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Detroit, 3:18 AM
Fri Dec 4
27 posts in the last 24 hours

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    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of FTGDWolverineEdition'09 FTGDWolverineEdition'09
    11/10/09

    In reply to Volkswagen-Porsche World's Largest Automaker, Toyota The New GM
    So someone out there is eating a lot more Sauerkraut than Sushi. #volkswagen
     Reply
    FTGDWolverineEdition'09 was starred FTGDWolverineEdition'09 was unstarred
    Image of FTGDWolverineEdition'09 FTGDWolverineEdition'09
    11/10/09

    @FTGDWolverineEdition'09: Plus he really must have made a difference.
     Reply
    FTGDWolverineEdition'09 was starred FTGDWolverineEdition'09 was unstarred
    Image of throwingitallaway throwingitallaway
    11/10/09

    In reply to Volkswagen-Porsche World's Largest Automaker, Toyota The New GM
    The "Somebody warn Poland" remark is in poor taste.
     Reply
    High Speed Indeed promoted this comment throwingitallaway was starred throwingitallaway was unstarred
    Image of High Speed Indeed High Speed Indeed
    11/10/09

    @throwingitallaway: That's what makes it funny. #volkswagen
     Reply
    High Speed Indeed was starred High Speed Indeed was unstarred
    Image of Mr.choppers - Delenda Carthago Est Mr.choppers - Delenda Carthago Est
    11/10/09

    @throwingitallaway: A German joke is no laughing matter. #volkswagen
     Reply
    Mr.choppers - Delenda Carthago Est was starred Mr.choppers - Delenda Carthago Est was unstarred
    Image of B1663R B1663R
    11/10/09

    In reply to Volkswagen-Porsche World's Largest Automaker, Toyota The New GM

    I KNOW NOTHING! #volkswagen
     Reply
    B1663R was starred B1663R was unstarred
    Image of B1663R B1663R
    11/10/09

    @B1663R: sorry i was looking for an excuse to use that picture since VW launched that stupid commercial with the talking bug that sounds an awful lot like Sgt. Shultz #volkswagen
     Reply
    B1663R was starred B1663R was unstarred
    Image of rickerbr rickerbr
    11/10/09

    In reply to Volkswagen-Porsche World's Largest Automaker, Toyota The New GM
    Ah Jalopnik, so predictable - everybodys' sister's uncle's cousin's ex-girlfriend knew a guy one time with a VW and it was crap. All I know is I've got everything in the family from a 30 year old Rabbit ITC car to a 3 year old GTI daily driver owned since new with the "shite" DSG and all of them see harder service than any new Toyota or Honda will ever see on the weekends (racing, track days, autocross etc.) with no problems. Per JD Power this is impossible.

    As far as the myth of the the eco-friendly nature of electrics and hybrids ask yourself 2 things -

    1. Where does the battery go when it's dead and what chemical by-products were generated making it's replacement?

    2. For the plug in crowd - how much pollution was made generating the electricity that was sent down the wire to charge your battery? Don't forget the transmission losses.....

    How many VWs and Toyotas started the last lemons race at MSR-H and how many were running at the end?
     Reply
    B1663R promoted this comment Edited by rickerbr at 11/10/09 7:10 AM rickerbr was starred rickerbr was unstarred
    Image of brandegee brandegee
    11/10/09

    @rickerbr: At what VW is charging these days, they should be pretty reliable. I like VWs, but the only really attractive price is on the GTI, which is enough to make one at least look at the Japanese cars.

    Transmission losses are a good point...it can be up to 50% from generation to consumer. Evil losses. But refining and burning petroleum is not very efficient either, relative to the ideal. It is more fun, though. #volkswagen
     Reply
    brandegee was starred brandegee was unstarred
    Image of skierpage skierpage
    11/10/09

    @rickerbr:
    1. The batteries are valuable and get recycled. NiMH and lithium aren't particularly toxic, far less than the LEAD-ACID battery in every conventional car.

    2. Electric propulsion is more efficient than burning gasoline to make heat and a little forward motion. So pollution goes down even with current mix of electric generation in the USA, and gets better with natural gas generation and renewables

    @brandegee: Maybe there's some aging transmission line to nowhere with 50% losses, please tell us where it is. Meanwhile average transmission & distribution losses in the USA were a mere 7% in 1995. When know-nothing anti-environmentalists bring this tired talking point up, they overlook the huge energy consumption to produce, refine, and transport gasoline. It's been said (but I haven't reviewed the math) that you can send an electric car further on the electricity it takes to make a gallon of gasoline than an internal combustion engine can travel on that gallon. #volkswagen
     Reply
    skierpage was starred skierpage was unstarred
    Image of mgrinshpon mgrinshpon
    11/09/09

    In reply to Volkswagen-Porsche World's Largest Automaker, Toyota The New GM
    My friend and his dad between them own 2 Volkswagen Passats (one was practically given to them) and they have been the most unreliable pieces of garbage. Every weekend, the dad is in the garage wrenching away at something. It's either the rear trunk cable, power window regulator, a check engine light, various vacuum hoses, various valves, sensors, need I go on?

    In fact, every German car since the E30, maybe the E36, is a rolling nightmare of poor design and over-engineering.

    So I ask: how? #volkswagen
     Reply
    mgrinshpon was starred mgrinshpon was unstarred
    Image of EuropaBambaataa EuropaBambaataa
    11/10/09

    @mgrinshpon: How? Well, it's obvious, isn't it? Poor design and over-engineering.

    The next fad: sodomisation without lubrication. #volkswagen
     Reply
    Mr.choppers - Delenda Carthago Est promoted this comment EuropaBambaataa was starred EuropaBambaataa was unstarred
    Image of Mr.choppers - Delenda Carthago Est Mr.choppers - Delenda Carthago Est
    11/10/09

    @EuropaBambaataa: Oh we're waay ahead of you. Look up "pink sock" in Google images if you don't want to be able to sleep tonight. #volkswagen
     Reply
    Mr.choppers - Delenda Carthago Est was starred Mr.choppers - Delenda Carthago Est was unstarred
    Image of avanti5010 avanti5010
    11/09/09

    In reply to Volkswagen-Porsche World's Largest Automaker, Toyota The New GM
    @rickerbr: Ya, VW is das junk. Has been for years.
    How about VW/Audi electric window regulators that broke from 1982-2000+ before they fixed it (if, in fact they really have)? How about the leaking heater cores VW sold to the public for OVER 10 years before recalling and fixing? Just 2 examples of the NUMEROUS quality problems VW has had for DECADES!
    Do some research!
    VW=Overpriced Junk #volkswagen
     Reply
    B1663R promoted this comment avanti5010 was starred avanti5010 was unstarred
    Image of B1663R B1663R
    11/10/09

    @avanti5010: well, at least VW floormats never killed anyone #volkswagen
     Reply
    B1663R was starred B1663R was unstarred
    Image of rickerbr rickerbr
    11/09/09

    In reply to Volkswagen-Porsche World's Largest Automaker, Toyota The New GM
    1. VW is smart enough to anchor their floormats and has been for 10+ years.
    2. VW fixed their oil sludge problems
    3. VW doesn't perpetrate the myth of the eco friendly nature of Hybrids.

    oh and Deustchland Uber Alles... #volkswagen
     Reply
    Wes Siler promoted this comment rickerbr was starred rickerbr was unstarred
    Image of LandofMinos, cast thou evil bum dragger to thy scrapyard LandofMinos, cast thou evil bum dragger to thy scrapyard
    11/09/09

    In reply to Volkswagen-Porsche World's Largest Automaker, Toyota The New GM
    In Australia VW's are more expensive and less value for money than a Toyota. If Wolfsburg can change this around, then I'll believe that VW will continue to be on top for a very long time. #volkswagen
     Reply
    LandofMinos, cast thou evil bum dragger to thy scrapyard was starred LandofMinos, cast thou evil bum dragger to thy scrapyard was unstarred
    Image of that ain't the way to have fun, son that ain't the way to have fun, son
    11/09/09

    In reply to Volkswagen-Porsche World's Largest Automaker, Toyota The New GM
    The beer cans are this VW's crumple zone.

    Good on 'em! #volkswagen
     Reply
    that ain't the way to have fun, son was starred that ain't the way to have fun, son was unstarred
    Image of VeeArrrSix VeeArrrSix
    11/09/09

    In reply to Volkswagen-Porsche World's Largest Automaker, Toyota The New GM

    < #volkswagen
     Reply
    Plasma X promoted this comment VeeArrrSix was starred VeeArrrSix was unstarred
    Image of Arcweld Your Soul Arcweld Your Soul
    11/09/09

    In reply to Volkswagen-Porsche World's Largest Automaker, Toyota The New GM
    My history teacher told us that he spoke to a Polish war veteran once. Someone asked after what would Poland do if they got the double invasion treatment again - who do you go after, Germany or Russia?

    The old man paused and said "Germany, then Russia. Business before pleasure."

    I defy you to be more badass than that.

    And on a tangentially related note I'd like to posit that Strongbow is awesome. #volkswagen
     Reply
    FTGDWolverineEdition'09 promoted this comment Arcweld Your Soul was starred Arcweld Your Soul was unstarred
    Image of Alfisted Alfisted
    11/09/09

    In reply to Volkswagen-Porsche World's Largest Automaker, Toyota The New GM
    In the eyes of many Jalops, Toyotas been #2 for quite some time. #volkswagen
     Reply
    Alfisted was starred Alfisted was unstarred
    Image of wrx-tyrannosaurusWrx wrx-tyrannosaurusWrx
    11/09/09

    In reply to Volkswagen-Porsche World's Largest Automaker, Toyota The New GM
    Hey, Matt, they're just finding their living space. Come on, just appease them and let 'em have it. This is how we stifle conflicts. #volkswagen
     Reply
    wrx-tyrannosaurusWrx was starred wrx-tyrannosaurusWrx was unstarred
    Image of wrx-tyrannosaurusWrx wrx-tyrannosaurusWrx
    11/09/09

    @wrx-tyrannosaurusWrx: This will bring peace in our time. (I can't believe I forgot this one. My Euro teacher in high school would be so pissed) #volkswagen
     Reply
    wrx-tyrannosaurusWrx was starred wrx-tyrannosaurusWrx was unstarred
    Image of cmdrfire cmdrfire
    11/09/09


    @wrx-tyrannosaurusWrx: My good friends, this is the second time there has come back from Germany to Downing Street peace with honour. I believe it is peace for our time. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Now I recommend you go home, and sleep quietly in your beds. #volkswagen
     Reply
    wrx-tyrannosaurusWrx promoted this comment cmdrfire was starred cmdrfire was unstarred
    Image of Jim-Bob Jim-Bob
    11/09/09

    In reply to Volkswagen-Porsche World's Largest Automaker, Toyota The New GM
    Here's hoping they bring the Polo Bluemotion to the US market soon in an attempt to dominate the fuel economy race. If they want more market share here, a low cost, efficient car would be a good start. #volkswagen
     Reply
    Jim-Bob was starred Jim-Bob was unstarred
    Image of duurtlang duurtlang
    11/09/09

    @Jim-Bob: Because in the US consumers are interested in a hatchback smaller than the Golf with a diesel engine which is slow (0-100 km/h in ~13 sec), which has a nice interior, a manual gearbox and which is relatively expensive?
    Sure, it does do 70 MPG (US) average according to the European measurements. But is that enough as a unique selling point?

    Edit:
    And I forgot to mention: a 3 cylinder engine...
     Reply
    skierpage promoted this comment Edited by duurtlang at 11/09/09 5:55 PM duurtlang was starred duurtlang was unstarred
    Image of skierpage skierpage
    11/10/09

    @duurtlang: According to WhatGreenCar, the VW Polo 1.4 TDI Bluemotion +DPF gets 74.3 Imperial mpg (combined) or 3.8 litre/100km on the Euro combined cycle. That's only 1.9 mpg more than the Prius 72.4 Imperial mpg or 3.9 litre/100km, which is a big powerful car by comparison and still emits less CO2.

    It would be good to have the choice to buy a smaller car and get better MPG instead of the worse MPG a Mini, Smart, or Yaris saddles you with, but unless VW can sell the Polo cheap it's unlikely to be popular. #volkswagen
     Reply
    skierpage was starred skierpage was unstarred
    Image of duurtlang duurtlang
    11/10/09

    @skierpage: Your innformation is about the old model Polo. They will introduce a Bluemotion based on the new Polo soon, which is supposed to be significantly more economical with its Common rail 1.6 TDI engine.

    I just read that the US will not get the 3- and 5-door hatches, but will get the sedan (which we luckily don't get, because it'll be ugly) #volkswagen
     Reply
    duurtlang was starred duurtlang was unstarred
    Image of MushyHeirloom MushyHeirloom
    04/07/09

    In reply to VW May Pass GM As World's Second Largest Automaker This Year
    I'm thinking there's still plenty of demand for "USA-2" mudflaps and plate frames.
     Reply
    MushyHeirloom was starred MushyHeirloom was unstarred
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