Winter here is a mess. Along this stretch of U.S. 40 in Indiana, winter thaws in the day time and freezes in the night time. So, between midnight and noon, we can fall on our ice.
The wondrous thing about having a car from Germany or Sweden is that they think about those things.
Saab and Volvo probably had bun warmers (heated seats) in the early 1970s in the 99 and the 240 series of cars, respectively. Perhaps, the high end Mercedes-Benz cars had them also. The BMW 2800 and Audi 100 of the time seemed more utilitarian.
I've made use of the bun warmers a few times already. I also have heated mirrors, and I suspect I have the heated windscreen washer nozzles, also. That's a lot of bad weather fighting technology. Friday night, I had plenty of ice all over the car, as it had been raining before a good (is it really good, or hard? it's just a) freeze.
In any case, I've been glad to have a German car that is set to handle harsh weather. Japanese cars rarely do that well, probably because Japanese people are generally not driving in miserable weather. Subaru would be the notable exception here with all-wheel drive, etc. but before that, they weren't all that great, either. It used to be that German air conditioning was horrible, of course.
I was somewhat surprised when I first used the bun warmers. It was something like 12 degrees F outside and I'm unhappy with anything less than 50 degrees F, due to frostbite, and my general nature, I suppose. I didn't realise that it had 3 levels of toastiness and it selects the highest level at first. You must push the button more to decrease the heat. Suddenly, down the road it was becoming uncomfortably warm. It didn't melt my cards or anything but it was toasty.
As I tried the defroster/deicer, I noticed that it turns on the air conditioning, which is something I'd been doing during Florida's summer afternoon rains because of the humidity. I was glad to see similar thinking went into the process, as having water dripping inside the cabin is not a good idea. I still remember in the 1960s how my parents would retrieve a handkerchief to wipe the inside of the windscreen to handle the moisture.
I still haven't seen the light indicating that the mirror heaters are working, so I wonder what extremes they need to operate. As a random though, I wonder what ever happened to the headlight washers and wipers.
The skid (electronic stability) control is a great addition and seemed a minor extension of ABS that wasn't implemented soon enough. I haven't seen it work on this car yet but I was using a Toyota Corolla rental car and it activated on some ice and it helped. I think the Golf TDI is so stable that it hasn't been useful quite yet.
As it's only been about 3 weeks, I haven't tried the limits on snow or ice, but somehow, I figure it will fail just as easily as any other car in those conditions. It might be fun to try a few things in a deserted parking lot, though.
Update 2013.11.09: It's about that time again. The temperature has dropped below freezing a few times already. Yesterday when I started the car, I needed to scrape the ice from the windows and had the heat going. I suspect this will be a better car to survive winter, but ice is still ice, and this area has a terrible snow-thaw-freeze cycle that consistently puts ice on the road day after day.
Showing posts with label Subaru. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Subaru. Show all posts
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Thursday, January 31, 2013
The fifth Volkswagen -- Golf TDI
It was with a bit of trepidation that I chose a new VW.
I've had four previously:
1985 (Golf) GTI
1986 (Golf) GTI
1990 Corrado
1999 Golf GLS
Each have had a wide array of entertaining problems.
The 1985 had vapour lock every summer, as though it was not ready for the gasoline/petrol sold in the U.S.A. Then, there was the clutch problem, and the pathetic Goodyear tires. One of the allow wheels was bent by a pothole.
The 1986 seemed to be unfinished as apparently someone working in the Pennsylvania assembly plant forgot to weld something, which ruined one of my cameras with water damage. All 4 disc rotors wore out in 30,000 miles. Another allow wheel bent on this one.
The 1990 had problems with the clutch, but overall, it was consistently good, until someone ran into it and made it impossible to use again. Within the first few weeks of owning it, a pothole bent one of the extremely light allow wheels, and I ended up switching to something more durable but detrimental to the light and lithe feeling of the car.
The 1999 was a much more conservative choice--no sport anything. I spent 30+ visits to the dealership while waiting for the window regulator clips to be replaced. The windows would not return to the closed position in the darker (black, dark blue, dark green) cars. The door trip loosened early and the electricals were faulty all along. The security system would suddenly decide with the door open that the car was locked and secured and the alarm would be activated. Of course, since it couldn't tell whether the door was open or closed, interior lights did not work properly. In order to see on arrival, I sometimes, turned on a light and forgot to turn it off, leaving the battery in trouble. The alarm for the headlights didn't work, and of course, the daytime running lights needed to be replaced frequently but only one side was easily accessible. Later in life, all sorts of problems arose, but it's not unusual at that point.
So, as a fifth VW was (barely) on my list of cars to buy, I had major doubts about another. In fact, the Subaru Impreza Sport had the top spot. What changed everything for me was the emissions control compliance and the ability to register the car in California. I was holding the 1999 Golf too long for that same reason. Who cares if I lose a US$500 car but who could trade a US$22,000 car so easily? What is the environmental impact? Is a clean diesel the best alternative? I believe it is. The ULEV II compliance means a lot to me. You'd think that hybrid vehicles would be a better match for the environment, but the environmental impact of the batteries is a huge drawback. Had it been a diesel hybrid with 75 mpg tops, instead of 42, I think it wouldn't be a difficult decision at all.
After the first 2.5 days, I feel that I made a good choice, thankfully. I'm still not quite at home with it, but it's still a bit foreign. I've never bought a vehicle with an automatic transmission, though I've driven one occasionally. This one incorporates their ecological idealism (Think Blue) and the feeling at 1500 rpm isn't 100 % comfortable, even though the engine has plenty of power. Given the winter weather, I'm not likely to push the car much.
I'm surprised at how much wider the car feels and overall, it feels more grown up. I would say that it feels like the Corrado but it doesn't have that light feeling to it and it's probably because of the electrically-powered steering and the extra 300 pounds. You can also thank the winter weather for somewhat dampening my desire to try the car's capabilities. The salesperson mentioned that it shares the platform with certain Audi vehicles, and it's not surprising and that's nothing new. It feels more upscale than the Golf GLS I had, even though the equipment would probably be similar with a similar age.
Of course, the look is completely the same while being almost completely different in the details. e.g., the bonnet/hood is almost difficult to see at all. Looking through the side mirrors, the back seems much taller and the contours more angular, like the Corrado. I believe the amber turn signals are gone from the rear of the car and the mirrors now have integrated turn signal lamps now.
Is it better? I hope so, but a couple of days won't reveal much. I don't even know the fuel consumption yet. The car started with over 5000 miles, so it is past the break-in period, yet they want me back in 45 days.
Update: It's not been a week yet, and I took a short trip for some shopping--about 90 miles round trip--and the car seems amazing. I suppose it's just that I'm becoming accustomed to it and getting things set for me. I'm amused at the instant fuel economy display. I'll take my foot off the pedal and it will read "---" but the slightest pressure will show 200 mpg. Travelling down I-70 into a valley, it was displaying about 75 mpg but on the way back up, it was only displaying around 25 mpg. It's a bit amusing that I played VW's Think Blue game where you try to drive smoothly and make the most of your fuel. Now, that game seems to be reality with this car.
The electrically-operated steering is growing on me but the all-season tires are not so handy with snow and slush on the ground, compared to the snow tires on my previous car. I don't really care for Continental brand tires, anyway. I prefer Dunlop brand. Last weekend, I was photographing a couple of basketball games and the bun warmers (heated seats) were great, given that it was around 11 degrees F outside. I only dislike the placement on the switches, as it's difficult to see the position of the heat/air conditioning distribution dial since the little icons are hidden. Acclimation will help. The sound system seems okay, but unintuitive. In fact, a lot of things seem less Volkswagen than in the past. They're trying to sell to Americans, I suppose, and just like the Chinese restaurant owner told me "we have to make it that way or they won't accept it".
Update 2017.01.06: For over a year, the company has been in court over cheating on their diesel emissions output. Apparently, the real life results are much higher. My car went back to the company December 17, 2016, and several days later, I got money for it, and bought a Hyundai made for California. So endeth my time with Volkswagen.
I've had four previously:
1985 (Golf) GTI
1986 (Golf) GTI
1990 Corrado
1999 Golf GLS
Each have had a wide array of entertaining problems.
The 1985 had vapour lock every summer, as though it was not ready for the gasoline/petrol sold in the U.S.A. Then, there was the clutch problem, and the pathetic Goodyear tires. One of the allow wheels was bent by a pothole.
The 1986 seemed to be unfinished as apparently someone working in the Pennsylvania assembly plant forgot to weld something, which ruined one of my cameras with water damage. All 4 disc rotors wore out in 30,000 miles. Another allow wheel bent on this one.
The 1990 had problems with the clutch, but overall, it was consistently good, until someone ran into it and made it impossible to use again. Within the first few weeks of owning it, a pothole bent one of the extremely light allow wheels, and I ended up switching to something more durable but detrimental to the light and lithe feeling of the car.
The 1999 was a much more conservative choice--no sport anything. I spent 30+ visits to the dealership while waiting for the window regulator clips to be replaced. The windows would not return to the closed position in the darker (black, dark blue, dark green) cars. The door trip loosened early and the electricals were faulty all along. The security system would suddenly decide with the door open that the car was locked and secured and the alarm would be activated. Of course, since it couldn't tell whether the door was open or closed, interior lights did not work properly. In order to see on arrival, I sometimes, turned on a light and forgot to turn it off, leaving the battery in trouble. The alarm for the headlights didn't work, and of course, the daytime running lights needed to be replaced frequently but only one side was easily accessible. Later in life, all sorts of problems arose, but it's not unusual at that point.
So, as a fifth VW was (barely) on my list of cars to buy, I had major doubts about another. In fact, the Subaru Impreza Sport had the top spot. What changed everything for me was the emissions control compliance and the ability to register the car in California. I was holding the 1999 Golf too long for that same reason. Who cares if I lose a US$500 car but who could trade a US$22,000 car so easily? What is the environmental impact? Is a clean diesel the best alternative? I believe it is. The ULEV II compliance means a lot to me. You'd think that hybrid vehicles would be a better match for the environment, but the environmental impact of the batteries is a huge drawback. Had it been a diesel hybrid with 75 mpg tops, instead of 42, I think it wouldn't be a difficult decision at all.
After the first 2.5 days, I feel that I made a good choice, thankfully. I'm still not quite at home with it, but it's still a bit foreign. I've never bought a vehicle with an automatic transmission, though I've driven one occasionally. This one incorporates their ecological idealism (Think Blue) and the feeling at 1500 rpm isn't 100 % comfortable, even though the engine has plenty of power. Given the winter weather, I'm not likely to push the car much.
I'm surprised at how much wider the car feels and overall, it feels more grown up. I would say that it feels like the Corrado but it doesn't have that light feeling to it and it's probably because of the electrically-powered steering and the extra 300 pounds. You can also thank the winter weather for somewhat dampening my desire to try the car's capabilities. The salesperson mentioned that it shares the platform with certain Audi vehicles, and it's not surprising and that's nothing new. It feels more upscale than the Golf GLS I had, even though the equipment would probably be similar with a similar age.
Of course, the look is completely the same while being almost completely different in the details. e.g., the bonnet/hood is almost difficult to see at all. Looking through the side mirrors, the back seems much taller and the contours more angular, like the Corrado. I believe the amber turn signals are gone from the rear of the car and the mirrors now have integrated turn signal lamps now.
Is it better? I hope so, but a couple of days won't reveal much. I don't even know the fuel consumption yet. The car started with over 5000 miles, so it is past the break-in period, yet they want me back in 45 days.
Update: It's not been a week yet, and I took a short trip for some shopping--about 90 miles round trip--and the car seems amazing. I suppose it's just that I'm becoming accustomed to it and getting things set for me. I'm amused at the instant fuel economy display. I'll take my foot off the pedal and it will read "---" but the slightest pressure will show 200 mpg. Travelling down I-70 into a valley, it was displaying about 75 mpg but on the way back up, it was only displaying around 25 mpg. It's a bit amusing that I played VW's Think Blue game where you try to drive smoothly and make the most of your fuel. Now, that game seems to be reality with this car.
The electrically-operated steering is growing on me but the all-season tires are not so handy with snow and slush on the ground, compared to the snow tires on my previous car. I don't really care for Continental brand tires, anyway. I prefer Dunlop brand. Last weekend, I was photographing a couple of basketball games and the bun warmers (heated seats) were great, given that it was around 11 degrees F outside. I only dislike the placement on the switches, as it's difficult to see the position of the heat/air conditioning distribution dial since the little icons are hidden. Acclimation will help. The sound system seems okay, but unintuitive. In fact, a lot of things seem less Volkswagen than in the past. They're trying to sell to Americans, I suppose, and just like the Chinese restaurant owner told me "we have to make it that way or they won't accept it".
Update 2017.01.06: For over a year, the company has been in court over cheating on their diesel emissions output. Apparently, the real life results are much higher. My car went back to the company December 17, 2016, and several days later, I got money for it, and bought a Hyundai made for California. So endeth my time with Volkswagen.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Buying a new car
2012 was a lousy year for my 1999 VW Golf GLS. A lot of things went wrong and needed repair and replacement. I've probably spent near $5000 with all the things that had to be handled. Since my mum's house sold, I have the money to do something all at once.
The latest problem happened in the last week where a plastic coolant junction broke. This reminds me of the stinking news that a Mr./Hr./Sr. Lopez was at VW for cost-cutting reasons. There was a huge clamour about it. It showed up in so many ways on my car, including the 30+ visits for the window regulator clips. It showed up in the armrest fabric that pulled away or the door sensor that doesn't know whether the driver's door is open or closed and when the security alarm decides to activate while the door is open. I was told that Lucas Electrics were used in the car, which is ridiculous since most cars built in the UK went to Bosch to get away from being stranded on the side of the road.
I've been considering cars from Suzuki, Mazda, Subaru, and mostly avoiding the thought of another Volkswagen. I have plenty of reasons to avoid VW but the worst was the person on the toll-free hotline who told me that there was no problem with the power window regulators. I was there for maybe the 14th time already and there were three other customers in the waiting room for the same problem, that apparently didn't exist.
The Suzuki SX4 Crossover AWD is quite nice. It's more of a wagon than an SUV/Crossover and the price is right. Unfortunately, Suzuki is to stop selling cars (but not SUVs) in the U.S.A.
The Mazda 3 has been on my list, more-or-less since I first had a Mazda RX-3 and drove my co-workers Mazda GLC/323. I liked the joy that seemed to come with the cars and the 3 is much sharper than either of those were. I only wish for a rotary engine getting 30 mpg in city driving, as well as one having low emissions.
Subaru's Legacy was on my list but the price continues to escalate. The Impreza seems more in my preferred range but it's big on the outside, small on the inside, like most Japanese cars.
Given my druthers, I'd prefer a Mazda 2/Toyota Yaris/Nissan Versa/Honda Fit-sized vehicle like my 1999 Golf GLS with 4-wheel disc brakes. They're not to be had, and from my experience driving in Florida's storms, I'd never again suffer drum brakes. Besides that, the cars really don't have that Volkswagen space efficiency and upscale feel.
Enter the VW Golf mk. VI (isn't it the 6th generation?), which is larger than the one I have, as two generations have passed, and it's about 300 pounds heavier which seems reasonable and fat. I hope they used more sound insulation. Despite what people say about the price of the Golf, it's a huge bargain. You get a lot for your money, especially in the upper models. Of course, the diesel version, TDI, has a substantial price premium, which you should be able to recover more quickly than with a hybrid.
Locally, the Mazda dealers seem to be jerks or clowns, playing games with the prices. I don't see anyone I feel I could trust. Obviously, when they have a lot of money for television-based advertising, it's coming out of your pocket. When they won't tell you their price, you're in for games, and you'd better play your part well or they will walk all over you.
The Subaru dealers seem to change their inventory very, very, very frequently. Given that it's winter and we just had a minor but not really minor snow, I suspect All-Wheel Drive is in demand, especially when you can get it in the low $20s. I suspect you can't order extras unless you order them through the parts department to be installed after your receive your new car.
I checked the web site for the VW dealer I already use and they had 2 Golf TDI models from 2012. Since they're last year's models, they're discounted. The manual is more expensive than the DSG Automatic. There should be an equipment difference but the web site is not properly informed. White cars with dirty snow (the manual) on them look horrible but I would think that red cars (the DSG Auto) would look almost equally bad, and be police bait.
After reading the review from a former Mazdaspeed 3 owner, I think there is no huge question but to buy one of the TDI models. My concerns about reliability seem to be unjustified, as this generation, introduced in 2010, seems to be better than my four generation model. Of course, the Subaru Impreza Sport Premium still looks a good option, but reviews call it rather utilitarian, instead of inspired. Plus, the ULEV II-compliance of the Golf TDI looks better than the PZEV-compliance of the Impreza.
I punted and drove both of the Golf TDI models. I've never owned a car with an automatic transmission and which car gave me the trouble--the manual. I killed it twice during the test drive. I couldn't get the seat in a great position. The automatic had over 5000 demonstrator miles but was sold as new with full warranty. I like refurbished electronics so it was perfect for me. I was so nervous, but I think it worked out well, and my bank was directly across the street--even the driveways met. I just hope people will leave it alone. I already had a few close calls.
The latest problem happened in the last week where a plastic coolant junction broke. This reminds me of the stinking news that a Mr./Hr./Sr. Lopez was at VW for cost-cutting reasons. There was a huge clamour about it. It showed up in so many ways on my car, including the 30+ visits for the window regulator clips. It showed up in the armrest fabric that pulled away or the door sensor that doesn't know whether the driver's door is open or closed and when the security alarm decides to activate while the door is open. I was told that Lucas Electrics were used in the car, which is ridiculous since most cars built in the UK went to Bosch to get away from being stranded on the side of the road.
I've been considering cars from Suzuki, Mazda, Subaru, and mostly avoiding the thought of another Volkswagen. I have plenty of reasons to avoid VW but the worst was the person on the toll-free hotline who told me that there was no problem with the power window regulators. I was there for maybe the 14th time already and there were three other customers in the waiting room for the same problem, that apparently didn't exist.
The Suzuki SX4 Crossover AWD is quite nice. It's more of a wagon than an SUV/Crossover and the price is right. Unfortunately, Suzuki is to stop selling cars (but not SUVs) in the U.S.A.
The Mazda 3 has been on my list, more-or-less since I first had a Mazda RX-3 and drove my co-workers Mazda GLC/323. I liked the joy that seemed to come with the cars and the 3 is much sharper than either of those were. I only wish for a rotary engine getting 30 mpg in city driving, as well as one having low emissions.
Subaru's Legacy was on my list but the price continues to escalate. The Impreza seems more in my preferred range but it's big on the outside, small on the inside, like most Japanese cars.
Given my druthers, I'd prefer a Mazda 2/Toyota Yaris/Nissan Versa/Honda Fit-sized vehicle like my 1999 Golf GLS with 4-wheel disc brakes. They're not to be had, and from my experience driving in Florida's storms, I'd never again suffer drum brakes. Besides that, the cars really don't have that Volkswagen space efficiency and upscale feel.
Enter the VW Golf mk. VI (isn't it the 6th generation?), which is larger than the one I have, as two generations have passed, and it's about 300 pounds heavier which seems reasonable and fat. I hope they used more sound insulation. Despite what people say about the price of the Golf, it's a huge bargain. You get a lot for your money, especially in the upper models. Of course, the diesel version, TDI, has a substantial price premium, which you should be able to recover more quickly than with a hybrid.
Locally, the Mazda dealers seem to be jerks or clowns, playing games with the prices. I don't see anyone I feel I could trust. Obviously, when they have a lot of money for television-based advertising, it's coming out of your pocket. When they won't tell you their price, you're in for games, and you'd better play your part well or they will walk all over you.
The Subaru dealers seem to change their inventory very, very, very frequently. Given that it's winter and we just had a minor but not really minor snow, I suspect All-Wheel Drive is in demand, especially when you can get it in the low $20s. I suspect you can't order extras unless you order them through the parts department to be installed after your receive your new car.
I checked the web site for the VW dealer I already use and they had 2 Golf TDI models from 2012. Since they're last year's models, they're discounted. The manual is more expensive than the DSG Automatic. There should be an equipment difference but the web site is not properly informed. White cars with dirty snow (the manual) on them look horrible but I would think that red cars (the DSG Auto) would look almost equally bad, and be police bait.
After reading the review from a former Mazdaspeed 3 owner, I think there is no huge question but to buy one of the TDI models. My concerns about reliability seem to be unjustified, as this generation, introduced in 2010, seems to be better than my four generation model. Of course, the Subaru Impreza Sport Premium still looks a good option, but reviews call it rather utilitarian, instead of inspired. Plus, the ULEV II-compliance of the Golf TDI looks better than the PZEV-compliance of the Impreza.
I punted and drove both of the Golf TDI models. I've never owned a car with an automatic transmission and which car gave me the trouble--the manual. I killed it twice during the test drive. I couldn't get the seat in a great position. The automatic had over 5000 demonstrator miles but was sold as new with full warranty. I like refurbished electronics so it was perfect for me. I was so nervous, but I think it worked out well, and my bank was directly across the street--even the driveways met. I just hope people will leave it alone. I already had a few close calls.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Volkswagen service
I'm on my fourth VW, a 1999 Golf GLS with just over 140,000 miles. It's been through the wringer, so to speak. I spent over 30 visits because the power window regulator clips failed and the window would not close. I have a new hatch in the back because of someone's carelessness when she ran into my car at a stop light. Inside, things just fell apart. Recently, the sunroof drains clogged and water was exiting through the door trim. The center armrest door fell apart. It continues.
On the 12th of November, I had the car serviced. I was late for a major service, which was at 120,000 miles. Many things needed to be handled. When I made the appointment, I had requested that the forward side marker light be repaired, as it had been hanging. King's VW of Loveland, Ohio missed the hanging light in their several walk-around inspections, but they noticed the missing radio antenna--a huge safety risk.
When the survey arrived and I completed it, the manager replied at how that side marker light had been repaired--as if they'd done exactly as they should have. If they had, it would have been repaired on my initial visit, instead of focusing on the missing radio antenna. I actually travel past another VW dealer to go there because the closer one is not as highly rated. If haphazard care is what you get, why not go to the closer one, unless they really don't care about anything?
On the 17th of November, I was with friends in the Orlando, Florida area. As I was leaving their house, the low beam headlight on the driver's side was out. One of those had died about the same time four years earlier. Unfortunately, there is one that is easy to replace and the other requires removing things to get to it. (Volkswagen must think like GM or Ford.)
I really didn't want to mess too much, and I went to an Advance Auto Parts, thinking that their people might know immediately or be able to help me. "We don't do that!" I was told in a most rude tone. They replace wiper blades and batteries but not headlight bulbs. Okay, fine, but rudeness, really?
I went down the road to David Maus VW. They were new in 2008 when I was leaving the area. I had been dealing with Aristocrat VW from buying the car through service for it. At one point, they replaced their entire service department and they were no longer trustworthy. However, David Maus dealerships were an unknown. He was on tv telling people "whatever it takes" and I thought that he was just another one who couldn't be trusted.
So, I walked into the service department a few minutes early on Sunday morning. The service advisor was quite pleasant, and patient as I explained things. He quoted $59.95 for the bulb and labor. If it was on the easy side, that was overpriced. I also mentioned that my radio antenna was falling apart and I needed a replacement. He would ask parts about that.
Quite a while later, he told me that they were close to finishing and the radio antenna would be $79.95 (I expected $39.99 - $49.99) and they didn't have it in stock. He suggested eBay. That sounded better. I had bought a universal kit for $9.99 and I couldn't fit the pieces together. I am able to do IKEA or other do-it-yourself furniture but I'm not mechanically-inclined.
On checkout, he said that he went "to the back" and found "old antennas" and replaced mine for free. I'm sure I thanked him, but my cynicism kicked in and I thought that it was some sort of gimmick to get my trust. It was certainly better than Jimmy Bryan Mazda breaking something on my car so I'd have to return.
In the end, it worked out quite nicely because the radio antenna balanced the bulb being on the easy side. If it wasn't, then, I really do owe the dealership some loyalty but they'd have that already for not being rude, and doing a good job.
Strangely, I got a call the next morning from a salesperson. I say strangely because I was about 1000 miles from home. Do people keep their car titles with them? If I was buying a car locally, it would make sense. I would go home, retrieve it and make progress in the sale. I suppose I could just abandon my car 1000 miles from home, or give it to strangers. In any case, I thought that it was amusing that they would attempt a sale from someone visiting the state.
Thinking back to my first two VWs, I used to get a lot of smart ass remarks from the dealerships. Al Holbert, who raced Audi cars, had a Porsche/Audi/VW dealership in Warrington, PA. I took my 1986 VW GTI there at around 30,000 miles for brake work. It needed the two front brake rotors replaced. I asked politely "What makes that happen?" and the service advisor answered "your foot". He had a long day? I had a long day! If VW was doing surveys at that point, he'd get the opposite of a "Truly Exceptional". I'd never had a car that needed rotors replaced at 30,000 miles. That was exceptional.
You'd think if you were paying exceptionally high prices for service--the rates were often the same no matter the manufacturer--that you'd be getting people working between you and the mechanics who knew how to not infuritate customers. Sure, Porsche hourly rates were nothing compared to Rolls-Royce but my car was about 25 % the price of the nearest Porsche model.
I'm guessing I'll be at a Subaru or Mazda dealer once I decide where I'm going to live next. I can't just buy a car any longer. There are no 50 state cars now, unless diesel cars fit that.
Update 2013.01.27: So, I just had the strangest experience this week. The car was overheating in 17 degrees Fahrenheit weather. I drove the car too far trying to get it home. I was going to put water in it, but the water bottles I kept in the car were frozen solid. The next morning, I had the car towed to Expert Tire, since 60 miles to a VW dealership was inconvenient. They pulled things apart and found a distribution point that had cracked. Why it was plastic is beyond me. Given the state of extremes in weather and coolant temperatures, I thought the parts would be made of metal. They received a replacement part, which wasn't correct, and later that day received the correct part since they could send it back and match it. The pressure test revealed no other issues. I had the oil changed due to the extraordinary heat--all those adverts about engine heat breaking down oil got to me.
I ended up with a rental car from Hertz--not recommended too much--and have definitely decided against a Toyota Corolla. My arms aren't long but the door was designed for someone with excessively short arms, as the controls and door handle were several inches back of what seemed natural. What's more, I'm half-Japanese, so the car should fit me fairly well.
I've been considering a new car more and more, especially since my mum's house sold and I have the cash. A reasonably local, highly-rated Subaru dealer has some Impreza Sport models at a reasonable price. I also found a couple of 2012 VW Golf TDI leftovers at the dealership that does my service. The discounts put them at almost acceptable prices. They're all over $20,000--a line I'd never crossed in the past. I also wanted to look at Mazda 3, but given the dealerships wanting to charge extra or play games, I'm not likely to bother. Plus, I want a car I can keep in California and the diesels are ULEV II-compliant, and that's huge. Will they last 14 years as my current Golf is approaching that age? Will they be as shabby? I'm concerned. The Subaru Impreza is a more reliable choice, but will it have an emotional resonance?
Update 2013.07.17: I bought the VW Golf TDI and I've even been through the 10,000 mile service. Since there wasn't anything really wrong with the car, it went smoothly and it was inexpensive for them and at no cost to me. There is another service at 20,000 miles and I'm only about 4000 miles from that now. I might have to have that done while I'm on a trip somewhere else.
Update 2014.11.14: I'm over 40,000 miles now, and it's been relatively fine, except for a botched 20,000 mile service (pinched the fuel filter--didn't reimburse me for the fuel) when I was on the road back in August 2013.
Now that I'm living in Northern California, I'm happy to have found a great service department within 15 miles or so. There are three VW dealers within that distance, but only one is great. They mentioned that they have customers from the San Francisco Bay Area. That seems impressive. You would think that they'd have great dealerships in a large metropolitan area but this one is in a small city of 200,000 people.
On the 12th of November, I had the car serviced. I was late for a major service, which was at 120,000 miles. Many things needed to be handled. When I made the appointment, I had requested that the forward side marker light be repaired, as it had been hanging. King's VW of Loveland, Ohio missed the hanging light in their several walk-around inspections, but they noticed the missing radio antenna--a huge safety risk.
When the survey arrived and I completed it, the manager replied at how that side marker light had been repaired--as if they'd done exactly as they should have. If they had, it would have been repaired on my initial visit, instead of focusing on the missing radio antenna. I actually travel past another VW dealer to go there because the closer one is not as highly rated. If haphazard care is what you get, why not go to the closer one, unless they really don't care about anything?
On the 17th of November, I was with friends in the Orlando, Florida area. As I was leaving their house, the low beam headlight on the driver's side was out. One of those had died about the same time four years earlier. Unfortunately, there is one that is easy to replace and the other requires removing things to get to it. (Volkswagen must think like GM or Ford.)
I really didn't want to mess too much, and I went to an Advance Auto Parts, thinking that their people might know immediately or be able to help me. "We don't do that!" I was told in a most rude tone. They replace wiper blades and batteries but not headlight bulbs. Okay, fine, but rudeness, really?
I went down the road to David Maus VW. They were new in 2008 when I was leaving the area. I had been dealing with Aristocrat VW from buying the car through service for it. At one point, they replaced their entire service department and they were no longer trustworthy. However, David Maus dealerships were an unknown. He was on tv telling people "whatever it takes" and I thought that he was just another one who couldn't be trusted.
So, I walked into the service department a few minutes early on Sunday morning. The service advisor was quite pleasant, and patient as I explained things. He quoted $59.95 for the bulb and labor. If it was on the easy side, that was overpriced. I also mentioned that my radio antenna was falling apart and I needed a replacement. He would ask parts about that.
Quite a while later, he told me that they were close to finishing and the radio antenna would be $79.95 (I expected $39.99 - $49.99) and they didn't have it in stock. He suggested eBay. That sounded better. I had bought a universal kit for $9.99 and I couldn't fit the pieces together. I am able to do IKEA or other do-it-yourself furniture but I'm not mechanically-inclined.
On checkout, he said that he went "to the back" and found "old antennas" and replaced mine for free. I'm sure I thanked him, but my cynicism kicked in and I thought that it was some sort of gimmick to get my trust. It was certainly better than Jimmy Bryan Mazda breaking something on my car so I'd have to return.
In the end, it worked out quite nicely because the radio antenna balanced the bulb being on the easy side. If it wasn't, then, I really do owe the dealership some loyalty but they'd have that already for not being rude, and doing a good job.
Strangely, I got a call the next morning from a salesperson. I say strangely because I was about 1000 miles from home. Do people keep their car titles with them? If I was buying a car locally, it would make sense. I would go home, retrieve it and make progress in the sale. I suppose I could just abandon my car 1000 miles from home, or give it to strangers. In any case, I thought that it was amusing that they would attempt a sale from someone visiting the state.
Thinking back to my first two VWs, I used to get a lot of smart ass remarks from the dealerships. Al Holbert, who raced Audi cars, had a Porsche/Audi/VW dealership in Warrington, PA. I took my 1986 VW GTI there at around 30,000 miles for brake work. It needed the two front brake rotors replaced. I asked politely "What makes that happen?" and the service advisor answered "your foot". He had a long day? I had a long day! If VW was doing surveys at that point, he'd get the opposite of a "Truly Exceptional". I'd never had a car that needed rotors replaced at 30,000 miles. That was exceptional.
You'd think if you were paying exceptionally high prices for service--the rates were often the same no matter the manufacturer--that you'd be getting people working between you and the mechanics who knew how to not infuritate customers. Sure, Porsche hourly rates were nothing compared to Rolls-Royce but my car was about 25 % the price of the nearest Porsche model.
I'm guessing I'll be at a Subaru or Mazda dealer once I decide where I'm going to live next. I can't just buy a car any longer. There are no 50 state cars now, unless diesel cars fit that.
Update 2013.01.27: So, I just had the strangest experience this week. The car was overheating in 17 degrees Fahrenheit weather. I drove the car too far trying to get it home. I was going to put water in it, but the water bottles I kept in the car were frozen solid. The next morning, I had the car towed to Expert Tire, since 60 miles to a VW dealership was inconvenient. They pulled things apart and found a distribution point that had cracked. Why it was plastic is beyond me. Given the state of extremes in weather and coolant temperatures, I thought the parts would be made of metal. They received a replacement part, which wasn't correct, and later that day received the correct part since they could send it back and match it. The pressure test revealed no other issues. I had the oil changed due to the extraordinary heat--all those adverts about engine heat breaking down oil got to me.
I ended up with a rental car from Hertz--not recommended too much--and have definitely decided against a Toyota Corolla. My arms aren't long but the door was designed for someone with excessively short arms, as the controls and door handle were several inches back of what seemed natural. What's more, I'm half-Japanese, so the car should fit me fairly well.
I've been considering a new car more and more, especially since my mum's house sold and I have the cash. A reasonably local, highly-rated Subaru dealer has some Impreza Sport models at a reasonable price. I also found a couple of 2012 VW Golf TDI leftovers at the dealership that does my service. The discounts put them at almost acceptable prices. They're all over $20,000--a line I'd never crossed in the past. I also wanted to look at Mazda 3, but given the dealerships wanting to charge extra or play games, I'm not likely to bother. Plus, I want a car I can keep in California and the diesels are ULEV II-compliant, and that's huge. Will they last 14 years as my current Golf is approaching that age? Will they be as shabby? I'm concerned. The Subaru Impreza is a more reliable choice, but will it have an emotional resonance?
Update 2013.07.17: I bought the VW Golf TDI and I've even been through the 10,000 mile service. Since there wasn't anything really wrong with the car, it went smoothly and it was inexpensive for them and at no cost to me. There is another service at 20,000 miles and I'm only about 4000 miles from that now. I might have to have that done while I'm on a trip somewhere else.
Update 2014.11.14: I'm over 40,000 miles now, and it's been relatively fine, except for a botched 20,000 mile service (pinched the fuel filter--didn't reimburse me for the fuel) when I was on the road back in August 2013.
Now that I'm living in Northern California, I'm happy to have found a great service department within 15 miles or so. There are three VW dealers within that distance, but only one is great. They mentioned that they have customers from the San Francisco Bay Area. That seems impressive. You would think that they'd have great dealerships in a large metropolitan area but this one is in a small city of 200,000 people.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Cars can be such a nightmare
In my early years, when I could stand, my adoptive dad had me in the
driver's seat, so I seem to be pre-disposed to driving a car. My
parents owned several, including a few new vehicles. I've mostly had
new vehicles. I'm not one to buy appliance cars--like Honda and Toyota
make, although they've made some interesting cars from time to time.
However, the interesting cars always seem to go wrong, and require more
maintenance.
Here is a list of the cars I've had, in order:
Four VWs, 2 Mazdas, 1 Ford, and 1 Pontiac. The only reason I would consider another U.S. vehicle is because I like Chrysler/Dodge minivans, as my parents' Plymouth Voyager proved reliable--like an appliance.
Volkswagen is on my negative list, for various reasons. I've replaced a number of their alloy wheels because they bent easily. Their fuel systems weren't modified for U.S. fuel and had major problems with vapor lock. Their brakes didn't last very long. In other words, they were high maintenance. I can say that the 1999 has proven that a lot of things have changed for the positive. In exchange, I had 30 or so visits for the power window regulator clips, where the window would go down but would not go up. The interior has had wardrobe malfunctions where the fabric pulled away and the centre arm rest came apart. If these things had happened on a 13 year old car, I'd not have a problem with it. That they happened on a 3 year old car--that's the problem. The car now has 132,000+ miles on it and is enduring, though it doesn't seem happy at the moment. U.S. cars just seem to go whether they have maintenance or not. VWs don't do that very well.
Equally, the 1974 RX-3 had a problem with the rear main oil seal leaking and the car was dead but under warranty. The engine was replaced at some point in time, but it took the proverbial forever. On the other hand, I bought the 1985 RX-7 with 102,000+ miles on it and ran it until 156,000+ miles with almost no trouble. I have little doubt that the engine is working quite smoothly still. It was also a source of amusement at the Mobil Oil change place, as the salesperson told me how their product would lubricate the valves, the crankshaft, the camshaft, the lifters, etc.--all parts a Wankel rotary engine does not have.
I'm looking again for a new vehicle and I'm not sure what is good for me. In the long term, I'm not sure where I'll be and I think I should be buying in California to make sure I don't have to switch cars, if I move there. I thought to buy a Subaru Outback because of the all-wheel drive, if I stay in a snowy area. I considered a Suzuki SX Crossover/station wagon for the same reason. I don't want a bigger vehicle, so a Mazda 2 with 4 wheel disc brakes would be convenient, but they don't make such a car and the bigger Mazda 3 might have to do. A Dodge minivan has been on the list occasionally, but the new Alfa Romeo (inspired) Dodge Dart seems more like my kind of vehicle.
If you haven't guessed, I'm slow to cross the US$20,000 barrier. That mainly puts VWs and South Korean cars in my sights, both of which are not high on my list. Kia and Hyundai produce a car or two that seem okay, but driving a long distance, where are the dealerships? I drove my VW Golf GLS across the country and I asked myself the same question then. It was rare to see a VW, KIA, or Hyundai dealership. Dodge, Mazda, and Subaru seem to be everywhere, and Suzuki is many places. Being that Suzuki is a GM affiliate, Chevrolet dealerships might be able to help.
In any case, I'm due to have the oil dipstick holder replaced today. Yes, it fell apart. 132,000+ miles and it fell apart. That was a first for me but the clutch is still original and I only just replaced the front struts, so touch wood/knock on wood, it will continue to function well. Oh, and there was that ignition switch failure where the car was on but not on--all night. They removed the steering wheel, and the air bag warning lamp is still lit, just to get to some tiny parts. That was major money that could have been put toward a tune up. Then, there were the three under-body air management plastic pieces that fell apart and were dragging. What do you bet they will be $1000 to replace? I almost wish I was back in Philly and able to take public transportation.
Update: At the dealership, I requested a diagnostic. They found a hydraulic hose needed to be changed, as well as an evaporation valve. I agreed that the hydraulic hose should be ordered and they would call me when they got it. I took a trip further east of there, along the Ohio River. Part way through the day, that hydraulic hose, and another, split, taking away all the hydraulic pressure in the braking system. Somehow, it happened when I was stopped and it had been sitting in the parking lot rather than out on the road going 70 mph. There happened to be a tire place in the same lot and they took generic brake hose and replaced both split sections and the car is going again. That's a bad coincidence that it was noticed one day and failed the next. Also, the dealership noticed that the radio antenna was gone, but they didn't notice the side marker light just hanging. I'm giving them a positive rating for now, but that could change in an instant, especially, if they knew how bad the hose was.
Update 2: Back at the dealership, they replaced the sections of hose that failed with the specific VW part. They didn't mention a thing, as if there was no problem, but I was already suspicious. They did a smoke test and found no leaks. As well, they replaced the serpentine belt without incident. As they were backing out to do a road test, the gear would not engage. The service advisor comes to me and gives me the spiel that it's about $150 extra, but the car isn't going anywhere.
After the door closed, I asked aloud "Did they just break it?" and someone in the waiting room replied "I was just thinking the same thing." I didn't want to start something but it felt too coincidental. Two visits, two rather major problems. The service advisor talked to me later and said that they pared down the prices so it cost me about the same as the original estimate, which was also stretching me a bit from what they told me the previous visit.
The car runs better and more powerfully than I remember but no more VWs.
Update 3: I had other issues with the car since July, including a broken ignition switch, which left the car completely disabled and required a disassembly of the steering column at quite a cost, plus a coolant distribution point broke on one of the coldest days possible, disabling the car. After several thousand dollars, I bought a new (demonstrator) 2012 VW Golf TDI. It was around US$27,000 new but there were discounts because it was last year's model and had some 5000+ miles on it. I broke above the US$20,000 mark. It's better at 10,000 miles than the 1999 was at any mileage.
Here is a list of the cars I've had, in order:
- 1967 Pontiac Firebird, 3.8litre engine 1 barrel carb.
- 1974 Mazda RX-3, 1.1 litre rotary engine, 4 barrel carb. (new for Dad)
- 1980 Ford Mustang, 2.3 litre turbocharged engine with 2 barrel carb. (new)
- 1985 VW (Golf) GTI, 1.8 litre with mechanical fuel injection (new)
- 1986 VW (Golf) GTI, 1.8 litre with mechanical fuel injection, missing weld (new)
- 1990 VW Corrado, 1.8 litre with supercharger and fuel injection (new)
- 1985 Mazda RX-7 GS, 1.1 litre rotary engine with 4 barrel carb.
- 1999 VW Golf GLS, 2.0 litre with fuel injection (new)
- 2012 VW Golf TDI with DSG automatic Tiptronic
Four VWs, 2 Mazdas, 1 Ford, and 1 Pontiac. The only reason I would consider another U.S. vehicle is because I like Chrysler/Dodge minivans, as my parents' Plymouth Voyager proved reliable--like an appliance.
Volkswagen is on my negative list, for various reasons. I've replaced a number of their alloy wheels because they bent easily. Their fuel systems weren't modified for U.S. fuel and had major problems with vapor lock. Their brakes didn't last very long. In other words, they were high maintenance. I can say that the 1999 has proven that a lot of things have changed for the positive. In exchange, I had 30 or so visits for the power window regulator clips, where the window would go down but would not go up. The interior has had wardrobe malfunctions where the fabric pulled away and the centre arm rest came apart. If these things had happened on a 13 year old car, I'd not have a problem with it. That they happened on a 3 year old car--that's the problem. The car now has 132,000+ miles on it and is enduring, though it doesn't seem happy at the moment. U.S. cars just seem to go whether they have maintenance or not. VWs don't do that very well.
Equally, the 1974 RX-3 had a problem with the rear main oil seal leaking and the car was dead but under warranty. The engine was replaced at some point in time, but it took the proverbial forever. On the other hand, I bought the 1985 RX-7 with 102,000+ miles on it and ran it until 156,000+ miles with almost no trouble. I have little doubt that the engine is working quite smoothly still. It was also a source of amusement at the Mobil Oil change place, as the salesperson told me how their product would lubricate the valves, the crankshaft, the camshaft, the lifters, etc.--all parts a Wankel rotary engine does not have.
I'm looking again for a new vehicle and I'm not sure what is good for me. In the long term, I'm not sure where I'll be and I think I should be buying in California to make sure I don't have to switch cars, if I move there. I thought to buy a Subaru Outback because of the all-wheel drive, if I stay in a snowy area. I considered a Suzuki SX Crossover/station wagon for the same reason. I don't want a bigger vehicle, so a Mazda 2 with 4 wheel disc brakes would be convenient, but they don't make such a car and the bigger Mazda 3 might have to do. A Dodge minivan has been on the list occasionally, but the new Alfa Romeo (inspired) Dodge Dart seems more like my kind of vehicle.
If you haven't guessed, I'm slow to cross the US$20,000 barrier. That mainly puts VWs and South Korean cars in my sights, both of which are not high on my list. Kia and Hyundai produce a car or two that seem okay, but driving a long distance, where are the dealerships? I drove my VW Golf GLS across the country and I asked myself the same question then. It was rare to see a VW, KIA, or Hyundai dealership. Dodge, Mazda, and Subaru seem to be everywhere, and Suzuki is many places. Being that Suzuki is a GM affiliate, Chevrolet dealerships might be able to help.
In any case, I'm due to have the oil dipstick holder replaced today. Yes, it fell apart. 132,000+ miles and it fell apart. That was a first for me but the clutch is still original and I only just replaced the front struts, so touch wood/knock on wood, it will continue to function well. Oh, and there was that ignition switch failure where the car was on but not on--all night. They removed the steering wheel, and the air bag warning lamp is still lit, just to get to some tiny parts. That was major money that could have been put toward a tune up. Then, there were the three under-body air management plastic pieces that fell apart and were dragging. What do you bet they will be $1000 to replace? I almost wish I was back in Philly and able to take public transportation.
Update: At the dealership, I requested a diagnostic. They found a hydraulic hose needed to be changed, as well as an evaporation valve. I agreed that the hydraulic hose should be ordered and they would call me when they got it. I took a trip further east of there, along the Ohio River. Part way through the day, that hydraulic hose, and another, split, taking away all the hydraulic pressure in the braking system. Somehow, it happened when I was stopped and it had been sitting in the parking lot rather than out on the road going 70 mph. There happened to be a tire place in the same lot and they took generic brake hose and replaced both split sections and the car is going again. That's a bad coincidence that it was noticed one day and failed the next. Also, the dealership noticed that the radio antenna was gone, but they didn't notice the side marker light just hanging. I'm giving them a positive rating for now, but that could change in an instant, especially, if they knew how bad the hose was.
Update 2: Back at the dealership, they replaced the sections of hose that failed with the specific VW part. They didn't mention a thing, as if there was no problem, but I was already suspicious. They did a smoke test and found no leaks. As well, they replaced the serpentine belt without incident. As they were backing out to do a road test, the gear would not engage. The service advisor comes to me and gives me the spiel that it's about $150 extra, but the car isn't going anywhere.
After the door closed, I asked aloud "Did they just break it?" and someone in the waiting room replied "I was just thinking the same thing." I didn't want to start something but it felt too coincidental. Two visits, two rather major problems. The service advisor talked to me later and said that they pared down the prices so it cost me about the same as the original estimate, which was also stretching me a bit from what they told me the previous visit.
The car runs better and more powerfully than I remember but no more VWs.
Update 3: I had other issues with the car since July, including a broken ignition switch, which left the car completely disabled and required a disassembly of the steering column at quite a cost, plus a coolant distribution point broke on one of the coldest days possible, disabling the car. After several thousand dollars, I bought a new (demonstrator) 2012 VW Golf TDI. It was around US$27,000 new but there were discounts because it was last year's model and had some 5000+ miles on it. I broke above the US$20,000 mark. It's better at 10,000 miles than the 1999 was at any mileage.
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