Volkswagen Canada's Website Doesn't Suck

"DasWauto" (DasWauto) 09/04/2014 at 16:30 • Filed to: Websites, VW

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I also spend a fair bit of time on car configurators, though !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! I never get paid to do so. I'm merely shopping for a new car and as such have used most manufacturers' websites. Unlike the VW USA's silly car-seeks-driver relationship service, its friendly Canadian counterpart is not at all infuriating.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! is cleanly designed and very functional. I can configure any model I might like and it will give me the information about the pertinent options, pricing and contacts for dealers should I choose to check the car out in person. Here are the the ways I can configure a GTI:

I can change the colour on my damn car

I click 'Pure White', 'Tornado Red' or 'Deep Black Pearl' and the car magically changes from the previously selected 'Carbon Steel Metallic'. Amazing, right?

The options are easily found

First I can change my seat fabric. Though the choice is appreciated, it is unnecessary; plaid is the only appropriate seating material for a GTI.

I can then choose the options I would like. Sorry Tom, the lighting package doesn't appear to be available, though this may vary from the US model. The DSG !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , as is the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , but let's not do anything ridiculous.

This is how much it will cost

The price is too damn high. I blame Canada.

Oh, there's also this handy, dandy payment calculator, to explore the various ways in which VW will charge you too much for your GTI.

At least the website does what I want it to do though, so "neener, neener", I guess.

DasWauto > DasWauto 09/04/2014 at 16:22

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I've just noticed that the Performance Pack isn't avalaible here in Canuckistan. Damnit VW.

For Sweden > DasWauto 09/04/2014 at 16:31

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Why no Harper?

DasWauto > For Sweden 09/04/2014 at 16:33

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Svend > DasWauto 09/04/2014 at 16:41

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I spend too much time on this site configuring a 1.4TSi Scirocco.

http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/new/range

Just noticed the Phaeton at the bottom of the page (and the price has been reduced £7,000, yay). I'll be a few minutes playing on there.

Audistein > DasWauto 09/04/2014 at 16:48

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It needs to be said: VW's US website used to be just like that. They changed it and got rid of those features. I found a photo of what it looked like:

frogberg > DasWauto 09/04/2014 at 16:49

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Neener neener!

DasWauto > Audistein 09/04/2014 at 16:50

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I expected as much. I just wanted to parody Tom's post from earlier. :)

Admiral Picard > DasWauto 09/04/2014 at 16:50

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Looks almost identical (and might be 100% identical) to the old US site.

DasWauto > frogberg 09/04/2014 at 16:51

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Well played.

Triborough > DasWauto 09/04/2014 at 16:52

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Yet another way Canada is superior to the United States.

frogberg > DasWauto 09/04/2014 at 16:52

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Now that I think about it, I'd rather have the ability to buy a car with options and packages I want. If it means dealing with a shitty website, so be it.

DasWauto > frogberg 09/04/2014 at 16:53

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So would I, I was just parodying Tom's earlier post. Performance Pack or not, Canada has its advantages. I could for example, import one of these:

interrogator-chaplain > DasWauto 09/04/2014 at 16:58

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I challenge anyone to find a situation that picture can't work with.

frogberg > DasWauto 09/04/2014 at 16:58

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Touché.

You should definitely get that over a Golf GTI.

Giant Lobster Monster > DasWauto 09/04/2014 at 17:05

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That's a Ford, not a Harper.

vernonfreedom > DasWauto 09/04/2014 at 17:07

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remission12 > DasWauto 09/04/2014 at 17:10

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From what I've read and heard, it isn't available at the initial launch but should be by next summer.

Edit: VW.com brochure for the GTI has fine print stating late availability for the Performance package as well.

DasWauto > remission12 09/04/2014 at 17:15

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Interesting. I may have to try one when that becomes available then.

945T > Svend 09/04/2014 at 17:24

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Do yourself a favour and don't hit up Audi.co.uk

S3 & RS4 & RS6 Avants oh my!

remission12 > DasWauto 09/04/2014 at 17:30

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January as per this article - even better than I remembered!

Svend > 945T 09/04/2014 at 17:44

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I have done in the past but always end up closing it and going to skoda.co.uk.

I can get a Skoda for £15,000-20,000 less than a near similar Audi.

Bearded Bastard > interrogator-chaplain 09/04/2014 at 17:49

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Tom McParland > DasWauto 09/04/2014 at 17:59

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LOL!

Axial > DasWauto 09/04/2014 at 18:45

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Canada's current site is a lot like what the US site used to be back in 2009/2010 or so. I have no idea why they went so bass-ackwards with the revision.

Fox > DasWauto 09/04/2014 at 18:53

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Does anyone know if, as a US citizen, I can import a car from Canada?

My GTI needs to be replaced and I will only have a 3-door. (I am 6'9" and I need the b-pillars to be further back.)

If I can't get a new one, I will have to restore my MKV and that is gonna be a PITA.

DasWauto > Fox 09/04/2014 at 19:05

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As a US citizen you can import a car from Canada, but you have to deal with the same restrictions as importing from anywhere else (15 years old - generally or show and display status, etc).

Is the standard 3-door Golf sold in the states? If so it might be possible. If not you might have a harder time (eg. it may be impossible) as the type of car is not sold there at all.

DZen > DasWauto 09/04/2014 at 19:10

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FIXED!!

George Costanza > DasWauto 09/04/2014 at 19:32

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BMW.ca builder is better than bmwusa.com visually

tunsky > DasWauto 09/04/2014 at 19:35

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Guess I wasn't the only one who thought that the current VW USA website seemed like it's built for people who don't know a thing about cars.

Fox > DasWauto 09/04/2014 at 19:39

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Really? That is annoying.

I would really like a new car but noone sells a practical and sporty 3-door hatch in the states anymore!

remission12 > Fox 09/04/2014 at 19:47

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If it's a Canadian market car that conforms to US safety and emissions regulations, I can't imagine it'd be an issue to import it into the US. There are a lot of USDM cars on the road here that didn't need any modifications to be compliant. The only issue would be having VW USA honoring your warranty. Some people have had issues with various manufacturers in that respect.

I'm not sure how current this list is, but it's a good indication of the type of hassle you could expect.

FromCanadaWithLove > DasWauto 09/04/2014 at 19:48

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It'll be available in the Spring, and it can be dealer installed to any mk7 GTI. That's what the VW rep said at the GTI/Golf driving event, anyways.

DasWauto > Fox 09/04/2014 at 20:01

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Move to Canada then, haha. :P

You might have a bit of an easier time importing a car from Canada as our safety regulations are generally based on or otherwise very similar to those from the states. Whether it's ultimately possible I don't know but this would help in the case of importing a 3-door GTI if the regular 3-door Golf is sold there.

I'm not quite at your height but at 6'5" I know the feeling of wanting the b-pillar moved back a bit sometimes. In my Mazda3 I check my blind spot through the rear door window.

I liked the 3 door Golf that I tried, I'm just not a fan of the huge door (easy to get in when tall but hard to open in tighter parking spaces, garages, streets). I also like the practicality of getting people/stuff in the back seat without having to fold one of the front seats forward so a 5-door is better for me.

interrogator-chaplain > Bearded Bastard 09/04/2014 at 20:03

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Nahh, works here too. It's like he's thinking: "Seriously? You don't think I can't fit anywhere?"

FromCanadaWithLove > George Costanza 09/04/2014 at 20:28

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Yeah, they launched the new Canadian site this summer. It was pretty convenient, since it just went up as I was looking at BMWs.

KidBobot > DasWauto 09/04/2014 at 21:34

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I bet America's hat also gets the TDI Golf Sportwagen w/4Motion too... *sigh*

DasWauto > KidBobot 09/04/2014 at 22:23

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Doesn't look like it, unfortunately, so don't lament us too much.

I would like a standard Golf 1.8TSI with 4motion. Then Subaru might finally have a competitor in the small hatchback with awd market.

Bearded Bastard > interrogator-chaplain 09/04/2014 at 22:30

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it was essentially the face I made when faced with an impossible challenge

KC-10Paul > Fox 09/05/2014 at 01:01

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The 3 door GTI is coming to the US you just have to wait a little. It's part of VW's new product release strategy delaying everything we actually want until right before you settle on another brand.

Compasteedee > DasWauto 09/05/2014 at 01:18

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Because Canadian standards for cars are basically a copy and paste job on Canadian stationary, you can actually import brand new cars from Canada, as long as that car has not been grey imported from elsewhere (before the US' ridiculous 25 year rule comes into effect of course). My Uncle, for years, imported cars he bought here in Canada and sent them across the line. It was his business.

Jimmy Tango > DasWauto 09/05/2014 at 01:26

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btw, am i the only one not liking the wheel? 2014 wheel was so good that 2015 looks bored.

Hifrequency > DasWauto 09/05/2014 at 01:35

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Cars cost a lot more up here even if they are made in Canada, this is a short 6 minute segment of CBC Market place. It would be nice for Oppo to run a segment on this.

Hifrequency > Axial 09/05/2014 at 01:38

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The configurations in Canada are pretty much the same as 2010, I was shopping for a car back then.

Atlantian > DasWauto 09/05/2014 at 02:49

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39 Large for a fucking hot hatch ? No fucking thanks.

CALUSA > DasWauto 09/05/2014 at 04:06

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This is just a very normal configurator.

Leon711 > Svend 09/05/2014 at 05:42

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I saw a 2013 phaeton a couple of day ago. RARE.

DasWauto > CALUSA 09/05/2014 at 07:33

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Yes, it is. Have a look at this post to see what I am parodying.

DasWauto > Hifrequency 09/05/2014 at 07:43

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When the dollars were essentially on par, the difference in price were quite outrageous but right now the disparity in the dollar (10%) accounts for a lot of that, as much as I may dislike it.

heyheauxs > DasWauto 09/05/2014 at 08:23

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I had a VW salesman price a base GTI for me...I could get a Benz for that much a month.

MisterPuk > Atlantian 09/05/2014 at 09:12

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In Canadia money, so its really what, $20?

CRod > DasWauto 09/05/2014 at 09:20

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I prefer a website that sucks but the final price for the car is like $10,000 cheaper like in the US. Not to mention that much larger market for used cars (cheaper as well). Canada is great in many ways but anything car related sucks massive balls over here (with the exception of being able to import pretty much anything from the US, no matter how new, and from anywhere else if 15 years or older).

CR

Dest > DasWauto 09/05/2014 at 09:45

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As a test I went to the Canadian website looking for the same bit of info I as did on the murican version; found it in a minute. Much better!

KidBobot > DasWauto 09/05/2014 at 09:53

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*high five* Honestly, I really think they're missing the boat on this. I think people even wouldn't mind paying a bit of a premium for it... and without an TDI A3, it's not like they'd be cannibalizing Audi sales. I'd get a Subie at this point, but like I said, I don't ind paying a bit of a premium... so I'll be visiting my Volvo dealership soon for a V60 T5 AWD or T6 AWD R-Line, depending on what kind of a deal i can negotiate.

Octavian > DasWauto 09/05/2014 at 10:19

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Try Nissan Canada's configurator. Every time I want to configure a car, when it gets to the options, it's a different car. For example, I want to configure a Nissan Frontier, by the time I get to the options, it has become a Nissan Pathfinder. WTF.

Octavian > Atlantian 09/05/2014 at 10:22

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That's after the sales tax...never mind, it still sucks.

Solarplex03 > DasWauto 09/05/2014 at 10:44

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That is awesome cause EVERY OTHER BRANDS CANADA SITE SUCKS.

CALUSA > DasWauto 09/05/2014 at 13:06

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Aaaah...

Svend > Leon711 09/05/2014 at 15:21

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I'm sort of beginning to like them (the non rich Mans Bentley) for there understated looks with fantastic inner refinement.

Atlantian > Octavian 09/06/2014 at 03:29

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Yeah, I thought hot hatches were supposed to be "the poor man's horsepower machine"?

CementShoes > Svend 09/07/2014 at 15:55

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Building a Scirocco is like masturbating and crying.

Svend > CementShoes 09/07/2014 at 17:27

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Wait, after you been watching m in the morning and doesn't everyone cry afterwards?

There are some nice second hand (used) cars at really good prices near me.

vc-10 > frogberg 09/07/2014 at 17:34

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I think we have it best in Europe. In particular, VW UK's website is excellent.

CementShoes > Svend 09/07/2014 at 17:41

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I cry during, not after :(

Svend > CementShoes 09/07/2014 at 19:09

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During, I usually sing that North Korean song #rone'ry, I am so rone'ry. Or Donkey's song #all alone, nobody here beside me, all alone, nonody here to deride meeeee. :(

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > DasWauto 09/07/2014 at 21:55

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Hey Wout,

Busy week, so I've haven't been too active on OPPO, but I had an idea to make people more aware about OppoBlog. Ever time one of us shares a story, we could add this in the comments:

http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/testing-163177…

What do you think?

Dave

DasWauto > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 09/07/2014 at 22:33

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The image might be a bit busy but I like the idea. Maybe a comment with the link might suffice; I'm fairly minimalist). And yes, we should definitely promote OppoBlog more.

I've been meaning to get a pair of Best of Oppos (each covering a week) out there (on OppoBlog) but I've had a busy last two weeks myself as well. I might have some time tomorrow afternoon to get those done. In the meantime I'll keep sharing posts when I've got time (usually on breaks at work or at night).

We should get something set up for people to submit posts and perhaps post relatively regular reminders of that and OppoBlog itself. I still think a Twitter we all have access to could work, we don't have to post on it, hell, I don't use my personal one often and wouldn't do any more on a new one. Anyway, worth discussing.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > DasWauto 09/07/2014 at 22:42

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Much smaller (like below) would probably be better, but I think that an image would be good, so it's more eye-catching than just a link alone. Should I just get rid of the "The Best of OPPO" line, for simplicity's sake?

Once you're ready, I'm sure you Best of Oppo posts will bring a lot more to OppoBlog.

DasWauto > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 09/07/2014 at 22:48

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Yes, smaller is definitely better and yeah, I think that losing the Best of Oppo would help. It's sort of like two titles right now. :)

Yeah, having the time (or committing the time :P) is the hard part. The workload is much reduced already, I just gathered the posts from Oppoblog and from the tags I requested people add to their posts. Not searching through all of Oppo saves hours. I just have to finish them with images really.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > DasWauto 09/07/2014 at 22:54

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Glad it seems to be working to help you out.

Here's the simplified version; I'll start using it (with a link below).

Octavian > Atlantian 09/08/2014 at 09:29

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A Focus ST will sticker for about the same. I priced one out a while back and it was close to $40k in Canada.

Will Drink For Good Kinja > DasWauto 09/08/2014 at 12:37

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The dealership I work for still uses the old VW site layout when picking out a car: http://www.vwfranklin.com/showroom/volks…

AdmiralAkbar > DasWauto 09/08/2014 at 13:26

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Oh you can import it, but good luck finding someone to insure it for less than $300 a month (and insurance is mandatory here). Actually, 300/mo for RHD would be pretty cheap.

DasWauto > AdmiralAkbar 09/08/2014 at 17:28

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Oh, I know, IIRC many insurance companies here won't insure RHD vehicles and I believe you can't even newly register any RHD cars in Quebec anymore.

AdmiralAkbar > DasWauto 09/08/2014 at 17:29

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Yeah, QC is a total no-go for RHD, and some other places you have to insure it as a hot-rod or show car/exotic for them to even consider it.