[coastal]

Deciding between a 2001 XC, and a 2001.5 VW Passat 4Motion wagon.<P>In all honesty, the XC is my dream car <IMG SRC="http://www.swedespeed.com/ubb/biggrin.gif">, but I'm closer to the VW in terms of $. Price difference is ~7k CAD.<P>My question is for those who have taken delivery of their 01 XC's:<BR>Did your dealer massage the price, and if so, by how much?<BR>Also, it would be helpful to know whether your car was factory ordered, bought from the lot, or presold pending delivery.<P>Thanks!<BR>

 

[FrankG]

Hi Coastal,<P>I was in the exact same position as you a few weeks ago and ended up buying the XC. <P>In general, I think you can get a better deal if the dealer has the car in stock, rather than ordering it or having the dealer try to locate the car you want. It's just easier for them to sell you a car they have on the lot, although I'm sure there are some dealers that will go out of their way for you and still give you a good price. <P>Once I decided I wanted the XC, I called dealers in my area until I found the dealer that had the color combination and options I wanted. I actually made the deal over the phone for 600 bucks (US) over invoice and picked up the car the next day. Honestly, I was a bit surprised myself at how easy the deal was to make. Of course, it was easy for the salesman, too, which he admitted when we finally met in person. He made a sale from a 10 minute phone call. So, to answer your question, yes, your dealer should definitely be willing to negotiate the price.<P>The other thing to keep in mind is the availablity of 2001.5 Passat Wagons. I don't know any dealer that has any in stock yet and when they do arrive I think you will have a harder time negotiating because of the limited supply. VW has a very strange and unreliable allocation process to dealers. The dealers are never quite sure what they will be getting or when they will arrive. (Just my experience - I also own a Jetta now and tried ordering a Passat wagon last year, without success.) But, I digress...<P>For me the difference in price between the two cars was about $5k US, which to me was worth it for the Volvo based on the difference in their warranties alone.<P>Anyway, I don't know if things work any differently in Canada, but that's my 2 cents and hope my thoughts and experiences help you make the right decision. Good luck.<P>Frank<P><BR>

 

[coastal]

Frank,<P>Thanks for the valuable comments, it's great to hear from someone who has gone through the exact situation!<P>For Canada, Passat 4mo is not going to be available until May/June which is another key deciding issue for me. <P>Factor in the warranty, overall quality, styling, resale value, uniqueness and versatility of the XC, and the decision becomes all the more easy!<P>Thanks again for the input, and I'll let ya know how it goes!<P>

 

[FrankG]

Coastal,<P>You make very valid points as to why the XC is worth the few thousand more over the cost of a Passat Wagon 4Motion. Yes, it's very easy to talk yourself into the XC if you were originally considering the Passat. I certainly did and am extremely happy with the XC.<P>Besides, if you have to wait until June to get the Passat Wagon, you might as well wait a few more months and get a 2002. The W8 Passat Wagon looks very interesting and may be available in 2002. Hmmmm... <P>Keep us up to date on your progress and let us know what you end up doing.<P>Frank<P>

 

[coastal]

Just returned from a 24hr demo of the XC... WOW!<P>Absolutely perfect testing conditions for the car. <P>Last night, we rolled up to Cypress Mountain and played around in 25 cm of new snow. Tons of fun!<P>Encountered some extremely dense fog on the way up.. perfect for testing out the fog lamps.<P>Stopped by the VW lot to check their current status of Passat 4motions (none to be seen). Upon leaving, rolled the XC up onto a curb... just because I could. <IMG SRC="http://www.swedespeed.com/ubb/biggrin.gif"><P>This morning, drove up to Whistler. The most convincing part of the drive was while following a Toyota 4Runner through one of the very windy sections. Watching the SUV roll back and forth with every turn really made me appreciate the low profile of the XC!<P>The negatives? Nothing serious:<BR>1) Rear window coats with dirt extremely fast. Sign me up for a spoiler ASAP!<BR>2) Driver's drink holder, though well placed, it's pretty loose with most cups.<BR>3) What is that rubber tab thingy in front of the shifter?!<BR>4) No MPH on the speedo, only KM.<BR>4)I've always had a pet peeve with 'blank buttons'. Will be useful if I ever need to install aftermarket accessories, but in the meantime, they serve as a constant reminder that the car's not 'fully loaded.' Like... this is where the DTSC would go, had you of purchased it. <IMG SRC="http://www.swedespeed.com/ubb/smile.gif"><P>How's that for nit-picking?!<P>Love the car and I envy all of you who already drive one... I hope to join the club very soon!<BR>

 

[S.R.]

Just to add my 0.2 cents worth, I think that little rubber thingy is there to hold pens/pencils or glasses/sunglasses. I don't think I would ever use that drivers drink holder because I would be too affraid it would spill all over the stereo system and electronic climate control gadgets. <IMG SRC="http://www.swedespeed.com/ubb/smile.gif"><P>-Drew

 

[coastal]

I'm in!<P>2001 XC<BR>Silver ext<BR>Graphite int<BR>Versatility package<BR>Touring package<P>Picking it up on Saturday morning! <IMG SRC="http://www.swedespeed.com/ubb/biggrin.gif"> <IMG SRC="http://www.swedespeed.com/ubb/biggrin.gif"> <IMG SRC="http://www.swedespeed.com/ubb/biggrin.gif"><P>Woohoo!

 

[FrankG]

Coastal,<P>Congratulations! That's great! I think you'll like the graphite interior a lot.<P>By the way, there is one accessory that I can't say enough about and highly recommend. It's the rubber floor mats from Volvo. The fit is excellent and they are great for the winter. Usually they'll offer you a discount if you buy them at the time you pick up the car. <P>Congrats, again, and good luck with the new car!<P>Frank<BR><P>

 

[S.R.]

Coastal,<P>Congrats on your new XC as well...<P>-Drew