Used 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle Consumer Reviews
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2003 New Beetle Turbo
iatros, 11/16/2012
2003 Volkswagen New Beetle GLX 2dr Convertible (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
16 of 19 people found this review helpful
I bought our 2003 New Beetle Convertible Turbo with auto 6 speed in June 2003 for my wife's birthday. We had to go to Arlington, TX, to order one of the first to come into the USA. My wife has loved this car! The handling and comfort are great, and she loves to leave the pickemup drivers standing at the lights. We don't drive it much, but one highlight was trip from Huntsville, AL, to Ashville, NC, in October. But I worry a bit. There have been several service issues, including one coil recoil. The latest service, with 57,600 miles, was the appearance of Service Engine light. Dealer wants only $2200 to fix everything!
My Horror Story
azuki, 03/20/2014
updated 09/21/2017
2003 Volkswagen New Beetle GL 2dr Convertible (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
19 of 23 people found this review helpful
This was my first car at the age of 18. When I got my Beetle, it had about 72,000 miles on it, and not even 4 months after receiving it, the problems began. Immediately, my transmission died completely. My warranty company gave me a $4,000 check and voided my warranty after seeing the $12,000 repair bill. Then, the battery died. Twice. As did the alternator and air conditioning. My rear window also got stuck and that would have cost me 4 hours of labor fees just to get to the broken bits. It's not like I drove it a lot - over a course of 3 years I didn't even drive 10,000 miles. For the love of god, stay away from this car. It is one problem after another, literally every 3-5 months. Update: It has been two years since I got my new car. I have named it "Not Beetle," and have had zero problems with it. Turns out the secret of German engineering is to buy a Korean car instead.
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2003 Volkswagen New Beetle for sale near you
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- GLS ConvertibleMSRP: $6,888871 mi away
- GLS TDI Diesel 2dr HatchbackMSRP: $7,999896 mi away
- GL 2dr HatchbackMSRP: $7,998930 mi away
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electronic issues
Heidi, 01/09/2010
2003 Volkswagen New Beetle GLS 2dr Convertible (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
Very disappointed in the electronics of my bug - it has had so many "bugs". I've had the seat belt/airbag sensors replaced, various other sensors, the catalytic converter and every time I get in it there's seems to be some dash light that comes on indicating a problem. The car has 75,000 miles on it and is a lot of fun to drive, but I'm not recommending purchasing a Beetle because of the issues it has had. I've written a letter to the headquarters regarding the issues along with receipts from my repairs. Every time I take it to the dealer they want to charge $80+ for diagnostics. I'm at the point now that I'm looking to purchase another vehicle because of the problems I've had.
A good car, only for the first 3 years
Jane Doe, 07/09/2016
2003 Volkswagen New Beetle GL 2dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
These fall apart. At 140k miles I've replaced/ repaired so many stupid things. Like what? The rear 3rd brake light seal leaks. This lets water into the trunk lock which sets off the alarm every time it rains. And, requires replacing if the trunk latch! The water pump and mini fold are made of glass reinforced plastic that doesn't stand up to prolonged hi temps. Both cracked and needs replacement at different times. Quite the unreliable car if you keep it more than 3 years
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Don't be Fooled by the Hype
Jeff A., 06/13/2003
2003 Volkswagen New Beetle GLX 1.8T 2dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 4A)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
The heated seats don't work like they have in the past. Dealer insists there is a temperature sensor in the seats to determine how hot the seat should be. Even with the air-conditioning on in freezing temperatures, the '5' setting does not work at all. Not impressed with the fuel economy in the cold months. Averaging 21-22 mpg in the city. Power windows have a tendancy to roll back down after you've rolled them up. Sluggish start after sitting overnight. There is a wind vibration inside the car if the sunroof is open and traveling less than 20 mph. Very annoying.