2001 Volkswagen New Beetle consumer reviews

I bought this car used less than a year ago and I have had nothing but problems with it. First the plastic bottom panel fell off, then the catalytic converter needed to be replaced ($650). Next, the transmission went out at 90,000 miles. The car has faulty rubber moldings in the transmission which erroded and tore apart the entire thing. It cost me $3500 to have the tranny rebuilt and 6 weeks later the transmission goes out again. The interior of the car squeaks like crazy and smells like crayons, the check engine and airbag lights randomly go on and off, it gets low on oil frequently (probably my next problem), the lid to the gas tank has to be pryed open and the hatchdoor must be slammed shut. I can go on but I will spare you. I could have bought a much newer car for the amount of money I have put into this thing. WORST CAR EVER!!!!

I bought this car in 2006 used. It was supposed to be my dream car. Less than a month after I bought it the mass air flow sensor went out. A couple months later it went out again. Every 6 months or so I have to fix something. I have also replaced the brake light switch (a second time when it was also recalled) the thermostat, the fan belt, the water pump, the temperature sensor, and a coolant hose. I love this car so much but the way things fall apart in it just isn't worth it. If you have the money to fix it all the time it is a great car.

I bought this car used with only 72,000 miles on it. I only had the car for a month with the window fell off the tractor, my back tail light popped out, and my license plate frame fell off. That god the window was still under warranty but not everything else. At about 79,000 miles, I only had the car for 4 months when the timing belt broke. Because this car has an interference engine, they had to rebuild the head, which costs a few thousand dollars to fix. The car was broken for 3 months. After I was able to get the car fixed, within the next 2-3 months the window that for fixed before broke again, the windshield washer blows out to the side, not on the windows. Interior falls apart. A hinge for the door broke off so my car was crooking down. The lights on the passanger side doesn't work. And the CD player is in the back, which is not convenient. The only good thing about this car is the turbo.

I loved this car. Sporty,cute comfortable. Good on long car rides. That is before the turbo blew up on a road trip to Canada. Then the car needed a new head(fixed at a dealer). Thank God for the warrantee. After that the clutch went at 83,000. One week after that The timing belt let go bending all the valves. That turned the car into refuse. It was a certified used car. I did like the car, but now I wouldn't recomend it to a junkyard. Drivers Wanted? this one is walking.

I bought this car for my wife 4 years ago and we have both loved it. The combination of value, safety, style and fun/performance just can't be matched. In a world of boring small cars the Beetle really stands out in the same way an expensive little BMW might, except at a fraction of the cost. The safety features are well documented as well, including outstanding ABS. Lastly the car is really alot of fun to drive. No one expects to get beaten off the line by a Beetle being driven by a cute red head (My wife not me), but with the 150hp turbo there is usually little they can do about it. Aside from replacing a burnt out headlight we have had no maintanence issue with it.