Comments on: VW Profits Up 15%; China’s Automakers Also Doing Well

By: Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 11:05:22 +0000

@Zerofoo: You’re right. The turn of the millennium was the dark ages for VW as far as quality was concerned. I was an outside consultant for their taskforce to improve customer satisfaction, and it looked like lifetime employment! These things take a (long) time to rectify. With a lot of sweat, quality can be fixed in a few years, serious improvement takes generations. Customer satisfaction takes even longer. As your post attests, customers don’t suffer from Alzheimers when they had been wronged.

Quality cars make for proftable companies. Warranty costs down (and way back when, they were HUGE,) word-of-mouth up, bottom line bulging.

I wouldn’t worry about their longevity. Matter of fact, in Wolfsburg they are already worried about the darn things lasting too long.

By: zerofoo

zerofoo — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 19:48:45 +0000

As a former owner of a 2000 Jetta 2.0 and a Golf 1.8t I swore off VW forever.

Both cars had a rap sheet as long as my arm. They were wonderful to drive, but the reliability was awful.

Those cars were the low-point of the MKIV platform. Friends that had 2003 model year cars had very few problems.

I bought a 2007 G35 that I loved – but it developed an engine problem that the dealer and Nissan NA did not want to fix. (Engine vibration/timing problems at low speeds is normal?)

After driving a bunch of small, fun to drive, fuel efficient cars, I found myself back at the VW dealer. I bought a 2008 GTI w/DSG transmission.

Yes, I know – VW has a lot to prove in terms of longevity, but this car is a peach. It’s put together solidly, it’s a blast to drive, and it gets pretty good mileage.

The only other car that came close was a MINI. I couldn’t justify $6000 more for a car I liked less.

VW does have some pretty compelling vehicles right now – the Passat CC looks hot, and the MK VI series cars also look good.

Hopefully, VW learned their lesson with the MK IV cars.

-ted

By: rochskier

rochskier — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:37:36 +0000

As someone who can’t stand VW or their products this makes me very sad.

It’s unfortunate that VW will remain with us while other companies will be relegated to the dustbin of history.

By: tom

tom — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:15:12 +0000

When Cerberus is liquidating Chrysler, who knows, VW might want to look at some factories instead of building one themselves…they could be able to get a great deal and they would be able to start producing cars almost immeadiately instead of waiting several years.

By: Juniper

Juniper — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:55:35 +0000

Very succesful, 20% state owned, Hmmm.
I think they should buy Chrysler.
Vans, Trucks, Dealer network, US Capacity.
Who Knows?

By: John Horner

John Horner — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:21:07 +0000

Mark my words, VW is one of the automotive success stories of the modern age. Its problems in North America blind many observers here to the success it is earning around the world.