# The MICROBUS was a much better design



## fibes (Feb 5, 2005)

Yeah, so I think the Routan is just a little boring. Maybe the best minivan option for the price, but the Microbus had more appeal! Simple really: let me know your opinion.




























_Modified by fibes at 10:17 AM 2-15-2008_


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## vwbugstuff (Mar 27, 2004)

*Re: The MICROBUS was a much better design (fibes)*


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## AliensWanted (Aug 24, 2004)

*Re: The MICROBUS was a much better design (fibes)*

I had been following the trend and what VW was going to do for quite some time, and in case you didn't know, the reason they didn't build the Microbus was money, not style. For them to turn a profit on the Microbus, it would have had to retail for around $50,000.
I can't see them selling enough of those to actually make a profit. And also, keep in mind, that price includes an estimated number of sales, so if it didn't hit the target, VW would have been in a world of hurt financially, worse than they are now.
Microbus was always a pipe dream. Too bad, it was awesome.


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## vibes099 (Jul 23, 2007)

*Re: The MICROBUS was a much better design (AliensWanted)*

It's a strategy that's not uncommon for a business, and VW is a business. You team up with a competitor to make something you don't see as your core business so if it fails you don't really have much at stake when pulling out. When they give up on this line of minivans, they can pull out with very little costs.


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## TREGinginCO (Jan 4, 2004)

*Re: The MICROBUS was a much better design (vibes099)*

Why do you think the Microbus is dead?


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## johnrg (Jul 11, 2003)

Total cop out saying it's just business etc.... So CEO's get millions, folks buy wine for $100's a bottle. Kids buy cigarettes at $3+ a pack. Gas is almost $4 a gallon. I don't buy that folks will not pony up. The target market has the bucks and will buy but if VW balks as they have that cash is going elsewhere or simply staying in an account.
Porsche is expensive. Audi is expensive. BMW is expensive and so is a Sprinter from Sportsmobile. VW is run by KOOKs today. Even as a loss leader VW would have won and not lost with the minivan. It would have been a writeoff against the profits of the cheap models. It also would have kept VW on the forefront of design which if many hadn't noticed is what sells cars at higher prices.
Sorry VW but Ford, Chevy, Freighliner and others will gain your loss. A van is a van but a VW Bus is and was truly unique and satisfying. In fact every time I park folks talk about getting one but are bummed it just won't be available.
Anythings possible....but when you cop out nothings going to happen. I guess the US will drive Chevy's with VW, Audi, Porsche, Lotus, BMW and Rolls Royce logos pasted on real soon ;-)
John


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## fibes (Feb 5, 2005)

*Re: The MICROBUS was a much better design (vibes099)*


_Quote, originally posted by *vibes099* »_It's a strategy that's not uncommon for a business, and VW is a business. You team up with a competitor to make something you don't see as your core business so if it fails you don't really have much at stake when pulling out. When they give up on this line of minivans, they can pull out with very little costs.

I know partnerships are a part of our economy. I think the minivan will sell a decent amount of units, but I just do not think it has the edge in anyway compared to the microbus. I guess the edge would be market appeal.


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## cmoneyg60 (May 19, 2002)

*Re: (johnrg)*


_Quote, originally posted by *johnrg* »_Total cop out saying it's just business etc.... So CEO's get millions, folks buy wine for $100's a bottle. Kids buy cigarettes at $3+ a pack. Gas is almost $4 a gallon. I don't buy that folks will not pony up. The target market has the bucks and will buy but if VW balks as they have that cash is going elsewhere or simply staying in an account.
John

VW wants volume. this forum just irritates me to no end. Microbus....Eurovan.....Anything but something that average MV buyers can afford. Look at the T-reg for example, that is one hell of a vehicle, if VW had only made a prototype V10 everyone would be crying that they would buy one if they would only bring it. Well now you know what happens to $50k + VW's in our market. PEOPLE DONT BUY THEM. T-regs do almost everything better than their competitors, but yet I as a sales man for a year and a half have only sold maybe 5 of them. when you compare the price you pay for less features but a great driving/looking SUV most people still walk out the door.


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## johnrg (Jul 11, 2003)

*Re: (cmoneyg60)*

You discount the fact that the Microbus and all past VW vans represent true utility vehicles as opposed to glorified overweight overpowered grocery getters with no room or utility. I see a lot of Touregs and Cayenne's and it's a totally different beast. My point is there is no other van that matches the interior/exterior space and chassis dimensions of the classic VW's. You can find a Routan chassis and body size from any brand. 
People want practicality even for a price that seems high...mainly because for most it's a long term purchase and amortized over 10+ years time and use. Toureg and Phaeton, pickup truck etc....were all dreams for VW, and instead of getting back to the basic platforms VW started with VW was lost in dreamland. There still is no spacious VW van so VW loses it's own developed customer base.
Sure there might be a new base for the Routan but you have to share that with every other manufacturer. By being unique and selling to your base you restore brand loyalty and provide a needed service while earning the price many of us are willing to pay for that unique and practical van.
So the Routan can sell for up to $38k. At that price....you could push a dedicated VW consumer to a $50k Microbus easily for the practical utility of it alone. Folks are buying Vangon and Eurovan Campers used for 10-60k. Go figure. Might be a west coast thing but thats relevant too considering that's exactly what the T5 Camper is called in the rest of the world, The California. Would be awesome to simply have that here in CA and at $60k that would match the current price of a similarly equipped Sprinter conversion.
John


_Modified by johnrg at 6:54 AM 5-9-2008_


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## cmoneyg60 (May 19, 2002)

*Re: (johnrg)*

VW is trying to bring in other customers. Whats better, making a vehicle that the customers that you alread have like, or expanding the potential number of customers to something they are already used too. There is still a huge population that dont understand what me and you do about the eurovan, and they never will. 
The Routan will sell, most people will not even realize that it is just a rebadged chrysler. Most people I talk to that dont currently own a VW dont even realize that VW owns Audi.


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## johnrg (Jul 11, 2003)

*Re: (cmoneyg60)*

Time will tell. We'll just have to revisit status after rollout.
John


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## carfanguy (Aug 12, 2005)

Its kinda like the eurovan vs the sharan. I the eurovan looked so much more volkswagen.


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