Servicing your New Beetle

It's difficult to stress enough how important it is to our Beetles. Case in point this 2000 W plate 2.0l with unknown service history.

The owner had bought it recently and has used quality oil on his car. Recently it's had cooling issues so we offered to inspect the engine. What we found is typical of the earlier New Beetles. As they have come down in price people have bought them as a stopgap drive or just as a budget daily. They plod on but without servicing they are a timebomb waiting to happen.

This car proved to be typical. With an original early plastic impeller (disintegrated) water pump and a very shiny timing belt this car probably hasn't been serviced correctly since it last saw a VW dealership. Coupled with 'cornflakes of doom' in the oil poor Betsy's heart had seen better times.

Given that the timing belt should be done around the 60,000 mile marker and this one has done twice that the car was on borrowed time. If he hadn't have opted to get this sorted he could have wound up with a damaged cylinder head or blown head gasket. Either way - a bill around 3-4 times bigger than the cost of a major service.

Thankfully we knew what to look for and expect from an engine of this age and the requisite parts were readily available.

Being a W plate this example is around 24 years old. We look at New Beetles as still 'fairly modern' but thinking objectively how many 1998 Fiat Punto Mk1's, Vauxhall Corsa B's, Toyota Corolla's or Ford Cougars can you find around today? Our Beetles are doing very well in comparison to their peers largely thanks to robust bodies, galvanising and good design and build quality.

Of course our advice is -

1) If you buy a Beetle with uncertain service history do the timing belt and water pump straight away. At least that way you have peace of mind.

2) If you can afford it get a Major Service. The timing belt and water pump are included along with filters, fluids and ignition parts. This should see you right for a lot of miles.

3) Always buy quality, OEM specification parts. Often, buying cheaper reproduction service parts can be a false economy. Buy quality, buy once.

4) Keep your bills. Evidence of (date, invoices etc) of a proper service help when (if?) you ever decide to sell.