[FineExampl]

Well at long last here is my pride and joy. It may not be as fancy as some, but it's my heart. This is the one posession that has made me happier than i could ever put into words.

Oh and umm...i don't know if it's a true 2002.5. Alot of people ask, and the truth is i don't know. I was told i had one by someone once and i kinda liked the idea. If you can verify it or debunk it, please let me know.
EDIT: My car was born May 24th, 2002. If that doesn't prove the 02.5 than i don't know what does.

Mods:
Interior:
ProFit VSM XM radio mount $30 myradiostore.com
Half-dash mat $35 TVA
Sunglasses holder in place of driver's side "Oh poo" handle $20 M.A.Motorworks
Color matched bud vase accessory mount (for m'phone) $20 TVA
Color matched grab-bar end covers, moonroof control cover, bud vase holder and it's companion on the left, passenger oh-poop handle, driver side sunglass holder where oh-poop handle went, cup holder, guage surround (painted them myself, only paid cost of paint and sandpaper.)
Lighted bud vase (Thanks for the how-to Tom) $8
"TT" style pedals $90 ecstuning.com
NB Monster Mats $80 DriverGear
Sola Beetleball automatic gearshift; polished aluminum $63 plus shipping LandspeedUSA (Retired pending refinishing)
OEM leatherette shift boot $28.32 from 1stVWParts.com (item# 1C0-711-113-F-GHU)
VW Plush Daisy 1stVWParts.com
Chrome door accents $14 for a huge pack of cut-your-own @ Pep Boys
OEM European Light Switch $35 www.ecstuning.com
Custom NB logo steering wheel badge
5ft3in brunette rock chick

Exterior:
OEM mudgaurds $32 ECS Tuning
OEM sunroof wind deflector $60 DriverGear
Four-piece side air deflectors $25 M.A.Motorworks
Chrome Gen 3 tails $90 eBay (DO NOT buy them from Cosmodynamic or K2Motor...scam artists)[retired]
Blacked out third brake light reading "Beetle" $6 eBay [retired; for sale]
Newbeetle.org window decals (Thanks Omar) bought from an org member
Rear 2.0 badge $15 bought at Show&Go
Freedom Design black billet antenna (height adjustable) $15 ecstuning.com
Door handle guards $4 M.A.Motorworks
VW valve stems (blue/silver) $15 DriverGear
Euro center caps $7 each ecstuning.com
Eagle Eyes smoked front markers $30 on clearance M.A.Motorworks
Sylvania Silverstar bulb upgrade $40 a pair for headlights, $18 for front signals @ Advance Auto or Pep Boys (still need to upgrade tails, fogs, and high beams, but satisfied so far)
OEM chrome exhaust tip $65.23 from www.vwgenuineparts.com
Colormatched tow hook cover (self painted) (fell off somewhere, but i have a replacement in the works)
Vinyl "Evil" eyelids (homemade)
Smoked rear markers (VHT Nite-Shades)
OEM bonnet Euro badge $15ish 1stvwparts.com
OEM 2002.5+ (non-swivel) Euro boot badge $50 www.1stvwparts.com
OEM Euro red rear fog $25 www.1stvwparts.com
Freedom Design #44400 no-drill rear wing (prepped and painted myself with OEM Platinum Grey 11oz $20) wing was $50 on eBay
Smoked OEM tail lights (VHT Nite-Shades)
Bosch Icon wiper blades

Engine:
Color matched engine cover (painted myself. cost of paint, sandpaper, polish.) (needs to be redone)
Totally bitchin' yellow plastic hose covers that add 50 extra ponies!
Neuspeed P-Flo clone $25 for heat shield (from a fellow orger), K&N air filter $40, K&N breather filter $15 (4filters.com)

In the works:
Goodyear Assurance TripleTread 205/55R16 (pending installation of rear tires)
FINXMPL license plates...just need to order em.
Smoking sideblinkers (the ones under the mirrors) and 3rd brake light (VHT Niteshades on ebay)
12inch sub with enclosure (I have the sub, just need an amp and wiring and junk like that)
mini nb logos on knobs (ordering soon)


Without further adeiu...

(the first 3 pics here were taken February 07 and the rest were taken a couple of years ago in my clear tails phase)

 

[AmyJane]

Phat ride Beeeeotch! LOL How did I know you would have a WOW sticker? Thats blasphemy!!! I'm digging the wheels though! Very nice. I have the same rims! :goodjob: You have a photo thread...NOW you're ONE OF US!!! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

 

[FineExampl]

One of us...one of us...

 

[SPIRU]

Nice clean NB! I lost my WOW sticker tho..

 

[FineExampl]

Tails

I had a request earlier tonight for closeups on the tail lights. As a few of you may recall i had originally orderd and paid for a set of lights off the scumbag known on eBay as "Cosmodynamic" (ripoff artist: pm for details or search the old board). Long story short, they sent the wrong lights and refused to correct their error. While these lights are not what i had wanted, they don't look bad IMHO. At night when they are lit they look VERY much like the tails off a vintage Beetle so i'm cool with that. I did have to replace the clear factory bulbs with a set of amber ones, but that was simple enough. Anyway, here's the closeups.

john

 

[yelojkt]

While these lights are not what i had wanted, they don't look bad IMHO.

john

So where did these units come from? By the way very nice New Beetle. My wife is driving a loaner car that color and even though I like the color that she is getting I really like the Platinum Grey. Oh by the way you forgot to put your taillights in your mod list.

 

[FineExampl]

Oh yeah...thanks

 

[SMG]

Put mirrored bulbs in the tails, would finish them nicely.

SMG

 

[FineExampl]

Put mirrored bulbs in the tails, would finish them nicely.

SMG

What are those?? I know not of such fancy sounding things!

John

 

[Deserion]

What are those?? I know not of such fancy sounding things!

John

Silvania Silverstar turn signal bulbs. I know Autozone carries them, probably PepBoys too.

-Des

 

[FineExampl]

Well, today i finished putting the lighted bud vase together. It went quite well considering i didn't know what the hell i was doing. Had to pop off the panel below the steering wheel since the clips that hold the dimer switch were no god. Nothing 2 drops of crazy glue didn't fix. I also had a loose connection with the splicing, but a couple wiggles and some electrical tape and all's well.

As i was reading through Tom/Fowvay's instructions he suggested that gluing the LEDs was not necessary, but I found this to be untrue for me. So i ran to Target and bought a $2 hot glue gun and it gave me no more trouble.

Now i noticed that my vase is all scratched and scuffed from crappy fake flowers, so a new one will have to be ordered for optimum effect.

I installed some of the pieces i painted body color as well. I had some complications with the paint on the caps on the ends of the passenger grab bar. That damn coating on the outside caused the paint to bubble so i had to sand it off and that seems to have solved the problem.

I have to say that one of the nicest little improvements i have done so far was painting the plate covering the moonroof switch. It's such a nice touch and gives the roof a little more life. I'd love to figure out how to remove the rearview mirror and the rest of the plastic parts up there (the clock/thermometer, etc.) and paint them up nice, but one thing at a time i suppose.

I'm thinking of rewiring the antenna for my XM next. It's functional, but i'm not satisfied with the way i installed it. I want to hide the wires a little bit better for a cleaner look. I expect it shouldn't be any more difficult than the bud vase and i handled that successfully.

This thread is proof positive that a guy with no electrical skills or automotive skills can still upgrade a car with little or no trouble.

Also replaced the front license plate frame as it had a broken corner thanks to my girlfriend. It's not so bad i suppose, the new one is much nicer. It's just a clear tinted plastic frame with no trim or decoration, but it's shiny and anything shiny is good.

Tomorrow i am giving the baby a bath and a vacuuming if i have time. Show&Go is on the 9th, and even though i'm not displaying, i refuse to go there filthy.

That's my car thoughts for this installment, hope someone enjoyed.

John:runnethov :rockband: :band: :guitar: :nopity:

 

[FineExampl]

Well, over the weekend my check engine light came on. Turns out it was my catalytic converter. So that's being replaced. I am going to go pick it up shortly.

The panel i had hanging down below my car ended up being that a part was not replaced last service. Now i have to fight with my regular dealer to have them pop a new one on. If it were to snag anything it could cause damage to the car. So i'm working on that.

I have new pictures on an SD card. I'm just waiting to figure how i want to get them off there. I will post them as soon as i can.

John

 

[v-dubed]

muahahahahahahahah.... evil cats... muahahahahahahahahah

 

[mentalVdub]

lovely ride, sucka!!!!!!

 

[FineExampl]

Picture day everyone!

As promised, i have pics of some of my upgrades. No performance stuff, but i like to think my ride is hooked up.

So again without further adieu...

Hope you all like!

 

[MATTSBUG]

you should paint the whole center console...that might look neat! I am surprised how little the platinum shows up against the black. I've often wondered how the grey would look...and it looks nice so far.

I like the job u did on the shifter, however I think you need to do a bit more, it just looks kind of random...

Good work so far, you're much braver than I!

 

[AmyJane]

Lookin good!!! :goodjob:

 

[dnyed]

Beautiful Platinum Gray New Beetle~!arty:

But, I've got to ask: What makes it a "2002.5"? Is there a difference between your 2002.5, and my plain, ole 2002? :dunno:

 

[AmyJane]

Lemme ask ya something...if you're gonna paint the right side of your shifter...then why don't you paint the left side? That comes off too...you know that right? I found that out on accident..lol but it does come off. Paint that too!

 

[FineExampl]

you should paint the whole center console...that might look neat! I am surprised how little the platinum shows up against the black. I've often wondered how the grey would look...and it looks nice so far.

I like the job u did on the shifter, however I think you need to do a bit more, it just looks kind of random...

Good work so far, you're much braver than I!

Thank you! Yes, i plan on doing the center console, but i haven't read through the way to disassemble it yet. I figured how to get the panel closest to the windshield, but my time is limited so i do things when i have spare time. As far as the random, you're 100% right. It began where i was bored one weekend and bought about 6 cans of paint and clearcoat and started ripping parts off. In time the entire interior is going to be redone, i'm just happy with the immediate results.

john