New Models Drive Luxury Sales in October; Momentum Continues for Others

Auto Observer

Volkswagen of America Inc., which has ambitious U.S. sales goals, increased October sales by nearly 18 percent from a year ago. Its sales were paced by the new Jetta, which had its first full month of sales and its best sales month since 2005, with the exception of last year's Cash for Clunkers period.
Volkswagen has taken heat for its price-reduced new Jetta, which critics charge the German automaker has cheapened too much in its effort to make it affordable to more customers. In addition to heavily advertising the Jetta's affordable price, Volkswagen is offering one of its biggest incentives ever for the nameplate.

Image via WikipediaAlso chipping into Volkswagen's total were higher sales of the Chrysler-built Routan minivan, Golf and GTI.

"Volkswagen continues to grow sales in all models and products through October," said Mark Barnes, VWoA's Chief Operating Officer. "It is good to see the all-new Jetta getting off to such a promising start and our TDI products continue to do well."

Related articles

• To Topple Toyota, Volkswagen Must Accelerate in the U.S. (dailyfinance.com)
• Volkswagen Loses Its Mind, Prices Touareg Hybrid At $61,000 (ridelust.com)
• Foreign Carmakers Raced to Record U.S. Sales in October (dailyfinance.com)

The Volkswagen Routan: The Soccer Mom's Minivan

The Routan Offers Features and Options for a Wide Range of Buyers

Associated Content
Published August 24, 2010 by:
James J. Hilt
There are times when a sport utility vehicle just isn't big enough for a family of six, and you are forced to go with purchasing a minivan. In my four years of selling cars, I have noticed that most mothers frown on the idea of having to drive a minivan. The fact is that they just don't like them over the SUV. The number one complaint I hear is that they just don't like the way minivans look. That perspective held true until Volkswagen launched the Routan in 2009.

Image via WikipediaMy wife drove our four kids in a SUV, though we had minivans a few times over the years to her disliking, the last two years before we decided to lease a 2009 Volkswagen Routan. My dealership had an S model on the lot for several months when I called my wife and told her that I was seriously thinking about leasing this Routan S. She wasn't sure that she wanted a minivan. But after convincing her that is was in our best interest, I leased it and brought it home. I'll never forget the excitement on her face when I pulled up in the driveway. She told me that it looked awesome!

We liked the Routan so much that this past spring I traded our Routan S in for a Routan SE w/ Rear DVD, mainly for the upgraded features the SE provides. We went from having clothed seats to leatherette w/ heated seats, dual DVD players (an absolute must with having kids), back up camera, Sirius Satellite Radio, power sliding doors and rear tailgate, and power driver's seat, to name a few of the upgraded features. The sticker price on the S model was $25,300, and the SE w/ rear DVD was $33,400, a significant increase for the features but well worth it.

Volkswagen offers such great incentives on the Routan that it makes it seem a little more attractive than its rivals Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey. Volkswagen has offered 0.0% for 60 and 72 months and rebates of up to $6000 on several occasions since the 2009 model launched. The 36 month lease is also highly attractive for the low payments and for the bumper to bumper warranty and free scheduled maintenance for 3 years or 36,000 miles. The powertrain warranty is for 5 years or 60,000 miles, whichever occurs first.
In closing, the Volkswagen Routan has everything one would want in a minivan. With over $15,000 disparity from the S model to the SEL Premium model, the Routan offers features and options for a wide range of buyers. On trips to Disney and Myrtle Beach, our two Routans provided driving enjoyment each time and, most of all, the Routan makes my wife proud to be a soccer mom.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Road Test: 2010 Volkswagen Routan Highline (nationalpost.com)
• Automakers' pursuit of youth (mysanantonio.com)

I am a soccer mom

A two-week test drive in two minivans – the 2010 VW Routan and the 2011 Toyota Sienna – reconfirm that minivans have a lot to offer

Baby Boomers - Online Magazine

By Jeff Rundles

… Seems strange really, in that I am a man and not a soccer fan, so I am neither a mom nor have anything to do with soccer, and yet I am, indeed, a soccer mom.

… [The] whole thing about being a soccer mom was really only manifest in one aspect: the minivan. …

The evil aspects of the minivan got so ingrained in the psyche of this generation of women that they will lumber around in a Chevy Suburban or some other large, kid-toting, 7-passenger vehicle – even to soccer practice and games – but never in a minivan. …

Yet, over the last couple of weeks I have had the great pleasure of driving the 2010 VW Routan minivan and the Toyota Sienna minivan, and in spite of my singing their praises – often to women who ask my opinion on vehicles all the time – all I got from women was snickers. …

Another woman, a neighbor, and her husband and children came over to see the Sienna, and to drive it, as the man of the house really wants one and the Sienna is the only minivan left on the market with an All-Wheel-Drive option. … She snickered. “Wouldn’t a SUV be better?,” she asked, obviously harboring soccer mom visions. I pointed out that a minivan is so much easier, that the doors open themselves and the kids can just hop in from school, and if there are friends they can all pile in and you’re good to go. The mom reacted as if this was sound advice, but I believe we’ll be seeing a new 7-passenger SUV in their garage soon.

… My children’s grandfather, who can afford any vehicle he wants, has been driving a minivan for years. He and his wife travel all over and they like the flexibility of a minivan for its gear room and guest-rider spots, and this grandfather says he just likes the way they drive. Good visibility, much easier to get in and out of than a SUV, comfortable, all the bells and whistles, easy to park, loves the sliding doors and the automatic-opening/closing side doors and rear hatch.

That’s me, too. That’s why I am a soccer mom. I love driving minivans. I love driving them around town, to work and on errands, and I think they are the very best highway road vehicles on the market.

VW Routan

The first one I got into was the 2010 Routan from VW. I am very impressed overall with VW, because after a few years of trying things very un-VW-like … they have gone back to what makes them what they are – solid German vehicles with great performance, great looks and a real distinctiveness that is lacking in most lines that aren’t German (re: Japanese cars).

The Routan is an odd duck, however, in that the minivan isn’t exactly a German thing. … [This] is a vehicle made exclusively for the North American market. By saying it is an odd duck, though, I do not mean to cast aspersions: like most all VWs, this is well made and a solid competitor.

What sets the Routan apart from every other minivan I have driven is its heft: this vehicle feels … very solid, much more than anything else. I looked up the weight of this and the Toyota, which felt less heavy, only to discover it is an illusion: the Routan weights 4,621 lbs., while the Toyota Sienna comes in at 4,735 lbs. Nevertheless, the Routan felt more substantial.

I enjoyed driving the Routan right from the start. Equipped with a 4.0-liter V6 engine putting out some 251 hp, the Routan is no speed demon, but neither is it lacking in oomph. … [If] anything it lacked the kind of torque that would make it quick off the line. Until, like most German cars, you figure out how to drive it: the Routan needs to be revved up, and then it really can go.

In the way back of the Routan, behind the automatic liftgate (I love that feature; the side doors were automatic too), the floor is sunken, quite a bit, which makes storage for groceries and the like a breeze. Plus, the rear, third seat folds down into the cavern, so you can make the back of the van perfectly flat for storing things like ski and luggage for a trip. Then there are storage bins in the floor around the second row of seats, and cup holders all around. It’s … all American minivan – but it is a great vehicle. Really liked it.

And the Routan I drove was quite equipped. Great stereo, a navigation system – all the bells and whistles, except that it didn’t have a sunroof (I am sure you can get one).

The Routan comes in 10 trims, ranging from the base model S with a 3.8-liter V6 with 197 hp (rated at 16/23), with a base price of $25,900, to the SEL Premium with the larger engine, carrying a base price of $42,500.

I drove the SEL w/RSE & Nav – the RSE standing for Rear Seat Entertainment system, and like most German cars it took a little while and an education, and the help of my 12-year-old, to figure out how to make the movie play in the rear seat. Then I couldn’t figure out how to play the movie back there and listen to the radio, …

Anyway, with the navigation and the RSE included in the base price, the Routan SEL carried a MSRP of $33,500, and it was pretty loaded at the price. They only added on the destination charge, so the bottom line was $34,300 – a great price in this minivan marketplace, especially for what you get here.

Toyota Sienna

…A few years ago I drove the Sienna and said I thought it was getting dated, …

They have changed that. This is now in a class by itself. … It is beautiful, inside and out but especially on the inside where the leather is perfect, the wood grain on the dash, steering wheel and doors is stunning, and where the driving is effortless, yet has great feel. …

I had the top-of-the-line Limited with the 3.5-liter V6 engine, but even though it was a smaller engine than the Routan, it was more powerful: 266 hp that felt like more (mileage rating: 16/22). …

Our test-drive model had everything: all the bells and whistles, the automatic doors, navigation, one of the finest stereos and sound systems on the market, and all that. But it had extras that made it special. First, the rear-seat entertainment system featured a wide-screen television screen that my son proclaimed the very best on the market. It was easy to use, easy to set up – it took me no time at all to figure it out – and the front seat passengers could listen to the radio while the kid was in back on wireless, and quiet headphones.

It also has two sunroofs – one over the front seats, and one over the middle seats, both of which open up, a real nice touch. The Sienna also has the cavernous rear storage area, and fold-down-flat third row seating, plus the middle captain’s chairs can slide way back or far forward, swivel, and they are easy to remove so the entire rear area can be an open van. Very intelligent design.

But the one thing that separates the Sienna from the minivan pack is the availability of AWD, and my test-drive model had it. …

The Sienna doesn’t come cheap, however. There are 12 trims available, beginning with a front-drive 4-passenger model with a 2.7-liter I4 engine with 187 hp (rated at 19/26), with a MSRP of $24,260 going all the way to this Limited model. Somewhere along the line you can configure the Sienna for 8-passenger seating, in both FWD and AWD models. … My fully-loaded test drive model included a $4,025 Premium Package that had the entertainment system, navigation, upgraded stereo (wonderful), a backup camera, hands-free Bluetooth, an iPod connection, voice commands, and a few more things. They also added $890 for High Intensity Discharge headlamps, automatic high beams, and rain-sensing wipers, and $185 for a roof rack. Add in $800 in destination charges, and the bottom line is $45,670.

…

Average Discounts Expected to Rise for Memorial Day

AutoRemarketing

May 17, 2010

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — With Memorial Day coming in two weeks, analysts from TrueCar.com believe the projected average discount could rival the highest at any point in the year.

According to the site's TrueTrends Report for May that aggregates this data, the average discount off of a new vehicle is projected to be at least 6.9 percent during the next 30 days. Analysts pointed out how the average percentage is near the high for all of 2009, which was 7.5 percent.

They went on to note the 2010 models with the steepest discount off of MSRP, with the top one being the Chevrolet Cobalt at 25 percent. Other new models with substantial discounts include the Jeep Grand Cherokee (18 percent), Hyundai Sonata (18 percent), GMC Sierra 1500 (18 percent) and Toyota Avalon (17 percent).

… TrueCar.com analysts also highlighted which vehicles have the best Price Flex Score, a composite reading of total incentives, greatest percentage below MSRP, greatest price drops and days in inventory.

A pair of 2010 vehicles each was given scores of 100 in this report segment, the Ram 2500 and Hyundai Accent. Trailing right behind with scores of 99 were a pair of Mitsubishi vehicles, the Galant and Lancer, as well as the Volkswagen Routan.

Vehicles that TrueCar.com gave a Price Flex Score of just 1 included the Audi A5 and the Lincoln Navigator. Audi's A4 received a score of 2, while a pair of large SUVs, the Chevrolet Suburban and Ford Expedition, each got scores of 3.

Analysts noted that the TrueCar Price Flex Score measures how elastic the transaction price is for a particular model. A high Flex Score means a possibility of a great swing (high or low) in the price from MSRP, while a low Flex Score means the price is far less negotiable and that the transaction price range is much narrower.

Moving on to more discussion, the site also shared the top five vehicles with the greatest price drop since April. Leading this category was the 2010 Lexus 460 4WD with a decline of $987.

The other 2010 units TrueCar.com mentioned with price drops of at least $680 were the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class 4MATIC, Toyota Camry, Volkswagen Routan and Cadillac CTS. …

Finally, TrueCar.com determined the new vehicles that have been in dealer inventory the longest. Continuing to pace this category was the Hyundai Sonata, now at 157 days. Six other vehicles have been stuck in dealer inventory for at least 100 days. This cluster included the Ford Mustang, F-250, F-350 and Transit Connect, Mitsubishi Galant and BMW 135i.

TrueCar.com wrapped up its projections by noting Memorial Day, May 31, as the best day to buy a vehicle and June 10 as the worst day during the report time span.  
"Memorial Day signals the real beginning of the summer buying season," noted Jesse Toprak, vice president of industry, trends and insights for TrueCar.com.
"Manufacturers and dealers shift their focus to late spring/early summer at the beginning of the year so they can start reaping the benefits as soon as possible," Toprak continued.

"With a continued boost in incentive spending as well as additional sales ‘carrots,' we can expect to see more steady growth in sales," he concluded.

It is very, very European looking!

belligerent man blog

See...I told you it was very stylized.

Ok we bought a minivan.  A Volkswagen Routan to be precise and I have to say I love it.  I of course said many years ago and many times that I would never buy a minivan but the 3rd one pushed it over the edge.  On top of that we always have the Big R in tow with us so we are transporting 3 adults and 3 kids (3 car seats!) most of the time and a SUV is just not an option.  Plus you throw in 2 kids/1 adult with motion sickness and you are talking about a level of car shopping complexity that is beyond a normal sane man.

We looked at the usual suspects (Honda/Toyota) and they were nice but the Routan was the only one that actually felt like a grown up car on the inside and hey I still have some dignity/pride left.  Got the price and features we wanted with no hassle and boom…their goes a juicy commission.

Took our first mini road trip with it this past week up to WI and it was fantastic.  No kids touching kids.  No kids waking up babies and vice versa and an overall quiet happy ride for all.  Now if I can get that incessant Alice In Wonderland music out of my head I will be even more elated.

Made in Canada: 2010 Volkswagen Routan

CanadianDriver

2010 Volkswagen Routan Highline. Click image to enlarge

Review and photos by Grant Yoxon

Photo Gallery:
2010 Volkswagen Routan

It may be a well kept secret but there is a Volkswagen minivan and it is built right here in Canada. Along with the Dodge Grand Caravan, Chrysler Town & Country and the made-for-Europe Chrysler Grand Voyageur, Chrysler’s Windsor assembly plant also builds the Routan for Volkswagen.

If you didn’t know about the Volkswagen Routan it is no surprise. There aren’t that many on the road in Canada. …

It may be that Volkswagen doesn’t do much to promote the Routan and that’s a shame because among the minivan variations produced in Windsor, the Routan is arguably the best. But it’s meager sales total may also be due to its price, as among minivans, the Routan is a premium priced vehicle. …

2010 Volkswagen Routan Highline. Click image to enlarge

Our test vehicle was a Routan Highline, the third in four trim levels available (Trendline, Comfortline, Highline and Execline). {They are designated and provisioned differently for the U.S. market.—DMW}… Standard features included 4.0-litre V6 engine, six-speed automatic transmission, power sliding side doors and rear tailgate, halogen headlights and foglights, power glass sunroof, 16-inch alloy wheels, four 12-volt power outlets, six-speaker audio system with six-disc in-dash CD changer and auxiliary input jack, satellite radio, leather covered seating with heated front and second row seats, eight-way power adjustable driver’s seat, and power-adjustable pedals.

Optional equipment included navigation package and rear view back-up camera ($2,425) and 17-inch alloy wheels ($700), for a total price excluding taxes and additional charges of $43,700. Compare this to our better-equipped, made in Canada 2010 Chrysler Town & Country Limited which came in at $41,220.

It is not difficult to see why Volkswagen is having a difficult time selling the Routan.

2010 Volkswagen Routan Highline. Click image to enlarge

But in its defence and despite being built in the same factory and having the same engine and transmission as the Grand Caravan and Town & Country, the Routan is, in my opinion, a better van. My rationale: better exterior design, better interior design, higher quality interior materials, more comfortable seating and better driving characteristics.

Only the roof and door panels of the Routan are the same as the Chrysler minivans. All other sheetmetal, headlights, taillights and exterior trim are unique to the Routan. It doesn’t look the same and unless you knew … you wouldn’t think it came from the same factory. And the paintwork, as demonstrated by our Nocturne Black Metallic Routan, is exemplary.

Expressing simply a personal point of view, I prefer the look of the Routan over the Chrysler vehicles.

Inside the Routan is a blend of Chrysler and Volkswagen, but mostly the latter. The general layout, including the dash mounted shifter, is Chrysler, as is the navigation system (albeit with VW logo) and surrounding function buttons, and the heating and air conditioning unit. As noted in our review of the Town & Country, one must reach across to the right side of the navigation screen to touch the phone button to accept an incoming call. With most other competitors, this function is mounted on the steering wheel.

2010 Volkswagen Routan Highline. Click image to enlarge

Nearly all the soft-touch materials – seat materials, carpets, door panels and even the steering wheel – have been designed specifically for the Routan. The Routan’s leather-wrapped steering wheel feels better in the hands than the Town & Country’s although both wheels have the same minimal functions, with nothing on the front of our Highline model’s wheel, but audio controls oddly hidden on the back of the wheel. It is a unique-to-Chrysler set up borrowed by Volkswagen.

Nothing more clearly differentiates the Routan from the Town & Country than the dash top. Whereas the dash top in the Town & Country is hard plastic, it is soft and padded in the Routan.

2010 Volkswagen Routan Highline. Click image to enlarge

Stow ‘n Go second row seating, seats that flip and fold into the floor, is standard in the Town & Country, but not offered in the Routan. Instead, the Routan has larger, more comfortable captain’s chairs. However, the Stow ‘n Go compartments in the floor remain for storage. It’s a trade-off – the convenience of easily stowed second row seats or more comfortable chairs. The third row seat is a manually folded, 60/40 split bench seat that stores in the luggage cavity. …

The Routan is powered by Chrysler’s 4.0-litre V6 engine. Producing 251 horsepower and 259 lb.-ft. of torque, this engine provides plenty of power for everyday driving needs. Despite being a minivan, it is not by any means slow and will accelerate easily for freeway merging or passing slower traffic. Fuel consumption is rated at 7.9 litres per 100 kilometres on the highway and 12.2 L/100 km in the city. With just 200 km on the odometer, our brand new Routan tester is averaging 13.5 L/100 km in city driving.

Perhaps it is my imagination or perhaps it is better sound insulation, but under hard acceleration, the engine in the Routan seemed quieter than that in the Town & Country. In fact, in all driving situations the Routan provided a quieter environment.

2010 Volkswagen Routan Highline. Click image to enlarge

It is also a better handling and more nimble minivan than its Chrysler brethren. The Routan has a slightly firmer ride which detracts little from the overall ride comfort, but adds greatly to cornering confidence. Driving both vans over the same freeway on-ramps, I felt more comfortable at higher speeds in the Routan. Steering is also more crisp and direct.

Safety features in all minivans built in Windsor, including the Routan, are the same, with three-point seat belts in all seven seating positions and side curtain airbags protecting all three rows of seats. Like the Grand Caravan and Town & Country, the Volkswagen Routan has a five-star safety rating for both frontal and side impacts from the US-based National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). As well, anti-lock brakes, traction control and electronic stability control are standard equipment.

The Volkswagen Routan matches or exceeds other Chrysler-built minivans for interior quality and handling, …

Naturally, dealers will and often do sell for less than published prices and discounts, and a savvy shopper should go to the Volkswagen dealer armed with comparable data. But one has to wonder if Volkswagen’s published prices are keeping minivan shoppers out of their showrooms.

Grant Yoxon is an Ottawa-based automotive journalist and Managing Editor of CanadianDriver. He is a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC).

Car Shopping

Car Shopping

It was so exciting at first... doing the research, figuring out which ones worked best for us, comparing prices online, in car auctions and on lots, checking on loans, getting insurance quotes. 2 months later... not so much fun. Sometimes I think we should just forget the whole thing. But then I put the carseats in the car and think about a third one being back there. Yah. Ain't happenin'. And I can only fit back there if I sit sideways. True, I'm no skinny minnie, but really. We need more space.

So, we're going to take a look at some more cars tonight. Again. It's hard to tell what kind of leg room the back row has just by looking at pictures online so we test them out at the dealerships. We're going to look at the Borrego and the Routan. …[We] found a really good deal on [a Routan]. And I mean a 'is it REALLY that cheap?" kind of deal. We can't exactly turn our back on a fabulous deal just because we aren't the minivan types, right? …

The Sabol Family: A New Car!!!!!!

The Sabol Family

2 weeks ago we ventured to "Test Dr." to look at a few cars we had our eye on. As much as we love our Honda Element, it is just too small for two carseats (there are only 2 'real' seats in the back).

So we went & test drove a Honda Pilot, which we really liked- I have to admit I may have liked the leather seats, back up camera, dvd player, navigation system etc. a little more than the actual car.

It was a nice test drive, but we decided to check out the VW & Toyota place as well- we ended up getting sucked into the VW dealership & walking out proud owners of a new VW Routan.

Maybe it was the free pizza & soda or the fact that we got a sweet, fully-loaded car for about $15,000 less than the Pilot & the same car payment we have now (leather, back up camera, Sirius radio, 2 dvd players with wireless headphones, seating for 7 & back row seats that fold out of the way or turn around with a 'tailgating' option.

We got a great deal & felt good about it- despite doing no research and very little hard bargaining. Lily still calls it her 'cool new car" and we all LOVE riding in it.

We haven't taken a bunch of pictures yet, but here is one (along with my big ole belly).

European Carmakers Offering Attractive Leases For April

PriceWheels Blog

Apr 2nd, 2010 by Ross Edwards

…Volkswagen is offering low interest rates on most of its cars during April, but the standouts are the CC, Passat and Routan, which are all available with 0.9% financing for up to 60 months. …

Kids, We're Getting a Minivan.

Orange County Moms Blog

I'm not proud to say that I'm going to be getting a Minivan pretty soon. I mean, sure... they aren't the old steal boxes with fake wood siding that used to crowd the parking lot of my school growing up, but to me there is that stigma attached to them. That stigma that tells the world, "I've given up on my life, and now I drive a Minivan."

… I can't help but think about all of the Moms that drove those in the 80's and 90's that wore knee socks, bermuda shorts, turtle necks, or *gasp* MOM JEANS while driving their family movers proudly from school to extra curricular activities. When I was growing up, my Mom always looked cool. If she wasn't driving a Porsche (I'm dead serious about that), wearing a Tennis Outfit, and sporting Pat Banetar hair then she was dressed at the height of fashion driving a Benz. … But what my Mom taught me is that just because you are a Mother, that doesn't mean you can't still look cool and feel good about yourself.

She always drove a car she liked that suited her needs, and while some of them were a bit more exotic then I could ever dream of affording, she still stuck true to herself rather then just give up. …

As I'm pregnant with number three, and my very nice mid-sized SUV will in no way fit three car seats in it, my husband and I have been exploring our options as to what vehicle to purchase with the proceeds of selling his (very tiny) car. Since we are trying to be smart with our finances, we have decided that whatever car we get will be paid for in cash and will have to be inexpensive to maintain for the next few years. We've researched our hearts out, even had arguments over vehicles! Until one day last week when I was at the mall and they had a Volkswagen Routan on display for all of the shopping Moms to see.

I was in love.

…What I'm in love with is the amount of space that it provides, the fact that there are power sliding doors I can control with my key chain, power hatch assist (just like my more expensive SUV), and (drum roll please) TV SCREENS. Oh, the TV screens that I swore I'd NEVER purchase with a car are now looking better and better as it's necessary for our family to drive to places like Mammoth Lakes and Phoenix to visit loved ones. And as we all know entertained children are happy children, and happy children are quiet children. Happy children mean happy parents. You do not want Mommy to be upset!

The best thing is that we could pay cash for a mid-range model that has the power doors and the TV screens, and it comes with three years of free scheduled maintenance. At this point, I would be crazy to consider anything else. A car with no payment that I wouldn't have to worry about maintenance bills for three years? I'm sold.

… It gets a weeee bit better gas mileage then a gigantic tank of an SUV, and it has under floor storage!

The more and more I think about it, this seems to be the vehicle with ALL of the answers to my life's needs. Sure, I still feel like I'm giving up on some little part of me that was always fighting to break free from motherhood. But why do I need to have sex appeal in the car that I drive? I'm married... with children (soon to be many children), and perhaps it's just time that I had a car that addressed all of my convenience issues that come with my lifestyle. So we've told the kids (well, at least "Cabana Boy" understands), "We're Getting a Minivan." All of a sudden we are THE COOLEST parents in town, because our car will have "special" TVs in it for when we go to visit Uncle Billy and Auntie Andrea.

I'm desperately trying to reconcile my thoughts on this purchase. It would be smart, yes! Very smart! But is it a Frump Mobile? If there is one thing that I'm not, it's frumpy. Just make sure you don't tell anyone you've seen me driving my new Minivan when I get it though. Please? Seriously, I owe you already!

Original Orange County Moms Blog post.

Jennifer is a mother of two little boys, with baby number three arriving in August! Being a Full-Time Mom with a Full-Time Job certainly keeps her busy, and she tries to find the silver lining in every mortifying, embarrassing, and difficult situation she encounters. Just be sure word doesn't get around that she's driving a Minivan when the purchase has been made! You can also follow Jennifer at her personal blog, or tweet with her on Twitter.

From the Hummer to the Volkswagen minivan...

SunshineMamas.com

Submitted by Guest Mama on March 17, 2010 – 7:00 AM

… Some may say I’m officially a “mom” now that I’m driving a minivan BUT I tell you that my new ride has made my life much easier! The convenience factor has been a blessing on its own. With a 4 year old, 2 year old and another little one on the way I couldn’t be happier with my outcome.

There were limited choices on vehicles to choose from considering 3 car seats needed to fit in the back as well as getting better gas mileage and a cheaper monthly payment. My Volkswagen Routon (a.k.a. the V-dub!) offered everything we were looking for. …

So…I may not be the cool chick driving the Hummer anymore but I’m for sure the practical mom. I encourage all you Mamas out there who are looking for a new vehicle and have sworn to yourself (just as I had) that you would never be caught driving a minivan to think twice. YOU CAN ROCK A MINIVAN!

Check out the VW Routan!

Another Favorable Review

The folks at The Car Connection reviewed the 2010 Volkswagen Routan. The review discusses the pros and cons. A purchaser needs to make an informed choice. In my case, the styling, interior, fuel economy, amenities, and excellent financing terms led me to buy a 2009 Routan SEL in August, 2009. I was thrilled with the transaction, and I haven't been disappointed by the minivan (grossraumlimousine) or the dealer.

The reviewers make an accurate statement when they say that it has the high points of the Chrysler Town & Country/Dodge Grand Caravan with noticeable improvements from Volkswagen. If you want a Honda or a Toyota, and are willing to pay the premium price for it, and willing to pass up manufacturer's incentives, then the Volkswagen Routan will not satisfy you. But if you are willing to consider a Chrysler or Dodge, which are good vehicles in their own right, then you are likely to find that the Volkswagen Routan is a better value.

I have the upgraded 4.0L engine. Most reviews comment about the roughness/ coarseness/ inadequacy of the 3.8L engine. I haven't experienced the 3.8L drivetrain. I will tell you that the 4.0L has plenty of power and runs smoothly enough that you may occasionally try to start a running engine (the electronic starting circuit doesn't engage if the engine is running).

By the way, Volkswagen includes an umbrella tray. It's been very handy during this rainy winter. The umbrella tray, the cupholder lighting, and the VW cut out of the headlight shield are all attentions to detail that make you feel like you got something better.

To those who feel the Routan is not a real Volkswagen and that VW should import the Sharan: Volkswagen very well may bring the Sharan to our shores (but not until 2012 or later), but in the meantime I get 4 years of driving a minivan that feels like a Volkswagen.

VW, Land Rover and MINI All Offering Low Interest Car Loans in February

PriceWheels Blog

Feb 4th, 2010 by Ross Edwards

Audi is offering special lease deals this month. …

BMW is offering 2.9% APR financing car loans on most of its models. …

The 2010 Jaguar XF is available for $699 per month on a 36 month lease during February.

Land Rover has much better incentives than the other luxury brands this month. …

During February, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class is available with 1.9% financing. …

All 2010 MINI Cooper models are available with 1.9% financing for up to 60 months.

For February, Volkswagen is the only European company offering 0% interest car loans. The 2010 Passat and Routan both come with no interest loans for up to 60 months during February. The Golf, GTI, Jetta and CC are all available with 1.9% financing for up to 60 months.

The 2010 VW Passat is available with a no interest car loan this month.

New Website Demystifies Car Pricing--For Free

BNET Auto Blog

By Jim Motavalli | Dec 16, 2009
Did you know that two of the best days to buy a car (if you can get away) are Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve? Did you know that you can get 20 percent or more off Saturn Vues and Auras right now because GM is trying to run through their remaining inventory?
I didn’t either, but I’m up to speed now. These are a couple of the insights provided in TrueCar’s “TrueTrends” report, released today (and available at http://www.truecar.com/). The report also offers information on which cars are the most and least negotiable in purchase price. For obvious reasons, the 2009 Chrysler Aspen is one of the most negotiable, but who knew that the much more desireable  2010 Mini Cooper would be on the list? For the reason, read on.
Other very flexible models include the GMC Yukon (big SUVs are hard to sell these days), the Audi A5, and the Chrysler Sebring (bad ratings in Consumer Reports don’t help). Least flexible models include the VW Routan (the comeback of the minivan?), the Toyota Yaris (small cars are back), the Mazda Miata (the bestselling sports car of all time) and the Mazda5. But why does the Hummer H3 appear on this list? Again, read on. …
OK, that’s out of the way. I talked to Jesse Toprak, who is TrueCar’s vice president of industry trends and insights. “Why isn’t pricing on the Hummer H3 more flexible?” I asked. “The point is not that the least flexible models are the most expensive,” he said. “It means that they could be giving it away [a likely scenario with the H3] but they’re giving it away in a similar range. When you walk in, you know what you’re likely to pay?
And the Mini Cooper as most flexible? “That’s on the other extreme,” Toprak said. “The range of prices on the Mini Cooper is extremely wide. People can walk into the same dealership on the same day, and the one who is well informed will pay much less than sticker, and the other who is clueless will pay $3,000 over MSRP.”
Upon disparities like this, businesses are based. TrueCar is a web-based California-based startup launched last spring, with $2.8 million in A-series financing and a second round aiming to bring in a lot more early next year. Toprak is a refugee from the respected Edmunds.com, and he has helped assemble a staff of 20 in Santa Monica (with 10 hires to come). …

December European Car Loan Incentives

PriceWheels Blog

Dec 8th, 2009 by Ross Edwards
For December, 2010 Mini Clubman models are available with 1.9% financing, and any 2009 models still on dealer lots can be bought with a 2.9% auto loan.

Volkswagen has no interest car loans this month for many of its leftover 2009 models. The 2009 Passat, CC, Routan and Touareg all come with zero interest auto loans this month.

Mercedes has some good deals on leftover 09 models…

All leftover 2009 Saab models are heavily discounted this month, …

BMW’s big holiday sale is a mix between a low interest rate car loan and money off. …

2009 Land Rover LR2, LR3, LR4 and Range Rover models are all available with 0% financing. Leftover Range Rover Sports are on sale this month too with a 0.9% interest rate car loan.

Side-By-Side Comparison of Routan, Odyssey, Town & Country, Sienna

Yahoo's Auto Comparison Site

The site has a few inaccuracies. Practically everything the Town & Country Limited has, the Routan SEL has. The site doesn't properly reflect Optional equipment. Among the more important items, the four vehicles are comparable. Each has pluses and minuses. It comes down to personal taste and what deals you can work out.

2009 VW Routan Van lease rate October

oDotSix... it is "THE" BLOG

A Coworker is looking for a Van, checking out the Certified pre-owned Honda Odyssey and found out that a low miles EX model would cost almost $25k. Then, we discovered that the VW Routan (aka Town and Country etc... ) are running some aggressive promotion.
0% up to 72 month in addition to $1500 cash, plus another $1~2k hidden rebate.
Yeah, i know someone might be looking at leasing it due to concern about long term reliability. Here it is
Routan S 36mo 15k/yr MF 0.00033 residual 38%
Routan S w/ rear entertainment system 36mo 15k/yr MF 0.00033 residual 36%
Routan SE 36mo 15k/yr MF 0.001 residual 38%
Routan SE w/ RES 36mo 15k/yr MF 0.001 residual 36%
So, in terms of monthly payment, you are looking at around $350 for 72mos ($0 down)
For lease, it's about the same payment but you need to pay the inception fee up front. As i always see, it's better to lease newer year model and purchase older year model because the residual for older model always kill the deal. I will check again for 2010 program when the van is available.
Posted by oDotSix at 9:48 PM