Volkswagen may use Ford's U.S. plants to build cars

[KLB]

I wish VW would build the Golf R in the States. I love the car and will more than likely get another one when I am done with this one.

 

[mmpsteve]

I know that ZF makes transmissions for a crap ton of vehicles... And Aisin makes another crap ton of transmissions for other vehicles.

But when it comes to me comparing mid-size sedan to mid-sized sedan: No CVT for me. Which is unfortunate - because I wouldn't mind having a Subaru Forester, Legacy, or Outback. Or a more economical Accord (The new 10spd auto isn't an option until you step into the 2.0L Turbo engine on the Sport trim - and that's like a $4500 price increase over the same car with the CVT. :-( So - I'm looking at a Camry with it's 8-spd auto instead.

TF, wife and I just bought a 2019 Forester. If you didn't know it had CVT, you'd swear it was a 7 speed automatic. The shift points may be fake, but the rpm's feel and behave exactly like a geared auto. It even has a 'sport' mode that raises rpm's just like if you had turned off overdrive, or downshifted one. Very nice feel to it. What about the CVT don't you like?

.

 

[Route 45]

Now the leather seats are splitting and cracking, the headliner started falling down, the exhaust is shot, again. The passenger window won't go down, I think a front wheel bearing is growling, and it's starting to rust. My wife's Lexus is close in age and over 200K miles. It still looks like it did the day we bought it.

All that said, my next car will probably be another Audi.

I had a 2015 Ford Edge on lease for 3 years, and when it came time to turn it in I went Ford again and bought a 2017 Escape. Mostly because the wife is short and the Escape is a lot easier for her to drive. I needed a 2nd "beater" car, so looking for something reliable but cheap, I went with a 2009 Lexus ES350 with 139,000 miles on it. It has 160,000 on it now and I honestly would rather take it on a road trip than our new Escape. The thing is damn impressive. Comfortable, quick and boringly reliable. If I had known that they were this good, I would have went with an RX350 instead of the Escape. In fact, I just might when the Ford warranty runs out.

I'm not a mechanic, so there is no way in Hades that I would burden myself with an Audi unless I hit the lottery and had a garage full of cars. At that point, I might take a look at an R8.

 

[ghuns]

...I would have went with an RX350 instead of the Escape. In fact, I just might when the Ford warranty runs out.

I'm not a mechanic, so there is no way in Hades that I would burden myself with an Audi unless I hit the lottery and had a garage full of cars. At that point, I might take a look at an R8.

My wife drives an 2007 RX350 with over 200K. Best vehicle we've ever owned. Boringly reliable is the perfect description. But beyond near bulletproof reliability is how well everything holds up. We bought it in 2010 with 30K miles. The interior looks like the day we bought it, and my wife is NOT a neat freak about her car's interior. Everytime I slide underneath it to change oil and look around, I expect to see a drop of leaking oil, power steering fluid, something, maybe a spot of rust somewhere on the undercarriage... Nope. Nothin.

There is one flaw I know of with the engine. And since your ES350 has the same engine, make sure yours got fixed. There were a pair of rubber hoses on the backside of the motor that carried engine oil for the variable valve timing. There was a recall for the part, and most got fixed. BUT, there was a very similar part on the front side of the motor that wasn't recalled. If yours leaked oil, Lexus would replace it for free. The problem is that very few leaked before they failed. Catastrophically. When ours began leaking my wife was driving home from somewhere in Michigan with her mom and sister. She didn't notice the oil slick that was forming on the back window. When she got home, there just over a quart of oil in it. Another few miles, and I'd be calling it the worst car I've ever owned.

All Toyota 3.5 V6s from 2005-2009 are like this. Make sure yours had the rubber lines replaced with metal ones.

 

[KLB]

I had a 2015 Ford Edge on lease for 3 years, and when it came time to turn it in I went Ford again and bought a 2017 Escape. Mostly because the wife is short and the Escape is a lot easier for her to drive. I needed a 2nd "beater" car, so looking for something reliable but cheap, I went with a 2009 Lexus ES350 with 139,000 miles on it. It has 160,000 on it now and I honestly would rather take it on a road trip than our new Escape. The thing is damn impressive. Comfortable, quick and boringly reliable. If I had known that they were this good, I would have went with an RX350 instead of the Escape. In fact, I just might when the Ford warranty runs out.

I'm not a mechanic, so there is no way in Hades that I would burden myself with an Audi unless I hit the lottery and had a garage full of cars. At that point, I might take a look at an R8.

Audi has actually been much more reliable they they were historically.

 

[Tactically Fat]

What about the CVT don't you like?

Longevity.

Rather - the overall lack thereof.

Getting 150k + miles out of a conventional auto is normal.

Getting 150k + miles out of a CVT is exceptional.

My wife is REAL high on Subaru. *I* like everything about them BUT the transmission. And lately, they've been having issues.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jensen...ssions-not-just-extend-warranty/#24aae5beab27

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jensen...ranties-on-1-5-million-vehicles/#4c0aeaf679dc

Subaru Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) - Lemon Law Case

It's the main reason that I've also sworn off on any new Nissan. Our '06 Altima keeps on ticking (for now...). One of the last to have a conventional 5A transmission. Everything Nissan has now is a CVT. And Nissan CVTs are known to be crap.

Honda has a CVT in the Accord. Unless you go manual. And I don't want. And unless you get the $4500 option on the 2.0 T Sport model. Not really worth the extra money, IMO. So we'll probably get a Camry with an 8 spd auto.

 

[ghuns]

CVTs are awesome transmissions...

In snowmobiles.

 

[mmpsteve]

My wife is REAL high on Subaru. *I* like everything about them BUT the transmission. And lately, they've been having issues.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jensen...ssions-not-just-extend-warranty/#24aae5beab27

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jensen...ranties-on-1-5-million-vehicles/#4c0aeaf679dc

Subaru Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) - Lemon Law Case

Not to belittle your point, but all the links above refer to 2015 and older cars, so maybe it's no longer a problem? I hope not, because we're really pleased, so far, with the 2019 Forester. When doing research you hear a lot about the Subaru head gasket problems too, but that hasn't been an issue since about 2005. I'm not an auto expert, but there must be some reason many makers are going towards the CVT. Will keep my fingers crossed on our first Subaru.

.

 

[Route 45]

My wife drives an 2007 RX350 with over 200K. Best vehicle we've ever owned. Boringly reliable is the perfect description. But beyond near bulletproof reliability is how well everything holds up. We bought it in 2010 with 30K miles. The interior looks like the day we bought it, and my wife is NOT a neat freak about her car's interior. Everytime I slide underneath it to change oil and look around, I expect to see a drop of leaking oil, power steering fluid, something, maybe a spot of rust somewhere on the undercarriage... Nope. Nothin.

There is one flaw I know of with the engine. And since your ES350 has the same engine, make sure yours got fixed. There were a pair of rubber hoses on the backside of the motor that carried engine oil for the variable valve timing. There was a recall for the part, and most got fixed. BUT, there was a very similar part on the front side of the motor that wasn't recalled. If yours leaked oil, Lexus would replace it for free. The problem is that very few leaked before they failed. Catastrophically. When ours began leaking my wife was driving home from somewhere in Michigan with her mom and sister. She didn't notice the oil slick that was forming on the back window. When she got home, there just over a quart of oil in it. Another few miles, and I'd be calling it the worst car I've ever owned.

All Toyota 3.5 V6s from 2005-2009 are like this. Make sure yours had the rubber lines replaced with metal ones.

Thanks, I'll check into it!

 

[ghuns]

Thanks, I'll check into it!

Lexus has a website where you can enter the VIN and see the entire service history for the car. At least all service provided by a Lexus dealer. It even lets you add your own info if you have the work done by an independent mechanic or do it yourself.

https://drivers.lexus.com

 

[Route 45]

I'm not an auto expert, but there must be some reason many makers are going towards the CVT.

Government gas mileage mandates are the only reason that CVTs exist. Same with this glut of 4 banger turbo engines replacing perfectly good V6 engines for a tiny increase in fuel mileage.
And in my experience, the fuel mileage advantage is BS. My Ecoboost escape gets no better gas mileage than my 2015 Edge with a 3.5 V6. I'd pay a premium to get an Escape with a good V6.

 

[mmpsteve]

Government gas mileage mandates are the only reason that CVTs exist. Same with this glut of 4 banger turbo engines replacing perfectly good V6 engines for a tiny increase in fuel mileage.
And in my experience, the fuel mileage advantage is BS. My Ecoboost escape gets no better gas mileage than my 2015 Edge with a 3.5 V6. I'd pay a premium to get an Escape with a good V6.

Our Forester is rated at 27/33 with 29 combined. What's the Edge with 3.5 V6 get? Just curious.

.

 

[Route 45]

Our Forester is rated at 27/33 with 29 combined. What's the Edge with 3.5 V6 get? Just curious.

The V6 Edge got about 25 on the highway, 19 or 20 in town. About the same as my Escape, despite the 22/28 lie on the window sticker.

 

[KLB]

You guys got me to go read more about CVTs, as I always heard bad things about them as well. I found this article on Road and Track
https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-cu...s-an-automatic-and-it-isnt-even-the-best-one/

Interesting. Has me curious about trying one in a more powerful car.

 

[ATOMonkey]

Engines, by their nature, run more efficiently at certain points in the speed range, based on load and other factors.

A Continuously Variable Transmission allows the engine to run at the optimum speed at all times. It really is the most efficient way to transmit power.

The problem lies in the link system, or belt drive, or chain drive, or whatever means you're going to use. It's just not as robust as gears.

In my opinion, a car should be more than just a way to convey a person from A to B in the most efficient manner. It should be an experience that brings you some amount of happiness. Especially if you have a long commute.

 

[KLB]

Engines, by their nature, run more efficiently at certain points in the speed range, based on load and other factors.

A Continuously Variable Transmission allows the engine to run at the optimum speed at all times. It really is the most efficient way to transmit power.

The problem lies in the link system, or belt drive, or chain drive, or whatever means you're going to use. It's just not as robust as gears.

In my opinion, a car should be more than just a way to convey a person from A to B in the most efficient manner. It should be an experience that brings you some amount of happiness. Especially if you have a long commute.

I agree wholeheartedly.

 

[HoughMade]

Engines, by their nature, run more efficiently at certain points in the speed range, based on load and other factors.

A Continuously Variable Transmission allows the engine to run at the optimum speed at all times. It really is the most efficient way to transmit power.

The problem lies in the link system, or belt drive, or chain drive, or whatever means you're going to use. It's just not as robust as gears.

In my opinion, a car should be more than just a way to convey a person from A to B in the most efficient manner. It should be an experience that brings you some amount of happiness. Especially if you have a long commute.

CVTs are the perfect transmission for maximum acceleration and efficiency- in theory. I just don't know that they are there yet. However, as always, the engineering issues will be solved. The problem will then be whether the buying public had been sufficiently soured on them by then.

With transmissions like the super-smooth 9 speed in our new van, you start wondering if solving the engineering issues is worth it.

 

[Denny347]

In my opinion, a car should be more than just a way to convey a person from A to B in the most efficient manner. It should be an experience that brings you some amount of happiness. Especially if you have a long commute.

I have always felt that the vehicle you drive is an extension of your personality. What you drive can say a lot about the person driving it. I like driving a car that puts a smile on my face every time I get in it.

 

[Route 45]

I have always felt that the vehicle you drive is an extension of your personality. What you drive can say a lot about the person driving it. I like driving a car that puts a smile on my face every time I get in it.

That's true. They say that if you don't look back at your car when you park it to go into the store, you bought the wrong one.

 

[Denny347]

That's true. They say that if you don't look back at your car when you park it to go into the store, you bought the wrong one.

100%