Higher mileage 2.5l reliability?

[bce181]

I am looking at a 2006 New Beetle Convertible with 151,000 miles. It is is great condition and looks brand new actually. It is a 5 speed which shifts great. No lights or anything and it checked out in a PPI. The price is right in my opinion (6,500). I'm trading my older Benz and paying 1,000 so that helps tons. I have had a Jetta before (2000) but it was a TDI. So what should I expect on reliability of the 2.5?

[IndyTom]

Originally Posted by bce181

I am looking at a 2006 New Beetle Convertible with 151,000 miles. It is is great condition and looks brand new actually. It is a 5 speed which shifts great. No lights or anything and it checked out in a PPI. The price is right in my opinion (6,500). I'm trading my older Benz and paying 1,000 so that helps tons. I have had a Jetta before (2000) but it was a TDI. So what should I expect on reliability of the 2.5?

WOW. 151K miles on a 2006 That is over 30k miles a year. Someone must have enjoyed driving that beetle.
I don't even drive one third of that a year.
The 2.5 isn't a bad motor. Gas mileage isn't the greatest but it's a 5 cyl and in new condition you can expect about 21 city and 28 highway. Perhaps 24 mpg average depending on how you drive. It's a peppy little motor. I had a Rabitt once with the 2.5 and it was pretty nimble. One thing you don't have to worry about is the timing belt breaking on you like the other beetles since the 2.5 has a timing chain. But there may be other regular maintenance items like water pump and accessory belt and tensioner that may still have to be changed.
I think 6500 is a bit steep for a car with that many miles on it regardless what the book says. But if all the regular maintenance has been done on the car and it is in overall excellent working condition than I suppose it is worth it.
I would have haggled them down a bit to around 4500 bucks.
Of course if you had a trade than the deal is a totally different story.
Good Luck with your Beetle and post some pics when you get the chance!

[katiex10204]

My fiance has a 2.5L.. it's a rabbit, but still. It's been VERY reliable.. granted it doesn't have even close to the mileage but it seems to not need nearly as much attention as my 1.8T haha

[bce181]

Yes mileage is high but modern day gas engines I believe can handle it lol. My moms 2006 Scion has 260,000 miles . She is a drug rep though ha. I believe it has a manuel top, How do you use it? I didnt see a top down button under the arm rest.

[IndyTom]

Originally Posted by bce181

Yes mileage is high but modern day gas engines I believe can handle it lol. My moms 2006 Scion has 260,000 miles . She is a drug rep though ha. I believe it has a manuel top, How do you use it? I didnt see a top down button under the arm rest.

I am sure that a well kept modern engine can last a long time. Also I wouldn't compare a Scion (Subaru/Toyota)with a Beetle.
I am not saying that the 2.5 is a bad motor but I think that the mileage is too high for the price they are asking.
If you like the car than haggle with them. They will come down. Otherwise, look around. There are 1000's of Beetle's out there with probably a lot less miles. Just saying.

[boogety boogety]

Originally Posted by bce181

Yes mileage is high but modern day gas engines I believe can handle it lol. My moms 2006 Scion has 260,000 miles . She is a drug rep though ha. I believe it has a manuel top, How do you use it? I didnt see a top down button under the arm rest.

$6500!?! If it doesn't have a power top, and has a manual transmission, that means it's a "stripped" version of the NBCs, ordered so the dealer could sell it for a very low price. Nothing wrong with that, it just means it was devoid of many options. So with the high mileage, coupled with the lack of creature features, I would argue the price seems a bit too high. I would certainly use the above facts to negotiate a more palatable number.

Work it, baby... trade or not, you're paying top top top dollar, I'll bet you a sprinkled donut there are better-equipped, less-mileage NBCs out there for the same money if you look.

[IndyTom]

Originally Posted by boogety boogety

$6500!?! If it doesn't have a power top, and has a manual transmission, that means it's a "stripped" version of the NBCs, ordered so the dealer could sell it for a very low price. Nothing wrong with that, it just means it was devoid of many options. So with the high mileage, coupled with the lack of creature features, I would argue the price seems a bit too high. I would certainly use the above facts to negotiate a more palatable number.

Work it, baby... trade or not, you're paying top top top dollar, I'll bet you a sprinkled donut there are better-equipped, less-mileage NBCs out there for the same money if you look.

I agree! There are a LOT of nice beetle's out there to choose from. Why go with one the first one and with that many miles.
Sure, Kelly Blue Book may still list it at 5300-6400 but that is really not what the insurance and banks go by. Ask your insurance company what they would pay if the car was totalled. They go by a very different value. Nada Black Book. and I bet it is a lot lower than you may think.

If you have your heart set on it I would at least try and get them down to around 4500. I think that would be a more reasonable price for that car.