Volkswagen personality

You make a very good argument for going with the VW. Thank you.

personality.

passengers,

Rob Guenther wrote: : Well it's not what everyone else thinks, it's what the select few who know : what you have think, and what you think. When I see an old Golf or Jetta, : with the right looking person inside (not that scary old man who refuses to : buy a new car... but a person you can tell bought the car for the sole : purpose of having that car) there is always a grin on their face, and when : we pass each other there tends to usually be a nod or a more exaggerated : smile then what we currently have.

Oooh, before I get catogorized as a scary old man, in addition to the

83 Porsche and 86 GTI, I also have a 2001 Ford 350 (in fact, in tonites sleet storm, I drove the 350... antilock brakes and such more metal to bounce off stuff with).

In 1986 I looked at a new Ford Aerostar and 86 Golf. Was very impressed with the Golf, but my wife was pregnant with child#3 and I knew which way I had to go. It only took me 15 years to get that car...

Stranded by electrical. I have driven VWs since 1977. My 66 Beetle I push started a lot and even in the winter with snow on the ground it started easy enough. My 66 Squareback stranded me with a charging problem. I pushed the brushes in and out of their brush holder a few times and the car kept charging until we sold it a few years later. My

67 Beetle stranded me when the generator seized. But it had been rumbling for weeks and I did not figure out what the noise was. Changing an generator on the side of the road was fun. The 80 Rabbit has the high voltage coil wire burn up I guess due to a corroded contact. It also left me stranded when the brushes on the alternator wore out and I did not replace them soon enough. The 84 GTI never stranded me. The 2003 TDI wagon popped a AC fuse which the dealer replaced when the replaced the resistor pack. I have driven over 500,000 miles between the 67, the 80 and the 84 and while I have heard of electrical problems most of the issues where caused by lack of preventive ma>>

Jim B.

errr... Actually yes (though weren't half of those voluntary rather than due to failure?)

I've owned (amongst other vehicles)

Golf GL 1990 (purchased new) Wrecked at 60kmi with only minor wear parts to get there

Golf GTI 1986 Bought from original owner at 125kmi with all receipts (only minor wear stuff up to that point). Starter at 135kmi, 1 CV joint at

140kmi, blew a head gasket at 150kmi, muffler rusted through at 155kmi, sold at 165kmi (still had original clutch, and I did a lot of AutoX racing). Sold the car 8 years after I purchased it for $300 less than I originally paid for it.

1992 Toyota Camry (purchased new) In 150kmi: 3 clutches 1 door lock 1 door lock mechanism 1 ignition switch 1 wiper switch 1 air-conditioner compressor (opted not to fix, major $$$) Top end rebuild at 120kmi (valve issue) numerous little engine problems All parts for these repairs cost %20-%50 more than equivalent parts for the VWs. In spite of the car being in excellent condition, I could not get a reasonable offer on it. Turned out I got more money out of it by donating to charity and writing it off at market value (even though the market offered no buyers)

None the less, all of these cars left me feeling they were highly reliable, good cars. I just like the VWs better.

I don't factor in brakes pads/rotors/tires/shocks/struts, as these are all normal wear items that seem to occur at about the same intervals regardless of vehicle.

Scott

That's interesting, considering that there has never been a turbo Saturn. ;-)

-- Mike Smith