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2005 VW GOLF V - READ ONLY

68 messages,  Last post on Oct 14, 2004 at 6:07 AM

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Messages Page 5 of 7

#39 of 68 by creakid1

Apr 14, 2004 (10:27 am)

"...but I haven't read anything about a 5 cylinder engine - is that brand new?"
 
No, it's just a VR5(a VR6 w/ one cylinder chopped off). One Brit car magazine pointed out that, compare to Audi's 1.8 turbo, this 5-cyl, which was introduced not long after the Audi's 1.8 turbo, costs more, has weaker torque, worse fuel economy, & no better smoothness, but...
 
Since the 1.8 turbo has max torque all the way &, therefore, sounds boring(literally) & even feels boring due to lack of torque change for several thousand rpms, you're likely to FEEL more satisfying revving this 5-cyl back & forth, &, therefore, has more character!

#40 of 68 by carlisimo

Apr 14, 2004 (1:52 pm)

Well, Europe is used to those small engines. Displacement based tax and all that. I don't know how they do it, everyone driving manual cars on cobblestone roads that are centuries old and aren't at all flat and level... it's impressive.
 
Glad to hear the 2.0 won't be offered here though.

#41 of 68 carlisimo by lngtonge18

Apr 15, 2004 (9:43 pm)

The VR5 is a 2.4 liter engine if my memory serves me correctly. I think they are looking to match other small cars with big motors, like the 2.5 in the Sentra, 2.4 in the Lancer, and 2.3 in the Aerio. The 5 cylinder engine will feel much more powerful off the line then the old 1.8 turbo. No turbo lag to deal with. Fuel economy won't be great though.
 
Honestly, I'll be sad to see the old 8 valve engine go. It's the last close tie to my 84 Rabbit GTI which has a bulletproof spunky engine. Over 20 years of service is a testament to the durable design of the engine.

#42 of 68 I got one, too, not too long ago! Enlarged to 2.0 by GEX by creakid1

Apr 16, 2004 (12:22 pm)

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX?viewUserProfile!vuserName=c- - reakid1
 
Unfortunately the GEX header kept rubbing my GTI front swaybar(this Jetta didn't have a front swaybar to begin with), so the mechanic tried to move the header & broke it. Now I'm stuck w/ driving my Japanese cars for a while.

#43 of 68 by tomcat630

Apr 19, 2004 (8:49 pm)

VW is so arrogant to think that their cars are "premium" and still have all these quality issues. Also, to think that people will sit and wait 6 years for a new design today is ridiculous.
 
For the price of a cramped Jetta, one can get a nice roomy true mid sized car.
 
They deserve their recent sales dive.

#44 of 68 by creakid1

Apr 19, 2004 (11:31 pm)

"VW is so arrogant to think that their cars are "premium" and still have all these quality issues."
 
Let's hope VW can figure out how to make reliable cars, at least the ones imported from Germany. CR gave the Passat 2.8 the highest reliability rating of all German cars. That's a start.
 
"Also, to think that people will sit and wait 6 years for a new design today is ridiculous."
 
6 yrs isn't much. Have you wondered why the Camry/ES300 still rode uncomfortably shallow over deeper bumps for another 10 yrs from '92-02? It's b/c they've been using the same low-tech short-spring platform all this time! Even my '84 Jetta Wolfsburg coupe(just restored) based on the '74 Scirocco rides more comfortably over bumps than any of the low-tech FWD Toyota's from the '90's! While this manual-steering "vintage" VW's stable comfortable ride also provides fun-&-safe tossable handling & good-feeling steering, if only the noise level...
 
Besides, the new quiet Golf V is a truely new design w/ the Focus-type control-blade rear suspension, so it's level of ride/handling compromise will climb to a new height. While someone in the VW family just figured out how to tune the new electric steering from numb into...
creakid1 "2006 Volkswagen Jetta" Apr 1, 2004 2:07pm

#45 of 68 tomcat630 by lngtonge18

Apr 20, 2004 (10:02 am)

When you consider that a good number of Jetta owners are single and don't have kids, then it doesn't make sense for them to spend the same money and get a midsize car. Some people simply don't want or need a family sized car but they prefer something sportier and more luxurious then your average small car and VW fills that premium small car niche with the Jetta. By your own thought process, one would wonder why someone would buy a BMW 3 series when they can have a full size Avalon......They are two totally different market segments and attract different buyers. Bigger is not always better, as so many Americans think.

#46 of 68 by muffin_man

Apr 20, 2004 (3:16 pm)

Actually, I think bigger is usually worse.

#47 of 68 Only a genius can engineer a small car by creakid1

Apr 20, 2004 (3:53 pm)

or a good-handling-car, or both, that rides comfortably.
 
So far, the base 325i is the champ.
 
Back in '99, when I told another customer in the Pasadena VW dealer, "I guarantee! You can't find another car (rides)this comfortable at this price(over $19k Jetta)", the salesman was mighty impressed. That's right, while I sat in the back seat during the test drives, even the '99 Avalon didn't ride as calm as the '99 Jetta over bumps/undulations.

#48 of 68 Size by lovetosavegas

Apr 24, 2004 (7:08 pm)

does matter to average buyer. Why do you think VW decided to increase the size of Golf V? I think their marketing folks saw they could sell more golfs this way. I think this is a good decision. Current golf is really tiny. Especially in Texas. I also think that recently redesigned Mazda3 is eating into VW sales. The same concept, extremely well executed, cheaper, larger and with the same quality as Jetta/Golf.

Messages Page 5 of 7

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