What car did you own immediately before your VW Passat?

[Buggermedumplings]

Previous car - 2007 Liberty GTB Wagon

Current - 2010 Passat CC TDI

Why- Subaru botched the new Liberty. Actually is a better car than the previous, more refined, comfortable, interior is a little better- Unfortunately its pig-ugly. Looked at several other cars however nothing matched the CC for features, quality and price. Has a great size boot and TDI ecconomy is fantastic.

[Greggles]

Previous Car - 1994 Toyota Celica Group A Rallye

Current Car - MY10 R36 limousine

Reason for change - Didn't want to change - loved that car!! It was stock and was running 16lb boost and weighed only 1350kg. Oh and a gorgeous red! Twins are now too big and it was time for me to grow up!

[Lance B]

Previous car to a VW was a Subaru 3.0lt B Spec manual Wagon, great car except for the lack of low end torque. Test drove the Passat 3.2lt V6 4 Motion wagon and was hooked by the low end torque - for driveability - and the DSG gearbox - all the advantages of an auto box with none of the disadvantages. I then traded to the R36 and have not even considered a change. Best car I've ever had.

Other little things that by themselves are not much but add up to making the VW Passat a much better car to own:
1) gas strut on the bonnet whereas the Subaru still had a metal bar.
2) Better tie down hooks in the wagon area
3) Umbrella holder in the door
4) Customizable options like blinkers etc.
5) Retractable screen between the wagon area and cabin

[mugwomp]

What car did you own immediately before your VW Passat?

Previous car - Subaru WRX Wagon

Present car - R36 Sedan

Why the R36? Because I wanted:
- Performance; because I'm used to something that will boogie when asked.
- Handling. Loved the WRX handling including the AWD and didn't want to go too far backwards.
- Something a little more grown up than the WRX. i.e. Something a little understated.
- A well built car.
- Some added luxuries.
- No manual clutch. Bung left knee and an operation somewhere round the corner and I loved the DSG when I first drove it when compared to an auto.
- Safety features
- All the above and still affordable.

Steve

[parso_rex]

So many Ex Subaru people

[adrock]

Why- Subaru botched the new Liberty. Actually is a better car than the previous, more refined, comfortable, interior is a little better- Unfortunately its pig-ugly.

Couldn't have said it better myself. Even the Subaru sales guy told me that, poor bastard.

[shakespeare]

I tried to edit, but I couldn't!

When I originally set up the poll, ideally I would have liked to individually nominate all manufacturers individually but there is a limit of 10 options max and I tried to categorise it as appropriately as I could (ok, admittedly with a little bit of bias towards Subaru but this was also consistent with my observations from other threads that AWD Subie owners seem to defect to VW!).

I guess if everyone replies, we will have a more accurate picture anyway!

BTW the Mazda 6 MPS was a great car from what I read, I don't understand why Mazda still don't sell it!

Still is a great car, but I want something new and better! That's cool about the poll, there's only one MPS so far, though Subaru has the lead in people exiting the brand (take note Subaru designers)

[anthony]

Had a late 2000 Holden TS Astra
Then a MY07 VW Jetta,which has jusr been written off due to a hail storm...was my 4th VW Jetta...

Have had a Ford too.

Am now waiting for my MY2011 Honda Accord Euro...ans cannot wait much longer.

[anthony]

Had a late 2000 Holden TS Astra
Then a MY07 VW Jetta,which has jusr been written off due to a hail storm...was my 4th VW Jetta...

Have had a Ford too.

Am now waiting for my MY2011 Honda Accord Euro...ans cannot wait much longer.

Sorry guys,just noticed this was befote a VW PASSAT...I did not notice Passat...lol.

[Leagle]

Well - so far - given that Subaru is well in the lead, I guess my hunch that a lot of Subaru owners are defecting to VW is proving right. I think if Subaru gets their exterior styling and interior styling/quality right (i.e less hard plastics), they may start winning some customers back. The thing with Subaru is that I believe that many of their customers are notoriously loyal to the brand so they must really be trying hard to lose them!

However, there is one alarming thing about this poll for VW. That is, there are only apparently relatively few previous VW owners. Indeed there are not too many comments that I have read so far about people having stayed loyal to VW. Now if I am reading this poll right, that may set off a few alarm bells for VW also. Of course, this may change...

[parso_rex]

Sorry guys,just noticed this was befote a VW PASSAT...I did not notice Passat...lol.

Same I'm getting out of an STI at the moment and potentially my Liberty GT Spec B and into another Audi. I would have bought the Passat initially but the R36 was more than 10K extra and I couldn't justify the extra at the time for not much difference in performance. The new liberty is a disgrace

[BrettD]

Well - so far - given that Subaru is well in the lead, I guess my hunch that a lot of Subaru owners are defecting to VW is proving right. I think if Subaru gets their exterior styling and interior styling/quality right (i.e less hard plastics), they may start winning some customers back. The thing with Subaru is that I believe that many of their customers are notoriously loyal to the brand so they must really be trying hard to lose them!

However, there is one alarming thing about this poll for VW. That is, there are only apparently relatively few previous VW owners. Indeed there are not too many comments that I have read so far about people having stayed loyal to VW. Now if I am reading this poll right, that may set off a few alarm bells for VW also. Of course, this may change...

I beg to differ!

My wife has a B7 Audi, which led me to buying my Passat (even though it is a 2002 model)I prefer it over hers. We have only ever owned Toyota's prior to that.

My parents have always had Mazda's, then Subaru Liberty's and are now looking at a VW due to the poorer quality and standard of Subaru nowadays. I have seen over the years how much more it is costing them in service/repairs.

I myself was looking at a Subaru but I just cant compare them to VW..

Anyway thats my opinion, each to their own.

[Burkey]

Mine was an XC70 Volvo 2.5T. I was all set to trade it in on a new one and then they released the details, fatter and slower. The R36 ticked all the boxes for me; enormous boot, looks pretty good, got company discount, paid a good price and got a good trade.

Happy as with the drive and performance, even the economy is better than the XC70. Will probably pay out the lease and hang on to it, just not sure what to replace it with. At least that problem is 22 months away yet.

Cheers,
Brett

[Leagle]

I beg to differ!

My wife has a B7 Audi, which led me to buying my Passat (even though it is a 2002 model)I prefer it over hers. We have only ever owned Toyota's prior to that.

My parents have always had Mazda's, then Subaru Liberty's and are now looking at a VW due to the poorer quality and standard of Subaru nowadays. I have seen over the years how much more it is costing them in service/repairs.

I myself was looking at a Subaru but I just cant compare them to VW..

Anyway thats my opinion, each to their own.

Thanks Brett. Just curious though: how is your opinion differing to mine? I agree with everything in your post!

[PassatB6]

However, there is one alarming thing about this poll for VW. That is, there are only apparently relatively few previous VW owners. Indeed there are not too many comments that I have read so far about people having stayed loyal to VW. Now if I am reading this poll right, that may set off a few alarm bells for VW also. Of course, this may change...

I think there is another explanation. VW sales in OZ have skyrocketed in the last few years bringing in lots of people from other manufacturers. So mathematically speaking, there are now probably more people driving VW now who previously owned other brands than people who owned VW anyway. Core VW people are usually very loyal.

Previous Car: VW Golf

Reason for Passat: Couldn't resist the tech, wanted go a bit bigger (and I'm a long time VW person). Years ahead of most other cars when it came out. Currently looking to trade back to a Golf but I feel I might be going backwards after recently driving a 77TDI MKVI. Its a good car but my Passat is loaded with extras and feels quality ++ which I fear I'll miss.