Used 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible Consumer Reviews
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disposable car
ruizd, 06/14/2011
2003 Volkswagen New Beetle GL 2dr Convertible (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
35 of 37 people found this review helpful
I bought a 2003 convertible beetle with 60k. one week after driving it i notice a hard shift, a few days after an oil leak was noticed. I took it a Volkswagen dealer and they did a diagnostic and confirmed what I told them, suggested that I do a transmission fluid check and it could fix the problem I said BS. I had read all the complaints about this car and my mechanic also told me that I should have never bought it, he pointed out the the transmission could not be serviced and all of the hoses are made of plastic that with heat they become brittle and break.. so I took my loss and bought a Honda accord. don't buy this car is disposable. I would never buy a volkswagen again..
I love my convertible
CK, 07/01/2010
2003 Volkswagen New Beetle GLS 2dr Convertible (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
10 of 11 people found this review helpful
Looking for a fun car that's sure to get people's heads turning? The Volkswagen new beetle convertible is it! This is the best car I've ever owned. It is reliable, sturdy, gets great gas mileage. I've had no problems with it. I would highly recommend this car! If you're thinking you see a bunch of bad reviews--try it for yourself, it may surprise you with how great it is. That's what I did, and it was the best choice. Good job Volkswagen!
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.
2003 New Beetle Turbo
iatros, 11/16/2012
2003 Volkswagen New Beetle GLX 2dr Convertible (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
14 of 17 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)
17 of 21 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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