Well, hello there. You look nice this evening. Is that a new hair style? Did you lose weight? Did you finally get that nose job?
This is the lounge so smoke em’ if you got em’ and dance to the beat of a different drummer.
212 thoughts on “The Lounge where we party like it’s 1999.”
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I remember this one time at band camp where I beat the heck out of all those geeks for being at band camp.
I remember this one time at church camp where Pat Robertson and I stayed up for 3 nights going through hookers and blow.
I remember this one time at VORP camp where I learned that WAR wasn’t nearly as funny to say as VORP.
Interesting choice to cast Marky Mark in the lead of the Ghandi remake.
I just came in here to say that Bed is so dead sexy, when he walks into a party people often just orgasm spontaneously just from hearing he is there. And he hasn’t even paid them yet.
I’m pretty sure this is true.
I’m surprised they were able to tear Taylor Hicks away from the Vallejo County Fair to sing at the Republican National Convention.
I think she was put in charge of re-freezing Clint Eastwood’s head after his, um, speech.
Well, good…Ted Williams’ head is lonely.
When having to chose between listening to Mitt talk or game 4 of the preseason my choice is always the same….the lounge.
With Clint Eastwood speaking at the RNC I guess the GOP now has the rich, old white dude with 12 kids by 10 different women vote locked up now…I love Clint but man he looked old.
For those of you keeping score at home I’m drinking the blood of my enemies with a slice of lime.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=BsOlHrxgpAg%3Ffeature%3Dplayer_detailpage” frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen>
Just remember to stay one step ahead of the dangerous kitty kat.
Tell me about it…our cat has taken the dog hostage and says she won’t let him go until Iran gets rid of it’s nuclear program.
These damn kids with their Sega Genesis’ and their Hootie and the Blowfish.
It ain’t easy being green?….pfft…try being a middle class, straight white guy….oh, how I suffer.
There’s a hurricane in my pants if you know what I mean….yeah, I don’t get it either.
Listen I’m just going to say it…knee high tube socks are sexy.
If Paul Ryan is the future of the GOP then I’m not all that worried as a Democrat.
Oh sure now you tell me not to bring my pet pig Pete to your wedding.
I’d rather be driving a Titleist….and driving up interest rates.
Okay you got me…I don’t have a permit for my ten pound battle salami.
Really all I want out of life is peace, happiness and a fuck load of money.
I can tell I’m getting older by the fact that I only think about tits 22 hours a day now.
I’d be a vegan but it turns out I’m not a pinko, commie bastard.
I’d join the NRA but it turns out I’m a pinko, commie bastard.
and breathe….
I’d forgotten how surreal this place can be.
You’ve entered the Bed Zone…
cue Rod Serling….or Kenny Loggins….either is fine.
If you could choose anyone to be President of the United States who would it be….I mean besides Bruce Jenner?
Bruce Springsteen?
He does have a little bit of that human touch.
Bruce Bruce the Hanukkah Moose?
does it have to be a bruce?
How about Bruce LaBruce?
I would re-elect the current guy, but swap out his entire cabinet for FKers and my leather family and my Uncle Jimmy.
FK Cabinet Nominations:
Department of State Secretary – Elcroata
Department of the Treasury Secretary – Nevermoor
Department of Defense Secretary – Kylianna
Department of Justice Attorney – Dogfather
Department of the Interior Secretary – ptbnl
Department of Agriculture Secretary – whimsical witch
Department of Commerce Secretary – WaddellCanseco
Department of Labor Secretary – DFA
Department of Health and Human Services Secretary – Jennifer
Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary – FreeSeatUpgrade
Department of Transportation Secretary – Andeux
Department of Energy Secretary – llama
Department of Education Secretary – Englishmajor
Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary – gonealookin
Department of Homeland Security – SPWC
i would be honored to be the Ag Queen.
Drug Czar – nobody in particular?
Done.
Darn.
Thanks, and go As.
We’ll start our own shadow cabinet, Mike.
Ambassador to Boobs?
I like this.
Thanks, and go As.
Awesome. There’s serious opportunities for graft in Housing and Urban Development.
Instaban blowing the tops off of West Virginian mountains.
I accept this nomination whole-heartedly.
Sorry, you left me out. Your gov’t will have to be overthrown. Viva La Revolucion!This threat has been taken care of.
Can I be both the Press Secretary and Helen Thomas?
Yes, of course!
I got back from walking my grandchiweenie as her dad, Poppy Jr., reported from the Niners game: “It’s cold and this stadium is ghetto.”
Why were the niners playing at the coleseum?
The Coliseum is practically a palace compared to Candlestick… :\
All I’m going to say is seeing Chris Christie in HD made my baby cry.
Why, did Christie somehow find a way to reach through the screen and take your kid’s candy?
My last night in Minnesota. It’s weird being in Central Time when you’re all speaking in PT.
pfft….I’m CT for life!….well, maybe not for life but for the next 20 years or so….well, except for the summer when I’m in Hawaii.
Since we all agree that Breakout by Swing Out Sister is the greatest song of all time what song is second on that list?
I like that song!
Me too. But I haven’t even thought of it for years and years and years.
Caught up on Breaking Bad while I was breastfeeding a squirrel tonight and I have to say as much as I loved the show it’s becoming more illogical by the minute.
Matt Leinart….3-11 14 yards and a pick….Dear Carson Palmer, please don’t get hurt.
Listen guy with the beard in a blue suit….I do like blocks, punts and penalties….what’s it to you?
Little know fact….the 5th Beatle was Bob Dole.
Like most people when the feelings right I like to run all night.
Bob Geren….Genius or Super-Duper Genius?
Super duper schmuper genius?
been watching sid?
Like most Congressmen Paul Ryan spends his Saturday nights jerking off to the Ayn Rand poster he had above his bed.
You know Bed I think we’re alone here….Yeah, I think everyone is off egging Lew Wolff’s house again.
In my defense when I got caught with the hooker I didn’t know she was a transsexual…I just thought she was a cross dresser.
What an emotional roller coaster of a day. And bytrolley coaster I mean a train with a modest hill that then enters free fall until you slam into the ground.
Just remember if you want me here in the lounge just go to the bathroom, take off all your clothes and look into the mirror and say Bed, Bed, Bed and I will appear.
You may be asking why you have to take your clothes off…well, you see…I’m a perv…oh, and you ask too many questions…now off with the clothes!
You can’t always get what you wanted but if you try some time you just might find that Keith Richards has been dead since 1987.
(looks out into the audience sees only one person there)….any requests?
FREEBIRD!
Let me go put on my mullet first.
I have become comfortably dumb.
If it helps set the mood I’ve been dripping hot candle wax on my nipples the entire time I’ve been posting tonight in the lounge.
Just tonight and just your nipples?
I do the full body show on Saturday nights.
*marke calendar*
I know you’re kidding doc, but seriously… vanillas should embrace wax play.
It’s fun and safe and erotic, albeit messy if you don’t prepare properly beforehand.
Don’t use white candles, tho… they burn too hot.
and remember kids there are no stupid questions but there are stupid students so watch what you ask me.
Remember, there are no questions, stupid.
I can honestly say I’m happier than I’ve ever been and life is sweet…so the bottom should fall out anyday now.
That’s now how I see things.
There will be strikes and gutters, but the happiness and sweetness can endure those and get you through the hard times.
It’s not easy, tho.
All characters appearing in this lounge are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Yes, yes…a thousand times this.
even William Howard Taft?
Top 10 Favorite Songs….The only one song per artist version.
1. In the Air Tonight – Phil Collins
2. Free Fallin’ – Tom Petty
3. Boys of Summer – Don Henly
4. One – U2
5. While You See A Chance – Steve Winwood
6. Turn It On Again – Genesis
7. Tiny Dancer- Elton John
8. Brothers In Arms – Dire Staits
9. In Your Eyes – Peter Gabriel
10. Fire and Rain – James Taylor
Hey, all white guys….but only 6 of them are British so it’s a well rounded list for a racist twit stuck in the 80’s.
P.S. this list changes daily
You know, for a long time I thought the line “After the boys of summer, have gone” was “After the poison summer, has gone.”
It works either way…just in one version the boys of summer are in the band Poison.
I might actually pay to see that.
I just learned that the guy in “walking in Memphis” was walking ten feet off of Beale, not off of beer.
Cruel and unusual by any decent standard.
This list goes up to 11!
1. “Watch Me Jumpstart” – Guided By Voices (1995)
“The Witch Doctor Life” – Captain Beefheart (1982)
3. “Rubric” – Philip Glass Ensemble (1982)
4. “Come On Up To The House” – Tom Waits (1999)
5. “Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)” – Talking Heads (1980)
6. “The True Wheel” – Brian Eno (1974)
7. “Que Baila Son Usted” – Ibrahim Ferrer (1999)
8. “The Sounds Of Silence” – Simon & Garfunkel (1965)
9. “The Spiderbite Song” – Flaming Lips (1999)
10. “Deeper Into Movies” – Yo La Tengo (1997)
11. “Crystalline” – Bjork (2011)
This is really hard, but I’ll give it a shot. Same caveat as Bed — this list is in constant flux.
1. “State of Shock” — The Ex and Tom Cora (1991)
2. “Coming Down” — Dum Dum Girls (2011)
3. “Brand-New-Life” — Young Marble Giants (1980)
4. “California” — EMA (2011)
5. “Babylonian Gorgon” — The Bags (1978)
6. “Everything In Its Right Place” — Radiohead (2000)
7. “Break” — Fugazi (1998)
8. “The Partisan” — Leonard Cohen (1969) plus Electrelane’s cover version (2005)
9. “Golden Hours” — Brian Eno (1975)
10. “Outdoor Miner” — Wire (1978)
(10)- With or without the piano solo? I say with.
huh… I guess I’m talking about the version without piano solo? That’s the one off Chairs Missing, right? I’m not sure that I’ve even heard the other version.
The single version had a dubbed-in piano solo from Mike Thorne and was also released on the “On Returning” compilation.
With all the great Cohen songs you could have chosen …
I’m mostly unfamiliar with Cohen’s large catalog of songs. I actually came to The Partisan via that Electrelane cover (which is very different from the Cohen version, but also awesome).
Do you dislike The Partisan, or just don’t like it as much as other Leonard Cohen?
Dislike.
Because of subject matter/lyrics? Or music/performance?
It’s just so maudlin.
Yeah, I’m not going to dispute that. There is a significant “guilty pleasure” element in any list of favorites, kind of like my choice of Wire songs, as discussed below with Kay.
You might like the rockin’ Electrelane cover…
Mine, OTOH, are power songs.
If I had to pick eleven songs by eleven artists with which to fight against The Devil, Ty Cobb, and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, I wouldn’t change a one.
I’ve heard about half of those, myself.
“Outdoor Miner” would definitely make my top 100, although with no repeats from any band, I’d go with “Mercy” or “I Am The Fly” as my Wire choice.
Mercy and I Am The Fly are both great, but there is something about Wire in full pop mode that I can’t resist. Another example would be Kidney Bingos, which is right up near the top of my favorite Wire songs.
Eardrum Buzz!
I used to hate post-1980 Wire, but not anymore. “Send” is a fine album.
Is EMA one of the people that you’ve heard, or not? Because it has crossed my mind on a couple of occasions that you would probably like her (not in the least because the album title is Past Life Martyred Saints).
California is the standout track, but Marked is a good one too.
I saw one of her videos on 120 Minutes and it didn’t do much for me.
The “California” song is pretty good, but the “I’m 22 & I don’t mind dyin'” line is kind of a trigger for me, so I didn’t finish it. It reminds me of looking for someone you’re never gonna find, except in small fragments in the eyes of everyone you ever meet.
There is literally no way I could name my top 10 songs.
Thanks, and go As.
Hard enough to pick ten, so these are in no particular order:
Here Comes the Sun (Beatles)
Somebody to Love (Queen)
Alcoholiday (Teenage Fanclub)
If You Find Yourself Caught in Love (Belle and Sebastian)
Just (Radiohead)
Visions of Johanna (Dylan)
Suffragette City (Bowie)
Common People (Pulp)
All the Young Dudes (Mott the Hoople)
Driver 8 (R.E.M.)
LOVE Common People.
daddy’s gonna buy you a dream to cling to.
mama’s gonna love you just as much as she can, and she can.
I’m not sure if it’s Top Ten, but it’s the current list of songs that I think of when thinking about songs which I do not grow tired of no matter how often I listen:
Dramarama – I’ll Give You Anything (recently rediscovered after many years)
Rezillos – Ballroom Blitz
Tchaikovsky, P.I., (as recorded by the CSO or played live by the Oregon Symphony and Oregon National Guard) – 1812 overture
Supremes – You Keep Me Hanging On
Talking Heads – Life During Wartime (live version on Stop Making Sense)
ДДТ (DDT) – BOPOHA (Crow)
Lisa Loeb – Disappointing pancake (since I’m forced to listen to children’s music more often than I like, this one is pretty good)
Camper van Beethoven – When I Win the Lottery
Cake – Wheels Keep on Spinning Round
Dresden Dolls – Coin Operated Boy
I’ll Give You Anything is such a goddamn great song.
Thanks, and go As.
#songsthatmakemewanttoputmyfistintothenearestwall
Hell yeah. Actually I am always surprised with how much I like Dramarama. Work for Food is an earwig for me-it will be there all day once I start listening.
The more surprising thing is how they never became big outside of the one song.
Pretty much. Becoming “big” is so random on not dependent on talent, listenability, etc that nothing surprises me anymore, but other than that yeah they should have been everywhere at some point.
Their image and videos were boring and behind the times, even if the songs were alright.
“Coin Operated Boy” would definitely make my wife’s top-10 list.
I was debating between that and several other DD songs; in the end, the amazing attention to meter in Coin-Operated Boy won the day.
THat one is awesome too
Thanks, and go As.
15 would have been way easier. My list.
1. Backstreet Boys, “More Than Thatâ€
2. NKOTB, “Singleâ€
3. The Weakerthans, “Tournament of Heartsâ€
4. Pink Floyd, “Comfortably Numbâ€
5. Dramarama, “Anything, Anythingâ€
6. The Ataris, “Boys of Summer” (cover)
7. Ray LaMontagne, “Troubleâ€
8. Cyndi Lauper, “Time After Timeâ€
9. The Frames, “Falling Slowlyâ€
10. They Might Be Giants, “Birdhouse in Your Soulâ€
“Birdhouse In Your Soul” makes my top 100. Great song.
Time After Time is such a FKing great song. That might have made my list had I thought of it.
These are probably not actually my top 10, but they are at the least the first 10 that come to mind when I thought about favorites.
Can I Kick It? – A Tribe Called Quest
Got Up This Morning – Sage Francis
Sound of Silence – Simon & Garfunkle
What Kind of Love – Jim Meyer
First in Flight – Blackalicious
Love Ain’t – Cunninlynguists
Doin’ Time – Sublime
Begin the Beguine – Cole Porter
You – Atmosphere
Always Be Together – Billy Goodrum
Sound of Silence is definitely up there for me too
i’d rather listen to its namesake.
Are you now or have you ever been a member of Freekraut?
In our play tonight the role of Joe McCarty will be played by noted thespian and lover of goats, Nico.
Dirty Harry Part 6: Go ahead and make my Metamucil.
The minute Michael Bolton tells us about his comeback tour I’ll be line waiting for tickets….so I guess I’ll be in line at an Indian casino in North Dakota.
Dude, he’s golden. He’s in with the lonely island boys:
I’m out of goofy things to say so it’s back to my 1,137 part series on FIP.
Now we left off on how FIP is HIP especially when it’s on a SHIP eating chips with DIP.
Would you, could you on a ship?
I thought the next part in the series was to be written by PIP.
Okay, when I’m done having sex with your wife tonight don’t worry I’ll be nice and leave one beer in the fridge for you.
I’m on penicillin, so you can drink the last beer too.
However, if you’re less than eight inches, she’ll probably bite it off to keep as a souvenir.
Just remember kids….you can do whatever you want in life as long as you’re rich, good looking and have connections in high places.
I’m off to do my bit for god and country. I enjoy spending time with all of you….well, most of you. Be well and I’ll see you on the other side.
If I understand you correctly, you are going to sleep. If so sleep well. If, on the other hand, you are planning an escape from jail, the bottom bar in the southwest corner of the cafeteria is loose. Good luck.
Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here! This is the Lounge!
Just another win!
SAVE THE DATE, Thursday September 13th, Save Oakland Sports will be holding a first of its kind, grassroots, fundraiser “Stadium Aid”! More details will be announced very soon, but we plan on having celebrities (Sports, TV and Movie Stars), Music, local politicians, a raffle and a silent auction with amazing prizes from local, regional and national businesses. The event will be held at Ricky’s Sports bar in San Leandro beginning at 6 PM. This will be the first in a series of fundraising efforts by our group to raise funds for stadium construction for our Oakland Sports Teams. I will post a Facebook event page once we have all details confirmed, please plan on attending if you are able to!
If you are interested in volunteering or helping out, please consider coming to the next Save Oakland Sports meeting on Tuesday September 4th at the Red Lion Hotel on Hegenberger, beginning at 6 PM.
http://www.saveoaklandsports.org
OK i’ll try. This is simply the last 10 songs that have played from my music today.
10. Matisyahu – Chop em Down
9. Girl Talk – That’s my DJ
8. Flobots – Happy Together (cover)
7. Millincolin – Penguins & Polarbears (BLOOMBAIT!)
6. They Might Be Giants – Four of Two
5. Green Day – American Idiot
4. Slipknot – No Life
3. Social Distortion – Moral Threat
2. Temple of the Dog – Reach Down
1. Ministry – Just One Fix
Thanks, and go As.
Oh, and Dandy Worhols – Big Indian just came on.
FK, I love this song.
Thanks, and go As.
This is a tough one right outta bed, but here goes:
Cherrystones – The Left Reverend Eugene McDaniels
I’ll Come Running to Tie Your Shoe – Brian Eno
Bat Out of Hell – Meat Loaf
The Infant Kiss – Kate Bush
Moribund, the Burgermeister – Peter Gabriel
La Rossa – Van der Graaf Generator
Sea Song – Robert Wyatt
The National Anthem – Radiohead
Entangled – Genesis
I’m Reaching Out on All Sides – If
In the Wake of Poseidon – King Crimson
Celestial Blues – Gary Bartz NTU Troop/Andy Bey
Cortez the Killer – Neil Young
OK, there’s a quick Baker’s dozen, subject to change every ten minutes — these are just songs with words and those make up less than 25% of the music I listen to.
Nice touch with the youtube links. It’ll take me a while to work through those…
I heart Eugene McDaniels!
Entangled….good one….I always liked the lyrics of that one.
I’m boring, and one per artist is tough
While my guitar gently weeps – Beatles
Man who sold the world – Nirvana (yes, I prefer the cover)
Sunshine of Your Love – Cream
Folsom Prison Blues – Johnny Cash
Under The Bridge – RHCP
Lose Yourself – Eminem
Unforgiven – Metallica
Where The Streets Have No Name – U2
Dream on – Aerosmith
Hurricane – Dylan
You’re not boring. Those are fine choices for someone who doesn’t spend a lot of time cracking out to find non-mainstream music. Your list is very anthemic and full of power songs.
If I was to recommend one band to you off my list, it would be Guided By Voices. Anthemic garage rock, recorded in a basement in suburban Dayton, Ohio (through 1996)… Robert Pollard (the mastermind) is a warrior jock poet with an encyclopedic knowledge of the history of pop, prog, punk, & psych (The 4 P’s). He threw a no-hitter in college and wrote fifty or sixty of my favorite songs of all time.
That’s a good list, nevermoor.
Here’s a loungy topic: Mrs. N and I are car shopping. Either new or near-new for car-seat safety reasons, and it needs to offset MikeV’s truck all by itself.
Would definitely be interested in received wisdom on our list, which currently looks like so:
Subaru Impreza (actually a fun drive, leading non-hybrid candidate, major fuel efficiency boost in 2012)
Prius V (drives like… a prius)
CRV (meh. but not necessarily in a bad way)
Mazda 3 (on our list, but haven’t gotten there yet)
VW Sportwagon TDI (good mileage, never owned a diesel, VW has had reliability issues, still need to drive)
Ford C-Max (sexy better-than-prius mileage, not too long for street parking, hasn’t reached dealers)
Basically, this is the carseat car that’s replacing our 1998 Accord 2-door, so I have a hard time imagining it won’t be either a hatchback or SUV. Anything with sub-Impreza mileage (26 / 37) would be out. And anything that plugs in is out since we don’t have a garage. I’m excited about the Ford but won’t be able to see one for a couple weeks.
Since at least some of you know your car shit better than me, I figured I’d lay it out and see what happens.
I’m not super up on cars, so I can’t speak to most of your list, but FWIW I drive a newer Mazda 3 (non-hatchback version though), and I’ve been very happy with it. It came out on top for me in the four-door subcompact non-luxury category, and I don’t regret the decision at all so far.
I don’t know how it compares to the other cars on your list though, particularly re car seat safety features, so this isn’t the most useful of comments.
I’ve had my Mazda Protege for almost 10 years and the worst issues I’ve had were the check engine light and the cable in the power window snapping. Hate the car though, weak power and worse the seats are uncomfortable as hell. Seems like they’ve fixed those in more reason models. Too bad I’m at least a year from a new car and the A’s will likely have a new stadium before I actually replace it.
I’d recommend my Mazda, but it’s actually a Ford Ranger with Mazda labels. Has been the most reliable vehicle I’ve ever had, though.
The Ranger is probably the best product Ford made over a 30 year span.
agreed.
My dad had one and it was bare-bones and reliable and wasn’t too embarrassing driving uphill.
We bought a new Mazda 3 last month and are delighted. If you go that way, make sure you’re getting one with what they call “Skyactiv” technology (not all 2012s have it). This is Mazda’s new car manufacturing concept. Past car design basically went Make Chassis, Make Body that fits on chassis, Make Engine that fits in body, Make Transmission that fits with engine. Skyactiv designed all these parts together. The result is a better horsepower to car weight ratio, which means better mileage without sacrificing safety. The Mazda 3 is an IIHS best buy for safety. And even though it’s zippy as hell, it gets 40 mpg highway. And costs less than $20K new.
Here’s a review by a gearhead friend of mine. Nurse U will have ours at the tailgate tomorrow if you want to check it out.
Thanks. We will probably eyeball it (and would definitely go “skyactiv”). Is it a hatchback?
The price is definitely right in range with the Subaru (and I’ve had positive experiences with the Marin Mazda/Subaru dealership in the past). I could see it coming down the the hair better mileage.
That said, I’m currently overhyping the Ford in my mind. 47/47 mpg is sexy, especially for a car that will do a ton of city driving.
Ours is a sedan, but hatchback is available.
I am usually very skeptical of the first model years from any manufacturer, but I suppose the previous Euro editions of the Ford might have worked the bugs out.
You should talk with my buddy Phil who will be at the tailgate tomorrow, cars are his profession.
Definitely. That would be a great thing.
And I share that queasiness, but between the euro model and the years of hybrids on other bodies, I feel generally ok about it. What I really need is for the damn things to arrive in SF so I can test drive one and stop reading reviews.
The touchscreen-based electronics in the new Fords take precious eye-seconds off the road.
The voice-sync is utterly useless. The one I rented a couple of weekends ago was awkward. I couldn’t get my mp3 player to play through the stereo OR figure out how to turn the interior fan all the way off. They’re full of useless LED’s everywhere and I was paranoid my battery would drain.
Yeah, It sounds like their technology is not as good as the others. I’ll definitely need to play around with it.
Don’t know if you saw this piece in the Chron yesterday. Pretty interesting way to look at it.
isn’t that just looking down the columns in consumer reports?
I dunno, it looks like they’ve done some of their own data crunching.
Interesting. I’m surprised not to see the Subaru on that list since 27/36 is pretty efficient and it has pretty good performance
That said, I think we are pulling a bit of a curve and landing on a Prius. I’d love to do a Volt, but no garage = no plugin. And stupid Ford just can’t get the C-Max out for us to test drive.
Golf TDI did very well, validating my personal experience! I just drove to San Diego and back, with a bike on the roof and 2 passengers (plus myself). Got 44mpg, with the bike, in winds, with the A/C on (and passed the 215,000 mile mark in the process).
Nice. I thought I would really like the SportWagon, but they have a super-wide console between the driver and passenger which goes several inches into the space where my right knee would otherwise sit.
Oh well.
I’ve owned a VW Golf TDI for 13 years, since new. I love it. It drives amazingly well, despite the fact that I do a crappy job of taking care of it. I personally think the reliability issues are overblown due to small issues being mishandled by incompetent dealer mechanics, but that’s just my experience.
For reference, here’s everything that has broken (I think!):
– It had a loose ground wire a couple of years after purchase, that caused the engine to stop on hard right turns (!). This was the most significant issue I’ve had.
– Check engine light due to corroded wiring harness (easy fix; I did it myself, but only after dealers claimed the problem was in the injection system)
– Mass airflow sensor needed replacement (easy fix; but first dealers claimed I had to replace the turbocharger (!) )
– Coolant temp sensor needed replacement (did this myself)
– Fuel Injection Pump needed replacement. My fault for switching between 100% biodiesel and 100% low sulfur dino diesel.
– Just changed out shocks/struts and control arm bushings
– Just had to have injection pump timing adjusted, but I think it’s been FKed up ever since the pump itself was replaced (stupid dealer)
– Current check engine light: bad sensor (hard to get to, though – air temp sensor)
– Recently, the door lock won’t lock from the remote.
– The trunk hatch stopped opening, but I fixed that myself.
– The cup holder broke twice! but I replaced it with a more recent model in 2002, and it’s been great ever since.
– Oil dipstick holder broke – $20 fix, did it myself, just annoying
– Windshield wash sprayer hose broke – this is just bad engineering. Fixed it myself with some lab tubing.
– Regular maintenance – belts replaced, light bulbs, tires, oil, etc.
I think that’s it, and I honestly think that’s really not bad over 13 years and 215K miles. The mileage is awesome; I regularly get 650-700 miles on 14-15 gallons. I’ve never replaced the clutch, even though I learned to drive manual transmission on this car. If I think of anything else that’s broken, I’ll post it. I will say that there are GREAT online resources – even if you’re not going to fix anything yourself, it’s great to be armed with information before going into a mechanic or dealer. I wish I’d learned this sooner. And I invested in a code scanner.
Also, my car was made in Germany, not Mexico (the VIN will tell you, but it’s even less common now than it was then).
Do you have any idea if the corroded wiring harness is a common thing? I’ve been getting intermittent check engine lights in my 2005 Scion xA. The code reader tells me that it’s the heated oxygen sensor, which is supposedly expensive to replace. But the light comes and goes, so I can’t help wondering if it’s just a flaky connection.
Mine comes on a result of a not tight enough seal on my gas cap. Though more recently it’s been erratically coming on and staying on and I’m positive it was the idiots who took an hour to do my oil change.
For my car, it’s pretty common advice to check the wires before replacing the sensor. Is it hard to get to? Is this the sensor?
I think that’s the right part, unless they are actually different between the 2005 and 2006 models. I remember seeing the part for like $60-80, so that one seems like a much better deal. I’m not totally clear on where it is in the car (other than “somewhere in the back as part of the exhaust system”), so that makes it harder for me to check the wiring or try to replace the sensor myself.
Bad wiring harnesses are a very common complaint about VWs.
O2 sensors are generally not a very expensive fix at all, unless your Scion put theirs in some difficult to access location. I’ve change my Toyota truck O2 sensor twice; took about 10 minutes.
Check engine lights are of course notoriously flaky, and 90% or more of the time they do not indicate any serious mechanical problem. It’s almost always about emissions. Of course, you can’t pass smog with the check engine light on.
Yep, fortunately I’m not due for a vehicle inspection until May.
Thanks for that, definitely comforting.
My in-laws had a Passat. Seems like that thing was always having issues, with a minimum price of admission somewhere around $500.
Yeah, VW is pretty high on my list of “never buy this car no matter what,” oblique’s positive experience notwithstanding.
Hopefully without sounding like a racist, I had heard prior to my purchase that there was a significant difference in quality between the ones built in Germany vs. the ones built in Mexico. The vast majority of those sold in the US are built in Mexico. So, I’m not sure my experience negates your opinion.
That said, NM, if you want a broader base of experience, I recommend the forums at tdiclub.com – I think there’s a “101” section where beginners (and people who don’t generally work on their own cars) are asking questions.
Ms. s & I are also looking. We’re both happy longtime VW owners (me Passat, her Jetta TDI). She’s run her TDI on almost exclusively biodiesel except when she’s low and has to add a few gallons from a standard pump because she can’t get to the biodiesel supplier. Works fine to go back and forth and/or mix the two. Given the good mileage of a diesel combined with running on recycled vegetable oil is a pretty low footprint option.
to be clear, I loved driving the GTI. It just seemed like $1500 + everytime we went to the mechanic.
you don’t need an SUV for the kid. UNless you intend to take up some gear heavy hobby a sedan is fine, hatchback great.
I have not bought a car in a while (accord 4 door) but my 2 cents would be no to the VW. Great cars, fun to drive fuel efficient. When we had a gas GTI everything was great except the maintenance. Super expensive
Yeah. I think we are leaning hatchback over SUV, especially since the CRV didn’t do it for either of us (and Mrs. N is generally pretty pro-Honda).
Whoa! “Carseat safety”? As in baby?
You need to pay more attention to FK. This scoop was leaked weeks ago…
Well, no shit “I need to pay more attention to FK!” :P~~~
Congrats, nm & mrsnm!!!
Thanks!
Oo. I missed the baby announcement, too – I’m assuming it was leaked on a weekend when I’m outta touch because of having to deal with my own.
Anyway, we just traded in our Honda Odyssey that we bought when we were close to having our second, for a Mazda 5 and a VW TDI Jetta sedan, finally giving into the need for a second car due to our idiotic commutes (kids in two different schools, neither of which are remotely close to our home).
Anyway, we previously had a TDI wagon. We loved it and only got rid of it because having two kids in the back of it was infeasible when one had to be rear-facing. That said, it was a 2004 and they’ve increased the rear space now. Now that we have a VW again, we’ll be fighting over who gets to drive it; they are fun to drive and the mileage is wonderful. We’ve test driven Prii and neither of us can stand to drive them. We’ve liked the Mazda 3 we drove, but opted for the VW for improved mileage and fun-ness.
Oh, and congratulations Mr. and Mrs. nm!
I love the idea of the 5. tiny and big.
After cramming myself into the back seat this weekend, I may have changed my mind, but as much as we’ll need the rear seat, it’s really overall better fits our needs.
I just had a Mazda 2 rental. It was okay but not thrilling. The Mazda 3 was one of the cars I was considering when I bought last year, but ultimately I went with the Nissan Cube and love it. Extremely comfortable and roomy, and high marks for safety. But if it isn’t on your list I suppose you don’t care for the mod look.
that car says “you”…in a very graceful way.
The Mazda 3 looks pretty appealing. Apparently a 0% financing deal this weekend, too (if you’re into that kind of thing).
So, I crashed my Golf a couple of weeks ago, and it may be totaled (I was told it was totaled, but it was close, so I submitted my receipts for new-ish tires and new suspension, and am crossing my fingers – should find out tomorrow). I’ll probably have the Golf repaired either way and keep it, but it got us looking at replacements for linea alba’s somewhat-ailing Civic.
We really liked the Mazda 3. The TDI Sportwagens were also up there, and seem more like “real cars,” but are just not very available for reasonable money (there’s a used 2010 in Ukiah that looks awesome, but…Ukiah, and still more expensive than a brand new Mazda 3 — and a 2012 Mazda 3 has 0% financing, which is very nice — so do the 2012 Sportwagens, but there aren’t any manual transmissions around).
Mazda 3 is fantastic. Mazda’s “Skyactiv” is the real deal, a genuinely innovative new approach to integrated car design which should pay big dividends both in mileage every day as well as in maintenance over the long haul.
Awesome. I’m hoping this works out!
I’d just suggest you try the Impreza before deciding. Mrs. N and I thought it was the best non-hybrid we drove (though part of that is that I do not fit well in the the 3).
Colin McRae endorses this message