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Im talking reliability, safety, repair/maintenance cost etc..
I like the Jetta/Passat and the Touareg. Tell me about these cars...
I have a 2012 VW GTI and it's the best car I've ever owned.
If you're buying new, going VW is no different than going with a Ford or Chrystler or GM...they have all had reliability issues in the past. Modern day cars are completely different than older models however. I'd have no problem buying a new car of any of those makes. VW's past issues were mostly electrical and those systems are completely different in the new models. VW's have always been pretty solid mechanically. Some of the upsides of VW's are the ride quality, rode handling, and interior quality.
If you're going used do you research and find what models and years have common issues. Many of the reliability problems with VW stemmed from the Mexico plant many years ago so that's something to keep in mind.
This question is depends on who you talk to....I have had several VW's and I have never had any problems with them. My newest is a 2012 Passat TDI and I love it. My father in law has had several Jettas and there was only one that gave him problems but he still raves about VW. We are not loyal VW owners but I would choose VW over any Honda or Nissan that they are manufacturing these days. My TDI has 30k on it and on the highway I get right around 50mpg...love it. I think if you keep up with the scheduled maintenance as with any car you will be fine. There are those that neglect a car and then complain that it sucks. Yes some have glitches or gremlins but you can get that with any car company. I owned a SAAB before that was in the shop more than I drove it, but my sister has one and its been maintenance free w 140k miles on it.
Do you base the decision on a few on a few anecdotal reports from individuals on an anonymous forum, or researchers with data from thousands of owners?
Reality is: VW continues to rank at or near the bottom of statistical ratings. Audi is generally running mid-pack. Sure, we've owned a few VW's & Audi's. My wife currently races a VW powered Formula V car.
We've had good success with the brand, but that isn't really relevant to the actual numbers of thousands of owners surveyed. For me, the biggest reason I would not buy one is that they are front wheel drive. (Yes, we all know about 4-motion, Quattro, blah blah blah... Still a front wheel drive architecture.)
This question is depends on who you talk to....I have had several VW's and I have never had any problems with them. My newest is a 2012 Passat TDI and I love it. My father in law has had several Jettas and there was only one that gave him problems but he still raves about VW. We are not loyal VW owners but I would choose VW over any Honda or Nissan that they are manufacturing these days. My TDI has 30k on it and on the highway I get right around 50mpg...love it. I think if you keep up with the scheduled maintenance as with any car you will be fine. There are those that neglect a car and then complain that it sucks. Yes some have glitches or gremlins but you can get that with any car company. I owned a SAAB before that was in the shop more than I drove it, but my sister has one and its been maintenance free w 140k miles on it.
"Reliability" is often just how well a car can stand up to not being properly maintained.
Do you base the decision on a few on a few anecdotal reports from individuals on an anonymous forum, or researchers with data from thousands of owners?
Reality is: VW continues to rank at or near the bottom of statistical ratings. Audi is generally running mid-pack. Sure, we've owned a few VW's & Audi's. My wife currently races a VW powered Formula V car.
We've had good success with the brand, but that isn't really relevant to the actual numbers of thousands of owners surveyed. For me, the biggest reason I would not buy one is that they are front wheel drive. (Yes, we all know about 4-motion, Quattro, blah blah blah... Still a front wheel drive architecture.)
I honestly dont look at any statistical ratings. I bought a 1999 Jetta years ago and afterwards looked at the ratings and they were horrible. I started to cringe thinking maybe I should have done my research. I never had one problem with that car. I bought it as a commuter car and I was putting on close to 40K a year (yes I drove tons). I also owned an 87 Golf GT as a teenager and beat the crap out of that thing and it never let me down. If I like a car and it has been maintained well I will buy it regardless of what others are saying. If I listened to many of the people on here I probably would have stayed away from VW...would have been a huge mistake in my opinion. One of the best cars Ive ever owned.
I do agree with the front wheel drive thing...wish they made an AWD or were rear wheel. I just bought a used BMW and the rear wheel drive is much nicer to drive with in my opinion
Do you base the decision on a few on a few anecdotal reports from individuals on an anonymous forum, or researchers with data from thousands of owners?
I put absolutely no stock in what some magazine says. In fact, less than none.
Every rag, from Consumer Reports to Car & Driver, is constantly "running tests." But what they're REALLY doing is trying to sell magazines.
If you want to get a pulse for the real pros & cons of vehicles, go to their enthusiasts' forums. Every make & model gets praised - and ripped to shreds - by the people who actually own and drive them, not by some writers.
By the way, I'm not defending VW. I don't care to, and don't need to. I'm also not trying to get anybody to buy one, or not buy one. I couldn't care less what you, or anybody else, drives. But in the real world, what you will consistently find is that for every 10 VWs, 9 are stellar, and 1 has all kinds of problems. Unfortunately, "the 1" is the only one you ever hear about.
Every rag, from Consumer Reports to Car & Driver, is constantly "running tests." But what they're REALLY doing is trying to sell magazines.
If you want to get a pulse for the real pros & cons of vehicles, go to their enthusiasts' forums. Every make & model gets praised - and ripped to shreds - by the people who actually own and drive them, not by some writers.
Actually, their mostly interested in selling advertising. Except for Consumer Reports, who doesn't sell ads... They survey over 1.2 million auto owners. Edmunds & JD Powers are others who survey auto owners. There are also some trade publications that have decent info, but it takes the average person some digging to find them. JD Powers questionnaire has over 220 questions about the car. I think people are well served by having real statistical information available, rather than buying in a vacuum.
Forums CAN be good sources, but the question is; who is reporting there? The forums I've seen often appear to be populated by 15 year old kids posing as "experts".
So, who DO you trust? Anonymous & unknown forum "gurus"? Guys who primarily test washing machines, folks who spend all their time finding new ways to sell new cars, etc...
Actually, their mostly interested in selling advertising. Except for Consumer Reports, who doesn't sell ads... They survey over 1.2 million auto owners. Edmunds & JD Powers are others who survey auto owners. There are also some trade publications that have decent info, but it takes the average person some digging to find them. JD Powers questionnaire has over 220 questions about the car. I think people are well served by having real statistical information available, rather than buying in a vacuum.
Forums CAN be good sources, but the question is; who is reporting there? The forums I've seen often appear to be populated by 15 year old kids posing as "experts".
So, who DO you trust? Anonymous & unknown forum "gurus"? Guys who primarily test washing machines, folks who spend all their time finding new ways to sell new cars, etc...
None of the above.
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