If it?s taken care of properly it?s a good car to have. It can also last you awhile. I always thought these cars were neat.

I always wanted a bug since I was a little kid and I got a used 1998 5years ago and initially I was thrilled. But that didn't last long. It was the first year of the New Beetle and it didn't take long for me to realize that there were lots of problems that should have been recalled and repaired by VW America(esp the electrical system). Even though the car had only 35k and no rust it cost me between 1.5 and 2k in repairs per year. The engine light was on all the time for one thing or another, the 98 was so low to the ground that I went through 2 catalytic converters from frost heave and from driving in snow the grill and fog lights were constantly getting smushed. Any time a mechanic had to work under the hood they had to drop the engine out which added to the cost of repair. I loved the drive but I only got 23-25mpg because of the weight. It was like a bad marriage: I loved the car but never again!

This is such a fun car to drive -- zippy as can be. As with most VWs, the plasticky interior is a bit cheap and shoddy - the dash is stupidly put- together (top dash panel clips broke during an AC/fan repair and are tough to replace) and the fabric on the ceiling is falling off. Even all the plastic molding and covers in the engine compartment are, in my opinion, unnecessary. Mechanically, the car is fabulous. I love it!