Volkswagen - your thoughts

[JamesDouglas]

There's nothing more fun than going car shopping. Last weekend I checked out Hyundai and Kia and I was impressed, this weekend I'll be checking out Volkswagen, more specifically, the new Jetta and Passat.

I've read reviews on the 2012 Jetta and Passat and they were pretty mixed. The bad reviews said they've resorted to using hard plastics that make the inside look extremely cheap, kind of like the old GMs and Fords from the early 90's. They said since they're made in North America and only sold in North America there's really nothing German about these cars, and the performance shows. The exterior design is also extremely bland, if you take off the VW symbol it looks like a Kia from the 90's. On the other hand, some of the positive reviews said they're decent competitive cars in their class, but not class leaders.

What are your thoughts on Volkswagen, the new Jetta and Passat, and the new economical Americanized approach they've taken?

 

[TeasePlease]

Five years ago, I would have picked VW strictly for the great interiors. It was like buying an Audi-lite.

I agree with the statement "decent competitive cars in their class, but not class leaders."

I was in the market for a spare family car late last year. I tested the Corolla, Civic and Jetta. I really wanted to like the Jetta. I mean, really.

I went with a Civic because 1. I couldn't get over the bland styling of the Jetta. It really doesn't look good in any colour.

2. The interior was nice, but meh. If I didn't have my Audi-expectations, I wouldn't have minded at all. But, I've seen the promised land, and I couldn't go back.

3. In order to get price competitive with the Civic and Corolla, VW really decontented the car. In order to get what I wanted (not that I would drive it often), it was another $6 or $7K.

Only time will tell if the new interiors. Nothing ages like Honda interiors. They're like asian women. Timeless.

The Toyota and Honda sales guys were quick to point out that VW cheaped out on the Jetta's suspension. This is true. So if you plan on tracking the car or doing any fun driving, that might be a factor.

However, I saw a new black Passat CC cruising Eglinton the other night - limo tint with fat rims. It looked sex on wheels.

I've been pleasantly surprised with the Civic. Most reviewers and car magazines slammed the 2012 redesign. It's still a top seller and I have to say that it's been fun to drive. Not BMW fun, but fun enough.

 

[buttercup]

Some years ago I had a VW Golf. Manual. German engineering. Shouldn't need much servicing, right?

In two years, I had to replace the clutch (in my unheated garage in winter), and both front springs broke (on separate occasions) as a result of rebounding out of potholes. Again, replacing suspension springs is a job best done when there's no chance of your spanners freezing to your fingers. In both cases, the broken end of the spring ripped the sidewall out of the tire, so twice I had to replace the front tires (as a pair, of course).

Meticulous German engineers? No. Wankers. I'll never buy anything designed or manufactured by/in that country.

 

[TeasePlease]

Meticulous doesn't mean bulletproof. Japanese cars are best for reliability and lower cost of ownership.

But you ain't lived until you've owned and maintained an English car.

 

[james t kirk]

Meticulous doesn't mean bulletproof. Japanese cars are best for reliability and lower cost of ownership.

But you ain't lived until you've owned and maintained an English car.

Hey now. As a guy who has owned some classic British iron, I resent that implication.

The old British cars are a joy to drive, and actually quite simple to fix. I wouldn't want one as my daily driver, but they cannot be beat for shear unadulterated fun and pleasure. I don't think that there is a German or Japanese car EVER built that has the fun / classic factor like an MGA, a big Healey, or a Triumph TR3/4/250/6 or an E type. Only Americans, Brits, and Italians know how to build those kinds of cars.

 

[Mack Bolan]

I'v had 3 Passat and I loved them!
I can out drive an Rice sled or NA made care.
VW makes cars that people enjoy to drive and feel of the road.
Most cars are made for the NA market have sloppy suspension, so the ride is mushy.
I had to replace my shocks and Springs after 8 years of daily use. I wanted a firmer ride again.
On my last Passat GLS V6, the tranmission finally went after 350,000K (12 years of use). No major issues or problem with any of the 3 I had owned.
My current car is a 2010 Jetta 2.5 and it run just like new. No repairs or problem. I only take it in for the oil changes.

The current version of the Jetta and Passat available to us in North America is a car designed for the Chinese market.
As these two cars are being made in both China and the US. Can you guess where the parts are comming from????

CHINA

I'm going to wait 4 years to see what happens with the cars. Cheap parts will make for a cheap car.
And if the US is running the Plant for North American cars, you see that they dumb the ride to make is softer for the average American.
Remember there is no VW Canada anymore. VW Canada could and would import differnt versions than the US.
VW sells better in Canada. When I talk with a few of the VW shop guys they tell me to take a wait and see.
BTW having all of the car parts made in China has reduced the cost you pay for the car that much... They are making some serious coin in profits from each sale.

 

[Ceiling Cat]

VWs seem to depreciate quickly, parts and repair seem to be on the high side.

Toyota and Honda are vanilla ice cream but they give you no surprises and last a long time. Resale seems to be the best.

I am not familiar with Hyundai and Kia, but I was watching that car program on CP24 and one comment about Hyundai and Kia is that they got better, but not as good as Honda and Toyota. They do have a 5 year warranty, when all is said and done you are paying about the same as you would for a Japanese car.

 

[whobee]

My neighbors daughter just bought a VW Tiguan. It looks nice but she won't let me drive it.

 

[borntosoon]

The Passat CC is a gorgeous car.

 

[Ceiling Cat]

The Passat CC is a gorgeous car.

When they first came out I considered getting one, but my head touches the roof of the car.

 

[TeasePlease]

I love the pleather on German cars. Wears so much better than real leather.

 

[ZenSouljah]

I have an '09 Jetta wagon and love it. It's the 2.5L 5-cylinder so it had plenty of go for a wagon. Lots of room and the interior is quite nice. Decent gas mileage and drives great on the highway.

 

[Starsearcher]

I have a Jetta tdi 09 like all cars it has it's flaws but it's limited to 1 so far. The exhaust flap has been replaced 3 times at $700 a pop and although VW is aware of this they have yet to make it a recall issue.

 

[Keebler Elf]

I started looking at Jetta and Passat about 5 years back and was told they're made in Mexico now and the quality has suffered. Dunno if that's true or not but I went down another road anyways.

 

[Keebler Elf]

Only Americans, Brits, and Italians know how to build those kinds of cars.

Yeah, German expertise lies in TANKS! lol

 

[Tech72]

All of your opinions have some merit, some more than others. It's true that VW "dumbed down" and "cheapened" the Jetta and Passat to compete specifically against the made-in-North America models from the Japanese brands and the Big Three. The new Jettas and Passats are built and sold only in NA. Both are mediocre. But compared to the Japanese and Domestic competition, they still have better driving dynamics, but probably less long term reliability than the Japanese and on par with the Domestics.

Don't mistaken the Passat and the Passat CC as being the same. They share the first name only. The Passat is a decent mid-sized economy car that is built and sold only in NA. The Passat CC is a premium product designed for the international market and is built in Europe. They are miles apart in feel, quality, drivability, power, handling and price. Sit in the CC and test drive it. It is equivalent to the Audi A4/A5 (since they all share the same chassis, engine, tranny, suspension, many interior bits, etc). The Jetta is aimed at the Civic, Corolla, Sentra, Elantra class. The Passat is aimed at the Accord, Camry, Altima, 6, Sonata, Malibu set. The Passat CC competes with the 3-Series, C-Class, CTS, 300 crowd.

In their long term plan to go upmarket and for world domination, VW have created a 2-tier line of cars. The entry level made in the US, Mexico and Brazil cars like the Jetta, Golf, Beetle and Passat. Then the upmarket, made in Europe line of cars like the Passat CC, Tiguan, Touareg and GTI. There is a significant difference in pricing and aim for the two lines of VW's.

As an owner of such Japanese mainstay as the Accord, Maxima, TSX, Integra, 6 and other stalwarts, I can attest to the Japanese's reliability. They were good daily drivers that never left me stranded and were cheap to run. But damn were they ever boring driving machines with vanilla interiors and low end feeling materials. The Sonatas and Elantras that I've had as rentals are a step below yet. I've since gone German (one from Wolfsburg and one from Ingolstadt) and will never look Eastward again. I expect and accept to pay more over time to run the German machines. But every gear change, every corner, every acceleration, every touch of the interior, every slam of the door is worth the price. The German cars simply drive better in every way, the driving dynamics is a class above the comparable Japanese machine. The German interior uses better materials and have a subtle design that is clean and purposeful - no vast expanse of hard plastics, dual-tier dashboards, fake stitching, swoopy consoles with oddly shaped and placed buttons that makes no sense like the Japs and Koreans.

 

[james t kirk]

I've heard about and read great reviews about the Mazda MX-5 (formerly Miata), and apparently that thing is a lot of fun to drive.

The Miata when it first came out was designed by an independent design house that was largely former British Leyland (or so I have been told).

As you know, BMW bought the rights to "Mini" and they have an unadulterated hit on their hands with the Mini Cooper.

What a lot of people don't know is that BMW also bought "Triumph" (as in Standard Triumph - TR 2/3/4/250/6/7/8). Rumours swirl every once in a while that BMW will pull the name Triumph out of the storage closet and market a new TR (I would expect at the Mini Dealers). Who knows, but it would be interesting to see.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/02/29/bmw-planning-to-revive-triumph/

 

[MrBlackwell]

If they would just bring back a 2012 rendition of the Scirocco of 1980...oh, the memories. Sandra was her name.

 

[hhdan]

At this point in time this is my favourite topic.

I have taken over 15 cars out for test drives, everything from a Ford Taurus to a Jaguar FX. I have narrowed my search to 3 vehicles

1 Mercedes C300. Nice car
2 Nissan Maxima
3 Infiniti FX45 ..I know, but I have an SUV now and luv it

I am leaning towards the C300 as the financing rates are the best out there and I am putting my pennies away for a 2014 Indian Chief

Cheers

 

[Ceiling Cat]

What are you intentions? To keep the car for 10 years or to get a car that you will enjoy and keep it for 3 or 4 years? What is your budget? If it is deductible then get the MB 300.

Personally, In that range I would go for the BMW 3 series.