Hello,
Have a look here. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-09-19/volkswagen-emissions-cheating-found-by-curious-clean-air-group They have been busted. Never liked them, and horrible to drive. There are US Web sites about unresolved problems.
I could never see how lab test could be the same as real life and same with their crash test, if your travelling at 100kph and you have a semi doing the same to me that's at least 200kph impact + factoring in the weight of the moving truck (also factor in the extra weight of a B double) isn't anywhere near like running a car into a concrete slab with it allegedly doing 100 so I can see why the crashes of today are so bad even with their so called impact zones.
Another thing I could never work out is how unleaded is better as that rotten egg gas smell toxins are far worse as the catalytic converters don't work until they heat up and once they wear out they constantly spew out these toxic emissions..sometimes we just don't think about these things and rush in like a bull at a gate.
And don't get me started on the healthy idiot bike riders that complain about people smoking but are quite happy to ride behind cars, buses and trucks spewing out toxic emissions, not to mention riding on freeways and motorways slowing traffic where they have HUGE signs saying NO CYCLING so yeah real healthy, but then they are cyclists that are a law unto them selves :winkextra:
Travelling with a fired up Zombie
Better than the exhaust tests on my Kombi
Rego time, it made me restless
But it passed like it'd not been tested
And they said
Das Auto in the land down under
How it passed, it made me wonder
Can't you smell the fumes, I want to chunder
What's that smell, your face you'd better cover
(http://www.australian-coins.net/gallery/albums/userpics/11067/zombie.jpg)
Ah, Uni you've nailed it! :laugh2:
Pedro
Quote from: 'Coiny Chris' pid='80827' dateline='1445220967'Hello,
Have a look here. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-09-19/volkswagen-emissions-cheating-found-by-curious-clean-air-group They have been busted. Never liked them, and horrible to drive. There are US Web sites about unresolved problems.
I am currently driving a VW and both my previous 2 cars were from the VW group of companies( all in the last 10 years). I quite like the VW drive and I have been lucky so far with the experience. I have driven Japanese cars when choosing what to buy next, every time I have gone with the VW or some thing from the VW group. Just my 2 cents worth. In saying that VW has a very bad name at the moment due to emission issue.
All these cars are good if your knee high to a grasshopper :( and probably ok in the big cities but no good if you live in the middle of no where
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH-QwK4v0ZI
Toyota every day for me
Service costs for Euro cars are scarey
Quote from: 'runway' pid='80986' dateline='1445602874'Toyota every day for me
Service costs for Euro cars are scarey
I agree,although Honda is trying to match the Europeans with their parts & servicing costs.
Aussies were on a good wicket with GM for decades,all over now.
Quote from: 'Basil' pid='80991' dateline='1445642253'Quote from: 'runway' pid='80986' dateline='1445602874'Toyota every day for me
Service costs for Euro cars are scarey
I agree,although Honda is trying to match the Europeans with their parts & servicing costs.
Aussies were on a good wicket with GM for decades,all over now.
Jeep owners will get a heart attack with service costs :wavemulticolor:
We have a 2006 Toyota Hilux twin cab TD and a 2004 Landrover Discovery in the garage.
The service costs on both are pretty similar as I do my own services :ok:
However after driving the Discovery I find the Hilux to be rather "Agricultural" :angel:
As an owner of an old Hilux I agree with 'agricultural" but very reliable. I do my own servicing too.
Hello,
The older vehicles were simpler, but emission rules have changed all that. Now they are full of electronics, in a vehicle driven through water and extremes of heat, vibration and the rest. No band-aid fix to limp home. A dirty MAF sensor can cause the engine to over-boost with failure. ( major ) Anther thing most dont know about, is worn rings or a Turbo seal can cause runaway and also failure.
And one blown fusible link can completely disable a vehicle -I know as my wife came home once in a tow truck with the car behind.
Took me about 10 minutes to find the problem and less than $10 for a replacement. Needless to say there is now a compete set of spare in the glovebox.
What many people don't know is fuses gradually deteriorate with time and eventually blow for no apparent reason. Sometimes they are not protecting against a fault; they are the fault!
Re the VW fiasco -that seems to indicate that regulations are moving faster than the technology can keep up. If VW can't meet emissions requirements and retain acceptable performance, fuel economy and driveability than probably no car manufacturer can. That begs the question of which other manufacturers may be playing with vehicle regulations. It has been often reported that some set engine control software to get best results in government tests that they can use for advertising. Not hard to imagine the boundary being pushed further.
Hello,
VW were cheating. Other makers made their Cars pass the tests, VW thought they were smart and wouldnt get caught cheating. They did, and I have no sympathy. I hope they get fined the Max amount. Never owned one and never will. They are a repulsive Car to drive, and I feel sorry for anyone that owns one.
Quote from: 'Coiny Chris' pid='81140' dateline='1446012556'Hello,
VW were cheating. Other makers made their Cars pass the tests, VW thought they were smart and wouldnt get caught cheating. They did, and I have no sympathy. I hope they get fined the Max amount. Never owned one and never will. They are a repulsive Car to drive, and I feel sorry for anyone that owns one.
VW Group owns worlds most expensive and best engineerd cars. They own Porsche, Lambo's, Bentley and Bugatti....
http://www.volkswagenag.com/content/vwcorp/content/en/brands_and_products.html
I personally like the feel of VW drive than most of the Japanese cars, however Janapese cars are much more reliable .... :angel:
I will be honest when it comes to constructing cars or machinery in general the Germans and the Japanese are far and away the best (have a look at the documentary on Mercedes Benz and how they construct their cars etc.) VW saw the opportunity to do it and they took it, frankly it looks bad but it is ironic that the it was found out in the US and that they are criticizing VW on it, as the American's statistically have been shown to be the most backward when it comes to global warming (or the most proactive in it's denial?) e.g. Donald Trump and the majority of Democrats and Corporates.
From what I have been told the new VW 4WD's are supposed to be rather nice to drive.
I did have a VW beetle a few decades ago , It was noisy and uncomfortable but even I couldn't kill the thing.
I am pretty certain that that old car would not pass the new emissions testing :angel:
You drive around the city on the freeways and it is full of thumping big trucks spewing out stinking diesel fumes and the government gets its knickers in a knot about some piddly little car .
Hello,
People buy Diesel for many reasons. Running cost being the main one. Tax and less refueling are another. Modern ones drive quite well, but you need winter blend fuel in cold areas. Other VW " features " include having to turn the engine off before you can restart if you stall. Lets not forget the one in Melbourne where the engine decided to shut down on a freeway. The manual gearbox feels like stirring a bucket of Dog crap with a stick IMO. I havnt done that, but that is what I reckon. And the hesitation, great on a parking lot ramp. Or intersection. http://www.cars-that-suck.com/ Have a read here, make up your own mind. Some are stupid people, not for buying a VW but thinking the car is at fault when you smash the sump and keep driving. Many have replaced the VW with Japanese Cars and had no problems. That to me tells a story.
Yeah,VW have had a good run with Govts/Courts Worldwide for decades but the chickens have come home to roost with the cheating SW.
http://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/death-prompts-vw-owners-to-speak-out-20130530-2nexi.html
Quote from: 'Basil' pid='81165' dateline='1446071964'Yeah,VW have had a good run with Govts/Courts Worldwide for decades but the chickens have come home to roost with the cheating SW.
http://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/death-prompts-vw-owners-to-speak-out-20130530-2nexi.html
There have been far larger issues, I believe a few months ago it was found a large amount of airbags in cars were actually defective across a wide range of brands due to the supplier stuffing up. Otherwise will VW go bankrupt? No, apparently they are to large an employer in Germany and have a tight relationship with politicians for some reason? I was reading it in Bloomberg?
Hello,
There was a recall on Air Bags, and they are being replaced. You only need one if you crash, a faulty bag wont make you crash though. We have seat belt laws, the Yanks mostly dont. Air Bags started there because of that. They are not everything in a crash. Dont forget they are an explosion. They can break your nose and cause severe hand injuries, when you may have been OK without. Toyota also had a recall on fake Clock Springs ( the cable which connects to the Bag )
The Aussie VW's may be interesting to see what happens, it seems they are detuned for running in hot weather. Japanese makers put in bigger radiators !
Quote from: 'Coiny Chris' pid='81181' dateline='1446151067'Hello,
There was a recall on Air Bags, and they are being replaced. You only need one if you crash, a faulty bag wont make you crash though. We have seat belt laws, the Yanks mostly dont. Air Bags started there because of that. They are not everything in a crash. Dont forget they are an explosion. They can break your nose and cause severe hand injuries, when you may have been O K without. Toyota also had a recall on fake Clock Springs ( the cable which connects to the Bag )
The Aussie VW's may be interesting to see what happens, it seems they are detuned for running in hot weather. Japanese makers put in bigger radiators !
If there wasn't an airbag fitted or did not deploy in the Ford Transit that I was traveling in when we had that head on collision I would have perished at the crash site for certain.
My friend and co worker didn't have his seat belt on and he died at the site as a result.
Seat belts and airbags DO save lives whithout any shadow of a doubt :ok:
Hello,
In the majority of cases yes, but there are still exceptions. I always wear a seat belt, and choose Cars with Air Bags. I had one go off about 20 years ago when my Falcon got hit. It was totaled, and I walked home.