I'm thinking of buying a VW beetle. What are things that I should know/consider about this car?

my father is a body shop manager, and VW has the most expensive parts for repair, so if you buy one, you will shell out the dough for repairs. as far as buying a bug, they're too tiny (what if you were hit by a semi?). a jetta would be better. always think of worst case scenario. i really think that vovlo has the safest car out there.

There are several things to take into consideration when buying a Beetle, or any model VW for that matter.

First of all, you need to stay away from the turbocharged model. The engine is poorly designed. The crankcase is too small and the oil gets hot and cakes up causing crucial oil passages to be blocked. The other engines do well but you must be very religious about doing preventative maintenance. Timing belts only last between 75,000 and 90,000 miles. If you don't change it along with the water pump and pulleys it could cost you literally thousands. I own a Passat and love it but again you've got to keep up on the maintenance. its not a Toyota or a Honda

first of all i would suggest looking at reviews on-line at edmunds.com so you can compare this too other cars in the same category. while shopping for the car i just bought a week ago (2004 vw gti) one of the cars i looked at was the beetle. it actually is the size of the old super beetle and had A LOT of interior space. i have never heard of vw being really expensive to repair and i worked for a towing and auto repair company. you will actually pay more to fix a domestic (ex: early 2000's ford expeditions take 10 hours to change a heater core which should only take about 2). if you like it i would definitely recommend a vw and make sure it is a german built one (not mexican like most jettas) and look into engine sizes to compare gas mileage

Do you want new or used?The 2006 Beetle has some styling changes from the previous models.A 2.5 5 cylinder gas engine is available,and a 1.9 Litre diesel for '06.Previous models came with a 2.0 4 cylinder gas,1.8T(turbo) gas,and the 1.9 diesel.I have sold many beetles,both gas and diesel.They are safe,fun cars that hold value well in the market place.I would be happy to give you more info as I sell VW for a living.If you like the look of the Beetle,then you would enjoy owning one.Contact me with any questions you might have.vwjcook@yahoo.com

I have the 2002 Turbo S Series! The car totally handles well-you almost do not even need to shift. It passes other cars up. It gets 28 mpg. Red, Sporty, did I say FAST already?

It is my second VW Beetle. Previous car was a SATURN! lol!!!!

"Driver Humans Wanted"

You have to go to a news stand or bookstore and buy the Consumer Reports Car Buying Guide or pay for a subscription on their website. It's the best $26 you will spend this year.

It has everything you need to know about picking the right car, reviews, repair frequency data, being prepared to walk into the dealer, knowing all about financing (if you belong to a credit union---get approved for a loan before you set foot in the showroom), extended warranty scams, dealer add-on scams, etc.

I have used their advice for 15 years and it has saved me thousands. Car salesmen actually stop lying to you when they see you have done your homework and are prepared with the Consumer Reports guide.

P.S. Did you know that there are 8 ways a car dealer makes money off of you?

I assume you are talking about purchasing a used New Beetle. With all used cars, you want to look for specific maintanance and wear. Many New Beetle owners have scraped the lower rocker panels on curbs, go figure, and that is not an easy piece to replace because it is part of the frame.

good luck

1) The fact that the hood slats downward at a curve might make it difficult to judge exactly where the bumper is. This may be an inconvenience when you parallel park.

2) The image of the bug is forever. If people make fun of you for it, they'll never stop.

3) The image of the bug will never go out of style. it's lasted this long and probably will continue forever.

4) Colored interior panels? Either you like it or you hate it.

5) Consider the Turbo version.

For the money you are about to spend for the year make and model of that that cramped limited space type of vehicle...try looking into purchasing an American car like a Chevy Malibu.....2004 and better have been worthy of my money big time. You can take your friends in it...comfortably. It's American made...stop lining the pockets of the foreigners...and with the gas crisis the way it is...(how is it on gas by the way?) on $2.89 a gallon I have been able to fill up the tank Malibu on $34.00...You wimped out by getting the Saturn by GM. You deserve an upgrade. Go for the Malibu by Chevrolet. You wouldn't regret it. I've been a proud owner of the 1997, the 2000, and recently the 2004...it's 2006...and I don't want to get rid of it at all...unless the 2006 or 2007 flies off of the ground to take me from one city to the next! LOL!

Anywany I am getting ahead of myself here. See if you can test drive one. I don't know what year you are looking for...but any one of them will do.

If you don't, good luck on your decision / selection.

If you want a dependable, every day driven car then you should stick with the "new style VW" if you want something to tinker with,drive on weekends, than a 'bug' is great! Be advised that bug's heater systems DO NOT work! if you live in 'cold country' be prepared to freeze! Other wise they are fun to drive get good gas mileage and aren't too hard to work on.....

I've never owned a VW before, but just a little tip on making a big purchase such as a car. I wouldn't restrict myself to one brand or type of car. Keep your mind open. Make a list of what is important to you:

gas mileage

2dr/4dr

American/Foreign

passenger room (those bugs don't carry a whole lot...you won't be able to pack 3 friends in and go on a camping trip for example)

Of course, if you are set on this, go for it...but I would check other cars first before dropping big money. Check kbb.com for reviews.