Wtf vw?

It was pretty gross, to be sure. Sadly, it’s pretty clear nearly every car company in Germany was somehow involved in similar stuff, and I’m willing to bet pretty much every car company making diesels anywhere was, too.

I think that this kind of trivializes actual crimes against humanity, like genocide and shit.

I actually get why people would choose not to give their money to VW. In a consumer society, it’s a valid way of expressing dissatisfaction with a company. I generally find most companies at best amoral, with little to choose between them, but VWs blatant and cynical actions are pretty egregious.

My outrage isn’t intense enough, though, to forsake getting one of the only cars I could afford that actually ticked off all the boxes I needed. The Golf R I have is pretty much the only car shy of $50+ grand that gives me AWD, serious performance, a manual transmission, small size, good utility, high quality interior, and superior build quality. I mean, there simply isn’t anything else for what I paid for my car in 2016 (sub-$40k). This and the GTI are two vehicles that are very hard to beat in their niches, especially if you throw in the quirks of the few competitors they have (Focus RS? Blown engines, questionable exterior, Ford interior; Civic Si/Type R? Wacky looks, limited options on the Si and ultra-wild styling on the Type R, not to mention the Type is FWD; WRX/STI? Old platform, still sub-par interior, nowhere near as refined).

Oh, so do I. This is a big reason why I’m not likely to get another VW.

I just thought “crime against humanity” was a bit over the top.

I’m not Godwinning the thread. I do think such egregious, deceptive, long-running practices, considering the dire state of the planet vis a vis climate, fit the bill.

So do I! I think the Golf is a great looking car, especially in the more expensive trims, but it is very subdued. Which is why I like the GTI even more, it isn’t tryng to look like it’s some sporty expensive car with spoilers and air ducts all over it. The red brake calipers are the only real flare to it.

I do think the Civic Hatchback is a great looking car though. But that was part of my problem with it, it looked great, but it’s performance was lacking. It didn’t match it looks. That of course is better now that the Touring, SI, and Type R models are out, but my EX looked great on the outside but felt cheap and plasticity on the inside. The interior was my biggest complaint with the car besides the buggy software.

Anyway, did over 200 miles this weekend just driving around. I adore this car. VW really did screw up, and deserve the negative press, but I have never owned a car I liked as much as the 2 I have owned now. I would have drove my TDI another 5 years if it wasn’t for dieselgate, I never even considered selling it before it happened. There is just somethng about them that is so different from the Japanese or American cars I have owned.

My main metric for a car is, does it put a smile on my face every time I get in it and drive? Of all the cars I’ve had over the years, two of the three most smile-inducing have been VWs, my 2012 GTI and my current R; the third was an Acura Integra GS-R with an insane 8500 RPM redline.

My 2003 Mini Cooper S still puts a smile on my face in between trips to the mechanic, at least.

I’m guessing you didn’t buy one of these, then.

Heh, concept cars are a hoot. The only thing that’s for sure though that if it’s really cool, and VW makes it, it won’t be sold here. Like the UP! GTI or the Clubsport.

Maybe I SHOULD buy another VW.

One thing about my current Jetta though, which I’m still convinced is directly related to the fact that I never had any issues with it, is that the entire thing was manufactured and assembled in Germany, instead of Mexico.

Clearly, Germany must build a wall.

I’m pretty sure Mexico vs. Germany is a non-issue. The Puebla plant is highly automated and state of the art. Robots make the freakin’ cars pretty much all over. I had a Ford Fusion made in Mexico and it was the best made American car I ever owned. The current GTIs are made in Puebla I believe, though the Rs are still made in Germany (though the engine is made in Hungary).

There are some cool videos of the Puebla plant in operation. Modern automation means you can pretty much put the plant on the Moon and it wouldn’t matter (well, except for cost of shipping!).

I’ve lived in Germany three times, admittedly the last was the late eighties into 1990 when I was working there. While I love German cars, and a lot of other stuff about the place, the Germans can be as sloppy and slipshod as anyone else when they put their minds to it.

Last summer I was talking to a guy who is a Ford dealer mechanic, and I told him I had considered a Fusion over the Civic. He told me it’s a good thing I didn’t, they have lots of problems and in are the shop all the time. Anecdotal sure, but I thought it was interesting.

I believe my 1994 Ford Ranger was made in Mexico. I owned it for 14 years, zero problems. Was a great, but boring, car.

Germany’s Administrative Court has just ruled that cities can (in practice, for Dusseldorf and Stuttgart, must) ban driving diesels.

Mine was back in I think 2010, a Sport V6 that had zero issues (except, well, being boring and way too sedate). Anecdotal evidence is all over the map on cars, and dealers and mechanics are no better than most in the aggregate in terms of generating usable data. Mechanics see, well, broken down cars usually, sort of like cops develop a negative view of humanity. In my experience, the service people at a dealer tend to be hard on the brand they sell because, well, they see so damn many of them come in.

That being said, yeah, I’d rather go with a Honda than a Ford these days, not out of reliability issues necessarily, but simply because Ford has less I’d want than even Honda. An Accord Sport 2.0 or the Touring 2.0 is IMO a better choice than any of the current Fusions, and until the new Focus arrives the Civic trumps that, too. Ford’s interiors are better IMO than GM’s in many cases but are still too busy and ugly for my tastes.

Really, though, pretty much anything these days is rock-solid compared to cars of the seventies and eighties. You can’t really buy a bad new car.

I agree cars are much improved, but I would suggest the bar has been raised on bad cars.

My editorial on current hot hatches (as some one who loves them)

VW GTIs are understated cool. But I cannot ignore the corporate mentality that brought on the dieselgate. Pass

Somebody beat the Civic with an ugly stick. I love the si and type R, but uggh.

Without the Evo to push them, Subaru is letting the WRX die of old age. Oh wait, no hatch this gen. Boo!

The most recent MINIs are no longer really mini. They have lost their niche.

Mazda 3 is a looker (to me) but needs a Mazdaspeed version.

I seem to be left with the Fords.

Totally possible, but I know other folks who had issues with the same model year jettas, and I had zero issues. Could easily have been a total coincidence.

Mazda is a no way for me because no Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. I believe Toyota finally gave in and is including it.

My son has a 2012 Fusion. Fantastic car. Incredibly comfortable seats and drives nicely. As someone that grew up when American cars were considered garbage, it completely changed my opinion on what an American car can be.