I’ve spent a total of $11,000 over the last three years having all the mechanical repairs done to my 2005 Volkswagen New beetle turbo and it’s running beautifully. I’ve also done some exterior repairs like replacing the headlights, turn signals, and the third brake light.
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Volkswagen New Beetle Turbo Cost to Repair
So, let’s go over everything that I’ve done and note that I will be rounding the cost of the repairs to the nearest dollar. It is estimated that the cost of maintaining and repairing a Volkswagen Beetle will range from $95 to $4073, with an average of $304.
Tires, Brakes, and Wheel Alignment
I put new tires on the car from Les Schwab in October of 2019 and that cost $444. The following month I had the front and rear brakes done for $458 at Les Schwab. In May of 2020, I had a wheel alignment done and had new control arms and ball joints installed for $651.
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Check Engine Light
I had a check engine light come on and did a video on that. To get the check engine light to go away I had to replace one of the two catalytic converts and I spent $600 on that and had the work done at a local muffler shop. In July of 2020, I put a new O2 sensor in it and a vacuum hose for $411. And that concluded the check engine light problems.
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Oil Leaks and More Suspension Work
Later that month I took the beetle to the Volkswagen dealer and has the valve cover gasket, PCV valve, and cam seal replaced for $690 and that took care of the oil that was leaking all over the engine.
Right after that, in the same month, I had new struts put on the beetle, and a wheel alignment was done for $540. And then I wasn’t happy with the ride height of the car and that’s when I bought a set of H&R sport springs for $577 and had those bad boys installed. The beetle sits great and handles even better. I have a video of getting the rear springs installed.
Tune-Up and Routine Maintenance
The following month in August of 2020 I took the beetle to this super cool indie Volkswagen shop and had a bunch of misc. work done including new spark plugs, cabin air filter, new fog lights, oil change, fuel filter, and brake system flush and that cost $784.
Clutch Replacement
The following month I took the beetle right back over there and had the clutch replaced to the tune of $2,079. That consisted of a new clutch, coolant outlet, and the hose for the coolant outlet.
Timing Belt and Water Pump
After that, I didn’t do any major repairs again until November of 2021 when I had the timing belt and water pump replaced along with a new thermostat, thermostat housing, serpentine belt, coolant sensor, coolant pipe, and a new reverse light switch. All that came to a total cost of $1597.
Air Filter
Then not that long ago I put a K&N performance air filter in it and I did a video of that on how to install it. I’ll put the link to that video in the description as well. That cost just $55
CV Boot and Battery
And the last thing I had done just last month… I replaced the battery, battery fuse box, and battery cable, replaced a lower engine cover, and CV boot, and had the throttle body cleaned. That cost $1387.
All those repairs come to just over $10,000.
Other Volkswagen New Beetle Turbo Repairs and Cost
Other minor repairs I performed on the beetle, as well as the costs associated with them, are as follows:
Interior
I installed a new shifter knob and did a video. And I think I will just put a link to the beetle playlist in the description so you can see all the videos and content I’ve created around my little baby Porsche. Oh, and the shifter knob cost $300 from the dealer. I also spent a couple of hundred bucks on floor mats and a pedal set.
Headlights
I got new headlights, twice. $749 the first time as they were OE and then a second time, I got them from Rock Auto for around $500. I can’t find that receipt. I had to get new lights because I came out from the grocery and one was just broken. Me being me, I couldn’t just replace the one. I needed a new matching set. So that’s what I did.
Keys
The remotes weren’t working too well so I put new batteries in the keyfobs for about $20.
Windshield
I had the windshield replaced and the beetle started leaking in the interior. I thought it was the drain plugs as the beetles are known for that so I had those cleaned at the dealer for $163 and they said they were perfect and that was when I knew they messed up installing the windshield. So, they came back out and replaced it and it’s been fine. I also have a video of me removing the seats and doing all the cleanup. I thought my little beetle was ruined. As you can see, it’s beautiful.
Do 1998-2005 Volkswagen New Beetle Turbo repairs cost a lot?
So, to answer the question, “Is the Volkswagen New Beetle Turbo expensive to maintain and repair,” I would have to say yes, they are if you’re going to do it right.
That said, these are great reliable cars, but they are old. This car is 17 years old and parts are tired and worn. If you buy or own an MK4 Volkswagen new beetle turbo expect to have to make some repairs and some of them will be costly.
Most folks don’t want to spend the money on a car that, at the end of the day, is an inexpensive used car. I paid $4500 for this one and I have zero regrets about what I’ve spent to maintain this car.
I get so much enjoyment out of driving this car. I often drive the beetle off into the country just to drive those twisty country roads. I’ll have to do a scenic driving video with the beetle so you can join me. I did do a scenic drive in my truck!