To buy a Golf or New Beetle?!

mandy1987 Learner Dubber

4 posts · joined Jul 2011 · 22 Jul 2011, 4:00 pm

#853124

I'm currently driving a 71 Beetle but want to keep VW in my blood and upgrade to either a 2000 Golf 2L manual or a 2000 manual VW Beetle. But I don't know which one would be better mechanically.
Are there any major issues/good things with these cars so I can sum up which one to buy?
Thankyou!!!

Sides Veteran Volks Folk

2,220 posts · joined May 2007 · 22 Jul 2011, 5:06 pm

#853133

Hey, welcome to here !!!

Underneath a New Beetle is basically a Golf Mk IV.... so mechanically they're pretty much the same.

Personally, I'd go a NB with wheels, chip, exhaust, mild body kit etc... to me they're a little less "same same" than the Golf, but really depends which one you like the styling of !!!

Oh also in some corners New Beetle == Girl's Car... but going by your login name that's prolly not an issue.

😉

VWDCQ vice pres & web dude - vwdcqinc.org.au
Join a car club - get car peeps

My toys
'70 Hillclimb Bug 'Jezebel' w/- Haltech EFI - http://bit.ly/VwTNtQ
'60 KG Coupe - resto kinda started
01 New Beetle - gf's car, but I turn the spanners

Sides Veteran Volks Folk

2,220 posts · joined May 2007 · 22 Jul 2011, 5:09 pm

#853134

btw - to me an R32 New Beetle would be ideal... if only VW made them !!!

http://www.evvo.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=10553

VWDCQ vice pres & web dude - vwdcqinc.org.au
Join a car club - get car peeps

My toys
'70 Hillclimb Bug 'Jezebel' w/- Haltech EFI - http://bit.ly/VwTNtQ
'60 KG Coupe - resto kinda started
01 New Beetle - gf's car, but I turn the spanners

Craig Torrens 6 times Australian, 7 times State Hillclimb Class Champion

8,040 posts · joined Jan 2003 · 22 Jul 2011, 5:51 pm

#853146

How long do you intend to keep the car ? I've heard that manual beetles are very hard to resell (My friend took over 10months to sell her yellow one) so just keep that in mind.

mandy1987 Learner Dubber

4 posts · joined Jul 2011 · 23 Jul 2011, 5:35 pm

#853337

I much prefer the styling of the Beetle, but I've heard a lot of people have had problems with them, that's why I was looking at the Golf. I was intending on keeping the car for maybe 5 years or so.
Thanks

Yogie Moderator Custom Title Time!

1,608 posts · joined Jun 2003 · 24 Jul 2011, 2:57 pm

#853484

Ours is the later model cabrio (2004) but in the more than 200,000 kms we have driven it, everything has been OK other than minor things that you would get in any car.

I love driving the beetle and wouldn't give it up but bear in mind it is not as practical as a golf is. The hatch area is huge on a golf and easy to access where you have to lean right in to the back to use the beetle hatch. The beetle handles really well though and people are always coming over to say hello (not as much as in our air cooled cars but much more than they would with a golf).

Yogie

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 24 Jul 2011, 9:58 pm

#853547

Craig Torrens wrote:How long do you intend to keep the car ? I've heard that manual beetles are very hard to resell (My friend took over 10months to sell her yellow one) so just keep that in mind.

I believe that is the same with many cars these days...

but the prices You see for new cars is usually for a manual.. lol

and many new cars now get better fuel consumption from an automatic or CVT [variable transmission]

whatever You can get with the lowest kilometers is best..

I haven't heard or read about any New Beetle problems...
and they are distinctive...

LEE

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

Brian Officially Full-On Dubber

263 posts · joined Jun 2007 · 25 Jul 2011, 10:25 am

#853589

the build quality of the 2000 beetle is not as good as the Golf 4.

blutopless2 DAMSLO

2,457 posts · joined Jan 2004 · 26 Jul 2011, 8:40 am

#853791

go the new beetle. mechanically they are the same as each other.
make sure the timing belt, water pump and idler have been changed at the relevant time/km interval.
the window regulators were an issue with the new beetle cabrio but these were updated by 2004 so not sure if the hardtop had the same ones.
make sure there are no fault lights up on the dash for engine or airbags.

whereabouts are you as people may be able to help you out with the inspection etc....

see.... air and water do mix 😉

1974 1300
1997 MK3 Golf GL
2003 NB Cabrio
2012 Golf VI GTI
2014 Audi A4 Quattro

handycam king of something

1,338 posts · joined Oct 2003 · 27 Jul 2011, 12:01 am

#853962

yea as blutopless said make shore those things are done id go the bug i kick my self for seling my nb sometimes grate to drive and just that little bit diffrent to a golf can pick up the nb quiet cheep now