50 odd VWs on...

[Spikey©]

Well after starting my new job as a valeter for a local VW dealer and having driven over 50 VWs of various types...

I'd have the Vauxhall equivalents everytime...

Polo Vs Corsa - Owned/driven Corsa B's and C's, the corsa drives nicer and is more comfy for us 'bigger' people. Plus EVERY Polo with manual rear windows i've done leaks.

Golf Vs Astra - As above, the only Golf that comes close is of course the GTi, but my old snot rocket still feels quicker.

Passat/Bor(ing)a Vs Vectra - Both Passat and Bora feel heavy and dull for what they are, though the higher spec exec ones with full leather are nice, all the varients i've driven seem to be pants low down.

Maybe i'm biased being a VX owner and enthusiast, but none of the VW engines i've driven so far seem as lively or smooth as most of the VX engines i've experinced, the diesels are certainly much louder then their VX counterparts. The very latest VW cloth seats are very comfortable though. So far i've seen nothing that would drag me away from the Vauxhall brand and i'm still looking forward to getting back in a Vectra soon.

[Karl]

I know the Passat saloon I had as a hire car was a grower, I hated it at first, then it grew on me. I think the Vectra (and most VX cars) are better for the larger (taller) driver than most other marques.

[BlueRob]

On my family we were married with VW a few years ago....we had several of them, various models...and we were very happy with them, until we notice that for some reason their quality was dropping down....we had never bought another VW since then....but I have driven several models and I can tell you, they still dont make me happy...they dont offer impresive designs, their engines are OK but nothing spectacular....so...to this day I will not buy a VW unless they do major changes in all aspects.

[simac]

I've considered VW's for a while now, my brother has had a few Golfs and has a brand new GT 2.0 TDI.

There is one area so far where VW beat the VX hands down and that's reliability and design. In my experience, most of the VX reliability and other issues i've had have been due to poor design.

While I have had a Vectra B 02 plate, and my current 03 Vectra he has had a Y plate Golf GTI (now his wife's).

In that time both of my Vectra's have been in the garage so much it became emabarasing to say the least especially the B which had something like 17 warranty jobs. During all that time the older Y plate golf has had a CV boot done and that's it.

I prefer the VX overall but having just found out that my shocks have gone again after only 15kmiles i'm seriously thinking of buying ANYTHING that isn't a VX.

I'm going to have to leave the fold VX just can't build a durable car

[mark1319]

TBH simac I think it all depends on the car some seem to be great with no real problems and others just turn out to be lemons.

[ion]

I drove a Golf 2.0tdi the other day & it was surprisingly noisy. I'm considering a Passat SEL or Vec Elite.

The Passat styling isn't the best though.

Not sure yet!

[merikiito]

Had a Passat 1.9 TDI 130 sport estate and it was fast (much quicker than my other halfs Vectra C Estate 1.9 CDTI 120 by a long way). Never had any issues in the 70K I drove it. Also driven the Golf GTI 1.9 TDI 150 and that is really fast.

[simac]

TBH simac I think it all depends on the car some seem to be great with no real problems and others just turn out to be lemons.

You're right, and that applies to most of the cars out there TBH mine hasn't been particularly bad for a Vectra but against other cars in the family it fairs very poorly on reliability. I'm comparing it to Saxo's, a Magane, X Type, Mondeo, 2 Golf's, Almera, and more. All of these cars have been in the family for years and have hardly had any trouble compared to the amount of parts which Vectra's generally go through.

[simac]

I drove a Golf 2.0tdi the other day & it was surprisingly noisy.

I've noticed that too, in Golf's and I had a lift in a brand new A6 Avant. Whilst it was a very nice car it sounded like a JCB fastrac LMAO

[iain.condliffe]

Had a 2001 Bora for 6 years from new and did 76000 miles.

I loved it as a car, it just felt right and solid but in terms of reliability it rerally wasnt the best, lots of work on warranty and lots out of my pocket too...

Hell even a driver doors bolt sheared!