[ctviggen]

I went from a Saab 9-3 Viggen (thus, my moniker) to a VW Jetta Passat Wagon.  I "got" everything about the Saab.  The VW, by contrast, drives me crazy.  Some examples:

1) The "travel time" on the computer is the travel time while the car is ON.  We took some longer trips with the kids, and I was amazed to see our "travel time" was much lower than I thought it was going to be.  I thought we were made great time...only to realize that the "travel time" on the VW's computer has a limited relationship to the actual travel time, that is, the amount of time it takes to get from A to B.  In other words, if you make two stops, each about 20 minutes, those do not matter to the "travel time".  Who thought this was a good idea?  Why do I want to know how long my car has been on???  I want to know how long it's taken me to make a trip, so that I can know the next time we take the trip.  The way the "travel time" is programmed on the VW makes no sense to me.

2) The bars to indicate a relationship between the wiper time period for intermittent wipers shows a small bar for a long time period and a large bar for a short time period.  This is exactly opposite of the way the Saab represented this.  I understand the Saab way; I just don't understand the VW way.

3) The wipers are recessed.  In order to get them to move into "snow position" (so that you can get underneath the wipers to get rid of the snow), you have to turn the car off/have the car off, push the wiper stalk down for a time, then let go of the stalk and start the car.  So, when I go outside with 4+ inches of snow on the car, I immediately start the car and get it warming up.  Then I remove as much snow as possible from the car.  Then, I have to go into the car, STOP the car, flick the wiper stalk, and RESTART the car to get the wipers to move into the "snow position".  Why isn't there a way to cause this without having to turn the car off?

4) All I want to do is leave all of my lights on and have the car automatically turn the lights off when I remove the key.  My Saab did this; my wife's Subaru does this; the VW does not.  Why????  (I think it's safer in New England to drive with all lights on all the time.)

5) The buttons on the steering wheel are impossible to use with gloves.  Why not just make them spaced slightly further apart? 

Are these "quirks" of German Engineering or the way they should be?

[Sonny]

I've had VW all my life, from a 1978 convertible super beetle, 1990 jetta, 2003 Passat and 2004 GTOI VR6.  All I can say is VW are made for "drivers" that's why their slogan is "drivers wanted".  They are not made for the "common man". 

First the trip time, well, It's silly for one to need to know the trip time that is running all the time.  Wouldn't that be just to figure out when you left the house and when you arrive at your destination? 

Second, makes sense to me that the "small bar means that the wipers are not moving faster, less rain...big means more rain, more wipe revolution.  Makes sense to me.

Third, don't know about your wipers, but mine car is older and don't have that issue.

Lights are always on....When the key is out, they go off...when the key is in, at least on my Passat and GTI, unless the hand brake is release, the lights are off.

Buttons...well, it's made for driving, not fiddling with buttons.

My take on VW...and I love them!

T

[Photon46]

In a previous professional incarnation, I worked in service management for Mercedes, VW, Volvo, & (briefly) Saab & Acura. No doubt about it, German automotive engineering can be eccentric, quirky, and in many cases, overly complicated. The German engineering psyche seems to love Rube Goldberg solutions to problems. We used to joke that there was a banner over the entry to the Mercedes-Benz engineering department bearing the motto "Why make it simple when we can make it complicated!" I remember seeing an early 90's V-12 W140 chassis Benz in technical training that had all the interior trim and panels removed so one could see all the hydraulic, mechanical, and electrical systems. It was mind boggling complexity compared to high end Japanese cars of the same era.

[FullRangeMan]

My favorite German brand are VW, mainly its gear boxes.

[doorman]

What is a "Jetta Passat" wagon?
AFAIK, they are 2 separate models, at least in Canada.
I've got an '11 VW Golf wagon, with none of your mentioned quirks. Interesting!
Best
Don

[FullRangeMan]

This images are the R259 engine used in various models of BMW motorcycles, as R1100R, R1100S, R1100GS the weak point is this engine is the camshafts driving, which is no longer just two valves, but four, as in any Japanese motor.
The actuation of the valves command not part of the crankshaft itself, but from a long axis below the crankshaft, which is connected to a chain that does not go to the head of the valves, but only halfway, where there is another small shaft which unfortunately does not trigger the valves too, but two rockers attached en sequence, which ultimately drive the tappets spring of the 4 valves. Phew!



You will notice that the electric starter motor also is not connected to the crankshaft, but this sit above it and uses a rubber belt, no metal chain.

P.S.: In the next bike engine, the 1200 version, this complexity of activation was reduced to a more usual project.

[TheChairGuy]

In a previous professional incarnation, I worked in service management for Mercedes, VW, Volvo, & (briefly) Saab & Acura. No doubt about it, German automotive engineering can be eccentric, quirky, and in many cases, overly complicated. The German engineering psyche seems to love Rube Goldberg solutions to problems. We used to joke that there was a banner over the entry to the Mercedes-Benz engineering department bearing the motto "Why make it simple when we can make it complicated!" I remember seeing an early 90's V-12 W140 chassis Benz in technical training that had all the interior trim and panels removed so one could see all the hydraulic, mechanical, and electrical systems. It was mind boggling complexity compared to high end Japanese cars of the same era.

We've had VW's (Cabriolet, Cabrio and GTI), own a BMW and have owned and do own SAAB's.

Tho I can appreciate the VW and BMW for it's many virtues.....I, too, am confounded by many of the switchgear.  The SAAB's, totally straightforward despite quirky positioning sometimes...but they are fully understood by looking at the icon(s) or simply diddling about with a button, latch or whatever.

Ditto, the owners manuals.  SAAB's are very easy to read and understand; the BMW and VW's before it, not so very clear at all.

It's not like I'd discount either German brand because of this, but I really find SAAB's to be a rather easy car to love and the German's to require a bit more concentrated effort to.

btw (slight hijack), I just bought 4 Yokohoma Avid Ascend tires and they are stellar.  Pricey (at least in my 235/45/17" size) but great mileage, great stick for a LRR tire and they steer extremely well.  I haven't hit the wet with them, but I'm liking how they perform in dry 

Nice technology and 'green' story behind them and the USA factory they are made in: http://www.yokohamatire.com/tires/detail/avid_ascend

[Photon46]

One interesting quirk our dealership found related to Saabs in the 80's-90's was the factory practice of using a small team of people to build a given car, rather than usual industry standard of long assembly lines. Their factory rep would often joke about this or that car that had unusual problems being a Monday, Friday, or "after holiday" assembly. Too much alcohol and partying translated to a substandard build. 

[Steidl Guitars]

3) The wipers are recessed.  In order to get them to move into "snow position" (so that you can get underneath the wipers to get rid of the snow), you have to turn the car off/have the car off, push the wiper stalk down for a time, then let go of the stalk and start the car. 

I have an Audi A3, so it likely has similar switch gear.  If I tug the wiper stalk right after the engine is  stopped, the wipers move up to their half-way position to make it easy to clean the window. 

Like many things German, anything worth engineering is worth over-engineering