Everybody Gets A Mediocre Minivan! Everybody Gets A Mediocre Minivan!
What's Oprah's latest giveaway? Not, thankfully, chicken. She'll be giving away two Routans. Hey, cool! But does the Oprah endorsement mean that the Routan is any good? Well, according to Consumer Reports Cars...not really.
Here's what Consumer Reports had to say after testing:
The Routan is built by Chrysler, with limited modifications to its Town & Country/Dodge Caravan minivans. The T&C Limited scores 64 in Consumer Reports testing, and it is not recommended due to predicted reliability being much worse than average.
The VW version is distinguished with a more familial grille, a soft dash top, and retuned suspension and steering that gives it a slightly more responsive and taut feel. However, the result is less than convincing. While we have not completed testing on our Routan, the Chrysler engines in other minivans are a bit noisy and not particularly fuel efficient. The cleverest elements from the platform -- the second-row seats that fold into the floor known as "Stow and Go" or the "Swivel-and-Go" seating-are absent from the Routan. Although the large bins under the floor that the seats stow in are still very useful for storage.
Well, if nothing else, the Routan's ad campaign brought us the odd and creepy Babymaker application.
Free Volkswagen Routans from The Oprah Show [Consumer Reports Cars]
(Photo: JMRosenfeld)
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Comments:
Nothing is free, whoever gets a minivan will have to pay the taxes on it.
Giving them away is probably the only way Volkswagen can get them off of dealer lots.
VW of America should just pull of its badges and back away slowly from this turd.
same goes for the stupid Mini van
VW asked Fiatsler to stop production at the Windsor minivan plant back in December of 2008. I haven't found anything that says production has restarted. Somewhere around 27000 vans had been built by the time production stopped, and I think they've sold somewhere around 7000 or so. Which is why VW is offering 6 year financing at 0%
VW could probably be moving these things off the lots without 0% offers if they actually differentiated them by offering a diesel engine. But VWoA is pretty clueless, so it's basically just a re-badged Dodge Caravan that they're trying to sell at a premium price.
I've always thought that the Routan was designed as a tax on people too stupid or lazy to do any research whatsoever before slapping down 40K for a minivan. Even a cursory glance will make obvious its Chrysler parentage. Low sales volume and asswipe VW dealers ensure that special soft trim and exterior parts will cost owners some serious coin when they need replacements.
Add in the idiotic marketing for this vehicle (featuring has been/never was Brooke Shields) and you have a Poseidon Adventure on 4 wheels.
Does anything Oprah pushes upon us good anymore? The million little pieces guy? Holistic medicine? Jenny McCarthy?
We used to have a Dodge minivan. It had some very good design issues: the dual sliding doors, removable back/middle seats. I could fit a 4x8 piece of plywood or drywall in for projects.
Fuel economy: not the best. The engine also made a weird noise and I've noticed it on pretty much any Dodge/Chrysler mini-van from that era (late 90's)
Overall we never had any major mechanical issues with the van.
I had a T&C as a hire car once, mediocre doesn't even come close. It would have accelerated better if they had fitted pedals.
Well if the people awarded the minivans cannot tolerate an engine that is "a bit noisy and not particularly fuel efficient" then there is a simple solution: DON'T TAKE THE GIFT.
Exactly. Chrysler's quality and VW's high cost of ownership would make this one pricey "free" gift.
Just sell 'em on. If anyone will buy them.
@Brett Cragg:
I have no idea why, but, I read that production will continue. But, I have absolutely no idea why, because, just last weekend I saw a VW lot choked with Routans.
Why in the world did VW partner up with those losers at Chrysler?
@B1663R: Except...haven't VWs been pretty crappy all-around for the last couple of years? I thought CR had rated them as pretty mediocre for a while, and literally EVERYONE I know has had ridiculous electrical problems with their VW (from GTI all the way to Taureg). Maybe VW should back away from itself, not just the Routan. Although I DO like the Routan's creepy invasiveness of Brooke Shields. It's refreshingly creepy...if that even makes sense.
"Familial grille"? What?
We took out a bunch of useful stuff, but don't you worry, the front of the car is cuddlier.
@squinko: I'm not laughing. For all the beef with Bush over the deficit, where is the beef now? Largest deficit in history, looking at adding to it with health care "reform", and then one of the largest tax increases with the "cap and trade" deal? And he's still thinking we may need another stimulus package! I'd rather have Clinton back as our first Black President [ontology.buffalo.edu]
@albear: I read about this a while ago. They wanted a quick to market MV, but didn't think they had any options in europe that would fit the US market. The T&C is a great van, especially after the redesign, and it cost VW very little to customize it and bring it to market in the US.
As for quality, Consumer Reports uses past trending to make their determination. That works for items on the same platform, but as of '08, it's an updated engine, new transmission, and internal/external redesign. Plus, the lifetime power train warranty is huge (hopefully one does not have to use it, but I digress...). I like to see the long term tests done by companies like motortrend...
@CumaeanSibyl: While it looks a little cumbersome, it actually makes sense and used properly.
Yeah, I probably wouldn't have written that way, either...
@FoxCMK: Those were both considered by VW as too small for the US market. The diesel would have been a great addition to the T&C platform, and I believe that was on their roadmap to incorporate later.
Wish they still made mini vans with that imitation wood grain stuff on the sides.
@Brett Cragg: I would love to get a diesel minivan, but I would not touch a Routan with one. The motor may be VW, but the rest is Chrysler (bleh!). VW should have imported the TDI Sharan or TDI Eurovan instead of making this unholy alliance with Chrysler.
@SacraBos: I don't read this blog to see digs on Bush or Obama. I'd prefer to not see any mention of politics, outside of the articles discussing laws/bills. Plus the comment had nothing to do with the article; just a lame, negative remark.
What about that old saying:
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth
I refused to by Chrysler crap after working as a grease monkey in the 90's, and seeing that they were breaking off grease nipples in the factory, so the ball joints couldn't be greased. This meant that shortly after warranty, they would need to be replaced. And they did.
/Yes, I said nipples.
Take the van, pay the taxes, sell it and use the cash to buy a better vehicle.
@RogerTheAlien: Do you remember the ad campaign that celebrated VW's 4-star crash ratings...out of 5 stars. VW has a love affair with mediocrity and hidden umbrella holders.
@Snarkysnake: Well said. I was cut off by a Routan driver last week. I was angry at first but then noticed the model and just felt sorry for them.
I think the same thing can apply to Jeep Liberties. I've never heard anything good about them, but I know people have purchased them. I think it's a testament to car salesmen.
@RogerTheAlien: @KyleOrton: VW is in the midst of a brand restructuring of sorts. They want to sell 800,000 cars by the end of 2012 (i think) they have made recent improvements with the Rabbit (golf) and teh GTI in terms of reliability.
they need to fine tune everything else (especially the Mexico Plant)
they are not going to achieve their big goal if they take the worst rated minivan and slap a VW badge on it. they were working on a concept bus but, i guess they wanted a crack at the dying mini van market trying to move crap off their lot. This is one of the worst ideas VW has come up with in a long time.
@I Love New Jersey: Dr. Phil...*Shudders*
I received a number of his books as a gift once and, after reading them, I noticed that most of his "tips" are common knowledge. So either I'm a brilliant psychologist or he's full of manure.
People like Dr. Phil and whoever made "The Secret" prove to me that you can sell people common sense, basic knowledge, and good judgment as long as the packaging is attractive.
@sir_eccles: Heh - yeh - it is one of the better vehicles to come out of chrysler. The avenger is the worst in my opinion. What trash.
Atleast the price is right... I'll take one for free. It would be nice to have a vehicle capable of hauling large items. Wouldn't pay much for one... but for free...
@B1663R: This van was one of the worst ideas ever especially considering the 7 passenger VW caddy available in Australia they could have brought over.
@Starfury: It was most likely the transaxle and not the engine making the noise, that was a somewhat common problem that if you kept the car long enough would have been a costly repair. The sound was something like the sound many manual cars make in reverse but not as loud.
@meske: The VW has no such warranty, in fact VWoA cut their warranty across the entire range because of this turd. It also has very unVW service intervals around multiples of 3K miles which is just annoying for those of use that drive long distances.
@GyroMight: Based on the MSRP, right? That makes the car even less of a bargain. It reminds me of the various sad Price is Right stories.
Well, anyone that relies on O for product advice (or any advice for that matter), needs to get a life. SHe's a tv host for crying out loud, not a licensed or certified expert in anything as far as anyone knows.
Every good Consumerist knows this - caveat emptor!
The only thing I ever got from Oprah was her recommending TIVO, which my wife saw and said "I want that."
Oprah recommends TIVO FTW
@SacraBos: I don't dispute that it "makes sense," at least in marketing terms, but that's really not something I'd be all excited about. Oh boy, the front of the car makes me feel all warm and fuzzy and family-oriented!
Or they could get a feature on CNNMoney.com where they were listed second runner-up in the J.D. Power's list of best loved vehicles. [money.cnn.com]
Oprah has shown bad judgement ever since she forced Dr. Phil upon us.