New Beetle

[nykkieberry]

Just about to buy a new 51 Beetle with 48k on the clock - know noting about cars! What will need replacing as it's high mileage? It's been regularly serviced and has new tyres and brakes but what about the Cam belt? Will that need changing? I am strectching myself to my limits financially so I don't want any nasty shocks once I get it home! Many thanks!

[sft42]

Nykkie....I would recommend an AA check on the car if it's going to be a private sale....It might seem dear at around �100 but it may be well worth it in the long run.....either that or ask a mechanic to check it out for you...may well prove to pay for itself right away.

[nykkieberry]

Thanks! The guy who is selling it is having it serviced by VW before he sells it to me - one of the conditions of sale. So I am hoping that will pick up anything dodgy. I have a friend who is a mechanic and he has taken it for a test drive and checked out the engine.The seller is a colleague of my dad's and there is a genuine reason for sale (he's emigrating) so I trust him not to diddle me. I will bear the check in mind though as i have never spent this much money on a car before. Thanks!

[Johnstone93]

With the VW build quality that you can take for granted , 48K is not a high mileage for a car that has been dealer maintained like this one. Keep this up and you should enjoy a trouble free experience, and will make the car easier to sell later on.

[nykkieberry]

Thanks for that. It has been serviced by VW at 24 000 miles so it has been dealer maintained and I intend to keep it up. The guy has also really looked after it - I think if anything has needed doing on it he's got it sorted. I just won't have any spare cash for a couple of months once it is bought and I have forked out for insurance - I want to have 'trouble free' motoring until at the very least it's first MOT in September! I just didn't know whether there was something screamingly obvious on the car that would need doing at 50k - for example, my current car is notorious for needing a replacement head gasket at 40k now there's quality (thanks Rover - not) I checked out the cam belt with VW and they said it will need replacing at about 120k! WOW! Think I am going to like the world of VW!!