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Volkswagen Rabbit
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I have read the manual, but still am not sure how smart Climatic is. If I set the temp at 72 on the dial, I know the fan speed is not changing but is the temp. of the air changing to try to keep the cabin at 72? I didn't think it was that smart, but was looking for input. My last car did have complete temperature/fan auto control...I miss it, but I was willing to make that sacrifice to get into this car. I do find I'm messing with the temp. control quite a bit and was wondering what works best for others. Thanks.
Again if I am remebering correctly, the "climatronic" is the automatic system that is supposed to maintain the cabin temperature at whatever you set it at.
I have never had an automatic system. My method in any car is to start on highest or second highest fan speed and hottest or coldest temp. Then I turn the fan down as the car warms/cools. When I end up on lowest speed, I then start moving the temperature dial.
For A/C I also start with vents blowing right on me and turn them to be more indirect as I and the car cool. In the VW I'll also turn the diverter on before changing the temp setting, when using A/C.
But I don't mind doing a lot of fiddling. My sister, OTOH, once long ago told me that she left her fan on second setting and temp dial at one specific setting all winter because that ususally kept things about right (I think it was a Subaru, not that it matters). I thought that was crazy and she would probably think I am crazy for fiddling with the settings all the time .
You have a four door right?
1. Inside the center armrest console there is a dial..... any ideas what this is for?
2. When you press the hatchback button on your remote for 2 seconds.... is it suppose to open the hatchback or just unlock it?
Thanks for any help in advance.
The hatchback button just unlocks the hatch, it does not totally open it.
The 4 door has the same a/c system as the 2 door...so no auto control of temperature.
Did you have a chance to see if your automatic tranny shows which gear you are in (in the auto mode...not the tip mode?). The manual says it should....mine does not.
The car is doing well. I've chatted with 2 guys here who love my car but are waiting for the diesel. Maybe I should have too with the price of gas. What are the pros and cons of the diesel? I've never had one....someone has a 2005 Golf and told me he gets 40 mpg consitently except during winter. If they are truly only 1K more in price with no other reasons for hesitation to buy a diesel, it would be worth it. I guess I can trade in a couple years...if there's a market for cars that only get 24 mpg by then!
David
There will be a Jetta TDI and probably a Jetta TDI wagon in 2008. And a Tiguan TDI (crossover). But it is not clear that there will be a Rabbit TDI, or when.
The problem is that VW is breaking even (or maybe not) on every Rabbit it sells. The next generation, the Mk6, has been designed for lower manufacturing costs, and we may have to wait until then to get a Rabbit TDI.
Have you noticed that most dealers only have a couple Rabbits, and except for the "Three V-Dubs under $17k" commercials, there has been no advertising for the Rabbit since the "Birds and Bees" commercial.
link title
VWoA is not really interested in selling Rabbits right now, the more it sells the more money it loses. But the dealerships have to have something to offer.
VW would like to sell the Rabbit for at least $21k-22k or more, plus extra with the TDI engine. They know the Rabbit TDI would be extremely popular, and with the current manufacturing costs they cannot afford to offer an extremely popular but money-losing car in North America.
The Jettas are made in Mexico, and VWoA is making money on Jettas. But there is not sufficient capacity to build any other models in Mexico unless they built an entirely new assembly line.
As for the resale value of the Rabbit 2.5... I imagine they will hold their value very well. There is probably no other car sold in North America that offers so much for the price. But there is that little problem with the fuel economy -- people are satified with the fuel economy of the Jetta 2.5, but they think the Rabbit 2.5 should get more.
I have seen relatively few rabbits on the lots; its is a hell of a lot of car for the money, but at least vw does not have a problem getting them off the lots, most rabbits dont hang around very long; whereas its not terribly difficult to get a gti. (ha! imagine if the honda lots were filled with si's but not ex's!)
According to kelly blue book, my bunny holds its value just as well as the honda fit, and slightly better than the 3 hatch.
Good sources on vw vortex say that there will more than likely be NO rabbit tdi until the mk6 comes out....sorry den! With regards to differences between the diesel and the 2.5, expect a bit more 'oomph' of the line, a different sound to the engine, and a lot less breath on the top end. (i'm guess like a 4500-5000 rpm redline.)
I was talking with creakid in another thread in the mazda forum, and he mentioned that its the suspension that is making the mk5 so expensive to build and difficult to make a profit off of; i find that hard to belive, and figured it had more to do with the long build times and expensive quality materials that go into the rabbit that are virtually no different than a gti, jetta, or even a passat, with the exception of leather and how everything is styled.
I've seen the mk6 and its very nice and it IS sportier looking than our mk5's but i think that the mk5 will be sorely missed, especially in gti guise, and will be hailed as the greatest platform to grace the golf/gti/rabbit name plate.
I wonder if vw is losing money on gti's? if they would prefer to sell the rabbit for 22k...heck you could get a no options gti for that!
Regardless of what happens, i just hope that the mk6 is not dumbed down; i still want an independent rear suspension and a nice interior; they can skimp out on it a bit and maybe lower themselves to mazda/hondas level (which is still nice, but not as ultra nice as the vw), and maybe work on a more fuel efficient engine, but the suspension needs to not move backward.
Denver; i checked to see if my bunny shows me the gears that i'm in OUTSIDE of tiptronic mode, and yeah it does. P, D, N, S, R but not in that order obviously. I would take it to the dealer and find out whats up!
I don't see VW going back to the older conventional rear suspension. But that is what I have, and I don't mind. I just know better than to push cornering beyond the limit. Do you corner quicker than I do? Maybe. Do I care? Not much.
My own plans are still to replace my 2003 Golf TDI with a 2010 Rabbit model, and to hand my old car down to a family member who'll turn 16 in that year. If there is no 2010 Rabbit TDI, then I'll look at alternatives.
Eldaino, my car shows P, R, N, etc....but does not show the gear I am in...1,2,3,4,5,or 6 when in NON-tiptronic mode. According to the manual, this should be displayed in the very lower right corner.
I saw a friend on the freeway the other day and called her cell. She saw my car for the first time driving next to her and the first thing she said was "It's SOOOO cute and I bet it gets EXCELLENT mileage compared to your Camry!"
The fact of the matter is that it gets about 1 mpg. better than the 4 cylinder Camry did. That extra cylinder really does this car in on mileage, but I do love it's performance. Why do I feel like I'm apologizing for the MPG on this car all the time? I keep telling people it's a screamer compared to that Camry, but it's no longer PC in my circles to be burning extra gas just to fill a power ego.
I love this car, but that's the only thing I'm a bit ashamed of. I wanted to do something for the environment. Maybe I can tell them it's one of the cleanest burning car on the market? Seems like I read something about it's emissions being rather spectacular.
The 2nd generation was built from 1983-1992. The Rabbit nameplate went away.
The 3rd generation 1991-1998.
The 4th generation 1997-2006 (though continuing in some countries.
The current (5th) generation, the Rabbit/GTI in North America, Golf everywhere else.
All the information you want/need is in Wikipedia. The article also says the current model requires 50 man/hours to build, which is why it costs so much to make. And it says the next generation will be introduced in 2008. (Not sure if in Europe only or also NA)
link title
Thanks to jb for posting the link; that was the site i was going to send you too! Accordig to vw, the next version (mark VI) is supposed to be cheaper and more quick to build, and be a bit sportier, which leads me to think that some performance will be emphasized, (and hopefully mpg addressed), and that the interior will probably be less audi like and closer to quality on par with cars like the civic and 3. (not bad by ANY means, but still a little step down from what it is now.)
with regards to engine choices and mpg; did you know that the 2.5 is only available here in NA? Europe and everywhere else does not get this engine, its apparently tailored to american tastes. (aside from the torquey diesels, anything smaller than the 2.5 we get, unless its turbo charged, would result in a very slow rabbit.)
I wouldn't stress about explaining the mileage to other people; i get the 'i bet it gets great mileage!' all the time too. Most people expect small, cheap cars to get great mileage, but most people also don't realize how heavy the rabbit is, or that its packing a huge 5 cyl. The camry probably weighed just as much, and was packing a smaller 4 cyl; i'd say you are doing pretty good. After having the civic, i did miss the mileage, a lot in fact, but i do appreciate the bunny's ability to do what it does with what hit has. Plus my wife and i only own one car, so gas isn't that big of a deal. Its just me.
there are some concepts on a site that someone posted up here on the rabbit forum...the name of the site is in an mk6 thread i posted awhile back. You should be able to run a search using that name and easily find the site. Some of the pictures are totally photshopped, but others offer some real insight to what it could potentially look like.
it has been out for awhile in europe, so maybe vw will do the same again, but since we are apparently getting the newer version as soon as 09, its safe to say they may not repeat this and give both markets the same vehicle at the same time.
Actually, I don't think extra cylinder is much of a factor, instead it is the weight. It weighs nearly as much as a Camry, and the engine is about the same displacement and HP, so there is really no reason to expect significantly better mileage.
That's the bottom line, I think. The Rabbit is the perfect car, IMO, for the one-car family. It's big enough to carry passengers or cargo. It's safe. It's got enough power, but if you need more then there's the GTI. It handles nicely, it looks good, and it's designed to last for a long, long time. It doesn't cost an arm and a leg to buy or insure. Just about the only negative feature is the less-than-stellar fuel economy -- which probably adds a couple hundred dollars per year to the "cost to own" side of the equation.
Some families may end up with two, three, or four vehicles -- each one serving a specialized purpose. Maybe a minivan, a pickup, a sedan, and something economical for commuting or running errands. But if you make a conscious decision to pick one car to do all things, then the Rabbit is a pretty good choice.
I drive on the highway A LOt and encounter huge trucks all the time and it simply does not phase the rabbit at all. Great to hear about your mpg gogirlgo, i'm taking a long trip this weekend, so when i get back i'll report my mileage. (your reasons for buying the rabbit were great ones!)
so why doesn't vw make the polo with the 3-cy diesel engine available here for econo-rats like me; i know i'm not the only consumer who would be interested.
waiting patiently.
grasspress
How much did you pay?
thanks
operates at speeds of 25 to 35 percent higher would need a beefier package.
Have they started selling the 2.0 TDI in Germany. I am also intrigued with the small SUV called Tiguan. That car with a diesel might look good in my garage.
City = 6.9
Highway = 4.7
Combined = 5.5
Acceleration = 0-80km/h 6.4sec. 0-100km/h 9.3 sec
You can choose between 6-speed automatic or manual
The 105HP TDI Accelerates 7.5/11.1 sec.
Oddly enough, the fuel economy is according to Volkswagen,
nearly identical!
Insurance and yearly tax are largely based on displacement. You end up paying a bit more for the more powerful motor each year.
Mit freundlichen Grüße,
John
For those who claim the Rabbit is heavy:
1) The tiny Scion TC weighs just as much as a Camry does (and it too has the Camry engine)
Thats the price you pay for putting a big engine in a little car. Weight goes up.
Also, with regard to weight issues: Honda's are light weight cars... They truly are. BUT, they have the most thin sheet metal, the most thin paint (that is constant need ot paint chip repairs), and the most thin glass of any car on the North American roads. I own an Accord, a full size family car, and the doors feel so light that I have to worry about closing them too hard... Look around at all the Accords in the parking lots at malls and grocery stores... They all have dings in them like crazy! Thats the price you pay for building a light car: you get thin easily dented metal, and thin easily chipped paint. There's a lot to be said for have some steal in your car. Ever seen a Honda Accord or Civic in an accident... even just a mild fender bender? They are totalled! Thats the price you pay for being light weight.
And I don't know how anyone in their right mind can compare the Rabbit to the Scion Xb.... You're going to compare a car with barely 100hp/100torque (or something close to that) to a car with 150hp and 170 foot-pounds of torque?? A car that also isn't just a thin skinned tin can of a car that would be totalled in a simply 5mph crash? You're going to compare the meaty Rabbit to that kinda' car?
Also just wait 1 more month, and then you're going to see a 170hp and 177 foot-pound of torque with a higher redline on the road. My god, the last Civic Si was only 160hp and like a 130 foot pounds of torque.... By that standard the Rabbit as it is today is better then the higher priced Civic Si was before the current generations Si. Oh, and the current Si, has a puny 140 foot pounds of torque.... Come on! Sure its light weight and thats why its a fast car, but then you have to worry all the time about the poor paint quality, and the thin easily dented and dinged sheet metal... Who wants to deal with that crap? Then in order to get any speed out of that Si you have to rev the living hell out of it at a stoplight to avoid being beaten by the slow and heavy SUVs.
I drive an Accord, and I have to rev that 4 banger at every light to keep pace with other HEAVIER cars and trucks. Even the 205hp TSX I drove, my god, I had to rev the sh*t out of that car just to avoid being passed by Explorers and and Jeeps at the stop lights.
No the Rabbit isn't a car that weighs 2600 pounds, and than god it don't because all that "extra" weight will save your butt in an accident, and you car won't be dented and dinged by simply leaning on it and your paint wont need to be touched up every 2-3 weeks.
This car for 2008 is going to a whopping 177 foot-pounds of torque plus 170hp; couple that to a MT, and if VW alters the gearing a little bit, that car will be one hell of fun car to own. Plus there will be no turbo lag, and added expense of repairing a turbo when they go bad. Add a couple of bolt ons, if someone comes up with a header, add a CAI, and an aftermarket muffler... You're going to have an awesome car for very little money. I only hope that the 08MY cars will have a redline of over 6200rpm... Able to do the 0-60 dash in around 7.5 seconds... If so, then I'm going to put in my order once I learn what the "S" version is. This car reminds me of what the CRX was 20 years ago, but with better performance and comfort.
I can't speak for reliability on this VW, but in every other aspect, this car stomps all over the Civic's and Scion's. Those are fine cars for what they are, but god help you if you ever hit a pothole (you can blow your struts in the Civic) or ever get into a fender bender.
Every single Honda or Toyota I've seen in an accident was an absolute wreck of twisted metal, while the other car may only have a cracked bumper or something minor. There's a lot to be said for a little bit of weight to your car!
Toyota must have heard you. They've super-sized the xB for 2008--up about 25% in weight, with a much more powerful engine (the I4 from the tC and Camry).
I got 29 mpg at the slower speeds, so I'm fairly content with that.
A couple questions:
1. I'm getting a free 5K oil change at the dealer...anything else I should have them check on? I'll ask them to turn that wrench light off, and they said they would program the locks to unlock when I remove the key (and get it right this time!.
2. Have you ever noticed this: You are coasting around 10 mph, and then you hit the gas and there's a really long lag of no power...just like an extended turbo lag when you hit the gas? It's almost as if it's resting between 1st and second gear, but can't seem to figure out what to do. It was a bit frightful when it happened one time I was pulling out into traffic and needed to get the hell up to speed. I just gunned it, and after a couple seconds, it finally downshifted and the power was there....but it was a bit scary. Like I said...just like a long turbo acceleration drag. Now that I know it's happened, I think I can drive it differently, or anticipate that it might happen. Maybe it's just a characteristic of this car? Any thoughts?
3. What's the new engine coming, Eldaino? The turbo?
I'm keeping this car!
Thanks...
Most cars are pretty heavy these days. The Rabbit weighs about the same as several competitors, such as the Mazda3, Dodge Caliber, and Kia Spectra.
Even the Civic EX only weighs about 100 pounds less than the Rabbit. The DX is another 100 pounds less than that.
Looks to me like the heavyiest Scion TC weighs 300 pounds less than the lightest Camry...so not sure where you are getting that the weigh the same :confuse: .
The Accord weighs about the same as many of its competitors...so not sure why you think it is particularly light weight.
the new xb is super heavy and has a big engine as well, so the xb commentary is out.
honda still technically makes the lighter weight cars in its segment, but its still by a small margin. its not like the new civic weighs 2500lbs! what year is your accord? you should have no problems passing anyone if its a newer model, and if you do, you would experience a similar experience in the rabbit.
the new si's torque does kinda stink...but you cant get that much torque out of a n/a 2.0 now can you? (nor can you get an 8k redline or 197 hp with the rabbits engine, even though they will be closer in 08.) basically, at a stoplight youll be able to overtake one in 0-30, but after that, an si would take the lead. (the previous gen is a different story though, i doubt the rabbit is slower, and come the 08 version, will be slightly quicker.)
with regards to the 08, redline will rise from 5800 to 6300, so your wish should be fufilled (even if its just 100 rpms more.)
the 's' version seems to be just a trim level. i'm pretty sure that all rabbits, regardless of trim, will have the 170 hp engine.
they do make a cai, full exhaust, headers and now even a chip that makes about 150hp to the wheels using 91 octane fuel.
my rabbits paint has scratched easily on the door sills, but overall feels better than my 06 civic, which did have a few scratches as well.
glad to hear your mileage is consistent. i've already had my first ticket in ther too.
thats one thing i don't miss about my old civic; the wind and road noise. this rabbit is almost asleep! (in a good way of course!)
the 'lag' you are experiencing is drive by wire. its a electronic throttle that doesn't respond as quick as direct ones in older cars do, and sometimes it is slow to respond. (my civic had this as well.) some cars equipped with this can be reflashed or have a new program downloaded into them to take care of the lag; some dealers can do it, and if you get the GIAC chip (it replaces your ecu and also boosts hp and tq) it almost eliminates it completely. ask your dealer about it and ask them if there is a computer update that they can do to take care of it.
wow a free oil change? not bad! there should not really be anything else they need to check, and when they reset the service computer, the wrench goes away. are they just giving you a free oil change or an acutal 5 k service? (this is what they charge out the [non-permissible content removed] for.)
the 'new' engine isn't really new, its just tuned better; it has 170 hp (up from 150) and 177lbs of torque (up from 170.) the redline increases from 5800 to 6300, so this probably will translate into better top end power which is what the rabbit needs.
all this is being accomplished by a new intake manifold and ecu change.
Still about 400 less than a Rabbit.
The sort of middle of the road civic LX weighs 2751 pounds. This is only 160 pounds less than the Rabbit.
you can't even compare the lightest civic to a rabbit; yeah it weighs more, but its such a horrible value. it comes with absolutely NOTHING. now lx and ex are a different story, and seeing as how the heaviest civic is the ex auto (with the exception of the hybrid and si, both which are heavier), its safe to say that the difference is not extreme, and STILL translates to better high speed handling and overall solidity on the road regardless of speed.
the civic i used to have was an 06 ex auto.
The highest weight that I had listed was for GX, not realizing (until now) that this a natural gas powered version. So the heaviest normal Civic is EX at only 100 pounds less than the Rabbit, per edmunds data.
City = 34 MPG
Highway = 50 MPG
Combined = 43 MPG
Anyone, please correct me if I'm wrong. And if there's new information out there about the Rabbit TDI coming to the US please let me know. Danke.
the only new motor the rabbit is going to get is a revised 2.5. i don't think we will see a tdi golf/rabbit until the mk6 comes out.
What is the Curb Weight of the TDI?
'08 Rabbit owners: can someone please post the on-the-sticker fuel economy of the '08 Rabbit? I checked Fueleconomy.gov and it's actually marginally better than the '07!!! (New EPA=20-29 but I don't know if it's accurrate) I just want to confirm, since it also has 20 more HP than our '07s. Or maybe the '08 stickers are more accurrate since it's the year they are officially switching to the new estimates. I have a feeling if a car with 170HP and the same price as the 07' along with slightly better fuel economy would be a deadly combination for the '08 Rabbit in America.
What's the word on the new diesel engine? Is it coming in 08?
I love my Rabbit...wish I didn't have to fill it up so often. Sometimes I think it would be just nice to have a bigger gas tank so I would have the illusion of getting better mpg! I'm lucky to get 300 on a tank running around the city, including some freeway. But, our gas has 10% Ethanol year round in most places, so that's partially to blame, I'm sure.