Volkswagen Repair: starts and then dies :(, volkswagen beetle, vw beetle

Question
Hey!

Ok my car (2001 VW beetle) has been having this problem for about a year now. When I start my car, it will stay on for about 2 seconds and then it dies. Everything will stay on, the radio, A/C, lights..., but the car will die. It doesn't have a pattern of when it does this, it just does it when it wants to. I brought it to the shop last year when it started doing this and they said they it didn't do it while it was at the shop so there was nothing they could do. I'm about to bring it to the shop again and let them keep it until it does it so I can get it fixed but I just wanted to know before I bring it in, if you've ever heard of the beetle's doing this and if so..what do you think it is?? the people at the shop said it could be anything and they have to see it happen, but seeing it happen and hearing it from me is the same thing because it doesn't make any sound or anything when it dies or is about to die, it just starts and then dies. It's odd..

any response would be great, thanks!! :)

Answer
I don't want to give any car, or any brand a bad reputation, but I have seen, and heard this about Beetles more than any other car, or Volkswagen, and I like them, a LOT!  I even owned a Volkswagen Beetle Convertible, and it was a hoot to drive.  However, the instrument cluster in 2006 models, early production only had to be replaced due to immobilizer issues, and that is exactly what your issue sounds like to me.  The immobilizer keeps someone with a key, cut exactly the same as your key from being able to get in and start the car.
The only place I know of that can get this kind of problem taken care of permanently is the local, best Volkswagen dealer.  If you are taking your car to a shop that specializes in Volkswagen repair, they can probably get it done too, but it doesn't even sound like they want to, to me.
The first thing that I would ask the local shop to check is to make sure that the instrument cluster is "coded" correctly to your application.  The coding involved means that the same design instrument cluster can be used in a 1.8T, and a 2.0 Beetle just the same, only the 2 different applications have different "coding" to accommodate the differences in the engines....etc.   Different transmission, same story.  So, to make an already long answer short...the instrument cluster, and the immobilizer need to be checked.  Take ALL of the keys you own for this car, and also, double check the part numbers on the keys.  They can look identical, and still be different.  Ask your service people to check all of these things, and they should discover the problem.
I hope this is of some help to you Stephanie, and furthermore I hope it turns out that one of these things is the cause, and the solution.  Good luck.