, nice light clutch and decent gear change. Decent brakes and it all trundles along quite happily

 

What needs doing?

 

Electric mirror switch for the passenger side is none-operational, it is adjusted perfectly so I won't bother. The drivers side one works just dandy.

 

The stereo display doesn't, errr, display but it all works just great otherwise.

 

The interior is a bit grubby but will clean up fine. The firm plastic top section of the door panel has been marked due to rings/jewellery. Have to have a think about that.

 

The N/S sill is dented. Shallow dings here and there.

 

The rear light units weren't sitting in the recess properly so I have fixed that by undoing the knob inside the boot and repositioning. The N/S is perfect, the O/S is 99.9% perfect but won't sit fully due to that panel being a little out of alignment. I will have a better look soon.

 

That's it so far. Love the car and am really pleased that I finally have one. 

 

My advice? Get one. They are actually rather pleasant.

[purplebargeken]

Piccies to follow soon.

[Pillock]

As much as it'll hurt my pulsating macho-ness to admit it, I really want one.

I guess there's decent coin to be made from buying one that's either been girl-owned with dings and marks and signs of no maintenance, or bellend-owned with comedy rusty bits and stickers, and detwatting it to sell on as standard. 

 

Will these drop onto classic insurance yet? I know they're not old enough, they were only just importing them on a W weren't they? But sometimes a modern classic will be allowed through the gates.

 

What's the non-driver space like, would it actually seat four?

[cort16]

I doubt you'll get it on classic insurance. I couldn't get my CL on it and it's also a 2000 model.

There seems to be a lot of banjaxed ones out there for sale with varying levels of brokeness. You don't see a lot of rusty ones though.

[purplebargeken]

Mine's on classic with PBIS. £105 PA.

[purplebargeken]

Thankfully it has been mechanically maintained to a good standard.

 

Seating in the rear is do-able but not for lanky fat gits.

[cort16]

what year is it?

[purplebargeken]

2003. A good year for Beetles*

 

*This may or not be entirely true

[cort16]

Blimey I'm surprised you got it on a classic policy. Good work.

[Pillock]

Some insurers are fine if there's all the hallmarks of a "classic" car - owners clubs, forums, meetings, secret handshakes, arguments, overpriced spares, the belief that the particular car is better than all other cars in the world ever - but it's not the right age. I had a Mk3 Golf GTI on a classic policy, but they'd only insure me if I joined a recognised owners club as the car was too young.

[dollywobbler]

I want one in that horrible light metallic green please.

[r.welfare]

Cyber Green is the shade you are after.

 

Was this Beetle the last model that people paid over the odds to import in LHD because there was a big delay before RHD production? Used to happen a lot back then; Smart, SLK, Z3, TT etc.

[Pillock]

I posted a spares or repair Cyber Green one in the ebay thread. It needed a lambda, exhaust gum, a tickle on the sill and a bit of tape over the airbag light. It sold for £381.