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GOH2O Samba Member
Joined: March 12, 2016 Posts: 2 Location: Florida
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Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2016 5:46 pm Post subject: Looking For Advice on First Gen Wasser Beetles |
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Hello, and thanks in advance for any advice that might be headed my way. I am looking for general information about first generation water-cooled Beetles. I want to purchase one for my daughter's first car. So, it will need to be an auto-trans. I have a limit of about $6k.
I am not a novice car guy, but I know nothing about water-cooled VWs. I am trying to find out if there are years to avoid. Are there common and expensive problems to look for? Is there a printed buyer's guide for these as there are for air-cooled Beetles? Are there expensive maintenance issues like timing belts (interference fit or not, can this be done in a home garage)? Are diesels a good choice? What is the maximum "life expectancy" with good care?
So many questions!
Anything that gets me pointed in the right direction would be great.
Many thanks! As a public school educator, I cannot afford to make a huge mistake.
GOH2O |
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jmartin7 Samba Member
Joined: March 03, 2011 Posts: 213 Location: Memphis,Tennessee
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Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2016 6:43 pm Post subject: Re: Looking For Advice on First Gen Wasser Beetles |
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If the car must be an automatic, then I would advise you to look at the gen 1.5 New Beetles. The years for these cars are 2006 - 2010. These cars have the 2.5 L 5 cylinder engine and 6 speed tiptronic transmission. This combination is the most reliable automatic in your price range. The older cars with the 4 speed 01m transmission in the year range of 1998-2005 should be avoided. With the older cars it is not a question of if, but when the transmission will fail. |
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ach60 Samba Member
Joined: May 14, 2001 Posts: 4139 Location: Santa Maria
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Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2016 11:14 pm Post subject: Re: Looking For Advice on First Gen Wasser Beetles |
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GOH2O wrote: |
I cannot afford to make a huge mistake.
GOH2O |
One of our young smart Aerospace Engineer was complaining that her oil light was coming on.
Damn VW, she said.
One of our techs said let's take a look, and found no oil on the dip stick.
I've had nothing but VWs since I was 16 years old, but I wouldn't put a daughter in a VW. _________________ Good Luck
Al |
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Karmannut Samba Member
Joined: August 05, 2007 Posts: 139 Location: North Canton Ohio
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Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2016 10:08 am Post subject: Re: Looking For Advice on First Gen Wasser Beetles |
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Try here for anything related to New Beetles
http://newbeetle.org/forums/
they aren't nearly as bad bad as everyone here makes them out to be _________________ Rupert- 64 Sea Blue Beetle with 66 Dove Lodgette tent
Bunny- 84 grey Rabbit Convertible
Pepper-18 Habanero Orange Beetle SE Premium
Air and Water do mix! |
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GOH2O Samba Member
Joined: March 12, 2016 Posts: 2 Location: Florida
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Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2016 4:57 pm Post subject: Re: Looking For Advice on First Gen Wasser Beetles |
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Thanks to the many replies. The advice on the Tiptronic is great. I am wondering why ACH60 would not put his daughter into a VW (is it safety, reliability...?). A little more detail would be appreciated. My girl has been dead set on a beetle since she was old enough to talk, with understanding, about cars. Also, she is only 5ft. 2 inches tall, and has a really tough time seeing the placement of the fenders in my Tundra or my wife's FJ cruiser ( I know that I may have just nixed any advice by mentioning my Yotas in this forum. But, I hope not!).
Karmannut, thanks for the link. I am headed there now.
Any more specifics will help me make a better buy. So, thanks in advance.
GOH2O |
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ach60 Samba Member
Joined: May 14, 2001 Posts: 4139 Location: Santa Maria
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Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2016 1:04 pm Post subject: Re: Looking For Advice on First Gen Wasser Beetles |
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Because kids are dumb.
I'm a pretty careful owner, and check things on a car, daily/weekly/monthly.
If a light comes on, I stop and check.
I drove a VW Squareback from '76 to '83
If I smell something, I'll check to see what the smell is about, driving a fuel injected Squareback IF YOU SMELLED GAS YOU STOPPED!!!!
Kids don't do that, they'll drive a sick car home so Daddy can check it.
My Sister was lucky enough to drive the Squareback an hour home with a leaking injector back in '74.
When my stepdaughter's Sonic says it needs service, my stepdaughter calls her Mom, so good old Mom can set up servicing.
Like Milner said "Driving is serious business", kids don't get that. _________________ Good Luck
Al |
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Abscate Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014 Posts: 22568 Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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Posted: Wed May 11, 2016 8:22 am Post subject: Re: Looking For Advice on First Gen Wasser Beetles |
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Get her a stick shift Beetle - easy to drive and make it a convertible to seal the deal. _________________ .ssS! |
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veedubman72 Samba Member
Joined: March 08, 2014 Posts: 230 Location: United States
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Posted: Thu May 12, 2016 12:30 pm Post subject: Re: Looking For Advice on First Gen Wasser Beetles |
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Did you mean you wouldn't put your daughter in an older VW? You're comparing cars across generations of a least a decade or more older because of a Service reminder function? New(er) VWs have this function. So again, why would you not put her in a VW? and 1st gen beetles are CHEAP!, so why would he not put his daughter in something affordable if that's within their price budget? |
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