VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE

Tempted by this Nineties bargain? Here’s what to look out for

IS THE CLUTCH SLIPPING?

Clutches can be weak, with some failing in as little as 40,000 miles if the car has been driven in town a lot. If it’s on its way out the pedal will be stiff and it may be slipping already; a new one is around £850 if it’s a diesel (this includes replacing the dual-mass flywheel) but if it’s a petrol-engined car with a single-piece flywheel the bill should be closer to £600. Cheaper clutches are available but don’t last.

TRY ALL OF THE ELECTRICS

Failure of the various microswitches in the door locks prevents the electric windows, central locking and (where fitted) electric hood from working. Replacing the crash sensors (which control the airbags and seatbelt tensioners) is at least £500. The wiring can go brittle and break, so check that every electrical item works. Don’t buy a Beetle without air-con – the interior gets unbearably hot in summer – and make sure that the dashboard illumination and LCD odometer work.

LOOK FOR TIRED BODYWORK

On older cars, rust is starting to creep into some areas such as the door jambs and the rain gutters, and the sills can corrode, too. On convertibles, the plastic latch that secures the roof to the top of the windscreen can break off. Any car with significant corrosion will have been crashed then badly repaired; even the earliest Beetles should still be in good condition if they’ve been looked after. Parking scrapes are par for the course, too.

CHECK THE LIGHTS

Replacing bulbs can be a nightmare – the headlight has a clip that you slide round and access is especially tight for the one on the nearside; removing everything isn’t too tricky, but putting it back together is awkward. The rear lights are on a sping-loaded retainer and this often gets damaged by people who don’t know what they’re doing.

HAS IT BEEN LOOKED AFTER?

On engines with a cambelt, make sure both it and the water pump have been renewed every five years or 60,000 miles; a failed belt will destroy the engine. The 1.8T engine’s ignition coils failed when the cars were new, too.

SEE HOW IT DRIVES

The Golf Mkiv-derived wishbone bushes and antiroll bar link arms fail, and suspension coil springs break. The anti-roll bar bushes wear (and creak when they do), as do the brake discs and front wheel bearings. Everything is easy to fix and it’s all still readily available. These cars are easy to work on with most things manageable on a DIY basis.