2004 Volkswagen Beetle

This is a top-of-range Beetle Convertible with just 15,000 miles on the clock, fitted with the 2.0 petrol, automatic gearbox and rather nice contrasting tan leather interior.

The vendor is only the second owner, having bought it from a lady in Glasgow who covered had fewer than 650 miles a year on average during the eleven years she owned it.

He’s added another careful 7,500 or so (predominately summer) miles to it in the three years he’s had it, bringing the total mileage up to a barely believable 15,000.

Black is a notoriously unforgiving colour but the flawless panels and glossy finish hide the car’s age very well; with a cheap personalized registration number, you’d be forgiven for thinking this is a five-year-old car at most.

The black folding roof and tan tonneau cover are as clean as the coachwork, remaining as taut and leak-free as we’ve come to expect from German engineering. That the Beetle looks almost Porsche-like in profile with the hood folded only adds to its considerable appeal.

The alloy wheels are in excellent condition with not even a trace of having been kerbed. They are shod with four good tyres too, which is always a reassuring sign.

The tan leather interior contrasts beautifully with the black paintwork, especially with the roof down. When you factor in the flawless ergonomics, Bauhaus design and genuine four-seater capability you come to appreciate just how easy this car would be to live with as a daily driver.

The driver’s seat shows only the merest hint of creasing and the obligatory vase is present and correct. As we have already said, this example is so clean and well-presented that it could be a five-year-old car, rather than a thirteen-year-old one .

What can we say? It’s been recently serviced including new front brake discs and pads and is ready to storm down to the south of France with the minimum of fuss.

The owner tells us that he has undertaken a number of journeys in it and it has an unblemished reliability record, prompting him to say that he would trust the car to take him anywhere, no matter how far.

The car comes with a couple of old invoices and the online MOT history check shows nothing whatsoever to worry about other than a suggestion that it suffered some mild damage to the bodywork in around 2011.

A 2004 VW Beetle Cabriolet might not be our usual fare but when we saw how good this car is, we simply couldn’t resist. The guide price is £6,000, which strikes us as providing extraordinarily good value for a car in this condition and with such a low mileage. Whether it’s bought as a first car for a newly qualified driver, as an everyday commuter for the style conscious enthusiast on a budget, or a high-days-and-holidays treat to supplement a classic collection, this example has it all.

The term ‘future classic’ is bandied about too readily but we think that this vehicle qualifies easily; with many having been modified and abused, low mileage, standard cars are starting to become hard to find and we suspect we’ll all look back in a few years and rue the day we let examples like this get away when they were still available for sensible money.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen here at Patina HQ in Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.