Why are VWs so overpriced?

You mean like the Passat, which is the industry leader in resale value in its class?

- D.

You can buy a new Corolla for 11,500, and it's a really well put together vehicle, with better 1/4 mile than the 1.8 OHC golf and jetta. Similarly, Honda makes the 12,000 $ civic, Nissan has the Sentra. Hell, you can buy a Camry LE for under 17,000. I would prefer a vw, but i refuse to pay 16,500 for a stripped down golf. Why VW never replaced the Fox in their lineup is a mystery. Just like the American car co's, apparantly they haven't figured out how to make a profit on a good entry level car.

It is instructional to compare entry level offerings from the various co's. Chrysler and GM offer nothing worth buying for less than 15K. Only Ford among the American co's offer a decent sub-13K car -- the Focus. I think that VW is trying to reposition themselves a a European status co. Big mistake, imo.

Lee '91 Fox

Regards, Lee ( snipped-for-privacy@sonic.net)

NTReader v0.36w(O)/Beta (UNREGISTERED) in conjunction with Net-Tamer.

Germany's inability to become more efficient tends to keep their prices up, too. (their unemployment is current around 12%)

That does NOT make them identical... they are similar, but the Audi is clearly a nicer car.

From a mechanical standpoint, they are identical.

It sure doesn't, especially because the Passat is on the A6 platform, not the A4.

The Passat is not on the A6 Platform.

The Passat and Audi A4 are mechanical twins. They share identical engineering and are regarded as being so.

industrialized

Apparantly that's not enough... that's why the German economy is in trouble.

Yes, I am :-)

Well, IIRC the rear suspension is only the same if you get the Passat with 4Motion (which in the Passat is the same as Audi's Quattro).

-- Mike Smith

You're wrong.

The dimensions of the Passat are much closer to the A6 than the A4.

Length does not a platform make. They did use to share the same platform until the latest (upcoming) Passat, although the Passat was longer.

They also often share the same engines and transmissions, and myriad other parts. In the AWD model, the Passat even shares the rear suspension.

This all will change with the new Passat, which is more similar to the Golf platform, and will once again take the transverse mounted engines (like the VR6, rather than the V6).

- D.

HA!!!

suspension.

You can read some details here:

or, for a short, english version:

The history of the B5 Passat and its relation to the A4 and A6 is briefly summarized here:

- D.

Polo would be nice, but the Lupo would be super-cool.

...Sean.

Yeah, I like the thin sheet metal, broken interior pieces, clanging strut bushings, collapsing windows, onion skin paint job, Faulty MAF sensors, squeaking door posts, and squawking doors.