Honda isn't trendy though. Volkswagen or any German car maker for that matter is trendy.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Volkswagen, Apple working on 'iCar'
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Honda isn't trendy though. Volkswagen or any German car maker for that matter is trendy.
In the end, as automobiles are one of the biggest contributors to green house gases, instead of moaning about engines not "feeling" the road or which car has the fastest engine, how about alternative energy sources to keep the planet alive enough for all the automobile enthusiasts to gloat over their cars. All this R&D in making cars faster is NOT what we need.
Cars still don't put out as much greenhouse gas as cattle does, and plus, cars today are both able to be much faster and much cleaner than the cars of the past. You couldn't buy your Lamborghini in California if it didn't fit their emissions laws.
Computer enthusiasts and gadget enthusiasts use a lot of electricity, and aside from solar panels, they don't have a lot of say in the type of power that is delivered to their house (and don't get me started on carbon credits, because those are a scam)
Volkswagen are overvalued. The reality is that their cars are no better than any other European cars, and their service (at least in Europe) sucks.
Some of their German car dealers refuse to provide basic warranty care and have regularly been caught ripping off foreign customers that don't speak German.
German make good high end cars, like BMW. It doesn't mean they always make good cars. Just like some German companies produce excellent stuff while others make crap. You can't always generalize. This is true also for their safety standards. They might be high in some of their cars, but their housing and constructions regulations are very approximative and their food safety standards are very low. Try buying meat in Berlin
So if Apple does anything with VW it would probably go perfectly with their ATT alliance.
Some of their German car dealers refuse to provide basic warranty care and have regularly been caught ripping off foreign customers that don't speak German.
German make good high end cars, like BMW. It doesn't mean they always make good cars. Just like some German companies produce excellent stuff while others make crap. You can't always generalize. This is true also for their safety standards. They might be high in some of their cars, but their housing and constructions regulations are very approximative and their food safety standards are very low. Try buying meat in Berlin
So if Apple does anything with VW it would probably go perfectly with their ATT alliance.
Looking at these comments, I can't help but feel how good we have things over here. What do I mean?
a) VW's have generally speaking good quality. Yes, they had some issues in 1997-2003, but those problems are behind them now. And the _perceived_ quality is top-notch. No squeaks or anything like that. They quite simply feel like higher-quality than japanese do for example. Interiors of competing japanese cars feel bland and cheap.
b) While VW's often cost a bit more than their competitors, they are cheap to own. Maintenance-interval is about 50-60.000 kilometers, while japanese need maintenance at around 30.000 kilometers or so
c) The maintenance mentioned in point B? It's pretty cheap, since spare-parts for VW's are cheap
d) VW's last long. Their diesel-cars are routinely driven for 400.000-500.000 kilometers without any problems.
e) VW's are actually designed for humans. I test-sitted a Subaru. No, go. I simply could not adjust the seat and steering-wheel in such way that my knees would NOT be rubbing against the wheel or the middle-console. ANd I have had similar problems with other japanese brands as well. VW? No problems at all.
And I saw someone mention the Prius? Those cars are retarded. So Toyota wanted to build a car with good fuel-economy? So they paired an electric motor with gasoline-engine. And end-result is a compact-car that gets similar mileage as VW Passat TDI does? Well, color me un-impressed. Now, Mercedes and VW are also designing a hybrid-engine. And they are pairing it with a diesel-engine. Now THAT is interesting!
a) VW's have generally speaking good quality. Yes, they had some issues in 1997-2003, but those problems are behind them now. And the _perceived_ quality is top-notch. No squeaks or anything like that. They quite simply feel like higher-quality than japanese do for example. Interiors of competing japanese cars feel bland and cheap.
b) While VW's often cost a bit more than their competitors, they are cheap to own. Maintenance-interval is about 50-60.000 kilometers, while japanese need maintenance at around 30.000 kilometers or so
c) The maintenance mentioned in point B? It's pretty cheap, since spare-parts for VW's are cheap
d) VW's last long. Their diesel-cars are routinely driven for 400.000-500.000 kilometers without any problems.
e) VW's are actually designed for humans. I test-sitted a Subaru. No, go. I simply could not adjust the seat and steering-wheel in such way that my knees would NOT be rubbing against the wheel or the middle-console. ANd I have had similar problems with other japanese brands as well. VW? No problems at all.
And I saw someone mention the Prius? Those cars are retarded. So Toyota wanted to build a car with good fuel-economy? So they paired an electric motor with gasoline-engine. And end-result is a compact-car that gets similar mileage as VW Passat TDI does? Well, color me un-impressed. Now, Mercedes and VW are also designing a hybrid-engine. And they are pairing it with a diesel-engine. Now THAT is interesting!
Taking over
Wow, Apple is certainly taking over the world's product range aren't they? First the computer market, then the music market, then the phone market and now the automobile market (iCar). Gosh, what ever next? iHouse, where the entire house is made by Apple products, iEnvironmentally friendly heating system, and even iPaint to cover your house walls in a variety of fabulous colours. I can't wait!
Wow, Apple is certainly taking over the world's product range aren't they? First the computer market, then the music market, then the phone market and now the automobile market (iCar). Gosh, what ever next? iHouse, where the entire house is made by Apple products, iEnvironmentally friendly heating system, and even iPaint to cover your house walls in a variety of fabulous colours. I can't wait!
booooooooooooooring. i hate how apple is branching off into all these stupid directions..computers and ipods they do amazingly. phones..they started well..lets see where it goes. but all this other crap..god it makes me annoyed. who needs it? really.
Damn them for not making attractive products for you, even though it's all vaporware or concepts!!!
Well, everyone here calling the new VWs junk and saying that they're rated among the worst cars are wrong--at least according to Consumer Reports. They're currently rated among the top cars, they have a great safety ratings, the GTI was Motor Trends Car of the Year last year. So stop spreading misinformation.
If this does turn out to be true, it will probably just wind up being a VW with an iPod dock in it or something stupid. Who gives a sh*t?
If this does turn out to be true, it will probably just wind up being a VW with an iPod dock in it or something stupid. Who gives a sh*t?
Yes, the 5-cylinder is a joke. But the TDI gets great mileage. Like 43-46 mpg in REAL WORLD, HARD driving. It is a workhorse with very low CO2 emissions. It has a much greater economic life than a hybrid. Diesels outlast gas engines, plus they don't have the mechanical complexity of a hybrid, plus they don't have an expensive battery to replace. How can you say they are lacking compared to Toyota, Honda, and GM? They are right at the forefront. VW ergonomics are also excellent, and purposeful in real world, long distance driving.
Yeah, I really can't understand this talk of VW's being crap at fuel-efficiency. Their diesels are as good as Toyotas state-of-the-art hybrid. Then there's the DSG-gearbox. Usually automatic transmission means higher fuel-consumption when compared to manual, not so with DSG, DSG actually consumes LESS fuel than manual does. Or how about their TSI-engine? 1.4 liter engine with turbocharger AND supercharger. End result is an 1.4 liter engine that produces about as much power as 2.3 liter engine, with diesel-like torque at the low-end and very low fuel-consumption.
You seem to be the exception and not the rule. Be thankful for your good luck and let's hope you're wise enough not buy vw again.
Look online at the thousands of posts from VW users with problems. Look at the horrible ratings in consumer reports and similar publications. Just to be clear, I'm talking about recent VWs, after about 2002 or so. Before that they were actually pretty good cars, but quality went quickly down the toilet after that.
Look at the number of recalls. Ironically enough, the day this rumor appeared, I got yet another recall notice on the passat, I think it's the fourth so far. Yeah, that's a great car.
And far more often.
You're completely out of touch, these may have been true in the past, but this doesn't describe recent VWs at all. Reviews are still bad, as are their sales. They are still perceived as trendy, but their reputation for quality is gone. No squeaks? Are you high? Our passat has squeaked since we got it, and after many attempts they were never able to fix it. Cheap to own? Have you looked at the vw manual and seen what they recommend for maintanance? Tons more than most cars, and many mechanics don't bother working on VWs so you're stuck going to the dealer. Spare parts probably were cheap before, but VW has been using more proprietary parts that nobody else uses. Even basic stuff like wiper blades and the damn antifreeze aren't available at regular auto parts stores. And how many of the cars on the road are diesels? Seriously, you have to resort to talking about their diesels to make a case for them?
I must be too (and my family and friends). All of my family has VW's, my wife and I both have problem free 2004 VW's and I have a 90 Corrado with a hair under 200,000 miles thats never had the engine or transmission rebuilt, and is still on the original clutch. Yep, guess we're all exceptions.
If I believed everything I read on the internet, I think I'd be in big trouble. I DEFINITELY wouldn't have bought a MacBook Pro after reading all of the problems people complain about here. Seriously, peek into the MacBook forums here, it SEEMS that 90% of people have problems with theirs. Truth is that people only post when they have problems, not just to say everything is great. I guess I'm the exception there as well, I've owned 2 MBP's and they've both been great.
Guess its time to go count my blessings...
exception...
well i must be an exception to the rule as well, as my vw polo managed 89,000 miles without any major problems at all. And it was a first car, which mean it wasn't exactly treated with much respect for the first couple of years of it's life. i now have a land rover defender which has had many more problems. I know a lot of people's experiences with cars will depend on how they treat them and the state of the roads where they live, but a polo being more reliable than a significantly more expensive off road vehicle, in my opinion is excellent!
well i must be an exception to the rule as well, as my vw polo managed 89,000 miles without any major problems at all. And it was a first car, which mean it wasn't exactly treated with much respect for the first couple of years of it's life. i now have a land rover defender which has had many more problems. I know a lot of people's experiences with cars will depend on how they treat them and the state of the roads where they live, but a polo being more reliable than a significantly more expensive off road vehicle, in my opinion is excellent!
Different? I just thought that VW has much better reputation in the states. VW here is considered as a vehicle of choice for "zemljaci" - it's hard to translate, but believe me it's nothing good. It's almost an icon in some underdeveloped regions here, very popular, but driven by harsh people with no taste and manners. So, when you see VW here, you just make an extra safety distance from the car as you can expect anything - from breaking the traffic rules with arrogance to a rude or even an agressive act. Very bad image here.
My friend was offered a black VW Passat as a company car recently, and he refused it with disgust. Maybe it's not as bad as a machine, but the image is for many people just not acceptable.
Read what I said, the old ones were fine, it went down the toilet about 2002 or so. So that's TWO recent ones that have been fine. Huge sample group you have there. Consider yourself lucky, and if you buy another and it's a lemon you should have known better.
And what year was it?
For anyone interested in going beyond anectdotes, here's the link to the JD power quality ratings for car companies. Notice that VW gets an overall rating of two stars out of five, worse than even Kia, Hyundai, Scion and many others.
Looking at individual VW models finds about the same, mechanical quality ratings of 2 with the occasional 2.5.
http://www.jdpower.com/autos/quality-ratings
I don't know how anyone can argue that their recent cars have been reliable. If you own one and haven't had any trouble, consider yourself lucky. You're the exception.
Looking at individual VW models finds about the same, mechanical quality ratings of 2 with the occasional 2.5.
http://www.jdpower.com/autos/quality-ratings
I don't know how anyone can argue that their recent cars have been reliable. If you own one and haven't had any trouble, consider yourself lucky. You're the exception.
JD Power facts FTW !!
By the way, am I the only one who thinks Apple should change their name back to Apple Computer Inc. and shift its focus back to computers? Or am I just talking out loud?
My VW TDI has been the best car I've ever had
Seriously. My 2006 Volkswagen Jetta TDI (turbodiesel) is better than my Honda Accord ever was. Here's why.
The Accord was a 2000 LX V6 that had the V6 engine tied to an automatic transmission. Why people do that I'll never understand. And between the V6 and the automatic transmission, its mileage _sucked_. I was lucky to get 25 on the highway.
Fast forward to October 2005. That's when I got the VW Jetta TDI. At first I was a little disappointed with its performance. Although it had a manual (5-speed) transmission, its mileage was not quite up to the 50 MPG I'd heard so many TDI drivers claim. After about 10,000 miles, the mileage started creeping up, especially on the highway. Nowadays if I keep it below 72 MPH and the A/C off, I can get 55 on the highway! Of course it all goes to hell as soon as I resume city driving. ;-) Even then there's things I can do. I've been able to cruise through rush hour traffic without having to more than tap the brake pedal, and if you get out of 1st gear ASAP and keep the engine below 2300 RPM, you'll do better.
But of everything, the thing I love most about my VW TDI is the fact that it can use biodiesel. And I do! It's great. Right now it's got 100% biodiesel in the tank, and it runs smoother and quieter than my Honda ever did. It's definitely still a diesel -- Ich habe mach Torque! -- but it's not nearly as polluting as a diesel car running petrol diesel.
The user talking about problems with his 2000 Passat actually is absolutely right to say he's having nothing but problems. Only recently did Volkswagen turn around the chronic problems all models of their cars had. I think they did it with mine, as I've had no problems. And like I said, it's better with biodiesel.
:: insert taken flamewars/arguments about biodiesel ::
Seriously. My 2006 Volkswagen Jetta TDI (turbodiesel) is better than my Honda Accord ever was. Here's why.
The Accord was a 2000 LX V6 that had the V6 engine tied to an automatic transmission. Why people do that I'll never understand. And between the V6 and the automatic transmission, its mileage _sucked_. I was lucky to get 25 on the highway.
Fast forward to October 2005. That's when I got the VW Jetta TDI. At first I was a little disappointed with its performance. Although it had a manual (5-speed) transmission, its mileage was not quite up to the 50 MPG I'd heard so many TDI drivers claim. After about 10,000 miles, the mileage started creeping up, especially on the highway. Nowadays if I keep it below 72 MPH and the A/C off, I can get 55 on the highway! Of course it all goes to hell as soon as I resume city driving. ;-) Even then there's things I can do. I've been able to cruise through rush hour traffic without having to more than tap the brake pedal, and if you get out of 1st gear ASAP and keep the engine below 2300 RPM, you'll do better.
But of everything, the thing I love most about my VW TDI is the fact that it can use biodiesel. And I do! It's great. Right now it's got 100% biodiesel in the tank, and it runs smoother and quieter than my Honda ever did. It's definitely still a diesel -- Ich habe mach Torque! -- but it's not nearly as polluting as a diesel car running petrol diesel.
The user talking about problems with his 2000 Passat actually is absolutely right to say he's having nothing but problems. Only recently did Volkswagen turn around the chronic problems all models of their cars had. I think they did it with mine, as I've had no problems. And like I said, it's better with biodiesel.
:: insert taken flamewars/arguments about biodiesel ::