Volkswagen: Now no. 1 carmaker in the world!...

wow,

i'm surprised but good for them i guess.

I was doing my part to help them to get there sooner.
I never thought that I would buy another VW again, ever since my 1969 bug blew the engine while I was on the 401, like thirty years ago

hey it keeps the mechanics very busy in the world ...im all for it

I know, I remember I paid something like $350.00 to replace the stupid engine, that was like a month of wages, I was making like $3.00 an hour lol.
I swore I never buy another VW again. Well, that was then.

Too Bad they are also very near #1 in Unreliability
They are definitely doing their part helping the world economy forcing 4.4million people so far to have to spend exhorbant amount on repairs and keeping mechanics and parts manufactuers very busy.

so they will be at bottom in 4years or so once their cars start crapping out on them.
Hope they fall faster than GM though and atleast we won't have to bail them out, it'll be the german gov't that would have to.

afretes wrote: ↑Wow, that was quick and much earlier than expected. Volkswagen wanted to be the no. 1 carmaker and overtaking Toyota by 2018,...


http://www.germancarblog.com/2009/11/vo ... world.html

I believe it when i see the news from a more reliable source.

gilboman wrote: ↑Too Bad they are also very near #1 in Unreliability
They are definitely doing their part helping the world economy forcing 4.4million people so far to have to spend exhorbant amount on repairs and keeping mechanics and parts manufactuers very busy.

so they will be at bottom in 4years or so once their cars start crapping out on them.
Hope they fall faster than GM though and atleast we won't have to bail them out, it'll be the german gov't that would have to.

What bailout? The German federal gov't and the state of Niedersachsen have owned more than 20% of VW AUdi AG for years. Most German companies have been on the gov't dole for years.

Efx wrote: ↑I believe it when i see the news from a more reliable source.

What is there to not believe? Most people expected VW to be the biggest carmaker at the beginning of this year.

VW sold about 4 million units in 2008, not including their Chinese joint ventures with FAW and SAIC, which together would be another 1 million units easily. This year VW China's sales are up 40% and their JV sales are up something like 110% YoY, their second biggest market, the EU, has been propped up with Cash for Clunkers programs in Germany and Britain. I think by the end of this year VW will be selling more cars per month in China than they sell per year in North America.

Toyota's biggest market is the US followed by Japan, and both are in bad shape.

What is the metric used to determine this? I mean if Toyota rolls out an incentive program and they sell more cars to leap frog VW, then they get crowned #1 again.

afretes wrote: ↑Wow, that was quick and much earlier than expected. Volkswagen wanted to be the no. 1 carmaker and overtaking Toyota by 2018,...


http://www.germancarblog.com/2009/11/vo ... world.html

#1 in Unreliability

also, the german gov't had a HUGE program to get people to buy german cars which helped VW immensely.

in 3-4yrs time, I bet there will be another Huge program to stimulate the economy for people to get their VW fixed or towed on the gov't's dime

All I can say is LOL, and not in a good way.

gilboman wrote: ↑also, the german gov't had a HUGE program to get people to buy german cars which helped VW immensely.

in 3-4yrs time, I bet there will be another Huge program to stimulate the economy for people to get their VW fixed or towed on the gov't's dime

gilboman wrote: ↑also, the german gov't had a HUGE program to get people to buy german cars which helped VW immensely.

in 3-4yrs time, I bet there will be another Huge program to stimulate the economy for people to get their VW fixed or towed on the gov't's dime

If your gonna be forced to buy German because of the buy German incentive, Europeans have very few choices other than VW. Opel is in the dumpster, I saw their employees in Russelheim picketing on the news yesterday. MB and BMW don't really make any cars that are not fairly expensive by Euro standards.

dealcatcher wrote: ↑#1 in Unreliability

ok, this is good to know that I am doing my part to keep the mechanics employed and keeping the economy going in the recession.

This was mostly likely due to Chinese growth.

The amount of Santanas, Boras, Sagitars and Polos I saw when I was there earlier this year was staggering. Also the Audi A6, black of course with white plates, (govt) is as ubiquitous there as a Civic here.

efx wrote: ↑i believe it when i see the news from a more reliable source.

+1

Something people need to understand...
When you are in europe, they drive european cars, that's pretty much it. You might see the odd corvette, but that's it for american cars.
Hondas and Toyotas are seen as not cool (but very reliable).
Last time I was in Holland I saw lots and lots and lots of VW's....and this is from a country that still holds a grudge against them for a little miss understanding 60 years ago

alleycat8675309 wrote: ↑http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automotive ... production

Those are last years numbers, and not entirely useful given the amount of change that has taken place in the auto industry this year