NIGHTMARE!! Car had 9500 mi. on it when i bought it used. Airbag lights comes on and stays on, huge problems with windows,(been "fixed" twice..and still having problems.) Tail light has completely fallen out of the socket. Seat levers have broken. Radio quit working for no reason. Lots of "rattling" noise when driving. Volkswagon DOES NOT back up their product...guess they think i am actually going to keep this heap! Getting rid of it the first chance i get!!!! BOOOOOO ON VOLKSWAGON!!!

Seat comfort, gas mileage, head room, style, pick-up, sound system, attention-getter.

Road noise, winter control (or lack of!), cup holders, engine light regularity, poor head room in the back seat (not comfortable if you're over 5'6"), mechanical woes.

I've had my Beetle since June, 2002. Absolutely loved it for the first several months. Unfortunately, I'm now looking to trade. As with several other consumers I've faced numerous trips to the dealer due to "check engine" light lumination. It gets old after a while. I'm also experiencing difficulties on snow and ice. I turn the steering wheel but my bug has a mind of it's own. I've bounced off more than one curb this winter! And the low profile almost guarantees a scratch or dent every time. I find myself spinning at stop lights on a regular basis. Very disappointed in it's winter performance. A new quirk recently reared it's lovely head--my panic alarm likes to kick itself in while I'm loading groceries! Cabin lights only work when they feel like it. Love the seat comfort and the cool dash lights, though!

Similar Products Used:

Cavalier, Saturn

"Round for a Reason" Looks, build quality, safety features, roominess, owner attitude toward one-another. A good value for the money.

None that I can think of....

This is an excellent car. The fit and finish is excellent, paint is supurb and after 4 1/2 years and 41,000 miles our New Beetle is still running strong. No major malfunctions and the only minor issues have been a window switch replacement, a heater/air cond. cable that came loose and the fuel filler door cable that needs replacement. I'm highly impressed with the build quality of the New Beetle. After reading accident accounts of folks that have had wrecks in their New Beetles, I'm also impressed by the safety factors. I'd recommend the New Beetle in a heartbeat. We've had no service problems at the dealership we visit. Visit www.vwbugstuff for some cool customizing ideas.

Build quality, handling, fun factor.

I've had my 1999 New Beetle since it was new and have experienced only one problem (window switches). I have over 42,000 miles and am still quite happy with this vehicle.

Similar Products Used:

I've had other VW's as well as a slew of MG's, Triumph's and an occational Honda and Toyota. I always come back to VW's for value, quality and enjoyment. When they say "Drivers Wanted" they mean it.

Peppy, sporty, comfortable, nice features on a non-luxury car

VW Service, small backseat

I traded in my 2001 2.0 GLS Beetle for a 2002 1.8T Snap Orange New Beetle and I love it! I loved my other beetle too, but after driving a friend's turbo-charged Beetle I knew I needed an upgrade. The salesmen at our local dealer were very nice and gave me significantly more than I owed for my car, making it worth my while to trade. Not to mention the standard VW warranty went from 2 to 4 years in 2002, quite a plus. But if you're still looking for free oil changes you're out of luck. The Snap Orange Beetle has some very interesting cosmetic features, including orange inserts in the leather seats, orange stitching around the inside of the car, completely black interior (aside from headliner) and orange inserts in the sporty wheels. I get looks wherever I go. The turbo engine has 150 horse power and is peppy enough for the in town drive or the cross country haul. Although I don't particularly like the way VW packages their options, they do carry some neat options that you don't normally see on compact cars like heated seats (including the cloth ones), self dimming rear-view mirrors and rain-sensing wipers (the last 2 of which you must buy the GLX version to get). The most common comment I get on my car is "Wow, I didn't realize the inside was so big!" Yes, the backseat is a little cramped but I didn't buy it for the space in the back, I don't have children and it doesn't hurt my feelings if I don't have to cart around all my friends to the mall. The only large complaint I have is with VW service. They are not consistent and no matter how many dealerships I've been to (we move around a lot in the military) I seem to get the run around wherever I go. Prices for regular services can vary within hundreds of dollars (once quoted $300 for a 60k service by one dealer and then $1200 by another) and they sometimes refuse to help you fix even the smallest of problems, saying that VW claims that the problem is normal (IE: My headlights fog up when it rains and don't unfog for days, my old beetle didn't do this, and they are trying to tell me this is ok. There are other similar items) They don't perform recalls on items that clearly should be recalled because so many people report the same problem.... like the power window problem in the early beetles that took them 2 years to recall. Overall I enjoy the car and don't have any major problems. The VW community is great and I am always meeting lots of interesting people and talk at length about my car. If you're shy this isn't the car for you!

Similar Products Used:

2001 New Beetle GLS 2.0L, Ford Escort

Style, "FUN" factor, Happy attitude and charm are some of BEARJAM's strenghts...but the best part of this car are the people I have met through the SOuthern California Beetle CLub. What a WONDERFUL and diverse group of folks!

I suppose that if I "had" to single out any drawback in this car, it might be that I wish I had more storage room in the rear hatch area, but that is by and large MY responsibility since I have put in a big amp, sub-woofer and a 12 disc CD changer; as well as a DVD changer and DVD Navigation system.

WOW! This has to be my favorite car of all I have owned in the past and currently possess. I am a big guy, and the space in this car is surprising! I have had NO troubles with the car thus far, and have done MASSIVE modifications to him. Check it out at "www.bearjam.com" if you want to get a peek.

Similar Products Used:

In addition to my Beetle, I currently own a Lincoln Navigator 4X4, a BMW Z3, and a Caddy Deville. The Beetle has more miles on it (28K) than the others simply because it is MUCH more fun to drive.

Safety! I was involde in a very bad accident in Aug 2002. I walked away from the car with bumps and bruises which the police and emergency crews were amazed that it was possible.

No split back seat for hauling. No middle belt in the back .

This is our 3rd car we bought one in 98, which we still own and have 85,000 miles some problems but dealer was very quick to take care of. Had a 99 which had 83,000 miles when traded for the 2002. The 99 was taken on a road trip of over 20,000 miles summer of 2000. NO problems at all and was comfortable the entire trip! 2002 has been problem free until my accident in Aug. Dealer went out of their way to help every way they could. Probaly will be trading in this summer for 2003 NBC.

Safety! I was involde in a very bad accident in Aug 2002. I walked away from the car with bumps and bruises which the police and emergency crews were amazed that it was possible.

No split back seat for hauling. No middle belt in the back .

This is our 3rd car we bought one in 98, which we still own and have 85,000 miles some problems but dealer was very quick to take care of. Had a 99 which had 83,000 miles when traded for the 2002. The 99 was taken on a road trip of over 20,000 miles summer of 2000. NO problems at all and was comfortable the entire trip! 2002 has been problem free until my accident in Aug. Dealer went out of their way to help every way they could. Probaly will be trading in this summer for 2003 NBC.

Fun to drive, plenty of power, all the features you could possibly want, very reliable, great looks!

Some rattles (mostly just in winter months)

Great car. Very few problems. Only been back to the dealership twice in almost three years for non-maintenance work. Very reliable, fun to drive. Highly recommend!

Grips the road similar to my friend's beemer. Great acceleration with the 2.0L engine. And the chick at McDonalds loves the car.

Chicks love the car, but not me. Tires are a little on the expensive side. Cup Holders are useless.

Purchased it in August and has been in love with it since. Many Chicks have made cool comments about it. Very nice looking car. With OEM CD changer and factory installed sunroof that does not leak or whistle, i enjoy many many miles of cruising in Ringo (My Black NB)

Similar Products Used:

I drove a PT Cruiser around for a while almost buying it but i just did not like it for some reason.