I love old Volkswagens but my next car is going to be a Mazda. Even though Ford is the parent company, they're still excellent cars. They have the reliability of Toyota with the fun-to-drive and styling uniqueness of VW.
While Toyota makes un undeniably good car, they seem to lack that special something. Except for the Supra. The Camry is the number one selling car in the US, by the way.
Hondas are excellent cars but too common and not as reliable as some might say.
Volkswagens warm my heart and tickle my soul. Every one I've ever driven has been fun to drive and all of them are beautiful. Plus the old ones are pretty easy to maintain and repair. Can anyone here argue with that?
Hmmmm... average 6.19 years per VW, 11.5 years per Toyota.
Apart from all that, I define Euro Cars (and we have three of them: Volvo, Saab, VW) as not being "user-friendly" in terms of maintenance. They are fussy and sensitive to neglect, require scrupulous attention, care and feeding - but if so-pampered have a nearly indefinite service- life.
It is a funny thing - even a piece of Detroit or Korean Iron will do pretty much the same thing with pretty much the same sort of care. But that sort of care is antithetical to our "modern" throw-away society and more-so with individuals who over-buy cars (and everything else) so that their monthly payments wipe out their ability to maintain properly. And car manufacturers understand this and so give "Free" (it isn't) maintenance packages, increase intervals between oil-changes and so forth.
Things are slowly changing for the better (in all opinions except car makers) this way as the probably permanently revised world economy will have people keeping their cars past the end of the payment book. Accordingly more attention *will* be paid to care-and-feeding in pure self-defense.
Keep in mind that a car that is paid-for and averages 20mpg is massively cheaper than a new $25,000 car that gets 40mpg.
At typical rates, that car will cost ~$535/month for five (5) years. Assume that it wil require NO owner-paid maintenance for that entire five years. Assume the median price of gasoline at $4/gallon for those five years. Assume 40mpg overall and assume 15,000 driven miles per year. Assume a five (5) year loan at industry standard interest rates.
Cost for that vehicle (Gas & Payment ONLY) will be $7920/year. At the end of five years, you will have a five year old car with 75,000 miles on it and nothing in your pocket.
For the existing vehicle: Assume $2000 annually for maintenance. Assume 20mpg overall and 15,000 driven miles per year.
Cost for that vehicle (Gas and Maintenance) will be $5,000 per year. Note that even if the maintenance doubles, the existing car is a better investment - as at the end of the payment book the new car is pretty much worthless in trade but still perfectly serviceable, as is the used car - which cannot get any less valuable after a certain point.
Invest the $2,970 savings/year at-interest (say.... 2.5%) for those same five years. You will have $15,800.37 at the end of that five years. And you will still have a car with no car payment. Even if that car has 150,000 miles on it.
And we are not even addressing the higher cost of insurance for a new car (and required collision insurance if one chooses to live on the edge).
It is this sort of math that gives car makers and dealers fits.
Now, I would not drive around the block in a vehicle not equipped with air-bags, anti-lock brakes and other very basic safety items and devices, nor would I let anyone in the family do so. My job requires that I have an AWD vehicle with decent ground-clearance and minimal (but frequent) off-road/very rough road capacity. But after those sorts of basic requirements a 4 year old car is as good as a 7 year old car is as good as a 9 year old car. And as they are all paid-for and all operate in the mid-20s+ average mpg overall, I am not "Hot for a Hybrid" at this time.
And this sort of attitude that increases the frequency of those fits.
The first VW 66 beetle had flapping fenders, holes in floorboard dropped exhaust valve. Good project for high school kid. Sold that a year later. Second was a 67 beetle. I had that for 7 or 8 years and added a 100,000 miles to it. Maybe a 150,000 miles. The 66 Squareback was a high school buddy's car that brother bought. Then Dad bought. Then another brother bought. I just did body work and paint along with mechanicals. 80 Rabbit lasted 9 years before I totalled it. 84 gti last 9 years before I sold it. 78 Toyota lasted 12 years before it rusted out. It was totalled twice before I bought it. Still have the bought new 87 Toyota. Still have the new 2003 Jetta. Forgot the 70 Nova for $100 I used one winter. Different brother used it for another
10 years.
So the $10,000 Toyota at average of 20 mpg and 20 years with a few thousand dollars in maintenance. The $20,000 Jetta coming up on 6 years, 47 mpg, two timing belts at $350 each and a set of rear brakes. So the only debate now would be getting rid of the tin can Toyota for one with air bags. But driving less than 3,000 miles a year with that vehicle there is little sense in getting something newer with air bags unless of course I get in a crash then I might miss the air bags. So far only the Toyota and the Jetta have been new cars. Cost per year for the new vehicles is not so bad when you try to keep them 10 years or more.
The cars not bought new were kind of expensive ranging from $100 up to a few thousand for the 80 Rabbit. Most were less than $500 before restore or repair projects started. You add paint, struts, shocks, clutches, valve jobs, ... and it adds up to less than new car expenses.
What was the po>>> Well I have done the second timing belt on my TDI which now has
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