Secrets of the New Beetle, Part Deux

[from Margaritaville...]

Originally Posted by Dede

I was happy to find out that my cup holder would swivel to the passenger side. I drove for 6 hours after purchasing my NBC tossing drinks that would not fit under the dash.

I just keep a Christmas tree stand in the trunk. Whenever I go to the convenience store to get one of their ever-larger 144 oz. drinks, I use both hands and drag that thing to the passenger side and slide it into the stand and clamp it down. Now if I could only find an ice machine to fit in where that useless glove box is!...

[jdesigns]

Originally Posted by Steinola

It started straight away in 2003 for the 'verts, and I believe a mid-year 2003 interior update for the hardtops (early 2003 coupes had the old cup holders and center console).

We've got an early 03 that have swivel cup holders.


I can't think of any secrets at the moment.

[Taters Toy]

Originally Posted by dunno513

And you can roll down the windows on both sides using the key from the driveside door. Just hold it for a few seconds. Lock rolls them up and unlock rolls them down.

Again not a VW secret, but new VW owners like me may not know this.

I sure didn't! I love it.

[mentalVdub]

i love that little red light right underneath the radio part of the dash that shines down on the cup holder... soft touch that's absolutely brilliant!

[Toad]

Here's a real secret (at least it's not stated in the '99 manual):

To change the temp between F and C and time between 12hr and 24hr hold down both the hour and min buttons at the same time. With the car on, it does one of htem, with key out, it does the other (i cant really remember which is which right now).

[EvilinaDM101]

Originally Posted by dunno513

And you can roll down the windows on both sides using the key from the driveside door. Just hold it for a few seconds. Lock rolls them up and unlock rolls them down.

Again not a VW secret, but new VW owners like me may not know this.

Just ran outside and tried this!! AWESOME!!!
This is a neat thread! I wish I had some kind of secret to tell

[mojo_trixie]

Not sure which year models this works in but I have a 2000 and if you have the windows down and the sunroof open and you hit 90mph ot only does the rear spoiler come up but all the windows shut themselves. Woohoo.. thought my car was possessed when I first drove her home

[Lnzbug]

Originally Posted by Bikenbuggin

To add to the sunroof "secrets" the position marked with the bold dot (about two dots from fully open) is specifically designed to prevent that "thumping" that you get when the sunroof is open and you are travelling at high speeds.

Also not sure what the secret may be behind this, but what is the thing with the windows opening and closing and stoppping at certain spots... seems to be about the same place every time.. at first i thought my car was possessed????

If you are driving at highway speeds and try to close your windows the wind is pushing them out of wack just a little. That in turn puts the no pinch into motion and opens your windows down to a pre determined point.You do know that if you put something between the window and the frame as you're closing it it automaticaly open them. Same with the sunroof. try putting a roll of paper towels in the way and see what happens. It' so little fingers don't get pinched.

[Whitacre]

[QUOTE=Steinola]It started straight away in 2003 for the 'verts, and I believe a mid-year 2003 interior update for the hardtops (early 2003 coupes had the old cup holders and center console). But even those cup holders are barely sufficient to hold anything very well. I hear the new 2006 cup holders - that are built into the center console alongside the e-brake - are a heck of a lot more useful.

Actually the swivel design was introducted mid 2001 for the late 2001 model but for the 2002 major updates they offered. The cars seemed to be a little more electrically reliable after 02, and a little more reliable in general. They offered the new cup holders as well as the new headrests which are safer, and the new VW logos, which they went back to the 3D ones for 06, but dont swivel in the back.

And yes, the 06 cup holders are MUCH better. I can actually put drinks in there, and even large drinks fit pretty well.

[Lnzbug]

Originally Posted by mojo_trixie

Not sure which year models this works in but I have a 2000 and if you have the windows down and the sunroof open and you hit 90mph ot only does the rear spoiler come up but all the windows shut themselves. Woohoo.. thought my car was possessed when I first drove her home

My windows don't close but the sunroof does if it's flipped up and not pulled back

[Whitacre]

Originally Posted by mentalVdub

i love that little red light right underneath the radio part of the dash that shines down on the cup holder... soft touch that's absolutely brilliant!

You like that eh?

Well for 06 package 2 they put those little red lights in the rearview mirror, and it splashes a nice red glow on the top of the dash, down to the center console and also under the radio still. Its absolutely beautiful and very luxurious really. Gotta love German thinking...(except in the 30's.. )

[FineExampl]

Yeah, you can do that with yer hand. I like pincher windows. Than i can play tricks on police officers and pinch the ticket out of their hand.

I kid, only 1 ticket in my Beetle.



I think this is only in the 02s and later, but i found a bigger secret than all of these.

In the drivers side underdash compartment (the lefthand one) there's a switch with a button next to it. If you drive 50mph or faster and you flip the switch and hit the button you can transform into "super pursuit mode" and these really rad mini-wings come out of the side of the car and the front and rear valance extend and widen into front and rear spoilers and you get this really cool soundtrack that plays as you drive and it......


Sorry....Knight Rider rules!

[AmyJane]

Originally Posted by Oyveychris

If it's a turbo, then yes!

Are you talking about rolling both windows down with the key in the door lock?
Cuz I dont have a turbo and I can do that too!

[Mortville]

Originally Posted by dvious

If you open your sun roof to the last click, let it open (then wait a second), you can turn the switch past the last "click or marker" and open the sun roof all the way. The switch will then click back to the last place. Don't be scared to turn it all the way, it feels like it shouldn't but it is made to.

On a side note: when the sun roof is open "all the way" it really creates a lot more wind noise. I don't use it that often.

You must have at least one window cracked when the sunroof is in this position (all the way open). The directions for this are in the manual. If you don't that's when you get that horrible thumping wind noise.

Anyway...I think we are getting away from the point of this thread here...

[Ivy]

Originally Posted by mentalVdub

i love that little red light right underneath the radio part of the dash that shines down on the cup holder... soft touch that's absolutely brilliant!

I don't see that in mine. I have a '99 turbo. Did they start in '00???? I'd really like to see that, sounds cool!

[CrazyJames]

Originally Posted by Ivy

I don't see that in mine. I have a '99 turbo. Did they start in '00???? I'd really like to see that, sounds cool!

I have it in my 98...

.. Thought about tying in a lighted bud vase to that light, so that it would turn on/off when I turned on the lights

[Ivy]

Originally Posted by CrazyJames

I have it in my 98...

.. Thought about tying in a lighted bud vase to that light, so that it would turn on/off when I turned on the lights

So, then is the light on the underside of the dash and shines down? I can't believe it would be something I have never noticed...but then again, I am learning new stuff about Dublin every day almost. I'm going to have to run out there when it's darker and look to see if I notice it. I keep my ipod in one of the cup holders so I look down there a lot, don't see how I'd miss it. Maybe mine went out????? hmmm....

If someone can snap a photo of it later, that would be great!

[CrazyJames]

Originally Posted by Ivy

So, then is the light on the underside of the dash and shines down? I can't believe it would be something I have never noticed...but then again, I am learning new stuff about Dublin every day almost. I'm going to have to run out there when it's darker and look to see if I notice it. I keep my ipod in one of the cup holders so I look down there a lot, don't see how I'd miss it. Maybe mine went out????? hmmm....

If someone can snap a photo of it later, that would be great!

Yup, its on the part of the console where your seat heater switches are, hazard lights etc.

You might have to get on your hands and knees to see it..

[Steinola]

Originally Posted by Whitacre

Actually the swivel design was introducted mid 2001 for the late 2001 model but for the 2002 major updates they offered.

Doh! Foiled again. You're right, of course. I was keying my timeline off of when the CD changer connector migrated from the trunk to the center console which, oddly, didn't happen until mid 2003. But the new cup holders had already been in place for almost two years.

Originally Posted by Ivy

I don't see that in mine. I have a '99 turbo. Did they start in '00???? I'd really like to see that, sounds cool!

Don't feel so bad. I know it's there, and half the time I still don't see it

The bulb is behind the white plastic rectangle on the underside of the dash piece that holds the seat warmer switches (or the hazard button, if you don't have the seat warmers). It's very very subtle. You really only see it if you have something white and/or shiny in the cup holders.

[larryziegler]

Originally Posted by Oyveychris

Mine does not do this, It already opens all the way, are you sure you don't have a funked up switch?

The older Beetles, like mine have a sunroof w/toggle/thumb type switch, while the newer Beetles have a rotary switch, which adds to the confusiion