Re: New VW slogan: "Are you ready to put up with it?" -Reply

[James Flowerdew <endovu@nlis.net>]

Kevin,

	I don't think your Scirocco experience is indicative of VW ownership or
routine maintenance.  Remember that when you got your Scirocco it was 9
years old.  Up to the day you bought it was under the care (or lack of) of
another owner.  I just sold my '88 Jetta GLI (sad to see it go) which, for
the past 6 years, had been very reliable.  My car was a salvage vehicle and
the only out of ordinary problem was a window regulator and some electric
window switches.  When I sold my car it had 133500 miles and was still
running very smooth.  I did have a significant number of things wear out
between 120000 and 130000 miles, but most of those things were items which
far out lasted their predicted life.  Of note, some of my recent repairs
were primarily due to poor quality mechanic work (he did not tension the
timining belt properly), not the fault of the VW parts of design.  It is
important to have a good mechanic who has the special VW tools.   My
brother bought a 1991 Honda Prelude in '96 and he has had nothing but
problems.  He has replaced the entire transmission and engine just to name
a few.

The point of all my babble is that a car's reliability is largely dependent
on the way it is treated and maintained, both by current and previous
owner.  If you are buying a new car than you control its destiny.  If you
are buying used, test drive as many as you can.  I would not be scared away
from buying a VW because of your Scirocco problems.  Keep in mind that when
someone has a bad experience they tell 10 people, when they have a good
experience they tell 2.  Best of luck.

- - James


>Phillip/All:
>
>	I figured I might as well get my 2c in since I'm looking into
>buying a new car and am torn between VW and Honda.  I own an '86 Scirocco.
>It's awesome to drive, goes like hell can beat most 4 bangers out there :)
>I bought the car 3 yrs ago, put 100000kms on it (I'm in Canada) but have
>had trouble with it every other month.  So far it's cost me Cdn$ 5500 to
>fix: All belts, Engine Seals, oilpan gaskit, Transmission seals, hoses,
>shift linkages, A/C compressor, thermostat, engine mount,a couple of wheel
>bearings, fuel pump, transfer pump, manifold and head gaskit.  Altho I
>love driving the car I cannot afford to buy a new car and pump $ into it
>at that rate.  Everyone mentions "routine maintenance"...  I hope that
>isn't all the stuff I mentioned above...
>
>	In Toronto the Prelude & the GTI VR6 are about the same price and
>they drive pretty much the same (IMO) (GTI's a little more solid).. I'm
>having a hard time making up my mind, if VW hadn't to drop their warranty
>from 3/60 to 3/40 I'd buy a GTI VR6, no questions asked... 
>
>my 2c,
>
>Kevin.
>
>