VW TDI JSW: the 2013 model year............

[ezshift5]

........as noted in CU's recent 'Annual Auto Issue'.

1. More red dots

2. Used car rating now get a red dot (half, not full)

3. Last (but certainly not least) the fuel system has gone red.

In northern CA, we might call this purchase revalidation (regardless of how one feels about Consumer Reports).


It all good, ez sends..................

 

[gulfcoastguy]

Thanks, that's good news for my 13.

 

[PlaneCrazy]

Our '13 Golf wagon (same as US JSW) has been absolutely flawless in 22,000 km and just over a year so far.

 

[MAH]

Expected reliability is poor though.

 

[suliabryon]

Expected reliability is poor though.

Before I bought this car, I sat down and chatted with a friend of mine, who's profession is basically an automotive technical writer, with a specialty (but not limited to) toward fuel economy. She writes informational articles for consumer websites, gets flown out to test drive cars, has written a book about how to pick the right car for you when you go shopping for one, etc. Anyway, her husband is a really good friend, so when I decided to move on from my 20-year-old Honda, I did my own research, and then went and talked to her.

She said while it used to be true that Honda and Toyota ruled the pack for reliability, the truth is that these days, pretty much ever major car company is the same. They each might have their quirks and the rare outlying lemon, but overall new model automobiles are a reliable bunch. She said I needed to decide what features I wanted, and get that car. I told her what I wanted, convinced it didn't exist (because I hate the feel of driving every hybrid I have tried), and she told me I should look at diesel cars. And here I am.

I don't know if what she said is true or not, but I do know she's not a magazine or blog with advertising dollars swaying her opinions or observations. I guess only time will tell.

 

[ezshift5]

Expected reliability is poor though.

Count the red dots (they address 16 subsets of reliability).

MY 2013 improvements show 10 of 16 as full red dots (less than 1% problem rate).

The remaining 6 reliability subsets are half-red dots (1-2% problem rate).

CU may not be the last word (but the trend is noteworthy to this sailor).


ez....