How Rare Is Vortex Blue?

[BabsKBugLady]

Originally Posted by hestersu

The pale blue that was almost white was the Internet Special Edition called Vapor Blue from 2000. The Reflex Yellow was issued at the same time.

That's right! I had totally forgotten about that! Yes, I'll bet you it was in fact, Vapor Blue.

[AbuNigel]

that site is awesome.

[SMG]

Originally Posted by Growler

NH Mike hasn't been on the tdiclub since January, good luck.

and pics of said TDI in a vortex blue engine bay (engine cover off please ) are required

I didn't feel like taking the engine cover off but ask and you shall receive.

Yep it's a TDI.


No turbo spoiler.

[Growler]

Ill take first dibs when you decide its for sale.


probably the only newbeetle I would own, only because of the color

I swore I was done with the newbeetle, but to get ahold of one of these, that would be sweet

[hestersu]

I wanted first dibs! This would be my dream car.

[SMG]

Whoa now I almost feel guilty using it for a winter beater.

[Growler]

Originally Posted by SMG

Whoa now I almost feel guilty using it for a winter beater.

That car color/engine combo is TOO RARE to use as a winter beater. sell it to someone who will love it properly for what it is if that is your plans for it.

Please. it would be a waste of a good car to use it as a beater.

[SMG]

Well it's really a daily driver that I'm going to use all year round. I'll take care of it don't worry.

[Growler]

That makes me feel better, I know you arent one to beat up your cars. I've been here long enuf to know that much about you

just don't forget to let me & Sue Know when you want to let her go

[Fowvay]

I need more details on your VBTDI... seriously.

[surferchick2]

My friend was interested in this TDI, but decided against it. If anyone wants to check it out, it's for at this dealership. It's listed under 'beetle', not 'new beetle' and it has leather/heated seats so the description is incorrect. I'm posting it here since it looks like a few on here are/were looking for one and seems there aren't many TDIs in this color.

B & B Auto Sales| Inventory

[FarrisK]

Originally Posted by surferchick2

My friend was interested in this TDI, but decided against it. If anyone wants to check it out, it's for at this dealership. It's listed under 'beetle', not 'new beetle' and it has leather/heated seats so the description is incorrect. I'm posting it here since it looks like a few on here are/were looking for one and seems there aren't many TDIs in this color.

B & B Auto Sales| Inventory

That listing is incorrect. Unless the motor has been swapped (or the rear hatch has), there is no way it has a TDI underhood. If you look at the rear hatch, it has the turbo spoiler at the top. It's a 1.8T, not a 1.9TDI. Needs a picture of the gauges or underhood to be 100% sure.

[surferchick2]

hmm...the vin number pulls up a TDI. There are two 2001 blue beetles for the same price of 8,999.00, one a 1.8 (stock# 75867) and the other a 1.9(stock# 75990)...maybe they're swapped? I can't seem to see a spoiler, but it could be my computer. I just noticed the other blue one that is supposedly a 1.8 says silver...I'm confused.

[FarrisK]

Originally Posted by surferchick2

hmm...the vin number pulls up a TDI. There are two 2001 blue beetles for the same price of 8,999.00, one a 1.8 (stock# 75867) and the other a 1.9(stock# 75990)...maybe they're swapped? I can't seem to see a spoiler, but it could be my computer. I just noticed the other blue one that is supposedly a 1.8 says silver...I'm confused.

The spoiler on the supposed 1.9 is the pop-up style. You can see a ~4 inch thich section at the top of the hatch that is distinctly separate. It's like CSI for cars!

[surferchick2]

OK...I had to ask the salesman to send me pics of the engine and cluster. Now I'm on a quest for the truth...

[SMG]

Yeah it's definitely not an original VB TDI.

[Mike Briggs]

This is Mike Briggs ("nh mike" on tidclub), Emily's husband, co-owner of the other 2001 Vortex Blue TDI Beetle. I just discovered this thread, and figured I should post on it (I also finally saw Jordan's PM on TDIclub). Emily and I became parents in August, so we have been a bit pre-occupied - far less time for posting online.

We're in New Hampshire - bought the car originally just over the border in Canada. I don't know how many Vortex Blues were actually made with the TDI engine. When it was for sale, I didn't believe the dealer selling it that it was a TDI (since I first saw it advertised online). I ran the VIN with VW, and they confirmed it was in fact an original Vortex Blue Beetle that for some reason was made with a TDI engine. The most likely explanation I've been given from VW about it is this:
VW factories run things in batches to save money. FOr example, they may do 100 black cars all in a row (or several hundred). They may also do 50 in a row with grey cloth seats, and then 50 with black cloth, etc.. This is why at the beginning of a new model year, cars don't show up right away with all possible options and colors - because they are making them in batches.

What may have happened with these Vortex Blue beetles is that either they started a/the run of the Vortex Blue color before they shifted the entire line over to the 1.8T engine - or they may have had a couple of Beetles in the Vortex Blue color coming down the assembly line when they shifted the engines from the 1.8T over to the TDI. Either way, that seems like a plausible explanation for how a couple ended up this way. Either way, we were very glad it happened - since we love the color, and were specifically looking for a TDI.

Anyway - the main reason I wanted to post here is that due to us now being parents, and discovering that the Beetle is not the easiest car to get a car seat in and out of, Emily and I are considering selling it (and buying a 2004 Passat TDI wagon from my parents). We're not entirely sure, since we are very attached to it - especially considering how much Bear, one of our dogs, loved riding in it (Emily adopted him 12 years ago, and he passed away last Christmas).

If we do sell it, we would want it to go to someone who will really appreciate it for the rare car it is. We have put the back seat back in, since we are now using my Jetta wagon (also a TDI) whenever we go anywhere together and want to take Brandy (our other dog).

The Beetle has about 65k miles on it, and has been garaged most of its life. I perform the routine maintenance (filter changes), generally a little ahead of VW's schedule (i.e. oil and fuel filter once a year in the fall, even though that generally only means about 8-9k miles between changes). It has had the timing belt done, has a spare set of steel rims for snow tires (although it hasn't been driven much in the snow, particularly in the last two years), in addition to the original alloy rims. We put a dieselgeek steel skid plate on it to protect the oil pan. Other than that, it is stock. Oh - I put in a radio that Emily's father gave her as a present, but could put the original radio and CD changer back in. Overall the car is in great shape - well maintained, paint is solid, etc.. It has run on B20 or higher most of its life (I'm a physicist who focuses on energy research. As a side project, I have done a fair amount in the biodiesel arena, so we used to run our cars on biodiesel made from a processor I designed for the biodiesel group in the chemical engineering department at the university I work at. With the local waste vegetable oil supplies now being bought up, that ended, and we shifted to buying B20 from a local gas station).

Also, it has a rear wing on it, which seems to be an aftermarket one. We initially didn't really like the wing, thinking it hid the nice curved lines of the Beetle - but now Beetles without such a wing look sort of "naked" to us.

Here's a picture of it at a TDI gathering several years ago:


And an old picture (color is very washed out in this one) that shows the rear wing:


I have better pictures at home, can post more later.

Anyway - if we do decide to sell it, I figured I'd rather sell it to someone either here or at TDIclub, where the car would be appreciated. We haven't decided on a price yet, but since it is so rare, we would presumably want more than just the blue book value.