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VW slams the Prius [again]

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Old 05-11-09, 08:15 PM
  #76  
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Sorry but the Routan is a rebadge. Period.
 
Old 05-11-09, 08:29 PM
  #77  
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Originally Posted by 1SICKLEX
Sorry but the Routan is a rebadge. Period.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiKnp-7B6u4

I find kbb none biased its an honest review, face it its not a rebadge like tahoe and yukon or g5 and cobalt. its more like camry and es350
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Old 05-11-09, 08:47 PM
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Here's the spec on Routan

http://www.vw.com/routan/completespe...s/#engineering

Read the suspension part... It has a twist beam rear axle, this is the cheapest and the worst kind of suspension setup one can think of. Autobahn tuned suspension, what a freaking joke. Even Nissan doesn't use this crap anymore. The Honda's suspension is far far superior.
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Old 05-11-09, 08:53 PM
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Originally Posted by Och
Here's the spec on Routan

http://www.vw.com/routan/completespe...s/#engineering

Read the suspension part... It has a twist beam rear axle, this is the cheapest and the worst kind of suspension setup one can think of. Autobahn tuned suspension, what a freaking joke. Even Nissan doesn't use this crap anymore. The Honda's suspension is far far superior.
Since when is handeling your #1 prority when buying a minivan?
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Old 05-11-09, 08:55 PM
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Originally Posted by bad co
Since when is handeling your #1 prority when buying a minivan?
It's not. Its just that the ad says "autobahn tested" suspension... something or other.
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Old 05-11-09, 09:12 PM
  #81  
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I don't understand, what's the difference between "autobahn tested" and "US Interstate Highway tested"?

As matter of fact I'll take anything that has been tested by LA's craptacular highways over the silky smooth German autobahns...
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Old 05-11-09, 09:17 PM
  #82  
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Originally Posted by ffpowerLN
Hundreds of millions of dollars?

That seems like a dumb decision now...

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/20/g...rtedly-not-lo/

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/30/r...vans-for-febr/
This I agree with you on. As a VW owner, you come to expect a certain level quality and soldiness from their products, but as soon as you slip into the Routan you know your not in a real Volkswagen. There's no German sophistication anywhere to be found - no indicator lights on the exterior mirrors, a prop for the hood, no automated central locking switches, a steering wheel doesn't telescope, doors don't close with the typical VW vault sound, and most importantly, the way it drives does not benefit the Volkswagen logo. It's a rebrand, and it's nothing I would ever buy. The Odyssey and Sienna are better vehicles in many more ways. Yes the Routan has some nicer dashboard materials, but I would never buy it over those two..

What frightens me is that VW may have some of these "qualities" spill over onto their new American cars to be built in TN. Why I would ever buy a VW that lacks core VW values (solidness, premium materials, driving refinement) eludes me entirely.

Last edited by FKL; 05-11-09 at 09:21 PM.
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Old 05-11-09, 10:04 PM
  #83  
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Originally Posted by FKL
uh, no. Volkswagen spent hundreds of millions of dollars completely retuning the suspension.
I'm pretty sure if you look it up in a Moog, Monroe, Spicer, or Gabriel parts catalog, the Routan will use many of the same suspension parts.
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Old 05-11-09, 10:12 PM
  #84  
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That is funny, they both SUCK REAL BAD actually
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Old 05-11-09, 11:21 PM
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Default Diesel Truth

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvt7Wrjwc-Q

This one's a good watch
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Old 05-12-09, 12:08 AM
  #86  
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Originally Posted by FKL
^I will try it out if I get the chance. I look forward to hearing first hand accounts on the car.

Honestly I've driven the Prius second generation and to *ME* it just feels like a cheap economy car. I'm coming from cars that are more expensive, I know, but it just feels like a spartan compared to a Jetta. I know it has some cool tech toys, but the interior is a little skimpy on quality, the doors are light, the steering is slow and light and boring, and the handling poor, the brakes - well you know. It's great that it gets 50MPG, but I don't know what its selling point would be if it DIDN'T get that type of mileage. It would just be an ugly hatchback alternative to an entry level Camry/top trim Corolla. The Jetta, on the other hand, speaks for itself in standard form. Hell, you can even get the thing in a wagon, which looks better and more sporty than the Prius IMO.

But like you said, I'll reserve all judgment until I can at least see the new Prius 3G for myself
I understand. I remember when we were purchasing the car. I wasn't sure if I'd like the plastic door panels that has virtually no cloth inserts. Most cars have a nice cloth area that breaks up the boring door panel. The steering is numb, yes, in fact it sounds exactly the same as my Logitech Drive Force Pro. They both have the same electric motor sound, albeit it's softer in the Prius. I didn't mind since it was easy to manoeuvre at low speed and easy to park.
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Old 05-12-09, 03:59 AM
  #87  
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Originally Posted by FKL
uh, no. Volkswagen spent hundreds of millions of dollars completely retuning the suspension.
LOL!! Retuned suspensions don't cost "hundreds of millions of dollars"
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Old 05-12-09, 08:13 AM
  #88  
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Originally Posted by ffpowerLN
I don't understand, what's the difference between "autobahn tested" and "US Interstate Highway tested"?

As matter of fact I'll take anything that has been tested by LA's craptacular highways over the silky smooth German autobahns...
Perception, plain and simple...which is the same reason why this ad is unlikely to budge a majority of prospective/return Prius shoppers.

VW would have a difficult time directly challenging the Prius on its actual merits, because for all intent and purpose, its pretty much a car that is synonymous with the current green trend, which has then further managed to trickle its popularity into other Toyota vehicles. The timing of the 2nd gen Prius was just perfect, and Toyota really capitalized on it...perception is reality.

This commercial, though, is just silly...most notable being throwing two cars on the skidpad (with the Jetta in front, of course), then showing a huge disparity in the graph for a difference of .02 Gs...and of all things, a skidpad, where the tires are most substantial in the test, on an aged purpose-built economy car that is not using any type of performance rubber.
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Old 05-12-09, 12:49 PM
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Originally Posted by IS350jet
LOL!! Retuned suspensions don't cost "hundreds of millions of dollars"
That's exactly what they said at the product launch meeting.
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Old 05-12-09, 01:31 PM
  #90  
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Sounds like nothing more than marketing hoopla. The reality is, the suspension is physically the same as the GC with the "tune" being different spring rates, shock dampening, and maybe larger sway bars. Hardly worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
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