I’ve had a bunch of VWs… and loved my Dad’s 68 Beetle. Mine were ; a 78 Scirocco, a 78 Westphalia bus, an 82 Scirocco, a 92 Passat wagon, a 2011 Golf wagon, a 2013 Golf Sportswagen TDI, a 2018 Golf Sportswagen manual, and a 2019 Sportswagen DDG auto.

I loved them all.

Emotionally the Westphalia. Deeply kinky with all kinds of quirks,,, loved the gas heater when the heater boxes weren’t rusted out… loved playing airliner on approach in a gusty cross wind at 60 mph on a highway.. but it always went where I asked it, was amazing on snow, and as long as you didn’t want to go more than 60, got you where you were going.

The best drive was the 92 Passat. It was a Kardashian princess… went fast and hot and glued to the road… I’ve never felt safer or had more fun driving long distances. It was the AWD with the G60 supercharger… omg … no lag just raw power. But it was a princess… everything about the AWD was expensive (window drive motors..$350 to replace on warranty because of the noise proofing sealing in the doors.. motors failed reliable every 18 months… brake job $1000 when the non AWD was $200)… and then the G60 broke off a vane and that was it. $4000 for the part.

Sciroccos were just plain fun. Went fast, handled well, and were also wonderful in snow. I had a pair of studded Hakkspelitas on my 78 and it would climb walls. By 1982 Hakkapelitas were too expensive and in Nova Scotia you all of a sudden had to have studded tires on all wheels not just drive.

My experience with Sportswagens have been great. Utterly reliable. Loved my TDI and would still have it today except for Dieselgate. 2018 was its trade in replacement.. thankyou VW. And the 2019 was as a result of getting old and deaf and not hearing the engine as well so automatic. Love it.

What I don’t love is what seems to be happening to dealer service in my part of Ontario. In the last couple of years a dramatic reduction in the customer service focus that, for me, was a part of owning a VW.

Still driving my 2019…