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Toyota Prius vs VW Golf TDI - READ ONLY

791 messages,  Last post on Feb 28, 2010 at 9:19 AM

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What is this discussion about? Toyota Prius, Volkswagen Golf, Diesel, Hybrid Cars, Hatchback, Sedan

Messages Page 63 of 80

#615 of 791 Golf/Prius restraining ratio, maybe 100:1 ? by elias

Feb 11, 2010 (5:50 am)

Replying to: backy (Feb 10, 2010 5:12 pm)
technically you have a great point backy ! The sample size of usa golf tdis
is necessarily small so far. Let's hope there will be lots more for 2011 model year.
Sample size of Priusesesesse is enormous, and people
aren't liking them so much now that toyota is trying to rectify their intracranial problems.
 
There are probably just a few hundred Golf TDI in the USA now?
Maybe each dealer gets at most two for 2010? The more that
get here, the safer our roads. Can't say the same for Priuses just now, but they wil be fixed soon, really.
I figure each Golf TDI's brakes can hold back about 100 Priuses from unintendedly accelerating, if they all drive in a straight line with the Golf TDI in front.
So with the 300 golf TDI in USA so far, up to 30,000 errant Priuses can be restrained thanks to the evidently superior VW engineering of basic automotive functions such as brakes/shifter/ignition-switch.
 
Toyoda-san, please consider to read your customers automotive lips:
   
Less PacMan fruit zipping around on the dashboard display.
Bring more reliability in brake system, diesel engine , manual shifter .
 
Tomorrow, I would buy any new Toyota with any manual-shift and diesel engine. Bring it!

#616 of 791 Re: Golf/Prius restraining ratio, maybe 100:1 ? [elias] by backy

Feb 11, 2010 (5:52 am)

Replying to: elias (Feb 11, 2010 5:50 am)
Yup, you, plus a dozen other people in the US.

#617 of 791 Re: Golf/Prius restraining ratio, maybe 100:1 ? [elias] by gagrice

Feb 11, 2010 (7:10 am)

Replying to: elias (Feb 11, 2010 5:50 am)
Tomorrow, I would buy any new Toyota with any manual-shift and diesel engine. Bring it!
 
I would buck the media hype over UA and buy a mid sized Toyota PU with diesel in a heartbeat. Problem is they have not done much with diesel emissions and would probably have to buy from the Germans to get them accepted by the regulators.
 
Backy, if Toyota could sell their very fine Tacoma diesel (HiLux) in the USA, I believe it would reach 40% of their Tacoma sales in less than 5 years. They are decent trucks with a V6 gas engine. But horrible gas hogs. They get better usable power with their very fine 4 cylinder diesel engine sold World wide. I don't have the statistics. My guess they don't even bother offering the V6 gasser outside the USA. The Tacoma 4 cylinder gasser is a loser and worthless for anything but very light delivery work on level ground.
 
As far as the Golf TDI pricing. I don't think they sell them here at a loss. Other than the exchange rate is poor for selling EU products right now in the USA. My point on the Brits paying $40K for the Golf TDI is how much they think of the vehicle. The Prius does not sell well in the UK for all the obvious reasons. When given a choice the Prius is a non seller. Japan and the USA being the only real markets for the overly complex hybrids. Toyota is now paying the price for all their overly complex DBW systems.

#618 of 791 Re: Golf TDI #1 March 2010 Consumer Reports [backy] by moparbad

Feb 11, 2010 (10:01 am)

Replying to: backy (Feb 11, 2010 5:46 am)
If CR's rankings are OK for the Golf, then they must be OK for the Prius, right? One of the best cars for reliability new, the best car for reliability used, and #1 in owner satisfaction.
 
Your views of Prius being #1, well, it is quite clear that not only has CR revised their views of Toyota and Prius, the general populace ranks Toyota 16th in perceived quality, not #1, and the press is not too favorable either.
 
While Toyota quality has been eroding for years and years, Toyota fanatics have kept their blinders on, refusing to acknowledge reality.
 
quote Jon Linkov Consumer Reports -First it was floor mats, then accelerator pedals and this week, brakes in models not previously recalled. When will the recalls end for Toyota and will consumers be forgiving?
 
"Toyota is really going to have to go the extra step to get people back," says Jon Linkov, Auto Editor for Consumer Reports.
 
What was once known as the best-selling vehicle is now known as one of the most recalled. And now Toyota has added more than 400,000 Prius models to that list. -end
 
quote-
A problem Toyota owners will likely face is selling or trading in their vehicle in the next couple of years. Blue Book value is dropping to pennies on the dollar right now.
 
Consumer Reports recommends not trying to sell off your Toyota unless you absolutely have to. -end
 
Toyota woes follow years of slipping quality
 
quote Jeff Bartlett Consumer Reports -
“Visible problems make you wonder about things you can’t see,” said Jeff Bartlett, deputy online editor for autos at Consumer Reports.-end
 
quote-
Car reviewers have been lowering their marks on Toyota for some time, pointing out little construction flaws such as misaligned dashboards and crooked glove compartments that may have been clues to the larger safety-related issues that have emerged.
-end
 
quote-
Ranking slips
Now Toyota ranks 16th in perceived quality, according to CNW’s surveys, behind brands like Mazda, Volkswagen and Volvo, for which quality has not historically been a claim to fame.-end

#619 of 791 Re: Golf TDI #1 March 2010 Consumer Reports [moparbad] by backy

Feb 11, 2010 (10:28 am)

Replying to: moparbad (Feb 11, 2010 10:01 am)
You are talking about a point-in-time view. Toyota is at an all-time low in perception right now, obviously. But wrt the 2010 Prius, we are talking about a single issue, a software update, which is already in place and being rolled out.
 
Funny how when VW recalls 1.3 million vehicles, as it did not long ago in two separate actions involving the Golf/Rabbit/Jetta, no one blinked an eye. Why? Because it was expected behavior for VW. The reason Toyota's recent issues have gotten so much press is because of their long-time record for reliability. I expect these issues will be a huge "wake up call" for Toyota, and will be the impetus for them to return to their path of rock-solid reliability and quality.
 
As for VW and its Golf... they have quite a history to overcome. Not just some recent issues, but many years of sub-par reliability. Who will come out of their funk first? We'll see. It won't take long to update the software on the Prius. Much harder to erase from memory the long history of VW's quality/reliability problems.

#620 of 791 Re: Golf TDI #1 March 2010 Consumer Reports [backy] by moparbad

Feb 11, 2010 (11:35 am)

Replying to: backy (Feb 11, 2010 10:28 am)
You are talking about a point-in-time view
 
Only recently have Toyota's problems become a media issue, however, this point-in-time view is the result of 10 to 15 years of Toyota problems.
 
This decline in Toyota quality has been ongoing since at least 2000, if not longer.
Toyota knew about the problems and would not take action.
Toyota problems are systemic, there is no reasonable expectation that Prius will be excluded.
When Toyota had a sludge problem they refused to take action until public outcry became overwhelming.
When Toyota had a rust problem with Toyota Tacoma frames so bad the trucks were breaking in half, for years Toyota said the rust was normal until NHTSA investigated as a safety issue and finally Toyota extended the warranty. They refused to recall the trucks. This is for 1995 to 2000 Tacoma's, though there is evidence of problems with 2000 and later Tacoma trucks.
 
This is not the first recall for a Prius.
 
Your "point-in-time" view about Toyota is applicable, and to VW too yet you refuse give up the past and realize that the current reality of reliability and quality is much changed from 10 years and even 5 years ago.
VW reliability was worse than average with the MkIII Golf, and with the early MKIV Golf. By the end of the MKIV Golf and the start of MKV, VW had corrected it's component reliability problems.
 
VW's are reliable. VW is continuing to exert pressure on dealers to modernize their facilities and to improve their customer service in the area of maintenance and repair. VW's dealer network offered an inconsistent experience from dealer to dealer and far too many dealers were horrible.
While the dealer network is still a work in process, VW is continuing it's efforts to improve dealership quality. I would rank them at average at this point-in-time for customer service and above average for facility quality.
 
Golf TDI and Prius are both unique among the overall automotive market and both are recognized as being excellent if not the best in their classes.
When you buy a TDI or you buy a Prius, you still have to deal with VW and Toyota whether you love them or hate them.
 
I'm just glad I don't have to try to schedule service for a Toyota, or sell a Toyota at this point-in-time,

#621 of 791 Re: Golf TDI #1 March 2010 Consumer Reports [moparbad] by backy

Feb 11, 2010 (12:49 pm)

Replying to: moparbad (Feb 11, 2010 11:35 am)
Toyota problems are systemic, there is no reasonable expectation that Prius will be excluded.
 
There is a lot of reason to expect overall strong reliability for the Prius. See for example the reliability scores for the Prius in CR. That is a strong historical record. OTOH, I don't know how you can look at the current software problem and extrapolate that the car will be unreliable in general.
 
VWs are reliable.
 
Let's look at CR's take on that, since you respect their opinion. Following is from the April 2009 Auto Issue:
 
CC: New
Eos: Below Average
GTI: Average
Jetta: Average
New Beetle: Below Average
Passat: Below Average
Rabbit: Above Average
Routan: New (although the record for the vans made on the same assembly line as the Routan is Much Worse than Average)
Tiguan: New
Touareg: Much Worse than Average
 
If this is "much changed" from 10 years or even 5 years ago... in which direction did it change?? Only one car, the Rabbit, is Above Average. And considering the Rabbit/Golf are the hatchback versions of the Jetta, basically one vehicle for VW is Average or above. That is good for the Golf/Jetta, but not very good for VW overall.
 
In contrast, prior to the UA issue CR ranked all Toyota models at least Above Average with the following exceptions:
 
Camry I4 and V6: Average (Hybrid was well above average)
Land Cruiser: Insufficient data
Sequoia: Average
Tundra: Average
Venza: New
 
Eight models, including the Prius and Camry Hybrid, were ranked well above average in reliability.
 
So does Toyota have problems now? Sure. But please don't try to re-write history or even current events and try to make a case that VW is suddenly a provider of reliable vehicles in general, or that the Prius is suddenly an unreliable car because of the software issue.

#622 of 791 Re: Golf TDI #1 March 2010 Consumer Reports [backy] by gagrice

Feb 11, 2010 (3:20 pm)

Replying to: backy (Feb 11, 2010 10:28 am)
Funny how when VW recalls 1.3 million vehicles, as it did not long ago in two separate actions involving the Golf/Rabbit/Jetta, no one blinked an eye.
 
Maybe that is because people are not looking for just a car with great reliability. They are looking at a car with high quality components. Great handling, safety and braking plus super fun to drive. With the Golf TDI you get all that and 50 MPG. Now take the Prius. The only positives it had going for it was high mileage and reliability. Take away the reliability and it does not leave much reason to own one. Count on resale to go in the toilet.

#623 of 791 Re: Golf TDI #1 March 2010 Consumer Reports [gagrice] by backy

Feb 11, 2010 (4:02 pm)

Replying to: gagrice (Feb 11, 2010 3:20 pm)
OK, then, I guess we can drop this whole discussion on reliability, since it's not a big issue.
 
And the Prius does have other plusses besides fuel economy and reliability, e.g.:
 
* Lots of legroom in back for adults--midsized interior room with compact exterior
* Low emissions
* Quiet operation (especially in electric-only mode)
* Unique styling (a plus for some)
* Some unique features in this class, e.g. solar panels in roof to power a/c
* Lots of cargo room
 
BTW... you do not get 50 mpg from the Golf TDI, unless you run it on the highway no-stop all the time. In the real world, ala R&T's tests, it's closer to 40 mpg. But the Prius seems fully capable of topping 50 mpg average, even 55, in real-world driving.
 
Resale going in the toilet? Yes, if gas goes below $1 a gallon. Don't think that will happen.

#624 of 791 rehashing reliability is old-hat by elias

Feb 12, 2010 (8:27 am)

yes, backy, we can drop the reliability discussion - there is no issue - nothing to debate as far as I can see.
     
(not counting toyota's recent fiasco, euro cars are not as reliable as GMs or Toyotas. everybody knows this. IMHO, it's boring & old-news.)
 
you like the Prius better! Cool. Have fun with one!
 
FYI, The best way to get TDI 50mpg is with "suburban" driving, or driving a constant 60 mph on highway.
 
Regarding your reported prius advantages, looks like a low batting-average for those.
- legroom, you don't show there's more legroom than TDI
- low emissions, you don't show that it's lower than TDI
- quiet operation, you don't show that it's quieter than TDI
- solar panels in roof to power the AC? Prius does not have such a thing.
  probably you mean solar panels to power a little fan.
  ok, if that's an advantage for you , maybe you are batting 0.200 ,
  do you consider the pac-man-fruit zipping across the Prius dashboard
  as an advantage too? prius dashboard pac-men are fun entertainment, but that's not a feature
  I want in my cars dashboard, personally.
 
As for Prius resale values, don't sweat those - seems like you like your prius so much you obviously won't be selling/trading it! News reports indicate they've only dropped a few percent lower than they would have if Toyota hadn't "temporarily forgotten" the basics of customer-service and automotive engineering.

Messages Page 63 of 80

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