Used 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle Hatchback Consumer Reviews
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good for the price
This was a 1999 leftover with only a few miles on it. I've been very happy except for the very, very squeeky brakes. The dealer, after a few visits, told me there's nothing they can do, breaks are fine, and gave me a pamphlet explaining why they squeek. The noise is so bad I can't drive with the windows open and I'm trading it in. Also, the side view mirrors are too high. I see that's been redesigned in the new models.
German Engineering? Yea right!!!!
I don't even know where to begin...At 10000 miles a brake light switch went out not covered under warranty! Then at 25000 battery went dead and thanks to VW for the special size, that was a nice $200 bill(again not under warranty). I have battled with the power window switches that are tempermental, the auto door lock at 7mph that works half the time, the driver's side window that doesn't want to go up, the gas door that won't latch and have I mentioned the horrible rattling and vibration at any speed over 25mph? The interior pieces are notorious for falling off. This car turned to junk after 6 months of ownership.
- GLS 2dr HatchbackMSRP: $7,577453 mi away
- GLS 2dr HatchbackMSRP: $4,460563 mi away
- GLS 1.8T 2dr HatchbackMSRP: $7,500618 mi away
love bugs
Its wonderful fun to drive,You don't have to worry every week about filling your gas tank.its great!They drive quite and run wonderfully.
Don't miss the repair shop
There was no greater fan of this car than me. I waited breathlessly for six years after seeing the prototype to buy it and loved it from the get go. Then all hell broke loose...literally. The whole A/C system had to be replaced at 2 years ($1200), the passenger seat lift lever broke off at 6 mos., the interior roof's compartment door broke off within 2 months, the locking fuel tank door broke around 2.5 yrs, the locking mechanism started doing a freakdance and a year after replacing the A/C system, it went out again. Had to dump it for the reliability of a good ol' Nissan.
Great Car
This car has been the best that I have owned....very clever design features, loads of headroom (I am 6'4" tall) and good handling...excellent reliability. I would recommend this make/model for folks who want a fun and relatively inexpensive mode of transportation.
if only i had known.....
i bought the car with 7k miles...it now has a shade over 15k build quality is very poor...glove box door hinge came loose without any trauma..power window switch broke and cruise control went out. lower engine cover panel came loose after 6 months of driving, just replaced a faulty brake light switch now the solenoid that controls the gas cap door needs replacing....this car is truly a piece of crap....
Cut My Losses
I bought a 1999 Volkswagen Beetle for my daughter and the car was OK for 50,000 miles. Then it started having major repair bills. It overheated and cost $1,200 to replace the heads, after which it still did not work right. New brakes cost $300. We had to replace three headlights at $45 each. The motor kept giving her trouble. We spend another $1,200 on it and then it died. We put in a different motor had all kinds electrical problems. Eventually the car caught on fire and was totaled. Don't buy this car unless you want a money pit.
I'LL NEVER BUY ANOTHER VOLKSWAGON AGAIN
THIS IS THE MOST UNRELIABLE CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED!!!I HAVE BEEN TO THE SHOP A COUNTLESS NUMBER OF TIMES FOR EVERYTHING FROM MINOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS(POWER WINDOW REGULATORS,RADIO MALFUNCTIONS,FAULTY TAIL LAMPS) TO MAJOR ENGINE PROBLEMS(UNEXPECTED ENGINE THRUSTING DUE TO A DEFECTIVE THROTTLE BODY AND THE CAR JUST NOT STARTING- UNKNOWN CAUSE).
Fun. downside: window/lock switches.
The only crticism of this fun-to-drive car is the window and lock switches were of poor quality. The difficulty in changing headlamps is a myth (even the owner's manual tells owners to take it to the dealership--I got a $53 estimate to change it). I found a procedure on the inernet and changed the passenger side headlamp quickly and for $7--the cost of the bulb.
No longer a dream car
Growing up, I’ve always wanted a beetle so when I finally got one, I was ecstatic. Yes, the car was 19 years old when I bought it in 2018 but the first few months with it were great. Then things stopped working like my speedometer, fuel gauge, automatic clock, temperature display, etc. The most upsetting part is every time I fuel up, it’s $40!! Not sure if it’s because there are problems with my car, but it’s ridiculous how much gas goes into this tiny car. Besides those issues, the steering is great and I can fit into basically any parking spot.
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