VW/Audi observations

[Tom Nas <tnas@euronet.nl>]

Hi all,

Spent most of yesterday with my parents at two VAG dealerships, searching
out a replacement for their much-loved anemic '90 Golf 1.3. A couple of
observations:

-Rude sales guys with little or no knowledge of what they're selling are
common here, too. VW and Opel are selling all they can produce here in
Holland, and therefore the dealers have just stopped trying.
I had to explain the differences in characteristics between an 8v and a 16v
engine to one sales jerk, and what an anti-roll bar did to another. Both
appeared to be presented with this information for the first time.

-Order a new Golf now, get it in June '99 (with any luck!)

-VW has introduced a sub-Polo car, the Lupo. It's a modified version of the
Seat Arosa introduced earlier. With its round headlights and humped hood,
the Lupo looks very groovy. The interior is superb too, with two hooded
round instruments in front of you a la Alfa Romeos of old. space in the
front is excellent for someone like me- 6ft1in. Some loony Lupos are
rumoured to be introduced later- like a 1.8T with 200 hp and AWD. VW
boring? Whazzat?

-I drove the new Golf Mk.4 in 1.6 8v and 1.4 16v guise, and liked the
latter best. Even though the extra anti-roll bar in the rear on the 1.6
makes the chassis more competent, the 1.4 (75 hp) is entirely adequate for
the car, and certainly the sweetest engine in the range, with surprisingly
good power delivery down low. It's also quieter than the 1.6 at highway
speeds. Build quality of the new Golfs is definitely in the Audi league.
Handling is nothing to be ashamed of, and it has lots of nice design
touches.

-Lastly: the Audi TT. Wow! Words fail me. 1.8T FWD: $40k here, 1.8T 225hp
quattro: $50k. Got a brochure, which got drooled all over- haven't heard
any negative comments yet.

Tom