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Dan.Isdell
Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2016
Posts: 10
Location: Sebastopol California
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 Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2017 5:07 pm Post subject: My new $800 2004 New Beetle Convertible |
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I just bought this beauty on Craig's List for $800. (OMG! OMG! OMG) Body and interior are near perfect, lots of optional goodies. It shifts hard, but that is an easy repair. I am so frickin' psyched!!!
See ya at the shows!
Dan |
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oasis
Samba Member
Joined: December 12, 2002
Posts: 2168
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| Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2017 9:27 pm Post subject: Re: My new $800 2004 New Beetle Convertible |
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Good on you, my man. Great find!
_________________
Now: 2003 New Beetle Turbo S / 1990 Single Cab Transporter / 2014 Tiguan R-Line 4motion / 2013 Tiguan S / 2002 Golf GLS TDI
Past: 1974 Thing Acapulco / 2009 Eos Komfort / 1997 Jetta GT / 2002 Cabrio GLX / 2002 Passat GLS / 1971 Super Beetle / 1993 EuroVan MV Westfalia / 1981 Pickup LX / 1985 Vanagon / 1986 Jetta GLI |
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TDCTDI
Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013
Posts: 12850
Location: North Carolina
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| Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2017 5:52 am Post subject: Re: My new $800 2004 New Beetle Convertible |
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Congratulations, just don't expect a lotta love if you show up at a car show with a modern Beetle.
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.
GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!
An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.
Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it. |
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heimlich 
VWNOS.com
Joined: November 20, 2016
Posts: 6594
Location: Houston, Texas
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| Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2017 9:57 pm Post subject: Re: My new $800 2004 New Beetle Convertible |
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Is that what those are selling for now?
_________________
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Butcher
Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2015
Posts: 1285
Location: Right Here
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| Posted: Fri Oct 20, 2017 4:06 am Post subject: Re: My new $800 2004 New Beetle Convertible |
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| It's a convertible. With all the issues they have, I would expect that price. |
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heimlich
VWNOS.com
Joined: November 20, 2016
Posts: 6594
Location: Houston, Texas
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| Posted: Fri Oct 20, 2017 9:09 am Post subject: Re: My new $800 2004 New Beetle Convertible |
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What issues? Faulty tops?
_________________
www.vwnos.com [email protected]
Classic Brands. Classic Quality.
Not all parts are made the same. NOS OE/OEM parts made mainly in West Germany, Early Germany, and Early Brazil are where VW produced the best quality parts and best fitting products.
5% Off your order with coupon code: 5%OFF
Restored Distributors Available (<--Click here) |
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dub01
Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2016
Posts: 29
Location: Wrightsville, Pa
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| Posted: Fri Oct 20, 2017 10:34 am Post subject: Re: My new $800 2004 New Beetle Convertible |
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Mostly door latches and window regulators. There are also motorized flaps for the top mech that are particularly fragile as well.
I liked what was done with an early one in the UK. Someone turned one into a two seat speedster with a fiberglass lid over the rear area, and had no top whatsoever. |
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oprn
Samba Member
Joined: November 13, 2016
Posts: 12714
Location: Western Canada
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| Posted: Fri Oct 20, 2017 8:22 pm Post subject: Re: My new $800 2004 New Beetle Convertible |
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I am not a big fan of that year of Beetle but for that price!! And I would be quite willing to put up with a door latch and window regulator or two, pretty small complaints for a 'vert of any sort at that price!
Based on our experience with Jettas I would be guessing a new clutch would fix the shifting issues. |
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TDCTDI
Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013
Posts: 12850
Location: North Carolina
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| Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2017 4:09 am Post subject: Re: My new $800 2004 New Beetle Convertible |
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| oprn wrote: |
I am not a big fan of that year of Beetle but for that price!! And I would be quite willing to put up with a door latch and window regulator or two, pretty small complaints for a 'vert of any sort at that price!
Based on our experience with Jettas I would be guessing a new clutch would fix the shifting issues. |
Rear window regulators are $600-$700 each (if the recently available "repair kit" doesn't work) + labor. Door latches are a $400-$500 repair, each. And the shift issue is probably due to a valve body in the autotragic transmission (because who buys a convertible, in that color, with a manual trans?), which the valve bodies could fetch $700-$1,200 (depending on trans code.) + fluid, filter, + labor.
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.
GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!
An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.
Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it. |
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oprn
Samba Member
Joined: November 13, 2016
Posts: 12714
Location: Western Canada
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| Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2017 5:19 am Post subject: Re: My new $800 2004 New Beetle Convertible |
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I'm pretty sure there are parts to be had for the doors at an auto wreckers for much cheaper than that. A little regular cleaning and lube go a long way to extending the life of those parts too.
Is it an automatic? If it is then yes I too have lost interest in it. Even the ladies in my family are not so helpless as to need one of those!  |
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Butcher
Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2015
Posts: 1285
Location: Right Here
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| Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2017 7:21 am Post subject: Re: My new $800 2004 New Beetle Convertible |
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| TDCTDI wrote: |
Rear window regulators are $600-$700 each (if the recently available "repair kit" doesn't work) + labor. Door latches are a $400-$500 repair, each. And the shift issue is probably due to a valve body in the autotragic transmission (because who buys a convertible, in that color, with a manual trans?), which the valve bodies could fetch $700-$1,200 (depending on trans code.) + fluid, filter, + labor. |
This guy knows. Assuming this mint VW is not so mint, these are some of the issues these cars have. Once all those items are fixed, then the price goes up. Using used parts that are known to fail is just a poor idea. Why replace a bad used part for your bad part. New is pretty much the only option. At least that way you know they will be good for awhile.
I have no idea what VW was thinking when they built that. Obviously they could of spent more time building quality parts. |
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heimlich
VWNOS.com
Joined: November 20, 2016
Posts: 6594
Location: Houston, Texas
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| Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2017 10:59 am Post subject: Re: My new $800 2004 New Beetle Convertible |
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Just leave the top down. No regulators or latches needed.
_________________
www.vwnos.com [email protected]
Classic Brands. Classic Quality.
Not all parts are made the same. NOS OE/OEM parts made mainly in West Germany, Early Germany, and Early Brazil are where VW produced the best quality parts and best fitting products.
5% Off your order with coupon code: 5%OFF
Restored Distributors Available (<--Click here) |
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oprn
Samba Member
Joined: November 13, 2016
Posts: 12714
Location: Western Canada
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| Posted: Mon Oct 23, 2017 7:23 pm Post subject: Re: My new $800 2004 New Beetle Convertible |
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[quote="Butcher"]
| TDCTDI wrote: |
Using used parts that are known to fail is just a poor idea. Why replace a bad used part for your bad part. New is pretty much the only option. At least that way you know they will be good for awhile.
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On the other hand why spend $700 on a new bad part. I would take my chances on a $20 used bad part.
Are all the new Beetle regulators and door latches like that or only the rag tops? |
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Butcher
Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2015
Posts: 1285
Location: Right Here
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| Posted: Mon Oct 23, 2017 7:30 pm Post subject: Re: My new $800 2004 New Beetle Convertible |
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Because new bad parts will last 4 years [and may have a 2 year warranty], but bad used parts last 4 days with maybe a 90 day warranty or less.
There is nothing wrong with used parts, but if it's a known failure, it's a total waste of time [esp with the rear window regulators on the Beetle]. |
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oprn
Samba Member
Joined: November 13, 2016
Posts: 12714
Location: Western Canada
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| Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2017 4:46 am Post subject: Re: My new $800 2004 New Beetle Convertible |
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Or someone could have put a bad new part in that Beetle 2 days before it ended up in the wreckers. If they are as bad as you say it's a pretty good chance.
I am not that familiar with the new Beetles. Do the hard top ones have fixed rear windows and the rag tops have regulators? |
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TDCTDI
Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013
Posts: 12850
Location: North Carolina
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| Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2017 5:58 am Post subject: Re: My new $800 2004 New Beetle Convertible |
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| oprn wrote: |
I am not that familiar with the new Beetles. Do the hard top ones have fixed rear windows and the rag tops have regulators? |
The rear windows on a coupe are fixed. If you've ever replaced one of those, you'll never roll the dice on a used one. If the customer want me to install their part, I'll gladly do it with the understanding that they get to pay the full price to do it again.
As far as removing one in a junkyard, you're not getting it out without power to the switches.
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.
GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!
An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.
Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it. |
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oprn
Samba Member
Joined: November 13, 2016
Posts: 12714
Location: Western Canada
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| Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2017 6:05 pm Post subject: Re: My new $800 2004 New Beetle Convertible |
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| It sounds to me to be the kind of car you would put the top down on in the spring and put it back up in the fall when you put it away for the winter. |
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TDCTDI
Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013
Posts: 12850
Location: North Carolina
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| Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2017 6:17 pm Post subject: Re: My new $800 2004 New Beetle Convertible |
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| oprn wrote: |
| It sounds to me to be the kind of car you would put the top down on in the spring and put it back up in the fall when you put it away for the winter. |
That would cause quicker degradation of the top. Forcing it to stretch out after extended periods of being folded up would definitely cause failure of the stitching. Mention of the top is another high dollar point of failure, the POS bonded rear window, once the adhesive fails (& it's been specifically formulated to turn the consistency of a warm gummi bear at the 6-7 year mark.), there's no reattaching the rear window which means top replacement, you'd be lucky to get that replaced for less than $2,000.
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.
GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!
An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.
Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it. |
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| Back to top |
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oprn
Samba Member
Joined: November 13, 2016
Posts: 12714
Location: Western Canada
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| Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2017 4:12 am Post subject: Re: My new $800 2004 New Beetle Convertible |
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If I didn't know better I would think you had a serious hate on for these cars!  |
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Butcher
Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2015
Posts: 1285
Location: Right Here
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| Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2017 7:18 am Post subject: Re: My new $800 2004 New Beetle Convertible |
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TDCTDI sounds like he is just posting facts about the model. Most of his experiences are what I know are true also.
There is not much you can gloss over on those Beetles. That is why the OP thought it was a steal at $800. Those that know what goes wrong are cringing what is really wrong with it.
Sorry, the facts are they or POS's. With a lot of love, time, and money, I'm certain they can be fine. Usually the client waves the white flag and sells it for cheap. |
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