VW Shows Rotten Rebadged Routan
March 19th, 2008 2:53 PM
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What looks like a Chrysler, smells like a Chrysler, and has Plastech plastics like a Chrysler? It's the VW Routan minivan, a sad rebadge job that would make the boys at The Buslab, a Berkeley California VW bus specialist, cringe into their bean bag chairs. It looks like a giant bloated Chrysler minivan in person, and what's worse is that VW's hallmark high quality interiors go out the window in favor of a hallmark Chrysler interior. They've added buckets of chrome and it doesn't do any good whatsoever. The engine and transmission are also from Chrysler, so don't go expecting VW's 3.6 liter V6 or anything. I don't have much left to say except that it's an abomination.
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I completely understand what you are saying. I'd be pissed too but so far all of my VWs have been low rent very much used vehicles so I did not have a very big investment to worry over. '84 Rabbit 'vert ($250, sold for $4250), '65 Beetle ($1500, still have it. I live in TN, bought this car in Italy, was originally a Memphis car!), '72 Super Beetle ($1500), '72 Bus Westfalia ($1500 Southwestern van they said, yeah maybe but it spent alot of time up north apparently!), '78 Bus Westfalia ($1500, still have it), '97 VW Cabrio ($5500 for sale in a month). Had our 1999 CR-V turned into a big paperweight for any reasons I'd have the same feelings about it that you have had about your Passat. ESPECIALLY if it had caught fire. Sort of basic car design not to burst into flames. Your explaination is the reason I bought another Honda in 1999 instead of another VW. I was worried about having a new car that was as unreliable as a very used car. Hang in there!
B- I looked at the new Chevy Malibu LTZ today. Nice car. Not a rental fleets care anymore
B- Good look with your VW's. As a former car enthusiast I would recommend looking into the old Mercedes diesel hobby that I have immersed myself into. My wife's 240d is so reliable that many friends have traded their new leased vehicles for them.
Thanks. The old Mercedes diesels, the BMWs and the Volvos all have my attention for their durable natures. I'd really like to have a turbo diesel, even with the current prices.