VW corrado?
10-20-2008, 03:32 PM
#81
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Well as a newb I usually just lurk around here but finally a subject I can speak with some authority on- Modern VW's are elec. nightmares. I am a VW dealer tech and have owned and modified everything from old bugs to mk4 golfs. The aircooled stuff was all rock solid when taken care of (and pretty damn good when ignored) but the watercooled stuff sucks. Bad. The engines and basic mechanicals are actually pretty good but all the complaints up to this point by Hustler are dead on, add to that CONSTANT airbag lights and with the advent of the elec. parking brake, parking brake buttons fail all the time. And lets not even get started on fuel pumps. I can change the damn things in 5 min. I have done so many.
the big difference really is that they NEED to be looked after, claiming poor maint. by the PO may be true, but. Consider one can buy a honda or nissan of the same vintage that has had no maint. at all and it will most likley run and drive fine. Whereas the VW will have all the warning lights on and none of the windows, or door handles will work.
Having said all that I own 2 of them now (77 bus, Mk2 gti) so they do get under your skin and if you like to dick with them then they can be cheap fun. But I would never sink real money into one.
the big difference really is that they NEED to be looked after, claiming poor maint. by the PO may be true, but. Consider one can buy a honda or nissan of the same vintage that has had no maint. at all and it will most likley run and drive fine. Whereas the VW will have all the warning lights on and none of the windows, or door handles will work.
Having said all that I own 2 of them now (77 bus, Mk2 gti) so they do get under your skin and if you like to dick with them then they can be cheap fun. But I would never sink real money into one.
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10-20-2008, 04:10 PM
#82
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Are you familiar with the term 'hypocrisy'? If you aren't, I suggest you re-read your posts, and tell me how it is you aren't doing the same ******* thing, VW-expert.
Ah. And if I did agree to each and every complaint about one model, where would that leave us? Re-read my post, 'VW as a brand'... IE, all the vehicles they have made, and make now, not just Mk4s and their assorted variants...
I don't blame you for not being interested in buying another VW, but my point isn't directly in conflict with yours, as long as you understand what the I wrote.
That's your prerogative, but your rage indicates to me that you have it wrong. The Mk4s are a black spot on their reliability, w/o a doubt. However, you'll note those are no longer made for this market. The Mk5s appear to be a lot more solid on the whole, as well as the rest of the line-up. I don't want to think about the new Dodge-VW, the Routan.
Any brand is only as good as the dealership that has to stand behind it. Sounds like you had a ****-hole of a dealership, too. I used to work at one of those, and I finally quit because I was tired of getting ragged-on by the heads of the company for doing the right thing. Many, many folks have told me how upset they were when I left, that I was one of the few folks worth seeing up there. While that made me feel good about the blood, sweat and tears I gave to that job, it is a shame that dealerships don't understand it and that they lost an asset (even as a customers' perception) when I left.... *snaps arm in half from self-patting*
Why do I tell you this? I guess to try to offer some perspective. I respect that you had trouble with VW/Audi, but I can't respect your opinion towards the company for the reasons you have given thus far.
and don't come in here and tell us that VW's are ultra reliable, or even marginally acceptable. I'm talking about real problems like bullshit coil packs, window regulators, ECM replacement (car randomly shutting down), water pumps, ABS sensors, turbo death, starter solenoids, headlight ballasts...and all that is just from my TT225. Do you care to discuss self-machining differentials or the multitude of class-action lawsuit losses from reliability garbage they've refused to acknowledge?
VW has two major shortcomings that keep me from buying again: reliability in general on all systems in the car, and VWoA black-listing people with $42k cars because they don't feel like fixing the problem and would rather let dealers suck money out of them than just fix the problem the first time...until the car has seen so much service that they boot the customer.
Any brand is only as good as the dealership that has to stand behind it. Sounds like you had a ****-hole of a dealership, too. I used to work at one of those, and I finally quit because I was tired of getting ragged-on by the heads of the company for doing the right thing. Many, many folks have told me how upset they were when I left, that I was one of the few folks worth seeing up there. While that made me feel good about the blood, sweat and tears I gave to that job, it is a shame that dealerships don't understand it and that they lost an asset (even as a customers' perception) when I left.... *snaps arm in half from self-patting*
Why do I tell you this? I guess to try to offer some perspective. I respect that you had trouble with VW/Audi, but I can't respect your opinion towards the company for the reasons you have given thus far.
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10-20-2008, 04:13 PM
#83
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Every mechanic at our dealership would say the same thing, but that doesn't necessarily make it accurate. If you were a cop, you would tend to believe that the human species is an animal not to be trusted, but that wouldn't be representative of the whole group, would it? I don't mean to discount your point completely, but I believe you fellas are a bit far off the mark.
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10-20-2008, 04:28 PM
#86
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BTW, you guys see a number of different versions, both platforms and engines, that we don't see over here...
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10-20-2008, 04:47 PM
#87
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Actually I am an american, Moved over here a year ago from Seattle. Worked for a VW dealer there and here. I've seen it all man, I've seen it all.
The Mk5 is Four years old here, for some reason they get them a year or two ahead on this side. We are already getting the Mk6 in a few months.
Yes you are right the diesel to gas ratio is the other way around on this side of the pond. And they actually do some diesels that are pretty fast. But the big suprise is the Polo. They are the same size as a Mk2 golf, the interior is like a Mk4 (so pretty nice) and the Polo Gti gets the 1.8t tuned to 200Hp. Little bastards are real pocket rockets. LOADS more fun than the faster on paper golf Gti. Start praying they bring them stateside.
And of course we have the Golf plus (like a toyota matrix, based on a golf), the Touran, the Tiguan (That made it to the U.S. as well right?), and the Fox (comicly cheap). And they used to have the Lupo but the fox replaced it.
But its that little polo gti you are missing out on man, they are the way forward
The Mk5 is Four years old here, for some reason they get them a year or two ahead on this side. We are already getting the Mk6 in a few months.
Yes you are right the diesel to gas ratio is the other way around on this side of the pond. And they actually do some diesels that are pretty fast. But the big suprise is the Polo. They are the same size as a Mk2 golf, the interior is like a Mk4 (so pretty nice) and the Polo Gti gets the 1.8t tuned to 200Hp. Little bastards are real pocket rockets. LOADS more fun than the faster on paper golf Gti. Start praying they bring them stateside.
And of course we have the Golf plus (like a toyota matrix, based on a golf), the Touran, the Tiguan (That made it to the U.S. as well right?), and the Fox (comicly cheap). And they used to have the Lupo but the fox replaced it.
But its that little polo gti you are missing out on man, they are the way forward
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10-20-2008, 05:02 PM
#88
I thought it was common knowledge that VWs were electrical shitstorms and generally unreliable. And what ever happened to VW considering pulling out of the US market because people were tired of buying poorly manufactured cars that costs and arm and a dick? With that said, I'd never buy one. I don't think I'd keep one even if it were given to me.
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I'm not that stupid, and hope to High Heaven you aren't either.
10-22-2008, 11:02 AM
#92
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you guys can stop fighting now. I just bought another car and so far im really happy with it: http://modesto.craigslist.org/cto/886515997.html
Unfortunately the car has an auto, but that also means no clutch and no associated hydraulics. It is super nice inside, drives quiet, stereo is awesome, windows roll up and down quck and smooth, hood has those hydraulic things that keep it up, its just so different from the miata. Ill enjoy having this as a road trip car. Miata is fun for shorter drives.
Unfortunately the car has an auto, but that also means no clutch and no associated hydraulics. It is super nice inside, drives quiet, stereo is awesome, windows roll up and down quck and smooth, hood has those hydraulic things that keep it up, its just so different from the miata. Ill enjoy having this as a road trip car. Miata is fun for shorter drives.
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10-23-2008, 06:37 PM
#94
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Good, as you should have. Those two, the bad ECTs, and the brake light switches should have been included too, but at least the last two were relatively cheap.
However, I don't see how your point is in conflict with mine.
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10-30-2008, 03:49 AM
#95
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Well I am going on 5 months driving my Gti now since being reboosted with no issues. Its been super reliable and a ton of fun. I do agree though...the A4 chassis cars were a bad move all around. VAG should have shitcanned that idea and went straight to the A5
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