VW Beetle

[Prew]

My wife thought she wanted a VW Beetle Convertable so we looked at a few. What a rip off- cost= $27,000+- and the car only has 110 HP. They have to be kidding.

[scott_d]

The original beetles only had about 50 something. They are great on gas and they are still really really popular, so it must mean they are doing something right. Did you test drive any??

[ktkendall]

Originally posted by Prew
My wife thought she wanted a VW Beetle Convertable so we looked at a few. What a rip off- cost= $27,000+- and the car only has 110 HP. They have to be kidding.

WOW that does seem a bit high priced!!
I'm sure it has more to do with the fact that people will pay it and there probably is a high demand for that car and low supply, than what the car is actually worth. A little car like that better be built like a Mercedies for that price, and maybe they are???? I was on a trouble visit at a dealership recently and was checking those new VW bugs out and they sure are nicer inside than the old ones...We sure had fun in those old ones though, they could practically go some places that you darn near needed a 4 wheel drive to go.. Ground clearance was only inhibiting factor... they could really take a beating...

[InSuPress]

I hear ya dude, My girls parents had a Bettle, the first year they made the come back and i hated the cars. Thought they should have left that **** in the past. But i like them now after driveing one!! Audi did the engine and Porche does the stearing for the cars. even the 2.0 liter. Because it runs high the (Like all VW's) it has alot of torque and 110 is under rated. The new Turbo S (1.8T which is the same engine that is in all the Audi's Ex. A4)has 180 HP and is turbo stock with a 6 speed transmission. They have one in germany which is the rally bettle RSi. It's all wheel drive and has V6 engine with 220 HP. And because it's a vw they also have a slew of mods expecially for the turbo. They have a Bolt on super charger for the 2.0 liter. We paid 15,000 for my girls blue 2.0 bettle. They are nice cars and very roomy. 27,000 is alot. i think the turbo s fully loaded was only 25,000. I'm not a convertable guy either. I love a nice sun roof anyways. Well good luck dude. Just though you would like a little insite

Mike

[crufe]

Heck...my 1957 Beetle with the small oval rear window had only 36 horsepower and was about as agile as a jeep offroad. Loved that car!

[mbossman2]

according to edmunds.com, if you got the GLX convertible with an automatic. you paid pretty close to the national average (they call the TMV).

Check here:
http://www.edmunds.com/new/2003/volkswagen/newbeetle/index.html?tid=edmunds.n.mmindex.content..0.Volkswagen*

[raftero]

i bought the first beetle i saw in 1957,cost $1800 if i remember,could have been less.i loved that car,36hp but it ran the speed limit and would go anywhere,no rattles,solid as a rock.just needed to adjust valves every few thousand miles.

[doctorgonzo]

Another thing to consider is that the new Beetles have had poor reliability. They aren't built like Mercedes or BMWs by any means. I would personally stay away from them. $27,000 can buy you a much nicer, much more reliable car.

[crufe]

Raftero said "solid as a rock.just needed to adjust valves every few thousand miles."

I agree......004" clearance on intake and .004" on exhaust every 4000 miles or so. I adjusted abt every 3000 and set the exhaust "loose" at .006". Never had a burnt valve and sold the bug at 200000+ miles still running strong. Rebuilding the early generators was a B****. Could not replace brushs without quite a tear down. So much for nostalgia. Wish I still had it.

[Eaglefeather]

My first was a 56 beetle. Picked it up for a couple of hundred. The kingpins were shot so couldn't go over 30 mph or it would shake like life out of anyone inside. :D

After I got the kingpins fixed it ran like a charm. It didn't have any instrumentation other than and odometer. Took it on a long trip and forgot to check the oil regularly. The engine seized and that was the end of that car.

I hear Mexico is still building the old model with the rotary engine. It was a great car, it is just too bad VW decided to stop selling them in the US and Can.

I don't like the new ones, they look like a pregnant toad rather than a beetle.

[crufe]

I believe Mexico and Brazil were both building bugs with the 4 cylinder opposed air cool engine. They could not sell new ones in U.S. or Canada today because our governments' environmental and safety regulations would not permit it. Regulated out of business.

Amen to shake and vibrate due to worn king pins and drag link pins.

[Prew]

Turbo engine isn't available yet on the convertible, but anyway the dealer told that it only puts out 150 HP and adds another $1,200 to the price tag. This will put it close to $29000.

Compare that to my other car- 2002 Maxima SE- with all options (255 HP). Price $30,000. Its more than twice the car of the Beetle.

[Iman74]

I just looked up the top model in my area on www.kbb.com and she quote me a high 24k. After registration and all the taxes I can see it being 27k.

[sam21]

Automotive tuning is your friend

[avx]

I refuse to buy any car that I can deadlift!!! So VW bugs are out!

hehe...I actually only lifted one of the old ones off the ground a tiny little bit, and it was from the front(engine in back) but still, the fact that I did that...rules the car out for me;)

[LawyerRon]

All this talk brings back memories; I used to build high performance VW engines. The air-cooled type of course. Stock stroke, stroker, big bore, you name it.

[bailey]

man what is this world comming to, a laywer that got his hands dirty :rolleyes: