When I was in the market back in 2008, I checked out the Passat. I researched it and gave it an extensive test drive. What's weird about the car is I couldn't fault it for anything. It was quick, nimble, logical, ergonomic, fuel efficient and well-made. But my overall impression was just...meh.

I bought a Subaru. Love it.

Know who else liked Volkswagons?

CitizenTed: I bought a Subaru. Love it.

Frikkn Subbarus.
Official State car of Vermont.

vudukungfu: CitizenTed: I bought a Subaru. Love it.

Frikkn Subbarus.
Official State car of Vermont.

I know. And I live in Bellingham, where they're even more popular than in Vermont. I almost didn't buy it just because every mook in town has one. But dammit, the AWD and low center of gravity makes them outstanding on scary mountain roads and the thing handles rain, snow and ice like a champ.

CitizenTed: handles rain, snow and ice like a champ.

studded snows, FTW!

I guess VW's check cleared then.

At least it wasn't some awful electric crap.

I've had a Passat for this entire millenium so far, and it's helped me avoid at least two accidents a year with its excellent steering. And, of course, my cat-like reflexes.

/Don't really care that it doesn't look like a sports car, but I'm happy that it has never made the "most stolen" lists.

CitizenTed: When I was in the market back in 2008, I checked out the Passat. I researched it and gave it an extensive test drive. What's weird about the car is I couldn't fault it for anything. It was quick, nimble, logical, ergonomic, fuel efficient and well-made. But my overall impression was just...meh.

I bought a Subaru. Love it.

So you are a lesbian?

Well, it is a "car of the year" award. Once you take away all the cars that will last longer than a year, the VW is probably the best pick.

Fail. 3 words. Inadequate pickup tube.

Godscrack: Passat sounds like a synonym for queef.

In Thai, it means "insane".

You know what, I don't like you much these days Fark.

I like efficient import cars, public radio, expensive coffee, microwbrews, Apple products, democratic socialism, fair trade, foreign films, and not watching cable tv. I appreciate you greatly fellow farkers but I don't appreciate your trolly judgement.

/wishes he had a Wolfsburg Passat
//it did exist

Everyone knows the Germans make terrible cars, and Justin Beiber makes great music. That's because Americans are so smart, and have such good taste.

boobsrgood: Everyone knows the Germans make terrible high maintenance cars, and Justin Beiber makes great music should go away. That's because Americans are so smart, and have such good taste.

Word.

I still have my 1985 Passat... except that here they're called "Quantums", a name they should have stuck with. I've seen these new models, and all I can say is: call me when you make them Syncros again, and toss in a turbo diesel or it's a deal breaker; 4 or 6 cylinder is fine either way, but it has to be a Syncro, and it has to be a diesel. Oh, and none of this 'triptronic' faux manual automatic bullshiat! VW hasn't made a decent automatic trans in 65 years, and they bloody well were better off with the manual 5-speed anyway.

Quantum Syncro Wagon: they climb trees. Passat: comfortably tapered at one end... like a tampon on wheels.

/Subaru is just what VW should have stayed with.

Congratulations to VolksWagon. Dad had a 1981 VW Rabbit Diesel while I was getting my drivers license. Was not a turbo diesel so 0-60 times were measured in hours.

Tough little car. Survived my teenage driving, my brothers learning and teen driving too.

Was backed into a ravine when during a romantic encounter the emergency brake was in the way and released. Was an interesting night.

Friends with a redneck 4x4 pulled the car out and I drove it home.

Dated that girl the rest of the school year.

Miss that old Rabbit. Miss the girl too! Hi Jennifer!

/currently drive a Mustang
/bought American for my midlife crisis mobile
/yeah I'm old

boobsrgood: Everyone knows the Germans make terrible cars

To be fair, the guy who thought up my VW Beetle was actually born in Austria.

CitizenTed: When I was in the market back in 2008, I checked out the Passat. I researched it and gave it an extensive test drive. What's weird about the car is I couldn't fault it for anything. It was quick, nimble, logical, ergonomic, fuel efficient and well-made. But my overall impression was just...meh.

I bought a Subaru. Love it.

This...The old lady bought a Tiguan recently, got the same impression of it. Its a great vehicle all and all but it is decidedly...German.

Is the thread where Volkswagon owners un-ironically state they'd never buy an American car because of quality? Because those are always fun.

/While it's almost impossible to buy a honestly BAD car these days, for years Volkswagon has lagged behind Japanese and American companies in quality measures, and tend to be more expensive per repair.

vudukungfu: Know who else liked Volkswagons?

Gee I dunno, maybe the guy who knew how to SPELL IT RIGHT?

danimal68: Congratulations to VolksWagon

AAAAAAAAAAAGH!

danimal68: Was backed into a ravine when during a romantic encounter the emergency brake was in the way and released. Was an interesting night. Friends with a redneck 4x4 pulled the car out and I drove it home.

I find this highly amusing, if only because I used my non-turbo diesel '81 Dasher Wagen front-wheel drive to pull a 3/4 ton Redneck Truck out of the sand one night in a ravine... in reverse. Life is funny that way; he never wanted to talk about that night, ever :D Hell, I'm not even sure that my QSW (Passat Syncro 4x4) could have done that, even with the 'Granny Gear'.

Volkswagon drivers are second only to BMW owners in douchebagerry awards. Watch how they drive, it's almost obnoxious. Owned a VW in the 80's and it was a pos. Bought a Toyota Tacoma in '02,used it for a commuter 80 miles a day for 8 years and still driving it daily. 184k miles later, with nothing but consumables like brakes, tires, and one wheel bearing and tie rod end failng I'll gladly buy another Tacoma tomorrow.
/Commuting that much it's easy to stereotype brand owners
//drive 20 mins. on any highway and count every woman you pass that isn't on a cellphone or eating something you'll be amazed.

'98 Passat owner here. Very happy with my car.

boobsrgood: Everyone knows the Germans make terrible cars, and Justin Beiber makes great music. That's because Americans are so smart, and have such good taste.

Eh, its made by Chattanoogans, not just Germans. The factory is built on the site of the Volunteer Army Ammunition Plant which produced 823 million pounds of TNT for WWII. I think we gave all that to the Germans so its only fair that they give us something back like a really nice factory that makes pretty neat cars.

Passats are nice, father has one. However, the car of the year should be this:

Sorta related:Link (new window)

It got the Top Gear seal of approval

Makh: I like the my new RAV, I tested it out for shiats and giggles and the V6 was better than the other cars I tried. Best turning radius too.

I would have gotten the Subaru Forester first if dealers actually wanted to sell me one instead of upselling me to a Tribecca or a fully loaded Outback. For months they never got any Foresters in.

FWIW, the Forester and Impreza were both backlogged due to Japanese supply chain disruptions following the earthquake/tsunami disaster.

2012 Impreza came several months too late for me. Wound up buying a TDI Golf. Don't regret not waiting one bit.

DeRosso: Sorta related:Link (new window)
Yeah, wrong thread...

whew...I saw the headline earlier today, not mentioning the model but it did mention the brand. If it would have been the Jetta, I would have totally lost faith

To be fair, Motor Trend also chose the Renault Alliance as the Car of the Year back in the 80s.

itsfullofstars: [realitypod.com image 515x292]

It got the Top Gear seal of approval

Scirocco! Damn VW decided against bringing to the States.

kiwimoogle84: I don't see why this warrants a "fail" tag. Haters gonna hate, but there's faaaaaaar worse cars out there. It's not like Daewoo won car of the year...

/have had my '07 vdub rabbit since it had twelve miles on it
//love it more and more every day

I agree wholeheartedly.

/'07 Rabbit owner and lover here too
//liked the look of the previous generation Passat better than the current, though the CC is still cool

itsfullofstars: [realitypod.com image 515x292]

It got the Top Gear seal of approval

VictoryCabal: Volkswagon has lagged behind Japanese and American companies in quality measures, and tend to be more expensive per repair.

Bagelox-99: '98 Passat owner here. Very happy with my car.

It has a lot to do with where they were made, and when. The German production vehicles are nearly flawless, the Brazilian ones are a mixed bag, and the Mexican ones are the real hit-or-miss shiat bags, just like with the early Rabbits and Dashers. Some of the Mexican-assembled cars will literally fall apart on the way out of the dealership (my '97 Jetta did physically, but was mostly stable mechanically), and others from the same year will go hundreds of thousands of miles without a single issue... the quality control problems were the nightmare. It's as if shift change at the Mexican plant meant that the next 10-hour run was either going to be fantastic or pure crap, until the next shift change.

I had three Dashers, all of them with 200 - 300K miles on them before they died, and they died from exhaustion--- I drove them to death. I saw a diesel '79 Rabbit go farking 900,000+ miles; the company wanted to use it for an advert, but the owner declined. I'd probably still be driving my first Quantum (German import) if it hadn't been creamed by a drunk driver, and my current Quantum is in better shape than a '92 Jetta I sent to the junkyard last spring.

Remember the "Quality Previously Owned" program? VW used to use that to weed out the lemons and find the keepers for resale, and they had a LOT of lemons from the Mk III through the Mk IV watercooled era, which was a damned shame.

/Lifetime VW driver & owner, still driving my first 'Wagen that I bought brand new, and I have more used VWs under my belt than most people have underwear. I will NOT buy another one until they get the QC problems resolved, or I will buy a German-made only, and even then it had better have a damned good waranty.
// It's not true that VW repairs cost more... you just spend $8 per part so damned often that you get $8erd to death faster than with any other car!
///... unless it's a IV or V-series Turbo Diesel; enjoy that $5 plumbing rebuild on your fuel system at 30K :/

thespindrifter: vudukungfu: Know who else liked Volkswagons?

Gee I dunno, maybe the guy who knew how to SPELL IT RIGHT?

danimal68: Congratulations to VolksWagon

AAAAAAAAAAAGH!

danimal68: Was backed into a ravine when during a romantic encounter the emergency brake was in the way and released. Was an interesting night. Friends with a redneck 4x4 pulled the car out and I drove it home.

I find this highly amusing, if only because I used my non-turbo diesel '81 Dasher Wagen front-wheel drive to pull a 3/4 ton Redneck Truck out of the sand one night in a ravine... in reverse. Life is funny that way; he never wanted to talk about that night, ever :D Hell, I'm not even sure that my QSW (Passat Syncro 4x4) could have done that, even with the 'Granny Gear'.

Had a similar experience with the same Rabbit during an ice storm. The friend with the 4x4 couldn't get out of the parking lot at work. Just kept spinning on the ice.

Drove up to the trickstop to get coffee and watch him slide all over the parking lot.

Offered him a cup of coffee and a ride home. He did not want to admit the FWD Rabbit could do better than his 4x4 in ice. (Ford Ranger of memory serves me well)

Good times in that car.

My brother finally killed the car one night driving drunk. Upside down thru a tree. Little bro walked away unharmed. Same could not be said for the car.

That was supposed to be "$5K" not $5... sorry, typo.

heisenberg: itsfullofstars: [realitypod.com image 515x292]

It got the Top Gear seal of approval

Scirocco! Damn VW decided against bringing to the States.

The only car I'd trade my rabbit in for.

/thought about a wrx
//decided against it

2003 Jetta: engine sludge buildup failure due to a bad design. It's a fundamental engine flaw in that generation of VWs. This is the same Jetta that had plastic cabin parts fall off it within days of purchase. Flawless German Engineering my Arsch.

Volkswagen decides it's too expensive to fix them, sends out a letter that you can get your engine replaced if you've had your Jetta serviced only at VW dealers and not one mile over 3000 miles per oil change (even though the manual recommends 5000 miles). So pretty much nobody qualifies - as they planned.

Never buying a Volkswagen again.

danimal68: thespindrifter: vudukungfu: Know who else liked Volkswagons?

Gee I dunno, maybe the guy who knew how to SPELL IT RIGHT?

danimal68: Congratulations to VolksWagon

AAAAAAAAAAAGH!

danimal68: Was backed into a ravine when during a romantic encounter the emergency brake was in the way and released. Was an interesting night. Friends with a redneck 4x4 pulled the car out and I drove it home.

I find this highly amusing, if only because I used my non-turbo diesel '81 Dasher Wagen front-wheel drive to pull a 3/4 ton Redneck Truck out of the sand one night in a ravine... in reverse. Life is funny that way; he never wanted to talk about that night, ever :D Hell, I'm not even sure that my QSW (Passat Syncro 4x4) could have done that, even with the 'Granny Gear'.

Had a similar experience with the same Rabbit during an ice storm. The friend with the 4x4 couldn't get out of the parking lot at work. Just kept spinning on the ice.

Drove up to the trickstop to get coffee and watch him slide all over the parking lot.

Offered him a cup of coffee and a ride home. He did not want to admit the FWD Rabbit could do better than his 4x4 in ice. (Ford Ranger of memory serves me well)

Good times in that car.

My brother finally killed the car one night driving drunk. Upside down thru a tree. Little bro walked away unharmed. Same could not be said for the car.

Where do you live?

Beluga Heights: danimal68: thespindrifter: vudukungfu: Know who else liked Volkswagons?

Gee I dunno, maybe the guy who knew how to SPELL IT RIGHT?

danimal68: Congratulations to VolksWagon

AAAAAAAAAAAGH!

danimal68: Was backed into a ravine when during a romantic encounter the emergency brake was in the way and released. Was an interesting night. Friends with a redneck 4x4 pulled the car out and I drove it home.

I find this highly amusing, if only because I used my non-turbo diesel '81 Dasher Wagen front-wheel drive to pull a 3/4 ton Redneck Truck out of the sand one night in a ravine... in reverse. Life is funny that way; he never wanted to talk about that night, ever :D Hell, I'm not even sure that my QSW (Passat Syncro 4x4) could have done that, even with the 'Granny Gear'.

Had a similar experience with the same Rabbit during an ice storm. The friend with the 4x4 couldn't get out of the parking lot at work. Just kept spinning on the ice.

Drove up to the trickstop to get coffee and watch him slide all over the parking lot.

Offered him a cup of coffee and a ride home. He did not want to admit the FWD Rabbit could do better than his 4x4 in ice. (Ford Ranger of memory serves me well)

Good times in that car.

My brother finally killed the car one night driving drunk. Upside down thru a tree. Little bro walked away unharmed. Same could not be said for the car.

Where do you live?

At the time was in the Hampton Roads, VA area.

Realize my typo, blame it on typing on an iPhone.

Funnier still, if you knew the place, back then we all called it the "trickstop" due to the by the hour romantic companions.

/Had best prices...
/Fuel prices