Good News. VW sales rise 72% in US in early Sept.

According to Bloomberg.com news service on Sept. 12, 2005:

"Volkswagen AG's U.S. sales of its namesake brand rose 72 percent in
the first 10 days of September as record gasoline prices prompted
buyers to trade in sport-utility vehicles for small cars and demand
more diesel models, the brand's top U.S. executive said."

full story he
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...d=aPxFRzxinfkg

This bodes well for VW, but one doubts they can produce the diesels
already in demand in Europe and elsewhere. FWIW, the new Passat and
Jetta GLI (the best Toyota VW ever made, IMO) are getting good reviews
in the auto press also.

> "Volkswagen AG's U.S. sales of its namesake brand rose 72 percent in
> the first 10 days of September as record gasoline prices prompted
> buyers to trade in sport-utility vehicles for small cars and demand
> more diesel models, the brand's top U.S. executive said."

> This bodes well for VW

I don't know if you can really say that, can you? After all, VW has
made a very deliberate move away from being an economy-car brand in the
US, and toward being an upscale brand. I would think they'd be feeling
a little sheepish about the Phaeton and Touareg about now. The new
Jetta is bigger and heavier, and is not an especially economical car
anymore. Strange as it seems, a 72% spike in VW economy-car sales may
actually be a black eye for them.

Brian Running wrote:
> > "Volkswagen AG's U.S. sales of its namesake brand rose 72 percent in
> > the first 10 days of September as record gasoline prices prompted
> > buyers to trade in sport-utility vehicles for small cars and demand
> > more diesel models, the brand's top U.S. executive said."
>
> > This bodes well for VW

Time will tell. The memory of the US consumer is short and if gas
prices drop a little, they will forget about being economical, I think.

> I don't know if you can really say that, can you? After all, VW has
> made a very deliberate move away from being an economy-car brand in the
> US, and toward being an upscale brand. I would think they'd be feeling
> a little sheepish about the Phaeton and Touareg about now.

No more sheepish than Ford and GM or Chrysler, all of whom have been
losing sales and market share.


> The new Jetta is bigger and heavier, and is not an especially economical car
> anymore.

True, but if you're driving an Escalade or Navigator, the Jetta may
seem like an economical alternative.

Wonder where? In our dealer area all VW sales dropped off big time.

"jpmccormac" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> According to Bloomberg.com news service on Sept. 12, 2005:
>
> "Volkswagen AG's U.S. sales of its namesake brand rose 72 percent in
> the first 10 days of September as record gasoline prices prompted
> buyers to trade in sport-utility vehicles for small cars and demand
> more diesel models, the brand's top U.S. executive said."
>
> full story he
> http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...d=aPxFRzxinfkg
>
> This bodes well for VW, but one doubts they can produce the diesels
> already in demand in Europe and elsewhere. FWIW, the new Passat and
> Jetta GLI (the best Toyota VW ever made, IMO) are getting good reviews
> in the auto press also.
>

"jpmccormac" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> According to Bloomberg.com news service on Sept. 12, 2005:
>
> "Volkswagen AG's U.S. sales of its namesake brand rose 72 percent in
> the first 10 days of September as record gasoline prices prompted
> buyers to trade in sport-utility vehicles for small cars and demand
> more diesel models, the brand's top U.S. executive said."
>
> full story he
> http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...d=aPxFRzxinfkg
>
> This bodes well for VW, but one doubts they can produce the diesels
> already in demand in Europe and elsewhere. FWIW, the new Passat and
> Jetta GLI (the best Toyota VW ever made, IMO) are getting good reviews
> in the auto press also.
>

Well, have you ever seen a new model get poor reviews from the auto press?
Not that I can recall, The automotive press never exposes the warts until
they're telling you how much better the NEXT new model is compared the one
they gushed over a year or two before. They're not stupid-- new models mean
lots of new advertising.

No doubt VW makes a good first impression on buyers. But mediocre-to-poor
reliability, high repair costs, and erratic dealership experiences cost them
repeat buyers. Don't get me wrong, I'm on my third VW ('03 Passat GLS) ,
but the reliability issues concern me to the point it may be my last. What
is telling is that when you mention to people you own a VW, many have a
story about how they know people who own one (Jetta or Beetle, usually), and
how they have been told how unreliable they are. Reputation on the brand
via word of mouth is not too good.

I, for one, wish VW would focus more on getting the basic build and
long-term reliability of their products up to decent levels, and not on
giving me a Jetta that looks like a Camry. I think VW has lost much of its
core supporters over the past few years, and if they can't attract new
buyers to their new models, the company will face some serious difficulties
in the future.

jpmccormac > wrote:
: According to Bloomberg.com news service on Sept. 12, 2005:

: "Volkswagen AG's U.S. sales of its namesake brand rose 72 percent in
: the first 10 days of September as record gasoline prices prompted
: buyers to trade in sport-utility vehicles for small cars and demand
: more diesel models, the brand's top U.S. executive said."

Rose in comparison to what? 2004 wasn't a good year for VW
http://www.andersoneconomicgroup.com...111004auto.htm shows sales from January to October 2004 down 13.5 percent.

As of August 2005, they were down 19% for this year...
http://www.sacbee.com/24hour/autos/s...11212449c.html

A few months back I took the GTI over the the local VW dealer to talk about
buying a new Jetta wagon... wouldn't even give me a price unless I committed
to buyiung that day... I left...

On the other hand, for those complaining about service costs, it costs me $90
for a oil change at the Porsche dealer for my Porsche, but only $24 for a
oil change from the VW dealer for my VW... I'm not sure the VW dealer is
that much more expensive than a independent...

--
John Nelson
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chicago Area Paddling/Fishing Page
http://www.chicagopaddling.org http://www.chicagofishing.org
(A Non-Commercial Web Site: No Sponsors, No Paid Ads and Nothing to Sell)

On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 15:02:13 GMT, Brian Running
> wrote:

>> "Volkswagen AG's U.S. sales of its namesake brand rose 72 percent in
>> the first 10 days of September as record gasoline prices prompted
>> buyers to trade in sport-utility vehicles for small cars and demand
>> more diesel models, the brand's top U.S. executive said."
>
>> This bodes well for VW
>
>I don't know if you can really say that, can you? After all, VW has
>made a very deliberate move away from being an economy-car brand in the
>US, and toward being an upscale brand. I would think they'd be feeling
>a little sheepish about the Phaeton and Touareg about now. The new
>Jetta is bigger and heavier, and is not an especially economical car
>anymore. Strange as it seems, a 72% spike in VW economy-car sales may
>actually be a black eye for them.

I agree about the moving away from really well though out, inexpensive
cars. It seems like the new Jetta is targeted to someone
cross-shopping and Acura or Lexus. Based on what I saw, it comes
accross well, but what is available for those of us cross-shopping
Honda, Toyota and the like.

If you want to read more, here is a short synopsis of my recent new
car purchase experience:

Had a 94 Passat that was getting a little long in the tooth. It still
has pretty low mileage (ie 101K) but wanted some expensive repairs (ie
Needed to replace the chain tensioners and the front suspension needs
new tie rod ends, and maybe some bushings to tighten it back up). Just
wasn't worth it for the age of the car.

Stopped by my local VW dealer (Northland in Cincinnati). Up front, I
have to say that these people have always treated me very well. No
games, and the consistently stepped up to the plate over the life of
my Passat (10yr/100K warranty, that I ran to the bitter end). Could
have had a 2005 1.8T Passat GL 5spd cheap ($17.9K), but the car left
me a little cold, versus my 94 VR6. Yeah, it got out of its own way
with plenty of verve, but the engine seemed ill suited to the car. No
torque till 3500 RPM, then it poured on. I also have some long term
reliability questions regarding an engine pumping out almost 100 HP/l.
BTW, what happens to the great manual VW seats? Its no longer possible
to change the rake on the bottom cushion. There were no other manual
transmission Passats on the lot to try. Eleven years ago, at least 50%
of the Passats had a MT.

Also tried the new Jetta, and as someone else surmised, it is the best
Toyota they ever built. Really nice interior, but there was an obvious
disconnect between the driver and the road. Yes, I realize it has
driver-by-wire throttle and steering. On the other hand, the new
suspension seems great, although tuned way too soft. Yeah, they have a
GLI version, but way too much coin. Older VW's were always crisp, even
in the base models. They new 2.5l, 150 HP motor seemed far more
appropriate for the car than the 1.8T in the Passat. Curious how the
long term reliability is going to work out. Didn't want to be a guinea
pig for something I'm likely to keep the next 8-10 years.

I ended up with a Mazda 3s hatch. I'm still getting used to the rice
racer exterior, but every drive puts a smile on my face. Really
reminds me of MKII GTI with a bit more horsepower. The seats aren't as
good as the early manual VW seats though. The 2.3l 160HP motor is
hardly overkill. The torque curve is so smooth that it seems
unexciting, but a glance at the speedo, and at the receding cars in
the rear view, indicate its quicker than it feels. Same with the
suspension. It really seems to soak up the atrocious Cincinnati city
streets, even better than the stock suspension on my old Passat, yet
it has the steering response and handling of something closer to a
go-kart. The VW's still have better interiors, but the Mazda 3s was
the most fun I could find in a sub $18K (actually paid $16.9K) ride
that would hold all three of my children in the back seat.

In some ways I'm sad its not a VW. It will be interesting to see if
VWoA will bring over something to slot below the Golf/Jetta range for
those looking for something a little more basic. I'm also interested
in seeing if they will bring in some of the more powerful TDI
powerplants with the cleaner diesel in 2006. With the recent drastic
increases in fuel prices, I have seen several publications, that were
previously derisive of TDI's, mention them as viable, high MPG
competition to the more exotic and expensive to purchase/maintain
hybrids.

David Glos

DLGlos wrote:
> On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 15:02:13 GMT, Brian Running
> > wrote:
>
> I ended up with a Mazda 3s hatch. I'm still getting used to the rice
> racer exterior, but every drive puts a smile on my face. Really
> reminds me of MKII GTI with a bit more horsepower. The seats aren't as
> good as the early manual VW seats though. The 2.3l 160HP motor is
> hardly overkill. The torque curve is so smooth that it seems
> unexciting, but a glance at the speedo, and at the receding cars in
> the rear view, indicate its quicker than it feels. Same with the
> suspension. It really seems to soak up the atrocious Cincinnati city
> streets, even better than the stock suspension on my old Passat, yet
> it has the steering response and handling of something closer to a
> go-kart. The VW's still have better interiors, but the Mazda 3s was
> the most fun I could find in a sub $18K (actually paid $16.9K) ride
> that would hold all three of my children in the back seat.
>
> In some ways I'm sad its not a VW.
> David Glos

David,

Thanks for the comments on the Mazda 3s hatch. Your comments reinforce
many others I read; I'm pleased that you compare it favorably to MKII
GTI. I've looked closely at the 3 as a replacement for my '96 Golf GL
but just can't part with the VW - yet.

- John McCormack

"jpmccormac" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> DLGlos wrote:
>> On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 15:02:13 GMT, Brian Running
>> > wrote:
>>
>> I ended up with a Mazda 3s hatch. I'm still getting used to the rice
>> racer exterior, but every drive puts a smile on my face. Really
>> reminds me of MKII GTI with a bit more horsepower. The seats aren't as
>> good as the early manual VW seats though. The 2.3l 160HP motor is
>> hardly overkill. The torque curve is so smooth that it seems
>> unexciting, but a glance at the speedo, and at the receding cars in
>> the rear view, indicate its quicker than it feels. Same with the
>> suspension. It really seems to soak up the atrocious Cincinnati city
>> streets, even better than the stock suspension on my old Passat, yet
>> it has the steering response and handling of something closer to a
>> go-kart. The VW's still have better interiors, but the Mazda 3s was
>> the most fun I could find in a sub $18K (actually paid $16.9K) ride
>> that would hold all three of my children in the back seat.
>>
>> In some ways I'm sad its not a VW.
>> David Glos
>
> David,
>
> Thanks for the comments on the Mazda 3s hatch. Your comments reinforce
> many others I read; I'm pleased that you compare it favorably to MKII
> GTI. I've looked closely at the 3 as a replacement for my '96 Golf GL
> but just can't part with the VW - yet.
>
> - John McCormack

Mazda3 was high on my list before I bought a used '03 Passat GLS in January.
It will be in for its third visit to the dealer next week, all electrical
problems. If the problems continue, I'll be looking at the Mazda again.

"jpmccormac" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> DLGlos wrote:
>> On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 15:02:13 GMT, Brian Running
>> > wrote:
>>
>> I ended up with a Mazda 3s hatch. I'm still getting used to the rice
>> racer exterior, but every drive puts a smile on my face. Really
>> reminds me of MKII GTI with a bit more horsepower. The seats aren't as
>> good as the early manual VW seats though. The 2.3l 160HP motor is
>> hardly overkill. The torque curve is so smooth that it seems
>> unexciting, but a glance at the speedo, and at the receding cars in
>> the rear view, indicate its quicker than it feels. Same with the
>> suspension. It really seems to soak up the atrocious Cincinnati city
>> streets, even better than the stock suspension on my old Passat, yet
>> it has the steering response and handling of something closer to a
>> go-kart. The VW's still have better interiors, but the Mazda 3s was
>> the most fun I could find in a sub $18K (actually paid $16.9K) ride
>> that would hold all three of my children in the back seat.
>>
>> In some ways I'm sad its not a VW.
>> David Glos
>
> David,
>
> Thanks for the comments on the Mazda 3s hatch. Your comments reinforce
> many others I read; I'm pleased that you compare it favorably to MKII
> GTI. I've looked closely at the 3 as a replacement for my '96 Golf GL
> but just can't part with the VW - yet.
>
> - John McCormack

Mazda3 was high on my list before I bought a used '03 Passat GLS in January.
It will be in for its third visit to the dealer next week, all electrical
problems. If the problems continue, I'll be looking at the Mazda again.