coolest rear view mirror

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C240Sport97

Hardcore MB Enthusiast
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was wondering around a VW dealer on Sunday

they had a Passat Alltrack which had an auto dimming rear view mirror with an all glass front .. no plastic rim

I was deeply impressed.

The quality of the plastics and interior generally was also very high, as good as, if not better, than Mercedes E class

IMG_1549_zps8dtycz1c.jpg
 
Never underestimate VW. Why would anyone buy a Ford / Vauxhall just beats me.
 
Never underestimate VW. Why would anyone buy a Ford / Vauxhall just beats me.


Vauxhall is fair enough, but people tend to buy Fords as they are generally well built and inexpensive to own. Having worked in a VW environment, they're really nothing special at all - definitely not as robust as their rep suggests.

If you compare prices, you can get a top spec Fiesta ST-3 for the pretty much the same price as an entry level Golf.


I've heard the continental belgians and germans are a bit confused by the VW rep in the UK, as they're pretty humdrum and common over there.
 
Having worked in a VW environment, they're really nothing special at all - definitely not as robust as their rep suggests.

If you compare prices, you can get a top spec Fiesta ST-3 for the pretty much the same price as an entry level Golf.

Daughter has a Golf mk6 that was a cheapie special edition they did for a while - cost £13K new. I was driving it at the weeking and it has a quality feel that's hard to put a finger on everything's quiet and well damped. We looked at other cars before buying it and they just seemed nasty in comparison.

I've heard the continental belgians and germans are a bit confused by the VW rep in the UK, as they're pretty humdrum and common over there.

Yet our guys in Germany didn't want 3 Series, they wanted Passats.
 
My ex had a Mk5 Golf, truely awful car, poorly built and poor materials. countless problems with coil packs and electrical problems.
 
Daughter has a Golf mk6 that was a cheapie special edition they did for a while - cost £13K new. I was driving it at the weeking and it has a quality feel that's hard to put a finger on everything's quiet and well damped. We looked at other cars before buying it and they just seemed nasty in comparison.

Thing is, it'll need console bushes like they're chocolate cheesecake, bump stops, timing belts every 4 years, and if it's got AC, probably a condenser and/or freewheel pulley as a service item around about the same interval.

I worked with the MK4 Golf when they were brand spankers in the early 2000's after I left school and never thought they'd look or feel old - I then, in more recent years, worked within a VW dealers and had to drive VWs all the time, both new and of varying ages, and they really don't stand up too well against a well spec'd (and similarly priced) cars in terms of their durability and robustness. VW seem to love putting very firm seats in too which I'm not keen on.

Owning a modern Volvo (based on the Focus platform) has pretty much been like taking the red pill (Matrix reference) as it's night and day against anything VW make, and that also includes something that I can't describe in a way that I wouldn't mind one as a hire car, but I'd hate to own one as they literally seem like they have no personality about them.


They're very much a marmite brand, but my experience was that those who really love VW have only ever had VW.
 
Never underestimate VW. Why would anyone buy a Ford / Vauxhall just beats me.

Because VWs are so crap to drive?
 
Most of the time yeah, but doesn't really have a lot to do with why I think VWs are so crap. ;)

I hate FWD cars from the VAG group, Audis are the same, horrible things.

The AWD cars are better, but still so dull. The chassis is just so unbalanced that even pootling around you notice it, engine over the front axle really doesn't help them at all.


I have never owned a Ford, but they are much nicer to drive than anything VAG as far as I am concerned. I try to like VAG cars, and like Audi designs, even bought a 2.0T S-Line Avant back in August, but on the journey home remembered why I had stopped buying them, and managed to move it on as so many fans of them.

They are not even any cheaper than the equivalent Merc or BMW, they may cost less but depreciate more so end up costing more. Why would you?
 
I should just add, I bought a MK V GTi a few years back after the forums raved about them, I can see it might feel good after you have come from a Saxo or a Seat Ibiza or something, but after the 1 series it was shocking.

Terrible interior materials that made it feel so cheap and torque steer that just ruined it.


Drive a new Mondeo and then a Passat back to back, no comparison.
Drive a Polo and then a Fiesta, again no comparison.


I wouldn't buy a Ford either, but that is because I am a badge snob, not because their cars are crap. I will admit that.

I won't buy a VW as they are crap to drive, even though I actually want to like them and do like the design and cabin layout on most.
 
I should just add, I bought a MK V GTi a few years back after the forums raved about them, I can see it might feel good after you have come from a Saxo or a Seat Ibiza or something, but after the 1 series it was shocking.

Terrible interior materials that made it feel so cheap and torque steer that just ruined it.


Drive a new Mondeo and then a Passat back to back, no comparison.
Drive a Polo and then a Fiesta, again no comparison.


I wouldn't buy a Ford either, but that is because I am a badge snob, not because their cars are crap. I will admit that.

I won't buy a VW as they are crap to drive, even though I actually want to like them and do like the design and cabin layout on most.
Now let's get this right. You actually think a mark v Gti is a worse drive than a 1 series. I grant you the interior is poorer. This is because Vw spent all the cash improving the drive/ride/handling from the mark 4 which was a crap drive apart from the R32. which they did and it won awards for it. I actually think it was crowned the best hot hatch for quite a while.
Fwd Audis have always been poor.

I cannot believe you can say a 1 series that wants to bounce you off the road drives better. Have look below. I'm actually a bit surprised because you speak well about cars but you are a BMW Slut lol.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=unLU_RhPwdg

http://www.evo.co.uk/volkswagen/gol...-2004-review-specifications-pictures-and-more
 
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I don't need to look, I have owned both.

The 1 series on proper tyres is one of the best handling all round cars I have owned, so much so that after 2 years and 50,000 miles with ours we swapped it for.....another one.

The Golf has its fans, and compared to many 'hot hatches' I am sure it does well, it was better than the S3 which is almost the same, but it doesn't come close to the balance of the 1 series.
 
I don't need to look, I have owned both.

The 1 series on proper tyres is one of the best handling all round cars I have owned, so much so that after 2 years and 50,000 miles with ours we swapped it for.....another one.

The Golf has its fans, and compared to many 'hot hatches' I am sure it does well, it was better than the S3 which is almost the same, but it doesn't come close to the balance of the 1 series.
The S3 is a pile of crap similar to the 1 series. Before I bought my Mk v R32, I drove a 130i for the weekend. I should have set it on fire it was that bad. Granted normal tyres do change the car but it simply does not behave like a mk v Gti. Fine it's rwd etc but not bmws best at all. The 1 series gets slated for its throw you off the road handling which it tried to do with me on the back roads near the borders.
I've had a few bms too. E46 330i, E46 M3 plus many others in the family so I'm fully aware of how good they can be.
We'll just disagree.
 
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Golf VII is a superb car. Driven 2 base models as rental cars, and was impressed by the engineering and quality. I agree it's not exciting, but they are not meant to be.
 
The S3 is a pile of crap similar to the 1 series. Before I bought my Mk v R32, I drove a 130i for the weekend. I should have set it on fire it was that bad. Granted normal tyres do change the car but it simply does not behave like a mk v Gti. Fine it's rwd etc but not bmws best at all. The 1 series gets slated for its throw you off the road handling which it tried to do with me on the back roads near the borders.
I've had a few bms too. E46 330i, E46 M3 plus many others in the family so I'm fully aware of how good they can be.
We'll just disagree.

OMG the MV R32 was even worse!!

If that is what you look for in a car no wonder you think VWs are good!

Yeah, we will disagree.
 
OMG the MV R32 was even worse!!

If that is what you look for in a car no wonder you think VWs are good!

Yeah, we will disagree.
You are on drugs.
 
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was wondering around a VW dealer on Sunday

they had a Passat Alltrack which had an auto dimming rear view mirror with an all glass front .. no plastic rim

I was deeply impressed.

The quality of the plastics and interior generally was also very high, as good as, if not better, than Mercedes E class

IMG_1549_zps8dtycz1c.jpg

The new Passat is a very cool car, the only car I'd consider swapping my existing Passat sport wagon for. Easily the best in its class and as you saw, better built than the E. Have to say though, the bigger BMWs are well screwed together too and on a par with my Passat. I got very close to buying the 6 Gran Coupe, but decided I didn't need all that flash anymore and besides it would have lost more in depreciation in 1 year than I paid cash for the Passat when new - £25k.
 
Never underestimate VW. Why would anyone buy a Ford / Vauxhall just beats me.

Just seen a couple of unmarked Insignias on separate parts of the M40 sitting on the hard shoulder handing out tickets to the unsuspecting. They seem to serve the police well.

Fords? Hmmmm... the new Focus ST has reviewed very well. Trouble is most Fords look like a 12-year-old designed their dashboards, although the latest Mondeo is trying a little harder.
 
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no one is impressed by the rear view mirror?
 

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