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Comments
Herr Doktor Piech is determined to take the VW brand up against Mercedes and Lexus, with the W8 Passat and D1 lux-sedan. At least in the USA, this is bound to be an uphill fight unless the dealer body gets a swift kick in the backside when it comes to dealing with the customer...the kinds of stories that appear on this board have got to go away.
VWGuild, your dealership in Monterey is a positive example [how far back does the franchise go? and always paired with Porsche, right?] of what a customer-sensitive outfit is supposed to be like. Unfortunately, there are far too many of the other kind out there, and VWoA hasn't figured out the right combination of carrot and stick to get the bad guys to shape up...yet. They'd better get cracking if they want to peddle $40k+ cars.
Taking in my wifes accord for the same thing at our local honda dealer takes less than 45 minutes and it gets a hand wash to boot. It isn't free, but $21.95 is a lot easier for me to deal with than not having a car for most the day.
It's funny because the "premium brand" thing was mentioned as being an idicator of a quality dealer. This dealer is Audi,Volkswagon,Acura, and dodge. Today I certainly felt like I was at a Dodge dealer but not Acura or Audi.
Supposedly, when they replaced a cable to the antenna it solved the problem.
I agree that the service leaves a lot to be desired. I bought my car at Burnsville VW, in Minneapolis (Burnsville). This is the worst service I have seen in years. I would rather have a problem, than let the dealer try to fix it. Nothing is ever fixed in one try-if I'm lucky, they don't make it worse.
and the tradition in Dealerships...took about an hour...either it was edited out or lost
I do not know...very strict rules here about self promotion, but I did not bring it up...sorry
it was lost....
I definately think that the fewer brands a place sells and services, the better.
In any case, my overall point is that if VW wants to compete with the likes of MB in this country, they are going to have to build a fire under their dealer body to start acting the part. AND, the parent company in Germany has to give the proper support - some of the past problems with parts availability [a new computer system was blamed] went on far too long, for example. And you have to stop fighting customers about warranty claims when there is a clear defect involved - "they all do that" doesn't cut it.
Guild: I too once spent a long time on one of the Mercedes boards penning a response on MB quality problems [I've owned 13 MBs over the years], only to have the last third of it cut off because [I assume] it was too long. I finally broke it up into two parts, but then I'm retired and have the time to play with this stuff - you may not. In any case, Wester has been a "name" in the VW - Porsche business for as long as I can remember, and that goes back to my first start as a car nut in 1961. [My first real car was a used '61 Beetle that I acquired in 1963 and drove through my college years.] Don't know whether ownership has changed in that time, but I have the impression they still care about what they are doing.
:-)
The 1.8t has almost as much HP as the V6 now, with 170hp. It is louder though, and needs to rev a bit more. Most who have the 1.8T find it "lighter" and more "tossible" then the V6 due to much less weight on the nose. The V6 imparts a more luxurious feel with smooth power throughout the rev band. The V6 drinks more gas and costs at least $2k more.
Ultimately, you need to drive each one, assess your budget, and buy what's right for YOU.
I would appreciate any other comments and opinions about this matter. I will try to test drive each myself.
Also, does anyone know if the quality of the wood grain would be the same in both the GLX and the GLS? I know it comes standard in the GLX, which is why I'm wondering if the quality would be the same in the GLS since it would probably be installed by the dealer.
My other two cents is that by the time you get the V6 auto with lux, leather, and monsoon, there are a myriad of other cars to look at in that price range.
[I have some experience dealing with the Lasher son who runs things on Florin road - he is a sharp businessman, but customers exist to feed the bottom line...or so he comes across. The Acura store is a money machine, but the facility, as you know doubt have noticed, is physically subpar. More $ to the bottom line.]
However, I have run into a problem that I want advice on. The middle console lights (that show mpg, min., mi., miles to empty, temp, etc) have gone out on me twice now. They don't go out when I am driving, instead they don't come on when I start the car. At first I thought it may have been a heat issue (I left the sunroof open with the sun hitting it for multiple hours) but then it happened again after sitting in a parking garage all day. Once I turn off the car, then on again they come back on. Has this happened to anyone else and if so, any idea how to fix and/or prevent it? It's not such a big deal but I'm a little peeved that it is happening on my brand new $28k car. Suggestions??
Got mine at 3% over invoice with a free 6 disk CD change thanks to a grand opening of the VW dealers new building. If anyone is near Toledo Ohio, you get the changer all month and my buying experience was very good. Let me know if you want the name of the dealer.
I feel the V6 is quieter, smoother and works well with the Tip. It transforms the car into a more luxury oriented feel as opposed to the 1.8T's more sporty feel. Myself, for health reasons as well as local traffic conditions, I had to get the tiptronic. I preferred the feel of the V6 with the tip and my little research on resale values showed that the V6 does retain a good portion of it's price premium.
Also perhaps I am a bit of a worrier but their have been a couple of situations I've been in that made me glad I got the V6 because I worry about the heat with the turbo. Once when I only had 750 miles on my car I got stuck in a massive traffic jam on the San Mateo bridge which took two hours to cross. Sitting, idling in the heat with no way out and moving an inch or two every couple of minutes. Brutal on the car:(
Also I just returned from a trip back from southern ca driving through the Mohave desert, through the Tehachapi's in 100 degree heat, going 80-90mph with the ac on.
Anyway, obviously I am happy with my choice but both are great engines and it's really a personal choice. The only problem is now I've seen the new Audi A4 Avant and am drooling:)
mulfomi Jun 8, 2001 9:46am
What's the name of the VW dealer in Toledo? I live in Southern Michigan - your deal sounds like a good one.
Spellbound, I also agree with you that with the tiptronic, I would definately want the V6. But since Toledo "rush hour" consists of 10 cars, the 1.8t with the 5 speed suits me fine.
Not only is the 1.8T 5spd a bargain but that combination makes the car feel sportier. It's also a few hundred pounds lighter which helps and makes it feel more toss able. And of course there's the gas milage. Definately a nice combination.
The V6 Tip feels quiet, smooth and luxurious. While the V6 is only rated at 190hp it has a nice smooth torque band with decent power all through the rpm range. It's not a "fast" car but I'd say it feels "peppy".
Of course I wish for the new 3.0 220hp engine in the new A4 and the multitronic:)
I have a silver 2001.5 GLS with lux package and 1.8T with tiptronic. I find the car sufficent in all respects. However, if you like jack rabbit starts at green lights so you can beat other drivers to the next red light then buy the V6 if you must. It is smoother and quieter, I agree, but gas mileage suffers. However when the turbo kicks in you can beat most V6 heavy peddle drivers to the next light if you want. Just my opinion.
Boy, have I learned a lot reading these postings! Glad I found you.
I am looking at buying a 2001.5 1.8T Manual. Hard to find, as there are not many left. I found one with a cloth beige interior, which I like, but I am worried about keeping it clean. Can anyone tell me how their cloth beige interior looks after a year or more of driving? Does it show up every little dirt/scuff mark?
Also, I have heard two opinions re prices on these remaining cars. One is that, since they (the manual 1.8Ts) are scarce, with only 13 left in my state, dealers are not willing to come down much on them. Another is that since the 2002s are almost coming out, dealers might be persuaded to sell for near invoice. I am working with a great dealer, but I am a whimp when it comes to negotiating. I want to get some feel for what is fair (I don't think Edmund's TMV takes these special conditions into account). Advice?
I now wonder if I'll keep it that many years, not that I don't love the car but if I can do well over the next few years I may be interested in trading up to a new Audi A4 Avant or RS6 Avant if by some miracle I make some good $$$. LOL
Who told you that there were only thirteen 1.8t manuals left in your whole state? I don't know for sure but that sounds like typical dealer baloney to me.
My advice is to just keep going back to that same dealers, let them know your intentions("My intent is to purchase the vehicle IMMEDIATELY from a dealer willing to sell it at invoice")and stick to your guns. They will probably say something like "what if we could do a thousand over invoice". You tell them "I'll consider that if nobody will do it at invoice". They will wear down eventually because they know that some other dealer out there will give you what you want.
As far as the beige interior goes...I have the beige leather and it has not been exactly easy, but then again black leather where I live would have been out of the question because of heat issues and grey would have looked dumb with Mojave Beige...so no regrets.
check...
Our store has an Employee Purchase Program...$300 over Invoice...
We do not sell Retail for less than that, and personally, if someone offered
me Invoice for this car; my first impression would be that they knew
absolutely nothing about the car, and start from scratch...from a test drive
all the way through the Standard Safety features, the Warranty package,
and finally a Competitive analysis.
Probably a better tact for you to take today would be to find out what your
*Fair Isaac* Score is and see if you qualify as an *A* Tier borrower and take
advantage of the 3.9% - 5.9% financing currently being offered by Volkswagen
Credit. Go to www.equifax.com for your Credit History and Score. Knowing that
and making a reasonable offer on a VERY hard to find product will make your
buying experience an enjoyable one...
If you would like me to Fax to you a *Locate* report on the Passat that you are
looking for I would be happy to oblige...Just email me with the exact description
of what you are looking for, and where you are shopping....just click on *vwguild*.
An offer of $100 over or Invoice is for cars that are over running a Dealership not ones
that are very hard to find...Common sense!
I paid $500 over invoice and love everthing about the car except the totally crappy radio reception.
I've put 1300 miles on my new Passat and love it as well. In the overall scheme of things it is a real bargain in my opinion.
My 16 year old son will take over my 1989 Honda Accord which has been a great car but I am really looking forward to the Passat.
My wife has sighed and rolled her eyes more than once over the amount of time I have spent reading these boards, driving cars, and thinking about the pros and cons (especially when I started reading the car wax discussions).
Thanks
There have been a lot of posts concerning reception on the Yahoo Groups VWPASSAT board and many of them point to a poor antenna design. However, I'm not yet ready to buy into that.