Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

New Rabbit Owners - give us your report!

245

Comments

  • v_dv_d Member Posts: 89
    90% of ppl using a automatic aren't handicaped. they just don't wanna know/learn how to use a manual. THey don't have the thing needed to use the clutch, just gas and go go go! And I didn't say I'm smart btw, just that lots of people buy an automatic cause they cannot learn use a stick.
    My apologize if anyone likes the automatic!
  • steven39steven39 Member Posts: 636
    i think that people choose a auto over a manual trans like myself because of the convienence factor.you just step on the gas and go and and auto trans is much easier when you are talking on the cell phone.unless it's a hands free phone.also there are no clutches to replace with a auto trans compared with a manual.and some clutches are very expensive to replace as you manual trans rabbit owners will find out in time.my step mom's 01 jetta cost her over 500.00 to replace the clutch at 80,000 miles.
  • v_dv_d Member Posts: 89
    yeah especially if you live in big city or commute to work everyday. Rush our is a really pain... when you have a manual.
  • lary999lary999 Member Posts: 2
    I've driven stick shifts all my life. I've just purchased a Rabbit with auto transmission. I'm in my 60's, and need to preserve knee and hip joints in absolutely top condition. (I live in Seattle with lots of hills and traffic snarls). Too often a clutch will cause repetitive stress injury to knee and hip joints, for individuals whose physical mechanism is approaching end of life.
  • tomsr1tomsr1 Member Posts: 130
    I have owned many manual transmission cars
    and prefer the direct link and in control feel
    of the drivetrain but in So Cal the stop and go
    traffic is so bad a manual is a pain.So it depends on where you live. If I lived in a
    rural environment I would have a stick shift
    for sure.So people choose auto trans not because
    they are too dumb to shift but the traffic
    situation dictates it. :P
  • upstatedocupstatedoc Member Posts: 710
    Happened to be browsing this thread to see what people thought of the new rabbit. (Had an '81 diesel that ended up with 200,000+ miles). Is that 22+ overall MPG? I have to be honest, that doesn't sound like great mileage to me. I have an '05 Acura TL w/270 hp V6 auto that averages the same. And thats mostly city driving. What does VW say the mileage should be? Hope I didn't burst anyones bubble.....
  • gasman1gasman1 Member Posts: 321
    22 City amd 30 Highway
  • takapunatakapuna Member Posts: 9
    That's right. Many people can drive a manual. I learned to drive on a manual and my first four cars were manual. But in those days I was a student and had no money. I'd put up with the drag of driving a manual around the city.

    It's much less of a hassle to drive an auto around the city. That's why I use one, and I'm sure that's most others use one.

    The only reasons to have a manual around town are:
    1. It's cheaper.
    2. it's often more fuel efficient.

    The fun factor in the city is negated by the fact that it's a hassle constantly changing grears at every intersection.

    It's weird that there is some cult status in having a manual. Maybe the manual zealots think they're "special" or something. It's like saying that it's cooler getting around the city on a horse!
  • kelman81kelman81 Member Posts: 4
    Yes, city driving means my everyday car has to be an auto. My truck and my wife's convertible are sticks, but they only get driven once a month/once a week respectively.

    I purchased a 2dr with the 6 speed auto Tiptronic and have been amazed by the mileage. It's the only car I've owned that always beats the EPA estimate. I get 25 around town and as high as 33 on the interstate. I really like this after owning a slow, non turbo PT Cruiser that got 19/21 mpg. I drive fairly aggressive and fast too.

    I have some tech questions about this Tiptronic auto transmission. People often refer to it as the DSG, even in articles, but it's not. The DSG, in the GTI and other products, is a true clutchless manual in that it does not have a torque convertor (viscous coupling) but rather computer controlled clutches. It also features quick shifts due to the above and below gear being pre-engaged while driving in a gear. So my questions are:
    1) Does the Rabbit (and New Beetle, Jetta) Tiptronic have a torque convertor like a conventional auto or does it use computer controlled clutches? I know it doesn't have pre-selected above and below gear feature like the DSG.
    2) What are the comparable gear ratios and axle ratios for the 6 speed Tiptronic vs. the standard manual? I know the Tiptronic (auto) has two overdrives which really help highway fuel economy and the lower gear spacing helps around town as well. The power loss advantage and fuel economy of the 5 speed manual has to be offset by the gearing of the 6 speed Tiptronic. Does the 5 speed manual only have one overdrive?

    On another transmission note, anyone with an auto played with the 'S' setting on the transmission? Thought it meant snow or something related to low gear, but I read the manual and it means Sport. It will hold the revs forever on a country road, really limits upshifting. Not as fun as a manual on a back road, but it's still a nice surprise.
  • gasman1gasman1 Member Posts: 321
    Thanks for posting! It's great hear about you getting MPG numbers like 25/33.
  • mzxngmzxng Member Posts: 1
    hi.. im thinking of buying the VW rabbit... but after reading and hearing all this bad things about the car.. is really giving me a second thought to it.. and since i read that uve been having trouble with your car.. do you think is worth it if i get the rabbit.. cuz im the type of person that dont like my car to be all messed up at all times.. i just want a little advice.. :)
  • fromcoloradofromcolorado Member Posts: 2
    We love the car!
    It's the most basic version, no extras - we paid MSRP + a $400 fee. The only thing I wish I had is a sun roof. Otherwise, this car comes with enough features. In the older days, the Germans made everything an extra but I think with the hard competition the Rabbit is currently a steel. In Europe, they charge you the same amount in EUR - so you save over 25% here in the US compared to European market. The 150hp make the car agile and I am pleased with the way the car looks inside and how it drives. Definitely German engineering. The space for the rear passenger is also very decent. Everything feels really solid. Compare this to a Japanese $15k car - the Japanese guys surely know how to build things reliable but something on the inside feels always cheap to me.

    I think the rabbit is a winner!
  • ninjamanninjaman Member Posts: 4
    I've had my Rabbit for a week and love it. I got the four door with 16 inch wheels, ESP stability control, and rear air bags. After driving a manual trans for 20 years I got the triptronic transmission. I would rather have a clutch but for a list of various reasons I went with the auto. I'm still breaking in the car so I have to wait to practice shifting while getting on the car and shifting at redline. For the money, no other car in this class has the safety and performance features. E.G. Bosch active steering was introduced on 65k BMW's only a couple of years ago.

    Also, the powerband is so wide that it is very easy to drive around town. 170 ft/lbs of torque is great. Other small car owners will need to rev their engines to get the power they need. Not us!

    The interior is great, too. I had heated seats and mirrors before, them did not have them. Never underestimate the value of these options if you live in New England like I do.

    I am so impressed with this car and very happy with it.
  • v_dv_d Member Posts: 89
    i guess you looked at a TDI which is obviously more expensive, BUT a 1.6FSI with is high-tech compared to what we get here (and i`m not just talkin about the rabbit 2.5) is cheaper. One 2.0 FSI which gets the same amount of power, but in a more intelligent way is 16k Euros. The 25% is lost in the mexican engine we use, oh and in the 5 speed manual tranny vs 6 speed man european tranny. It I could chose I would take the 2.0FSI with it's 6 sp manual tranny in a heartbeat.
  • steven39steven39 Member Posts: 636
    hi folks,just purchased a silver 07 rabbit 4 door with auto,sunroof,ect..
    msrp was 20,295.00
    got the car for 19,500.00 plus ttl.
    iam in hollywood,fla and wanted to know if this is a good deal.steve
  • jpmccormacjpmccormac Member Posts: 98
    Sounds like a decent deal. You're lucky to even find a 4 door Rabbit. There are NONE here in central FLA.
  • steven39steven39 Member Posts: 636
    well,i picked up my 07 rabbit auto,sunroof,rear side airbags and silver in color.msrp was 20,420.00 got the car for 19,500.00.plus ttt.my initial impression of this car is that i feel like iam driveing a little tank.this car feels rock solid and handles very well with a smooth comfortable ride.it was this or a mazda 3 and in my opinion the rabbit felt more solid on the road as well as more quiet in the interior and vw's 4/50,000 btb warranty was iceing on the cake.i wasn't aware that mazda downgraded the btb warranty from 4/50,000 in 06 down to 3/36,000 for all 07 mazda vehicles.
  • laughingheirlaughingheir Member Posts: 1
    I have had my 4-dr for about a month & a half now & totally love it. The heated seats are fabulous for Minnesota, & my gas mileage seems to be around 26/27ish. Average driving - live in the city & work in the suburbs, so opposite of traffic. Had a little warranty work done - my airbag light came on & there was an annoying rattle in the dashboard. Got the ipod cable installed since I had it in the shop. The dealership is fabulous - they gave me a 2006 Jetta to use, & the shop is open from 7:30 AM to 11:00 PM. I have been able to parallel park the bunny in the teensiest of spots - major plus in the city! Even did a u-turn in a dead end parking lot between two rows of cars. I paid 18350 for it – has the 17” wheels, extra airbags (are there really a total of 12 airbags in this car? There seem to be 12 “AIRBAG” tags in it). The dealership had just gotten them in & I got it before they really started moving off of the lot.
  • steven39steven39 Member Posts: 636
    hi folks,i recently took a trip with my brand new 07 rabbit 4dr to orlando and back to miami.i got the opportunity to really see what this car's strengths and weaknesess are.first the strenths,it rides very nice and solid with a quiet interior.the stereo sound is very good and the interior lighting at night makes me feel that iam in the cockpit of a boeing 747.now the weakness,when the sunroof is fully opened it gets pretty noisey and sounds like a helicopter.i find that if i open the drivers window half way it reduces the noise somewhat.i guess there is no such thing as a perfect car and that there always will be minor annoyences.anyway,this car feels rock solid and iam glad i choose the rabbit over the mazda 3.how the car will hold up down the road remains to be seen.
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    The sticker on mine said 22/30. I average 26 mixed city and highway with a 07 2door with the tip tronic auto. This thing has a big gas tank, so it still feels like you can go far between fill ups.
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    Well here is my report. Just recently purchased an 07 two door united gray auto rabbit. I absolutely love it! I was a honda man previously (06 civic, lovley car, but got sick and tired of everyone else having one, but then again if i wanted to avoid that i should have avoided a civic in general.), but one test drive was all it took. I had always been afraid of vw reliability, but always have loved thier vehicles, so i decided to give the new generation veedubs a chance. This car is so solid and fun, and although i wanted to avoid the classic 'german engineering' line, i can't. You really can tell the difference! So sturdy and quiet! The six speed auto is great and fun to shift manually. The interior of this car is impeccable. THe absolute highest quality materials out there. Equals or even surpasses the likes of honda or toyota or mazda. My new rabbit is great!
  • 00solartj00solartj Member Posts: 1
    has anyone ordered a Rabbit? How long from order date to delivery? We ordered a green 2-Dr manual (with deposit) at the beginning of September and they estimate delivery in November/ December, but no VIN # yet. I'm callin' every other week but want to know when I should start wondering if it'll ever show up? :(
  • steven39steven39 Member Posts: 636
    hi daino,i agree with you that the interior of the rabbit surpasses anything else in this class or price range.like yourself i also traded in a 06 honda civic for the rabbit.i found that the overall performance of the rabbit as well as the interior materials used and the solid tank feeling of the rabbit blows the civic away.it's a very solid car and the rabbit's stereo is very good.i have a 4dr silver with auto,sunroof,and rear side airbags.msrp was 20,400.00 paid 19,500.00 plus ttt.the rabbit drives and feels like a bmw 325 but at half the cost.a great value........
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    Man that's crazy! I thought i was the only one! I do miss her sometimes, but the rabbit always reminds me that i made a good purchase. The dealer was very nice and easy to deal with, the honda guys werent. No reflection on the car itself of course but a nice dealer experience always
    helps. Congrats on the new car man and enjoy!!
  • jnathanjnathan Member Posts: 9
    I bought a new 2007 Rabbit in December.
    No rattles,plenty of room and lots of head room.
    Runs like a dream and a quiet transmission.
    Lots of guts...I rate it a solid 10.
    Jnathan from Las Vegas :)
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    Got 8,600 miles on the rabbit so far. No problems whatsoever. Averaging 28 mpg 60%hightway. Gets nicer every day.
  • mopsymopsy Member Posts: 4
    I'm at about 6500 miles and averaging about 27 mpg with 70% hwy. Love it!
  • steven39steven39 Member Posts: 636
    i have 2100 miles on my 4dr rabbit which i purchased in oct 06.however, the stereo still seems to have a mind of it's own sometimes.the volume level seems to go up and down by itself sometimes with the auto-volume setting in the off position.my friend who also has the same rabbit as i do has the same problem.he brought his car in to vw service to get this fixed and the moron mechanic blew the door speakers while trying to fix the volume problem which was not fixed.anyway,i don't want to go through that with my car so i guess it is something i will just have to live with.
  • duxburyboiduxburyboi Member Posts: 1
    Hello!

    I was up visiting a friend in Maine (I'm from MA) and we stopped by the local VW dealership to check out the rabbit. I had a 2004 New Beetle TDI at that moment. I asked them if they had any 2 door manual Rabbits that were in the "United Gray" with traction control. Turns out the only 2 door on the lot was just that. We took it for a test drive and I was hooked. I left an hour and a half later waving goodbye to my Beetle (i think it was crying). For an entry level car it is pretty well loaded with goodies. I drove back from Maine today in it and it handled just fine. The clutch is easy to handle and it got about 25 mpg. I am thrilled so far. I will give a more detailed update once I get to know my new "baby" a bit better. :)
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    Congrats duxburyboi! My wife and i have a 2 door in united gray too, but its the 6 speed tiptronic. Glad you are enjoying your car!!
  • snake34snake34 Member Posts: 9
    eldaino, curiousity sake, what is the interior colour with United Gray?
  • jnathanjnathan Member Posts: 9
    Interior is gray...Joe
  • evoevo Member Posts: 4
    i'll be getting my white 4dr stick on monday if i can get the financing sorted...
    where'd you get yours from? Desert or Findlay?

    can anyone tell me whether the ESP is worth getting? i don't mind a bit of slipping and sliding here and there...

    can't wait to get it! i already have a cd burned with "birds and the bees" from the commercial waiting to be played driving out of the dealership :)
  • jnathanjnathan Member Posts: 9
    I bought it at Desert and I didn't get the Esp.
    I only have city miles on it, but in July
    am taking a trip from Las Vegas to Santa Rosa, California
    and then to Reno and back to las Vegas.
    Enjoy your new car....Joe
  • evoevo Member Posts: 4
    cool, enjoy the trip... i'm going to take a look at desert, see what they have, apparently they have way cheaper financing than findlay, so i heard last night anyway.

    i'm excited! has anyone fitted an aftermarket stereo? or at least an amp and sub to one? easy to do? it looks like a double-din sized whole, is that the case (obviously the fascia isn't)??
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    its a grayish colour, anatchrite or something like that. I know i spelled it wrong but thats what volkswagen calls it. Its like a very very dark bluish gray. Very nice in my opinion.
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    Have not fitted one yet but i hope to do so soon! It does look like a double din, i guess the guys at best buy will have fun with it when i finally do get it all taken care of. Hopefully a new system will work out some of the quirks that the factory stereo has.
  • jnathanjnathan Member Posts: 9
    If your going to Desert, my salesman was awesome.
    His name is Joe Seymore at 702-942-4000
    Just mention my name Joe Nathan.
    This is Desert on Sahara
  • mjohhnmjohhn Member Posts: 1
    I just bought the Rabbit 6 speed tiptronic over here in Germany. What a difference over my old 1.6 Golf. I can drive this at 95 MPH on the Autobahn and it still has plenty of power left going up hills or passing other cars. I have driven at 110 MPH but then back off cause it gets a little hairy at that speed. Too much to concentrate on............
  • evoevo Member Posts: 4
    Well i got my rabbit a few days after i was hoping, but i finally have it!

    it's so nice to drive, everything about it says quality, well, at the price it is anyway. everything else at the same price looks and feels cheap in comparison...in my opinion.

    haven't taken it above 80, or 3,000rpm yet, gonna wait 'til 500miles, maybe take it to LA this week (5 hr drive each way) but i can see it has some power, even going up a slight hill in 5th, at 40mph and it still pulls well. gotta love that 170lb ft torque!

    i got the steel wheels, as i figured i'd probably put some alloys on later, other than that, it's got the sunroof, that's it, and it's more than you get with other cars even with options.

    now i wanna get another one for my wife, she loves it too.
  • speedbunnyspeedbunny Member Posts: 2
    This rabbit healed me....I bought her last thursday nite, after I rolled my beetle on slick roads...I had a great sales guy, and he told me, cuz I was still skittish, 'just get in this car and drive her'...and she healed me...I feel like I got a great deal on a beemer or benz or something...cuz that's how it feels...
    I got the four door, loaded, automatic...just a bit more than I paid for a loaded beetle a few years ago, but omg, so much more car...the stability and drive is unreal...the feel....
    I got sage green and I adore the color...very classy....
    ENJOY Rabbit owners!!!
    I know I am...
  • grumpyoldman1grumpyoldman1 Member Posts: 3
    I just bought the same. 4 door - auto-17"'s-sunroof- united gray (which looked way better in person than it does on any web sites).
    It drives incredibly well in the snow/ice!! All through the big storm that just hit the northeast I was driving around - no problem. Its heavy and very well balanced.

    Fit-Civic-Corolla/matrix-mazda3-versa were all contenders for my purchase.
    The rabbit won hands down.

    Anyone in the PA/NJ/DE/NY should consider northeast VW in philadelphia. They gave me an incredible deal.

    But a warning to all rabbit buyers. You must test drive the exact rabbit you are buying!!! I drove one that was literally a clunker. It suffered from every problem I had previously read about. It had the clunking in the left front wheel when hitting any bump. The engine sounding like [non-permissible content removed] and the radio had the 'changing volume" problem.

    I drove a total of 8 rabbits over a week and it was the only one with any issues but be careful. Don't assume they are all the same. I know this a standard truth for all cars.

    I love this car. Just an amazing car.
    I previously owned to passats so I know all about the older VW problems especially electrical. I tried to by a toyota and/or honda but nothing compared to the rabbit once you drove them and compared.
  • mike_carmike_car Member Posts: 2
    I'm a little over a week with the new rabbit 2 door stick w/esp and 16inch alloys. I love the car I have an 04 golf that my wife now drives. I can't praise this car enough I thought the Golf IV was fun to drive but the Rabbit is a pure blast. Fit, finish everything top notch. The one thing I've learned about VW's is that you have to keep up with the service. I have a great dealer Dave Walters in Akron, Ohio. It's a VW only showroom and service. Top notch folks. I drive a lot for my work so mileage was a bit of a concern but driveability and comfort were higher on my priority list. The Rabbit exceeds my expectations. I will say that if you go the 5 speed route beware that that clutch is tight and grippy. It takes a little getting used to how fast it engages but after yo uget the hang of it it is very quick.
    Also I know they say 9 secs from 0-60 but with the 5 speed it feels much quicker. One other thing United Gray looks much better in person than on the VW web site. :)
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    hey speed bunny glad you are soothed by your bunny! The four door is awesome, it seems like all the four doors i have seen on dealer lots or on the road (even though this amount is still very few) are alwasy sage green. Great choice i think its a beatiful color!
  • sillyspousesillyspouse Member Posts: 2
    :cry: MY 07 Rabbit has had issues with the radio clipping, were the sound and volume will go WAY up when I stop or slow down the drop and sound like crap when I go and get up to speed. Has anyone else has this issue and does anyone know how to fix it, When I talked to the dealer I always get the run around to it's suppous to do that to don't know what your talking about,and my fav will look into it and call you. Been 3 weeks and no call :lemon: :lemon: It;s sad because other then that I love my car, but after this I have stared telling Family and friends to stay away form VW's and I hate to have to do that. Any how any help would be nice :) Thanks all
  • jnathanjnathan Member Posts: 9
    I own a 2007 Rabbit 2dr. No problem with the radio.
    If the dealer won't do anything for you call
    VW and they will.
    VW Rabbit is the best and I love the ride and I can see
    why Car & Driver has made it the number 1 in its
    class.....Joe..Las Vegas
  • eldainoeldaino Member Posts: 1,618
    sorry about your woes! The rabbit does have a sort of 'auto adjust' feature for your audio that makes it lower itself when you slow down and then raises the volume over roadnoise when you are on the freeway. If you look in your manual, there are instructions on adjusting it, so try that first. If your problem persists, call vw directly like jnathan said, and make sure you have the dealer name and names of the people who were suppossed to be helping you. And then give them a call back and tell them off just for kicks. :P

    Hope this helps!!
  • steven39steven39 Member Posts: 636
    hi bunny,i have a 07 rabbit with the same problem that your haveing.i also have another friend who is haveing the same problem with his 07 rabbit.apparently,this is a common problem with rabbits begining with the 06 model year.as i mentioned in my previous post,my friend took his rabbit in to the dealer to fix the radio problem and they blew his door speakers in the process.complete moron vw mechanics.anyway,since i don't want to go through what my friend went through with his rabbit,i will learn to just live with it i guess.
  • sillyspousesillyspouse Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for the reply I have been talking to VW them selfs and there trying to help me out (or so it seems) slow procces but it is better then what I was getting from the dealer. I looked up the aout adjust (cliper) liek you said as well as VW, but sadly turning it off did not fix the issue. Guess we will see what VW dose in the end.

    Tnaks all :shades:
  • sucaelvsucaelv Member Posts: 7
    I just bought a new, 2 door, 2007 vw rabbit. After a few days a saw some spots on the back seats. First I thought that one of my friends split some water or something on the back seats. Then after few days, I forgot my jacket on the rear seats, I went back to get it from the car, and my jacket was wet. I saw that the rear seats were all wet. I looked in the trunk, and everything was dry there. I took out the covers from the trunk, and surprise !!! , that place were the spare tire is, was full with water. I realized that every time when I break, the water from the trunk was coming inside the car under the rear seats.
    I cleaned the trunk and dry it. I was happy for two days there was no water in my trunk. Last night rained outside. I the morning I opened the trunk, got the cover out I saw the spare tire floating on water.
    I called the dealer who sold me the car, and they said “that’s impossible”.
    I am sure dear dealer that’s possible it happens to me on a two weeks old 07 rabbit! :(
    Anyone else got this problem?! Did they manage to fix it somehow?!
This discussion has been closed.

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles