2004 VW TDI Beetle

[Nick1994]

(Yes I know it's a chick car, but it'll get me 40 mpg) I've sold the Camry and I'm driving my aunt's 04' TDI Beetle. I've already had tons of miles behind the wheel in it, it actually handles quite amazing and it isn't a 0-60 champion but with loads of torque it's really fun to drive. It consistently has gotten 38-41 mpg every tank since it was new. It's got 158k miles and has had 10k miles OCI and always repaired and serviced at the VW dealer which has always treated her very well and has literally NEVER up-sold her on anything, I even have even service record since new. She decided having it, her 13' TDI Beetle, and a 70' Beetle didn't make a lot of sense for 1 person so I've taken over the 04' and it's basically mine. It's been very reliable and the only real repairs have been an alternator which was pretty easy to change and a starter. I plan on Plasti-dipping the wheels black as well. I live with her so all 3 hang out everyday

 

[CHARLIEBRONSON21]

Personally, the 70 is where it's at.

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: CHARLIEBRONSON21

Personally, the 70 is where it's at.

Oh yeah! I'm semi-restoring it, it's actually in good shape just want to completely redo the interior.

 

[901Memphis]

Never been up sold? I think you just found one good dealership.

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis

Never been up sold? I think you just found one good dealership.

Yup. She uses the same service guy he'll make a recommendation to her but is very realistic. I mean it's even got the original front brakes with half pad left (yes I said that right)

 

[supton]

Dude, I had 3/4 of the front pads left at 274kmiles. Well, on three of them--the fourth fell off, so I had to replace 'em all. Congrads! My Jetta is feeling its age in about every which way, but the first few years were certainly great. Even today I think it's still got quite a bit of life left.

 

[cptbarkey]

despite the worst interior design award of the past two decades the powertrain is unstoppable, enjoy.

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: cptbarkey

despite the worst interior design award of the past two decades the powertrain is unstoppable, enjoy.

How is the interior design even remotely bad? The only flaw I see is the door panel handles break easily. It's extremely comfortable with TONS of legroom for the front. With the passenger seat all the way back I can't reach my feet under the dash to the end and I'm 6'1"-6'2". I was on a 4,800 mile road trip last summer in it and couldn't have been more comfortable. I just took my Camry on a 3,000 mile road trip a couple weeks ago and wanted to die it was so uncomfortable.

 

[Quattro Pete]

A 6'2" dude in a Beetle? Some people would pay good money to see that... Jokes aside, congrats on a new ride. My dad has an A4 TDI... not exactly my cup of tea, but the torque curve cannot be argued with.

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete

A 6'2" dude in a Beetle? Some people would pay good money to see that... Jokes aside, congrats on a new ride. My dad has an A4 TDI... not exactly my cup of tea, but the torque curve cannot be argued with.

Haha thanks, but really, it has way more head room and leg room than my grandmas Trailblazer, my 96' Chevy truck, and my Camry. It really is big inside.

 

[stephen9666]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete

A 6'2" dude in a Beetle? Some people would pay good money to see that...

I'm 6' 2" and my wife has a New Beetle of the same generation as the OP's. There's a lot of room in the front seats. Putting the front seat back all the way is actually too far back for me. As noted, there is tons of headroom and there's a good amount of seat travel. The back seat is where the New Beetle sucks for space.

Originally Posted By: cptbarkey

despite the worst interior design award of the past two decades the powertrain is unstoppable, enjoy.

Originally Posted By: Nick1994

How is the interior design even remotely bad? The only flaw I see is the door panel handles break easily.

I've got to say, cptbarkey has it right. The interior on this car sucks. And I'll also say one of the reasons I usually like VWs is because they generally have good interiors (Mk6 Jetta exempted, of course). This car has a dash that's 2-feet deep, the top of the door panels is hard, the materials are mostly hard plastic with a quick, cheap Plasti-Dip-style coating applied. Many years ago, that Plasti-Dip coating began to peel. There are a lot of rattles. The fabric on the headliner is falling and the vinyl material on the door panel's soft-touch areas came loose years ago. Our New Beetle has also been an electrical nightmare, with many, many electrical problems. I've now stopped trying to fix them. But, as cptbarkey noted, some of the drive trains are bulletproof. Our New Beetle has the 2.0 (two point slow) and a manual trans. Even with all the other problems, the car has a good shifter and clutch and pretty good driving dynamics for a car of the age.

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: stephen9666

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete

A 6'2" dude in a Beetle? Some people would pay good money to see that...

I'm 6' 2" and my wife has a New Beetle of the same generation as the OP's. There's a lot of room in the front seats. Putting the front seat back all the way is actually too far back for me. As noted, there is tons of headroom and there's a good amount of seat travel. The back seat is where the New Beetle sucks for space.

Originally Posted By: cptbarkey

despite the worst interior design award of the past two decades the powertrain is unstoppable, enjoy.

Originally Posted By: Nick1994

How is the interior design even remotely bad? The only flaw I see is the door panel handles break easily.

I've got to say, cptbarkey has it right. The interior on this car sucks. And I'll also say one of the reasons I usually like VWs is because they generally have good interiors (Mk6 Jetta exempted, of course). This car has a dash that's 2-feet deep, the top of the door panels is hard, the materials are mostly hard plastic with a quick, cheap Plasti-Dip-style coating applied. Many years ago, that Plasti-Dip coating began to peel. There are a lot of rattles. The fabric on the headliner is falling and the vinyl material on the door panel's soft-touch areas came loose years ago. Our New Beetle has also been an electrical nightmare, with many, many electrical problems. I've now stopped trying to fix them. But, as cptbarkey noted, some of the drive trains are bulletproof. Our New Beetle has the 2.0 (two point slow) and a manual trans. Even with all the other problems, the car has a good shifter and clutch and pretty good driving dynamics for a car of the age.

I thought what he meant was uncomfortable, crowded, and buttons in bad locations/ unreasonable. Yes, the door panel materials start to let loose and the rattles... Oh god try having a diesel, I'm sure that hasn't helped with the rattles. You can fit a large pizza between the windshield and instrument cluster. Also when sitting in the seat you can't reach the windshield unless you lean forward.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Most newer vehicles have the windshield and dash like that for better aerodynamics.