[Closed] Honda or Volkswagen

Passat > Accord
Golf < Civic
Polo << Jazz except there's no diesel
Tiguan >> CRV

Highly commended in the Honda stable:

CR-Z
FRV

And from VW:

Eos
Polo estate
Passat CC
Scirocco (I think this clinches it overall for VW, despite the CR-Z)

vw transporter >>>> honda ??

vw for me 🙂

Hornet > umm...

Comparing what? corporations, or their current vehicle (car) lineup? Difficult to just compare Honda's cars with VW's due to development outside the VW brand- Audi, Seat etc.

Honda corporation has a far more spectacular and innovative history than VW-Audi though, imo.

Under 50 Volkswagen, Over 50 Honda 🙂

Well, Honda had that great ad...

but I'd still like a Golf. Although the monkeybike is pretty ace...

Honda corporation has a far more spectacular and innovative history than VW-Audi though, imo.

Honda invented VVT, but VW were early pioneers in car manufacturing both in terms of the cars and their manufacturing processes. They are also pretty much wholly responsible for good diesel engines for passenger cars. And the hot hatch perhaps too?

I probably wouldn't buy either. My recent experience of VW is that the quality is not great and they are dull to drive. My perceived experience of Honda is that they are better quality but just as dull to drive 🙂

Not to mention the camper van.

Or Audi Quattro

. They are also pretty much wholly responsible for good diesel engines for passenger cars.

Intrigued by this statement, but can't really find any reference on a quick look.

VW R&D produced a white paper in the early to mid 70s which I read. It outlined their plans to produce engines of acceptable quality and develop the market.

Will see if I can find it.

Valentino Rossi on a Honda.

Honda invented VVT,

Really?

Really?

Not sure but they defo commercialised it.

Honda are streets ahead of vw in terms of quality and reliability, just look at all the industry data.

Does Golf < Civic mean the Civic is better than the Golf?

I've had a few VW's and two Nonda cars. A Prelude (silly) and a Civic. I bought the Civic after running an STW 'what car' thread. It's a 1.8 petrol 'VTEC'. But not 'VTEC' as in vrooooomm, eeeek...now going too fast. But in a, put put put, how economical can we get a 1.8 petrol to be way <sigh>.

It's quite refined, a bit plasticy inside and in need of a good thrash if you want to get anywhere quickly. It does about 38 mpg overall and squeaks a bit 🙂 So not carved from granite then.

The Fireblade,600RR and back when I was riding...the NS400....Quite like the Integra Rs aswell...and the S2000..

Does Golf < Civic mean the Civic is better than the Golf?

I thought so yes.

I like the VTEC idea - it's economical until you thrash it at which point the different valve timing kicks in and you get effectively a different engine. Two in one.

well the best vtec would be infinitly variable, an optimised timing for each engine speed, then the engine would be v efficient. This is the aim of servo or hydraulic driven systems..

Honda corporation has a far more spectacular and innovative history than VW-Audi though, imo.

BS.

The Bugatti Veyron alone eclipses anything Honda have ever produced car wise.

Fiat was the first manufacturer to develop VVT.

Toys - yes, they would be nice. The Fiat one is meant to be a bit like that but somehow falls short, I dunno why.

I attempted to design a helical/tapered cam at school but never got it working, probably doomed to failure anyway, as I had to make some pretty broad assumptions given my ltd knowledge at the time.

ever heard of george silk? [url= http://www.silk-scott.org/ ]here[/url] don't think there is much info their but I remember he was trying to develop vvt for single and twin cylinder MC's. V inspiring to a teenager..

VW's marketing strategy for the past 30 years has been to sell the image of reliability and quality, the pretence that they are better than than their direct competitors (ie ford) and therefore more aspirational. It has been a massively successful piece of marketing.

The Bugatti Veyron alone eclipses anything Honda have ever produced car wise.

Well I dunno - is it really innovation? Or just wasting effort? An 80mpg family car would be a far greater innovation than a 250mph supercar imo. As evidenced by the fact that no-one's done it even though far more money could be made.

I used to work for Honda if that helps.

VW make some 'sexier' supermarket trolley performance cars. Honda do not.

Honda however I'd rather put my OWN money on any day of the week.

Someone elses money I'd have a VW.

Neither steer properly. Ford beats them in this respect.

The Bugatti Veyron alone eclipses anything Honda have ever produced car wise.

In terms of top speed of a road going vehicle, for sure, and possibly manufacturing quality, but I wouldn't bank on [i]that[/i] if volumes were taken into consideration. As far as innovation- I can't see too much- refinement of existing componentry, maybe, but innovation? I doubt it. Then again, I'm no engineer.

Ooh, Honda Super Cub. Beat that.

I read the Biography on Sochiro Honda. A good read/very interesting bloke.

If I had to chose on a brand though I'd chose Subaru.

Do Honda still make the type r?

Do Honda still make the type r?

Who cares? Its awful.

I'm like a VW stick of rock, there's 2 on my drive, but i'd give my transporter up if someone offered to swap it for a Honda NSX. (not sure i could sleep in the back of the NSX though!)

Id LOVE a VW Camper California. If only I had 41k 👿

Well I dunno - is it really innovation? Or just wasting effort? An 80mpg family car would be a far greater innovation than a 250mph supercar imo. As evidenced by the fact that no-one's done it even though far more money could be made.

In terms of top speed of a road going vehicle, for sure, and possibly manufacturing quality, but I wouldn't bank on that if volumes were taken into consideration. As far as innovation- I can't see too much- refinement of existing componentry, maybe, but innovation? I doubt it. Then again, I'm no engineer.

Are you two serious?

If I had to chose on a brand though I'd chose Subaru.

+1

Are you two serious?

Go on then.

Btw my mate had a Subaru, it needed new HT leads. £150!

A bit OT

But the two car buying decsions I always scratch my head at are:

Vauxhall or Peugeot vs virtually anything

Yet they seem to sell in pretty decent numbers

Yet they seem to sell in pretty decent numbers

Heres your answer. This chap was offered a weekends loan in a Aldi TT as a 'reward' for his custom: http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/doc.asp?c=16&i=25385

FORD Focus estate TDCI, good old work horse,

That's the funny thing about car opinion... I had a Focus 2L TDCI 5 years from new. It was a good car but a money pit. Spent £1500 on repairs before caving in.

The VW's (Passat's) I've had have been excelent.

The Audi's (A6's) I've had have been excelent.

The Peugeot's (309, 405, 605's) I've had have been excelent.

The Vauxhall's (Astra's, Cavalier's, Omega) I've had have been excelent

The other Ford's (Fiesta, Escort, Focus, Mondeo's) have been mainly good/excelent.

The Nonda is good but a bit...wierd. Ride is a bit harsh and steering a bit nothing, nothing, nothing, oh sh!t everything. And it's plasticy and squeaks. Not the sign of a real quality car IMO. The Audi's leave them for dead on interior fit and finish,.

The Audi's leave them for dead on interior fir and finish,.

There are three key areas to a car:
Steering - the thing that connects/feeds to and from the road.
The interior - the thing you actively feel and see 99% of the time. No one looks back over their shoulder when they walk away from their car (unless its an Alfa).
Ride - Key, part of steering.

So it amazes me that the Type R is sooooo ****. Nevermind that the engine is 'yo' only above a certain very high rev range in each gear.

People bang on about them. I drove one EP3? and I thought someone was having a laugh. It shouted alot without the 'go'. To get the most out of it you had to rag it remorselessly. Plus the steering isn't good enough. Electric?

If Alfas actually sorted out their reliability etc - that coupled with their interiors would nail most of the competition to the wall.

There are three key areas to a car:
Steering - the thing that connects/feeds to and from the road.
The interior - the thing you actively feel and see 99% of the time. No one looks back over their shoulder when they walk away from their car (unless its an Alfa).
Ride - Key, part of steering.

I would tend to agree with that. You can live with a low rent interior more than the others though.

I've got a Leon FR, its a cheap Golf GTi and it shows in the interior. Still good to drive though (ride and steering)

I can't abide crappy gear changes either (Vauxhall I'm looking at you!)

The later Leon (new(er) shape?) Yes I'd agree- lots better. You kinda don't notice the interior if you are enjoying the drive experience!

The later Leon (new(er) shape?)

Thats the one.

You can live with a low rent interior more than the others though

Depends on the person and the driving though doesn't it? I got my Passat because I wanted to eat up motorway miles in comfort and in a nice place. It's pretty much perfect for that. It's too big to throw around and it rolls to much. Piston heads would call it 'boring' but so what? The M4 is never going to thrill me is it? I grew up in the countryside near Mid Wales so I fully appreciate the pleasure of driving a great country road, but I'm not going to find it between Cardiff and Staines so I'm going to seek a different kind of pleasure instead. Involving soft springs, a nice interior and a good stereo. And regular Starbuckses.

To respond to the op - had 4 hondas in my intermittent car ownership history between 1991 - 2011. Proper hondaboy I was. My folks also had hondas. Bought my first non-honda a yr ago - vw passat. Wouldn't go back. Hondas have great engines but everything else not that great really in comparison. VW (and the golf my other half used to have) just felt solid, better made, more comfortable, and quieter. Just one persons opinion of course!

I had a couple of Honda Civics from 1994 to 2000. I loved them both and they were faultless. But I hit a certain age and income and wanted something more desirable.

So i bought a VW Golf V5 very well built, reasonably reliable but a dull car to drive and despite its bhp and wonderful 5 cylinder engine soon ran out of puff though the engine was free running.

I how have an Audi Quattro 2.0T FSI, build, fit, finish etc is about as good as it gets before you spend ££££, engine is a peach and the 4WD is great fun. It had been faultless, not even a blip in 6 years.

But I put a lot of value on the feeling of quality in terms of interior finishing, the weight of the doors etc, probably more so than how it drives, but I expect it to be mechanically and electrically sound. Yes some cars drive better than others, but I can't recall driving a really bad car for 20 years or so, but perhaps a manual 4 cylinder BMW 320i came close

Rightly or wrongly I have bought into the idea that Audi, VWs and BMWs etc are better than all other cars and find it hard to believe any other manufacturer will be able to convince me to think otherwise and be prepared to spend my money elsewhere.

FFS I have just ordered a VW Up for commuting !!

So to answer the question VW for me.

im running a 96 honda civic with 80k on it. Its class

If you go Honda, avoid Town and County bunch of
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VW if you are over 50, Honda if you are over 80

VW/Audi/BMW if you feel you have a point to prove, or have issues with your image.

Honda if you couldnt give a shit but you drive like some one whos old.

Depends on the person and the driving though doesn't it? I got my Passat because I wanted to eat up motorway miles in comfort and in a nice place. It's pretty much perfect for that. It's too big to throw around and it rolls to much. Piston heads would call it 'boring' but so what? The M4 is never going to thrill me is it? I grew up in the countryside near Mid Wales so I fully appreciate the pleasure of driving a great country road, but I'm not going to find it between Cardiff and Staines so I'm going to seek a different kind of pleasure instead. Involving soft springs, a nice interior and a good stereo. And regular Starbuckses.

If I had a long motorway commute it'd be seats first, low decibels and cushioning/suspension over steering any day as well.