VW considers German factory closures for first time in 87-year history

pro51492

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2014
Location
Hustisford, WI
TDI
2012 Sportwagen TDI 6sp
Very sad. There isn’t a vehicle I’d rather own than my TDI’s. This electrification BS is killing the auto industry, not to mention people buying cheap Chinese goods.

“European automakers are facing increased competition from inexpensive Chinese electric cars.”
 

atc98002

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2006
Location
Auburn WA
TDI
2014 Passat TDI SEL Premium (sold back), 2009 Jetta (sold back), 80 Rabbit diesel (long gone)
Electrification itself isn't the problem. The auto industry can handle it fine if they make the effort. VW has numerous PHEVs available in Europe but for some reason won't bring them to the US. I love driving a PHEV, and I enjoyed my EV when I had it. Since the wife still has range anxiety, no more pure EV for me at this time. But as much as I enjoyed my TDIs, driving a electrified vehicle is even better.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
If you read into some of the articles, you'll see that VAG's EVs generally suck. They are horridly expensive, have horrible software problems, service and parts problems, and are not being embraced like they thought they would.

And when they just announced the SIXTY THOUSAND DOLLAR starting price for the ID Buzz, the collective laugh has pretty much caused that to be crossed off a bunch of markets' portfolios. The eGolfs sat and gathered dust here towards the end, and the ID.4 hasn't had nearly the take rate here they anticipated (not even close).
 

Sting

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2004
Do they still sell ANY diesels, or did that ship sail with Dieselgate?
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Everywhere in Europe you can still buy a new Volkswagen diesel.

Not sure about other markets, because I'm not sure how popular they ever were there. But Europe still has plenty to choose from.
 

atc98002

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2006
Location
Auburn WA
TDI
2014 Passat TDI SEL Premium (sold back), 2009 Jetta (sold back), 80 Rabbit diesel (long gone)
If you read into some of the articles, you'll see that VAG's EVs generally suck.
In the US of course we only received the ID.4. While it originally came up short in some ways, in others it was a perfectly acceptable EV. As usual for VW, pricing is probably the single biggest issue they have, then and now. The software issues have all pretty much been resolved. I haven't heard anything specific about service or parts, but then I don't hang out on any ID.4 forums. The 2024 ID.4 introduced new motors which provided better range and efficiency. And yes, the ID.Buzz is way overpriced, regardless of how well it's equipped.

Before I got my first Niro PHEV in '19, I was seriously looking at the eGolf. But with only 120 miles of range, it simply wouldn't work for me. If my wife didn't still have range anxiety from our charge-restricted Bolt, I might have gotten the latest ID.4. But she does, so that's why I'm back in a PHEV.
 

GlowBugTDI

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Jul 20, 2018
Location
Cambridge, MN
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2001 Beetle GLS TDI (BIODSL). 01 original Glow Bug TDI (sold)
I've lately been curious how reliable the new Toyota work trucks are going to be and hoping/praying that we can someday get them here!
Because currently nothing else looks interesting to me far as new vehicles go with the exception of the hellcat challenger and that's hardly a daily for my lifestyle.

Nothing new from VW is anything I would want to work on. I someday would like to try a 2013-2015 2.5 wagon, but other then that, Eh. I don't even think I'd like working on that car all that much.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
We won't get any Toyota "work trucks" here. Heck, we cannot even get Toyota engines in the Hino trucks anymore... they just stick US-spec Cummins engines bolted to Allison slushboxes in them now.
 

gearheadgrrrl

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2002
Location
Buffalo Ridge (southwest Minnesota)
TDI
'15 Golf DSG, '13 JSW DSG surrendered to VW, '03 Golf 2 door manual
The only new VWs that remotely interest me are the GTI and Golf R, and VW's killing my desire for one by electronically locking down simple stuff like the parking brake so only VW dealers with access to the mainframe in the homeland can change brake pads. The A4 was a high water mark in VWs, the MQB Golf7 will probably be another, but with Golf8 it's all downhill from here. It gets worse- The new Scout drops soon and probably won't sell 10K a year.
 

jmodge

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Jun 18, 2015
Location
Greenville, MI
TDI
2001 alh Jetta, RC2 w/.205's 5speed daily summer commuter and 2000 alh Jetta 5spd swap, 2" lift, hitch, stage 3 TDtuning w/.216's winter cruiser, 1996 Tacoma ALh
The only new anything that would interest me is something that doesn’t require me working on it, or anyone else for that matter. I’m not sure there is any such animal
 

pro51492

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2014
Location
Hustisford, WI
TDI
2012 Sportwagen TDI 6sp
The days of an enjoyable enthusiast vehicle seems to have sailed because just like many of you nothing new interests me that’s reasonable. It’s quite sad actually what will another 10-15 years bring. I have 5 TDI’s 2 pre emission diesel vans and a pre emission truck that I plan to keep going for the long term. Electric vehicles are not an option here in rural America not to mention commuting across multiple states for my career.
 

Shenandoah

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2008
Location
Shenandoah Valley, VA
TDI
2005 Jetta Wagon; 2005 Beetle; 2004 Jetta; 2002 Golf (three of them); 2002 Jetta Wagon; 2000 Audi TT->TDI; 1999 Beetle
I'm back in Berlin for a month. The forum members would go absolutely crazy over here: so many NICE mk4 diesel VWs......

I've seen a couple of the electric VW vanagons, some ID4s. There are also a couple models that never made it across the ocean: Polo and some other smaller VWs. Really neat to see.

Eric
 

privateTDIjet

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Joined
Jun 21, 2022
Location
Montreal, Canada
TDI
2009 Jetta 2.0 TDI and 2014 Passat 2.0 TDI / Ive got a MK5 bentley manual, message me for a free diagram
Do your oil changes on time! Next thing you know they'll get bought out by ford and ran into the ground
 

r3gill

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 4, 2008
Location
Township Of Langley, BC, Canada
TDI
2004 BEW Golf, 2006 Jetta Brm, 2014 CC TDI Cjaa 6 speed Manual
The US epa can work with vw Germany to allow selling TDI's in US/Canada again. Keep the msrp reasonable and the factory will be going full tilt.
 

irishjetta

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Joined
Feb 2, 2024
Location
Ridgefield CT
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'03 alh Jetta wagon, 290k miles
Everywhere in Europe you can still buy a new Volkswagen diesel.

Not sure about other markets, because I'm not sure how popular they ever were there. But Europe still has plenty to choose from.
I can attest to that. The Golf TDI is still one of the most popular cars in Ireland.
 

pro51492

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2014
Location
Hustisford, WI
TDI
2012 Sportwagen TDI 6sp
Unfortunately our government will never allow the sale of high MPG diesels again. The agenda is Electric and that’s all they care about.
 

JoeTDI65

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 16, 2015
Location
Bangor, ME
TDI
2013 Golf
At least the manf. are realizing that going all electric is not going to happen over night and some are developing gas powered options again. The automotive industry is so huge here how can it just be converted suddenly. Stupid choices by people that don't want to consider all the options and planning. In my opinion battery technology has to change enough for it to be "convenient" to charge a car before more will start buying.
 

adjat84th

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Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Location
Virginia Beach, VA
TDI
'01 Jetta TDI/'15 Golf TDI
At least the manf. are realizing that going all electric is not going to happen over night and some are developing gas powered options again. The automotive industry is so huge here how can it just be converted suddenly. Stupid choices by people that don't want to consider all the options and planning. In my opinion battery technology has to change enough for it to be "convenient" to charge a car before more will start buying.
Battery tech is getting closer, solid-state batteries are going to change the EV industry IMO. VW is working with QuantumScape to bring their SSB to market that solves a lot of the current issues (range, safety, useful life, and charge time). I do wonder if VW will stay the course with that joint venture given the latest update on their closures/layoffs, but I can't see where other OEMs won't realize these benefits of SSBs and get on board eventually in the next 3-5 years.
 

Lightflyer1

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Location
Round Rock, Texas
TDI
2015 Beetle tdi dsg

"
WOLFSBURG, Germany, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE), opens new tab plans to shut at least three factories in Germany, lay off tens of thousands of staff and shrink its remaining plants in Europe's biggest economy as it plots a deeper-than-expected overhaul, the company's works council head said on Monday.
Europe's biggest carmaker has been negotiating for weeks with unions over plans to revamp its business and cut costs, including considering plant closures on home soil for the first time, in a blow to Germany's industrial prowess.

VW under major pressure to cut costs
Workers face pay cuts, freeze in 2025, 2026
Shares down 1%
Cost-cutting plans beyond market expectations, analyst says"
 
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