VW New Beetle (Pricing & Information)

pam2

As much as it PAINS me to admit it, I'll have to give you the point on this one. BUT "toots" is a very "male chauvenist pig" thing to say to a woman. You know, Women's Lib and all that. Please keep that in mind for future reference.

jimboutilier

There seem to be a lot of agast comments about the $20K some dealers are asking for a NB. If you take the MSRP of either a GL or GLS NB and add a few options, it easily adds up to 'close' to $20K and easily exceeds that with taxes etc.

I know the popular media is hyping the NB as a $15K car, but I expect VW is making the higher trim levels first and there is just nothing available at the $15K price.

Personally, I look at the quality of the NB and the features. Compare these to other vehicles in the class and you'll see that th
e NB's bang for the buck is still pretty good.

I'm looking for a silver/gray tdi. Most local dealers (Denver) say VW is not taking specific orders, so you just have to talk to all your local dealers, let them know what you want, and convince them to contact you when one comes in. None of the dealers I talked to wanted more than MSRP for 99's

I was told 2001 for the convertable as well :-(

govu

Thanks for the advice, everyone.

jimboutilier--
The story I've heard a few times has been, what's the incentive for VW to make a convertible? People are still waiting in line for the NB, so why should they rush with the development?

govu

pam2, I'll take your challenge:

I drive an '86 Audi 4000 and have been very happy with the car. I'm really going to miss it and have debated hanging on to it.

The gas automatic NB seemed to lack a little power, but I really only noticed it when driving with 4 people up a steep incline. The handling was magnificent--I tried to see what it would do around the corners and was much impressed. The interior was spacious in front, and I could even deal with the space in back for short drives (I'm 6'2").

The TDI, on the other hand, really moved. I think I could get used to that car.

I've driven several different Civics, including their highest powered one--it would make a very nice car, but it left me feeling rather bland. I love to drive, and this car didn't strike me as one for someone who loves to drive. It would get me from A to B without trouble, and that's it. On top of that, the dealer was a big jerk. He didn't have time for me, didn't trust me to take the car out on my own, and never even bothered to ask my name. I guess I interrupted his crossword or something.

My parents own a '96 Accord. Nice car, but not all that fun to drive. I think it's a 4 banger.

I've also driven a Nissan Sentra. Blah. The Jettas were fine, but I'd rather buy a Beetle. Ditto with the Golf. I love the new Passat, but it's too much $$. My friend at the dealership also let me drive a few Volvos, including the brand new one. I'll grant you, the Beetle does not drive at all like that car, but you could buy three different colors for that price.

It's looking like a TDI Beetle for me.

pam2

Thanks for the info. I appreciate that you took me seriously enough to answer.

I didn't drive the TDI, but apparently that's the one to have from what I see here. That's the diesel, right? It definitely had more power than the gas one? Do you know of any drawbacks to owning a diesel powered car?

Let me know when you make your deal. I'd like to know how much you end up paying. Once all the hub-bub about this car settles down and the kinks get worked out etc., I might look at it again. I'm still worried about having such a "trendy" car when the trend wears off.

govu

Yes, the TDI is the diesel. It has less horsepower but more torque--I liked the way it drove. However, I drove a manual TDI and an automatic gas Beetle, so the comparison isn't really fair. Since I will only buy a manual, I think this may have had an influence on my opinion. Either way, I like the car.

I've asked a few TDI owners about perceived drawbacks, and everything I've heard has been positive--no trouble starting in the cold, no black smoke, little noise (I couldn't tell I was driving a diesel), etc. The only drawback I can think of is that not every gas station sells diesel fuel. But, considering there are so many semi's out there, AND considering that you can get ~800 miles to a tankful, I don't think that's a worry. My other concern would be resale value, but with the expected long life of the diesel engine and the way the thing drives, I'm not going to worry about it.

I, too, would worry about owning a trendy car. But the car is fun to drive, the interior is comfortable, and I've grown accustomed to the dash. If I love the car, who cares what anyone else thinks?

I'll be paying MSRP with a CD changer installed at dealer cost. The dealer is upset with other dealers charging extra--it gives all VW dealers a bad name.

pam2

800 miles on a tank??? You've got to be kidding!!

Thanks for all the feedback. Gives me something to think about...


Pam

govu

Those are the numbers that VW gives. However, I just did the math, and 45 x 14.5 gallons comes out to 700 miles if you run the tank dry. But that's still darned good in my book.

pam2

I agreed! That's very good. I wonder how they get such good mileage out of that car. I would never have thought there was that much difference between gas and diesel! AND the diesel has more power??

ajvdh

The diesel has 25 less HP, but 27 more ft-lbs of torque than the 2.0 liter gas motor. Combine this with fact the both the HP and torque peak at lower RPM in the diesel, and what you get is more jump off the line, but less top end power. This means a lower top speed and less punch on the highway.

As for the mileage thang, that's what diesels do.
Since they don't have a throttle in the sense that a gas engine does, there's no pumping loss so they draw much less fuel at idle or under partial load (which is where your engine spends most of its time). They also tend to be more long lived, and since you throw out the whole ignition system, there's a whole bunch o' stuff less to go wrong. The tradeoffs are they're more expensive to build, have less power for a given engine size, and tend to be noisier. Look at the MB E-class diesel - it weighs 3600 lbs, has an automatic and almost every luxury feature your heart could desire, yet it gets 27 MPG in the city and 36 on the highway. Or the Europe only VW Lupo minicar - 90 mpg on the European test cycle (no, that's not a misprint).

laturj

has anyone got the mudflaps on their NB yet, how do they look, how much did they cost.
etc.

thanks

slchan

If you're thinking about getting a diesel, but are afraid the availability of fuel would be inconvenient, try this: buy your gas for your present vehicle only at places that also sell diesel fuel. You'll be surprised at how many places actually do sell diesel.

By the way, I would have liked a TDI, but "settled" for a gas engine because of the timing of my purchase. I'm still pretty happy, though!

DanaR

I disagree with a prior statement that said there's not as much punch on the highway in a TDI. I'm very satisfied with the power and cruising ability, in fact that's the biggest surprise. It'll go 80 no prob, and begs to be driven faster. The gearing is lower than the gas version, so for somebody who does a lot of freeway driving the TDI should be the choice. MPG has ranged from 35 to 49 mpg.

I have had problems with glow plug relay switches failing (twice) so there are some problems that can occur on a diesel.

My prior car was an '81 Rabbit diesel -- 230,000 trouble-free miles on the original engine. Comparison of the 1.6 D to the 1.9 TDI are night to day. It was side-smacked in June by a van who blew thru a red light at 45 mph I stepped out shaken but unhurt, while the driver of the van fared pretty badly.

Now the REAL engine to get is the 1.8T, if it were really available....

- Dana

mzn

Ouch! Poor Dana! But who would have thought the Rabbit would fare better than a van??

carlady/host

Gusev

Well, I made the plunge, ordered my silver TDI, and awaiting a 3-6 month wait. There are a number of places you can get the NB cd for the without having to pay the dealers cost. Take a look at www.autotoys.com They have three different panasonic cds to choose from. They say installation is a snap.

arh1956

I live in AL & my daughter wanted a New Beetle! It had to be a Yellow, 5 Speed! I called several dealers within 150 miles, Atlanta, Birmingham, etc., & found a dealer without a waiting list & a Yellow GLX 5 Speed on the way! I paid list price & got it in 8 days! I had looked at 98's as high as 22,800 before finding this opportunity! Another VW dealer, also in B'ham has a 12 to 14 month waiting list! Go figure!

DanaR

ARHL, you are sure lucky! From what I see, yellow is a rare color. In Oregon almost all are silver black or white. I've seen only two yellows in 6 months. I have yet to see a green one. Are they even available?

- Dana

arh1956

I have seen 1 of the "Kermit the Frog" green ones, & tried to get my daughter to like it but she would have none of that! Yellow was her 1st choice, then silver or black! The silver, black, white, & red are all available in the southeast for almost immediate delivery if you phone around! Good luck!

muzhik

Did you get it from Serra VW or from Crown? I called Crown and they gave me that ridiculous "12-month waiting list" spiel. Also, are you sure you got a GLX? If I'm not mistaken, the GLX production will start only in January...

govu

Has anyone ordered a changer from AutoToys? Did it work as they said in your NB? (Panasonic/Matsushita is the brand VW uses, correct?)

pam2

I'm in Texas and I see quite a few yellow ones. I also see silver, black, red, and bright blue. I've only seen one white and one green. I haven't seen any of the dark blue ones. I like the bright colors because they stand out so much. The black and silver don't really show up.

arh1956

Muzhik, I got it at Serra! Sorry to confuse, it is a 99 GLS, not GLX! I also talked to Crown, where in fact I bought a ML 430, and got the same 12 to 18 months answer as you! Serra on the other hand had no list! Try them if you are in the market!They are however asking over list for the New Beetle!

Spedman

If anyone's interested, I saw a large ad in yesterday's paper(Saturday, the 14th) in either the Washington Post or the Annapolis Capital offering a free CD player on all New Beetle or Passat purchases. I threw the paper out and I can't remember what dealer was doing it. But I thought it was weird. With all the demand we all hear about, I didn't think Volkswagen had to offer any incentives. The only possibilities I can think of are 1)When I bought my Bug I thought the $500 cost of the CD player was way out of line, and maybe a lot of other buyers passed on them as I did, and maybe Volkswagen has a lot of leftover CD players sitting on the shelf and is trying to get rid of them, or 2)The demand for these cars is being artificially inflated.
Also, if anyone in the D.C. or Baltimore area is interested, Klakring Motors on West Street in Annapolis told me they'd had 2 different owners of bugs call about a trade-in, and the dealer said he knew about Koons Toyota, right down the street, that had a low miles Bug on the lot.

york1

Got the Beetle

Purchased on 11/11 the NB and picked it up after detailing on 11/12. So far I love it. Got a whiteGLS (after researching decided that was what I wanted) with charcoal interior. The dealer had at least 10 on the lot, some automatics, some diesels and one was lime green. No waiting list. Paid list price for it, after a bit of "conversation" . They threw in the ashtray option, which is of course hardly worth anything.

Also they found local financing for me that was a percentage point below what I had gotten outside of the dealership. I got the first financing which was quite low and asked them to beat it. They did.

As to the car. I am not knowledgable about torques, horsepower etc. I can only tell you how it feels to me. I live in a very hilly area. It goes u the hills, which are quite steep without any problem at all. The brakes are fantastic. It whips and steers around our small town with great ease. Or it would, ft I wasn't so worried about the other drivers. It parallel parks beautifully. It is a delight to drive. As to its trunk space, very adequate. Had an art show on day two of ownership and had to lug all the pieces. Got them in without a problem, with the back seat down. Plus it handles so well on the freeways.

A friend of mine from Germany, and who is used to the Autobahns took it out for a spin on the freeway too. He was quite impressed. And having owned Porsches, BMWs and Mercades, he doesn't get impressed easily. He liked the shifting and the response of the car and felt it was quite smooth. Of course he was frustrated by not being able to test it at Autobahn speeds. And of course he would rather be driving a higher priced car. Still he liked it and enjoyed it.

In answer to Pam 2, yes, I did test drive other cars. I test drove the new Honda Civic and the Toyota Corrolla. And I didn't feel there was a comparison between them. Like apples and oranges. And if I thought the VW salesmen were somewhat difficult in the beginning, it was nothing compared to the aggressiveness and even obnoxious behavior of the others. They were horrid. At the VW agency here there was at least a modicum of class in their approach to salesmanship.

Notes from the Central California Coast

york1

Another note. In case you haven't figured it out I am a woman buyer. I don't know the ins and outs of engines or cars, though I have learned a lot reading every word on Edmunds. I took a friend with me on this buying trip who does know cars. He is 6'4" and he fit comfortablably in the VW and liked the way it drove.

Kawi

On my way to work this morning I saw a car-carrier truck head north out of Atlanta carrying
a full load of New Beetles. Most were red and black but I think I saw a white and silver on it. So someone in the southeast is expecting a delivery.

On the VW Web site, VW says there is an option for leatherette as an interior choice. Has anyone seen this option on a car let-alone bought one with it? If it's the same leatherette as in the Audi models, it's very nice and seems worth it.

ekuehnel

My BH and I stopped yesterday at the VW dealer where we had put our $500 down in August and re-acquainted ourselves with the NB in the '99 version. It was a real rush.

The headrests weren't right for both of us. We looked at the back seat headrests and noted they were different (flatter and shorter). We swapped front with back and both of us found that they were then PERFECT!

The salesman knew of the chip replacement that increases TDI performance. He had a friend that put one in and raved at the way it improved his NB at all speeds. No negative comments except the warranty on the engine goes west.

The front hood has a hydraulic thingee that keeps the hood open instead of the stick used on the '98s. Will it work at 10 degrees below tho? (Our RX-7's doesn't.)

We had forgotten about the remote entry keycase, the solid sound of the doors when closed, and the budvase.

We have gone from 31 to 9 on the dealer's TDI list and are super excited all over again about our decision to get one.

KAURELIO

Has anyone purchased an extended warrenty? What kind of coverage are they offering on extended warrenties? Can you get the bumper-to-bumper extended? I have been following everyones posts and it has been interesting. I too am a NB fanatic, but haven't purchased yet (still working on convincing my wife). Any owner feedback on things they don't care for on the NB would be appreciated.

mzn

Perhaps you can use this little tidbit to help convince your wife, KAURELIO. The New Beetle has been named as one of the Top 5 Cars for which Edmunds Editors are Most Thankful! Take a look at our November Top 5.

carlady/host

laturj

we bought the extended warranty, i think for about 800 $ we got bumper to bumper for 4 years (so an extra two years)

govu

Having so many months to wait gives me time to ask lots and lots of questions.

How much room is there underneath a NB? I live in snow country, and I'm worried about what will happen if I'm caught in a storm. I'm not looking for a 4x4. But I want something with an average clearance underneath. I saw too many cars stuck in last year's blizzard.

Has anyone had opportunity to drive one in the snow yet?

jackperu

I'm on the fence with a couple of vehicles. I test drove a Honda Civic EX a couple of weeks ago. Great car. The VW dealers around here (Cleveland) don't have any NB's in stock. I spoke to a dealer yesterday who isn't taking orders but sells them "off the truck". As soon as one comes in, he is going to call me to take a test drive. From the reviews I've been reading, they sound great. I'm anxious to drive one. I'm just curious why VW only has a 2 yr/24,000 mile warranty while most other manufacturers offer a 3 yr/36,000 mile warranty as a minimum. Is it because they can? My only experience with VW's was my '74 beetle I bought used. How has VW's reliability been of late, especially the NB? Consumer Reports lists VW's as only average in reliability, with Honda and Toyota being way above average. Any thoughts?

pam2

I'm going to brace myself for another pounding... but I think the Hondas and Toyotas are probably a lot more reliable than the NB. People don't seem to buy the NB for it's reliability - rather for it's looks and "style". I thought it was pretty cool looking at first, too, but lately I'm starting to think it's just ugly. I guess the newness is wearing off.

I have a Honda Civic DX and my boyfriend has a Civic EX and we are both extremely pleased with the reliability of both cars.

mzn

jackperu, take a look at notes 50 & 52 in this discussion. I think they both highlight the excellent review the New Beetle got in Consumer Reports. As for safety, I'm told the New Beetle is the only small car to get an IIHS overall rating of good.

carlady/host

mzn

govu, I seem to recall someone posting in this discussion who had good experience with his NB in snow. I think he was from Wisconsin. Try scrolling back a bit if you haven't already.

carlady/host

laturj

you should know that VW has the 10/100000 mile powertrain, much better than nearly all others.
VW's have been much more reliable since about 1990, prior to which there were problems. Consumer reports has rated NB the #1 car in this class (see november issue). but reliability on NB is hard to tell since there have not been enough years for it to be "reliable." Quality has improved in VW however.

check out crash tests, etc., too on NB, and you can buy extended warranty from VW as well.

pam2

How do the VW's that are built in Mexico compare to the ones built in Germany. If I were going to buy one, I think I would want a German made one.

arh1956

If you want a New Beetle buy one, if not quit your sniveling & whining because you bought a Japanese auto! Sheesh! You're obviously so jealous you can't see straight! Maybe you can start a new topic! "Disillusioned Cry Babies"! Then we can all get some peace! Thanks for your time!

Gusev

Pam2-all NBs are built in Mexico--in fact, they are currently being exported from Mexio to Germany, to be introduced 27 Nov. NBs are not manufactured in Germany....

FEHarper

OF course, all car buying is a combination of logic and passion. The NB excites like no other small car in recent years (save the Miata). I have driven both Hondas, Acuras and the New Beetle and they are all great cars, just different. The New Beetle handles like a German car, Honda/Acura more Japanese - I prefer the German feel - others may not. Safety goes to the New Beetle - setting new standards. Reliability always to the Japanese. The fit and finish of the 99 New Beetles that I have seen have been excellent. Don't sell Mexico short. I've heard their factory technicians are most dedicated and skilled. We build BMW's here in Spartanburg SC and they are as well executed and their German counterparts.

pam2

Arh1956,

Knock it off!!! I'm not sniveling and whining! I didn't want a New Beetle, that's why I didn't buy one. I'm perfectly happy with my Honda - no regrets whatsoever. But that doesn't mean I would NEVER buy a NB in the future if they come around more to what I consider important AND if I have the money. It also doesn't mean I'm not curious about the NB and the direction it's heading. Just because I own and like my Honda doesn't mean I'm totally uninterested in other vehicles.


Gusev,

Please read my post again. I didn't say anything about NB's being built in Germany. I said VW's - meaning all VW's in general that are built in Germany vs. Mexico.


FEHarper,

Thank you for your courteous and informative response.

k273

I heard that VW changed the manual transmission from a "rod type" one on the 98 NBs to a "cable type" one on the 99 NBs. Can anybody explain to me the difference(s) between these two types of manual transmission? I'm totally in the dark here.

I own a 5 speed 98 NB and sometimes I feel that the transmission is too crunchy - especially when compared to manual transmissions on other cars, such as the Mitsubishi Eclipse, which shift so easily one barely feels like having to touch the stick. I wonder if any other NB owners - or Golf owners for that matter - feel their trannies are too crunchy - not that it prevents the car from operating or anything.

Robert

mzn

The carlady has an active imagination! I said in an earlier reply that someone already had posted his experience of driving the NB in the snow. This doesn't appear to be the case. So, whoever does have a chance to drive the NB in the snow, please report back with your experience!

Thanks!!

carlady/host

pam2

K273,

What exactly do you mean by "crunchy".

Another question: Have you been able to get used to the really long dash? If so, how long did it take?

FEHarper

No great engineering expertise here but supposedly the rod type transmission was not as smooth as the cable type. I read this in a NB forum. I have driven a 99 NB and found the shifting to be effortless and smooth. There have been other notable small improvements in the 99's as well.

laturj

getting used to the long dash took a day or so. now it is hard to drive in cars with short dashes.

we were thinking of putting a winter/Christmas scape on our dash; well not really, but one could do that - it's huge.

mknight

My salesman joked that the NB came with a built-in pizza shelf with warmer. Place pizza on the dash and turn on the defrost...

On my test drive I felt right at home. One of our cars is a Chevy Lumina APV minivan. I don't think the NB's dash is quite as long, but it's close.

--Mike

mjb56

Our second vehicle is a Pontiac TransSport so the NB dash is right at home. But seriously, it takes about 5 minutes to get used to. I also drive a full size GM van on occasion which has a dash that now feels like the old Beetle - way too close! Still lovin' it but it's time to store it for the winter so I'll have to just look at it every day. What a drag!

arh1956

The only real problem is the attention it gets! I couldn't get this much attention in my ML 430 if I was dragging a Brontosaurus behind me! I live in a town of about 60,000 & ther are 2 NB's here, a black one & my daughters yellow one, & IT GETS NOTICED! It is also a blast to drive! Good job VW!

york1

I have now had my new NB for 2 weeks. It took me only minutes to get used to the long dash. About the transmission, I am not sure what crunchy means either, but it did take me awhile to get used to the 99 NB manual because it is so smooth! Also the clutch is so different from my old Honda Civic. It has a light touch and I don't have to put any effort into shifting this new car, like silk. I do a lot of small town driving, stop and start etc. Congested streets. It works beautifully. You shift a lot in a small, busy town in any car. The NB handles it well. Runs smoothly even at the low end of a gear speed, if it has to. The brakes are amazing. Stops on a dime. It goes up the hills around here very well too, and we have steep ones. It also drives well in rain storms.

Also it feels much more roomy than I thought it would and it carries much more in the trunk also. Not a family car but great for two people or for one. My only wish so far is that the sun visor were bigger and longer.

There are a number of the NBs on the road around here, so it is not such a novelty. Actually have seen four parked in my neighborhood.