There, now wasn't that nice? Better than the continual raving that goes on in other rooms. (Passat vs. Intrigue in Sedans for example) Peace Pam.
Now, howz 'bouts that Beetle?
I've noticed VW running more Beetle and Passat ads lately. I wonder if they're noticing their sales reaching a plateau after the recent rush on both cars. Also, now that the initial mania over the NB has calmed, I wonder if dealers are more willing to haggle on the price or at least sell the car for MSRP. Or is the gouging still going on?
we just bought a new beetle, my best friends builds honda's he warns against ever buying a car the first year out, (a new model accord, civic, beetle whatever). however we still got the beetle and found it a much better drive than the loaded honda civic (it seemed "mushy") (our beetle has the sport package so that may make a difference). however, the proof of the beetle will have to come when it has been out for a couple of years, we will need to wait and see on the reliability etc. - any new model car will have the "little" problems; it comes with the territory of a new design. Still for the money (at least MSRP) the beetle had as much to offer as most of the cars we looked at (honda, acura, other VW's, etc.) i think too as the Edmund's review says, driving the beetle makes you and others happy ;-) i guess honda's do to with multi-millions of them on the road.
I coveted one! That car is just SO darn cute I want to pinch its cheeks whenever I see one. Even though a little car is totally impractical for me, I decided I must have one!
Then I realized that there was no way in heck I was gonna get one for less than MSRP. Philosophically I am opposed to paying MSRP for any car. I just cannot do it. Bummer! I wanted that car.
I ended up buying a Honda (EEK! duck head!) CR-V for 2% over invoice. I think it is almost as cute as the Beetle. I don't pinch my CR-V in the cheeks, but I have been known to pat its rump.
Yesterday I was driving home in my 3 day old car. I am at the stage where I live in fear of getting hit, dinged, scratched, etc. I saw a silver bug in the lane next to me. I stared. I drooled. I wanted to pinch. Then I realized I'd better keep my eyes on the brake lights in front of me! I looked in my rearview mirror: the folks in the car behind me were all pointing at the bug. I yelled (to myself), "Stop staring at that bug!!! You might rear-end me!!!!!"
by the way, msrp was what i paid, at least here in austin tx, but they have never sold them for over msrp. our salesman said the dealer has enough bucks already.
Pam, With few exceptions, it generally pays to wait until the second model year to buy a new make. A few examples - Ford Taurus (notorious first year ..most problems fixed 2cd year), original VW Rabbit (I owned that one, most problems fixed the 2cd year), etc. Modern computer, engineering and manufacturing techniques may minimize these bugs but the rule is still a wise one in my opinion.
I also wanted a beetle badly. A TDI to be specific. The TDI is a great engine, and the NB, well, in my opinion it speaks for itself. I had even put the deposit down on it. Well, the wife was a hard sell(what is it with you women?!!), and she insisted on a 4 dr. What ended the wait for a NB was the fact that Nissan is giving away Maxima SE. I got a 98 Nissan Maxima SE just off the truck for 17900, $400 more than a NB TDI. A $24000 car for essentially the same price as a NB TDI. I couldn't pass it up. It's fast as almost anything else on the road, it gets stares, but it doesn't have the same "joie du vivre" (did I get that right? I think that's French for "places to stash fried chicken") that the NB has, but what can I say. Now I have room to carry the wife and kids. Dammit. Good luck to you NB owners.
Close--Joie DE vivre, is actually correct, but I'm impressed anyway. :-) I wanted a NB TDI as well, but the husband said no way, and that plus the 10 month wait the dealer I talked to mentioned was a big turn off. Plus I _know_ that the NB didn't have as much cargo space as I really need (I sell Longaberger baskets in addition to teaching) but that doesn't stop me from longing sadly for that cute little New Beetle. Sniff. Sigh... C'est la vie. :-)
Ladies and Gentlemen, I think I blew it! Back in May my wife and I stopped by the local VW dealership to see what all of the tlk was about in regards to the New Beetle. The dealer had one black loaded beetle that was supposed to be a demo car, but sadly was just being driven by the salesman becuase of fist fights breaking out aboutwho would drive the car next. Anyway, I was informed that a New Beetle would be arriving in late June that was not spoken for. A Yellow TDI. I currently have two leased vehicles and a four month old baby, so needless to say, there was no way I could swing it. UUUGGGHH! It was right there, no wait! I hope I have that chance again sometime. I'll take advantage of it.
Isellhondas might evolve into Isellnewbeetles if the market goes the way I suspect it will. Saw a beautiful New Beetle today - silver with grey interior...my entire office spilled out to get a closer look. Seen a Honda generate that kind of enthusiasm lately?
As i have mentioned, my best friend is a honda engineer, so i think hondas are good cars. But come on ISELLHONDAS ;-) when was the last time you read up on volkswagons, 1991?? - I believe they have changed substantially, and just read the trade magazines on the beetle. -- pre 1992 was bad for VW's, I have owned 3 since then and have had no problems; a friend of mine had owned 8 in their family - no problems. I would like to see what the prob is with VWs cause at this point I have yet to see any serious shortcomings. (myth/legend and reality are often two different things)
by the way I thought selling 101 now included the info that negative selling was not the way to sell to today's consumer - that is why we did not buy a honda - they use the same schtick here in austin.
I am also still looking for an answer as to what the rubber "gasket" is on the front of the new civic between the hood and front of car - it looks like honda painted a black line across all of their civics.
I've had my bug since early April. I paid full sticker for it(about $16,500 including the sport pkg). I've put about 10,500 miles on it - I've got a 100 mile round trip commute). Before the bug I had an 87 Chevy Nova(renamed the Geo Prizm and then the Chevy Prism) that died after 307,000 miles. I've had no problems so far with the Beetle. The service dept. at the dealer has been incredibly decent to me. When a minor recall was announced for a slight wiring problem that could be fixed in 15 minutes, they took the car for an entire day to check it out from top to bottom, and gave me a free rental . Before they returned it to me they washed it and filled up the gas tank. I've been called at least 3 times by the dealer/or main office to see if I've been satisfied with the service. The car has a lot of power for a 4 cylinder. But it also feels a little cramped and, after all those years with an automatic, I'm tired of all the shifting. I've seriously thought about selling it and getting a larger car that doesn't have a stick. However, people that have driven the car look at me like I'm crazy. they all love the way the car drives. So maybe it's just me. The weirdest aspect of the car is the looks and comments you get from people. It's just amazing. The first month was the worst. It was like driving the Batmobile. I teach school, and all of a sudden I became 'the teacher with the bug'. But in general the car is really nice, with the one problem of feeling scrunched up when you fold down the rear seat for cargo. As far as availability, here in southern Maryland, it seems almost every dealer has 1 or 2 ready for sale at sticker price. It's just a matter of whether they have the color you want in the transmission style(stick or automatic) you want. I've found the stick in mine shifts very smoothly, and I did notice a slight loss of power when I test drove the automatic. I had also heard that the paint on the yellow Beetles had been fading into a crappy shade of white and that all the yellow ones had been quietly recalled. I don't know if it was just a rumor, but I only saw my first yellow one at the dealer yesterday, and some people at the dealership had mentioned the fading problem to me a couple of months ago, and acted like they were trying to keep it under wraps. Hope the above is helpful. Above all, if you're thinking of buying a bug, don't let some dealer nail you for additional dealer markup on the sticker. I was on a waiting list for about a month. When I finally used my head and opened a phone book it took me about 15 minutes to find a dealer within an hours drive with a bug in my color ready to be sold at sticker(I haven't heard of ANYONE being able to buy one for less than full sticker).
i've got a new beetle, but find the headrests uncomfortable. they seem like they're angled incorrectly (for me, at least). right now i have them positioned so the top hits the back of my head. my previous car was an accord. its headrests were unremarkable, but propped my head up at a good angle. any suggestions?
slchan, what does your dealer have to say about the headrests? From what Spedman and others have said, VW dealers are standing on their heads to be sure New Beetle owners are happy.
I an only 16, but I love the new beetles. I dream of having one, but as already know I don't have the money for one. Someday I will! I already have a 63' Bug. I love it. My mom bought it for me as a 16th birthday present. It was the best present anyone has ever given me. I love it. Everyone in my neighborhood loves it also. Now all I want is a 98 Beetle for my 17 birthday and I will be the happiest teen alive.
Here's something to make everyone laugh. I had forgotten all about this until just the other day.
It was in November 1997 that I first heard about the New Beetle coming out. I was with my sister at the Mazda/Volkswagen dealer where she was test driving the 626 and the Passat.
The salesman started telling us about the New Beetle that would be coming out in a few months. Here's the funny part: he said the price would be UNDER $10,000!!! I remember thinking, "Gee, what kind of car would it be for less than $10K?"
My girlfriend just received a call from the VW dealer telling her that he has a car for her. It lacks the ABS and other options that she ordered, but since she's been waiting five months she's going to take it.
It's a Silver NB, standard shift, Sports and Convenience packages. (No ABS, leather, or other options.)
Paid MSRP. Got a small discount on dealer options.
Any suggestions on the drill for picking up a new car?
mknight, I talked with the factory yesterday. Moonroofs will be available in the 1999 model along with 1.8 liter 150hp gasoline engine, more options in the leather and leather-ette, and the TDI will be continued(at this time). 1999 models should be hitting the showroom floors in September. Looks like I will be stepping up the purchase date on my NB.
Decided to test drive the NB.. I presently have a 1993 Olds 88.. being a baby boomer I think its cute and fun to drive... Any thoughts on resale value?
Crly, try College Park VW on Route I in College Park, MD. That's where I got mine. I was there last week and they had about 5 of them on the lot, and the dealer said he didn't know that any of them were being held for customers. They treated me very well there. Ask for Mike Wollak, the Sales Manager. I pass by the Annapolis VW dealer - Fitzgerald Auto - and they also have several sitting on their lot. BUT, Fitzgerald did try to sell me a demo with 10,000 miles on it for list price. Don't go for it if they try that on you, especially if the demo is a stick. Try and imagine how many test drivers would get to grind down a clutch by the time it got 10,000 mile on it. other than that they seemed O.K.. Good Luck.
I haven't been to the College Park VW dealer, but I drove past it yesterday afternoon at around 5:30 PM. My advice: go before 4:30 or after 6:30, because traffic stinks on route 1. Should get worse when UMD starts its fall term on Monday.
Spedman -
You don't happen to own the white, automatic NB that's parked in front of my apartment in Laurel, do you?
Fleece, no, mine's white but it's a stick and I live in Calvert County.
Crly, Fleece is right, traffic stinks on Rt. 1 during anytime near rush hour. But the people at the VW dealer are O.K. to deal with so it's worth the trip if you can get there during off peak hours. They're not that annoying phony kind of nice made famous by car dealers; my experience has been they just act like friendly proffessionals. Good Luck.
In a case like this -- trying to get your hands on an unbelievably popular car with certain options and in a certain color, you might have your best luck using Auto-by-Tel. You specify what you want in advance and they find the dealer who has the car.
Couldn't hurt, might help. Alot. Please, let us know how things go for you.
Well after calling College Park, I found that they had no automatics. Things got worse from there. I started a search of a 200 mile radius. No one could tell me what they were getting in and when I might get one. I even went as far as calling a dealership I knew of up in State College, PA (I graduated from PSU). I thought I had finally found one. Then came the kickers. First, they couldn't guarantee a delivery date. Then they told me it was going to have a power package but they couldn't tell me what other options were going to be on the car. Finally, they couldn't confirm whether it was going to be a '98 or '99. At that point I was fed up. I needed a car and although I loved the new NB, I couldn't wait forever. I purchased a Honda Civic EX Coupe this weekend. I am thrilled with the car. Maybe by the time I get ready to by my next car the convertibles will be available. Thanks for everyone's help.
I'm just wondering if there's any word on the New Beetles improving their reliability with the 1999 models. Any bugs getting worked out? How about price and availability? Does anyone see it settling down in the coming year?
I'm starting to see more of them on the road (3 in 2 days last week - black, silver, and yellow). They really are eye-catching. I just still want more reliability than I've seen so far with them. Plus I'm not big on having to pay extra and get on a waiting list. HOWEVER, if those things would swing my way, I would again consider buying one.
Isellhondas, do you see the Beetle coming around to our way of thinking any time in the future?
I am too having trouble finding a dealer who is willing to sell a Auto NB at sticker price and I have been calling every dealer in Los Angeles area and the best price I got was sticker plus $695 CD changer(way over price). Does any one know what should I do to find a reasonable price NB.
Thanks ps I have tried autobytel and autovantage and the dealer wants $2,000 over sticker..
when i was looking for my NB last month, practically all the dealerships in my area (san francisco bay area) wanted at least $2000 over msrp. i asked my credit union for advice and they recommended the fleet salesperson at the berkeley dealership.
independently, i had posted what i wanted with auto-by-tel, and the woman my credit union had recommended answered the post! anyway, i told her what i wanted to pay and she gave it to me for that, with no hassles or bargaining up of the price.
my advice to you is to get some leads from your bank or come on up to berkeley and get your bug here!
Is there a way to get three sets of seatbelts in the back seat??? I was wondering if one could use the center anchors for the belts in back to add a middle seatbelt. My wife wants to be able to take our three grandsons with us in whatever car we get. Being a former Beetle owner ('69) model, I would love to have a new one.
isellhondas, how many can fit in the back of the Civic?
I would recommend you the CD changer provided by VW. It's not manufactured by VW, but by Matsushita (Panasonic) in Japan. From my previous experience with portable and non-portable CD players, well, those made by Matsushita (Panasonic) in Japan sound the best and are also the longer lasting. The cost to the dealer here in Canada is 370 canadian dollars. If I use the same currency conversion factor as for the vehicule's price and options ( 1.000 USD = 1.312 CAD), then the cost in the US should be 282$. I paid cost for my CD changer - the only "bargain" I managed to get on the car, besides paying only MSRP. If you consider another brand, try to avoid SONY CD players, they're loaded with features, but the materials and manufacturing are astonishingly cheap. I heard other brands here in Canada could sell for around 300 $, but these alternative CD changers require an adapter, which might bring their price over VW's. One last thing, the CD changer installation is quite simple - it takes about 5 minutes or so - and it's easy to get overcharged for it.
Besides that, I've got my NB a couple of weeks ago and I already put 2500 miles on it. Underneath all the cuteness it's really a good car, if you ask me. It handles very well - now I finally know first-hand what german engineering means - and with those large wheels pushed to the four corners of the car, the ride is so stable, it takes a police car to make you realize you went over 80 MPH, if you don't watch the speedometer closely. Ouch! it costed me a speeding ticket already. The truly amazing thing about the NB though, is its design - interior and exterior - combined with all those features: it makes me feel like I'm driving a car of the future. The NB surely has a couple of years of advance when compared to other cars. Japanase cars - especially Hondas! - have a lot of catch-up to do. But then again, when it comes to cars, the Japanese are really good at copying others and really bad at innovating. The Mercury Cougar was the only car I test-drove, which felt like it was the same generation as the NB.
Changes for the 1999 model look like they will be minor - headrests, interior lighting and stuff like that. I guess it's a good sign VW didn't feel like changing something more substantial. The headrests though, will be a more than welcome improvement, if you ask me. The ones in my car have a hard time locking at a set height and tend to slide down into their sockets. Besides that, I can't think of anything else in the complaints department, and I hope it'll remain this way as the mileage goes on. What about you Dana? Any problems with your NB so far, that I might be looking forward in mine? Hope not,
Forgot to mention something. Anybody noticed the door hinges on the NB? I was writing about german engineering in my previous message. The underlying wheel wells and the stout lateral curves of the doors must've caused a remarkable engineering headache when it came to articulating those big doors. I think that placing the hinges at the rear of the doors, like in the twenties, would've been an easy way out, but that was obviously unacceptable. Placing the upper door hinge outside the door and covering it with those snappy side rear-view mirrors is such an incredibly elegant solution! I still marvel at it every time I step inside the car. Too bad there's no Oscar for those people in Wolfsburg, or wherever they are.
Hey all! I noticed a lot of speculation on the 99 Beetles. Well, I have info directly from VW. Here goes: The Beetle will be separated into three models - GL, GLS, and GLX. The GL will be gas only, no options except automatic. The GLS will come with the sport and conv packages and will have the option of gas, TDI, and 1.8 turbo engines, 5 spd and auto. Options will be a wheel pkg (alloy wheels), luxury pkg (alloy wheels and pwr sunroof), leather pkg (leather seats & heated seats). The GLX will have all the above standard, including the 1.8 turbo, and will have a 5 spd. No automatic avail. Prices are not yet released, and the cars will NOT be produced until January. The 98's will continue until then. The biggest news for 1999: ABS is now STANDARD!! Hint to collectors: 98 is the only year of ONE Beetle model, no abs option, and several minor equipment groupings which are changing next year. For more info on the 99's, check this website: http://www.air.on.ca/users/stefan/newbug/ Lots of info. Check it out. By the way, I have a Bright Blue 5spd, and its unfortunately for sale, at $18,900. Recent financial situations force. Email if any Beetle loyalists would like to give my baby a new home.
Thanks to Robert and Gazing for the info on CDs and the 99 NBs. I never did consider buying the CD from the dealer, but now I'll stop by and get a quote. I have a blue TDI and, being a loyal VW fan since 1981, can confirm the statements made by Robert, and add that its a great highway cruiser. After 6600 miles I did have one minor problem with a glow plug that didn't affect drivability but caused the 'check engine' light to come on. ...And the recall awhile back for a wiring problem. Also it seems like the center console is showing a bit of premature wear.
I checked the rear seat belt anchors, and since they are simply bolted in, I would guess one can add a middle lap belt by unbolting the two middle anchors, and putting the new belt thru the bolts the reattaching them.
has anyone found mudflaps yet, it seems like that would help a little in keeping my black NB clean, yes black is a bad color to keep clean, but i have noticed that the way the tires and wheel well come together that flaps should help (it looks like from the back that the tires stick out a little). btw, we got the factory cd for about as much as aftermarket and that way all they buttons on the radio "apply" to your cd player. I am not sure who makes the speakers (does anyone know) but i think the sound really good for a factory system - better than my 97 passat, and way better than the other cars we checked out (that was always the first thing i checked - although the integra had a nice sound).
My friend and his wife just moved down here to FL and they both got jobs in different areas of town. They currently have just one car, but he is going to be getting a company car in about 12-18 months, so they were thinking that a 2 yr lease would be the best idea of getting a new car at the lowest possible monthly payment. Has anyone out there done a 2 yr lease on the new Beetle yet? How much does a new Beetle go for on a 2 yr lease? They're hoping to get a new car today or tomorrow so quick responses would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance! Also would love to hear if anyone kows how much a 2 yr lease would be on a new Jetta or a new Civic. Thanks again!
Comments
than the continual raving that goes on
in other rooms. (Passat vs. Intrigue in Sedans
for example) Peace Pam.
Now, howz 'bouts that Beetle?
I've noticed VW running more Beetle and Passat ads lately. I wonder if they're noticing their sales reaching a plateau after the recent rush on both cars. Also, now that the initial mania over the NB has calmed, I wonder if dealers are more willing to haggle on the price or at least sell the car for MSRP. Or is the gouging still going on?
my best friends builds honda's
he warns against ever buying a car the first year out, (a new model accord, civic, beetle whatever). however we still got the beetle and found it a much better drive than the loaded honda civic (it seemed "mushy") (our beetle has the sport package so that may make a difference).
however, the proof of the beetle will have to come when it has been out for a couple of years, we will need to wait and see on the reliability etc. - any new model car will have the "little" problems; it comes with the territory of a new design.
Still for the money (at least MSRP) the beetle had as much to offer as most of the cars we looked at (honda, acura, other VW's, etc.)
i think too as the Edmund's review says, driving the beetle makes you and others happy ;-) i guess honda's do to with multi-millions of them on the road.
I coveted one! That car is just SO darn cute I want to pinch its cheeks whenever I see one. Even though a little car is totally impractical for me, I decided I must have one!
Then I realized that there was no way in heck I was gonna get one for less than MSRP. Philosophically I am opposed to paying MSRP for any car. I just cannot do it. Bummer! I wanted that car.
I ended up buying a Honda (EEK! duck head!) CR-V for 2% over invoice. I think it is almost as cute as the Beetle. I don't pinch my CR-V in the cheeks, but I have been known to pat its rump.
Yesterday I was driving home in my 3 day old car. I am at the stage where I live in fear of getting hit, dinged, scratched, etc. I saw a silver bug in the lane next to me. I stared. I drooled. I wanted to pinch. Then I realized I'd better keep my eyes on the brake lights in front of me! I looked in my rearview mirror: the folks in the car behind me were all pointing at the bug. I yelled (to myself), "Stop staring at that bug!!! You might rear-end me!!!!!"
It is a menace to the road, I tell ya!
:-)
francy
msrp was what i paid, at least here in austin tx,
but they have never sold them for over msrp. our salesman said the dealer has enough bucks already.
With few exceptions, it generally pays to wait until the second model year to buy a new make. A few examples - Ford Taurus (notorious first year ..most problems fixed 2cd year), original VW Rabbit (I owned that one, most problems fixed the 2cd year), etc. Modern computer, engineering and manufacturing techniques may minimize these bugs but the rule is still a wise one in my opinion.
For many of us, the season for the NB is "not now." I hope, for myself, that it might one day be "right now!" ;-)
carlady/host
May my wife and I stopped by the local VW
dealership to see what all of the tlk was about
in regards to the New Beetle. The dealer had one
black loaded beetle that was supposed to be a
demo car, but sadly was just being driven by the
salesman becuase of fist fights breaking out aboutwho would drive the car next. Anyway, I was
informed that a New Beetle would be arriving in
late June that was not spoken for. A Yellow TDI.
I currently have two leased vehicles and a four
month old baby, so needless to say, there was no
way I could swing it. UUUGGGHH! It was right
there, no wait! I hope I have that chance again
sometime. I'll take advantage of it.
But...think now, it's a VW ! You may have dodged a bullet!
carlady/host
You are just one funny guy!! You never miss a beat, do you? Every time I see a response from you, I get a giggle!!
Pam
by the way I thought selling 101 now included the info that negative selling was not the way to sell to today's consumer - that is why we did not buy a honda - they use the same schtick here in austin.
I am also still looking for an answer as to what the rubber "gasket" is on the front of the new civic between the hood and front of car - it looks like honda painted a black line across all of their civics.
I've had no problems so far with the Beetle. The service dept. at the dealer has been incredibly decent to me. When a minor recall was announced for a slight wiring problem that could be fixed in 15 minutes, they took the car for an entire day to check it out from top to bottom, and gave me a free rental . Before they returned it to me they washed it and filled up the gas tank. I've been called at least 3 times by the dealer/or main office to see if I've been satisfied with the service.
The car has a lot of power for a 4 cylinder. But it also feels a little cramped and, after all those years with an automatic, I'm tired of all the shifting. I've seriously thought about selling it and getting a larger car that doesn't have a stick. However, people that have driven the car look at me like I'm crazy. they all love the way the car drives. So maybe it's just me.
The weirdest aspect of the car is the looks and comments you get from people. It's just amazing. The first month was the worst. It was like driving the Batmobile. I teach school, and all of a sudden I became 'the teacher with the bug'.
But in general the car is really nice, with the one problem of feeling scrunched up when you fold down the rear seat for cargo.
As far as availability, here in southern Maryland, it seems almost every dealer has 1 or 2 ready for sale at sticker price. It's just a matter of whether they have the color you want in the transmission style(stick or automatic) you want. I've found the stick in mine shifts very smoothly, and I did notice a slight loss of power when I test drove the automatic. I had also heard that the paint on the yellow Beetles had been fading into a crappy shade of white and that all the yellow ones had been quietly recalled. I don't know if it was just a rumor, but I only saw my first yellow one at the dealer yesterday, and some people at the dealership had mentioned the fading problem to me a couple of months ago, and acted like they were trying to keep it under wraps.
Hope the above is helpful. Above all, if you're thinking of buying a bug, don't let some dealer nail you for additional dealer markup on the sticker. I was on a waiting list for about a month. When I finally used my head and opened a phone book it took me about 15 minutes to find a dealer within an hours drive with a bug in my color ready to be sold at sticker(I haven't heard of ANYONE being able to buy one for less than full sticker).
carlady/host
--Mike
It was in November 1997 that I first heard about the New Beetle coming out. I was with my sister at the Mazda/Volkswagen dealer where she was test driving the 626 and the Passat.
The salesman started telling us about the New Beetle that would be coming out in a few months. Here's the funny part: he said the price would be UNDER $10,000!!! I remember thinking, "Gee, what kind of car would it be for less than $10K?"
Was that guy out of his mind, or what???
Pam
carlady/host
It's a Silver NB, standard shift, Sports and Convenience packages. (No ABS, leather, or other options.)
Paid MSRP. Got a small discount on dealer options.
Any suggestions on the drill for picking up a new car?
Thanks.
I haven't been to the College Park VW dealer, but
I drove past it yesterday afternoon at around
5:30 PM. My advice: go before 4:30 or after 6:30,
because traffic stinks on route 1. Should get
worse when UMD starts its fall term on Monday.
Spedman -
You don't happen to own the white, automatic NB that's parked in front of my apartment in Laurel,
do you?
Crly, Fleece is right, traffic stinks on Rt. 1 during anytime near rush hour. But the people at the VW dealer are O.K. to deal with so it's worth the trip if you can get there during off peak hours. They're not that annoying phony kind of nice made famous by car dealers; my experience has been they just act like friendly proffessionals. Good Luck.
Couldn't hurt, might help. Alot. Please, let us know how things go for you.
carlady/host
You did great!! You'll be SO glad a few years from now! Oh, oh, Carlady is reading this...How do I make a smiley now?
To isellhondas-
Congratulations! ;-)
carlady/host
I'm starting to see more of them on the road (3 in 2 days last week - black, silver, and yellow). They really are eye-catching. I just still want more reliability than I've seen so far with them. Plus I'm not big on having to pay extra and get on a waiting list. HOWEVER, if those things would swing my way, I would again consider buying one.
Isellhondas, do you see the Beetle coming around to our way of thinking any time in the future?
Pam
Thanks
ps I have tried autobytel and autovantage and the dealer wants $2,000 over sticker..
carlady/host
As you know, I'm not impressed with the long term reliability of anythjing made by VW.
Maybe they have improved but why take a chance?
Lots of other people will no doubt disagree with me but I'll stand my ground until I see the improvements I keep hearing about.
Now, some people think these things are "cute", but that's a matter of opinion.
when i was looking for my NB last month, practically all the dealerships in my area (san francisco bay area) wanted at least $2000 over msrp. i asked my credit union for advice and they recommended the fleet salesperson at the berkeley dealership.
independently, i had posted what i wanted with auto-by-tel, and the woman my credit union had recommended answered the post! anyway, i told her what i wanted to pay and she gave it to me for that, with no hassles or bargaining up of the price.
my advice to you is to get some leads from your bank or come on up to berkeley and get your bug here!
I'm interested in purchasing an aftermarket CD player for my NB. Any recommendations on brands/models/price (installed)? Thanks in advance.
-Dana
isellhondas, how many can fit in the back of the Civic?
Thanks for any feedback.
Kaurelio
I would recommend you the CD changer provided by VW. It's not manufactured by VW, but by Matsushita (Panasonic) in Japan. From my previous experience with portable and non-portable CD players, well, those made by Matsushita (Panasonic) in Japan sound the best and are also the longer lasting. The cost to the dealer here in Canada is 370 canadian dollars. If I use the same currency conversion factor as for the vehicule's price and options ( 1.000 USD = 1.312 CAD), then the cost in the US should be 282$. I paid cost for my CD changer - the only "bargain" I managed to get on the car, besides paying only MSRP. If you consider another brand, try to avoid SONY CD players, they're loaded with features, but the materials and manufacturing are astonishingly cheap. I heard other brands here in Canada could sell for around 300 $, but these alternative CD changers require an adapter, which might bring their price over VW's. One last thing, the CD changer installation is quite simple - it takes about 5 minutes or so - and it's easy to get overcharged for it.
Besides that, I've got my NB a couple of weeks ago and I already put 2500 miles on it. Underneath all the cuteness it's really a good car, if you ask me. It handles very well - now I finally know first-hand what german engineering means - and with those large wheels pushed to the four corners of the car, the ride is so stable, it takes a police car to make you realize you went over 80 MPH, if you don't watch the speedometer closely. Ouch! it costed me a speeding ticket already. The truly amazing thing about the NB though, is its design - interior and exterior - combined with all those features: it makes me feel like I'm driving a car of the future. The NB surely has a couple of years of advance when compared to other cars. Japanase cars - especially Hondas! - have a lot of catch-up to do. But then again, when it comes to cars, the Japanese are really good at copying others and really bad at innovating. The Mercury Cougar was the only car I test-drove, which felt like it was the same generation as the NB.
Changes for the 1999 model look like they will be minor - headrests, interior lighting and stuff like that. I guess it's a good sign VW didn't feel like changing something more substantial. The headrests though, will be a more than welcome improvement, if you ask me. The ones in my car have a hard time locking at a set height and tend to slide down into their sockets. Besides that, I can't think of anything else in the complaints department, and I hope it'll remain this way as the mileage goes on. What about you Dana? Any problems with your NB so far, that I might be looking forward in mine? Hope not,
Robert
Out for good,
Robert
Well, there are three seat belts in the back seat of a Civic, but, I sure wouldn't want to be the guy in the middle!
Hope these kids are small! I doubt if a Beetle would be any better.
The biggest news for 1999: ABS is now STANDARD!!
Hint to collectors: 98 is the only year of ONE Beetle model, no abs option, and several minor equipment groupings which are changing next year.
For more info on the 99's, check this website:
http://www.air.on.ca/users/stefan/newbug/
Lots of info. Check it out.
By the way, I have a Bright Blue 5spd, and its unfortunately for sale, at $18,900. Recent financial situations force. Email if any Beetle loyalists would like to give my baby a new home.
carlady/host
I checked the rear seat belt anchors, and since they are simply bolted in, I would guess one can add a middle lap belt by unbolting the two middle anchors, and putting the new belt thru the bolts the reattaching them.
- Dana
carlady/host