I know they are fairly rare. Would it be best to "order" one? I am not in a hurry. A couple of dealers here in the Orlando area have told me that it is not too late to order one. How much negotiating room will I have? Is $500 over invoice out of the question? Is dickering over accessory pricing not cool?
Has anyone compared the Passat GLX 4Motion with the new A4 Avant. How do they compare feature and price-wise? I know the Audi is more but will you get it back more when it comes time to trade? What about size?
I know they are fairly rare. Would it be best to "order" one? I am not in a hurry. A couple of dealers here in the Orlando area have told me that it is not too late to order one. How much negotiating room will I have? Is $500 over invoice out of the question? Is dickering over accessory pricing not cool?
You should use Edmunds COMPARE feature to get a quick comparison between the two models you specified. The Passat GLX 4 Motion would be equivalent to an Audi A4 Avant 3.0 w/ an automatic. The Passat is generally a larger car than the A4 and tuned a little more for comfort vs. the A4's more sporty ride (not that the Passat isn't a fun car to drive - I love mine). It depends on what your looking for and what's in your price range. The Volkswagen will be less expensive than the Audi - at least when you compare both top-end models.
As far as being rare the wagons are harder to find when it comes down to certain configurations. I was was looking for a silver V6 5 speed with lux,leather, Monsoon and Homelink and was told that there was no such car like that in all of Northern California. Four dealers told me that. The four dealers told me that even on the day that I bought mine. Funny thing is that when I came home with the new ride one of those dealers called back and left a message on my answering machine saying that I was correct when I told them that there was a car like that in Northern California. That was four months ago. They might tell you that the car you want doesn't exist but find the right dealer and you just might get lucky like I did. At this time of the year,however, you might have to wait and get a 2003.
We ordered our Passat GLX 4Motion Wagon yesterday morning. Our dealer had said that he will try to find one sitting here in the US already and later called back to say that he had. We should have our wagon (Silverstone with grey leather) in less than two weeks.
We are really looking forward to the new car. We had a 2000 Jetta GLX that we traded in on a Toyota Sequoia and have regretted ever since. The Sequoia had never been what it was cracked up to be and the Jetta was the most fantastic car we ever owned.
Sorry for being a little picky, but I believe you meant to put a "0" after that "12" on the Exterior Warranty. Don't want to concern any potential customers.
After 3 attemps, I finally got an answer from VW. The current tentative price for a W8 is $40,000 and only available in auto trans (sob). For that price, I will buy an Audi or Beamer or Saab.
Only one dealer is telling me yes, others saying no. Also, I'm not looking for a wagon with 4MO, I'll even take a GLS with Luxury, Leather, and Monsoon, but I want manual. Can anyone offer some opinion regarding the difference between V6 with manual, and 1.8 with manual?
BTW, I think VW is too 'proud' (price wise) of their V6 with only 20 more HP than 1.8 for about $1300. This should be a $500-600 option, IMHO.
I've found a 2002 GLS Wagon 1.8T manual, luxury, leather, and monsoon in Silverstone with gray interior. Dealer will not come down below $25,054. I've offered up to $24,800. Should I meet his price????
I'm already having troubles finding GLX 6cyl. Wagons of the color I want here in Florida (Silverstone Grey with Black Interior). I found a GLS thats Silverstone with a grey interior. It is a 1.8L 4cyl. Turbo. Is the 1.8L 4cyl. Turbo any good? I mean, most of my previous cars were American except an early 80's Camry that was nice but not fast at all. Therefore I have this 4cyl.=Ford Escort mentality. Can this engine get 150,000 to 200,000 miles? Is it good for long-distance highway trips or is it too noisy. Is it more for in-town driving? I really need help from experienced owners here.
Several posters have complained about the difficulty of finding 2002 Passat station wagons. For anyone within reasonable driving distance of Gaithersburg or Anapolis Maryland I would suggest searching the Fitzgerald web site:
They list several wagons in all configurations at between $200 and $600 over invoice. When using the car search function leave it set on "all types". If you specify "wagon" the result comes back "0". Just search on Passat.
I have not bought from this dealer, but one of my children has - a one year old Sonata at a very good price and no hassle. Fitzgerald is a no-haggle dealer, but there is some wiggle room in negotiating a trade.
Last July 2nd we ordered a 2002 1.8T w/tip Anthracite Blue with grey leather. We love this car!! We have had no problems with it what so ever.
We paid about $400 over invoice at the time and received the car on July 27th. I couldn't be happier with our purchase.
I did go over the Audi dealer the other day to check out the new Avant. They had a 3.0 in the showroom. If we can afford it this will probably me my next car. Some people will probably think I am crazy for wanting two wagons but I love wagons!! (Plus we have a 91 Miata to keep us somewhat young at heart)
To pick up on georgek44's post re the Fitzgerald dealership in Annapolis, we bought our GLS V6 4Motion wagon there in July 2000 and were very happy with our experience. At the time, VW was offering 2 yrs. routine maintenance, so we take the car there for oil changes and such. The service department has also been a positive experience.
We checked the website price before we went in and it is an accurate reflection of what they will sell the car for. We appreciated that they did not press us on issues such as extended warranty, "extras" packages and financing through them. It was relatively quick and absolutely painless, except that they had to get my car from another dealer and the weekend before I was take delivery, the sales manager at the other dealer drove "my" car to visit his family in N. Carolina. Poor Kenny, the Fitzgerald sales manager, had to scramble to find me another car in a color I would accept. I had to wait a few extra days, but all's well that ends well, and we love the car.
I'm looking for a wagon for my better half and I must admit the Pasat wagon caught my eye. My question is; Is the the 1.8 big enough to do the job, is the turbo a problem? Turbos used to be the kiss of death a while back when it came repair time. I think I have lawnmowers with engines bigger that 1.8 Is it all show and no go? Now, I do not need a race car, just something that can merge in NY/NJ/PA traffic w/o lagging. Any comments pro/con would be appreciated. From what I have read so far, most folks seem to be happy.
I'm going on 3 years, 50K miles with my 1.8 turbo wagon and have had zippo problems. I live in Dallas/Ft Worth and it can handle those quick lane changes just fine. I imagine the 6 cyl has more pep, but I average 28 mpg around here (down to 20 in summer with a/c running full board). Speaking of a/c, that is when you might notice more of a lag, when it's running and you try to make a quick speed change. I love the room and passengers are always impressed with the ride. I think you'll be a happy owner
My father (who has lapses of amazing irresponsibility) got his Passat up to 140 mph (indicated) out in the flatlands (SD) Nobody around for miles, so not as bad as it seems.
Anyway there is plenty of go. He has a MY 2000 5-speed wagon with the 1.8 liter engine. He only has 150 hp - and also has a lifetime average of 32 mpg. The new Passat has 170/180 hp depending on the source. I don't think merging will be much of a problem.
I must say I find it interesting that people can actually consider that a car like this could be underpowered. There were plenty of years in the 70's where a Corvette could not touch the current Passat with the 1.8.
FWIW Even with the L-82 option the 1975 Corvette took almost 8 seconds to get to 60mph. Quarter mile came in at 16.1 seconds and top speed was 129mph. The 350 cube L-82 had 205 hp in a 3,600 lb vehicle. The standard 350 only had 165 hp.
I have a serious question to those of you that have an '02 GLS V6 Auto. Wagons.
How did you get it? Did you order it? Was it on the dealers lot? Did you have any choice of color?
I'm going bonkers trying to find one. I already called about 20 different dealers. Some say that they don't make GLS V6 Wagons. Others say I can order an '03 but it will take 3-4 months to get. Unfortunately 3-4 months is a tad too long for me to wait. I hate to beat a dead horse but this is getting to be a real pain in my hind region.
I even called 1 (800) DRIVE VW and they had no clue on what VW was making or sending to the U.S..
If my only other alternative to get a V6 is to get a GLX I may end up having to choose a non-VW vehicle. Believe me, I'm trying guys. Any ideas or thoughts from GLS V6 Wagon owners?
I was playing email tag with one of the dealers in my area and she just happened to email one day about a V6,lux,leather,black interior with silver exterior, homelink and in dash CD player,and 5 speed stick. That was the exact car I was looking for. Keep in mind that a 5 speed with V6 wagon was hard enough to find but it had everything else I wanted also. Seems like getting one with Tip would be even easier. Email all the dealers within driving distance and let them know what you need.
I'm looking for some buying advice. I've been researching the VW Passat and comparing it to the Subaru Outback. I live in Pittsburgh where the winters can be rough at times.
I understand the inherent advantages of AWD as it exists in the Outback. How does the standard front wheel drive Passat handle in the snow? Is there a significant improvement with the AWD as it exists in the standard Outback?
I'm not an off-roader...I'm looking for a reliable vehicle for getting to work and the occasional road trip.
1. Rear right speaker dead. Back to dealer to have loose wiring fixed. Dealer says he sees the problem every so often. 2. Dash MIL light went on and dealer says he needs to reset something, even if light went on because gas cap wasn't screwed on all the way. Sounded fishy but VW customer care confirmed this. Strange, but this means that each time the gas cap isn't screwed all the way on and the MIL light goes on I need to visit my dealer. Does anyone understand this? 3. A generic Passat manual comes with the car but nothing about the wagon in particular. Not fun trying to figure out how to turn on back wiper for the first time.
Finally, overall experience at dealer was not great. He had the exact car I wanted on the lot and I bought it but when I went to pick it up it was scratched all over. At first he tried the "I don't see any scratches" approach, but when it became impossible to deny he acknowledged them and that the guy who prepped it used a dirty rag instead of the buffer and scratched it up. To his credit, he found me the same car within 7 days. The dealership originally registered the scratched car in my name and there was a mix-up with the registration, so in a roundabout way (receiving a parking ticket via mail from a city I haven't visited in 10 years) I learned that the dealer was able to unload the scratched on some blissfully farsighted buyer.
Like the car but at 33k I'm starting to think I should have dropped a few more k and gone for the BMW wagon.
I just picked up "Car and Driver", 2002 New Car Guide. I flipped to the Passat Wagon write-up and read about the W8 coming mid-year, blah, blah (I can't afford it).
Then it said the V6 was a 3.0L, 220 h.p. with either a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed manumatic transmission.
Are they talking about the 2003's. If so, everyone wanting a V6 should wait for the extra 30 h.p. engine and the extra gear in the manumatic. Sounds like the bigger Audi A4 engine and the base Audi A6 engine.
Wired1, I'm considering a new Passat as well. Don't own it yet, but I'm only considering a FWD. I live in Pittsburgh, too, and I've only driven FWD. In the last 5 years, I can think of only one or two occasions that the winter stopped me from getting to work, and that was an ice storm that I won't have gone out into with any vehicle, 2wd or 4wd.
The winters just aren't as bad as they once were. Snow removal is much better than it used to be. Frankly, I don't want to give up the mileage and incur the extra weight and cost for the one day a year that I might actually need the 4wd.
Just keep good, properly maintained tires on your FWD and you'll do fine. If you are really concerned, get 4 snow tires and you'll get that car to climb a tree in the winter!
I just picked up my 2002 GLS V6 Wagon with tiptronic, black leather, luxury package, and Monsoon.
HOWEVER, my question is this: when I bought the car, I was under the impression that 2002 Passats came standard with cd players (according to Edmunds). But, after taking delivery on my car, this is not necessarily the case; it only had a cassette deck! After some phone calls to the dealer and 1800DRIVEVW, I was informed that VW decided "mid-year" to add that as a standard option and that since my "2002" was and earlier 2002, it doesn't get one. Makes me wonder why I paid extra for Monsoon!!!!
Anyway, word of warning to check on this to potential buyers! Neither VW NOR dealer were willing to budge too much on issue. Well...I also got the car for UNDER invoice, so that may have been why!
I bought my 2002 V6 Wagon 5 months ago today. I had been in touch with a dealer via email and I kept forgetting about certain details each time I would email her. The only car I would take was a 2002,V6 with stick,silver exterior, black leather,lux and CD player/Monsoon. She had the car I wanted but I forgot to ask about one detail...THE CD PLAYER!!! I called her up and told her I would be there within an hour to buy the car. I was so jazzed about buying a car I forgot to ask about the CD player. We had to drive to another lot to pick up the car and also I could test drive it on the way to the main lot. I sat in the car and then it hit me... I looked at the dash and there was a CD player in the dash!!! Mine was built in September 2001. They started installing CD players on the cars made in August. Any good head unit will work like Alpine ect. You still have the Monsoon amp in the back of the car.
I am really excited about the gls 1.8 wagon but I have a question about the fuel. The VW brochure says premium is RECOMMENDED. Is anyone using regular fuel? If so how is your milage and performance? If premium fuel is required I probably will be looking at a different car. Thanks
You can still use regular gas (87 or 89 octane) with a slight performance decrease.
Don't be suprised if the dealership used 87 octane in the cars for test drives and your first tank of gas. Check with the dealership where you test drove the car.
No, everything I've read says you don't have to use premium, but it is recommended for best performance. Essentially, by using lower octane fuel, the engine will self-regulate itself by retarding the ignition timing in order to avoid/prevent 'knock' or 'ping.' Retarding the timing decreases the fuel economy (I don't know by how much) and performance.
Okay, let's look at the math. Let's say you drive 12,000 miles per year. Using the average of the city/highway fuel economy figures for the Passat Wagon of 25.5 mpg, that would mean that you would use 470.6 gallons of gasoline per year. In my travels, it appears that premium costs 20 cents more per gallon than regular in most places. So 470.6 * $0.20 = $94.12 more per year.
Assuming you purchase a fully equipped Passat Wagon which generates a TMV of $25,464 on this website, and you put 20% down, and pay over 4 years, your monthly car payment is going to be approaching $500/month.
$94 per year (or a quarter a day) seems pretty inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. However, if it is a meaningful amount of money spread over the year, perhaps you should consider a less expensive car.
I have 2002 V6 stick wagon... I use premium. This isn't scientific or anything but in my 91 GTI (211,000 miles on the odometer)I started using premium around the time I started using Mobil One oil and for some reason I am going 55 miles farther on a tank of gas... this car needs a tune up but go figure...There is actually less energy in a gallon of premium than there is in a gallon of regular...I have no explanation...
Premium is designed not to ping (detonate early by heat of compression - like a diesel) there for it does not detonate as easily, and thus has slightly less energy content.
You can of course get more power even though it has less energy because you can increase the compression, and advance the timing without pinging (detonation).
A quick way to get more power out of a standard engine is to advance the timing and use premium.
Can a Diesel engine VW be bought in California? I know you can get a big truck with one.If not, why is this? Is the trucking lobby still running the government?
Like the other posts say, you can use regular but 3 things will happen.Decreased mileage,decreased performance which may not be noticed,and over the long run increased carbon buildup in the engine. If you plan on keeping it a long time the small amount additional premium costs is worth it.If you have a child would you feed him/her junk food when you know healthy food is better for him/her?
My humblest apologies to 8u6hfd!! Meant to address denirose abut the premium fuel issue, not you. What's the price of diesel in your part of the country now? I think I just bought the last gasoline below $1.30 in my area today for our Honda.
I can fit 2 large adult bicycles (the sport-touring type) plus a kids bike in the back, with 2/3 of the back seats folded down, and my kid in the remaining back seat in a kid's seat. It fits more easily when I take the front wheel off one of the bikes (sport release, takes 5 seconds).
tomsr,
Yes, you can buy and drive VW Diesels in California. VW restricted sales for a while because of a quota thing, but that was not due to any consumer government regulations and still allowed you to buy your car in Nevada or Arizona and drive it in CA.
Comments
Thanks!
Thanks!
are labeled *Passat Variant 23*!!!
I was was looking for a silver V6 5 speed with lux,leather, Monsoon and Homelink and was told that there was no such car like that in all of Northern California. Four dealers told me that. The four dealers told me that even on the day that I bought mine. Funny thing is that when I came home with the new ride one of those dealers called back and left a message on my answering machine saying that I was correct when I told them that there was a car like that in Northern California. That was four months ago.
They might tell you that the car you want doesn't exist but find the right dealer and you just might get lucky like I did. At this time of the year,however, you might have to wait and get a 2003.
We are really looking forward to the new car. We had a 2000 Jetta GLX that we traded in on a Toyota Sequoia and have regretted ever since. The Sequoia had never been what it was cracked up to be and the Jetta was the most fantastic car we ever owned.
Sorry for being a little picky, but I believe you meant to put a "0" after that "12" on the Exterior Warranty. Don't want to concern any potential customers.
12 Years; not 120 Months...Sorry to confuse..
BTW, I think VW is too 'proud' (price wise) of their V6 with only 20 more HP than 1.8 for about $1300. This should be a $500-600 option, IMHO.
Thanks
I found a GLS thats Silverstone with a grey interior. It is a 1.8L 4cyl. Turbo.
Is the 1.8L 4cyl. Turbo any good? I mean, most of my previous cars were American except an early 80's Camry that was nice but not fast at all. Therefore I have this 4cyl.=Ford Escort mentality.
Can this engine get 150,000 to 200,000 miles? Is it good for long-distance highway trips or is it too noisy. Is it more for in-town driving? I really need help from experienced owners here.
Thanks in Advance,
Dave in Sarasota
P.S.-I think the grey interior is ugly!!
http://www.fitzmall.com/automalls/automalls.asp
They list several wagons in all configurations at between $200 and $600 over invoice. When using the car search function leave it set on "all types". If you specify "wagon" the result comes back "0". Just search on Passat.
I have not bought from this dealer, but one of my children has - a one year old Sonata at a very good price and no hassle. Fitzgerald is a no-haggle dealer, but there is some wiggle room in negotiating a trade.
We paid about $400 over invoice at the time and received the car on July 27th. I couldn't be happier with our purchase.
I did go over the Audi dealer the other day to check out the new Avant. They had a 3.0 in the showroom. If we can afford it this will probably me my next car. Some people will probably think I am crazy for wanting two wagons but I love wagons!! (Plus we have a 91 Miata to keep us somewhat young at heart)
We checked the website price before we went in and it is an accurate reflection of what they will sell the car for. We appreciated that they did not press us on issues such as extended warranty, "extras" packages and financing through them. It was relatively quick and absolutely painless, except that they had to get my car from another dealer and the weekend before I was take delivery, the sales manager at the other dealer drove "my" car to visit his family in N. Carolina.
Poor Kenny, the Fitzgerald sales manager, had to scramble to find me another car in a color I would accept. I had to wait a few extra days, but all's well that ends well, and we love the car.
I'm looking for a wagon for my better half and I must admit the Pasat wagon caught my eye. My question is; Is the the 1.8 big enough to do the job, is the turbo a problem? Turbos used to be the kiss of death a while back when it came repair time. I think I have lawnmowers with engines bigger that 1.8 Is it all show and no go? Now, I do not need a race car, just something that can merge in NY/NJ/PA traffic w/o lagging. Any comments pro/con would be appreciated. From what I have read so far, most folks seem to be happy.
I love the room and passengers are always impressed with the ride. I think you'll be a happy owner
Anyway there is plenty of go. He has a MY 2000 5-speed wagon with the 1.8 liter engine. He only has 150 hp - and also has a lifetime average of 32 mpg. The new Passat has 170/180 hp depending on the source. I don't think merging will be much of a problem.
I must say I find it interesting that people can actually consider that a car like this could be underpowered. There were plenty of years in the 70's where a Corvette could not touch the current Passat with the 1.8.
FWIW
Even with the L-82 option the 1975 Corvette took almost 8 seconds to get to 60mph. Quarter mile came in at 16.1 seconds and top speed was 129mph. The 350 cube L-82 had 205 hp in a 3,600 lb vehicle. The standard 350 only had 165 hp.
I have a serious question to those of you that have an '02 GLS V6 Auto. Wagons.
How did you get it? Did you order it? Was it on the dealers lot? Did you have any choice of color?
I'm going bonkers trying to find one. I already called about 20 different dealers. Some say that they don't make GLS V6 Wagons. Others say I can order an '03 but it will take 3-4 months to get. Unfortunately 3-4 months is a tad too long for me to wait. I hate to beat a dead horse but this is getting to be a real pain in my hind region.
I even called 1 (800) DRIVE VW and they had no clue on what VW was making or sending to the U.S..
If my only other alternative to get a V6 is to get a GLX I may end up having to choose a non-VW vehicle. Believe me, I'm trying guys. Any ideas or thoughts from GLS V6 Wagon owners?
I'm getting exhausted, please help if you can.
Thaks bunches, Dave ;^)
I understand the inherent advantages of AWD as it exists in the Outback. How does the standard front wheel drive Passat handle in the snow? Is there a significant improvement with the AWD as it exists in the standard Outback?
I'm not an off-roader...I'm looking for a reliable vehicle for getting to work and the occasional road trip.
My thanks to all in advance.
1. Rear right speaker dead. Back to dealer to have loose wiring fixed. Dealer says he sees the problem every so often.
2. Dash MIL light went on and dealer says he needs to reset something, even if light went on because gas cap wasn't screwed on all the way. Sounded fishy but VW customer care confirmed this. Strange, but this means that each time the gas cap isn't screwed all the way on and the MIL light goes on I need to visit my dealer. Does anyone understand this?
3. A generic Passat manual comes with the car but nothing about the wagon in particular. Not fun trying to figure out how to turn on back wiper for the first time.
Finally, overall experience at dealer was not great. He had the exact car I wanted on the lot and I bought it but when I went to pick it up it was scratched all over. At first he tried the "I don't see any scratches" approach, but when it became impossible to deny he acknowledged them and that the guy who prepped it used a dirty rag instead of the buffer and scratched it up. To his credit, he found me the same car within 7 days. The dealership originally registered the scratched car in my name and there was a mix-up with the registration, so in a roundabout way (receiving a parking ticket via mail from a city I haven't visited in 10 years) I learned that the dealer was able to unload the scratched on some blissfully farsighted buyer.
Like the car but at 33k I'm starting to think I should have dropped a few more k and gone for the BMW wagon.
I just picked up "Car and Driver", 2002 New Car Guide. I flipped to the Passat Wagon write-up and read about the W8 coming mid-year, blah, blah (I can't afford it).
Then it said the V6 was a 3.0L, 220 h.p. with either a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed manumatic transmission.
Are they talking about the 2003's. If so, everyone wanting a V6 should wait for the extra 30 h.p. engine and the extra gear in the manumatic. Sounds like the bigger Audi A4 engine and the base Audi A6 engine.
Hmmm...
Dave ;^)
Thanks
Steve
That is the only one in the Western Region...
I'm considering a new Passat as well. Don't own it yet, but I'm only considering a FWD. I live in Pittsburgh, too, and I've only driven FWD. In the last 5 years, I can think of only one or two occasions that the winter stopped me from getting to work, and that was an ice storm that I won't have gone out into with any vehicle, 2wd or 4wd.
The winters just aren't as bad as they once were. Snow removal is much better than it used to be. Frankly, I don't want to give up the mileage and incur the extra weight and cost for the one day a year that I might actually need the 4wd.
Just keep good, properly maintained tires on your FWD and you'll do fine. If you are really concerned, get 4 snow tires and you'll get that car to climb a tree in the winter!
YMMV, of course.
I just picked up my 2002 GLS V6 Wagon with tiptronic, black leather, luxury package, and Monsoon.
HOWEVER, my question is this: when I bought the car, I was under the impression that 2002 Passats came standard with cd players (according to Edmunds). But, after taking delivery on my car, this is not necessarily the case; it only had a cassette deck! After some phone calls to the dealer and 1800DRIVEVW, I was informed that VW decided "mid-year" to add that as a standard option and that since my "2002" was and earlier 2002, it doesn't get one. Makes me wonder why I paid extra for Monsoon!!!!
Anyway, word of warning to check on this to potential buyers! Neither VW NOR dealer were willing to budge too much on issue. Well...I also got the car for UNDER invoice, so that may have been why!
Much luck
Thanks
You can still use regular gas (87 or 89 octane) with a slight performance decrease.
Don't be suprised if the dealership used 87 octane in the cars for test drives and your first tank of gas. Check with the dealership where you test drove the car.
Okay, let's look at the math. Let's say you drive 12,000 miles per year. Using the average of the city/highway fuel economy figures for the Passat Wagon of 25.5 mpg, that would mean that you would use 470.6 gallons of gasoline per year. In my travels, it appears that premium costs 20 cents more per gallon than regular in most places. So 470.6 * $0.20 = $94.12 more per year.
Assuming you purchase a fully equipped Passat Wagon which generates a TMV of $25,464 on this website, and you put 20% down, and pay over 4 years, your monthly car payment is going to be approaching $500/month.
$94 per year (or a quarter a day) seems pretty inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. However, if it is a meaningful amount of money spread over the year, perhaps you should consider a less expensive car.
I didn't say the opposite.
You can of course get more power even though it has less energy because you can increase the compression, and advance the timing without pinging (detonation).
A quick way to get more power out of a standard engine is to advance the timing and use premium.
I know you can get a big truck with one.If not,
why is this? Is the trucking lobby still running
the government?
3 things will happen.Decreased mileage,decreased
performance which may not be noticed,and over the long run increased carbon buildup in the engine.
If you plan on keeping it a long time the small
amount additional premium costs is worth it.If you have a child would you feed him/her junk food
when you know healthy food is better for him/her?
I can fit 2 large adult bicycles (the sport-touring type) plus a kids bike in the back, with 2/3 of the back seats folded down, and my kid in the remaining back seat in a kid's seat. It fits more easily when I take the front wheel off one of the bikes (sport release, takes 5 seconds).
tomsr,
Yes, you can buy and drive VW Diesels in California. VW restricted sales for a while because of a quota thing, but that was not due to any consumer government regulations and still allowed you to buy your car in Nevada or Arizona and drive it in CA.
- D.