Fords smell like someone has already been smoking in it for 5 years.
If you have always wanted a GTI get one. How's your finance situation? If you're a decently paid individual, treat yourself. If you like it so much you won't mind if it costs you a few grand here and there.
Counterpoint. The wife has a 2012 GTi and I have a 2015 Golf TSi. The GTi did have a water pump go bad recently, but I guess a TSB has been issued so it is a known problem. That being said, both cars are at least two steps up from anything I could find that are competitors to the GTI or Golf. I have had good luck and think a certain amount of extra maintenance is worth it. Even my base golf(17K car) has an interior and features of cars costing much more and they simply go down the road like a true German car. When comparing to the competition, please get the car up to highway speed and see for yourself how quiet they are compared to a typical Japanese/Korean car.
To me SOME pain/cost is worth it
this should say something.. I know of four running Discos around here (mine included) I do not know of a single running 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th generation VW in this area
Buy what you want to drive. Life is short. This is grassroots motorsports - not grassroots motor investing.
In reply to jv8:
The problem with not being able to go out and get something now is that I have tons of time to think, and overthink, and re-think and basically worry myself to death with all the little what ifs and second guessing decisions I haven't even made yet.
It would be easier to just go get something and live with the consequences.
My gti was the worst car I've ever owned. Cost me a fortune to watch it deteriorate. There was always something wrong with that car, always. Berkley vw.
FWIW, my 2011 GTI has been great so far at 45k miles. Only issue was a failed flapper in the intake manifold covered under a warranty extension on that assembly until 105k miles. Warranty also extended on fuel injectors and the high pressure fuel pump.
Love driving this car, and it was a HUGE reach for me to go back to this brand after a disasterous experience with a 2001 Jetta. So far though, so good. Hope I didn't jinx myself !
You hate Fords and you aren't interested in Japanese (or I would assume Korean). So you've pretty much ruled out about 95% of the best small hatchbacks out there, and the only thing really left is the GTI or A3 so far as I can tell, unless there's some GM or Chrysler product that rings your bell.
It's clear you want a GTI and were just looking for some validation here of people saying "oh, they're great cars with no problems." But that didn't happen. So get the GTI anyhow, and just assume you're gonna have problems with it, and you'll be fine and have the car you wanted in the first place ;) And who knows, maybe you WON'T have problems....
In reply to irish44j:
I was thinking the same thing :) Just didn't type it.
FWIW I'm about to buy a Golf R but I would be fine owning a Focus RS. I've had good and bad from all makes. Maybe only Toyota was just good but they don't make anything that excites me. Like I said... life is short.
jv8 wrote: In reply to irish44j: I was thinking the same thing :) Just didn't type it. FWIW I'm about to buy a Golf R but I would be fine owning a Focus RS. I've had good and bad from all makes. Maybe only Toyota was just good but they don't make anything that excites me. Like I said... life is short.
It's what I went through when I got the WRX. So many rumors of glass transmissions and bad ringlands and a million other things. Everyone said "not a reliable car, they blow up, etc etc." But I got a WRX and it's been flawless for over 100k miles and I still love it. Get what you like and deal with any issues if/when they come up - that's what I say.
It's the only thing that can explain how many Range Rover owners there are out there :)
Honestly I agree that there is nothing else out there like the GTI. I really want to get a new one when my lease is up, BUT then there's everything mentioned above. You'll notice that there's usually one good VW experience for every 5 bad. And the good one usually goes "no problems and I've already got 3 years and 45k miles in it." That right there says something.
Life is too short to drive boring cars, sure. Life is also too short to spend all kinds of time and money fixing my daily driver.
Basically I have to continually talk myself out of a test drive. I remember you saying money was tight in a previous thread. I don't think VW is your answer. 
If money is tight I think it's unreasonable to categorically rule out Japanese and Ford. If money is not tight just drive what you want... if it lasts only 50K before it's a hassle then so be it. Get something else.
I also had one of the time bomb Subie 2.5L turbos that lasted over a decade for me and retained tons of resale value. But I ruled them out this time because no hatch.
Money situation is looking a little better, not a lot, but a little. The car wouldn't need to be a daily driver, we've been getting along okay without me having one. I haven't completely ruled out the Japanese cars, they just don't really excite me at all. I like the Korean cars better, the wife's Elantra has been a very good car. And Hyundai did go rallying with the Accent so that is cool. Ford would have to pay me $1200 a month for five years to drive one of their cars, and even then I may turn it down.
I'd take a TSI Golf over a GTI. When I test drove a GTI it was extremely disappointing. Not sure what I was expecting, but after all the internet love for the car I was expecting more. It was slightly after falling in love with a BMW 1 series and thinking NOW THIS is a drivers car, not the damn dinky GTI.
Have you tried a Mazda 2? For your needs the "luxury" of the GTI will be lost on you.
In reply to Coldsnap:
The Mazda 2 has two too many doors.
I have been thinking that a more standard model car would be a better fit.
Nick (LUCAS) Comstock wrote: In reply to Coldsnap: The Mazda 2 has two too many doors. I have been thinking that a more standard model car would be a better fit.
Corolla S
2010 volvo c30
In reply to Coldsnap:
LOL, of all the internet rumors you had to pick the ultra-reliable Corolla s. The car that just runs and runs forever with no maintenance. Of course it's also the only car I've ever owned to have a rod come through the block just cruising down the highway. We were the second owners, less than 100K and serviced regularly.
Why the ford hate? I love my Fiesta ST, and it would a give my 964 a run for its money on a twisty road.
I think you should get a GTI. I haven't looked but what generation would you have to go back to to get one built in Germany? Everything I've seen about poor build quality points to when the Jetta/Golf chassis assembly line move to Mexico.
German manufactory may be over-engineered and needlessly complicated but ze Germans do screw them together pretty well. And yeah, nothing else out there feels quite like a autobahn tuned German car. I've had an Allroad, a Phaeton, and now a B6 Passat. All three are simply amazing cars in their own way. They aren't Corollas or Camrys but I bought them all knowing that.
Buy something that makes you happy, life is too short to be unhappy with your drive. If your car lunches it's motor, you get to have the adventure of fixing it. 
In reply to Nick (LUCAS) Comstock:
Which generation of Corolla? Which engine? How did Toyota handle it?
When you say, "serviced regularly" was this proper servicing or cheapo Jiffy-"lube" type service, home of the sludge that makes you say fudge?
The C30 Polestar edition sounds right up your alley, 5-cylinder turbo (sounds nice) some nice factory options, reliable as the day is long, useful cargo space and 2-doors. Essentially a Mazdaspeed 3 with less chances of it being trashed by someone with a credit card and access to Cobb's website.
If this fits your budget you could do worse than something along these lines. Couple of things to fix, some big repairs already done, cool engine......
Stefan (Not Bruce) wrote: The C30 Polestar edition sounds right up your alley, 5-cylinder turbo (sounds nice) some nice factory options, reliable as the day is long, useful cargo space and 2-doors. Essentially a Mazdaspeed 3 with less chances of it being trashed by someone with a credit card and access to Cobb's website.
HAH, so true. My recommendation was a little bias as I just bought a nice 2013 c30. But yea, all the ones I looked at were all unmolested.
Nathan JansenvanDoorn wrote: Why the ford hate? I love my Fiesta ST, and it would a give my 964 a run for its money on a twisty road.
Why? A lifetime of terrible experiences with their products. Just like many people in this thread have sworn of VW, I have done the same with Ford.
But, good for you. I'm glad you have found something you like. It's wonderful that we all have choices.
In reply to Stefan (Not Bruce):
The Toyota was serviced at the dealer. It was my mother in law's car. It had full service records. I'm trying to remember but I think it was an 02 maybe. It was out of warrantee. Had around 75k on it I think.
Maybe a Chevy Cobalt SS would be up your alley? Available turbo or supercharged, factory Recaros, quick and pretty nice. The Saturn Ion Redline, which is basically the same car, is also available for much cheaper but at the expense of kinda dorky styling.
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