The main door locks are very easy to access.  Simply remove the door handle by peeling back the weatherstrip next to the lock and remove the single large phillips screw.  Work the handle out of the door.  To remove the lock, you must drive out a small roll pin that attaches the tailpiece of the lock to the lock plug.  It will not be apparent without cleaning the lock.  Be aware that the outer half of the lock is integrated into the handle and cannot be replaced.  Only the plug is a replacement item.  Very seldom have I seen one go bad.  The only defective ones I have ever run across were so totally corroded that the handle was also unusable.  I generally am able to replace springs or wafers and rekey and repair as necessary at a much lower cost than replacing the plug.  Please feel free to contact me for any of your VW lock or key questions.
Steve Sandlin
http://www.steveslockshop.com
'84 Wolfsburg Westy
'79 Transporter
'00 New Beetle

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