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Detroit, 7:44 AM
Sat Nov 21
32 posts in the last 24 hours
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02/12/09
I call bullshit.
02/12/09
02/12/09
02/12/09
But I'm really, really afraid of what a US-specific sedan might contain. The reason people buy VWs here, in the face of shitty dealers and questionable reliability, is because they are the best value among any European spec vehicle (not counting GM's German stepchildren). What happens when you remove that element from it?
02/12/09
02/12/09
Plus, there's the sparse dealership network and general awareness. Among all mass market brands, they're the fewest and furthest between dealerships. On top of that, the repair bills on, say, a Golf can often mirror those of a much more expensive car. A timing belt/waterpump job can easily cost $1,000, which is 3-4x more than a Honda Civic. Same with the clutch. And the list goes on. A couple of experiences like that and a layman will log on to every website available to share his negative experiences.
Don't get me wrong, I've got two of them. Worth the hassles partly because the cost forces you to DIY ;)
02/12/09
Back then, I paid $800 for a new pair. Now, they're broken again, and I just ordered a new set for $250.
I'm not sure if it's more aftermarket support, or a growing presence in North America, or just that my car is getting old, but I've been pleasantly surprised lately at the dramatically lower costs of repairs.
02/12/09
02/12/09
8 years ago I bought clear corners (first mod) and the going rate was about $100-$120 a pair (Hella or FER).
Now they're $25-$40 and about a dozen brands to choose from.
So yes, everything does seem to be getting cheaper, but it also seems like a lot more YMMV out there. Lots of these cheapo Chinese HID kits can start fires or melt wiring and housings, etc. Glad I'm just in maintenance mode these days.
02/12/09
02/12/09
Jetta is already a "collegey" car as it is, while Passat is going more and more for the middle-aged crowd with the current iteration. That leaves a pretty hefty gap in their US marketing. And a very profitable one.
02/12/09
02/12/09
02/12/09
02/12/09
02/12/09
02/12/09
Not cool VW.
02/12/09
02/12/09
02/12/09
02/12/09
02/12/09
That is correct, sir. The Aura, Mondeo, and Insignia are all considered mid-size.
02/12/09
The current and last-gen Mondeo would make it into midsize US territory, but 2 generations ago it would have been ALMOST a compact sedan (US: Ford Contour, Mercury Mystique). Which is why it failed so miserably here.
02/12/09
02/12/09
I don't see the Passat or Jetta getting replaced any time soon, so does this new concept have any real chance of making it?
02/12/09
02/12/09
It's not that I don't like it, quite the opposite, I think that it is a handsome design. But it just completely lacks the sex appeal of the CC.
01/14/09
01/15/09
Actually, Carl Levin IS a millionaire:
[www.opensecrets.org]
Debbie Stabenow reports a negative net worth of about 50K, but raised over 12 million last year for her campaign, so you can fill in the blanks about why that might be. How does someone with no personal fortune get to be the one put in the senatorial seat? Who does she owe? Why did they put her there?
[www.opensecrets.org]
01/14/09
In 2006, Corker sold off several commercial properties, thereby eliminating more than $20 million in mortgages that had counted as liabilities against his assets. With those liabilities out of the way, Corker's minimum net worth jumps from about $1.5 million on his 2006 report to more than $19 million on his 2007 report.
One of the liabilities remaining is attributed to Corker's "dependent child": a loan from the Senator valued at more than $1 million, payable at 5.05 percent interest.
In 2007, according to an explanatory note attached to his disclosure form, Corker also divested himself of hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of publicly traded stock in order to avoid any appearance of conflicts of interest. He consolidated his investments in several funds that are widely diversified and therefore do not have to report their underlying holdings. When one of the funds could not meet the Ethics Committee's requirements for an "exempt" fund, Corker withdrew from the investment.
01/14/09
01/13/09
(background laughter)