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Routan vs Touran USA vs Europe

7 messages,  Last post on May 17, 2009 at 11:47 AM

You are in the Volkswagen Routan Forum.

What is this discussion about? Volkswagen Routan, Volkswagen, Car Comparisons, Alternative Fuels, Diesel, Hybrid Cars, Van

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#1 of 7 Routan vs Touran USA vs Europe by Ameridutchman

Feb 01, 2009 (7:59 pm)

Nice play with a word, but I wonder why can the ROUTAN not be as the TOURAN, namely 100% VOLKSWAGEN. I like the Routan but after looking closer to it I became disgust by seeing other then VW parts in this supposidly new minivan. I had the idea of getting two of these but now I will have to think real hard about it.
Why does VW not have the DIESEL or other European models on the US market? ....with the economical and envirometal situation? and what about a hybrid? why so much difference in these minivans? Other VW models are alike european models so how come this one is not?

#2 of 7 Re: Routan vs Touran USA vs Europe [Ameridutchman] by gagrice

Feb 01, 2009 (8:18 pm)

Replying to: Ameridutchman (Feb 01, 2009 7:59 pm)
All good questions. I think that VW wanted a mini van that already was legal in the USA. So they just had Chrysler build it. I would much rather have the German diesel version myself.

#3 of 7 Re: Routan vs Touran USA vs Europe [gagrice] by artgpo

Feb 08, 2009 (9:09 am)

Replying to: gagrice (Feb 01, 2009 8:18 pm)
The Routan/Chrysler alliance was a result of a former Chrysler CEO going to VW after leaving Chrysler. The folks at VW did not want this van. This is what I read in the automotive press.
 
The point may be moot as VW has suspended Routan production, at least for the next couple of months.

#4 of 7 Re: Routan vs Touran USA vs Europe [artgpo] by krisofseattle

May 17, 2009 (2:38 am)

Replying to: artgpo (Feb 08, 2009 9:09 am)
"The Routan/Chrysler alliance was a result of a former Chrysler CEO going to VW after leaving Chrysler. The folks at VW did not want this van. This is what I read in the automotive press.
  
The point may be moot as VW has suspended Routan production, at least for the next couple of months."
 
This concerns me a little.
 
So, the former Chrysler CEO created this new van that competes with his former company in a thinning and crowded market. Maybe it's a good thing for consumers with more choices, but his logic and possibly his ethic do not make sense to me intuitively.
 
if routan gets orphaned, we could get Chrysler parts for mechanical repairs down the road, at least they would be cheaper than VW parts. This means i should get a service manual (probably expensive) to know which parts to substitute.
 
When it comes to resale of an orphan, there are two sides: (1) it may become a novelty as in "limited" edition or a rare car; or (2) nobody would know about it and not wanting to buy something that was discontinued. i wonder how Pacifica is doing with resale - at least many more of them were sold.

#5 of 7 Re: Routan vs Touran USA vs Europe [krisofseattle] by bvdj84

May 17, 2009 (7:30 am)

Replying to: krisofseattle (May 17, 2009 2:38 am)
Yuck!! Chrysler and VW?? This better be the only model Chrysler touches!
 
VW better be very careful! People catch wind of Chrysler having a hand in any of their line up, perhaps lead to bad news! Yuck! Chrysler has their vans, but everything else, well, I am not sure there are people looking at say a chrysler vehicle then going to the VW dealer. Huge differences.
 
I simply cannot believe VW went this route. I wondered why they chose to have a similar look to the chrysler van.
 
Very disturbing. Sorry, no offense to anyone here.

#6 of 7 Re: Routan vs Touran USA vs Europe [bvdj84] by gagrice

May 17, 2009 (8:36 am)

Replying to: bvdj84 (May 17, 2009 7:30 am)
I simply cannot believe VW went this route. I wondered why they chose to have a similar look to the chrysler van.
 
I think it was a cheap way to offer a Mini van. They should have offered their much superior European vans to the US market with diesel engines.

#7 of 7 Re: Routan vs Touran USA vs Europe [gagrice] by krisofseattle

May 17, 2009 (11:47 am)

Replying to: gagrice (May 17, 2009 8:36 am)
My guess is that they must have considered giving us a European. But their marketing dept. must have told them it wasn't going to work.
 
The only way for them to make a business case probably was to build it in Canada.
I think it cost them less that way.
 
Remember Honda is being built in the South -- Alabama? And the quality of Honda has been going to toilet ever since...
 
The trend for all van manufacturers is to have them built by clumsy (and cheaper) Americans, And soon, they will be built in Mexico or China.
 
What can i say?

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