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My first car was a VW bug. Since then I have had a Karmen Gia, van and Rabbit. Then I left VW for Toyota and beyond.
In 2007, I went back to VW, purchasing a new 2006 Rabbit. Actually some of the paperwork said 2007, but manual says 2006. I paid cash, with trade, and the plan was to pass it on to my son when he could drive. There is so much I love about the car, but it has been my worst car-ownership experience ever.
Turns out, that year had transmission probs and so they extended that warranty. I took it in twice to have the transmission checked when under warranty, BC it felt like I was being tapped from behind when stopping, but they couldn't find the problem. My trade-in was an Audi A-6, so I thought I was just used to a smoother ride. Then I took it to another dealer when transmission was out of warranty and they said it was some air thing ($750), then, when the air thing didn't fix it, they said it was the transmission, which is what I asked them to check (for $100) initially. $5,500 estimate to replace.
If it was only the transmission, I would have it replaced. But the car also has electrical probs and the interior is awful- the black paint has rubbed off the dashboard, pieces fall off- I have a baggie of interior pieces that have fallen off, even the little tabs you hold to redirect the a/c have fallen off. The headliner is falling down. The body looks like new, even the floor mats look new- we've taken good care of it- but the upholstery stained from the beginning- almost like there was a black soot underneath the fabric that would come to the surface with a single drop of rain water. It's been a major disappointment.
I still like VW and think I just got a bad year/model, but the thought of having to rely on the service departments at the two nearby dealerships is a deal breaker for me.
This is why I lease cars. Always under warranty and it fits my monthly budget with no surprise costs. Buying $800 tires? Or a $100 tranny flush, $200 spark plug change, etc. Nope, that's for the next owner. I'd be super depressed if I had to dump $3-5k for a replacement engine in a POS 8 year old Rabbit LOL!
I'm leasing a $30K Hyundai Sonata 2.0T Limited for $340 month (includes 4.9% tax) with $0 down and 15k miles a year. Would cost you over $480/mo to finance $27K. I like my cash in other things than my car.
You always lose on a lease. It's unusual and unfortunate to have to walk away from a six year old car but in the end he had at least a year, I assume, of no car payments so in the end he still did better than leasing. If if you lease cars the payments never end.
I'm hoping to get 10 years out of both of my cars, if I leased them they would be more than $400 each so, fingers crossed, I'll "save" $48,000 on the five years I don't have car payments. Longer would be better.
My friend had a fourth gen Jetta that had never-ending problems. Once he went in the repair shop and they thought it would be funny to tell him he had spent $8000 in the last year on car repairs. It also smelled like a box of crayons. He sold it shortly thereafter.
You always lose on a lease. It's unusual and unfortunate to have to walk away from a six year old car but in the end he had at least a year, I assume, of no car payments so in the end he still did better than leasing. If if you lease cars the payments never end.
I'm hoping to get 10 years out of both of my cars, if I leased them they would be more than $400 each so, fingers crossed, I'll "save" $48,000 on the five years I don't have car payments. Longer would be better.
You can't say it's losing when you are in a new car every 3 years. It's a cost of driving a maintenance free vehicle that is cutting edge.
Even if you paid cash for a $35K car and drove it for 10 years/120 months and got $5k for it at the end, it cost you $30,000/120 or $250 a month. Doesn't include a couple set of tires, and other maintenance items. Could even include a tranny or engine rebuild. I'll be on my 4th car when your still driving your 9 year old car that is costing you $250 a month and who knows what else to keep it running over 150k miles.
Not to mention when you buy your next car in 10 years. You'll pay cash for a new car for $35K let's say. So that's two car purchases in 10 years, $70K. You'll get something for car #1, let's say $10k to be liberal. Your $60K into it at 10 years, not including maintenance and repairs. A person leasing for $400 a month for 10 years is $48K in it. Sure you'll catch up in a couple years, but that person will be on their 5th car and will catch up again when you pay for your 3rd car 10 years later
I'm just saying leasing is a bit more expensive than buying, but being in a new car every 3 years and not having to worry about large repairs or being stranded is worth it to me.
Last edited by PokerMunkee; 05-11-2013 at 01:12 PM..
Buy something reliable and you don't really have to worry about large repairs or reliability. A new car does not automatically mean reliability. I see the appeal of leasing to a degree, but why would I always want a payment when I could finance a car for 3-5 years, that ill know ill drive a lot longer than that. When you compare the two, the guy who finances starts putting that much more money in the bank when the loan is paid compared to the guy who leases who always has a payment(if they always lease).
That's too bad. I own a 2008 VW Rabbit in automatic that I bought new back in 2008. It's been the best and funnest car that I've owned- besides a 1976 BMW 2002. I've had no problems with it at all: no interior parts issues, no electrical problems, no mechanical problems, no paint issues, AC blows cold, heater works great in the winter, etc. First year new models (like your 2006) come with gremlins for the most part. Mine is a 2008 so perhaps all of the issues were sorted out in the prior 24 months?? I'm planning on trading in my Rabbit for a 2015 VW Golf late next year or early 2015. I love the hatchback style, good fuel economy and roomy interior. These puppies lowered with custom wheels are sweet. Perfect for a single guy like me.
Even if you paid cash for a $35K car and drove it for 10 years/120 months and got $5k for it at the end, it cost you $30,000/120 or $250 a month. Doesn't include a couple set of tires, and other maintenance items. Could even include a tranny or engine rebuild. I'll be on my 4th car when your still driving your 9 year old car that is costing you $250 a month and who knows what else to keep it running over 150k miles.
I'm just saying leasing is a bit more expensive than buying, but being in a new car every 3 years and not having to worry about large repairs or being stranded is worth it to me.
That's your personal opinion, and it is WAY out of whack with my real-life experience. The only concession I'll agree with you completely is that the newer car is newer. I have complete records for my 2001 (bought used in 2004), and my YEARLY average for everything except fuel ~ so including purchase price, insurance, registration, all maintenance and repairs, comes to a whopping $1500. That's a far cry short of the $4000 you spend a year and I don't make any payments, nor have for nearly 9 years. Adjust the numbers to reflect what people are asking for substantially similar vehicles on craigslist today and that price comes down to $900/year. That's 3 months worth of your payments.
My car is completely reliable, looks as good as any new car (condition, styling is subjective), everything functions just as it did when brand new, I still see 48mpg average (46 city, somewhere in the mid 50's highway) and I'm more than happy to sink that extra $3000/year into a savings account that earns me 4.5% (yes, I have a savings account that returns 4.5% as part of a whole-life policy). My quality of life isn't improved by driving something 3 years old or newer, and similarly the safety improvements aren't important when you drive in an aware state (I'm a motorcyclist first, Very well aware of risks, also much more aware of traffic situations than non-motorcyclists when driving). For me, buying used, maintaining that used vehicle and putting money elsewhere (I've taken 2 3-week trips in the past 2 years, one to Ireland, one to Germany and have a 2-month trip to Montana to be a ski bum this next winter) are VASTLY more important than a newer car. But that's my priority, it's what works best for me.
No idea why the OP had issues with their car unless it's just the all-to-common instance of dealer hacks causing more problems than they resolve. Mechanics at Walmart tend to be smarter and more competent than those who work at dealerships (speaking from the experience of being a professional MC mechanic who skipped working for dealers because of the ****-poor quality, car mechanics are no better). I always have to wonder if people would have the same issues and complaints if they were using a mechanic worth their salt or took the small time investment to do most things themselves.
...No idea why the OP had issues with their car unless it's just the all-to-common instance of dealer hacks causing more problems than they resolve. Mechanics at Walmart tend to be smarter and more competent than those who work at dealerships (speaking from the experience of being a professional MC mechanic who skipped working for dealers because of the ****-poor quality, car mechanics are no better). I always have to wonder if people would have the same issues and complaints if they were using a mechanic worth their salt or took the small time investment to do most things themselves.
That's what I think it is more often than not. I've had a few cars in my life and any time there has been a basic problem, the so called mechanics have made it worse. I even had one who flat out lied to me what I needed. Guess he didn't realize that every single owner of this car had kept every single receipt for every single thing done to it from owner 1 down to me, in the glove box. I KNEW the history of this car. I may not be mechanically inclined but I'm not a g*&#mn idiot, either.
This is the first time I have not owned a VW. The downside to VWs is that you have to buy VW parts...which are expensive. The upside to VWs is that you can beat the snot out of them and they still run. (I didn't do this, but you can.) The other downside to VWs is that even in large cities, you may have only one or two VW specialized places. And they know it.
fennec...my VW Passat also smelled like crayons. Never could figure out what that was. Weird.
The first mistake was buying an auto transmission. The second was buying a first year model. Do research before you buy
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I've had no problems with it at all: no interior parts issues, no electrical problems, no mechanical problems, no paint issues, AC blows cold, heater works great in the winter, etc. First year new models (like your 2006) come with gremlins for the most part. Mine is a 2008 so perhaps all of the issues were sorted out in the prior 24 months?? I'm planning on trading in my Rabbit for a 2015 VW Golf late next year or early 2015. I love the hatchback style, good fuel economy and roomy interior. These puppies lowered with custom wheels are sweet. 
