[Dslpower]

Hello everyone, I just bought a 2007 convertible beetle with 60,000 miles on it for my daughter. She loves her car and I was just wondering what some of the additional maintenance some of you all do or what I need to look out for. One thing is, We have never owned a convertible top before and I have read the owners manual from front to back. i didnt come across anything that tells me that I need to grease any part of the convertible top, is that correct? I have had sun roofs in the past and I you dont grease those on a regular basis it could become a big mess. Thanks in advance for any feedback you may have.

 

[jfoj]

No need to grease anything on the top. You may want to check about some of the convertible top conditioners, Ragtop may be one I recall, also there are others on the market. Overall these tops hold up pretty well for 10+ years. I have a 2003 I purchased new and it has spent most of its life outside and still has the original top. That being said the rear window started to come unglued last week, much later than many others, but this is not VW specific problems, it just happens over time on most convertible tops.

Suggest you purchase some sort of VW specific scan tool and/or a scan tool that will also read real time data.

You likely will need a thermostat replaced soon. They go soft and the engines run cold and this can be a long term problem. The engine should run very close to 205F.

Suggest the VAG405, but it does not read real time data, so you will also need an additional tool to read real time data. If you have an Android phone, for $20, you can also have a tool that reads real time data.

Read this link here - http://newbeetle.org/forums/questio...d-scan-tools-software-options.html#post837491

Also suggest you plan on a water pump, timing belt and belt tensioner replacement by 75k miles since you want your daughter to have a reliable car and to not have a catastrophic engine failure. Also if the car is an automatic transmission, be on the lookout for harsh 4-3 or 3-2 downshifting. This is a symptom of a transmission valve body going bad. ALL the VW automatics of this vintage are having valve body problems, usually by 70-80k miles. Fix the valve body as soon as you start to have harsh shifting. Changing the trans fluid will not really solve this problem, but it would help delay the problem.

Hopefully you will not have any door latch problems and you have at least 1 if not both keyfobs as well.

Good luck, sounds like a nice car, just keep it well maintained.

 

[Dslpower]

Thanks for the reply. I have been looking at putting a scan tool in this for the simple fact that i run one in my F250. I do have one key fob and not the other. The nice thing is when i bought it I told them to give me a warranty which they did, 1 year or 12000 miles bumper to bumper. Will take a look at rear window today when she gets home. Its a nice little car and seemed to have been well maintained. Looked over a 1 month period and by far this was the cleanest one. Took it to vw dealer the other day for an oil change and they didnt find anything wrong with it either. Will keep the maintenance up and my fingers crossed, i have read some horror stories online regarding thr various beetle years. Once again thanks for the reply and if anyone else has additional suggestions please let me know.

 

[jfoj]

$45 for this one - Amazon.com: Hot MaxScan VAG405 Code Reader OBD2 EOBD CAN BUS VW Audi: Car Electronics

Buy it now, keep it handy so you have it when you need it. YOU WILL need it. This ones read and clear engine, trans, airbag, ABS and convertible top modules. BUT does not read real time data. It will work on any OBD compliant car/truck for the engine and trans, but not the other modules.

Do not mess around, have this on hand NOW.

 

[eister]

Also suggest you plan on a water pump, timing belt and belt tensioner replacement by 75k miles since you want your daughter to have a reliable car and to not have a catastrophic engine failure

It's an 07'

 

[jfoj]

Also suggest you plan on a water pump, timing belt and belt tensioner replacement by 75k miles since you want your daughter to have a reliable car and to not have a catastrophic engine failure

It's an 07'

Yes, I know, they need to plan on doing what I suggest by 75k miles.

Being an '07 I am less worried about age. But I would not push these timing belts.

Here is the cold, honest truth, you WILL have to change the timing belt regardless. If you change the belt on your terms, you can shop it and likely get the work performed for under $700.

If you wait and have to do the job on the cars terms, you are looking at over $3k!!!!

You decide, owners choice. I know what choice I would make.

 

[eister]

Yes, I know, they need to plan on doing what I suggest by 75k miles.

Being an '07 I am less worried about age. But I would not push these timing belts.

Here is the cold, honest truth, you WILL have to change the timing belt regardless. If you change the belt on your terms, you can shop it and likely get the work performed for under $700.

If you wait and have to do the job on the cars terms, you are looking at over $3k!!!!

You decide, owners choice. I know what choice I would make.

07' means 2.5, which has a timing chain

 

[jfoj]

Well thanks for the correction, I have not played with the 2.5L so I do not know that engine very well. I do know the 1.8t & 2.0 quite well.

I will try to look this up via the Bentley manual and learn more about the 2.5l. But this is also why is it VERY helpful for posters to include engine and transmission type along with the number of speeds the transmission has. VW had WAY too many configuration of both engines and transmission for the earlier cars, I see that the later cars seem to be far fewer options.

If the 2.5l has a timing chain, then the thermostat and automatic transmission may be the only worry.

Maybe??????? Porsche/VW/Audi sorted out the valve body issues by 2007, but not 100% sure they learned anything by then.

At least the windows might be sorted by 2007, I know by 2005 the convertible window issues were improved drastically over the 2003/2004.

Thanks for the clarification on the 2.5l.

 

[Dslpower]

The car has a 2.5 liter engine with a 6 speed automatic trip tronic transmission. It is in california so it has the emission stuff on it.

 

[joep]

Got my wife an 03 vert last Christmas. It still has the original top. I called a top shop about what to put on it. The owner told me to use ScotchGuard. She said the other stuff can cause trouble on it's own. I was told to use as much as it takes to saturate the cloth. I ended up using 6 cans until it wouldn't take any more. The top is now back to black, not the faded gray. Water tends to bead up on it as well as things not sticking to it. I also had to reseal the back window with silicone but I have had no more leaks.

 

[CoriBug]

The 2.5 was the only engine available in the US 07-10. I've been curious about the timing chains, supposedly they're better than the belt but don't they still need replaced at some point?

Congrats on the Beetle. We'd love to meet your daughter too! There's some Beetlers in CA, maybe she'll meet up with them!

 

[gforrest2]

Congrats on the new car!

I bought my daughter an '07 vert for her 16th b-day last year. Lots of horror stories but so far, I've only changed out the door lock actuator. We were having a problem with the windows not dropping down to clear the top when you open or close the door. I'm worried about the transmission, we have the 6 speed tip as well, but so far, so good. We bought the car with 80k miles and it now has 90. And I just treated the top with the Hi Tech 303 fabric guard. Works good. Good luck with the car.