mmarshall

Thanks.

7 years old and already almost 5'? Sounds like a future MBA guy. He'll be looking at Escalades and Navigators. (just kidding)

Seriously, as long as you and your wife ride up front, there shouldn't be any problem, especially if you get the seat cushions down low all the way. But also remember that no matter what size your sons are, this car is a four-seater.....you will not be able to carry a fifth adult (or child) in the back, so they will not be able to bring a friend. The legroom issue in the back, BTW, is not as bad as the foot-room issue for big feet (I wear a mens' size 15) getting in and out of the narrow foot-opening.

Even though, for light loads, this car does not need a V6, for the typically heavier loads that your family is going to carry......up to 4 people.......I'd look at the VR6 model. The 2.0T is a great performance engine for a lightly loaded car, but, for having the seats and trunk filled up often, I think the VR6's torque curve may be more suited.

mmarshall

Sure. Anytime.

Many of today's "options", LIl, are really not individual options but large option packages, which allows the automakers to offer more different features at less cost.

Yes, the now-discontinued Phaeton has enormous depreciation from lack of demand, both as a new car and a used one. W8 models can be great deals as used-car buys.......W12 models, even more so, considering that they were more expensive to begin with.

I didn't review any Phaetons, when they were in production, for several reasons.....I didn't get any requests to, I wasn't going to buy one myself, and many VW dealerships were reluctant to let them out, especially the 90K W12 models, out on casual test-drives, although my own VW-Subaru dealership probably would have let me do so if I had asked....they know me and trust me.

mmarshall

VW, in the past, offered it with some of the diesel Beetles sold in America (there are actually some for sale on the Internet); also with the 2.0T Jetta. Audi did not offer it with their larger vehicles because it was apparantly not compatable with their larger V6s and V8s.

Perhaps I made a typo on that post....maybe I should have said that VW/Audi offered it with "a number" of their American-spec vehicles, not on "most". But its loss, IMO, is significant, either way.

mmarshall

VW has dumped that term, DASH. It is now "Drivers Wanted" .



Thanks. Interior looks, I agree, are probably best in class, but there are several quirks inside that need attention....most notably the column stalks.

FKL

the Drivers Wated campaign was dropped back in 2006. There was a new unified global corporate campaign launched last year:

mmarshall

Yes and no. You still see a lot of the "Drivers Wanted" signs and logos at the dealerships. It still seems to be part of the VW ad campaign at the local level.

IS-SV

IMHO, who cares is the way I look at some of these useless ads. They do little to educate/enlighten the buyer and in some cases repel potential buyers. But the ad people like to hype their crappy crafts. VW's ads are often lame, maybe they are trying to compete with the wasteful Geico ads.

mmarshall

Well, no arguments there. I'm a satisfied GEICO customer, but certainly NOT because of their advertising, particularly with the little green lizard.

FKL

I thought they were quirky and different. I like Hondas commercials the best (in N/A).

speedflex

I was seriously considering this car for my next purchase but the rear seat headroom is just something I couldn't live with, or make my passengers live with.

IS-SV

Agreed, but some VW commercials are repulsive. Like the one where the guy keeps setting off the panic alarm because he already had dibbs on the boring silver Jetta or some crap like that. Or the stupid commerical about getting speeding tickets on test drives. Many of VW commercials don't focus on the advantage (if any) of the products.

The last time I was in the VW showroom, was to negotiate a deal for a relative on a Hyundai Sonata. The commercials certainly haven't pulled me in to take a look.

tex2670

Bump.

Saw the CC at the Philly auto show. Add to the category: The door checks. I almost needed the jaws of life to open the doors. The door checks were not smooth at all. Maybe a minor complaint, but not when VW tries to position itself against lux makes.

mmarshall

That tight rear headroom is, more or less, a given with the low, humpback-whale rooflines that so many of today's automakers have become enamored with. Some automakers have managed to do it with fairly good rear headroom by making the rear seat cushions lower (most rear seats, of course, as non-adjustable). But, in general, Humpy-Dumpty rooflines, especially with sunroofs, pay their price for tall people.

mmarshall

Strong door checks are sometimes put in to address customer complaints that doors fall forward (or back) too easily when opened and closed with the car parked on a hill, facing up or down.

VW products, though weak in electronics, are generally not known for flimsy hardware in the body sheet metal and doors.....as you found out.

FKL

I find the door weight indicitive of quality. The A4 and 3-Series are both the same way. I don't like the "light" doors that Honda and Toyota do, feels less vault like.