Acura vs VW?
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- jox0
It's funny how consumer reports always is the exact opposite of eachother in Europe compared to the US. Although most german, swedish and french brands 'downgrade' their cars for the US market, such as heavily rearranged electronics, battery placement, cheap soft springs, reprogrammed ecu, double lambda probes, softer chassis and so on...
I have imported over 50 cars for myself, friends and family from germany and italy, and I wouldn't want to touch a US spec car.
It's no coincidence europe prefers their own cars. Look up breakdowns and failures on the Autobahn, no cars in the world are driven harder and longer. As usual - Audi, BMW, MB, VW at the top, japanese at the bottom.
- swollenelbow0
you shouldn't let anything slide on your car dude, it needs it's regular maintanence to run tip top.
i've had a few minor faults come up on my touareg and have had them taken care of the same day. i'm very happy with vw service too.
cars are cars, not everyone is the same, you could have great luck with cheapest car and worst luck with the most expensive one...
take care of whatever you get and you won't have problems.
- dan_dan_dan0
H-O-N-D-A
- arinya0
I had pure oil changes with my 2000 Jetta VR6. Maintenance is abit more though. I am at 180k on my Jetta and I am having to put some money into it to do some major maintenance work but it's been damn faithful. My co-workers says that Acura use regular Honda parts so it's pretty cheap to maintain. You should test drive both of them and compare. I did and the Acura was abit roomier but not as slick as the Jetta was back when I bought it and the VR6 was pretty damn fast.
- honda0
RE: "if you want an appliance vehicle that gets you from point a to point b and nothing more, hondas, toyotas, and hyundais are perfect cars to get. "
I would not go as far as to say something like that. Untrue statement. The fact is that those brands are, oddly enough, churning out some truly nice cars and trucks - that will last longer than any German vehicle ( http://cdn.consumerreports.org/s… ). It is true that upon immediate investigation of the interior of a brand new TL vs an A4, the build quality is much different. German cars are built to appeal for the 1-3 year mark. Past that, their consumer generally buys another car or trades in the current model for another. So they go all out for the initial impression. For those brands, long term quality is not a priority. It is the exact opposite with Japanese brands. What you see in your Honda/Acura will be there in 5,6,7 - 10 years time AND it will still work.
RE:"just remember to change the timing belt around every 60-75k miles and change the oil at the right intervals, and you can drive them for a long time."
My 1995 Civic is pushing 200k and I went without an oil change for almost 90k miles - bear in mind I push my car to the limit. Not a single problem. 1994 Acura Integra LS owned by a friend is pushing 195k and he never got an oil change since the day he bought it in '95. He would only put a quart in every few months or so. Got an oil change when he sold the car to his aunt. My timing belt was replaced this year. After 10 years of being on the car, I only decided to change it cause the mechanic said, "Yea, you could if you want. No rush though". Recently had to get a new a/c compressor, again, after 10 years, it was just that time. Built to last (http://apt11.com/?p=57).
My point is that a Honda/Acura is 'built' for love AND abuse; for that extreme long term use. Average Joe doing the regular maintenance on their Honda/Acura will have the love of a lifetime with the car with zero problems. For the Joe who gets lost in the day-to-day meander of life and loses touch with maintenance; the Honda/Acura will 'still' keep on truckin'.
But alas, it does come down to personal taste. Acura is finally upping the ante with some truly beautifully designed cars. The TSX and TL speak to the urban market and for the owner that wants classy AND reliability.
Again, I would definitely consider an older CL model. Whether its the 2.0 all the way up to the 3.2. Great cars, good resale value and they look awesome.
Sincerely,
YFHR - Your Friendly Honda Representative
- erokcom0
Very well said Honda... I think I agree.. I mean, I have not seen a GTI for sale with 100,000 miles..... It's always 50.. maybe people get rid of them before they have too many problems....... Hmmmm
I am the owner of a 1991 Aucra integra GS.. 240 + 000 miles.. She is old but runs strong. I just kinda want something nicer....
The search is still on.....
- erokcom0
Interesting post friends..
Keep em coming!
- jocks0
Have you driven both prospects? And I don't mean a few times around the dealer block, I mean - have you had them home, tried twisty roads, highways, filled the trunk, sat in the backseat? Tell the dealer you are debating between two models, and he will sell his mother to make you buy 'his' Honest. That'll make you get a car based on your experiences, and more often than not a much better price if you put them against eachother.
And as for the VW / Audi bit, I have myself owned 1 VW in the past, and had another one as a company car. On top of that I am on my 14th Audi (god, is it that many?) and I have never had anything besides a timing belt but that was my fault. Most of these have also been tuned to lunacy and frequently involved in racing.
- erokcom0
I want something that's going to last...... Plain and simple.....
I keep cars 8 years.....
- mogwai0
the new 06 honda civic SI is insane. but it'll cost.
the acura RSX s is a nice machine that will last eternity.
the Toyota Corolla XRS is a 6 speed manual, which shares its engine with the Lotus Elise. very fast and reliable.
(these are reasonably proced, 4 cyl cars that will last)
- jocks0
Yep, definitely stick with a 4 cyl if you want reliability. A manual 4 cyl. A japanese automatic is like begging for trouble.
- waynepixel0
Get a Rover. 95% OFF.
- jocks0
LOL
- honda0
For the record, I am not a salesman. Quite simply, I strongly believe in Honda's. They make fantastic products, are environmentally concsious, advancing in science and technology and bringing all this innovation to me - the consumer - at, oddly enough, reasonable prices.
The Corolla is 'cute' but it isn't stepping it up a notch in the professional scheme of things. Might as well stick with the Intergra you have. The latest Corolla's are nice and seem to be very popular here in Florida. Still, it is small, not very sporty and screams 'I HAVE A COMPACT CAR!'.
I too race my Civic. SCCA track meets baby! And, surprisinging, she makes it home...every single time. 16 Audi's, huh?
Erok, your best bet is a Acura 2.2/2.3CL manual. Hard to come buy and most may have a good amount of miles, but I guarantee you can find one well under 10k and will last you a good while. I think the GTi is a nice looking car, but long term, you aren't going to get the same quality or longevity as you would with a Japanese brand. It's a proven fact. ( http://cdn.consumerreports.org/s… ).
"The charts below show that all of the best vehicles with the fewest problems--going back eight years--were Asian-branded models. Among 6-month-old vehicles, the 2004 Hyundai Sonata had the fewest problems, with only 2 per 100, marking a turnaround for Hyundai from having one of the least reliable brands to one of the better. "
When a Hyundai out classes a VW in longevity AND quality...there is a problem. Even VW knows there is a disparity with build quality for their vehicles.
Anyway, good luck bro.
Sincerely,
YFHR - Your Friendly Honda Representative
- erokcom0
Great feedback friends...
Thanks Honda. Check is in the mail bro..