Joined
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1 Posts
Greetings!
I have long wanted a Beetle. I drive a '00 Jetta VR6. Great car. For some reason Beetles have always held my interest. No worries. One day I'll buy one for my daughter.
She's 16 now, though not ready to cut her loose on the road. I have, however, been shopping. Been looking at 2000 thru 2004 just to maintain the price point. Locked in on a 2004 Turbo S. Test drove it without her. Loved it! I want one... But for my daughter a high mileage turbo burning premium and with a probable turbo rebuild or something of the sort looming near, better stick with the 2.slow.
Then I stumbled across this gem. Clean CarFax (FWIW!). Priced considerably below book values, even below Edmunds values. Makes me suspicious. After much back and forth it seems the reason for the pricing is to suck in a buyer with a trade they can low-ball them on. "trade required" is in the small print.
I get them to commit to sell to me since I have to make a lengthy drive and I look the car over very thoroughly and run it thru the ringer on a test drive. Seems to be in great shape. I get it home and discover a crack, more accurately a separation of the rocker panel cover from the frame right under the hinge of the passenger door. Totally missed this on my inspection. I knew I should have taken it somewhere for an unbiased opinion.
Is this separation common? Did I make a horrible error in purchasing this car? What's the deal here?
Pics attached...
I have long wanted a Beetle. I drive a '00 Jetta VR6. Great car. For some reason Beetles have always held my interest. No worries. One day I'll buy one for my daughter.
She's 16 now, though not ready to cut her loose on the road. I have, however, been shopping. Been looking at 2000 thru 2004 just to maintain the price point. Locked in on a 2004 Turbo S. Test drove it without her. Loved it! I want one... But for my daughter a high mileage turbo burning premium and with a probable turbo rebuild or something of the sort looming near, better stick with the 2.slow.
Then I stumbled across this gem. Clean CarFax (FWIW!). Priced considerably below book values, even below Edmunds values. Makes me suspicious. After much back and forth it seems the reason for the pricing is to suck in a buyer with a trade they can low-ball them on. "trade required" is in the small print.
I get them to commit to sell to me since I have to make a lengthy drive and I look the car over very thoroughly and run it thru the ringer on a test drive. Seems to be in great shape. I get it home and discover a crack, more accurately a separation of the rocker panel cover from the frame right under the hinge of the passenger door. Totally missed this on my inspection. I knew I should have taken it somewhere for an unbiased opinion.
Is this separation common? Did I make a horrible error in purchasing this car? What's the deal here?
Pics attached...
