Features we tend to take for granted

[VW Convert]

Driving a Corolla as I am at the moment due to the demise of the Jetta has made me aware of the things we tend to take for granted in our VWs, for example:-

Automatic rear mirror dimming when a car behind has poorly adjusted lights. I’ve never really noticed this in operation but now I don’t have it, I realise how well it works. Driving the Corolla I’ve noticed many cars with badly adjusted headlights following me in the last few days.

The smooth and continuous power delivery of the 2.0 TFSI engine. The Corolla really is lacking in this department, I find I have to pedal much harder and even then it is pretty slow. The car has an additional brake facility too, it is called the air con switch, turn it on whilst moving and you almost go through the windscreen, it sucks out an enormous amount of power.

The fantastic performance of the DSG transmission, it really is different to a conventional automatic. Seamless virtually instantaneous changes Vs slow and jerky changes.

The incredible combination of the engine and gearbox, the VW just surges away, the Toyota accelerates off the line OK but just dies when it hits second gear as if you’ve fallen into a big hole. Increasing pressure on the throttle does nothing, it just drones away, increasing pressure some more, same result, eventually with enough throttle pressure it will throw itself back to first at redline revs!

Fuel consumption, I topped the Corolla up yesterday, it is using about 10 litres/100 KM which in similar usage conditions is about the same as the Jetta. Admittedly it is running on 91 octane so fuel costs are lower but I really would have anticipated better fuel consumption from a small car such as this with limited performance. It's the old story, you have to push it hard to get it going whereas with the Jetta light throttle achieves the same or better results.

Rattles and squeaks, I’ve seen plenty of posts about these in MK Vs but mine just didn’t have any. Let me assure you, this Toyota (with 16,000 KM on the clock) has rattles galore, it drives me nuts.

Climate control air con, I’ve become used to setting and forgetting, having to manually adjust temperature and fan speeds is something I never do any more.

I could probably write a book on this subject and before you all point out to me that I’m comparing against a car that is a fraction of the price, the point I’m making is not that the VW is better than the Toyota (even though it obviously is) rather that we become so used to the features that we tend to forget that they are there. When we get into a lesser car the benefits of those features just become so obvious.


Cheers

George

[Rocket36]

The VW mirror dims normal headlights mate, not just poorly adjusted ones. You aren't seeing a whole lot of cars with poorly adjusted headlights, you're just seeing them at full brightness. Also did you have tinted windows and does the Crapolla?

[Whubbsie]

stacked my car yesterday, already missing it. Driving a rented X-trail... completly gutless and the useless cvt transmission thing doesn't help at all, car just revs like crazy but goes nowhere whole car feels like it's made out of plastic...hate it.

[CatonaPC©]

Precisely what Corolla model year are we talking about here? And what caused the demised of the Jetta?

[Treza360]

The VW mirror dims normal headlights mate, not just poorly adjusted ones. You aren't seeing a whole lot of cars with poorly adjusted headlights, you're just seeing them at full brightness. Also did you have tinted windows and does the Crapolla?

What you're forgetting though is that during the day people still drive with their headlights on and during these conditions it shouldn't cause a problem with glare in your rear vision mirror. However if their lights are poorly aligned they will be shining directly and will dazzle you. But at least it will make a significant difference.

Also the auto-dimming mirrors work quite well at night with normal headlights, however if someone has their high beams on or a fully sick bro with his unaligned super whites comes up behind you the auto-dimming feature will do bugger all for you. But at least it will make a significant difference.

I go from my car to a pov pack one tonner tray back work ute quite often and there's so many things that you miss. Always such a pleasure to get back into something that is refined, comfortable and had some brains used in it when it was designed and made.

Cheers,
Trent

[greasykitchen]

Most headlights are poorly aligned I find.

What I take for granted: the simplicity and functionality. I get by with no frills and find it amusing when people go crazy for options and features that I can easily live without.

Oh, and by the way, I drive a MK1 golf (sheer luxury after my previous car, a '72 beetle).

[dubbed]

Comparing my 2000 Golf to a friend's 2002/3 Corolla, the first thing I notice is the 'tin/hollow' sounding doors when you open and close them. Then there's the difference in interior plastics... Obviously there's loads of other things but they're very different cars. In saying that though, he has done fractionally more kms than mine and hasn't really spent a dime on it - unlike mine with timing belt, water pump, MAF, coolant sensor etc. It's worth it though Oh, and the VW silver is something else next to the Toyota silver.

Any other Asian small car I've been in doesn't compare - i.e. I was surprised how flimsy and flat the back seat of a late model Mazda3 is, granted I have a GTI so can't compare to a Golf SE for example.

In contrast, my mum's 2003/4 Focus rides very smoothly with excellent handling (stock height and all) but there is a heap of tyre noise, the interior is crappy, and the doors sound much the same as the Corolla. I remember reading an article about a Ford boss who said one of his most remarkable achievements was the early 2000 Focus, but if he could change one thing it would be to have an interior that could rival the same generation Golf.

[pixl]

Yeah, the auto sensing rear and side mirror is awesome. The Eos has so many features that make it just that much better. Makes me wonder why a top end Polo doesn't have some of these features. If nothing else, at least have them as options.

stacked my car yesterday, already missing it

**** dude, it it bad? Was it the Polo or the Golf? (please please please, not your sweet Polo)

EDIT: Nevermind, just saw the pics

[anthony]

We are very spoilt by the FEEL of our cars...
Whenever I drive my Parents Corolla,the 2 things that I miss most about my Jetta are the Automatic headlights,and wipers...strange what we get used to...
I hope you get another Jetta,or any other VW product.
The Jetta just doed it for me the most in the VW range...fantastic cars...

[maca]

I reckon I could live without the auto headlights, wipers and mirror.

One thing I would struggle without is the auto-dipping side mirror!