Toyota vs VW reliability

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Guys, several of you make very good points. I didn't mean to start this thread to bash Toyota. Heck, I own a Toyota and I actually like Toyotas. I'd probably put my mom in a new Camry if she was buying a new car. But if you've followed the history of this board, there is a ton of VW bashing and an insinuation that a VW is guaranteed to leave you stranded whereas a Toyota will guarantee zero problems. My point is the gap is probably a lot smaller than that in the late 2000s. It's not like VW=armageddon and Toyota=utopia.

Originally Posted By: TooManyWheels

The pure engineering types will probably want to weigh in on this, but my statistics classes taught that this number was as low as ten, and as high as 30, maybe 35. Past that point, relatively little was added in accuracy. So if a person knows ten owners of the vehicle in question, the evident pattern is already representative of the larger population. By the time you have known thirty owners, it is almost exactly representative of the whole.


My guess is that you are remembering the speed at which an arbitrary distribution converges to a normal distribution. Yes, after 30 observations, even an arbitrary distribution will not deviate far from a normal. But what I am referring to is statistical significance. It refers to the probability that a mean from one distribution (e.g. avg number of unscheduled visits for VWs) will be "far" away from the mean of another distribution (e.g. visits for Toyotas). There is a test statistic for doing this test called a z-score for a sampling distribution. And it is a function lf the sample size. Given the means and standard deviations, you can back out the sample size that you need. It would be very easy for CR to publish means and standard deviations, but they don't.
 
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I've got still in the family a 1986 VW Jetta that has over 325k.

It still has EVERYTHING still OEM except normal wear items (Timing belts, hoses, belts and spark plugs).

Same ALT, same injectors (never had one off the head), same spark plug wires, same water pump, radiator and such.

Still runs great, passes smog and gets excellent SAME MPG.

Things replaced? CV boots every 75-90k and the heater core was recalled around 150k.

When it came time to replace it, what did I not buy? Not another VW since I saw all of the ones that friends, co-workers had and ALL of the problems they were having.

My Toyota has 105+k on it and never been back to the shop. Same plugs, same coolant, same belt and still runs like new. Only changed the oils, PCV, air filters.

My Corolla reminds me a lot of the Jetta. Simple and an excellent car.

For me, I think VW went down hill when they were made in Mexico.

Take care, Bill
 
someone earlier wrote very well about how it's all about emotion. I like Vws, mazdas, and saturns. why? I don't know. familiarity? I've had 4 mazdas, 3 VWs, and 3 saturns. the only one I truly regret is my 2nd VW, a '85 golf automatic. half shafts, starters, timing belts, AC, brakes, it all failed in a short period of time. horrible mpg too.
my point for posting here (since I haven't owned a toyota) is that people buy what they like, and they deal w/ the issues if they like the car.
 
Originally Posted By: retsaky

Driving a Toyota is like driving a "refrigerator." It may run, but it's cold and sterile!


I've seen refrigerators that were anything BUT sterile.
 
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah

For me, I think VW went down hill when they were made in Mexico.

Take care, Bill


That is what happened to Nissan on some of their vehicles as well.
 
Don't blame Mexico for poor quality. They build cars to the standards determined by the manufacturer. They are capable of building to any quality required. The factories in Puebla for example are a show place and their equipment and training are first class. The fact that it's Mexico has nothing to do with it.
 
Then why do folks blame hondas and toyotas built in the USA as "inferior" to their Japanese-made equivalents??? The fact that they are made in the USA should have nothing to do with it, yet many swear that there is a difference...

JMH
 
I have defended VW in the past... but after the last six months I don't think I can anymore. In the past six months, I have not been able to get through a tank of gas without the CEL coming on. To make a long story short, I'm finally settling on the throttle body being bad. Just replaced it today. (Drive by wire....... should be the subject of a whole 'nuther thread..... coming to a car near you, soon.) Meanwhile, I also have a new MAF (they don't last long, apparently).

I do love the car. It is a blast to drive. But here is my practical prescription for any VW owner, at least for a MkIV (don't have any experience with other generations):

You must become a part-time diagnostic expert. You must spend around $250 to acquire the VAG-COM software. This is a MUST to be able to figure out what is wrong on these extremely complex cars.

You must have another vehicle to get you around (unless you just want to turn everything over to a dealer or mechanic). You will need deep pockets if you plan to rely on the dealer. Example, a MAF sensor. Takes about 5 minutes to replace, but VW will charge around $300 to do it. It has to do with time spent on the stupid VAG-COM tools... Anyway I just spent the last 8 days relying on my 1988 Chev pickup. That thing has never had a CEL in all of it's existence (well, I'm not sure it has one). It's younger brother, the 2000 Suburban, has never had one either. My point is, some of you live in places where your state taxes you to death if you have multiple cars, not to mention insurance.

But if you have a backup, and are handy with repair, a VW can be a fun car.
 
2006 Acura = horrible quality. Made in Japan.

2007 Accord (Ohio) = excellent quality.

1996 Passat = excellent, 12 years old and meaningless repair history. Interior is like new, exterior very good. Made in Germany. Funny, because you don't even see Jettas and Golfs of that vintage still on the road AT ALL!

1998 Audi A4 = Zero Warranty repairs over 3yr/50k. $.01c/mile afterwards. Germany.

2002 Audi A4, pizza sheet.

Female friend owned a '99 Jetta, '03 Passat and has a '05-ish GLX. Zero problems or complaints. That's wierd.
 
There has to be some truth to it since the Passat always does better than the Jetta. The Passat is still made in Germany.

That in mind, the BMW 7 series that came out in 2002 was built in Germany, that thing was a disaster!
 
A little off topic but humorous story.

An older fellow told me a story of one of his friends who had made a fortune 20 years ago in cotton. The friend decided he'd buy a Rolls.

So he goes to where Rolls tells him is the closest dealership. He's confused because they have no cars to sell. The salesman explains to him that they (at that time) don't build a Rolls until someone orders it. You pay your non refundable deposit ($20k at that time), spec out your car, and in a year you get it.

So the gentleman agrees. They sit down to spec out the car, and he writes them a check. When the old fellow thinks they are through, the salesman asks him, "Now what color do you want your other Rolls to be?"

The customer is confused and says, "Other Rolls? What are you talking about?"

The salesman, looking kind of miffed, answers, "You're not going to drive a regular car while your Rolls is in the shop, are you?"
 
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