Would you consider buying a VW gasser with your buyback money?

[FVWVWF]

There are any number of options that could be had for a similar amount of money to a R that would meet or exceed its performance. However, none of those options will give you that VW "feel" that enthusiasts are after.

Or in some cases the resale value. But the competition caught up...AWD is now available in some of the lowest trims of other brands...that wasnt something so common back then as it is now.

 

[solman1]

I like the Jetta for it's overall comfort and handling as well as a large trunk in a compact car. I was thinking of going to a manual trans gasser Jetta. My lease is up in 6 months and I think that might be all for the TDI. However I am not sure how the VW 1.4 or 1.8 gas engines stack up.
I hear the 1.4 is a bit weak and the 1.8 doesn't hold up to high mileage without problems. Not sure if that is true though.


Sorry for multiple posts I deleted them at home. My work internet is quirky

 

[kjclow]

The only VW that interests me right now would be a new GSW. Looking at Truecar, it says I can get into the "special edition" for about $7000 over the buyback vaule on my 2010 JSW. It would be great and may force the decision if it were a few grand less than that. Since VW is currently offering $1000 off the GSW, so surely they can drop it another $2-3000 to keep us in the family. Otherwise, I think we will probably be looking at an SUV as something that is easier to get in and out of.

 

[texsize]

only if they offer a gasser that can go 500 miles on a fill-up of regular gas.
not interested in small engines that require premium, where is the savings in that ??
texsize

 

[PFCoppinger]

There aren't a heck of a lot of options that can replace the functionality of a JSW. The gasser GSW is one. The Outback is another. Each has drawbacks, so it will be a value decision, assuming I dont do the fix route. I have no particular issue with VW, and the car I have is one of my favorites of all the cars I have ever had.

 

[Rico567]

I highly doubt that's going to happen. It's my understanding that a lot of dealers are getting screwed pretty hard by this (a bunch have banded together to sue VW themselves) - I've also heard that the settlement itself includes language that forbids the buyback offer be in any way, shape, or form contingent on purchasing a new VW. That's likely the reason why the settlement doesn't include an option of "dealer credit equal to full buyback price plus x percent".

I have no doubt you are correct that there is nothing tying the settlement to the purchase of a new VW. The court and the government agencies involved would never agree to something like that. But that doesn't prevent VW from offering an incentive, just like the loyalty incentives, only bigger. But, as I said, I don't think that's going to happen.

 

[akafirestorm]

Most likely not another VW. My VW dealer would have to do something spectacular at the time of buy back to even consider it. I bought in because of the TDI. I've loved this sportwagen but VW is far more pricier on parts and maintenance then other Brands which I didn't have a problem with because well at the time it was a TDI. Fact is that their engineers lied about their product so how much did they lie about the fuels systems, AC system or even the cold start failures of which I'm still pissed about (I had and still have never gotten resolved costing for tows and inspections.) that they are giving customers problems to get fixed. I'm not willing to buy from them and something catastrophic happens and VW says that's not on us it yours. Nope! I realize there are trust issues with every brand and every brand has had lemons but for now in the near future for VW I can't honestly walk into their dealerships anymore and feel comfortable buying anything on their floor.

 

[Circuit]

I am 99% sure I am getting a B8.5 Allroad after the buyback. I really hope there's some extra incentive applied to Audi as well. There's no VW that matches up with the AR (the Golf Alltrack is not full time AWD, and is only the 1.8 TSI, and doesn't look as awesome)

 

[petsur]

Dealers in Denver have been advertising 5k off GTIs all year.

 

[Candymaker]

The plan before all this crap went down was to get an R. Timing just got moved forward by about 4yrs, that's all.

 

[bubbagumpshrimp]

Or in some cases the resale value. But the competition caught up...AWD is now available in some of the lowest trims of other brands...that wasnt something so common back then as it is now.

VW already had stiff competition at that point. Both the WRX STI and Lancer Evolution were on sale in the U.S. at that point.

That's not counting the 350Z, G35 coupe, RX8, etc. Those aren't AWD, but they were competing for the same pool of drivers (enthusiasts).

My $.02...I drove a LOT of different cars in that timeframe. STI, Evo, G35, 350z, RX8, Mustang Cobra, Camaro SS, etc.

In terms of overall driving experience...straight line acceleration, handling, steering feel, etc. the STI was a better car than the R32. You just had to get past the STI's Dollar Store quality interior. Subaru then...as now...doesn't seem to put a whole lot of effort into interior design and quality.

The R32 was a fun car to drive though. The one I drove had a VF Engineering Supercharger, so it was more peppy. I had a 24V VR6 at the time and loved the deeper/throaty tone of the 3.2L VR6...it reminded me of my old 12V VR6.

That being said...the STI could have run laps around the R32. The R was a lumbering overweight pig compared to the STI. It did have a MUCH nicer interior and that German car feel though. I would be curious to go drive a new STI and R just to see where those cars are (new models)...10+ years later.

 

[kjclow]

In terms of overall driving experience...straight line acceleration, handling, steering feel, etc. the STI was a better car than the R32. You just had to get past the STI's Dollar Store quality interior. Subaru then...as now...doesn't seem to put a whole lot of effort into interior design and quality.

I think Subaru has had a real hard time breaking out of the mind set of offering utilitarian vechilces that are great on going about anywhere and easy to clean out when you get back. our first new car was an 82 subie wagon with fwd. You could get them without awd at that time. When I look at a new one today, I really don't see that much difference improvement in the interior.

 

[STLTDI]

When this first came out, my thoughts were "done with VW". Now I'm in the boat that I'd look at other models with significant extra discounts. Have discussed with my wife and a 1.8T Golf Sportwagen or Passat would probably work for us. I'd have to be walking out with it at $2500-$3K under invoice though. That's the kind of deal it's going to take for me.

 

[solBLACK]

I'd be willing to get a GTI if VW could make it so my auto loan starts, or is lower than where it's at now for my TDI. Otherwise I'm taking the "fix" as I don't want to increase the amount of my loan.

 

[rte2MA]

Basically the 2015-16 Sportwagen is no longer a sport wagon.
...
4) The 2015 MK7 chassis no longer has fold flat seats. I bring fitted boxes to job sites, and carry large RC aircraft in that 66 cuft. The 2009-2014 fits a 40 gallon water heater, the 2015-16 does not. Again, what was VW thinking.

Hah! That explains something I was wondering about. Someone with a Sportwagon had claimed the cargo floor was so low he could stow his bike inside standing upright (front wheel off). I was looking for something that would let me do that since I had been stowing my bike (lying down) in the back of my Golf and I'm tired of having a bike take up all my cargo space. I've visited a few dealerships (bike in hand) to see which cars can handle an upright bike. My first try was a 2016 Sportwagon and it did NOT fit. I was so disappointed. It's hard to find something smaller than a minivan or an SUV that can stow an upright bike. I thought the Kia Soul would work but its cargo bed is too short. And Honda doesn't make the Element anymore.

I would have happily grabbed a new Sportwagon if it could have done the upright bike trick. But VW messed that up. So I just pulled the trigger on a small cargo van for my weekend cycling trips. It's perfect for the bike and it works for car camping too. I'll hang onto the TDI for another year or two while I figure out what else makes sense alongside a van. It sure is a lot easier to think about this now that I can remove the bike from the equation.

 

[lktango]

Gonna keep the TDi for a while

I looked at what VW has to offer similar to my JSW and I don't really care for what I found. The most attractive was the plain-Jane S model with manual tranny. But I like the overall economy of mine and it has been entirely trouble-free in 37k miles.

I've made two trips to Fairbanks, AK, from Oregon in it and found the fuel cost was great with the plus of it being very comfortable for driving that distance. Many days we drove 12 hours and over 600 miles on roads varying from paved to single lane dirt logging roads.

I think it's the best VW product I've owned to date.

 

[64deuce]

My 2012 JSW really lacked some of the quality I would have expected.

Panoramic Sunroof, broken tracks ($2100 repair under warranty) by my headliner took a beating.
Sunroof Drains (repaired by me, I put a beating on the headliner).
Pushbutton start ($275 dealer repair). I have never had to replace a keyed ignition switch on a car, this is just a stupid pushbutton.
No A/C at idle. Try stop and go in your JSW, fry yourself. Factory looked at it 1 year out and said all was normal (crappy design).
Sunroof rattle/ping (now out of warranty, but given the number of times it was apart, can you really complain).

 

[Rob_TDI_13]

I have a 2013 Jetta TDI premium with navigation and 98k miles. Looking into either the GLI or Passat. Leaning for towards GLI because I still want manaul as well as bring able to tow every once in awhile 1 or 2 motorcycles.

 

[srs5694]

I was looking for something that would let me do that since I had been stowing my bike (lying down) in the back of my Golf and I'm tired of having a bike take up all my cargo space.

I heard recently that this could be done with a Honda Fit, so I Googled and found this Honda Fit forum thread where it's discussed. There are links to photos. I don't own a Fit, and probably won't buy one, but I am impressed by their cargo flexibility.

 

[Hamman]

Both my wife and I have buybacks. With her JSW, she looks to get a Tiggy which will put her up higher for better visibility. Her choice and she has no problem with the automatic.
For me, the problem is as others have stated before;
No pairing of the 1.4t or 1.8t and manual with anything other than base equipment. Many may disagree, but the Nav on my Golf (though not perfect) is something I use quite a bit for my job. The ONLY way to get Nav on a Golf now is to special order an SEL. Very few exist in my part of the country and obviously no manual trans. Please don't tell me about the Jetta Sport. I really like the exclusivity of the Golf and the hatchback.
Back in the fall I sent an email to VW marketing pointing out that IF it comes to where we are now that they should be looking at folks who like a manual tranny and an economical engine (1.4t) paired with high end equipment. I got a very kind and sympathetic response from someone who also was a manual tranny driver. Obviously nothing happened. IMO, VW is going to miss out on many sales simply because they won't make option packages available that may appeal to ex-TDI drivers.
I really like VW's. I have had many, but it may be time to look at another brand.

 

[markman]

I'm still going back and forth between the "fix" and the buyback for my 2011 Sportwagen. I really like the car but the buyback $ are pretty tempting. In my case I should be able to get all but about 3k in the buyback compared to what I paid for the car. Not bad for a 5-7 year old car. Now , if I were to take the buyback I would consider another VW, probably a GTI, but I think it would take a little bit of incentive from the dealer in order to make it happen. I'm not in a rush, however, so I'm going to take my time to research what else is available and make sure whatever I do it's something I'll be happy with for at least the next 5 years.

 

[ricks]

To the poster with the bike, what is wrong with a roof rack? They are aero and lock so your bike is secure and you can still drive the car you want. I have hauled my bikes for years on the roof with zero issues. Seems like a non-issue issue.

 

[ricks]

As for "not rewarding" VW, I would think that the other 650,000 world wide VW employees might feel differently about that. This army of people happen to make quite well engineered cars these days with high assembly standards and not bad design. Get over it.

Fuel cost is only an additional $250 in 14,000 miles per year for the new 1.8t gasser. And, the gasoline 1.8 TSI has solid low end torque. But, that is not telling the whole story by a long chalk when it comes to the changes made to the 2015+ model Sportwagen. VW has just simply lost the thread when it comes to this concept.

In the case of the 2010-2014 Sportwagen, the fact that they were TDI was not the only selling point. In fact, these cars were so special, I sold our 2010 TDI and bought new 2014 TDI, just because of changes unrelated to TDI in the 2015-6 Mk7 Sportwagens.

Basically the 2015-16 Sportwagen is no longer a sport wagon.

1) No more DSG transmission. VW USA must be clueless how desirable this is for an experienced performance driver. 3 second per mile quicker than a manual gearbox and effortless. The gasser has a decent automatic 6-speed, but it is nothing like driving a DSG. I also short shift for excellent fuel economy in town. DSG is made for this use as well.

2) Loss of large, GTI sized front and rear brakes. There are times when smoke just pours off my brakes coming down a mountain. The bigger GTI brake surface dissipates more heat between slowing down for corners. Add ceramic pads, Audi TT front control arms bushings and these are serious performance brakes. There is a reason Bilstein offers their yellow "B6" sport shocks for the 2009-2014 chassis. It can do the job.

3) TDI Sportwagen lost its IRS (independent rear suspension) to a DEF tank. This was sinful. Put the tank up in the rear fender on the left side and keep the IRS. IRS tracks in corners, where the solid beam axle can cause unwanted surprises.

4) The 2015 MK7 chassis no longer has fold flat seats. I bring fitted boxes to job sites, and carry large RC aircraft in that 66 cuft. The 2009-2014 fits a 40 gallon water heater, the 2015-16 does not. Again, what was VW thinking.

I understand the 2017 Sportwagen will have DSG, but only with 4-motion. This only in a stripped model with cloth only, no heated seats, nor driver assist package available. A day late and a dollar short again. The ugly, totally poser AllTrack will also be way over priced. But, it has headed seats, and a better auto-control heater.

How I do wish Japanese and German car makers would just sell Japanese and German sedans without clueless attempts at translation for the American market. They also hire American sales executives who come up through the dealer chains and then trust them to make marketing decisions, all based on feedback of how the dealers want to pack their cars and increase their profit margins. Let those guys sell trucks and leave the sedans alone. Bummer.

Mike, this is an excellent summary of the differences. Moving from my manual JSW to a GSW in no matter the configuration would be disappointing. The options are keep the JSW or find an gently used A4 avant and get AWD. Decisions decisions.

 

[gatz]

Mike, this is an excellent summary of the differences. Moving from my manual JSW to a GSW in no matter the configuration would be disappointing. The options are keep the JSW or find an gently used A4 avant and get AWD. Decisions decisions.

The Alltrack is the high end trim version. It does have leatherette standard seats if that's something you want. I am kind of partial to it, but its basically the same price as a GTI so I'm not sure.

https://imgur.com/a/MJELm

 

[kjclow]

To the poster with the bike, what is wrong with a roof rack? They are aero and lock so your bike is secure and you can still drive the car you want. I have hauled my bikes for years on the roof with zero issues. Seems like a non-issue issue.

Depending on the bike, you may not want it on the roof or it may be too heavy for some to get on the roof. I have a hitch mount that cradles the tires, so no contact with the frame. Good for a carbon road bike. Others would be conserved about crushing more expensive race rims. For a real high priced bike, nothing is as secure as having it locked inside the vehicle. It's all a choice in what you have and how you want to protect it.

At least with my hybrid, I've never been able to get it into the back of the JSW standing up.

 

[ricks]

You are correct a downhill mtn bike can be quite heavy. I have a couple of Italian racing bikes, a custom tandem, and a nice standard mountain bike. My racks lock to the car and to the bikes. Getting the tandem up is no fun but doable. With the racks off I put my bikes other than the tandem inside, but I also worry about some one breaking a window to get in to steal the bike. Unless you have a cargo van with no rear windows there is no great solution

 

[Wolfbrother]

Thinking of maybe replacing my '13 Jetta (40k on the clock) with, wait for it, another Jetta! I love so much about it, and getting about what I paid for it originally in the buyback settlement would allow me to get a TSI with a better spec. I haven't driven one yet, but I think the new ones are getting close to 35-40 mpg anyway. I'll be curious to see the differences between the 2, but for my money it's a small car (which I like) with a huge trunk and backseat (which I need) and I can't think of anything that comes close. I really like the new GSW, but the backseat is smaller and I can't really downsize there...

 

[toneman]

When this first came out, my thoughts were "done with VW". Now I'm in the boat that I'd look at other models with significant extra discounts.

I was sort of the opposite. I had the "everybody cheats" attitude and was looking seriously at other VWs. After the latest news about alleged obsfucation, lying, and cover-up, VAG's arrogance is becoming distasteful. Was set on a gasser GSW, now I don't know

 

[rmacia]

buying a gasser

The buyback is going to be done, (I heard) on an individual basis, through the dealers. The dealers will have a LOT of people in their doors with a lot of money to spend.
Don't you think the dealers will be offering great deals to get buyback owners to leave that buyback money at the dealers?
I think VW will give the dealers incentives to get owners to stay with VW.

A lot of people will be having a lot of sudden money to spend ....

 

[mheat]

Anxiously awaiting the Canadian announcement on July 29.
Have put down a $2000 deposit at the dealer for first right of refusal on one of their impounded 2015 Sportwagen's assuming VW comes up with a fix for them that is legal. The dealer has about 40 2015 TDI's on a lot that are being regularly maintained. They will sell them at a steep discount, so fingers crossed for an even trade on my 2009 Sportwagen.