RJANACONDA

iTrader: (1)

The VW PHETON. My wife and I was going out to eat for V-day when I spotted the nice looking blue car so we parked next to it and looked it over it had nav leather the works and was the the same body size as the TL. We are looking to get a second car so I get home to check it out on the internet and OMG they start around 66. Would any of you guys get one? Maybe some of the RL guys.

ludachrisvt

iTrader: (2)

get the RL

Champcar1

No.
I agree with ludachristv, look at the RL.

vp911

Na. Never the VW. I would rather get the RL

1995hoo

The Phaeton looks like a nice car, I saw one on the road once, but it's too expensive IMO, especially the version with the W-12 (starts at around $94,000). If I had that amount of money to spend I would not spend it on the Phaeton. I probably wouldn't buy that expensive a car at all, but if I did I'd probably buy a Maserati instead.

Treblig

Checked it out last year when it first came out. Very impressive car, pricey, but impressive. I think part of its problem is that it is so close to the Audi A8 and it carries a VW badge. I think there would be much less resistance to it if it carried another manufacturer's badge.

vp911

Agreed. People who are spending 60-100 grand on a car are not likely to buy a VW. They are more likely to buy a Lexus, BMW, Audi, Benz - etc. The quality of service from the service department alone would make it more worth the time to go to a "luxury" brand dealership like Lexus.

astro

the Phaeton is a zillion times the car the TL or the RL are.

I'd take the Phaeton over just about any car in it's price class....but that's just me.

ensley696

Phaeton, BWV, Phaeton, BMW, huh, BMW it is. I could get a 745 for that price, *SHEESH*

MR1

That are not selling. You should be able to get a real good price. I would not buy one anyway though.

ehdee21

there is no way that the phaeton is the same size as the tl. i dont know about everybody else but i would not spend that much money on a VW

03CoupeV6

Nope... the Phaeton has been a major failure. It seems like I read this on CNN money recently, but a lot of people in the marketing department lost their jobs because of how poorly received the Phaeton was -- they can't GIVE them away.

It's because VW is a pedestrian brand, and the Phaeton is a re-badged Audi A8 essentially. Why spend that much money on a car that doesn't have the cachet of a uber-luxury brand?

PPLAPW

I wouldn't pay 70,000 plus for VW, just my thought...

1995hoo

Road & Track reported that VW expected that it would take several years before many Phaetons were sold, in part because it is such a new niche for them. Interesting to hear that CNN are reporting essentially the opposite (that is, if you expect that it would be several years, why would heads roll this early in the game?).

03CoupeV6

I'll try tracking down this article

03CoupeV6

http://www.auto123.com/en/info/news/...tid=32007&pg=1

That pretty much sums it up, even though I couldn't find the CNN one.

matelot

but owner probly get service priority

aw1

rather spend the money on the new A6, 5 series or a MB E Class for that price.

mrchoopa2u

Vw's Suck .... Every Person I Know That Ownes One Has Nothing But Problems With It .....

1995hoo

Road & Track have one for a long-term test and they said that getting service is actually kinda difficult because the dealer has so little Phaeton traffic. At one point the part that was needed had to be brought in from Europe because none were available in the US.

It would be interesting to know how it's selling in Europe. I think there was some thought that over there the version with the V-10 diesel may prove popular as an executive limo. That engine is not sold here, but in the words of Road & Track, it's a "real stonker" (i.e., very fast).

1995hoo

Interesting. It says that he was fired for criticizing the decision to make this car, rather than for screwing up the projection on the sales figures.

ndabunka

I can't think of a SINGLE reason ANYONE would spend $80K (or $70 discounted) on the Phaeton when they could buy a E-class 55 or even a S-class 500 for those same $'s.

ndabunka

I read the article. It wasn't a VW exec that got canned but rather an AUDI exec. That may be spliting hairs as they are both part of the same organization but it is applicable here. The primary reason is that Audi (not VW) is Volkswagon's premiere line. The A8 has held up OK when placed against the 745's and S-classes. The Phaeton probably should had simply replaced the A8 (as the price points were similar). Apparently the Phaeton is no threat to Audi (or anybody else for that matter) but they REALLY positioned it poorly (as everyone in the public knew) when they introduced it.

apwalsh

That car is much larger that a TL, that's for sure.

What does it offer that the A8 doesn't? Why would someone choose the VW over the Audi if they are very similar in price.

The W12 engine is the same engine in that new Bentley Continental GT. One of my clients has the Bentley. What a nice fucking car that is. It's very heavy though and way too pricey IMO.

1995hoo

It's only $150,000, right? While out of my league, that actually sounds pretty reasonable for a Bentley.

apwalsh

I wouldn't call it reasonable but I was suprised when he told me he only paid 150K for it.

1995hoo

I was thinking "reasonable" in relative terms vis-a-vis other Bentley motorcars. I think the Arnage was over $200,000, which makes $150,000 seem not so bad.

fasttl

The pheton is an A8 with a vw badge and a big motor. It is scheduled for cancellation since it hasn't sold. Just a stupid Idea from a stupid CEO. VW has always had a luxury namesake AUDI. It would be like Honda making a model more expensive and fancy than the RL. The results were nothing but predictable the car didn't sell and in the process it hurt Audis image as a premier automaker. I wonder if VW's CEO was just a "plant" from a rival car company on a mission to screw VW straight up the butt. Vw after a brief good rum seems to be like a ship without engine in a raging sea. Unreliable cars, red ink, and a misguided investment strategy (ie phaeton) sounds like VW is ripe for a corporate takeover Nissan style

caball88

when the phaeton was first announced i was skeptical about a 80K+ VW. who in their right minds would buy a VW for that price when they can get so many other lexury sedans. so seeing the car get discontinued is no surprise to me. well at least the few owners out there that own the car have a collectors item now.

Lokius

I disagree, car for car, the Phaeton is an incredible value, it has every feature of the BMW 750LI for around 35k less. Personally I think the Phaeton is alot better looking than the current 7 series, RL, LS430, XJ and even the S-Class. However it is a VW, and status means alot to people in the United States when you pay 90K+ on a car, thats why it wont sell.

I will say this, my father purchased a 99 Audi S8 brand new and drove it for around 3k miles in 2 years. The car was constantly in the shop, not because of pooer build quality, but because since they sold so few of them, they didnt have the parts in the states for the car much less guys who knew how to work on it properly. Audi of America purchased the car back, and even offered my dad a 2001 S8 with every option to try to appease him, didnt work. From what I've heared the Phaeton is having the same problems, remember the guys who are working on this car are also working on Jetta's and other VW's. And since they arent selling to well, part availability will also be an issue. I love the Phaeton, but stay far away man... /RANT OVER

1995hoo

The reason I don't agree is that the most intriguing engine on that car is not available in the United States--the 5-liter V-10 twin-turbo diesel, 313 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque at 2000 rpm. This is a lower horsepower rating than the V-8, which puts out 335, but substantially more torque (the V-8 makes 317 lb-ft at 3500 rpm). The W-12 seems like it would be interesting except that from what I read I believe it was de-tuned to a lower horsepower rating in order to keep the Audi version more powerful. If I'm spending $94,000 on a car, I do not expect to get a de-tuned engine, you know?

I do agree with you on the Phaeton being a much better-looking car than the competitors you cite, though. It's definitely quite a nice car, I just wouldn't have a lot of interest in the V-8 version because it's not powerful enough due to the size of the car--its curb weight is 5,030 pounds! The TL will outrun the V-8 Phaeton in a standing start; don't know about top-gear acceleration because the chart I have in front of me doesn't show that statistic.

Road & Track had a similar gripe about service in one of their early long-term test reports. They seem to like the car so far, but they did question how many people with the means to buy a car of that price would put up with service foibles. It's a pretty fair question.

iNteGraz92

the phaeton is a joke and a huge failure. one of the dumbest moves in history. hey vw, wtf is audi for? you want to sell an 80k car, sell it under the true luxury brand name.

ed99

I think that is too much money for a VW. For the same $$ I rather spend it on the new RL or a Mercedez E class!!

RJANACONDA

iTrader: (1)

If I had 66+ to spend on a car I think I would buy 2 more TLs

iLL TL

guys If I could afford a car at any price range i'd just go all out and get IMO the best car I drove in my life, sure the most powerfull. Bentley GT... this car is sick guys... I run this Vallet at a counrty club here in Boca Raton and if you know the area you know the cars... These members have money up the ying yang
lol I look forward every Thrusday and Saturday so I can drive them... The Benz CL 55, E 55, SL 55 are the favorites besides the 745iL and a few M5... We have a couple of Aston Martin That are gorgeous. This year there already 6 Bentley Phamtom and 5 GT.... Guys I think on these days i've died and went to car heaven