How To Fix Volkswagen's Sales Problem

"willkinton247" (willkinton247) 04/29/2014 at 12:52 • Filed to: Volkswagen, Jetta, Sales

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The Volkswagen brand has been in a continual struggle to sell cars, and everyone from internet commenters to VAG leadership seems to be scratching their heads as to why. But I think I've figured out exactly what VW needs to do in order to sell more cars. They need to look to their corporate cousin, Audi.

Audi has been highly successful as of late, smashing monthly sales records for the past 39 months in a row. People clearly like Audis, and are lining up in droves to buy them. There's something to be said about the idea of a German car that is attractive to people. They know that it will be more expensive to maintain them, but they are clearly willing to give that up for that idea.

And that is what the core Volkswagen brand needs to emulate.

Currently, Volkswagen is trying to be the German equivalent of Toyota and Honda, but that will never be their target market. People who are shopping Corolla, Camry and Civic are primarily concerned with an appliance they feel will be inexpensive and reliable over the long run, and you can't argue with the legendary reliability of those offerings. Many of these buyers are deeply entrenched in their belief that the Japanese build the reliable cars, the Europeans are expensive and unreliable, and the Americans are just terrible all around, regardless of facts. These are the kinds of people that believe the Camry is the best car ever made (I mean, their last Camry was pretty great…) so they won't even test drive competitors. Volkswagen is not going to be able to compete with the Japanese in this market of people, even if their car is a more pleasurable driving experience, or if their interiors are slightly more sophisticated looking.

But you know what I've noticed?

I work at a company where the average age is at most 27. My company hires a lot of people right out of college, and is filled with people for whom this is their first job. A lot of these young professionals, will trade in their old Civics, Altimas, and Camrys that carried them through college for their first new car. And you know what these young professionals, anxious to prove themselves as real adults, go for time after time?

The Volkswagen Jetta. A German sedan for people that want to show they are grownups but can't afford something with rings, a propeller, or a star glued onto the front.

I think that is the key to Volkswagen succeeding in the US. Volkswagen needs to point consumers at Audi, and say "Can't afford that? Here, try this Volkswagen. You don't have to settle for an economy car." In short, the brand needs to become The People's Audi. Be the "near luxury" brand. Be a brand for people who are aspirational, hoping to one day own an Audi.

The Jetta should no longer be an economy car that's slightly nicer to drive than a Corolla, but an Audi A4 that isn't quite as fast or as well equipped. Get the Audi interior designers to do the interior, and make it feel German and sophisticated with soft touch materials and similar design. Drop the entry level 2.0L NA motor that makes 115 hp, and replace it with a detuned version of the 1.8L turbo engine to make about 130-140 HP. Make it handle well, and give it some low end torque to make it feel faster, but never faster than the Audi A3. Move the price of every trim level up $1,000. Finally, make a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! to be a "halo car" for the product line starting at about $30,000 that would be faster than the A3 and A4 to justify the higher cost, but without a lot of the luxury offerings, and most importantly, without the badge.

Then make a Coupe version for the people who want an A5, but can't afford one. Then take its top off and forget the Eos ever happened. Give the Passat the same treatment, looking at the A6 for inspiration, and make the CC a car for someone who wants an A7, but can't afford. Bring back the Phaeton like you said you would, to top off your line up and be a cheaper A8 or A8L.

To really seal the deal, Volkswagen needs a crossover. It's the hottest segment right now (even Porsche is getting in on that game!). The Tiguan is pretty great, but it's a CUV. Make a crossover like the Q5 or the Macan, follow the philosophy of "near luxury," and it'll sell. Find out how to make the Toureg start at $39,895, then sell the Toureg and Tiguan as cheaper alternatives to the other more expensive European SUVs. Sure, they're expensive compared to a Highlander or a CR-V, but they're a bargain compared to the luxury SUVs.

Volkswagen needs to accept that they can't and won't be the European Toyota; offering cheap reliable cars banking on people blindly buy like they buy a dishwasher. They need to move slightly upmarket and become the car for people who want to drive an Audi, but can't afford one. There's no company trying to be a "near luxury" brand; you can buy either a very well equipped economy car, or a very poorly equipped luxury car, but no one is occupying that space in between, and of all companies, Volkswagen is the brand that is in the best position to define it.

I love cars and I love motorsport. I talk about that a lot on Twitter. Feel free to follow me at !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . If you want me to look into a particular series or topic, or have any feedback, let me know. #shamelessselfpromotion

Photo Credit: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:19

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There are 3 things VW really needs to do:

1. Stop cheapening everything. Wilk hit this point on the head. They got a few people in the door on their "16k Jetta" and even upsold a few more of them. However, the Jetta S has done more to hurt brand image than their track record for unreliability ever did.

2. Take chances. VW needs to explore other avenues than just slapping the 2.0T in everything. Hell, even the new 1.8T is just a downsized 2.0T. There were a lot of cars that would have been better off with an updated 2.5 or even a base updated 2.slow.

3. Bring over the Amarok and Polo. Everyone else is selling out of their subcompacts, and VW has a fairly unique one. Basically, as a near-lux brand, they have the option of positioning the Polo against the Mini instead of the Sonic/Yaris/Fiesta. The Amarok could be the "nice" small pickup that every suburban dad would buy to still be comfortable but feel like they're still virile.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:22

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The CC. The CC is what you really want here. It needs to be advertised more heavily and they should push a bit of incentives on it. Let's face facts for a moment - you're not going to sell a 30,000$ car for 20,000$. That just won't happen........But what if you sold a car that looked like it belonged in the 35-40,000$ range for 30,000$? Enter the CC. Looks good, drives nicely, well equipped without being overrun with buttons. And here's the kicker - You give a MAJOR loyalty bonus to previous golf/jetta owners. All VW needs to do is dial back the price about a grand or 1500 to be there. A base price of 31,000 is VERY attainable for a high number of people. Yes you have to "aspire" to it for a few years and save up some money but it also isn't like you're dropping 80k on a car that'll be worth 60k at the end of the first year of ownership.

In a way, you're playing a similar game to toyota and honda. But let the jetta and golf be the 18-25k car you buy as your first ever new car. And let the passat be the family sedan for younger families looking for an alternative to the beige that is also fuel efficient (manual TDI!). Then when you get a little older and perhaps need some more space for a car seat (golf/jetta owners) or you just want something nicer (passat owners)? BAM! CC. Not a buick, not an Acura, and definitely not a toyota or mercedes or anything that has a wiff of old fart to it. I think the jetta is the quick left jab but the CC is the right hook that can get them their sales targets by retaining these new, younger customers.

jariten1781 > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:23

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Your plan:

Buick : Cadillac :: Mercury : Lincoln :: VW : Audi

Jagvar > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:23

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That somewhat describes the company's approach from 2006-2009, but the sales numbers during that time weren't entirely sizzling.

EL_ULY > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:25

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The Kia/Hyundai treatment eh? Idk. The Japanese cars are not that cheap anymore either. You can get a Corolla or Camry optioned out to be very nice. A V6 Camry with all the bells and whistles is one good machine but it's too close to a CPO luxury car price range to be popular in a sales point of view. Currently for VW, I see them as the eco boxiest of the eco boxes. I mean..

EDIT: wow, there was a whole other section that I wrote that got kinja'd. But it basically stated that no car is better that the other and it's up to the customer to decide. There are brainless drone for every brand and it's better not to worry about it.

willkinton247 > jariten1781 04/29/2014 at 13:25

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Sort of. Except not exactly

duurtlang > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 04/29/2014 at 13:32

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About the Polo: it is in no way a Mini competitor in Europe. The competition are cars like the Fiesta. The Sonic, not so much. The Polo is a very conservative car, both in how it looks and how it drives. It's not a car you buy if you want something fun to drive. If VAG want to sell a subcompact in the US they'd be better off with the SEAT Ibiza (with a VW badge) imho. I doubt they'll offer them in the US, but the Ibiza is available as a 3-door hatch and as a wagon too.

emilminty drives an E30 but the '89 Cavalier blew a head gasket > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:34

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To keep lower end sales, introduce SEAT or Skoda as the low-priced, almost VW while moving VW up to be the almost Audi.

xentixenti > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:35

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M3BimmerBilly > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:36

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VW could avoid all of the position/marketing BS and simply extend their warranty to match that of the Koreans. The Koreans bought marketshare with 100,000 mile warranties years ago and it has paid off.

VW can do the same and get all those 27 year old hipsters at work to buy one and appeal to the Toyota/Honda customers at the same time.

Problem solved. My CV is available.

apstguy1 > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:36

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Or, make a product that will last more than the specified warranty period. Everyone in my family and friends who has ever bought a VW (myself included who used to be a bit VW fanboy) has totally sworn them off forever because of severe unreliability, poor dealers, and VW Corporate who just doesn't give a damn about their customers.

cazzyodo > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:38

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Well done. Well done indeed.

Cixelsyd > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 04/29/2014 at 13:38

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I was one of those young professionals "anxious to prove myself as a real adult" with a brand new Mk V Jetta when I first got out of law school.

You know what I discovered in 50,000 miles of ownership? Adult me hated having to take his car in for service every few months for yet another problem (or, even worse, having to get my car towed on more than one occasion.)

So the adult me went with the tried and true route: I bought a Japanese car. Just crossed 50,000 in my Lexus IS and the car has yet to be in the shop even one time for unscheduled maintenance.

THAT is what VW needs to work on. Until they make reliable cars, I will never buy another VAG product. They had me. And the car they sold me was so damn unreliable that I swore off everything in the company catalog. I won't be owning any more VWs and I won't be stepping up to an Audi or a Porsche. I'm done with VAG. They blew it.

macanamera > EL_ULY 04/29/2014 at 13:38

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Kinja'd!

strokeofgenius > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:39

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So make VW more like ford which in turn makes Audi more like Lincoln. Got it.

55_mercury > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:39

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Previous comments edited out.

If VW wants to improve their sales, they're going to need to improve their reliability. This is key. Why? Because in the past what VW made was clearly VW. A bit funky, very European, and maybe a tad granola. In other words, perhaps as a VW buyer you'd be willing to look past the electrical gremlins simply because the cars were different from the slew of American and Japanese cars on the roads. They made a statement: "Lookit me, I drive a VW."

These days nobody cares. VW has made their cars look basically like everyone else's and since the reliability is still subpar... why even bother when you can buy a Honda Accord or Camry that looks somewhat similar and drive the things into the ground without a problem?

Just look at Volvo. Sure- they don't make boxes on wheels anymore and they're owned by who knows what now after Ford, but they still have ridiculous looking bunny ear tail lights and some of the iconic styling that people associate with a Volvo. VW somehow needs to do the same thing.

macanamera > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:40

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I enjoyed reading this. You know your stuff.

Abbey > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:40

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YES!!! Hahahaha! I am sooo happy this happened! This happens when you dumb down a car "for american market tastes" following years of horrific quality issues. It's not about dumbing down, Volkswagen. Meanwhile you're using less than perfect rear suspension systems in base Jettas, the Korean competition is giving you cossetting heated seats for less. It's about giving THE BEST you can. That's why you're supposedly German.

You can't mess with Audi pilfering. They have fought hard and need to keep their identity. If you get VWs to be better, Audi has to step up the game or risk cannibalization, which is good news for you and me. Oh, and PLEASE get the reliability fixed. The japanese have mostly figured that one out.

F50F60 > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:40

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Wrong! Hot chicks that bought Jetta's for married and bubby got them an Audi. Said hot chick got kids, maybe a bigger Audi. Maybe a Tahoe/Escalade to replace the bigger Audi. Said chick then gets divorced and buys a Benz/BMW with ex's money. Ex drives a 10 year old Camry b/c only gas and oil are needed for keep this blender blending...Ex is thinking about a CLA as soon as thealimony payments are done.

Kate's Dirty Sister > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:41

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"Volkswagen needs to accept that they can't and won't be the European Toyota; offering cheap reliable cars banking on people blindly buy like they buy a dishwasher. They need to move slightly upmarket and become the car for people who want to drive an Audi, but can't afford one. "

That's exactly where they were before going "downmarket" with the Jetta and the Passat, selling tons of them.

Ohto Kangas > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 04/29/2014 at 13:43

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This is the same sad story over and over for my once favorite car maker. You don't beat the Camry by making a Camry. You stick to what has made you great. Making entry level Audi's. Cars that have excitement and performance. From the Bluesport to the GX3 VW likes to show amazing concepts that they will never make. They refuse to give the US market what they really want. They refuse to sell the Scirocco, Polo, Lupo, Up and Amarok, just to name a couple models in the US.

The last new VW I bought was my 07 GTI. Which is a great and terrible car all in the same breath.

VW your customers want cars that require driver involvement. Cars that have life and spirit. Not another Toyota knock off.

chad.j > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:43

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Oo, Oo...I know. Go back to making attractive AND affordable cars

takeshi > 55_mercury 04/29/2014 at 13:43

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That wasn't the statement. You ignored the "Many of these buyers are deeply entrenched in their belief that..." part.

willkinton247 > 55_mercury 04/29/2014 at 13:44

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"American cars are just terrible all around"

Read that statement in the context of the entire sentence.

Many of these buyers are deeply entrenched in their belief that the Japanese build the reliable cars, the Europeans are expensive and unreliable, and the Americans are just terrible all around, regardless of facts.

And that's the point that I'm making too. They need to differentiate yourself, but where they need to differentiate themselves is in the driving experience and the interior, which are their greatest strengths.

Frost Holman > Jagvar 04/29/2014 at 13:45

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You are exactly right. 2006-2010 they were the real deal bargain Audi. Now, not so much. They still do make "fun to drive" cars with the introduction of the 1.8T and superior handling to the aforementioned appliances.

Kraftwerk Joe > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:45

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What made the Beetle so successful? Consistency, classless, affordable.

/mytwocents

Ben C > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:46

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1) Volkswagen doesn't have a sales problem. It sells millions. It's probably only America.

2) Where I am, VW is exactly what you've described, a bridge between mainstream and premium. They've garnered plenty of sales over the Japs that way, offering German build quality for Japanese prices. Their cars are not always well-equipped, but from a few people I talked to, that's the least of their concerns. Perceived value via brand image (and image is hugely important to Asians) is a greater priority.

Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:46

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"Do you want a car that's reliable, practical even in the streets of NYC, and is able to withstand a crash and drive away?

We can help with that."

Toyotathong! > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:47

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Just don't do this

Frank-E > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:47

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Just for the sake of clarity, what you're describing is what VW used to be like. It was a deliberate decision to go down-market and compete on the price points of Corolla and Civic. At the time, I questioned the move because VW was essentially alienating their current customer base. They had worked pretty hard on their image of being a more high-brow vehicle than the japanese competition. Now that it's not working out, so far anyways, I think they'd have quite a mountain to climb to get those customers back.

Greasemonkey > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:47

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Relevant and published today:

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

55_mercury > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:48

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Ok, I will admit fault here and state that yes, I mis-read the statement. So please disregard that section of my comments. Sorry.

Alex Asrian > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 04/29/2014 at 13:48

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VW should hire you.

RelentlessSlacker > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:48

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I think VW kinda already is the near luxury, people's Audi. They ostensibly compete against the Japanese and Koreans but offer a slightly more "solid" product for a little bit more money.

I think they need to stir up some marketing for themselves and stop being so conservative with what they bring in the US. What in the VW lineup gets tongues wagging? The MkVII GTI does, but its impact is dented by how long they waited to bring it here. They watered down the Jetta Hybrid when they brought it here. The GTE is years away, if it ever comes, ditto the GTD. No Microbus. No Bluesport Roadster. No affordable 4motion models for the snowbelt states. No Scirocco. No XL1. No Up! or Polo. Consumers have no reason to get excited about VW because their lineup is so beige, on average. And that undersells what are really rather good cars.

55_mercury > takeshi 04/29/2014 at 13:48

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Yes and I apologized to the OP. My bad and my fault for not reading that aspect of the sentence.

ctmike78 > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:48

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I really like the Touareg. But once you configure it reasonably you could make the argument to just go for a new or lightly used X5. They need a better value proposition.

Ingo-Castilho > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:48

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All they need to do is stop making shit. The current jetta and passat are behind their competition, specially in the design department. There is not a person in this world that thinks a Passat looks as appealing as a Fusion. Or that the Jetta looks as good as a Focus or the Dodge Dart

TheCrudMan > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:49

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I think they should build cars that aren't so soul crushingly boring. I'm a car enthusiast and I would rather have a Camry than a Jetta.

Vintage1982Benz > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:50

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I agree, and to some extent they do in the higher trim VW's. They need to let that trickle down and stop trying to appeal/sell to the masses looking for $18-20K cars.

For example the GLI Autobahn bears some resemblance to a recent Audi release that is getting the full PR blitz.

The difference - 90 HP, all wheel drive and about $15K sticker once you option out the Audi.

I'll save my cash and take a 6 speed manual, please and thank you.

Alex Asrian > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:51

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How to fix VW's sales problem...

make reliable VWs

(Although my mk6 gti has been pretty reliable w/ 30,000 miles)

RelentlessSlacker > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 04/29/2014 at 13:51

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The CC definitely embodies this near-premium experience the OP talks about. Friend of mine has a '13 CC with a 6-speed and it's a lovely drive, great to look at, comfortable to sit in (front and rear, and I'm 6'0"), and not out of reach of the mainstream car buyer.

Buckus > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:52

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Wasn't that actually where they were at before they started trying to make everything cheaper? It didn't work out so well in terms of the volume they wanted, though.

RelentlessSlacker > Cixelsyd 04/29/2014 at 13:52

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What year was yours? The first couple model years for VWs are usually pretty shaky. By the time you get to 2008, the MkVs are really reliable. 2009s are rock solid.

RelentlessSlacker > duurtlang 04/29/2014 at 13:52

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The Ibiza is just a Polo with different sheet metal...

seoultrain > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:52

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The problem is that any aspirational buyer is just going to make the stretch for the $30k A3. VW's stated goal is volume first, second, and third. They've moved their manufacturing to Mexico to bring their costs down as much as possible. It's too late to go back on that and build fewer, better, more expensive cars for discerning buyers. Would taking your path result in better cars? Absolutely, but less people would buy them.

Chappie > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:53

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See, I don't necessarily agree.

Near luxury is not the right word. If VW wanted to really market themselves well to that audience you speak of, and I think that should be their target audience, they should be thinking "near performance."

Mazda has been doing it for a while and it's paid off, especially with the last line of Mazda3 and Mazda6's. VW already has a car in the GTI that fits that mold too, they just need to trickle down that sporty concept to the rest of their brand. Right now, the only thing sporty about a jetta is.... eh, there really isn't anything sporty about a Jetta. Say what you want about any of the other german luxury cars, but they are, in addition to luxurious, also aggressively styled. Hell even the new Corolla is more aggressively (and youthfully) styled than the Jetta.

If VW really wants sales, make sport not beige. Kia and the Optima are a perfect example of what styling can do for your brand.

I park in a garage > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:54

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Pretty much saying they should never have downgraded their Jetta's and Passats. I love my MKV Jetta, but the new ones are bunk. Its even sad that the GLI had a lot of the "cheapening" built into it, unlike the GTI.

Vintage1982Benz > Cixelsyd 04/29/2014 at 13:55

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When was this? 10 + years ago? VW certainly had some issues (lots of electrical) but Audi was also plagued by these same issues. Audi seems to have recovered, but there are a lot of former VW owners out there like you who still have a bad taste in their mouth.

Jagvar > TheCrudMan 04/29/2014 at 13:55

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It's all about trim level.

Frank Daviel > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:55

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Why can't the Germans just make consistently reliable cars? I had a 96' A4 V6 that ran like a dream until I put it into a wall at 80mph. I loved it so much i got 00' A4 2.0t and that car lived in the repair shop. My friend got an e46(one of the best BMW they say). The money he's spent on maintaining it is absurd, he's now looking to buy a toyota...

For there price, german cars should be:

1. Easy to maintain

2. able to last what they're worth

Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom > RelentlessSlacker 04/29/2014 at 13:59

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Agreed. My '09 Jetta TDI was flawless after 3 years and 50k miles. Only traded up to the Passat TDI because I needed more room in back.

Cixelsyd > RelentlessSlacker 04/29/2014 at 13:59

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Mine was a 2005.5. It was the single worst car I ever owned. Electrical, mechanical, fit and finish. You name a problem, it had it.

On top of that, the local dealer (and especially the service department) were complete assholes. Never had the car fixed when promised, "couldn't find the problem" on multiple occasions (hey asshole, when I tell you it feels like it's intermittently missing a cylinder, how about you test the ignition coils the first time I bring it in, not the fourth.), and refusing to do anything but give me a ride to the local rental place when the car was out of commission for extended periods, even when a part they had repaired just months ago failed for a second time.

50fridge > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 13:59

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VW in the early 2000s tried become near luxury but it really did not help sales wise. Then again I think the cost cutting they have done in the last 5 years or so has been a terrible marketing strategy too. I think one thing VW needs to fix is there hit or miss reliability perception and make sure to invest time in making the build quality better. I currently have a 5 year old GTI that has no issues but I am still worried in the next few years it could have issues especially with the DSG gearbox. It would be nice if VW did an actual coupe vehicle based off of the Golf platform but with the 3 door Golf and Beetle that probably will not happen. Having competitive and affordable crossovers would boost there sales.

NoClutchNoFun > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 14:00

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Fix the reliability, fit and finish, then we'll talk...

Geneticus > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 14:00

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My wife has a 2008 Beetle with more than it's share of quality and design issues. The way the seat belts are designed, when you put them on they drag across the edge of the seat and have worn a hole in the cheap vinyl they covered them in. There is a random clicking noise that sounds like a relay having an epileptic fit under the dash periodically. The Passenger headlight has been replaced 7 times (4 under warranty) since she bought it. The windscreen is huge with tiny little visors that do little to nothing to block out the sun especially in the dawn/dusk hours. She's started to get interested in a new car and I'm pushing her away from VW to a BMW or Lexus due to those kind of issues.

Admiral Picard > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 14:00

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Two things that are guaranteed to significantly boost sales for VW in America:

1. Finally learn to make reliable cars. Yes they've gotten a lot better since the dark, dark, woefully dark constantly-in-the-shop days of the mid-'90s though the early-'00s, but VWs are still far less reliable than anything put out by the Japanese Big Three. And there is really no excuse for it; VW has been in business for three-quarters of a century, they really should have figured this out by now.

2. 100,000 mile warranties. Hyundai was already making pretty good, pretty reliable cars but Americans didn't trust them. Throw in a massive warranty that screams "OUR CARS WILL LAST AND WE GUARANTEE IT" and people flocked to them in droves. Add to this the common sentiment of never owning a VW past its warranty period (if you risk owning one at all) and this will set a lot of peoples' minds at ease.

I think VW has a very long, uphill battle to become the worlds #1 automaker as per their stated objective. But they could make some serious progress towards that goal, especially in the US, by doing these two things.

dogisbadob > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 14:00

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Not gonna happen as long as Piech is involved. He seems to have such an utter contempt for regular class folk. Moving VW upmarket, making shit expensive to service for no reason, making millions of new high end cars while stagnating the base VW brand, making the entry level VW drivers feel like shit.

What VW should do is sell EVERYTHING they make in the US. The Up, Polo, Scirocco, Avants, Amarok, Sharan, you get the idea. The current Phaeton should be used as the A8.

To improve their reliability, VW could even just rebadge Japanese cars such as badging the Euro-market Civic hatch as the Golf, and sell the Toyota Century as a Phaeton.

Cixelsyd > Vintage1982Benz 04/29/2014 at 14:00

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2005.5 model. Owned the car from late 2005 to July of 2009, when I traded it in after a yet another sensor failed 100 miles after the warranty expired.

seoultrain > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 04/29/2014 at 14:01

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The current CC just isn't interesting or good-looking enough to make a splash, especially at its $33k starting price. I'm not sure it looks like it belongs in the 35-40k range (the V6 starts at $43k, btw). If it were better-looking and more competitively priced, I agree it could retain their customers looking to move up from their Jetta.

RelentlessSlacker > Cixelsyd 04/29/2014 at 14:02

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Yeap. Never buy the first VW model year out the gate. Sorry you had a bad experience, but the cars are great when they work the bugs out of them.

philphil > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 14:02

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Ditching the bumper-obviously-through-big-fake-grille look was a step in the right direction. This is the least horrible nose VW's had in a long long time.

Just-a-guy > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 14:02

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Get the new damn Diesel 4-Motion SportWagen into the US Market NOW!!!!

Kickplate > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 14:02

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I completely agree with this. VW will never compete on price. But they can compete on value. Prior to this generation of VW's, you'd get into a Jetta or Passat and you'd be amazed at the amount of luxury you'd get for the price. Real woodgrain on the dash, soft surfaces, fanny warmers, gas hood struts in a Jetta VR6? Wow! Everything felt like money, and you knew that yours was well spent. Back in 2000, why would you spend money on that A4 that you couldn't really afford when you could get a really swanky Jetta fully loaded for $7k less? The secretary at the office wouldn't notice the difference anyway.

No, VW's aren't cheap to maintain and people who don't keep up with it will find themselves with a car that won't start in the winter. For those of us who do maintain their cars properly, VW's are awesome. I like the fact that VW uses Bosch and Hella OEM parts and not the stuff that Toyota or Honda uses. Again, money well spent, because I'm paying for German parts. It's not entirely rational, but it's enough for someone to make a decision to spend more on a VW.

VW needs to go back to the days where they over-engineer their vehicles. Forget about selling more than the Japanese. Why would any brand want to be the next Cutlass, Taurus or Camry? It's a race to the bottom. And because of this, the cheapness of the Jetta is conspicuous. This is the same problem that the domestic brands faced with their small cars until very recently. You may coax a college graduate into one, but you can bet that they won't buy another when they need to replace it.

Daywalker > F50F60 04/29/2014 at 14:03

10

Dear God. I married a hot chick who drove a Cabrio, then a New Beetle. After we married, we traded the Bug in for an A4, then on to an S6 Avant, and most recently a Yukon. Let's hope my story does not continue to follow the path you described!

RelentlessSlacker > Cixelsyd 04/29/2014 at 14:03

1

I was gonna mention something about the dealer experience too. VW has often been hammered on this front from a customer satisfaction point of view, particularly when it comes to service departments. I have also had some negative experiences with dealer service. I gave up going to them and just started doing all my own work around 30,000 miles and have been much happier that way, though I know most owners won't ever do that.

TheCrudMan > Jagvar 04/29/2014 at 14:03

1

I'd rather have an Accord V6. Or a Mazda 6.

Kenny Baese > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 14:04

0

They mostly need to apply this mentality to the Jetta and stop making it feel like a bargain car. The Golf already feels like a slightly downgraded Audi. The Jetta just feels cheap. People are only willing to put up with a car that feels cheap (like Hondas for the last couple of years) if they think the thing will run forever. VWs already have a reputation for unreliability, they can't get away with a cheap feeling Jetta.

Cixelsyd > RelentlessSlacker 04/29/2014 at 14:04

0

Maybe. I'll never find out though. I'm probably Lexus for life at this point now, at least for the DD. If I'm going to put up with unreliability, the car better be something special.

RW53104 > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 14:06

1

So VW should be to Audi what Chevy is to GMC, kind of? Or maybe, what GMC is to Cadillac? Maybe Buick —> Cadillac makes the most sense. Anyways, I get it. Great point.

Jagvar > TheCrudMan 04/29/2014 at 14:06

2

We all have our personal tastes.

TheCrudMan > Jagvar 04/29/2014 at 14:08

2

Worth noting I'd rather have a GTI than either of those though.

BUT...I'd rather have a Focus ST or Fiesta ST than the GTI..and they're less expensive too.

ohDirka > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 14:08

0

One thing that would help them immensely is fixing their dealer network. Every VW dealer I've been to has never been a good experience (several people I work with say the same thing). Every Audi dealer I have been to has been fantastic. I refuse to go to VW for parts. I would rather drive to the other side of town to the Audi dealer and buy my parts there or order them online. Its all about experience at the ground level.

minicar > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 14:11

1

They don't even have vehicle configurator in their new site. How can I, as a consumer, aspire to own a color, powertrain, and features I want in a car if I can't do so virtually?

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 14:11

1

I know exactly NO ONE who went from a Civic / Corolla / Focus to a Jetta. Those who buy the first cars have no interest in VW. But...all of my friends who started in old Subarus eventually traded them in for Golfs, Jettas, and Passats. That should be VW's target audience: "want something nicer than Subaru but still quirky? Did you always want a Saab back in the day? Try us!"

colorfulyawn > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 14:13

1

I can't say I really agree. I mean, that's basically the tactic VW just abandoned a few short years ago for their current, watered-down mass-market approach.

The thing is, there are already plenty of pretty, upmarket, unreliable German cars out there. But a pretty, inexpensive German car you could actually count on to not be a massively unreliable POS doesn't really exist these days. I think plenty of people would be willing to try a VW if they weren't scared off by horrible reliability and high maintenance costs.

I know quite a few people who made the opposite migration: They went from VWs and BMWs to Accords and IS350s. A lot of those people say things like, "Yeah, I prefer the way European cars drive, but I just can't put up with the lack of dependability." A car that doesn't run isn't driving well, because it isn't driving at all.

But if VW were to really put some effort into build quality, and engineered their cars to be as reliable as Hondas, then they'd be in a unique position. They'd be able to offer the best of both worlds instead of charging more for a prettier face on the same unreliable cars.

RelentlessSlacker > Cixelsyd 04/29/2014 at 14:15

1

An understandable reaction. VW does need to stop making unreliable cars when they're introduced, because as a generation gets older, people buy fewer of them every year. That leaves less people having positive experience with VW cars. And when you can't back up that unreliability with a positive dealer service experience, it just makes it worse. You're a case study in a lot of what VW gets really wrong.

If you ever come back to VW, just remember to get a car that's a couple years into its lifecycle and you should be much happier. I also have reason to believe that the dealers have made decent headway over the last ten years in not being so shitty to customers, though they still have room to improve. The free scheduled maintenance is an element of that, for instance, but it's also a culture change. My friend has been working at the dealership that sold me my GTI in 2004 for the last few years and the changes within that company are palpable.

tapzz > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 14:17

3

Erm. What's the difference between a CUV and a crossover?

RazorGP > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 14:18

1

ditch the fugly front ends?

HHBizzle > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 14:18

0

Their service department reps need to not act like know it all gods.

jariten1781 > Chappie 04/29/2014 at 14:18

0

They've pretty much got that though... GTI (and R) for Golf, GLI for Jetta, and the CC R-line for Passat. They also used to have the TDI Cup which didn't set the world on fire.

blahblah126 > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 14:21

0

When my moms Matrix was rear ended, the insurance people got us a Jetta for a week. Even my mom complained of how crappy the car was. No torque at all and felt super slow. The car interior was MUCH smaller than what the japanese offered and overall it left a terrible impression. Horrible on gas too. Companies need to stop splitting out fancy words and ask themselves, why should anyone buy a VW over say the japs?

Buford T Justice > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 14:22

0

Reliability is huge but it's too late for that. People all ready know VW as an unreliable brand. Getting the general public to not see them as an unreliable German car will take YEARS of great reliability in their cars.

What they need to do is change what people think to themselves when they see a VW drive by. They need to put a new thought in peoples mind so every time they see a VW they don't think "those are nice but German...so it's unreliable".

They need to put out a huge marketing campaign with there next models that continuously showcases things you can only get on VW. Put in a feature that is usually reserved for high end cars or something like that, or a 1 free oil change every 6 months, something gimmicky like that. So when a VW drives by people will think "Hey that's the car that does...blah blah blah".

That's what so many huge companies do, if you do it right you don't even have to have a product that is leagues above the rest. You just need to make people think it is.

VW does need to make their cars more reliable as that's what people looking in this segment want but doing that takes years.

It's almost impossible to change peoples perceptions on a company, it takes years of building quality things. It is easy to distract people though.

Admiral Picard > Ingo-Castilho 04/29/2014 at 14:22

3

Not a person in this world, eh? That's quite a statement you've made there...

I, for one, think everything VW makes looks about a million times better than anything any US automaker puts on the road, the Fusion, Focus and Dart very much included. (I'll go so far as to say I find the Fusion to be boring, and the Dart to be quite ugly. But that's just the opinion of one person in this world.)

oliverginobv > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 14:23

0

I have a Golf and a Mazda3 , that should tell you what VW needs to do

buckfiddious > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 14:27

0

I love my jetta sportwagon. It feels a lot more "grown up" than my subaru ever did.

But all the grown-up-ness in the world won't make me forget how awful the actual buying process was. The dealer (zimbrick VW, Madison, WI) was terrible. The entire process was painful in a way no car buying process has ever been. As far as I know, I'm not alone in this.

Didn't help that I've known a lot of people who bought VWs only to get a lemon with weird electrical issues.

I went with the nice, grown-up feeling VW, dealt with the horrible sales process, dealt with my fears of getting a lemon, ONLY because if I wanted a wagon, it was pretty much my only choice.

VW needs to clean up it's image, pure and simple. Better dealers, better reputation for quality, that'll sell more cars.

If I was VW, I'd get behind Tesla and support breaking dealer control over their product- Send their current dealers back to the used car market.

duurtlang > RelentlessSlacker 04/29/2014 at 14:30

0

It is. More attractive sheet metal though.

Aetost > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 14:30

0

Their big problem is that they have no Skoda and/or Seat in NA.

In Europe they are able to market them as bargain-priced VWs and sell them to budget conscious customers and fleets. VW is then able to mark-up the price of their cars to near-premium level, without losing sales to cheaper competition.

In NA, instead of introducing one of these brands, they cheapened their core products and are now in a world of trouble...

(Also, I agree that Tiguan and Touareg are pretty much perfectly sized for Europe and not USA...)

GTRB26 > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 14:32

0

from what I understand, VW model prior to building their plant in Chattanooga was exactly that, a less luxury version of Audi. The older Passat came with W8 engines and they introduced Phaeton. VW marketed their cars as a more luxury vehicle than the common Toyota cars, but less luxurious than the Audi, but this failed. This is why Piech said screw it were gonna become the #1 volume seller and started producing these crappy boxes like Passat and Jetta. they tried exactly what you said to try. I will agree that what they are doing right now is far worse than what they did before. I hate the new VWs

RelentlessSlacker > duurtlang 04/29/2014 at 14:33

0

I think it looks a bit cheaper myself, more Korean, but to each their own. They're not especially different.

Rykros the Disdainful - Supposed Petulant Capitulant Junkie > willkinton247 04/29/2014 at 14:34

0

You know, back in 2007 I was a 26 year old single guy who loved the look of the MKIV Jetta, and lusted after one. I just loved the simplistic, boxy look (I look longingly at Volvos from time to time, too...), and I had sat in a few and came to really appreciate how it looked and FELT more like an upscale car. I finally got my finances together, and a new job, then found and procured a pre-owned 2004 Jetta with a manual. The one with the cool chrome and the updated alternating red-white tail lamps. I wanted a Jetta specifically, so bad, I passed up an '03 GTi 1.8T for it.

The timing system broke twice in a row, the transmission was notchy as hell, the service department wasn't all that great and the last time I brought it in for warranty service they got white overspray all over my BLACK car. After they serviced it, too, it never quite felt as peppy as it once was. Like I had 105hp instead of 115.

Despite those issues, I appreciated the fact that you could pop the key in the lock and twist it one way or the other for all-down or all-up windows, and that I had power windows and locks and keyless entry and Monsoon audio in a "base model" car. I overlooked the fact that the car could barely get over the Angeles on I-5 under it's own power, because I was rockin' that sweet Monsoon system the whole time while the soft-touch dash and the cabin materials were nice as hell to feel and look at, and seats that were so comfortable that I could make a 2-3 hour drive and NOT feel fatigued when I arrived at my destination. When I DID arrive, I'd get out, shut the doors with a satisfyingly solid "thunk", and chuckled at the "DOINK" sound the alarm system made when I armed it.

In fact, my parents liked my car so much they bought an '08 2.5. My dad drives it mostly, and although they liked my MKIV better (from a materials and interior layout standpoint), daddyo likes the car best and wants to trade it in soon for a CC.

So in light of those issues, I still look back at my few years of ownership of that car, in a mostly positive light. I think that really counts for something... because what it all came down to in the end, is that reliability aside, my Jetta felt like a classy ride. -and that you got that classy ride without paying the cla