I've owned two VWs (a MK III.5 cabrio and a MKIV GTI), and the biggest things stopping me from another are:

- Quality: It's the annoying little things that go wrong, and add up.
- Expense: Expensive to fix, so I dump them before I'm out of warranty.
- Dealers: VW dealers (at least in my area) suck.
- MPG: for a european vehicle, they get shitty gas mileage.
- Value: they're slowly but surely removing the high-line interiors that were the trademark of the MKIV series, but not drastically reducing the price.

 

- Quality: It's the annoying little things that go wrong, and add up.

but you have never ACTUALLY owned an mkV have you? just the prior 2 gen? hmm....

- Expense: Expensive to fix, so I dump them before I'm out of warranty.

true. but i'm referring to basic maintenence. I never had any issues with my mkV after a year and 30k. And remember, despite this fact they have a warranty that out does honda's by 2 years and almost 20k miles.


- Dealers: VW dealers (at least in my area) suck.

can't help you there. But then again, i think that this is a hit or miss regardless of what brand you buy.


- MPG: for a european vehicle, they get shitty gas mileage.

maybe if you compared it to a european DIESEL. But there plenty of japanese compacts that are getting around the same mileage. Compare the rabbit to a mazda 3 2.3, subaru impreza, scion xb/tc, any cobalt with the 2.4 and any dodge caliber with the 2.4. You'll note that the rabbit has better safety ratings and makes similar power to all of these. not to mention that it increases power by 30 percent over the old mkIV jetta/golf 2.0 but the mileage isn't suffering that much.


- Value: they're slowly but surely removing the high-line interiors that were the
trademark of the MKIV series, but not drastically reducing the price.

huh? have you seen how much the rabbit starts out at? and i'm sorry, but the whole "mkIV"s interiors are SOOO Much better!' is vw afficionado horn blowing; there is only a few more soft touch surfaces in the mkIV's and they fall apart easily. I'll take any MkV's slighty harder surfaced interior that lasts over a soft touch falling apart mkIV anyday.( not to mention that the mkV easily boasts the best interior for the money be it in rabbit, jetta or gti trim over any other competitor in the price range.)


OH and by the way, the mkV chassis can claim something that NOOOO mkIV could ever claim: being RECOMMENDED by consumer reports.:)

 

Two generations worth of issues is enough for me, thanks. Hell, the thought of owning another Brazillian or Mexican made VW just doesn't do it for me.

The people that bought my GTI called me 2 years later. Check engine light that would not turn off, and no dealer could figure it out either. As a result, they couldn't get the car re-registered as it wouldn't pass smog. So we're talking about a 3.5 year old car that basically can't even be legally driven. Trust me: sell the VW when the warranty is up. Fun to drive is different than fun to own.

The mileage on the 2.slow sucked to begin with. The 5 cylinder isn't an improvement, it's a step backwards.

So you're saying above that I must not know anything having not owned a MKV, but now I'm an afficionado because I recognize the MKIV has a better interior. The fact is that there wasn't enough product differentiation between Audi and VW, and now there is. Audis didn't get that much nicer, so I'll let you guess how they did it.

Eh, give it time. Eventually VW will again prove that they're fun cars to drive, but not to own. I really like how they drive, but they need to improve their quality. Made in Germany unfortunately ain't what it used to be, and especially since they're making them in other countries to boot.

 

Two generations worth of issues is enough for me, thanks. Hell, the thought of owning another Brazillian or Mexican made VW just doesn't do it for me.

My rabbit was 100% wolfsburgian thanks.



The people that bought my GTI called me 2 years later. Check engine light that would not turn off, and no dealer could figure it out either. As a result, they couldn't get the car re-registered as it wouldn't pass smog. So we're talking about a 3.5 year old car that basically can't even be legally driven. Trust me: sell the VW when the warranty is up. Fun to drive is different than fun to own.

already did. got a fit now. Vw will be for a later time in life, when i can afford the servicing costs as that was my only issue. (freaking syn.oil!)



The mileage on the 2.slow sucked to begin with. The 5 cylinder isn't an improvement, it's a step backwards.

you think so? .05 litres in displacement more, almost 40lbs of more tq and over 55hp more and only about 1mpg or 2 penalty? Buddy, thats no penalty, thats a great step forward! and again, there are japanese cars that meet this mileage as well, very closely if not spot on in fact, and they do it with smaller, lighter and all aluminum engines. Whos taking the step back now?



So you're saying above that I must not know anything having not owned a MKV, but now I'm an afficionado because I recognize the MKIV has a better interior. The fact is that there wasn't enough product differentiation between Audi and VW, and now there is. Audis didn't get that much nicer, so I'll let you guess how they did it.

i didn't say that you didn't know anything, i just think its funny how anytime VW's come up in discussion, people think its license to tell horror stories. If this was a thread comparing the old mkIV gti 1.8t to the fit, then tell away. But you simply have no experience with this car, and that is fact
audi's are lauded as having the nicest, richest interiors amongs their bmw and mercedes rivals. just because something is free of sheen and not super soft to the touch doesn't make it less nice. This is a common complaint from mkIV owners against the mkV. But then again, i'd be pretty sore too if my 'nicer' mkIV interior was falling apart after a little bit if another guys mkV which isn't as 'nice' lasted 10 times as long.


Eh, give it time. Eventually VW will again prove that they're fun cars to drive, but not to own. I really like how they drive, but they need to improve their quality. Made in Germany unfortunately ain't what it used to be, and especially since they're making them in other countries to boot.

again, built in germany, not mexico. I gave it a year and 30k and the only regret i had was the expensive service. otherwise it was a great ride and i'll probably own another vee dub down the road. I used to be a big anti vw guy myself until owning one. Their quality has improved 10 fold. going from CR's 'avoid this at all costs' list to their reccomended list is highly commendable.

 

Look, you got rid of your VW just before it "matured".

And buy matured, I mean started to develop tons of problems.



VW makes cars that are fine when under warranty, but I think it's a mistake to buy a VW and keep it past the warranty period. Hell, I had much more faith in my old 1984 Porsche 911 with over 140k miles than I did in my 2001 Cabrio with under 75k miles. Two totally different vehicles, but there's something to be said for be able to trust a 20 year old car more than a 5-6 year old one.

As for Audis, I'd say they're overpriced given the underlying platform. VWs are a much bigger bargain, and that's why they made the interior in them less nice than they used to be. While I really enjoyed driving around in the old A4's circa the early 2000's, there's no way they were worth that much more than the VWs of the time.

 

well you said it yourself, obviously VW realized that it wasn't worth more than a VW of that time period either. Though its still obvious that audi's interior was improved EVEN FURTHER than they were at that time too.

No one calls out honda for making acura's nicer. But that fact doesn't make an accords interior suck.

VW's interiors are still the best money can buy in the segment.

 

True VW interior is the best money can buy....plus the added fact that it felt luxurious yet sporty at the same time! The only complaint I had as stated earlier was the pricing on parts after warranty.
I owned two previous VW's a GTI 04' and a JETTA 00' both were great rides but the little things went wrong like the latch on the glove box on both cars broke. The latch for the armrest on both cars broke plus both cruise controls were shot out!! These small issues add up and finally I had it. I do not think they make good daily drivers.....they are nice for weekend cruises! Other then those issues they are nice looking cars but overpriced.

GD3blaze07':)

 

my rabbit was a fantastic daily driver, but yeah, parts especially after warranty. But i would harldy call a nice interiored and many options included base price of just over 15k rabbit 'over priced'.

Even the jetta decked out is not that much more than a nav/leather civic ex.

 

I rode in my friend's Audi A4 2.0T with CVT -- ooh the CVT is nice. I wonder if they will make a Rabbit with 2.0T and CVT?

 

that would be cool! but the rabbit and every other vw right now is too heavy to feel peppy with a N/A 2.0. (hence the 2.5.)

right now they have a really nice tiptronic SIX speed auto, so i think that'd be enough for now.

 

I think we need to take a step back and think for a second that we are comparing 2 cars in different classes. The fact that the Fit is even in this comparison speaks volumes.

Would you compare a rabbit to an accent? No because it wouldn't be fair to the accent. It seems like a fair comparison with a fit only because it is built so well and is able to do a lot of different things very well. It gives you the feeling that you are in a bigger and higher class car than you actually are.

Or is it the other way around? The Rabbit is so bad in it's class we have to compare it to a b segment sub compact to make it sound appealing?

 

2 things: yes the fact that we are comparing a b segment car to the rabbit does speak volumes.

the second thing is the REASON why we are comparing. well one, its a hatchback and 2, the rabbits base price is very very near what a fit sport goes for.

People have compared the mazda 3 hatch and civics to the fit, does that make them terrible too? Of course not. but none of them offer a base version that is amazingly well equipped for less than 17k.

trust me, even going to a car as sturdy and well rounded as the fit, leaving my rabbit i knew i was taking a step down. I'm just used to it now.

 

So if we are comparing the Fit Sport with the rabbit because of the price we should completely forget about the GTI and should focus on the entry level Rabbit.

That is an arguement that has been going on for many years. Buy the top model in a lesser class or the base model of a higher class.

I personnally think that over time having more features in a car makes it more enjoyable unless you are buying the car strictly based on the overall room needed and the bigger featureless car meets your needs better.

 

someone cross shopping a hatchback that is affordable probably wouldn't look into the gti, as it requires premium fuel and costs significantly more.

a lot of people choose a body style and see what fits into their budget. I'm not comparing the fit sport to the rabbit to make a better case for the rabbit...man that doesn't even make sense! that would make it seem like i had it out for the rabbit.

Maybe if i was comparing a decked out rabbit to a base stripper fit, but i'm not even doing that!

Besides, most people wouldn't approach that situation in such a manner. I doubt a lot of civic or rabbit shoppers seriously consider the gti or the si because they probably weren't out for that in the first place. and those cars offer real performance over their base counterparts...our fit sports just give us lower profile tires and a body kit a-la corolla s. (ofcourse, its not as weird looking and it does so tastefully.)


as far as buying for features go, that would still hold truer in the rabbit if thats what you are looking for.

it has bigger tires, comes with a type of traction control standard, has an 8 speaker stereo, has a 6 speed auto tranny and has a lot of the conviniences such as a dead pedal, telescoping wheel and a passenger visor that the fit makes you do without.

that said, at that price, you are only getting a 2 door rabbit that gets worse gas mileage (at the expense of great acceleration) and could potentially be more unreliable than the fit.

 

lol, I said 2.0T where the T is turbo and 200HP. They don't ship a n/a 2.0L any more. snicker snicker

 

ah, my bad, i didn't see the all important 'T'.:D


it sounds like an interesting choice, though i'd rather see the rabbit offer the new 2.0TDI. That would pretty much be the end all for gas mileage and address the rabbits biggest weakness. (and it pumps out even more tq than the gti!)

VW had a 2.0T jetta when the MKV's came out...but it was so close to the price of a GLI, and only really offered bigger wheels over the base jetta (but without the GLI's suspension tuning) so VW stopped offering it, because most would rather do with a GLI.

I don't think they'd make that move with the rabbit though. Itd be great, because it weighs less than the gti, but i can't see it happening.:(

I did read on wikipedia though, that the engine mounts on all the mkV's are exactly the same and that engine swaps can be performed fairly easily.

But finding a 2.0T is much harder work and more expensive than finding a b16.;)

 

I don't yet own a Fit, but I can address some of the things said about VW here.

First, the dealership network really sucks. They try to charge for warranty work, don't do stuff they're supposed to do, and seem clueless compared to a knowledgeable owner.

HOWEVER, not all VW's are lemons as implied. My 2001 VW Golf GL (2-dr) TDI (turbodiesel) 5-speed has, as of this writing, over 347,800 miles on it. I have yet to see a CEL, I'm still running on the original clutch, turbo, injection pump, and just about everything else. Only timing belt related stuff, and the battery, have been replaced. It runs like new, drives like new, looks like new with good paint, no fading or chipping or anything else wrong. The interior has no rips or wear marks or any problems that I haven't caused myself (soda spills, stains, etc). It burns NO oil, still gets over 48mpg in everyday use, and I can go over 700 miles between fillups.

I will add that the German and Brazilian built cars (2-dr Golf TDI's like mine are built in Brazil and Germany, 4-dr Golfs and Jettas are built in Mexico) are much better than the Mexican built ones. Also, for the record, Golfs and Jettas are virtually identical cars from the front seats forward. Same platform, wheelbase, etc. You can even swap the front sheetmetal to produce a "Jolf" or a "Getta" in a couple of hours.

That said, VW's, especially the diesels, aren't for people who just put gas in their cars and go. It helps to learn about any car through forums like this one. There are lots of common problems that a particular brand of car has, and workarounds to prevent those problems that the dealer won't tell you about. Many, many of the problems I've read about VW's are either directly the driver's fault, or could have been prevented with 10 minutes and a couple of bucks.

I sure wish Honda would fit a small turbodiesel into a Fit. I'd buy it in a minute!

 

excellent post. every VW hater seems to think that his story about the guy at work with the unreliable VW is the end all to determining their reliability.

I will further attest to the built in Wolfsburg theory, although it is interesting to note that it is in fact the jetta (which is currently built in mexico) that just got CR's reccomended rating and not the German made GTI. (But it seems to be an issue of engine reliablity, not where they are built. the 2.5, while a bit thirsty, has proven much more reliable.)


i can't even remember the last time i've seen a tdi 2 door golf! they hold their value incredibly well. I'd love a diesel in the fit, or even the current gen rabbit.

 

Good post K5ING. For what it's worth, our Mexican built 06 Jetta has been a great, reliable car. It has been very solid with no significant issues at all.

I guess we're also lucky that the dealer we have has been great to deal with.

I'm happy to have a VW and a Fit in the driveway :D

 

good to hear!

the dealer i bought my rabbit from was nice...but no so much the one i got it serivced at. they werent terrible, just not outstanding.(i work in customer service, so i scrutinze a litte more than most.)

we had no issues either, and i wish we could have both cars!