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Used 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle Hatchback Consumer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars
101 reviews

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4.63 out of 5 stars

good for the price

Cinders, 05/22/2002
1999 Volkswagen New Beetle GLS 2dr Hatchback
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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.

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3.75 out of 5 stars

German Engineering? Yea right!!!!

goingback2, 09/10/2002
1999 Volkswagen New Beetle GLS 2dr Hatchback
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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.

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5 out of 5 stars

love bugs

mssktty18, 02/09/2004
1999 Volkswagen New Beetle GL 2dr Hatchback
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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.

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3.5 out of 5 stars

Don't miss the repair shop

Robinowitz, 09/12/2002
1999 Volkswagen New Beetle GL 2dr Hatchback
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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.

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4.88 out of 5 stars

Great Car

psfriend, 04/22/2004
1999 Volkswagen New Beetle GL 2dr Hatchback
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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.

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2.5 out of 5 stars

if only i had known.....

jocko, 02/21/2002
1999 Volkswagen New Beetle GLS 2dr Hatchback
0 of 1 people found this review helpful

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....

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1.75 out of 5 stars

Cut My Losses

Crazy for Buying, 01/14/2006
1999 Volkswagen New Beetle GL 2dr Hatchback
0 of 1 people found this review helpful

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.

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2.38 out of 5 stars

I'LL NEVER BUY ANOTHER VOLKSWAGON AGAIN

joeydee, 01/05/2003
1999 Volkswagen New Beetle GLS 2dr Hatchback
0 of 1 people found this review helpful

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).

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4.75 out of 5 stars

Fun. downside: window/lock switches.

jjd, 09/04/2003
1999 Volkswagen New Beetle GLS 2dr Hatchback
0 of 1 people found this review helpful

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.

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3 out of 5 stars

No longer a dream car

Vy K., 04/03/2019
1999 Volkswagen New Beetle GLS 2dr Hatchback
0 of 1 people found this review helpful

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.

Safety
3 out of 5 stars
Technology
1 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Interior
4 out of 5 stars
Comfort
4 out of 5 stars
Reliability
1 out of 5 stars
Value
1 out of 5 stars
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