Research

Use this battery life calculator to estimate how long the Ute can be parked and still start the engine. See instructions below. Background If the Beetle Ute isn’t driven on a daily basis, or if it is stored for over a month, a battery current drain may discharge the battery completely....

Background Hundreds of different wheel patterns fit the New Beetle covering a range of sizes, typically 16- to 18-inch diameters, in both steel and aluminum alloy. The OEM wheels are generally no longer manufactured, but reconditioned ones are available. Our 2004 Turbo S model shipped with 5-spoke 7×17 alloys that remain...

Background Front engine/front wheel drive vehicles tend to understeer. Understeer, and its oversteer counterpart, describe steering characteristics compared to a perfectly balanced chassis but this terminology is frequently misunderstood. Understeer occurs when the front of the vehicle tends to follow straight ahead momentum upon entering a curve while oversteer is when...

Background Chopping off the back of the New Beetle alters the habitat of the spare tire and its associated jack tool kit to a significant extent. What was once convenient access via the raised rear hatch lid becomes, at a minimum, an involved procedure getting to the spare tire since it...

Background The Jensen CMM710 head unit that replaces the original VW radio has the capacity to view two cameras. The rear camera embedded in the roll pan cover is triggered when the transmission is shifted into reverse. The other camera can be selected for viewing at any time.

Background Tonneau covers, from the French word for barrel, were invented over a hundred years ago to protect rear passengers in open air vehicles; the material was often draped in a manner resembling a barrel and the word stuck. Early race cars used tonneaus to smooth out air flow over unoccupied...

Background Volkswagen coated nearly all the plastic trim in the New Beetle with a soft-touch rubberized coating that may have appeared acceptable in the showroom, but hasn’t aged well. These surfaces scratch easily (just run a fingernail along it for example), feel tacky like someone spilled Coca Cola all over, and...

Background The aluminum sheet bed walls — including the tailgate inner wall — can be finished a number of ways. First, the walls can be left “natural”. The disadvantage is that aluminum will oxidize over time, especially when exposed to the elements, leaving a blemished appearance. Even polishing aluminum is only...

Background The New Beetle radio came in several different flavors just as the media electronics revolution gathered steam — today cassettes and CDs are relics while satellite radio and/or GPS OnStar communication have faded into well-deserved obscurity. Most Beetles shipped with a standard radio package — marketed as “Premium V” up...

Background The rear spoiler doesn’t survive our Ute transformation, but its demise has a few implications that must be addressed. The spoiler moves via an electric step motor controlled with a separate, but integrated, electronic module. Spoiler operation uses different logic circuits that require speed data input: if speed under 12mph...