Wife is making grumblings about new vehicle....

Funny thing. My Jetta floated so much I actually bottomed out all four corners on the interstate (I-93 Boston) at speed. Almost lost control. I would think that could only happen on a 90's Buick Roadmaster land yacht! BTW, I was the only one in the car and was carrying no luggage.

Later after leasing the car I saw this same complaint during a KBB vehicle test. (2019 VW Jetta S "More Corolla than Corolla, Sorry Corolla")

Dangerously underdamped actually. See the video (below) at 24 seconds in:


Consumer Reports said when VW started to tune suspension for US market differently: “VW finally tuned suspension properly.” But then they also said: “Camry sporty suspension.”
 
I understood what you meant, but in handling I include how it behaves on the limit. I don't just mean the limit from driving like a maniac, I mean when the kid on a bike runs out in front or swerving to avoid a kangaroo at highway speeds. An X5 will never be as safe as a 5 series in this regard - it will not stop as quickly, it wont turn as well, and is obviously more likely to roll over.

The modern ones present as "normal" (if you ignore the nauseating sideways rock they all do...), and you usually only find out the hard way they have far lower limits to their handling when **** gets real - which is exactly where you really really need good handling and roadholding!

I understood your point re the US spec VW - my point was that softening up the suspension to make soft US bums happy simply unmasks the inherent physics problems involved in making a car very heavy and top heavy.
There’s no winning this fight Haakon. I’m thinking of buying an excursion to join the big vehicles crowd. Tired of feeling surrounded by huge vehicles. May as well join them!

I’ll probably wait for the next big gas crisis. Prices will bottom then.
 
Last edited:
I also question why someone retired would have so many vehicles.
The Tiguan and sportwagen are my two daughters vehicles. They are on my signature because I do all the maintenance and paid for both. One is still titled by me and the other I just recently signed over. The '64 is a hot rod and the D21 is a haul junk to the dump/get big items home vehicle pretty much. The wife has her van and I have my Golf HB. So it is really only 5 vehicles at my house now. I also have a Can-Am Outlander XT 650 that takes up space and is used mostly to plow snow. The two Golf TDI's and one Kid.
golfs518.jpg
 
What on earth is nice about them? They literally do nothing well, except raise the road toll and raise consumption of resources and make car makers and oil companies wealthy...

I don't off-road, but I do soft and broken roads. My giulietta is a bit low for that, especially with the whole family in it.

I like the higher seating position of a CUV, so I'm getting one in addition to the Giulietta QV
 
The next time she brings up the subject:

"I'm glad you mentioned your van. I've been thinking we don't need three cars now that the kids are grown and we're slowing down. How much do you think we can get for your van?"
 
"I'm glad you mentioned your van. I've been thinking we don't need three cars now that the kids are grown and we're slowing down. How much do you think we can get for your van?"
2014 Grand Caravan SXT 30th anniversary edition. Nearing 100K miles pretty decent shape, everything works. Regular maintenance. Not much value I don't think. $4-5K is a guess. We use the bejesus out of it. I may just keep it and have even less room in the garage.
 
I don't off-road, but I do soft and broken roads. My giulietta is a bit low for that, especially with the whole family in it.

I like the higher seating position of a CUV, so I'm getting one in addition to the Giulietta QV
My parents live 4kms up a pretty rough dirt track in the Australian bush thats after another 5kms of a corrugated gravel road. Sometimes in winter you need to choose the line over and around the washed out sections... I go up there with the Giulietta towing a trailer quite often. Parents drive a Hyundai i30, and we had an NSU Ro80 and Rover P6s when i was growing up there.

No SUVs required... They rarely are despite the stories people tell themselves... Although Dad did have a 1957 Series 1 Landrover for a while, but not sure that counts!
 
My parents live 4kms up a pretty rough dirt track in the Australian bush thats after another 5kms of a corrugated gravel road. Sometimes in winter you need to choose the line over and around the washed out sections... I go up there with the Giulietta towing a trailer quite often. Parents drive a Hyundai i30, and we had an NSU Ro80 and Rover P6s when i was growing up there.

No SUVs required... They rarely are despite the stories people tell themselves... Although Dad did have a 1957 Series 1 Landrover for a while, but not sure that counts!

Of course, I'd be stuck if I didn't chose the best line. But you know a giulietta isn't particularly low either, yet it still catches regularly on the section just before the rear wheels. Some roads have enough crowning that the undertray catches in the middle aswell.

What I don't need is 4x4 or AWD, just enough clearance that I am comfortable driving over 4 mph...
 
Of course, I'd be stuck if I didn't chose the best line. But you know a giulietta isn't particularly low either, yet it still catches regularly on the section just before the rear wheels. Some roads have enough crowning that the undertray catches in the middle aswell.

What I don't need is 4x4 or AWD, just enough clearance that I am comfortable driving over 4 mph...
It’s that low hanging bit on the engine undertray where the metal section is that I catch most often on the G.

But I grew up in the bush, and was lift off oversteering my very very rusty Renault R10 bush basher around the fire access roads when I was 14 :) It’s amazing how gnarly the roads need to be before you really need an SUV or a 4WD!
 
It’s that low hanging bit on the engine undertray where the metal section is that I catch most often on the G.

But I grew up in the bush, and was lift off oversteering my very very rusty Renault R10 bush basher around the fire access roads when I was 14 :) It’s amazing how gnarly the roads need to be before you really need an SUV or a 4WD!

if the road is made from 4-8" loose rocks, that'll keep sports cars out
 
Wish mine would have some of those grumblings.. She just doesn't want to part with the Focus. Told her anymore repairs I'm finding her a cheap Toyota which she said Lexus. Granted the last repair was only couple bucks but still seem all I do is fix fix. Dakota is going to be sold in a month or two and replacing with a Maverick hybrid, AC stopped working and needs a timing chain I think.
 
The Tiguan is a really good choice.
How reliable are they? I always want an European vehicle and wonder if a Volvo or VW would be good as a vehicle to get 5 years before heading into retirement so it will paid off well before retirement. At that time, I may not be changing my own oil so I may as well get a European vehicle and relax a bit. Of course, unreliable vehicle would be a headache as I would be doing a lot of 500+ miles road trip at that time and won’t stand for bad vehicle.
 
It's times like this, I'm happy we own vehicles that are certain to offend someone...

The incredible handling sportscar which goes and stops better than most other road legal vehicles, will offend the 'practical' crowd.
The fancy AWD SUV with way too much power will offend those who hate such things. Especially since it's German...
The slow 4wd SUV will offend people that don't like heavy, softly suspended vehicles. Especially if it's Japanese.
The Dually will offend lots of people, based on some of the comments I've heard from simpleton busy-bodies.
The sportscoupe with it's high-winding engine and mellifluous exhaust note seems to offend people, who don't like others enjoying life.
The Sportbikes will offend those who consider them too dangerous for the general public.
The dirtbikes I'm sure offend someone too.
I almost forgot the 4 cylinder automatic sedans. They're basic transporation. I inherited them. They're old, but look and drive like new. I'm sure someone could find a reason to hate them...

The wife and I are proud to offend daily. 😁

Hate to break it to you but nobody cares.
 
Back
Top