I have this vehicle! OK a ‘97 with LS. Purchased it about 10 years ago with abour 120K miles for $4.5K. Since then I have put another 20K on it. It was purchased form a mom in Orange County who couldn’t bare to drive a minivan. Perfect for as secondary vehicle. I have since purchased a house, and have found it…

I wonder what a Trabant of the same vintage does today? Kind of an East West comparison...

Amen! Thank you for calling it a “crash”, instead of an accident!

Thanks for the info. I admire that both Ford and Chrysler had to go out of their way to screw up the Escort and the Omni. However, that did not stop them! Reminds me why I drove a VW Golf in the 1980s.

Actually they do. There is a large underground network in memory sticks featuring South Korean TV programs. Sort of like Romania had with VCR tapes prior to the fall of their dictator.

I was actually contemplating picking up a used model and betting that VW would fix issue. My dream of a manual diesel wagon persists... if only to make up for value lost on the wife’s DSG TDI sportwagen be bought new. Am I nuts?

I totally followed you until the Subaru comment. Didn’t you say you liked the 6 speed manual and you are willing to consider the Seamless Soul-Sucking CV transmission on a Subaru? I just can’t imagine that. That Sir, is just too much for this three pedal devotee.

I have wondered about this as well. If my VW knows all about the test mode, why not make it run in the test mode all the time? Seem simple - but why this would not work.

I put 160K trouble free miles on mine. It has just great balance that you could control your line by the throttle. Never burned oil. Comfortable cruiser with up to 36 mpg. Think of it as a modern MBG. I still miss it, and retain the Bently manual just in case I come across one. Considering the Golf R, but VW issues.

As a 2011 TDI Sportwagen owner, I still love it and don’t plan to get rid off it. I know of no other vehicle that gets 40+mpg at 80 mph fully loaded and is fun to drive. I know that my vehicle runs through the soot cleaning cycles. If the article above is correct, the software update will just mean more of those…

We own a TDI Sportwagen, and love it. Torque is addictive! Sure beats driving a Prious, the sate car of California. (Diesel is up to a buck cheaper and you go 30% further.) I do recall the car having a software update as part of routine maintenance last winter. However, the car has always done the burn cycle which we…

Nothing difficult about German cars. I have the Bentley manual for both my VW and BMW. While not cheap, it has a saved me money for all the DIY I have done. The books allow me to be prepared with all tools, and determine if I even want to do a repair. Even if I don’t choose to do a repair, I know what I am paying for!…

Three cars and I ride my bike to work. However, I wouldn't want to ride a bike to the parts store.

I am a married CPA, and I do what I can just for the fun of it. With a Bentley manual for VW and BMW, I do what I can, or can preview the procedure and know what I am paying for. Last was this past fall – it was replacing/rebuilding suspension on the '01 VW Golf -new Bilsteins, bumper stops, and stretch bolts, all…