Road Tests: Long-Term Test

It's always very cool when one of our long-term vehicles evokes such strong reactions, be they positive or negative, from our staff as well as from random observers on the street. The vivid yellow New Beetle TDI that graced our fleet for two years has - sadly - now departed. Well, actually we watched it go with mixed feelings. Some of the newer, ultra-image-conscious staffers were, frankly, a little relieved to have escaped the opportunity to drive the aggressively merry bauble of a car. Still, our staff's overall impressions of this VeeDub were favorable, and you've got to give props to any auto manufacturer with the balls to design such a distinctive-, one might even say odd-, looking vehicle.

Let's dwell on the New Beetle's design for a little longer, shall we? Now, we all know what this thing looks like, and some of us love it while others find it almost offensively cheery. But a car with such a Tupperware-like, bubbly design affects more than just a driver's outward image. Some of our editors enjoyed the excellent visibility afforded by the lofty windows and high ceiling, while others didn't appreciate the increase in glare these design cues allowed into the cabin. This problem was exacerbated by "incapably small" visors which were mounted too high to provide much protection from the sun's rays.

One driver raved that the elevated roofline, in addition to the generous rear footwell, facilitated the strapping of her little lambkins into their car seats. Additionally, the Bug's bulbous contours contributed to increased cargo capacity. With the rear seats folded forward, our staffers were able to stow all the necessary gear for extended road trips. Smaller-scale storage space was sorely lacking in this car, however. Our beset-upon brood of editors suffered woefully due to the dearth of cubby space. There was nowhere to stash lip balm, cassettes, sunglasses or cell phones, save for the mesh pockets on the doors, which were all but useless for storing smaller items.

Opinions on interior comfort and design in the New Beetle varied; the seats were appreciated by nearly everyone for their firmness and roominess, but we were all pretty unhappy about the lack of armrests on either the seats themselves or on the oddly flat doors. The arched roofline sometimes caused taller rear-seat passengers to bump their heads, but the expansive, table-like dash, although surprising to encounter at first, made us feel a little more secure by distancing front-seat passengers from the windshield. This might also account for the New Beetle's excellent NHTSA crash-test scores.

Noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) was an occasional problem inside the VeeDub, as well. Several drivers commented upon the distinctive, and rather loud, putter of the diesel engine, although usually with reminiscent fondness (plenty of our staffers have had previous experience with old VW Bugs). As our New Beetle got older, there was some griping about interior rattling, especially from the dashboard, as well as squeaks and excessive wind noise, which we find a little surprising considering the tight build quality we've witnessed in most of Volkswagen's newer offerings. For some reason, they decided to use a lot of cheap plastic materials in the New Beetle.

Speaking of build quality issues, one of our editors got a generous helping of problems during her relatively brief stint in the Beetle in September '99. She had just gotten the vehicle back from the dealer after having a faulty driver's power window switch fixed. The next day, she realized the right headlight was out, then the seat adjustment lever came off in her hand, then the rear cupholder came loose and fell onto the floor. Other complaints that month centered on ergonomics, with several drivers grumbling about too-small stereo buttons, a poorly placed clock (too high), non-adjustable seatbelt height and inadequate illumination from the dome light.

We also had some trouble with the car alarm. First off, we didn't like the way the horn sounded every time we set the alarm - in fact, we found it rather unnecessary and annoying, as did our neighbors. The alarm itself occasionally went off without any provocation. The trunk gave us some grief as well, as it didn't always close tightly, although it appeared that it did.

Acceleration and handling were among the New Beetle's strong points. The Bug was described as "quick" and "zippy" during city driving, with excellent low-end torque. A few complaints centered on the long-throw shifter, however, which felt a bit sloppy. The 1.9-liter TDI engine was approbated by nearly all of our drivers. Finding diesel fuel was occasionally a chore, but the inconvenience was pardoned in light of the excellent gas mileage and impressive pick-up of this little turbo-powered tyke.

We had one particularly fun incident with our diesel-powered Buggy in September of 1998. A couple of (non-editorial and therefore not very familiar with the New Beetle) members of the Edmunds.com staff borrowed the car one evening and promptly stopped at a gas station, then proceeded to fill the tank with four gallons of unleaded gasoline before realizing their error. After pushing the car away from the pumps, our madcap staffers called Volkswagen's 24-hour roadside assistance and had the car towed to a dealership, where the tank was drained and refilled with our baby's lifeblood - this cost about $123. Aside from this mishap, we didn't find the TDI engine to be bothersome at all, and were favorably impressed by its fuel economy and low-end power. We never had much trouble finding gas stations which sold diesel fuel, either. We chose the TDI because we had been chastised by readers for bad-mouthing diesel engines, and we learned our lesson.

There were a few other random quirks/niceties in our New Beetle which are probably worth mentioning again. One is the temperature light, which is prone to light up until the engine warms up -- an odd, but intentional feature in these cars. We had recurring problems with the air conditioning in the Bugster. The placement of the gearshift in relation to the hazard light switch was a little wonky; one of our drivers found that shifting into third gear occasionally set the hazards a-blinking. An interesting feature found in all of the new VWs is the red and purple interior illumination. Most of us found it soothing to the eyes and incredibly cool in a funky, unique kind of way, but one driver pointed out that it made for difficulty in discerning the hot from the cold climate controls. A point worth pondering.

Toward the end of our lease, we noticed that our Buggy vibrated excessively at highway speeds and tended to wander over the slightest irregularities in the tarmac. This was later attributed to the tires, which needed to be replaced. We rotated them instead, figuring that the dealer could take care of this problem after we turned the Bugster back in.

Returning the New Beetle to the dealer proved a relatively easy chore. Volkswagen called us about a month and a half before the lease termination date to schedule an inspection to be performed by Intermodal Transportation Services (I.T.S.). The inspection took about 25 minutes and left us $375 poorer (for a cracked windshield and scuffed bumper). We figured we got off lightly. We then returned the vehicle to Santa Monica Volkswagen without adventure or mishap.

Final thoughts? Hmmm ... we liked it. The New Beetle was far from perfect, as most of the vehicles we long-term test inevitably turn out to be. But it was reliable and, for the most part, fun to drive. It was also unique, which counts for a lot on roads overrun with lumbering SUVs, vanilla sedans and conservative entry-level luxury vehicles. What's more, our lemon yellow VeeDub exuded youth and exuberance, which was especially appealing to some of those among our staff who are longing to recapture their rapidly departing age of indiscretion.

What Edmunds.com says about the New Beetle:

Pros: It's cute, it's quirky, it's retro, and it's an image car we can all afford.

Cons: It's a fancy-schmancy Golf (which means it's not the same as the original). Good or bad? You decide.

Best Logbook Quotes:

At some point, I decided to drive the New Beetle like an old Beetle. That is, to drive with the flow. Let things happen. Be harmonious with the world. Speed and velocity is no longer paramount. -- Brent Romans

On bumpy sections of road, the whole vehicle sounded like the LA Philharmonic's percussion section warming up before a concert. -- Grant Whitmore

Its got great pickup, handles well, and continues to garner the occasional glance from passers-by (especially those sports cars that I passed on the freeway). -- Avi Steinlauf

I'll just use the word "interesting" to describe the stains on the front seats, especially the passenger seat. Don't know what those stains are...don't think I want to know. -- Karl Brauer

Should things just be popping off all over the place? The window button, seat lever, cupholder? It just feels like this car was thrown together with crazy glue. -- Deborah Greenbaum

What Owners Say About the New Beetle:

E-mail Commentary

Great little car! The only hint of a problem so far was a strange fuel injection cut-out problem at low rpms. I fixed that by popping the temperature-controlled recirculation valve out of the fuel filter, staring at it for a minute while scratching my head, and re-installing it. Problem solved! (The o-ring in the valve was allowing a slight air leak.)

How on earth did you manage to get such horrible mileage with your long-term car? I've installed a Wetterauer chip in mine ( http://www.chip-tuning.com ), cranked up the boost by adjusting the VNT turbo, and done a few other performance-related mods. The engine absolutely screams; I drive it like a maniac all the time (80% freeway) and still have never gotten less than 43 mpg from a tankful. I average 47 on summer diesel fuel, and my best tank was 49!

The only complaints I have are that my bright yellow paint attracts cops like moths to a flame, and that the torque of the modded TDI engine shreds front tires too quickly. Other than that, it's the most amazing car (and ENGINE, especially) that I've ever owned! -- Eric Anderson, Somewhere, USA

My wife and I bought our first New Beetle TDI in November 1998. It is metallic Techno Blue with a black cloth interior. We immediately fell in love with it. It has the best handling of any car we've driven. It has excellent acceleration (we've been to 115 mph and the car handled perfectly). The trick we've learned is that it is a DIESEL and therefore must be driven as such. Optimum performance is achieved when upshifting at the LOWEST rpm possible (around 2000 rpm). We get into 4th gear within a few seconds. Since the turbocharged TDI has excellent low-end torque, its performance improves when keeping the rpms nice and low. The same is true when downshifting. We keep the car in 4 th gear down to 1300-1400 rpm. When we learned this driving habit, not only did performance improve, but so did our fuel economy. -- Jamie Knapp, Mendon, MA

We picked up our shiny New Beetle on New Year's Eve, 1998. What better way to start '99?

Almost a year and a half later, and we are still thrilled with the car. There is something about it that just keeps me grinning, day to day. It's a joy to drive...spunky, nimble, small enough for commuting but with an expansive interior for the front occupants. Even the back-seat riders, when there are some, are willing to accept the lack of headroom just to be seen driving around town.

Two years after the car's introduction, and people's heads still turn. It's a conversation piece. Guests are still tickled when I offer them a ride. Simply put: the car's handling, performance and interior live up to the promises made by the exterior styling. Everyone that has gone for a ride in the car has enjoyed it, and just loves how the whole car feels so different when you are inside. The ride is comfortable and fun. -John Mechalas, Portland, OR

Town Hall Commentary

Hate to be the first to jump ship, but I just traded in my New Beetle after seven months and 17,000 miles. The Beetle's a beautiful car, and handled well, but I felt cramped and got tired of all the gear shifting. It was also a pain to fold down the rear seat every time I had more than two bags of groceries, because the trunk was so small. Unlike other cars with fold-down rear seats, you have to pull out and fold up the rear seat cushion before you even get around to folding down the rear seatback to open up the hatchback cargo area. - spedman

Having been a TDI owner since May, I can say without hesitation that this car has been a blast. Even in its stock form it has more than enough guts. Living in Wisconsin, we've begun to have some colder weather (i.e. 25 degrees) and the starting has been the same as it's been all summer. I have found that there are differences in diesel fuel. The best I've found has been Amoco and our local station serves several trucking firms so the fuel turnover is pretty good. To anyone on the fence -- go for it. You'll love it. - mjb56

I took the chance with the Beetle because of the wonderful personality of the car and everything that went along with it. I certainly don't regret it one bit. To me the Civic was just a collection of mechanical parts, while the Beetle was a work of art, with a happy personality that makes me smile. Besides, it's a blast to drive! It's really been a memorable experience. - DanaR

Summing Up:

Current Market Value*: $13,855
Depreciation: $3,905

Final Odometer Reading: 32,406
Best Fuel Economy: 48 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 21.5 mpg
Average Fuel Economy: 36.5 mpg

Total Body Repair Costs: $1,141.86
Total Routine Maintenance Costs: $397.80
Additional Maintenance Costs: $346.67

Warranty Repairs: 10
Non-Warranty Repairs: 7
Scheduled Dealer Visits: 4
Unscheduled Dealer Visits: 10
Days Out of Service: 34
Breakdowns Stranding Driver: None.

Recalls:

May 1998: Voluntary safety recall to install new battery tray and secure engine compartment wiring harness.

Problem History:

In May 1998, the air conditioner compressor wasn't working due to a wire-chaffing problem caused by the battery tray. A recall was issued.

The next month, we realized the cruise control didn't work and the passenger door lock functioned only intermittently.

In October '98, we had some trouble with a loose driver's seat and had to order a new seat frame.

In November, the interior trim on the driver's door started chipping off. The next month turned up a wiring problem in the left-side low beam.

January '99 found a broken fog light and the VW badge on the trunk lid fell off. Also the trunk lid didn't always close completely in sub-zero weather, and at one point the fuel door froze shut.

We were okay until April, when the driver's seat-tilt lever broke off. In May '99, we had to deal with a recalcitrant electric fuel door release.

By July '99, the right turn signal was blinking too rapidly (remedied by a bulb replacement) and the digital odometer display started to blank out intermittently.

In September '99, the driver power window button broke, the right headlight went out, a rear cupholder fell out and the driver's seat lever came off.

We noticed a shimmy through the steering wheel in February 2000. This was later attributed to tires which needed replacing. Also, the cap to the emergency brake handle button fell off and the front bumper plug disappeared.

In April 2000, the air conditioning was on the fritz again, a recurring problem with our New Beetle.

Dealer Service Commentary:

Volkswagen of Van Nuys in Van Nuys, Calif.

"Our staffer reported a happy, shiny service experience at this dealership, with all items fixed for free under warranty within 24 hours of dropping off the Bugster."

Santa Monica Volkswagen in Santa Monica, Calif.

"Santa Monica Volkswagen fixed our window lifter under warranty, and we also had the tires rotated, which depleted our funds by a meager $9.95. The dealership did hem and haw to find us a time slot for the service. Either they were supremely busy or understaffed. The work was done to our satisfaction, and we hit the road again."

"Overall, our Beetle received a clean bill of heath. No additional parts needed to be replaced. It was rather expensive, however, with the final tally coming to $387.85. Nearly all of this cost was labor. Particularly offensive was the $50.05 charge to replace the e-brake cap."

McDonald Volkswagen in Littleton, Colo.

"Everything was covered under warranty, since VW handles all maintenance for the first two years and 24,000 miles of a car's life. McDonald also replaced our brake fluid, which is supposed to be done every two years. The broken seatback release lever on the driver's side was repaired under warranty as well."

"Our driver was directed to the body shop, but the directions proved to be quite poor. After driving in circles for a while, he finally found a lot filled with cars in various states of disrepair, wandered into the office and encountered a rather unfriendly worker. The experience was unpleasant and unexpected after a couple of very good visits to this dealership."

Borton Volvo/VW in Delray, Fla.

"The New Beetle was taken into Borton Volvo/VW in Delray, Fla., to have both of its missing VW badges replaced under warranty. Our driver also found out that a computer at the dealership can reprogram the stereo so that the volume doesn't automatically adjust when you hit preset buttons. Unfortunately, the computer was broken that day, but at least we know it can be done."

Vyletel Buick/Isuzu/Volkswagen in Sterling Heights, Mich.

"The paperwork revealed that the oil filter, oil and washer fluid for the 10,000-mile service as well as the cost of reprogramming the new set of keys were covered by warranty. The cruise control was indeed fixed, but unlike the story we'd been told in California (that a part was on order to fix it), the technician stated: 'Checked ISSI and found cruise was never turned on. Reprogrammed ECU and turned on cruise control.' Aha! No part was needed-just somebody smart enough to figure out why it didn't work."

"Clor and family were once again wowed by Mosher's friendliness and thoughtful attitude. They left the car and came back the next day to pick it up. Kudos to Vyletel for delivering the car washed. A tag on the dash read: 'Your Car Will Dry Spot Free' and explained the dealer's car wash system."

"The service technicians at Vyletel Buick/Isuzu/Volkswagen of Sterling Heights, Mich., replaced the bulb in less than an hour and the invoice showed that the low-beam bulb was replaced under warranty-no charge."

Baker Volkswagen in Carlsbad, Calif.

"Early in the month, one of our production managers took the car into Bob Baker Volkswagen in Carlsbad, Calif., for its 5,000-mile checkup. Although the service went without a hitch, we were annoyed to learn later that another staff member had already taken the car in to Volkswagen of Santa Monica for its 5,000-mile service and the Carlsbad dealer failed to mention that the service had already been completed. Isn't that why they ask for VIN numbers and all that other information when you drop the car off? At least it only cost us in time; both services were free thanks to VW's two-year service plan."

Changes to the New Beetle Since 1998

1999: A high-performance turbo model debuts this year. A small spoiler over the rear window is the only exterior telltale that the Slug Bug next to you has the 150-horsepower 1.8-liter turbocharged inline-four from the larger Passat sedan under the hood.

2000: The New Beetle gets a brake-wear indicator, improved theft protection, a sliding sun-visor extender, and an optional cold-weather package (GLS models only). Additionally, the 1.8T GLS and GLX versions receive Anti-Slip Regulation as standard equipment this year.

Similar Vehicles:

Volkswagen Golf

*based on Summer 2000 edition of "Edmunds.com's Used Cars and Trucks," and expressed in U.S. dollars.