# What's the matta with my Beeta? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** newbeetle, volkswagen\ **Created:** [March 10, 2012, 9:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-the-matta-with-my-beeta/71371 "2012-03-10T21:11:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zuleyka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/4af34b/32.png) [@Zuleyka](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Zuleyka)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2012, 9:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-the-matta-with-my-beeta/71371/1 "2012-03-10T21:11:41Z")
I just bought a 98 Beetle with 58000 miles on it (for only 3400)! It was apparently abandoned and sat around for some time at a car shop before being sold to me. So here’s its weird problem: When I am driving in low gear (it’s an automatic), under 25 miles per hour or so, it feels like I’m driving with my brake on. For example, when I attempt to coast down a hill, I don’t even accelerate! Even on the steepest of hills, I’ll be slowly decelerating. This problem is most apparent after I start the car. After the car has shifted up past 25mph and back down, the problem is still there but not quite as extreme. I have found that, when coasting down a hill, if I shift my car into neutral, it feels like I suddenly let go of the brake! I will suddenly begin to accelerate in neutral where as I am decelerating in drive (when driving under 25mph). What also might be worthy of note is that it shifts -kind- of hard when going past the 25mph mark. I’ve seen cards shift harder so I don’t think it’s a big deal but it might be related. I’m afraid this problem is having a negative affect on my gas mileage. I’m additionally afraid that it’s a problem that’ll get worse and cost me lots of money. Someone halp, and thanks so much!! ---
**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2012, 9:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-the-matta-with-my-beeta/71371/2 "2012-03-10T21:18:02Z")
Park your car on a flat surface. Shift to neutral then shut off the engine. Stand in the doorway and push back and forth on the vehicle. It should roll freely. If not, you have a stuck brake(s). ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2012, 9:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-the-matta-with-my-beeta/71371/3 "2012-03-10T21:19:51Z")
It sounds like your transmission is not up-shifting into a higher gear when you release the throttle…It could just be a disconnected vacuum line or other shift control part…I would have a transmission pro check it… ---
**Author:** ![ken\_green](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/ken_green/32/816_2.png) [@ken\_green](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ken_green)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2012, 10:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-the-matta-with-my-beeta/71371/4 "2012-03-10T22:00:03Z")
If the brakes are properly releasing… does this car have a ‘‘hill descent control’’ feature on it ? ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2012, 10:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-the-matta-with-my-beeta/71371/5 "2012-03-10T22:54:01Z")
No offence, but I wouldn’t brag about what you paid for it. You could likely have bought it for half that price. The price you quote is more than you could buy a loaded 1998 New Beetle for from a dealer in excellent condition. ---
**Author:** ![GSragtop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7c8e57/32.png) [@GSragtop](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GSragtop)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2012, 7:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/whats-the-matta-with-my-beeta/71371/6 "2012-03-11T07:48:13Z")
It sounds like you are manually putting the car into low gear. If so the car is acting 100% normal. Leave it in drive and let the car do it’s thing.