Re: VW Fox

[cobram@juno.com (Cobram @ Juno.com)]

"William P. Magliocco" <magliocc@gte.net> writes:

>Ok, so I should have expected flames!

>The Fox was Brazilian produced, and used lots and lots of >components
already found in the V-A-G parts bins and design 
>books.  I recently purchased rear brake components for this car, >and
found they matched an '84 Jettas perfectly.

Yes and no. A friend of mine is a parts VP from VW and was
in charge of the "Fox" program when they were first brought 
here.  The VW Fox was already in production as the VW Voyage 
Parati as a station wagon) for about ten years before VW decided
to export it from Brazil to the US.  Many parts, expecially
the TRW manufactured ones were first used on the Voyage (Fox)
then incorporated into the rest of the VW line. 

>If there were reliablity problems due to the Brazilian manufacture 
>and Brazilian components, VW also took a black eye for the US built 
>Rabbits, Golfs and Jettas.  There were a fair amount of US parts in
>those models.

The parts for the domestic Fox (those intended for in country
sales in Brazil were all Brazilian made, time tested and 
reliable.  When VW decided to export Voyage and Parati as the
Fox, they changed and modified over 1000 parts in the export
model.  All the OEM parts that are not made in Brazil are
unique to the US version of the car.  The Fox and Voyage
were assembled on the same line, with an occasional car
being sold in country with export parts.  I went through 
this with a Parati while in Brazil, I had problems with 
the starter, VW couldn't get the parts because the 
starter was German and no German Starters were available
in country, the problem was finally resolved when VW do
Brasil took the car back and exchanged the whole car for
a new one. (My VP friend was "consulted".) The Brazilian 
models came standard with the 5 speed, which is considered
bulletproof, while the US 4 speed was a German box that was
much less reliable. The car was removed from the VW line 
(along with other models) to keep VW from competing with 
itself, not because of any inherent faults with the car.

BCNU,



___________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html
or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]