2004 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible review from North America
"Expensive fun"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The little "wing" that opens and closes to raise and lower the convertible top broke within 2000 miles. It's made of brittle Hard PLASTIC. Dealer says it'll run around $350 to replace. This week the Driver side rear window wouldn't raise, come to find out that there is another piece of brittle Hard Plastic that broke and the pulley cable is just dangling. One day while walking around the car, I found my drivers' side tail light completely hanging out by the wires! Seems that the assembly is reminiscent of trailer lights with rubber grommets: They just pop in and out effortlessly.
I love the performance of the car and it is pretty comfortable, however, the dealerships want outrageous repair fees for things I feel should be replaced as "DEFECTS". Not everyone drives their cars solely on the "autobahn", heck, has anyone ever driven on Louisiana roads? THAT should be their proving ground!
General comments?
Good gas mileage and great performance are this cars attributes. But plastic should not be used for moving parts that take a beating.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| Model year | 2004 |
| Year of manufacture | 2004 |
| First year of ownership | 2006 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2007 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.8 turbo Manual |
| Performance marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 5 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 2 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 42000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 55000 miles |
| Previous car | Chevrolet Cavalier |
| Date of Entry | 26th February, 2007 |