2020 VW Tiguan - FJ60. Technology has come a long way

[Seth S]

Automakers can tack on unreliable gadgets and charge above market value for tech because millions of people buy them up. The car makers aren't dumb, in a business sense (not so much in design, reliability, and legacy). That's why you get $60K 4runners and Wranglers.

Nothing will change until we come to our senses and quit spending like drunken sailors on quickly depreciating items.

They tried to sell us on an extra $140/mo of add ons. That would have added $10,080 to the cost of our 24k car. We declined. But I agree. I like my old cars for lack of screens and complex steering wheels and lights everywhere.

 

[dbleon]

Old Toyota used to be a wise old Mexican go to option for frugality... not any more ... the market is way way up

 

[cps432]

Automakers can tack on unreliable gadgets and charge above market value for tech because millions of people buy them up. The car makers aren't dumb, in a business sense (not so much in design, reliability, and legacy). That's why you get $60K 4runners and Wranglers.

Nothing will change until we come to our senses and quit spending like drunken sailors on quickly depreciating items.

Yeah that seems to be a problem across the board in all aspects of life. Not only do these vehicles cost 60k the loans are 10 years long with insane interest rates and they will approve just about anyone with a job that will pay them enough to make a monthly payment. I’ve seen waitresses buy 40k cars on a loan before. That’s twice as much as my community college education cost.

 

[desertpagoda]

I repair them....stick with Toyota! same with MB, BMW, Audi etc etc etc. All but the Japanese/Korean are DISSAPOINTING! Plastic/overcomplicated

 

[Seth S]

I’ve driven saabs for 30 years. Usually pick a 200k mile one for a grand and drive it for 7 or 8 years and another 100k with minimal repairs and normal maintenance. Then when when the body starts to go because of all the salty Vermont winters I switch to another.

bit wife got to USA a d she only drives auto so had to choose something and family had had good luck with VW and I’ve repaired their cars without much trouble. Looked at all the market that met our requirements and just not that much stuff in the price range.

so we’ll see how this one does. I still drive my 290k 9-5 and have a others to play with in the summer months.

 

[WoodnotRust]

so how are you comparing it to a 60? are they both the same color?

Exactly...and for additional emphasis I'll add that we just rented a Tiguan in Loreto, Baja in early January. I wanted to visit the rock-art sites near Mulege and the wife and I marveled at the smooth ride and gas economy. Nice car, but by the time we completed the 2hr round-trip off the pavement (nicely graded and we pretty much crawled through the rough spots) we had almost destroyed a plastic bumper. I spent 30 minutes patching it back together before returning it to the rental agency.

Back at home, my FJ62 (5260 lbs at the dump including my 205 lbs) sat in the garage with memories of hauling a 20' long 8" corrugated steel drain pipe on the roof rack and 5 railroad ties in tow. Yea, it gets about 10 MPG, but I'm planning a big tune-up and hope to get 12-14 MPG on the trip down the mountain next month.

 

[MarkBC]

Even the Grenadier has a BMW engine. How much plastic is on that.

 

[Seth S]

Exactly...and for additional emphasis I'll add that we just rented a Tiguan in Loreto, Baja in early January. I wanted to visit the rock-art sites near Mulege and the wife and I marveled at the smooth ride and gas economy. Nice car, but by the time we completed the 2hr round-trip off the pavement (nicely graded and we pretty much crawled through the rough spots) we had almost destroyed a plastic bumper. I spent 30 minutes patching it back together before returning it to the rental agency.

Back at home, my FJ62 (5260 lbs at the dump including my 205 lbs) sat in the garage with memories of hauling a 20' long 8" corrugated steel drain pipe on the roof rack and 5 railroad ties in tow. Yea, it gets about 10 MPG, but I'm planning a big tune-up and hope to get 12-14 MPG on the trip down the mountain next month.

you know what the difference is between a rental and an FJ60? There’s some places you just won’t take an fj60

 

[WoodnotRust]

Glad you have a sense of humor because I didn't mean to come off as mean spirited. And I can use this reply as an opportunity to thank you for the link to the FSM's.

R

 

[Seth S]

Glad you have a sense of humor because I didn't mean to come off as mean spirited. And I can use this reply as an opportunity to thank you for the link to the FSM's.

R

No worries. I never really meant to compare a Tiguan to an fj60. I mostly was having a moment of “it’s amazing how far technology has come”. But I also recognize there is a real chance the Tiguan will fall apart before I pay for the damned thing