# Today Is The Day: Farewell Beetle, Gone But NEVER Forgotten



## BasicallyA911 (Aug 2, 2018)

Wednesday, July 10th, 2019. The day that the final Volkswagen Beetle rolled off the assembly line in Puebla, Mexico. This is an end of an era.

As a tight-knit community within the greater VW Vortex community, I thought it would be nice if we all could share our first memories of Beetles and our favorite moments of Beetle ownership. 

For me, the car was special from the very beginning. I will be honest, I never thought I would own a Beetle. But it just so happened that one of my good friends dad worked as an executive at VW Group of America HQ in Virginia, and they bought a very special one-of-a-kind Beetle that was built by the VW Accessories team as a performance parts demonstration platform. I fell in love with that car, with its upgraded stiff suspension and MK6 Golf R Brakes, its long gears and its quirky exhaust note, and its unique white exterior accented by the bright blue splitter, diffuser, wing, and beetle logos on the sides of the doors. Little did I know that less than one year later, I would get the opportunity to buy it. Thus started my Beetle journey.

I have made countless friends because of my Beetle, some of whom you all know (such as the amazing Dr. Techy with his EPIC FrankenBeetle), or the legend BryceCube who helped me through the OEM HID Retrofit process, and many more. This car truly does bring people together unlike a lot of others, and I for one will miss seeing new ones on dealership lots waiting for their new homes and roaming the mean streets and backroads.

Thank you, Beetle.

Feel free to share your Beetle story below, I know I would love to hear it.


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## b04e (Jul 9, 2019)

New Beetle > The Beetle

We're not going anywhere!


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## SmokeyPendergrass (Dec 25, 2011)

I bought my first Beetle used in Fulda Germany from a fellow soldier in 1990. It was a 1979 Beetle that I learned to fix myself. Later on after having a Jetta 1.8 T, VR6 and a golf Gti. I decided to buy a 2004 Turbo S Beetle. I only kept it for 3 years before buying a GLI. It had a lot of problems. Now in 2019 I bought a Beetle convertible for my 49th birthday. I love it but for some reason some friends think I got it because of mid-life crisis. I bought it because I wanted a convertible Beetle before their were no more. I'm going to keep this one no matter what. Its my gift to me.

Sent from my LM-V350 using Tapatalk


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## BasicallyA911 (Aug 2, 2018)

SmokeyPendergrass said:


> I bought my first Beetle used in Fulda Germany from a fellow soldier in 1990. It was a 1979 Beetle that I learned to fix myself. Later on after having a Jetta 1.8 T, VR6 and a golf Gti. I decided to buy a 2004 Turbo S Beetle. I only kept it for 3 years before buying a GLI. It had a lot of problems. Now in 2019 I bought a Beetle convertible for my 49th birthday. I love it but for some reason some friends think I got it because of mid-life crisis. I bought it because I wanted a convertible Beetle before their were no more. I'm going to keep this one no matter what. Its my gift to me.
> 
> Sent from my LM-V350 using Tapatalk


I love this, what an amazing story of Beetle and VW ownership. Enjoy your 2019 model!


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## ribbit (Jun 4, 2012)

The year is 1964,I'm about to graduate college and my dad said he would buy me a car for graduation ,price limit $2000. Wanted to get a practical new car so a Bermuda blue/green beetle with a sun roof was my choice. It cost all of $1750 dollars. I will never forget going into the showroom to pick it up,it had that new smell ,doors were tight as a drum and the little 40HP engine hummed along. Drove it across the country,over the rockies,barely, to my job in Los Angeles. Gas was 18 cts a gal and a tune up was $25.00. Great memories,and now I have a 2019 Covert,so the circle has closed. I'm having as much fun with the new one as the first.


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## BasicallyA911 (Aug 2, 2018)

ribbit said:


> The year is 1964,I'm about to graduate college and my dad said he would buy me a car for graduation ,price limit $2000. Wanted to get a practical new car so a Bermuda blue/green beetle with a sun roof was my choice. It cost all of $1750 dollars. I will never forget going into the showroom to pick it up,it had that new smell ,doors were tight as a drum and the little 40HP engine hummed along. Drove it across the country,over the rockies,barely, to my job in Los Angeles. Gas was 18 cts a gal and a tune up was $25.00. Great memories,and now I have a 2019 Covert,so the circle has closed. I'm having as much fun with the new one as the first.


That is such an awesome story! It came full circle


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## Bobdhd (Jul 11, 2013)

My first car was a ‘72 Super Beetle, I was quite excited when my wife declared she wanted one. I love driving her ‘13 (when I’m permitted), certainly brings back a lot of crazy memories.


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## BasicallyA911 (Aug 2, 2018)

Bobdhd said:


> My first car was a ‘72 Super Beetle, I was quite excited when my wife declared she wanted one. I love driving her ‘13 (when I’m permitted), certainly brings back a lot of crazy memories.


I have definitely come to realize that for a lot of people, the Beetle is a family affair. So awesome to see. Need to keep that spirit alive.


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## ribbit (Jun 4, 2012)

the beetle is one of few cars that makes people SMILE. I love to be a part of the owners club and will enjoy the car and hope it keeps people smiling . Now that the era has ended it will be even more special.


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## dr_spock (Feb 16, 1999)

The year was 1998. My wife was very pregnant and we needed a new car. We test drove the New Beetle (she drove since I didn't drive manual at the time) and decided it will be the family car. We were put on the crazy waitlist during Beetlemania. One became available during the wait and we took it. Then it became necessary to learn to drive manual. It was a weird time in 1998. Other NB owners would wave at you as you drive by each other. Strangers would come up and talk to you at gas stations, shopping malls, etc.

We're still driving the car today and on the original clutch. My daughter grew up with the bug and learned to drive it too. The current plan is drive it until the clutch goes. I guess that is close enough to driving it to the ground. I have a mid-life crisis 2019 Sportswagen on factory order. If that falls through, then it is learning to do a clutch job and more rust repairs--being a daily driver in winter road salt environment hasn't been kind.

It always puts a smile on my face whenever I drive by and people on the street start punching each other out. I think that's the part I'll miss when I retire my bug. I suppose I can ask my wife to let me drive her 2016 Beetle every now and then.


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## BasicallyA911 (Aug 2, 2018)

dr_spock said:


> The year was 1998. My wife was very pregnant and we needed a new car. We test drove the New Beetle (she drove since I didn't drive manual at the time) and decided it will be the family car. We were put on the crazy waitlist during Beetlemania. One became available during the wait and we took it. Then it became necessary to learn to drive manual. It was a weird time in 1998. Other NB owners would wave at you as you drive by each other. Strangers would come up and talk to you at gas stations, shopping malls, etc.
> 
> We're still driving the car today and on the original clutch. My daughter grew up with the bug and learned to drive it too. The current plan is drive it until the clutch goes. I guess that is close enough to driving it to the ground. I have a mid-life crisis 2019 Sportswagen on factory order. If that falls through, then it is learning to do a clutch job and more rust repairs--being a daily driver in winter road salt environment hasn't been kind.
> 
> It always puts a smile on my face whenever I drive by and people on the street start punching each other out. I think that's the part I'll miss when I retire my bug. I suppose I can ask my wife to let me drive her 2016 Beetle every now and then.


What an incredible story! So amazed at how long the original clutch has lasted!


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## youpey (Aug 21, 2006)

My 2019 is my first beetle I have owned. However in 1994 when I was 17 there was a restored 1966/67 beetle for sale. It was a bright purple. It was 4000 dollars but I had about 1500. My mother said she would help me if I found a car I loved but it needed to be a larger car since I was a new driver.
I wasn't able to get that one and over the years I thought about it. When I read the beetle was being discontinued I knew it was my last chance. However I had just bought a car 2 years earlier. Months went by and I was browsing the web and saw a plastic model of a baja beetle and that led to other searches. I found that the beetle had stopped being built officially and I knew I needed to get one right away.
I spoke to my wife who was on board and I went the next day and bought the car. It's now my favorite car I have owned. 
A couple of my in laws mocked me saying it was a girl's car. I told them I'm too old to care about their stereotype thoughts


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## harveyfamily (May 21, 2019)

My wife always wanted a Beetle and with 2019 being the last year model we had to get one. 

I had her look at what was out there and she zoned in on the Stonewashed Blue color. We initially were looking for an SE with the pano sunroof but couldn’t find one anywhere and our dealer said the Final Edition was hard to come by on a dealer trade as no one was willing to trade for it. They did have an SEL Final Edition convertible in Stonewashed Blue with the beige top and the retro wheels with the white accent on the showroom floor that our salesman showed us. My wife won’t admit it but she fell in love with it as soon as she saw it. We ended up buying it and several of the staff said they would miss seeing it. I call it her little hot rod. . Our 10 year old daughter wants it when she turns 16 and my wife is already pushing back on that idea. 

Before I turned 16 back in the mid ‘90s my dad said his insurance agent recommended I get a Beetle as no one would want to drive it. I kind of wish I had done that now.


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## wufbergcabby (Jul 8, 2007)

*Pushing back*



harveyfamily said:


> My wife always wanted a Beetle and with 2019 being the last year model we had to get one.
> 
> I had her look at what was out there and she zoned in on the Stonewashed Blue color. We initially were looking for an SE with the pano sunroof but couldn’t find one anywhere and our dealer said the Final Edition was hard to come by on a dealer trade as no one was willing to trade for it. They did have an SEL Final Edition convertible in Stonewashed Blue with the beige top and the retro wheels with the white accent on the showroom floor that our salesman showed us. My wife won’t admit it but she fell in love with it as soon as she saw it. We ended up buying it and several of the staff said they would miss seeing it. I call it her little hot rod. . Our 10 year old daughter wants it when she turns 16 and my wife is already pushing back on that idea.
> 
> Before I turned 16 back in the mid ‘90s my dad said his insurance agent recommended I get a Beetle as no one would want to drive it. I kind of wish I had done that now.


My 2019 Beetle Convertible is about 7 weeks old with 400 miles . When our 14 year old daughter also starts driving in less than 2 years, she gets to drive the 2018 beetle coupe to school. My wife says She can start driving the convertible , I am pushing back on that idea, I plan to lease her a Jetta or Tiguan, it’s only $200/ month, or a Corolla LE ? I plan to retire in 4 years and I want the beetle convertible in like new condition by then.


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## Herbie3Rivers (Apr 12, 2003)

It was sad to see the Beetle end. Between myself and my dad, we have 6. 59, 70, 72, 99, 10, 19.


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## Sixtysomething (Aug 7, 2003)

What I thought was sad was how much of the air-cooled crowd dismissed New Beetles because they were changed to water-cooled, F/F cars. New Beetles and 2012+ Beetles got so little respect from the VW crowds that some forward-thinking water-cooled Beetle enthusiasts formed a group of their own. I was in that group for a few years, but I saw the end of the Beetle coming as far back as 2015 and got out. There were very few people located across the entire US and Canada and maybe 3 events and GTGs for water Beetles only came around once a year and one was only every other year. I got tired of going to regular all-VW shows to see seas of air-cooled Bugs and if you were lucky, maybe 3-4 modern Beetles. The New Beetles of 1998-2010 and the 2012+ Beetles should have fared far better as they were 1000 times the cars their air-cooled predecessors could ever hope to be, but the vast majority of the air-cooled crowd didn't see it that way at all. I'm still a die-hard VW guy, but now experience the same alienation at shows with my 2014 stock Passat. At VW shows, you either have the air-cooled crowds stuck 50 years in the past, some of whom don't even know what a Jetta or Passat even IS, or a bunch of millennials that think any VW made after about 1995 has to be tuned, lowered, slammed, stanced, bagged, have a set of $5000 wheels, or a stereo that can be heard half a mile away.


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## junnyquest (Dec 24, 2015)

1979. I was sixteen and had been driving the 1966 Mustang my dad handed down to me just two weeks earlier when my geometry teacher asked if I wanted to buy his Beetle. The 'stang was nice enough, but having recently spent time in my uncle's Beetle on a visit to Germany, I was smitten by all things German. Hell yes, I want to buy your Bug!

So, Dad co-signed for my first loan and I bought a Red 1974 Beetle with just over 30K on the odometer. It had EMPI Sprintstar rally wheels and a Craig Powerplay 8-Track player. I added a tuned header pipe for a deep throaty sound and loved that car! 

As it turned out, I soon discovered that I also loved all things British. So, being a dumb sixteen year old, I bought a piece of s--- 1965 Triumph Spitfire, and sold the Bug. What a dummy! The Triumph eventually cured my love for British cars and I sold it.

Fast forward, literally 50 cars later, and now I drive a Grey Metallic 2013 Beetle Turbo. Bought it three years ago. I added Audi TT five-spokes for summer use. Stock 18's for the Hakkapeliittas. And with just 28K miles on the car, I'll likely be driving it quite a bit longer.

Turns out I'm still smitten by all things German.


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## ribbit (Jun 4, 2012)

I laughed when I read your story, Mine happen quite a bit before you in 1964, new beetle for graduation loved the car,moved to Calif and thought I needed something sportier and bgt a MGB convert. Horrible mistake,tons of problems LOL,now have a 2019 covert and will have it forever.


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## El-Vocho (Aug 9, 2016)

I put mine in storage for now until I can figure out what to do with it. I don’t want to put too many miles on it. It’s had a good run and I got 70,000 wonderful miles out of it. I may store it for a year or even 20 years. We’ll see what becomes of it. At least it’s seen a good portion of the country, trouble free.



















Who knows, maybe this guy may get it in 17 years.....











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