VW looking for opinions.

VW lost $1.29 bilion in North America last year and for some reason
VW's chairman has a problem with that. There is some group of people
that will be traveling around (hopefully in a Toyota) looking for
peoples oponings about what people want in cars. (how about aircooled)
Article is here. http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=102944

I can tell them their new cars are ok, but nothing special, and their
dealer service could stand some improvement. VWoA should offer a
warranty like Hyundai. If the Koreans are confident enough in their
cars, then the guys from Germany should be too. Going upscale might
have seemed like a good idea in the boardroom, but they should stick to
Golf and Jetta type cars.

"Bill Berckman" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> Going upscale might
> have seemed like a good idea in the boardroom, but they should stick to
> Golf and Jetta type cars.
>
>

.................They don't have a good marketing strategy that brings in
entry level buyers. In North America, their entry level car is the Golf
which is overpriced and ugly and has bad survey ratings for quality and
reliability. The handful of dealer service departments that I have first
knowledge about are below average to terrible in comparison to what you'd
expect at Toyota or Honda. I'm actually thinking about getting a Scion TC
coupe for my oldest son when he graduates from college next spring as a
graduation present and at about $18k, it's pretty nice little car. I test
drove one earlier this summer and it was a blast to drive. He'll be very
surprised when he opens his graduation card from mom and dad and sees the
key and title to one of the nicest looking little 2+2 coupes on the road
these days.

"Bill Berckman" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> VW lost $1.29 bilion in North America last year

VW lost everywhere. The North American losses are hard to separate from the
total company losses. VW Germany has a particular (some would say peculiar)
concern for their workers and are loathe to fire them, even when they have
factories in Germany full of workers who are sitting on their hands, making
busy work, doing anything but making automobiles. (The factories were built
for massive production levels that they no longer have to meet.) There is a
long-standing relationship between management and workers, a virtual union,
a German social situation that most US companies would never understand or
tolerate. US companies would fold entire divisions, fire thousands, and
cancel their retirements and pensions rather than endure the social promises
made decades ago, as VW Germany is doing now.

I'd not be surprised to see that whole paradigm overturned very soon now
with VW's new president.

What would you do if you lived in Germany?

On Sat, 13 Aug 2005 16:27:40 GMT, "Tim Rogers" >
wrote:

>"Bill Berckman" > wrote in message
roups.com...
>>
>> Going upscale might
>> have seemed like a good idea in the boardroom, but they should stick to
>> Golf and Jetta type cars.
>>
>>
>
>................They don't have a good marketing strategy that brings in
>entry level buyers. In North America, their entry level car is the Golf
>which is overpriced and ugly and has bad survey ratings for quality and
>reliability. The handful of dealer service departments that I have first
>knowledge about are below average to terrible in comparison to what you'd
>expect at Toyota or Honda. I'm actually thinking about getting a Scion TC
>coupe for my oldest son when he graduates from college next spring as a
>graduation present and at about $18k, it's pretty nice little car. I test
>drove one earlier this summer and it was a blast to drive. He'll be very
>surprised when he opens his graduation card from mom and dad and sees the
>key and title to one of the nicest looking little 2+2 coupes on the road
>these days.
>

These are pretty sharp-lookin' in my opinion, and they're in the same
price range you're talking about:
http://www.hyundaiusa.com/vehicle/ti...o_fullshot.asp

On Sat, 13 Aug 2005 14:07:19 -0500, "johnboy" >
scribbled this interesting note:

>
>What would you do if you lived in Germany?

Move.

Some of my ancestors did. That's good enough for me.


--
John Willis

(Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

The 10 year/100000 mile warranty and the fahrvergnugen campaign is what
made me buy a golf in 96.

VW might also have some other problems to worry about. Article here.
http://today.reuters.com/investing/f...-EMBARGOED.XML

"Shag" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 13 Aug 2005 16:27:40 GMT, "Tim Rogers" >
> wrote:
>
>>"Bill Berckman" > wrote in message
groups.com...
>>>
>>> Going upscale might
>>> have seemed like a good idea in the boardroom, but they should stick to
>>> Golf and Jetta type cars.
>>>
>>>
>>
>>................They don't have a good marketing strategy that brings in
>>entry level buyers. In North America, their entry level car is the Golf
>>which is overpriced and ugly and has bad survey ratings for quality and
>>reliability. The handful of dealer service departments that I have first
>>knowledge about are below average to terrible in comparison to what you'd
>>expect at Toyota or Honda. I'm actually thinking about getting a Scion TC
>>coupe for my oldest son when he graduates from college next spring as a
>>graduation present and at about $18k, it's pretty nice little car. I test
>>drove one earlier this summer and it was a blast to drive. He'll be very
>>surprised when he opens his graduation card from mom and dad and sees the
>>key and title to one of the nicest looking little 2+2 coupes on the road
>>these days.
>>
>
> These are pretty sharp-lookin' in my opinion, and they're in the same
> price range you're talking about:
> http://www.hyundaiusa.com/vehicle/ti...o_fullshot.asp
>

IMHO, the title of entry level car passed from the Beetle to the Toyota
Corolla sometime in the '70's. I haven't bought a new vehicle in so long
I'm not sure who's the entry level car. Isn't the Yugo, that's for sure.

Charles of Kankakee

"Charles @ Kankakee" > wrote in message
...
>
> IMHO, the title of entry level car passed from the Beetle to the Toyota
> Corolla sometime in the '70's. I haven't bought a new vehicle in so long
> I'm not sure who's the entry level car. Isn't the Yugo, that's for sure.
>
>

............Unless you want to settle for a bare bones subcompact, entry
level these days is about $15-20K.

"Tim Rogers" > wrote in message
news
> "Charles @ Kankakee" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> IMHO, the title of entry level car passed from the Beetle to the Toyota
>> Corolla sometime in the '70's. I haven't bought a new vehicle in so long
>> I'm not sure who's the entry level car. Isn't the Yugo, that's for sure.
>>
>>
>
> ...........Unless you want to settle for a bare bones subcompact, entry
> level these days is about $15-20K.
>
>

Yes, the VW was 'bare bones' in its day. The '70's Corollas were pretty
barebones in their day, too. We owned 2 of those. New cars are so
expensive I will probably never be able to buy one again.

Charles of Kankakee