[Jimbo70]

Has anyone seen the VW commercials being run during the Olympics? I think they speak volumes as to the corporate philosophy toward us owners of older waterpumpers.
If you haven't seen the ad, its an animation where they show the design process for a variety of VWs, starting with the original Beetle, transforming into a split-window Microbus, then a Karman Ghia, a Thing, then a GOLF IV??? Type 3s not withstanding, you'd think that VW sold only aircooled vehicles until 1999. What's up with that? I have other comments about this, but I'd rather not get this thread locked.

 

[GM]

Re: Not feelin' the Volkswagen love (Jimbo70)

Maybe they're trying to get away from the early '90s models image-wise, since their poor build quality somewhat hurt people's opinions of VW.
A commercial that links new dubs to cars with a somewhat negative reputation can't be good for sales...

 

[pastpargolf]

Re: Not feelin' the Volkswagen love (GM)

I liked the 1.8t commercial during the superbowl

 

[Fast16v]

Re: Not feelin' the Volkswagen love (Jimbo70)

quote:[HR][/HR]Has anyone seen the VW commercials being run during the Olympics? I think they speak volumes as to the corporate philosophy toward us owners of older waterpumpers.
If you haven't seen the ad, its an animation where they show the design process for a variety of VWs, starting with the original Beetle, transforming into a split-window Microbus, then a Karman Ghia, a Thing, then a GOLF IV??? Type 3s not withstanding, you'd think that VW sold only aircooled vehicles until 1999. What's up with that? I have other comments about this, but I'd rather not get this thread locked.

[HR][/HR]​

Thats nuts I was thinking the exact same thing. They skipped all the good stuff.

 

[Big Dac With Fries]

Re: Not feelin' the Volkswagen love (GM)

"since their poor build quality somewhat hurt people's opinions of VW. "
- When compared to Domesti-crap, my A2 is built like a brick . . . looks like one too

 

[RacerXXX85]

Re: Not feelin' the Volkswagen love (Big Dac With Fries)

My VW runs reliability circles around American CRAP
145K miles.........it see's 6,500RPM at least once a day
and 21+ hours straight driving from Houston to DC
and you call that "poor build quality" ???????

Get the F^ck out of this forum

 

[norman]

Re: Not feelin' the Volkswagen love (RacerXXX85)

I was thinking the same thing when i read that, i know people(probably between 5 and 10 golfs and jettas 8 and 16v) with mk2's that have anywhere between 113,000 and 200,000 as well as a dude with a rabbit that has 360,000. i know that is a small amout compared to the overall amount of them on the road but the people i know beat the everliving hell out of them. but whatever i guess we also take care of them like our children.
Matthew

 

[Tornado2dr]

Re: Not feelin' the Volkswagen love (RacerXXX85)

I would have to agree with this:

quote:[HR][/HR]My VW runs reliability circles around American CRAP
145K miles.........it see's 6,500RPM at least once a day
and 21+ hours straight driving from Houston to DC
and you call that "poor build quality" ???????

Get the F^ck out of this forum[HR][/HR]​

But for VW, the late 80's and early '90s were the worst times ever for them in the US market. While the golf was still one of the best selling cars in europe (right?) americans were staying away in droves....also, VW is trying to link the new cars with a revolution in automobiles, like the original beetle that can go anywhere, do anything, etc etc.....a2s were not revolutionary in the auto industry, and no one can argue that.....
but tell me again that my a2 wasn't built to the highest standard, and i will show you a 12 year old car with 175k on the clock, no rust, even panel gaps, and one of the stiffest chassis on a compact car.

 

[eightvalvejettacarat]

Re: Not feelin' the Volkswagen love (Clone_number2)

i wish ppl could just post whatever they wanted (as far as "off-topic" stuff such as this is concerned) in this forum because its all about the crowd who frequents each forum... btw i agree with you

 

[Jimbo70]

Re: Not feelin' the Volkswagen love (RacerXXX85)

quote:[HR][/HR]My VW runs reliability circles around American CRAP
145K miles.........it see's 6,500RPM at least once a day
and 21+ hours straight driving from Houston to DC
and you call that "poor build quality" ???????

Get the F^ck out of this forum[HR][/HR]​

Dude, relax; you'll live longer.

VW did have build quality issues by the end of the A2 run, that's a well-known fact. They stayed with the chassis a couple years too long adding big bumpers and other styling cues to try and keep it fresh, but by the time '92 rolled around, the body had run its course.

 

[rockit]

Re: Not feelin' the Volkswagen love (Jimbo70)

they do it because vw doesnt care about you; the enthusiast buying the long outdated, 12 year old cars. they care about the people looking at the new bmws and lexus and acuras, that is their target market. its big business.

 

[Mooz!]

Re: Not feelin' the Volkswagen love (Jimbo70)

I agree, take it easy. While our cars ARE very reliable, they seem to have the same inherent(sp?) problems that plague us all. Problems that some domesti-crap don't have.
However, I would rather have these problems and still have a car that is built solid than a rickety, chincy piece of domestic garbage. Old american muscle (pre 1972) I think are some of the best made cars. Anything newer than that seems to be a pile of poop.

 

[Jimbo70]

Re: Not feelin' the Volkswagen love (rockit)

quote:[HR][/HR]they do it because vw doesnt care about you; the enthusiast buying the long outdated, 12 year old cars. they care about the people looking at the new bmws and lexus and acuras, that is their target market. its big business.[HR][/HR]​

Honestly, I don't care if VW cares about me or not, since they don't offer a new VW that I would give up my money for. I'd take a new Mini or a Focus SVT over the latest from Wolfsburg any day. My point is that they seem to be skipping over a big part of their past. Surely there is SOME watercooled VW from 1975 to 1998 that could be considered important from a design aspect. Maybe the '83-'84 GTI that could outrun a Z28 or Trans Am from the same era?
My main issue was this almost 25 year gap in their history.

 

[scirocco16v]

Re: Not feelin' the Volkswagen love (Mooz!)

Funny how the build quality went down on the cars that came to the US plant...then it got worse when they all went to Mexico. I think work ethic and training were certainly issues. What was it....2 years the new beetle was behind schedule due to lack of assembly quality? I think Quality was the problem....People have been buying non-innovative cars for decades because they are "Built Ford Tough!"

'Nuff Said.

 

[Jimbo70]

Re: Not feelin' the Volkswagen love (scirocco16v)

quote:[HR][/HR]Funny how the build quality went down on the cars that came to the US plant...then it got worse when they all went to Mexico. I think work ethic and training were certainly issues. What was it....2 years the new beetle was behind schedule due to lack of assembly quality? I think Quality was the problem....People have been buying non-innovative cars for decades because they are "Built Ford Tough!"

'Nuff Said.[HR][/HR]​

I dunno about this one. My German-built '90 Jetta has some questionable attributes that my '85 built in the same plant didn't.

 

[Crispyfritter]

Re: Not feelin' the Volkswagen love (Jimbo70)

You know, I think that VW needs to get away from the image it is getting right now. I know so many people who were so psyched up about getting new VW's and when they got them they were total disappointments. Items going out way before their time, poor dealer service, etc.
JMO though, for what it's worth.
Chris

 

[Mike Smith]

Re: Not feelin' the Volkswagen love

Volkswagen made those commercials to tie its new products back to its legendary products, the ones that people who dont know cars, who maybe arent into cars at all, will think of when they hear the name "Volkswagen." You have to admit that most people, the general faceless public, don't think Rabbit or Scirocco or Corrado when they think VW....they think Beetle, they think Microbus. I LOVE my A2 Jetta and i think its held up remarkably for a 12 year old car, but these were the cars (especially ones built in Puebla and dare we even bring up Westmoreland, PA) that almost ended VW's existence in this country in the 80s and early 90s. That means that including those cars in the ad evokes a negative image for most consumers. Putting a car that many people regard as a crappy 80s economy car in an ad is a bad move when you're about to launch several models at $50K+. Love my car, but the truth is that most people dont.
haha....bring on the flames

 

[Fettes Brot]

Re: Not feelin' the Volkswagen love (Mike Smith)

The_Jerbel has almost 400,000 km on his Jetta IIRC

 

[jervwgti]

Re: Not feelin' the Volkswagen love (Mike Smith)

quote:[HR][/HR]but these were the cars (especially ones built in Puebla and dare we even bring up Westmoreland, PA) that almost ended VW's existence in this country in the 80s and early 90s.
haha....bring on the flames
[HR][/HR]​

Not flaming, but I think there was alot more to it than just these cars.
I think the ads were trying to evoke the history of the company based on the most recognizable icons (by joe public) using the the micro bus, old beetle, and the current generations.


[Modified by jervwgti, 6:42 PM 2-12-2002]

 

[negativl]

Re: Not feelin' the Volkswagen love (jervwgti)

Maybe, but I'd at least think they should have shown the A1 gti taking a corner with just the outside front wheel on the ground.