The only natural garage companion to project 996

"Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle" (1500sand535)
07/27/2017 at 14:33 • Filed to: None

I’ve posted a bit lately about how we are moving, and as of now it looks like I won’t have a working car(unless that ignition switch does the trick) but will have a decent paying job. I think my wife wants me to wallow in the agony of biting off more than I can chew with the 911 project, by bumming cars from family or biking to the train station until it’s running. I’m more inclined to admit that having something other than a 17 year old rear engined luxury German sports car in MN might be intelligent.

So how about having not one but two beetles in the garage? Based on reports, the turbo beetle is like a slightly softer, smaller, cute GTI, with less pre-hoonage, worse depreciation but still having the same 2:0T and 6 speed manual. I like how they look and would take no offense to being told I drive a chic car.

DISCUSSION (20)

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/27/2017 at 14:42

The current-gen (3rd gen?) Beetle has certainly butched it up a bit since the New Beetle era. They’re pretty sweet little retro rides if you ask me, and I find the interior charming with the body-colored accents. I’ll take a yellow one with these wheels, please.

Kinja'd!!!

Seriously. I have a huge soft spot for glossy body color interior accents.

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/27/2017 at 14:47

IIRC, it uses the same multi-link in the back as the GTI. The standard (and unfortunately, TDI) Beetles got a torsion bar. I personally like the looks, especially the turbo. And owning a New Beetle and two Miatas, I have no problem with a “girl car”. I drive a car for me, not anyone else. Haters are my motivators, or something like that.

I’ve also played with the idea of getting a 997 and wrapping it the same color as my bug. I think that would be funny (:

Party-vi > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/27/2017 at 14:51

Drove one of these from GA to MD and they’re fun, if a little noisy on the highway.

TrickJos > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/27/2017 at 14:54

You should do it!

I will be shopping for a newer daily driver in about a year or so and these are already on my shopping list. This new generation Beetle looks great. I drove a rental spec one a few years back with the 2.5l 5 cylinder and I really liked it. I’m leaning towards an A4, but I’m going to at least test drive a turbo Beetle.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > SPAMBot - Horse Doctor
07/27/2017 at 14:56

I remember your post on your beetle. Good tip on the suspension, as I wouldn’t be opposed to a 2.5 engine(people make good power with them) but I would want the mutlilink.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/27/2017 at 14:57

FiST

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
07/27/2017 at 14:59

Nice interior! I didn’t even mind the softer “new beetle.” I do prefer the ughh... new, just “beetle.”

I think the most ridiculous thing about the front engined beetle is the naming shenanigans.

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/27/2017 at 14:59

If you don’t mind the hit to practicality, it could be a fun little commuter car. I don’t know about that generation’s reliability. I would assume similar to the GTI though.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > TrickJos
07/27/2017 at 15:04

I’d be fine with the 2.5 but someone above pointed out it’s got a lower end suspension than the turbo. Maybe it wouldn’t matter either, but worth noting.

Out, but with a W - has found the answer > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/27/2017 at 15:07

IIRC it’s more similar to the Mk6 GTI (chassis, engine) than the Mk7? If so, you’re losing out on some platform upgrades, but it should still be fun.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > SPAMBot - Horse Doctor
07/27/2017 at 15:09

Yeah, reliability for them seems to be “good for a vw” but still a vw.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
07/27/2017 at 15:17

Just a little too much coin. I could probably get a 2012 turbo beetle with about 55k miles for $10k. I could put a decent down payment, and have reasonable payments but always have equity in the thing.

I’ve considered a fiesta 1.0 ecoboost but they seem to be way more prevalent in sedan form, and most people who buy them for fun sound frustrated by the gearing.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Out, but with a W - has found the answer
07/27/2017 at 15:18

probably not a huge thing but good to know. I’ll look into it, thanks!

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/27/2017 at 15:24

You can get a FiST for under $15k. Under $10k sometimes.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/27/2017 at 15:27

Kinja'd!!!

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
07/27/2017 at 15:48

Holy crap! Cheapest Fist in the area I’m moving is a 2015 with 55k miles, a report of front end damage and it is listed at $13,800.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/27/2017 at 15:51

You gotta broaden your horizons to find the car you want.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
07/27/2017 at 16:40

I got in that mentality when we were looking for a family car a while back. I even paid for a pre-purchase inspection on one car(it was a mess); and then put down what I was told was a refundable deposit on another only to have another person at the dealership tell me it was non-refundable(and while we argued about it, they sold the car). Ive heard of perfectly smoothe distance buying stories but neither was my experience. I like the fist more than the beetle, not sure I like it ship it across the country more.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/27/2017 at 16:46

Test drive one local, find one further away for less. Or instead of shipping, fly out to drive it back.

carcrazydan738 > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
07/28/2017 at 09:23

If it could talk it would say I’m a bug and I’m proud of my identity crisis I’m a Porsche really I am!