Topic: Day-by-Day Review: 2015 Volkswagen Passat TDI; Day 1

[EV-Light]

it would be interesting to see the maintenance costs for this...I am shocked by how expensive costs are with my VW. Service C is $350.00 and Service D is $680.00

So if you look at the costs for the VW Jetta...it goes like this:

15k - $109.00 (A)
30k  - $220.00 (B)
45k - $350.00 (C)
60k - $680.00 (D)

and then it starts again...! if you compare with my Taurus SHO:

15k - $79.99
30k - $109.99
45k - $79.99
60k - 109.99

I am most definitely getting rid of it before it hits 60k...and *surprise* will shy away from VW from now on. Not because I can't afford the services, but because I find it ridiculous that they overcharge so much for part that are mostly made in Mexico/US.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Defeatist idea spread by right wing ideologues. We can have it if we set the conditions for it. Otherwise we're going to end up with resource industries, healthcare and the service industry. Pretty much everything else can be off-shored.

The conditions we need are a willingness to purchase quality products at commensurate prices. Unfortunately, I don't see that happening anytime soon. In general consumers want quantity over quality.

No. If we want decent jobs, we have to protect them from product from areas with low wages, no environmental standards and huge government subsidies. Manufacturing is one such sector, but hardly the only one.

[OliverD]

it would be interesting to see the maintenance costs for this...I am shocked by how expensive costs are with my VW. Service C is $350.00 and Service D is $680.00

So if you look at the costs for the VW Jetta...it goes like this:

15k - $109.00 (A)
30k  - $220.00 (B)
45k - $350.00 (C)
60k - $680.00 (D)

and then it starts again...! if you compare with my Taurus SHO:

15k - $79.99
30k - $109.99
45k - $79.99
60k - 109.99

I am most definitely getting rid of it before it hits 60k...and *surprise* will shy away from VW from now on. Not because I can't afford the services, but because I find it ridiculous that they overcharge so much for part that are mostly made in Mexico/US.

Is that for dealer recommended services or manufacturer recommended? I looked at the service schedule for my GTI when I bought it and I don't recall there being much difference between the 15/30 intervals and the 45/60 ones.

[Serniter]

What is the excuse for an off-centre steering wheel? And, how is that ok?

Strikes me as a greater offence than any 'appliance' accusation ever levelled at Toyota.

Since the off-center steering wheel was mentioned, I have been paying attention to it while driving. Somehow, it doesn't bother me. Probably because in day to day driving, one hand is dominant while the other provides support. On track, it may be a different story, but who on earth is going to track a Passat 

[wing]

I don't think it really matters either way.   Just is weird.

[EV-Light]

it would be interesting to see the maintenance costs for this...I am shocked by how expensive costs are with my VW. Service C is $350.00 and Service D is $680.00

So if you look at the costs for the VW Jetta...it goes like this:

15k - $109.00 (A)
30k  - $220.00 (B)
45k - $350.00 (C)
60k - $680.00 (D)

and then it starts again...! if you compare with my Taurus SHO:

15k - $79.99
30k - $109.99
45k - $79.99
60k - 109.99

I am most definitely getting rid of it before it hits 60k...and *surprise* will shy away from VW from now on. Not because I can't afford the services, but because I find it ridiculous that they overcharge so much for part that are mostly made in Mexico/US.

Is that for dealer recommended services or manufacturer recommended? I looked at the service schedule for my GTI when I bought it and I don't recall there being much difference between the 15/30 intervals and the 45/60 ones.

That's the VW recommended one...just check here: http://contents.vw.ca/vw4/maintenance_schedule/index.php
The dealer one is even crazier...they recommend service every 10k! LOL

VW never more!

[Noto]

Automotive News reported recently that Toyota will soon be building their first full scale plant in Mexico to produce......Corollas.

That remains an unsubstantiated rumour.  For all we know, it could be a plant to manufacture the Yaris only, or shift 'some', but not all production there.

I love how NoTo is the one who complains the most about car prices but at the same time is the one who is most vehemently anti-Mexico produced cars. 

Because he is like most consumers who want it both ways. You can't have it both ways.

Lawyers try to make it such that we can have it both ways

I don't complain about car prices in general, but value for what you get compared to others.  If Toyota, which builds in Cambridge, offers the Corolla well-equipped for <$20,000, so, too, should VW be able to do so with the Jetta.  However, one has nothing to do with the other as VW has its prices set higher because it wants to be seen as a 'premium' offering. 

I'm more concerned with the impact from manufacturing in Mexico (worker treatment, and Cartel payoffs) than I am reliability/quality control issues.

[Serniter]

Our dealer recommended 10k miles, so he seems in line with VW recommendations.

[OliverD]

Defeatist idea spread by right wing ideologues. We can have it if we set the conditions for it. Otherwise we're going to end up with resource industries, healthcare and the service industry. Pretty much everything else can be off-shored.

The conditions we need are a willingness to purchase quality products at commensurate prices. Unfortunately, I don't see that happening anytime soon. In general consumers want quantity over quality.

No. If we want decent jobs, we have to protect them from product from areas with low wages, no environmental standards and huge government subsidies. Manufacturing is one such sector, but hardly the only one.

I'm not a fan of legislating solutions for everything. I do believe it's wise to take into account environmental standards and subsidies but when it comes to wage it's all relative. Mexican wages seem low to us but it's not as if these workers are being exploited – they are in the upper echelon of wages in their country.

[OliverD]

I'm more concerned with the impact from manufacturing in Mexico (worker treatment, and Cartel payoffs) than I am reliability/quality control issues.

I guess I'll try for a third time: Can you cite a source for this cartel payoff thing you've been talking about?

[mmret]

I'm more concerned with the impact from manufacturing in Mexico (worker treatment, and Cartel payoffs) than I am reliability/quality control issues.

I guess I'll try for a third time: Can you cite a source for this cartel payoff thing you've been talking about?

And even if it were true*, its entirely unclear that avoiding the place entirely "until such time as governance improves!" actually ever leads to improvement in governance. A lack of engagement would just make things worse.

* to be fair I wouldn't be overly surprised if it were technically true but not especially egregious. Corruption is everywhere, deal with it.

[G.Bombay]

This is an election year in Canada, do people want a manufacturing middle class in this country or do we want a lower caste manning our factories?

I don't think we can expect to have manufacturing be a significant part of our economy anymore.

I take it you don't live in Ontario?

[greengs]

What is the excuse for an off-centre steering wheel? And, how is that ok?

Strikes me as a greater offence than any 'appliance' accusation ever levelled at Toyota.

Since the off-center steering wheel was mentioned, I have been paying attention to it while driving. Somehow, it doesn't bother me. Probably because in day to day driving, one hand is dominant while the other provides support. On track, it may be a different story, but who on earth is going to track a Passat 

I believe the reason is they shared dash components with the Jetta, which is narrower, hence the column Is slightly to the right of center. 

[OliverD]

This is an election year in Canada, do people want a manufacturing middle class in this country or do we want a lower caste manning our factories?

I don't think we can expect to have manufacturing be a significant part of our economy anymore.

I take it you don't live in Ontario?

I don't but I don't see how that's relevant. I live in New Brunswick, where the economy is terrible, where more people died than were born last year, where thousands of people "commute" to the oil sands. For many years logging and mills were the bread and butter of the economy here. Today that industry has shrunk substantially and there's little point in hoping that it comes back or pumping money into remote communities because people aren't willing to do something else or even move to get a new job.

People need to be adaptive and learn new skills when their old skills are no longer in demand.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Unless you work for government, the service industry or resources, pretty much anything else can be off-shored. There will always be a more desperately poor area for conglomerates to move to.

[Noto]

I'm more concerned with the impact from manufacturing in Mexico (worker treatment, and Cartel payoffs) than I am reliability/quality control issues.

I guess I'll try for a third time: Can you cite a source for this cartel payoff thing you've been talking about?

...cuz you asked so nicely: Nope. 

How about this:

For example, in the moulding, casting and materials processing sector, all-in  hourly labour costs can range from $2.49 to $4.27, said McQueen.

...

There are some challenges to doing business in Mexico, McQueen cautioned; most notably the higher cost of electricity and natural gas as well as haphazard transportation infrastructure in some parts of the country.

Speakers downplayed concerns about safety and security in a country struggling with drug cartels and violent crime.

“We have 57 clients with 16,000 employees and we haven’t had a single incident with our people,” said McQueen, who suggested some American cities, such as Detroit, were more dangerous. “That city across the river is more dangerous than Mexico for violence. I don’t worry, but I don’t do certain things either. You need to take prudent steps and the same precautions you would take in Detroit.”

Source

So Nissan allegedly hasn't had a single incident, but instead suggests that Detroit is more dangerous.  Nice, Nissan, nice.

Mexico has invested in new rail lines, in part, to keep valuable cargo off highways and clear of bandits. In northern Mexico, cartels have set up their own road blocks and in some cities have closed highways to taunt the government. Car companies haven't yet reported losing any vehicles to criminals.

Source

[SeaBlueS4]

I guess the 60k includes a DSG flush which is $300 - $400 on its own I believe. But the pricing seems bizarre, your 60k costs almost as much as the total costs for my 5, 25, 40, 55 & 70k services. They were prepaid I grant you, but still VW.

Did you have a prepaid service option when you bought the car?

it would be interesting to see the maintenance costs for this...I am shocked by how expensive costs are with my VW. Service C is $350.00 and Service D is $680.00

So if you look at the costs for the VW Jetta...it goes like this:

15k - $109.00 (A)
30k  - $220.00 (B)
45k - $350.00 (C)
60k - $680.00 (D)

and then it starts again...! if you compare with my Taurus SHO:

15k - $79.99
30k - $109.99
45k - $79.99
60k - 109.99

I am most definitely getting rid of it before it hits 60k...and *surprise* will shy away from VW from now on. Not because I can't afford the services, but because I find it ridiculous that they overcharge so much for part that are mostly made in Mexico/US.

Is that for dealer recommended services or manufacturer recommended? I looked at the service schedule for my GTI when I bought it and I don't recall there being much difference between the 15/30 intervals and the 45/60 ones.

That's the VW recommended one...just check here: http://contents.vw.ca/vw4/maintenance_schedule/index.php
The dealer one is even crazier...they recommend service every 10k! LOL

VW never more!

[EV-Light]

I guess the 60k includes a DSG flush which is $300 - $400 on its own I believe. But the pricing seems bizarre, your 60k costs almost as much as the total costs for my 5, 25, 40, 55 & 70k services. They were prepaid I grant you, but still VW.

Did you have a prepaid service option when you bought the car?

I wasn't offered...and nope, I don't have the DSG, the 60k +DSG flush would take the price to $900 and change.

[SeaBlueS4]

In that case, double ouch. Not sure what options you have for other dealers / indies, but I would certainly look for other options.

I assume 15k is oil change, so $110 is reasonable if synthetic
For the others, my guess is that there are lots of "inspections" but nothing much else actually being changed.
Brake fluid at either 30 or 45k (2 or 3 yrs), and maybe air filter at 45 or 60k?

Certainly seems expensive at the price you listed.

I guess the 60k includes a DSG flush which is $300 - $400 on its own I believe. But the pricing seems bizarre, your 60k costs almost as much as the total costs for my 5, 25, 40, 55 & 70k services. They were prepaid I grant you, but still VW.

Did you have a prepaid service option when you bought the car?

I wasn't offered...and nope, I don't have the DSG, the 60k +DSG flush would take the price to $900 and change.

[Blueprint]

How really roomy is the Passat's back seat?

I had this picture of six foot me taken during a comparo, seated "behind myself" in the Passat (and notice my tire-treaded Merrells):



The whole article is amusing too:

http://www.guideautoweb.com/articles/26752/les_matchs_comparatifs_demystifies/

I'm in the group pic, and I'm not a girl...