How do I buy a broken Beetle with an unknown owner?

"TrickJos" (trickjos)
12/16/2015 at 21:50 • Filed to: None

Hello there Oppo! I started a new job about two weeks ago and one of the many perks is a great neighborhood to go on a walk in at lunch time. Anyway, on these daily walks I’ve been passing by a forlorn VW Beetle. Not sure of the year, but its a “New Beetle.” Stick shift, blue paint, no apparent body damage (similar to the picture). Pretty sure it’s a 2.0L because there are no turbo badges. It obviously hasn’t moved for many months. The tires are about halfway deflated and the brake rotors are completely rusted over. I’ve developed a soft spot for these goofy little cars (my wife has an ‘04 convertible) and it just feels like this little car is calling out to me for help every time I walk by it. I’ve been considering leaving a note under the wiper with my email in hopes that the owner might contact me about selling it. The trouble is, I don’t know what’s wrong with it, and I have no idea what non running cars sell for. 500? 1000? 500 or less and I would bring it home, assuming there are no catastrophic problems.

It would be a project car. I would probably fix it up, enjoy it for a few months and then sell it. I’m quite capable when it comes to fixing cars and I’ve got VCDS from Ross Tech. I would give it a thorough looking over before buying, of course. The registration sticker on the license plate indicates that it expires in June 2016, so the car has likely been sitting for less than six months. Ironically, the license plate is “LV BUG.” This bug hasn’t felt much love lately.

Do you have any advice for me? This would be the first time I’ve taken on a project like this.

DISCUSSION (12)

jkm7680 > TrickJos
12/16/2015 at 21:54

You probably shouldn’t unless you really want the fucker.

Accessing engine internals is a biiiiiiitch in those things.

If you know what you could be getting yourself into, by all means do it. Don’t let other people convince you what kind of cars you like and don’t like.

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > TrickJos
12/16/2015 at 21:55

i’d say leave a note on the car or on the door of whose lawn its on

TrickJos > jkm7680
12/16/2015 at 22:04

Yeah, believe me, I know what a pain these things can be. It’s been one hell of a year with my wife’s Bug. I should be running away from this thing. Maybe I just have the confidence I need to fix one of these now?

TrickJos > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy
12/16/2015 at 22:06

Probably will end up doing this. Going to give it a little more thought before I take that step though.

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > TrickJos
12/16/2015 at 22:09

$500 would be a fair price if you ask me, its worth a hobby.

TrickJos > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy
12/16/2015 at 22:12

Good point. That's exactly what it would be, a hobby.

Under_Score > TrickJos
12/16/2015 at 22:23

It’s a 2002 GLS. :)

TrickJos > Under_Score
12/17/2015 at 06:44

Thanks! It’s not the car in the picture though. Same wheels and everything, so good chance the one I’m looking at is a 2002 GLS also!

Under_Score > TrickJos
12/17/2015 at 10:34

I put the plate you listed into my CarFax app; that’s how I know the one you keep seeing a 2002 GLS model.

TrickJos > Under_Score
12/18/2015 at 18:05

Thanks! That’s pretty neat. Don’t need to know the state to do that?

Under_Score > TrickJos
12/18/2015 at 20:03

I just looked at an older post of yours, saw an Ohio plate, and just assumed this car was from Ohio, too. So yes, plate and state. Though I don’t have a CarFax account, it’s still one of my favorite apps.

greenagain > TrickJos
12/27/2015 at 10:38

The confidence to fix two of them