Are VW's the new Alpha's?

[corsa245]

My mates looking for a family car due to a new arrival, and I was thinking to myself that I absolutely love my B5 Passat, but I found it difficult to recommend one due to reliability issues.

It reminds me very much of what the Top Gear lot think of Alphas, about how owning one is an adventure!

Love my dub to bits, but after replacing the ac pump, alternator, battery, timing belt (after fail), and suspension arms, how can you recomend one??

Is it just me??