About how much would it cost to put a convertible on a new beetle?

About how much would it cost to put a convertible on a new beetle?

i got a beetle for my first car and i hate it! so i thought the only way to really make it look cute would be to make it into a convertible. can anyone answer this? lol. and i dont wanna hear "just go buy a convertible beetle." cause ive already customized this one alot. HELP!?

Asked by: Alyssa @ 2009-07-10 07:50:28

Answers ::
liek 4000

James A

you cant make a car a convertible unless you want to spend thousands of dollars. Ive never heard of anyone making their car a convertible after market. Maybe you could get a sunroof installed. That'll still cost you though.

senorrobertoe

more than the car is worth. probably 7-8 (probably more) grand a lot of custom work. best bet is to find a totaled convertible beetle and use it as a parts car might be better off with a big moon roof convertibles require ALOT of extra bracing because you lose the strength the roof supplies, more headaches than it's worth

Ryan C

Hi Alyssa,
If you were Red Green, you'd just take a chain saw and cut the top off. Seriously, call a VW dealer and ask.

Alexis

ide say about 30,000 dollors good luck on buying it ,my dad bought his car for 60,000 dollors

Muatasem

If it's a hardtop right now it is simply to expensive to justify turning into a convertible.

Unless your Bam with that chop top hummer of his. Some people shouldn't have a lot of money like that...

ian h

You're going to find a lot of different prices if you do some digging. I don't think that's something that would be a "set price". The price for something like this is going to have a lot to do with what the price for labor hours is, not just parts. Different shops are going to quote you a different price for labor hours.

One thing I am certain of is that it would be a pretty big undertaking. Converting a vehicle to a convertible is something that needs to be done right. You have to be sure that the car will be water tight in the long run, re-cut the trunk to a different size, change the size of the frame of the car and the structure itself. I would only do it if you are willing to spend the right amount of money to have someone do it. And only have them do it if they are absolutely certain that it's something they can do right.

With all the money it would take, you might also consider how long you're going to have the car. It would be worth keeping for several years if you're going to do this type of work to it.

Call different body shops or dealerships and mechanics, let them know what you're interested in and ask who they would recommend. A lot of shops have trusted vendors and such. If you or anyone in the family has a mechanic that they see regularly I'd start there.

chadchadbinks

im really sorry to say this but just go buy a convertible beetle. the reason is if you COULD convince a body shop to do this not only would you void the warranty on your car but it would cost an OBSCENE amount of money money you could use to buy a, u guessed it, a convertible beetle. im guessing the amount it would cost is close to 10k-15k because the body shop not only has to rip off the entire top part of your car off they need new parts for the door frame, windows, windshield, tail lights, not to mention rerouting a lot of the electrical equipment also this would take approximately 3 weeks to complete. If you want a hot looking car that is the most fun you will ever have driving get a VW GTI mkV:

http://www.exchange3d.com/cubecart/images/uploads/aff2194/////Render_VW_GTI_MKV_0001.jpg

turning a car into a convertible is impractical, and extremely expensive

o did i mention you would have to put the top up and down by hand?
unless you want to spend more money.

Matt

like a ton of money!!

micle

The biggest thing that you need to know about how to do it correctly is that you must know where all the wires are, where all the structural supports are, and where the balance points are on the car. Based on these three things you can cut the car into a convertible. You will need to decide whether you want a rag top, hard top, or open t-top with drop down capabilities. Also, you will need to decide if you want a power convertible or a manual one.

The first thing you will need to do is remove the battery and all electrical power from the car. You will then need to reroute any wires that are in the roof and in the trunk, and you must consider where you are going to store your roof. You may have to drop it down in sections and pancake layers in the trunk, or you may have to rotate it down based on the configurations.

Next, if you are going to have a mechanical convertible, you must decide how and where are you going to bolt on the motor the guides, the new supports, and the new rails. Also, if you installed a sunroof in your roof, you must be cautious about not not crushing the glass. You will also need to have the window glass on an automatic power circuit that drops all of your windows down so that your roof doesn't destroy you door windows. One other thing, you will need to upgrade the body rigidity of the car in order to handle the added weight. I also suggest installing roll bars in your headrests so that in the event of roll over you have some protection for your head.

Finally, about the balance of the car, you must be careful with this. Properly balanced you will be able to go 200 mph and not worry about a thing. Improperly balanced and you are going to be lucky to make it out of your driveway. You are going to need to upgrade your shocks and springs, and to maintain your thrust to weight ratio you will need to upgrade your transmission and engine horsepower. You may want to consider multiplexing wires in order to cut down on weight. Afterall, you don't want to bottom out the car. Also, remember that with the top in the trunk or wherever you are going to put it, you are going to have that much less storage space. Make sure that you keep that in mind. You don't want to crush your groceries into your sexy lingerie. You don't want your eggs stuck to your roof. Beyond that, installing a convertible top is easy. Just get a torch and some locking clips and you're golden. Good luck.

Edward

Hey team, have you ever seen the recent movie, Rocky and Bullwinkle?

The hero's are driving around for the first half of the movie in a NB that has been converted into a vert.

This was done quite a bit when the cars first came out by some car customizers in California as the demand was very high.

That being said, they are now factory made so it is not too likely that anyone is still out there doing this.

Find a nice NB vert in the first body style 2004 thru 2005 and swap all your mods over to the new car. This is really the wisest way to do it.

The next option would be to get a large fabric sunroof after-market and have that put in.

Do you have a sunroof in yours? Honestly, I have both the sunroof and convertible Models, and when all the windows/ sunroof are open it is nearly just the same as the vert.

Good luck and let us know how it works out for you!

Matthew

would a VW Passat be a good first car?

I'm 15 and turning 16 soon. My mother and i have been looking at the new 2009 vw passat and thinking about buying it. she is going to use the car till i'm 17 and then give the car to me. I'm just wondering if that car would be a good first car.
thanks

Asked by: flguy11493 @ 2009-07-09 17:05:26

Answers ::
yes. volkswagens are great i have an 87 and it has hardly given me any trouble.

Kim

i think so, their comfortable and have turbo

need help

Excellent choice.

dingodevil

no those car's have issues if you have the money to fix them all the time then no.i have 2 friend's that have bought them and now wished they haden't.good luck.

Sunshine

I've got a V6 and it's got a top speed of 230 ks per hour,it's a rocket.

Abbuzzy

Volkswagens are great made vehicles. Their like number 1 in Europe. But ya its a good first car. But obviously your mom has some money to buy you a new car. Make sure you get warranty because the maintenance is very expensive because its a import.

Luke

It's OK but compare it to the Scion TC, it's cooler and less money.

BillyTheKid

I would sugest something smaller and maybe second hand.The Passat is an exelent car, top of its class but carries too much UMPH! for an inexpierienced driver, not to mention the insurance excess. My advice start small, work up a no claims record, gain expierience and you will enjoy the bigger cars when you have more confidence.

buddy

I'm getting a VW too!
im just getting a 4 door rabbit!
I think VWs are great, my mom has the passat, its luxury that you can afford!

Alex

Do all Volkwagen Beetles have a stick shift?

Just wondering. A beetle is like my dream car. I don't like stick shifts though. Also, what's your opinion on beetles?
Thanks Guys!
Do beetles run well. Some people have told me they stink. Some people have told me they're awesome!

Asked by: Bobbi @ 2009-07-10 09:06:59

Answers ::
Yes, they have stick shift and Automatic Transmission available.

Beetles are nice cute compact cars, not my type though.

Shelby <3

I have a girlfriend who has one, and its automatic

Tehrangeles

They do make an automatic, but it functions badly.

Wounded Duck

You haven't said whether you're discussing "NEW" or "OLD" Beetle and I don't want to assume anythig... so here goes..

The "OLD" or original Beetle (sold in US until 1979 model) was used an air cooled motor and most were standard or stick shift. For a brief time from about 1968? till 1976 or so, the original Beetle was offered with a semi-automatic, which VW called the "auto stick."

This transmission required you to shift gears, but had no clutch pedal. When it worked correctly, it wasn't so bad, but it required frequent adjustments to operate correctly and most people didn't make the adjustments either on time or correctly and the system was often trouble prone with the vacuum bellows set up often leaking, so the clutch didn't operate correctly (no clutch pedal, but a vacuum system operated a clutch). It was a headache for the owners and dealerships alike, and was discontinued in the mid seventies.

The "NEW" Beetle is offered currently in both automatic and manual transmission, though some special edition models with the turbo were offered only in manual transmission (i.e.: 2002? turbo "S" model and others). The run ok, though they like many VW's are probably better running with the standard transmission; the big issue in past models has been the reliability factor. The current generation since 2005, has been much better than previous models in the reliability area and have performed a bit better than the standard NON turbo 2.0 liter that was used previously as the standard motor.

The current 2.5 liter 5 cylinder motor is ok; fuel economy and smooth running are not its strong points, but its been reliable enough. The automatic transmission used with the 2.5 is smoother, shifts better and has been a good transmission so far.

The big issue now is that some of the plastics used in the interior and exterior aren't great. The gas door is plastic and flexs with temperature changes and sometimes is very difficult to latch; button on the hand brake lever cracks, as does the center arm rest console latch and the glove box hinges and latch often break. But the vehicle runs well enough and is, well, sort of cute to many people.

Before buying one, take an extended road test to see if you have trouble with vision in the corners, many people have said there are blind spots due to the shape of the body; only an extened road test will tell if you will have this problem or not.

Hope this helps, a car nut.

a car nut

My wife drove her New Beetle abt. 5 years with only one repair. [water pump replaced at 80,000 miles].
The car never once let us down.
We drove it up and down the East Coast and many beaches and mountain trips.
Once you learn to drive a stick shift, you will love 'rowing ' the gears as they slide effortlessly up or down the RPM range. Its something to be proud of too. Just find a patient friend to show you how.
We eventually had to say goodbye to our faithful Beetle. We needed a 4-door car. Bought a VW Jetta. Also a great car!

fenton

Get used to it, all aircooleds have stick in one way or another. They have an automatic stick shift (which is basically a clutchless manual), but this is very rare and actually worth some money to the right buyer.

Are aircooled Beetles good cars? I can write a book the size of my 1973 Volkswagen explaining why they are amazing cars. But I will put it to you short and sweet. If you want a long answer, tell me and I'll happily give you one.

-Yes, they run excellent. You just have to check the oil every now and then since they burn oil by design (an effect of it being aircooled, this actually makes the engine last longer). But they do run like nothing else. Very smooth, will last a very long time. Those engines are bullet proof. They will idle for weeks and not overheat. They run the best when it's humid and in the 60s.
-Maintanance is very simple and cheap. You can do most repairs yourself with only basic understanding of cars. Parts are super cheap and easy to get just about anywhere.
-No frills equals not much to break anyway. Very simple design everywhere throughout the car, but hell, it works, don't it?
-No power steering nor power brakes, which makes it a bit hard to steer under 10mph and brake at higher speeds. Be sure to give yourself extra stopping distance. This is probably the only con about those cars, that they do not stop very quickly.
-The ride is a bit loud, but since it's a stick and you have no tach this is quite useful. It is also a bit bumpy because the suspension is very stiff, but it gives you very good traction around corners. The handling in those things is astounding.
-It turns heads all the time. Imagine spending what you would normally spend for an average joe used car for a stock aircooled Beetle in good shape, and constantly getting complements on it. I get complements left and right in parking lots. Keep in mind that everyone over the age of 40 either had one or had a good friend/family member who had one, so they all have a story to tell about what they did with their Volkswagen.
-They do not have a lot of horsepower, but the small number of hp might as well be overlooked. The overall power is perfectly adequate for todays driving (1967-1979, keep to 40hp+, stay away from the 36hp, those were underpowered). My 1973 has 46hp and it goes up hills well, it accelerates off the line well, I can peel out and chirp it in second, you name it. It has such low end power I can start it from a stop going up a hill in 3rd. Most modern cars can barely do it in 2nd and they have an extra gear (the Beetles are 4 speed). You will find no problem hauling you, three 200lb+ passengers and a bunch of cargo, going up the steepest, longest hill you can find.


To me, that is an extremely short answer as to why I love my 1973 Beetle so much and why you should have one. Believe me, the people who talk nasty about them never stepped foot in or around one. I've been driving them and working on them for years. I'm 17 now, been working on them since I was 8. I started on my father's 1962. I learned how to drive by the age of 9, and probably three or four times drove something other than an aircooled Volkswagen. I've driven over 70K miles in my life so far, about 69K of them were in aircooled Volkswagens. I know what I'm talking about. Don't listen to those other guys.

I have a much longer, much more detailed answer pre-typed. It took me three hours. I did it one day when I was stuck in the passenger's seat for 300 miles. If you want it, I would be glad to give it to you.

-Richard Primma

Prime

vintage car question?

i've been thinking about getting a car, i'd like a vintage car 1950-1970ish... it'd be fun to restore it myself. does anyone know where i could get a cheaper car that's not in very good shape in the bay area?

Asked by: Ellis A @ 2009-07-09 23:09:57

Answers ::
CRAIGSLIST

LOU

Craigslist is good generically, but if you want a VW, go to:
www.thesamba.com

This is a worldwide VW classified ad site.

Matthew

Right here:-)

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/search.php

Michael C

thesamba.com is the place to search if you want a bug bus square or ghia. i have a beetle and every time i bring it up people flock haters and fans but if you are restoring a beetle or bus it can get purty expensive and I'm not rich and took the easy way out and going to have a rat/hood ride (go for 67 pre bus and same for beetle 69 pre squareback and 69 pre Karmann Ghia)

quincy d

1974 VW Bug maintenance help Please?

I have a 1974 VW bug (Not Super) that when I stop at a stop sign or red light it dies. I have replaced the air filter and fuel filter, tightened the alternator belt and it still does it. any suggestion before I pump too much money going the wrong direction?

Asked by: T D @ 2009-07-10 06:03:30

Answers ::
it could be anything you need to be more specific see if you have any vaccum leaks and you need to be careful tighing your belts to tight it can hurt your car

dani

WIll it idle? Look and listen for vacuum leaks- that's often a culprit of idling issues. Another is low fuel pump pressure.
Check your timing, make sure your carb's jets aren't plugged and that it's properly adjusted.

tennisballeddie

My friend Adam had the same problem.

All he did was sit and rev the engine, not loud or anything just enough to keep it from dying.

Assuming its standard of course

ian h

Simple, your electromagnetic cut-off valve is burnt. If you dont know what it is, its the small round thing protruding from the left (driver's side)side of the carb that has a wire connected to it. I had the same thing happen. Here is how you check to make sure its done.

1. unplug it
2. Turn your key on, BUT DO NOT START IT!
3. Touch the wire to the cut-off valve, if you hear a click, then its working. If you do not hear a click, then you need to replace it (30 or 40 bucks on www.mamotorworks.com or www.aircooled.net)

vwbuggin64

Is it just me or are the plad seats of the VW GTI uncool?

Asked by: Brian @ 2009-07-10 16:44:40

Answers ::
Very uncool, but the leather seats look very good.

TaylorJ

Its you, cuz I really dig the Plaid seats in my GTI !
Any car can have stripes, or just one color or spots or, well you get the message.
Only the GTI is cool enough to wear Plaid.
Maybe a bit o' history will help;
Plaid is generally considered a proud Scottish tradition. The more powerful/successful the family/clan, the more colors/lines you could weave into your plaid.
The fact that I'm part Scots may have something to do with my seat cover choice?
Anyway I doubt the Germans who created the 1st GTI thought much abt. Scottish heritage. I guess they just wanted something unique and not-so-serious looking. Kind of like the car itself, maybe.
Sorry bout the history , I couldnt help it....
Long live Plaid!!

fenton

the GTI's plaid seats are awesome!

Matthew

the gti plaid is awsome

Max

How much would it cost to convert a 1977 Volkswagen Vanagon/VW Bus with a standard/manual trans. to automatic?

Any info at all will be appreciated!

Asked by: EddieDingle @ 2009-07-09 16:43:17

Answers ::
DON'T do it , the vw auto was a piece of crap .

sterling m

Auto was garbage. Just go buy one with automatic already in there. Way cheaper, and the mechanic (with whom you will develop a warm relationship) will not be saying all the time --well - if you hadn't hooked that gidget to this gadget you wouldn't have this problem!!

williamM

Just don't do it. You will find it not worth it. It will cost more than the Bus did to do that. Entirely different setup with those. It also destroys the value.

Prime