# Why isn't this VW minivan sold here!?!? its perfect!



## Stealth-4 (Aug 19, 2003)

The "California"
UK website.
I'd buy one of these in a heartbeat! My wife and I have one daughter, and our A3, with the low headroom is horribly cramped. I can't stand any of the minivan options here in the US, and the routan is the most palatable, but still somewhat repulsive. So we keep going with the A3, and my 2001 S4.
This is truly inviting and cool. 
VW USA - sell this in 2010 and I WILL buy one!
http://www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk/california


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## papa_vw (Oct 17, 2005)

*Re: Why isn't this VW minivan sold here!?!? its perfect! (Stealth-4)*

The T5 transportor replaced what we knew here in the US as the T4 Eurovan and is basically the same size (larger than most minivans). That would have been the logical choice once VW determined that it wasn't financially feasible to produce the concept microbus from a few years back. 
With the Routan I think they were trying to capture more of the traditional mainstream minivan market. Volkswagen sold the Eurovan here from 1993-2003 but the numbers were never significant.
I used to have a black 2000 Eurovan MV myself.










_Modified by papa_vw at 8:50 AM 5-4-2009_


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## ben55124 (Apr 29, 2009)

*Re: Why isn't this VW minivan sold here!?!? its perfect! (papa_vw)*

36,650 British pounds = 54,912 U.S. dollars
Probably would be cheaper without VAT, but not in Routan price range.


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## redzone98 (Jun 10, 2004)

*Re: Why isn't this VW minivan sold here!?!? its perfect! (ben55124)*


_Quote, originally posted by *ben55124* »_36,650 British pounds = 54,912 U.S. dollars
Probably would be cheaper without VAT, but not in Routan price range.


thats why !


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## MRP2001GTi (Oct 6, 2000)

*Re: Why isn't this VW minivan sold here!?!? its perfect! (papa_vw)*

Because of price. Eurovans had a upper $30k MSRP when they gave up selling them here. They even dropped the MSRP to the upper $20ks and still they did NOT SELL. 
The camper like in the link you posted would be at least $50k. Would you still buy one? I would love to buy one but I am not paying that kinda money for it. That’s ludicrous.


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## 2000JettaGLXVR6 (Oct 17, 2002)

*Re: Why isn't this VW minivan sold here!?!? its perfect! (Stealth-4)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Stealth-4* »_
VW USA - sell this in 2010 and I WILL buy one!


You an 5 other people.


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## luckeydoug1 (Feb 11, 2001)

*Re: Why isn't this VW minivan sold here!?!? its perfect! (2000JettaGLXVR6)*

Make that 6! I saw a T5 cargo van in Auburn Hills at Motorstadt today. What a beautiful vehicle it is. The passenger version would be the perfect replacement for my 03 Eurovan. As luck would have it, a Routan was parked right behind the T5, which was quite unfortunate for the Routan. The T5, even though it was the cargo version, clearly outclassed the Routan. VW, pleaaaaaase admit the mistake that the Routan is, put it out of its misery, and bring the T5 to the US.
BTW, it is no secret that the Routan really hasn't sold well at all, and I have to believe at this point that the T5 would have sold better than the Routan is currently selling.


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## papa_vw (Oct 17, 2005)

*Re: Why isn't this VW minivan sold here!?!? its perfect! (luckeydoug1)*

Well Doug, like it or not, my feeling is that the Routan will be a one year wonder. The Routan has only been out since last fall and VW had to stop production in January as they had way more (approximately 29,000 Routans) than they were selling. I had read that Volkswagen had hoped this would be their second biggest seller behind the Jetta. Unfortunately though, the only really good sales month was April and they had to give up all kind of incentives to make that happen. Then on top of it, Chrysler is having their isssues right now too. I doubt we'll see the Routan back as a 2010 model.
But I also don't see Volkswagen rushing to bring the T5 here either.


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## Badge56 (May 27, 2009)

*Re: Why isn't this VW minivan sold here!?!? its perfect! (papa_vw)*

I was told by the sales manger at my local Volks dealer that Routans will be made for 4 more years. Volkswagen has signed a 5 year contract with Chrysler..... True ?????


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## papa_vw (Oct 17, 2005)

*Re: Why isn't this VW minivan sold here!?!? its perfect! (Badge56)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Badge56* »_I was told by the sales manger at my local Volks dealer that Routans will be made for 4 more years. Volkswagen has signed a 5 year contract with Chrysler..... True ?????

I had heard 3 years. However the company they had a contract with, Chrysler LLC, doesn't exist anymore. It went bankrupt and the good workings assets were sold to Chrysler Group LLC headed up by Fiat. So it makes me wonder if Volkswagen has an "out" here.


_Modified by papa_vw at 5:37 PM 6-14-2009_


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## [email protected] (Aug 29, 2008)

*Re: Why isn't this VW minivan sold here!?!? its perfect! (papa_vw)*


_Quote, originally posted by *papa_vw* »_
I had heard 3 years. However the company they had a contract with, Chrysler LLC, doesn't exist anymore. It went bankrupt and the good workings assets were sold to Chrysler Group LLC headed up by Fiat. So it makes me wonder if Volkswagen has an "out" here.

_Modified by papa_vw at 5:37 PM 6-14-2009_


Its a 3 year contract, its a built in learning curve for VW so they can transfer produtction to the TN plant when it comes online. VW does not have an out but with how this country likes to settle things in court I am sure there is an "out" to any contract. Also I am thinking that the huge build up in inventories was maybe due to a slow start but also with the excess capacity that Cry Co had available at the time of the Routan Launch, they are hugely affected by their less than expected sales over the last 18 months maybe they were hoping to knock out all the VW cars and bank on better times or at least have enough work backlogged to take them into MY 2010.


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