Built quality

[Miles]

I used to drive VW Bora. Scrapped it at 5 years exactly because maintenance cost is getting high and paper value + body value is enough to buy a new car without loan (in fact finding it hard to offset the rebates with current COE level and ARF, etc).

 

Until today, i have yet to find another car with similar high quality interior (except Audis and Bimmers, but not Lexus). Its paintwork is even better than BMWs and Mercs when i scrapped it. Panel gap is small (look at the joints between 2 metal, NOT gap at bonnet or boot opening or door opening.

 

Yes, i dont deny there were problems in the 5 years of my ownership. But they are minor problems like rattling (due to locally wrapped leather dealer not fixing back the door panels properly), power window failed (at the 4th year), ignition socket cable faulty (replaced under warranty) and boot release jammed (at the 4th year). Other than that, i enjoy every single moment of the car and would not have scrapped had the COE not plunged to this level and ARF not cut to 110%.

 

Anyway, being the best selling car in Europe, VW does not need to bribe journalist to give good review of their cars. In fact, European/UK journalist are known for their crude and direct remarks about the car they review. Unlike local magazine's car reviewer who generally are afraid to offend car distributors by giving very general and diplomatic review.

[Davidklt]

Skoda, Rolls Royce and Lambo were once on the brink of collapse, till VW stepped in and introduced their manufacturing techniques.Consumer confidence rose up to by 30%. Does technology and manufacturing process transfers play no part then?

 

Your point being said..just proves the point..If you compare Toyota/Lexus, Nissan /Infiniti, VW/Audi vs another group say..Proton/Lotus, GM/Ford...can you tell me which brand is on the upper tier or lower tier of qualty surveys?..chances are ..you would find Toyota /Lexus lumped together in one spot with proton /lotus at the lower tier..

 

one of the impartial way, though not perfect, is to check the JD powers survey, where the views of the masses are factored instead of just reviewing a few view points from those around..

 

I am not trying to defend VW..but this is the first time i heard a VW has got quality issues..

[Miketow]

Ok - just to articulate the last few messages

 

Build Quality King - VW

Worst Reliability - VW

 

If we can properly distinguish build quality from reliabilty, this should hold true?

[Miketow]

Your point being said..just proves the point..If you compare Toyota/Lexus, Nissan /Infiniti, VW/Audi vs another group say..Proton/Lotus, GM/Ford...can you tell me which brand is on the upper tier or lower tier of qualty surveys?.

 

Thats why one of the most recognized awards is called the "JD Power Initial Quality" award. Many cars have won that honour early in their life cycle - but can be complete lemons after. That is real distinction between Initail Build Quality and Real Reliability.

 

I can imagine VW winning such awards b/c everything is so well put together and everything feels so dam expensive, even in the basic Polo. And then u know something stinks when the automatic windows start to die after 12 months and that expensive soft touch, deep blue illuminated dashboard goes into disco mode after 18 months...

[Renegade]

serious?? never hear any problems from vw much except the polo is slow ??

 

Considering it's on a similar lump as the Fabia, I'll blame that on its sluggish auto 'box...

[Hicksau]

i don't want to list the problems here, suffice to say those frens of mine who used to drive VW cars, don't consider buying a VW again.

 

i don't mind driving one .. is just that i think its overpriced ..

 

just place a skoda irregardless of location apart from our island and you see that its not that far off from its vw sibling ....

 

but here skoda rides are reasonably priced while vw rides are like ...

 

so build quality , the germans do have the a advantage over the rest but the rest are catching up ... no car is perfect

[Hicksau]

the fabia on manual or auto does feel much faster on aceleration than the polo ..

[Davidklt]

Holiday? I need one as well..going to Taipei and Tokyo...u?

[Hicksau]

huh? thats goin off topic ..

 

but of course i need a holiday ..

[Spas]

A Merc or a BMW. But i'm sure other German cars are just as hardy. Just that I've had experience in both a Merc and a BMW and boy were they made to take a beating.

 

Heard Alfas are pretty hardy too.

[Hicksau]

cars with the right drivers will be hardy .. i think ..

[Renegade]

Never driven an auto Fabia but the manual definitely felt a whole lot more eager than the current Polo despite a 7bhp deficit

Edited March 28, 2006 by Renegade

[Voxy28]

Built quality should go to Audi...

In terms of balance between cost and quality, then Skoda followed VW.

 

If you ask in terms of reliability, all car also have some issue. Problem with VW family of car, rattling is the no.1 complain. THis problem arises because some of the things are fitted locally eg. leather seat, radio, sensor, interior trim....THe fact is that these cars interior are fitted by poorly locally trained technicians.

 

Anyway, I had driven VWs for 5 yrs and they are solidly built, easy maintenance (if you service regularly and don't mod it), longer period to replace worn parts compare to Japs & spare part cost is reasonable. Car has firm handling and does not float like a butterfly...

 

I am still driving a VW even though itchy to hunt for a jap... but after seeing the built quality of some other manufacturer, I skip the idea unless going for a new Audi or BMW.

[Adrianable]

does Mini cooper come under the same category of BMW-made cars?

[Twixified]

We have 4 VW's at home and I can say not all the models from VW has great build quality. Our Passat, Touareg and Transporter has no problem with build quality. Nothing is starting or have already started to fall off, except that our beetle's interior has got a slight problem. The interior top is starting to fall off, the cloth is starting to accumulate some slack. Maybe its due to the hot weather of singapore? The transporter being the oldest one has no problem with interior and exterior build quality. Everything is still in one piece, not even the paint on the buttons fading out. The touareg has the best build quality. Moreover, I still vote for Audi for having the best build quality! We used to own Audis and the interior is top notch. My friend's B7 A4 has wonderful interior build quality, I like it so much I think that volvo's build is disappointing. For instance, if u try to close the glove box , it feels so cheap, it just don't give you the "tud" sound from Audi. Mercedes' build is quite good and I can't comment on BMW, not familiar with it

[Miketow]

BMW's interior build quality likely matches that of Audi at the top range. Materials used are the best stuff, even in areas that the driver never looks at or touches at all even if he drives the car for a whole 10 years. (like everything on the lowerhalf of the dashboard. The glovebox cover is solid and made of the same stuff as the whole dash, and closes with a solid thud. The heavy doors open and close with the same equal assuring bank vault THUD as VW/Audi cars.

 

Mercedes interiors have improved alot since the cost cutting fiasco of the last generation of cars. However, current generation Mercedes interiors are still 1 whole level (if not 1.5 levels) BELOW Audi/BMW - and likely on par only with top quality Japanese interiors. Even the Mercedes doors are light and have not regained their Bank Vault solidness of many years ago.

[Muddie]

Skoda, Rolls Royce and Lambo were once on the brink of collapse, till VW stepped in and introduced their manufacturing techniques.Consumer confidence rose up to by 30%. Does technology and manufacturing process transfers play no part then?

 

Your point being said..just proves the point..If you compare Toyota/Lexus, Nissan /Infiniti, VW/Audi vs another group say..Proton/Lotus, GM/Ford...can you tell me which brand is on the upper tier or lower tier of qualty surveys?..chances are ..you would find Toyota /Lexus lumped together in one spot with proton /lotus at the lower tier..

 

one of the impartial way, though not perfect, is to check the JD powers survey, where the views of the masses are factored instead of just reviewing a few view points from those around..

 

I am not trying to defend VW..but this is the first time i heard a VW has got quality issues..

 

pal, i know 5 close frens who are driving VW now and NONE OF THEM are going to buy a VW again.

 

now, i don't doubt toyota is a reliable car, but i don't think you can associate their BUILD QUALITY with lexus!!! if all marques owned by the same company are of the same reliability, same build quality, then why are the prices different. please don't mistake owning a brand from making them.

 

take watches for example, the swatch group owns some TOP TOP names like breguet and blancpain, as well as mid end names like omega and the run-of-mill swatch. can you say they are of the same quality? would pay the same amount for a swatch or omega as you would pay for breguet and blancpain??? think about it. don't tell me the comparisons aren't the same with cars, cos the way you argue about your reasoning is flawed to say the least. anyone looking at a breguet WILL NEVER EVER consider a swatch. why? cos of the million miles difference in quality!!! but breguet is owned by swatch!!! but swatch don't make them!!! that's why people pay top money for breguet, and will not even look at swatch.

Edited April 6, 2006 by Muddie

[Germar]

Rule of the thumb, an apple should always be compared to another apple..the most a red apple to a green apple, cause red or green it's still an apple and it should stay that way..but very often we being humans tend to take an apple n compare it with an orange, mango, pineapple, even durians bolss..(Guys, no offence to anyone who's reading ya )