[Pushing Fifty]

This thread is indirectly related to one I started over in the NB Experience about whether or not today's cars (not just NBs) will have a chance of becoming future classics or just be thrown away. Many that embrace the "disposable car" theory say that, besides the electronics that allegedly won't be supported by the aftermarket, the plastics themselves will break down as seen in this thread. Indeed, my 2000 is already doing this. The question is: will there be GOOD shops out there that will strip this crap down to bare plastic and repaint it for individuals like me, people who would rather pay the pros than make the damage worse? And, just out of curiosity, do the 21st Century Beetles of 2012 and up have this same interior material?

 

[Pushing Fifty]

I do plan to completely refurbish the interior of all my water-cooled Beetles, regardless of price. My teen daughter is driving the 2000, and so doing this now would be sort of like getting set up for a picnic when there's a 90% chance of rain. I'll wait until she's done driving it........

 

[Pushing Fifty]

Ok, I know this is an old thread that very well may be buried in the vaults of obscurity, but is there ANYONE out there that can tell me if later NBs, such as the 06-10 generation, or a part of this production run, did away with that coating? My 2010 doesn't seem to have it, but it's still so new-looking I can't really tell.

I'm even trying to ask VW this question, and they haven't got back to me yet.

 

[Pushing Fifty]

Well, I got the official word from a VW product specialist:

The rubberized plastic coating used on NBs from 1998-2010 is all the same. I was really hoping that this was changed in the '06 reskin, but it wasn't.

You guys down south have trouble with the heat of the sun breaking it down to a gooey texture over time while those of us in the frigid north deal with scratches. So....it looks like the only options for keeping the interiors of these cars looking new is stripping the stuff off and refinishing, buying a whole new dash, or having it covered.

 

[Pushing Fifty]

I'd be afraid to try that myself, but a shop could probably do it for me. I don't know how to take a dash apart, and I suck at painting.

 

[Pushing Fifty]

I don't know about other VW models, but they did do away with that rubbery coating on the 2012+ Beetles. I have seen some older NBs that have escaped this fate, so I'm thinking a lot has to do with upkeep in cleaning the dashes and using the right stuff to clean them with. Right now, on my 2010, which hasn't suffered this fate (at least not yet), I've taken the advice of a couple of other Orgers and use just soap, water, and a soft cloth. So far, so good.

 

[Pushing Fifty]

For anyone out there like me that would have no idea or skill to remove dash pieces, the price for the pros to do it is even worse than I thought. I was told by a guy that used to work at a VW dealership who now has his own shop that the labor alone to remove and reinstall a complete NB dash would be about 15 hours.

Therefore, when I look for another NB some day, I'll focus on ones that still have decent-looking interiors.

 

[Pushing Fifty]

One thing that sets me apart from practically everyone else on here is that I'm not a DIYer in any way, shape, or form. About all I know how to do is check oil. Even when I buy something at Wal Mart like a grill or a bookshelf, I pay extra to have it assembled. I have no mechanical or fix-it skills whatsoever. A VAG COM code or a Chilton's manual to me is like trying to read a foreign language.

 

[Pushing Fifty]

there's no way it would take 15 hours to completely remove and reinstall the NB dash, never mind almost any other modern dash in virtually any vehicle (and I'll define that as 2000+). Methinks your buddy just wanted to blow you off...

Well, now that I talked to the lead tech at my dealership, you're right! He says he could remove the center part (where the radio is) AND the flat top pieces to the left and right of that in about an hour. So $100 to have it taken out and another $100 to put it back in after a body shop refinished the pieces for probably another $200 is a lot better than $1500! I'll definitely remember that when I start to look for a 2nd Beetle.

 

[Pushing Fifty]

Yes, rubbing alcohol and one of those Scotch Brite pads you get at the grocery store to scrub pots and pans will work. I just experimented a little with my daughter's already far-too gone-to restore Beetle, so I just left the panels in. To do it right, as someone else said and I've since concurred with, you'd have to remove those pieces, scrape that gunk off, and then repaint them, because even the bare black plastic underneath will get scratched as well.