Volkswagen ID. Buzz Air Filter Replacement Video Goes Viral, Reveals Nightmare Design

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September 9, 2025
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3 comments
Volkswagen viral image 1

Volkswagen viral video reveals design flaw in award-winning ID. Buzz electric minivan resulting in painful maintenance costs

Design is more art than science, and that’s why we can have reasonable disagreements about what makes a good or bad design. Heck, for my money Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz is dumb name for an ugly vehicle, but the experts think it’s a winner, with J.D. Power and the World Car Awards awarding it design accolades. 

Okay fine, the experts like the look and feel of the the car more than I do. Maybe I’m a weirdo! But what about the less sexy design stuff? For example, how hard is it to do routine maintenance, like changing a cabin air filter? You know, the stuff you’re going to do again and again over the life of the car. 

Well, folks, it ain’t pretty. Behold this recent viral video that breaks down the mind-numbingly complex process of replacing this filter.

Not content to let the internet do my thinking for me, I reached out to a VW service center to see if this video was exaggerated, deceptively edited, or even an outright fabrication. Bad news, though — they were able to confirm that the process was essentially correct, and offered the price for them doing the service. (They also asked not to be named, since this isn’t a great look for anyone.)

Brace yourself — it came in at a whopping $330 total. $247.50 for the service, and almost $85 for the filter. And honestly, given the complexity of replacing it, the labor charge almost looks like a bargain, especially when you consider it next to an $85 air filter…

It’s probably not the kind of thing that’s going to make much of a difference in the popularity of the ID. Buzz, but it sure can’t help. What do you think, will this Volkswagen viral moment hurt the company?

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testerdahl

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2,714 messages 4,590 likes

Volkswagen viral video reveals design flaw in award-winning ID. Buzz electric minivan resulting in painful maintenance costs Design is more art than science, and that’s why we can have reasonable disagreements about what makes a good or bad design. Heck, for my money Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz is dumb name for an ugly vehicle, but the experts think it’s a winner, with J.D. Power and the World Car Awards awarding it design accolades. Okay fine, the experts like the look and feel of the the car more than I do. Maybe I’m a weirdo! But what about the less sexy design […] (read full article...)

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Hilux

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I too like to to do extreme disassembly on my vehicles for simple routine maintenance.

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Dusdaddy

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1,354 messages 2,020 likes

Ahhhh....gotta love German engineering. I remember having to change a seat-belt reel in my 1990 Audi. Little did I realize that it had a cable that snaked forward under the door sills, through the engine firewall to a bracket on the engine, and then back towards the tranny. Apparently, the cable sensed the engine being pushed back from an impact and locked the belt before inertia did. I cut the cable at the reel and changed it out....

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rushilkumar27

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Volkswagen viral video reveals design flaw in award-winning ID. Buzz electric minivan resulting in painful maintenance costs Design is more art than science, and that’s why we can have reasonable disagreements about what makes a good or bad design. Heck, for my money Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz is dumb name for an ugly vehicle, but the experts think it’s a winner, with J.D. Power and the World Car Awards awarding it design accolades. Okay fine, the experts like the look and feel of the the car more than I do. Maybe I’m a weirdo! But what about the less sexy design […] (read full article...)

That’s a really thoughtful take. You’re right—design awards often focus more on aesthetics and user experience than on long-term practicality or ease of maintenance. The ID. Buzz definitely has a unique retro-inspired appeal that resonates with many, but issues like costly repairs or service accessibility can’t be overlooked. A car’s design should ideally balance style with functionality, and when it tips too far toward “art over engineering,” owners end up paying the price. Your perspective highlights an important side of automotive design that awards sometimes gloss over.

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