Fact Or Fiction? Volkswagen Repeats as Best Full-Line Corporation in Strategic Vision Study

I think that, in Europe, yes, VW is the best automotive corporation. But even I can admit that in the US, in which Volkswagens are built in Mexico, they need to step it up with the reliability issues. It's the ONLY THING holding them back. They make great cars with attractive styling, fantastic engines and well-built interiors. But when you're looking for relatively low-cost transportation, it needs to work, all the time. I'm not saying VWs break down all the time, but they have electonric problems and can be quite annoying.

i was going to say the same thing too about VW (S4). i hate their fanboys though. they think theyre bad ass with their VW

I tend to agree - but I'll go one step further. I think that if their reliability was very good - the price they are sold at now wouldn't be a deterrent at all. For their price they are fun to drive and they are comfortable. Also they are safe vehicles. Their is only one reason I wouldn't buy one - and that is the reliability.

S4Cabrio: for the US only the Rabbit/Jetta/New Beetle are assembled in Mexico. The GTI, Passat, Touareg and Eos are built in Germany. Being that the Rabbit is assembled in Mexico and scored at the top of it's class in the JD Power survey goes against your theory that the assembled in Mexico products are holding VW back. It's interesting to note that in Europe, the JD Powers owners surveys and even those conducted by Germany's ADAC rate VW's as average or below average.

Eos is built in Portugal; some of the VW models were built in Brussels.

No question that European-built cars have good build quality overall -- most reliability problems with European cars have been electrical in nature, which makes diagnosis difficult and repair often very expensive. But then, these electrical gadgets aren't offered in basic cars, so comparing the reliability of a complex car laden with gadgets to the reliability of a simple one with many fewer parts is like comparing apples and oranges.

VWs built in Mexico and Brazil (4th generation Golf, Jetta) had quite a few mechanical glitches in addition to the occasional electrical problem. Luckily VW has made great improvements in the last several years, so consumer reports hopefully will reflect it.

I would not hesitate to buy a European-built VW -- they are solid, well-designed cars. The only problem today is the exchange rate, which makes all european products comparatively more expensive than asian or domestic products

Eos is built in Portugal; some of the VW models were built in Brussels.

No question that European-built cars have good build quality overall -- most reliability problems with European cars have been electrical in nature, which makes diagnosis difficult and repair often very expensive. But then, these electrical gadgets aren't offered in basic cars, so comparing the reliability of a complex car laden with gadgets to the reliability of a simple one with many fewer parts is like comparing apples and oranges.

VWs built in Mexico and Brazil (4th generation Golf, Jetta) had quite a few mechanical glitches in addition to the occasional electrical problem. Luckily VW has made great improvements in the last several years, so consumer reports hopefully will reflect it.

I would not hesitate to buy a European-built VW -- they are solid, well-designed cars. The only problem today is the exchange rate, which makes all european products comparatively more expensive than asian or domestic products

Onre more thought - if you are referring to JD Power's initial quality surveys, then it means little.

Here's why:

(warning for posers: i am going to share facts, not emotions and flames, so if you're just here to argue, then go elsewhere)

1) electrical shorts often take time to develop -- these are caused often when wiring harnesses are carelessly yanked into the vehicle, damaging wire shielding or kinking the wires on installation.

2) mechanical fasteners that are improperly installed, typically via inadequate torque, can work loose over time. This results in squeaks and rattles later, not necessarily from day one. This doesn't mean the car was poorly designed.

3) Parts suppliers have the biggest impact on statistical vehicle quality, because recall or service bulletins identify exactly the number of vehicles affected. VW had well-documented ignition module problems in the early 1990's, but Toyota too has had its share of recalls.

The biggest difference in quality *perception*, it seems to me, is how the dealer takes care of the customer. If a repair is handled poorly, then often new problems are generated, along with a lot of customer resentment for the brand. Toyota has one of the best dealer networks in the world, which is admirable. VW unfortunately has quite a few less-than-stellar dealers. If you buy a well-built VW from a good dealer, then you're probably as happy as any Toyota owner.

fanboys on this site -- SoCaL, etc, don't seem capable of realizing this. Different car models and manufacturers can make very good cars as well as some less-than-stellar cars. Stereotyping by brand or country of origin is a sign of stupidity, because engineering and parts suppliers are global.

Finally, it comes down to the customer what a "problem" is. Just because another car owner thinks there is a flaw doesn't necessarily mean you or I will agree. Some cars are better than Consumer Reports claims, and some are worse. Those of us who like to race our vehicles (SCCA) tend to find what works and what doesn't very quickly. If you visit your local track, you will see who's pouring money into repairs and who isn't.

but the rest are unreilable. we ownd a passat with multiple problems including electronic malfunctions, trunk not closing, all that in 3 yrs. i'd have a Honda over most/some of them. they dont offer RWD. the GTI and r32 are ok and thts it.

Children, behave!

You make a good point. Hopefully Porsche will implement some changes at the factories VW uses. I know that is part of their partnership. Realistically though - ALL of the European car manufactures are at a disadvantage because of exchange rates. People don't realize how big that is. Mercedes was in that same situation with it's suppliers because it's so hard to make a profit overseas when your currency causes your product to cost so much more.

our passat went to 80000mi to have this occured, sry 9 yrs, i was half asleep saying that.

ive heard of consumer reports but i never read it.

avanti5010, if they are such junk, why have you purchased so many of them???