2002 Volkswagen Beetle GLX Sport 1.8T from North America

Summary:

Great car except for the smell

Faults:

Crayon smell inside the car after 6 months old.

Check engine light always turning on. Error code says - bank one catalyst below threshold.

I already have the solution for the crayon smell, but I don't know where to write it to help people out.

General Comments:

I love the car itself coz this is the 3rd Beetle I had since 1998.

Rides great and pretty fast.

However after a while it starts to smell of crayon, and it gives me headaches.

That's why I traded in my 2000 Beetle, coz of the smell.

The fix is at the end of the carpet in front, under the dashboard, you will see it if you look under, at the end of the carpet, the insulation is like a cardboard and under is insulation... that cardboard like is made of wax. Peel that off like vinyl tile and smell it. What I did, I peeled most of it, leaving the insulation. Got the smell 90% out even. You have to peel it off up to the duct and firewall.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 3rd October, 2006

2002 Volkswagen Beetle from North America

Summary:

Love it - will own one the rest of my life

Faults:

Check engine light came on a week after I bought it (bought used).

General Comments:

I love the styling- that was the main reason I bought it.

It handles like a dream! Lots of pick-up and go.

Great gas mileage!

Great paint job!

The negative (which probably is not a valid negative point) : I was told by a company that changed the oil that there were a lot of Beetles that had problems with the threads on the oil pans and there was a recall on them. I am not seeing evidence of this anywhere in the reviews of Beetles, so it has to be the fault of the company that changed the oil. Has anyone else been told that the oil pans were "finicky" and had problems????s????

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 4th April, 2006

2002 Volkswagen Beetle GLS 1.8 turbo from North America

Summary:

Can't find anyone to service when a problem occurs

Faults:

Car ran great for the first 60,000 miles.

Now I am having all sort of "electrical-type" issues. The blue "cold engine" light stays on all the time and I live in Florida! Now the check oil PRESSURE light keeps coming on and off.

Can't find anyone to repair.

Dealers are horrible.

General Comments:

I won't buy another Beetle because it is way too hard to find anyone who can services these vehicles and the dealers are not effective.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 3rd March, 2006

11th Aug 2006, 00:11

These comments were great. because I live in Houston and I am having the same electrical malfunctions after it passed 60,000 miles. Thanks for the info...

16th Feb 2008, 18:54

The light staying on all the time is a sensor. It does not mean that the car is cold. Dealer cost is $87 to repair this issue. The oil light is surprisingly linked. If that sensor goes bad, chain reaction and everything else starts to freak out. Dealer won't want to tell you this. Best way to repair these issues is to first go to several small competing import repair garages and get your OBDII comp checked out at at least two places. You could also go to an Advance Auto just to try to see if they'll check it, but since I have a Turbo S they didn't have the connector. If you have the same thing at both places, check the recall status on Google. That's how I found all the problems that my car had, and how to address them without being lied to by the dealer. Knowledge is power!

DAS

Upstate, SC

inertiadriftfrom86@yahoo.com.

2002 Volkswagen Beetle TDI from North America

Summary:

Very poor

Faults:

Transmission replaced at 58,000,

80,000 mile service cost 4,500, replaced times belt, waterpump, heads, gasket and more.

General Comments:

A Lemon.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 17th January, 2006

17th Jan 2006, 21:54

Many decades ago, German cars were renowned for their outstanding quality. To-day, they "slap" them together- using third world labour, and the quality has unfortunately suffered quite significantly. I owned V.W.s in the 60`s and early 70`s,- and they were well-made and reliable cars. I would NOT buy one to-day. Japanese- and even Korean cars for that matter, are far better finished and more reliable than some German cars- yes, in some cases, even better than the "immortal" Mercedes! Read some reviews on the A class Mercedes, and you`ll see what I mean.

18th Jan 2006, 06:57

The timing belt is routine maintenance. If you don't do it, it will ruin the engine when it snaps. Or DID it snap?