Sold MoTd/usable yellow 2002 New Beetle 1.6 with sunroof, £350

[Lacquer Peel]

Can you just install comfier seats? Recaros from a mk4 Golf GTI should fit.

[Bear]

Can you just install comfier seats? Recaros from a mk4 Golf GTI should fit.

 

Worth a look, I think - it's the lumbar and thigh support that hurts most, I can live with the manual gearbox.

[skattrd]

I put late 8L A3 sport seats in my Boring, much more comfortable and supportive than the original Boring seats. They also have more adjustment and pockets under them.

[Jim Bell]

Swap for BX and 406 and PlayStation?

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

One of the chaps in the CCW office offered me a Range Rover P38 2.5D 

 

 

That man is not your friend.

 

VW NuBeetle - good car capable of reliable service.

 

P38 diesel - the polar opposite.  As Don Logan would say: No. No No No No No. No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No! No No No No No. No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No! No No No No No. No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No!

 

 

 

A mate's Dad had one of these shitheaps new and it was/is absolutely dire. If there's anything worse than a V8 version, it's this. The M51 tds unit has just enough power to pull an E36 or E34 along at a leisurely pace but imagine a Mark 2 Granada with a 1300 Crossflow and that's the P38 diesel - it wouldn't pull your foreskin back /pull you out of bed/ pull a greasy stick out of a dog's arse etc. And it does 23 mpg if you're very lucky in between meltdowns.

 

Plus they're really, really council - although I think you, as a hirsute non tattooed/meathead/bouncer/10 pence drug dealer sort might get away with it if the P38 in question is bog standard, does not have aftermarket chrome enhancements or a 99 pence Norn Iron DAZ24532465 or BIG23452345 number plate.

 

 

 

 

As you were.

[Bear]

Well, at least i now know the lacklustre performance on the test drive is "how they should be". It felt less lively than a 300TDi Discovery auto - not saying it was actually slower, but it felt it.

[garbaldy]

But surely you don't buy a two ton rangie to out accelerate boy racers at the lights, if you do then you will be disappointed

Once they are wound up they sit quite nicely at 80 mph.

[Bear]

No, but there's "adequate" and there's "feels underpowered". You also don't buy a Range Rover to be ragging the crankshaft out of it just to keep up with traffic. But then the V8 ones have an unenviable reputation for misery.

 

Speaking of misery, started swapping out the PS pump and it turns out a previous mechanic has broken the alternator bracket. VW are very clever and put all the gubbins on one big bit of alloy.

 

On the plus side I think this gives me really easy access to the thermostat, if the plastic housing implies that it lives there.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Once they are wound up they sit quite nicely at 80 mph.

 

 

You lie.

 

AA trucks don't do 80.

[garbaldy]

You lie.

 

AA trucks don't do 80.

Haha your right they don't.

 

In 4 years and 80k miles my bosses ended up completing a journey on a recovery truck only once for a dodgy gearbox,

It had a couple of suspension issues but I certainly wouldn't call it unreliable,

The older 3.9 was a far better rangie though and after I got into an early morning race with some doods in a golf I can confirm they do go better and feel more sure footed on the limit than the p38.

[Bear]

I put late 8L A3 sport seats in my Boring, much more comfortable and supportive than the original Boring seats. They also have more adjustment and pockets under them.

 

I'm prodding eBay now - reckon if I find some black leather ones, I can find a black leather rear bench for a Beetle 1C easily enough (found several, actually) and then it won't look too weird. Do these all share the same mountings, then?

[skattrd]

I can't comment of Beetle, but would expect them to be the same as the rest of the cars made on that platform.

Don't forget to disconnect the airbag connection under the seats and before doing that disconnect the battery.

[Bear]

I can't comment of Beetle, but would expect them to be the same as the rest of the cars made on that platform.

Don't forget to disconnect the airbag connection under the seats and before doing that disconnect the battery.

 

Already done once when cleaning

 

I expect the A3 sport seats could be heated, too. I miss the heated seats and foglights from my winter-pack Beetle.

[andrew e]

I always imagined you were taller*

 

[Bear]

New ("recon" or "old pump cleaned and painted" maybe - though it did look well done) power steering pump installed, new belt, new fluid. Quiet smooth steering again! Car even seems to handle better. Engine is remarkably quiet now the noise of a dead pump has gone, and no spray of CHF everywhere is always a bonus. Only major annoyances now aside from the uncomfortable seats are door lock and remote issues, which I'll sort out in due course - they don't stop the car from working.

[scoobypete]

I wonder if you've got different seats to mine then, I'm 6ft 4 and I find them quite comfy...plus they've got numbers and things on them I can count if I'm bored....

 

On the lookout for some leather though..pref beige....mmmm

[Bear]

Mine has numbers on - but maybe the turbo has better seats? Also I have a weird bodyshape and smooshed back, so I find some cars less comfortable than others say they are. If I could get Citroën CX seats in it I'd be happy.

 

If I end up getting leather it'll be black, but I'm anticipating seeking black leather A3 sport front seats first, then ending up needing to buy a whole Beetle interior to get a bench to match. Alternatively I wonder if Seat Leons have better seats, particularly the sporty ones...

 

And today's news...

 

Here we are at a services on the M1 somewhere...

 

 

And the only thing going for a leak was me!

 

 

Cheap recon pump from eBay, plus a replacement belt and replacing the damaged alloy bracket for the pump/alternator = one happy Beetle, seemingly. No more fluid loss.

 

For tomorrow's update, y'all get a picture of the 406's rear suspension and under the engine. Rated PG. Peugeot Grimness.

[Bear]

Before

 

 

After, but not done yet...

 

[KruJoe]

Yo Richard, might this be for sale at a shiter-friendly price? (I fear it may be above our pay-grade, and there's a certain MX5 in the running too...)

I may have a YELLOW pocket rocket in p/x but it's even less comfy.

[Bear]

If I sold it, I'd aim to get £1000 I think - I paid £800, then spent 20 hours+ cleaning up the interior (still not perfect), put a recon PAS pump on, yellow radio etc. (the iPod clip - Beetle specific part anyway - was £30!), but if I /had/ to sell it I'm not sure how much it would get.

 

But I'm more interested in swaps than selling it. Though not for anything smaller or less comfortable - I will get the Twingo fixed soon, which is small and comfortable (but LHD). Wish I could remember who on here had a yellow Twingo with full-length ragtop.

[KruJoe]

Aye, fair enough mate, I can't spare £one_grand ono, and I agree it's probably well worth that. But worth asking.

 

I can't recall seeing a yellow Twingo on here, but I don't have time to read everything these days.

[purplebargeken]

Beetles are ace, especially yellow, beige and black ones. 

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

My neighbour is moist for this, with $$$$$ to give you.

 

Call me pls! 

[purplebargeken]

Almost tempted to swap the Sierra for it. 

[Ghosty]

Before

 

12742642_1091947950849958_6425683203316594452_n.jpg

 

After, but not done yet...

 

12733603_1091947957516624_388522488171724151_n.jpg

 

How did you use Photoshop to wash your car?

 

Or did you clean the house too...

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

My neighbour is moist for this, with $$$$$ to give you.

 

Call me pls! 

 

Anyone seen or heard of Mr K? Not answering blower. 

 

They're considering an S reg 318i for 500 quid but she really wants a Bug, man.

[Bear]

Right, it's annoyed me for the last time. Yesterday talking to partner about changing it because I haven't had time to strip the interior for a proper "demould" (it still smells musty. Doesn't leak now though, or... didn't) and as I said "and the damn thing just keeps misbehaving" (not selling it well here - in fairness as long as it's used regularly it's been fine, just needs fettling) the passenger window fell into the door. Usual VW trick.

 

So now both front doors need some sort - passenger side window/regulator sorting out and driver's side door locking module. The remote locking needs synching and sorting, but the boot now opens on the door button again after I rebuilt the motor.

 

Bryony isn't fussed about driving it and is seriously considering just getting an automatic licence anyway, so it is now for sale, or I'll swap it for something hatchback or estate and not hideous. Saab 9-3 auto would be pretty good. Manual or auto is fine, prefer petrol to diesel. But open to suggestions, really. Yeah, I know, I should have sold it earlier in the year, but life is absolutely chaotic and looks like it's going to continue to be so for some time

 

For the right deal I'll sort out the window/lock bits. Removing seats & carpets or drenching interior in BAC-50 is up to you, though.

[Bear]

FWIW if I don't have to do anything with the doors and it's just "taken away and gone", I'd be happy with £650, particularly if you have a battery so I can put this one back in the A-class (the one that was in it when I got it was shot).

 

Need to get rid of that A-class too...

[purplebargeken]

Of course you'd like to swap with a tidy, blue little Citroen AX.

[Bear]

Must as I love the origami styling and wine bottle door bins of the AX, I actually hate driving them Plus they're so small they solve no issues - we need a big comfy car with space to carry stuff