On the subject of VW's reputation in the USA and owners not taking proper care of their cars, the issue still comes back to the fact that none of these things are unique to VW. Japanese car brands didn't earn their shining reputations because their customers take better care of their vehicles, if anything they probably treat their cars worse. It's because they can withstand all that abuse and neglect and keep on working, that customers put so much trust in them.
Of course with the way things change so quickly, it's hard to know when reputations are outdated. Most of the horror stories I've heard about VW's concerned older products no longer in production. The same is true with the positive stories I've heard about Japanese cars, most of them are related to cars that are no longer built as well. But then you have car companies like Hyundai/Kia. They were literally a joke out here, not too long ago. They were considered disposable cars. But they've worked hard and turned that reputation completely around. They are very respectable now.
I really don't know what to think about VW. My parents were making noises about possibly buying a new Jetta for my mom and I wasn't sure what to tell them. Assuming the car is reliable, it could be a great choice, since it has a much more upscale look and feel than much of the competition. But VW dealerships aren't well known for being very friendly or helpful and the vehicle warranties aren't very good, which gives the impression that they don't stand behind their products. I'll probably just advise my parents to stick with Japanese cars, which have served them flawlessly for the past 15 years.
VW as a brand only sells about 6% of its production to the US.
