Ugh, help me figure out what I want - Sport Sedan

FSP_ZX2 said:

If you can forgo the RWD/AWD thing, the MKVII Jetta GLI (2019+) is a worthy choice IMO.  It has MBQ/E888 architecture.  Great chassis, great engine, great brakes, eLSD, very comfortable for 4 and still can autocross (GS) and track-day effectively. Can get a M6 or DSG7 depending on preferences. Has nice, understated style that will age well.  

Just had a track day on the 1st of September where there was a 2019+ GLI Jetta. Thing was ridiculously fast with a capable driver. He ran one of the fastest times of the day and was mentioned a few times by the crew working the event...."is that a berkeleying Jetta". 

He did have suspension, brakes and a roll bar. Looking at it you really couldnt tell though. Wish i got the guys name. Super nice and seemed to have a very well prepared car.

kevinatfms said:

FSP_ZX2 said:

If you can forgo the RWD/AWD thing, the MKVII Jetta GLI (2019+) is a worthy choice IMO.  It has MBQ/E888 architecture.  Great chassis, great engine, great brakes, eLSD, very comfortable for 4 and still can autocross (GS) and track-day effectively. Can get a M6 or DSG7 depending on preferences. Has nice, understated style that will age well.  

Just had a track day on the 1st of September where there was a 2019+ GLI Jetta. Thing was ridiculously fast with a capable driver. He ran one of the fastest times of the day and was mentioned a few times by the crew working the event...."is that a berkeleying Jetta". 

He did have suspension, brakes and a roll bar. Looking at it you really couldnt tell though. Wish i got the guys name. Super nice and seemed to have a very well prepared car.

I am very fond of mine (2019 S 6M).  It's my favorite daily driver of all--and I have had A LOT of cars since 1984.  It's been to 2 autocrosses on mediocre tires and showed pretty well; I did put on a big RSB right away after buying.  With some time to tweak pressures and good tires, it could be better too.   With just good pads, I am sure it would be a beast on track too. 

GRolla?

^The GLI is a cool idea and what you're saying means a lot coming from someone who drives a ZX2 in FSP. :)

GR Corolla is a sweet idea. The reviews so far are really positive. Maybe a little small for four. Also might be pretty spendy.

Model 3 is probably the best choice. STUPID fast. Have you driven one yet? The P90D I drove was revelatory. I felt super human. And you've still got the 944 if you want old school ICE experience. 

Edit: What about an E90-whatever M3? Competes well in a couple of autox classes IIRC. I guess you still have the German car problems though. 

Curious to hear more about your ownership experience with the S4, since I've been shopping those pretty seriously recently. 

Furious_E (Forum Supporter) said:

Curious to hear more about your ownership experience with the S4, since I've been shopping those pretty seriously recently. 

I love the S4. It is an amazing machine. It's way too much power for the chassis in a competition setting, meaning even autocross will absolutely destroy the brakes and tires. If you keep it on the street it will be perfect, if you plan on any kind of motorsport outside of drag racing, be prepared to spend some serious money. So far I've upgraded the clutch, flywheel, shift linkage, shifter, clutch master and slave, trans mount, water pump, brake pads and rotors, brake calipers, wheels and tires and I'm still on a stock tune.

$32K gets you the manual, $34K gets you the awesome DSG. 100% track ready...you can do track nights without changing a thing. If you want to track it more, just upgrade the brake fluid and add some camber bolts. It's a great car to autocross right out of the box as well, not the car to have in any class, but certainly capable and enjoyable. Despite how track-focused they are, the front seats are very comfortable and there is plenty of room for the family in back. The trunk is generous, eco mode gets you decent MPG on longer trips, and you get great warranty coverage. I am biased of course, but its the best all-around car you can buy for $35K. 

I didn't upgrade any of that stuff on my stage 2 B8 S4.  Stock stuff was holding up just fine...

docwyte said:

I didn't upgrade any of that stuff on my stage 2 B8 S4.  Stock stuff was holding up just fine...

There ain't no way the stock single piston sliding calipers held up to a track day in a stage 2 S4.

In reply to Javelin :

Thanks for the input! This would be pretty much strictly a daily, maybe occasionally filling in for autocross duty if the RX7 can't go (although maybe not, since that is exactly how I came to be searching for a new DD in the first place...) 

So what necessitated the clutch, flywheel, and shifter upgrades? Everything I've read seems to indicate the 6MT is the more reliable of the drivetrain options - and a must have for me - although the one real negative I had from my brief test drive last week was the shifter felt kinda clumsy. 

In reply to Furious_E (Forum Supporter) :

Track work, 100%, necessitated our upgrades. This car has been to an SCCA National Tour site, Maryhill Loops, and multiple track days at PIR with 145-150 v-max on the straights. Stock clutch is just fine for street driving and light AX. The JXB parts for the shifter are worth the $$$ in any S4 though, turns the action into a really positive one. There's built in adjustment to the linkage and the factory shift plate is plastic and the ball joins on the trans wear, so check all of that out for a clumsy shifter.

It was my street car, it never hit the track.  Audi's blow as track cars, they're way too heavy.

docwyte said:

It was my street car, it never hit the track.  Audi's blow as track cars, they're way too heavy.

It's not just the weight -- BMWs are almost as heavy and do much better.  The weight distribution isn't great, and they're missing that last little bit of track tuning.  Really great up to about 8.5 or 9 tenths, but falls apart after that.

Audis make wonderful street cars.  Comfy, fast, the best interiors, and I never push street cars close enough to the edge for that last little bit to matter.  I've had one as my DD for the last 20 years (split between my B5 S4, B6 S4, and C7 S6)

...but my race car is an M3.

I just realized what you want.

You want a new older Audi.

One of the problems with having exactly the best car that fits your ideals, is that there's no newer shinier object to lust for.  There's probably a week-long German word for this peculiarity of the human condition.

I haven't had the chance to read the entire thread through, but browsed it.  I'm in a relatively similar boat and here are my thoughts.  I have a 996 that is Mrs. SKJSS car and is untouchable.

My cars are: 986 Boxster - I can't get the berkeleying thing through emissions.  SAI and EVAP in "not ready" mode, no CEL.  Has rebuilt title and 162k miles, runs great otherwise

2011 128i - my daily, though I work from home mostly.  Absolutely love it.  Has 143k miles.  Has had a bunch of small issues, but nothing massive...knock on wood

'00 C5 w/supercharger - bought this to be a track car.  I have two jobs and three kids, am constantly traveling/working/transporting.  How many track days will I do?

What I'm considering is exactly what you are...ditching all of them and getting one really nice newer car.  With the market as insane as it is right now, I just have no desire to dive into the $30k-$35k end of the pool right now.  Have you considered selling them except for one that you can use temporarily and just sit on the money until the market cools?  It could be a year or more before that happens, but it's something I'm considering.  Sell all of them, get an older G35, Accord V6 coupe, etc...that is low price and I'll enjoy for a while and then grab something really nice when the market settles.

I think the biggest challenge is what to get.  Newer BMWs, while nice, in non-M form seem to have lost that Ultimate Driving Machine feel that cars like the 128i, E90, etc...had.  Plus, reliability has gone through the floor.  While I love the way a new Audi looks and I hear they drive fantastic, I have no interest in owning a newer Audi.  Reliability issues.  I'd love a newer Boxster, but prices are absurd.  Call me a German car snob, but the "American" and Asian labels just don't build cars with the same feel.  I'm tempted to do option A or B you listed and just really fix up my 128i.  It would cost far less than buying a newer car.  Maybe you'd want to follow that same path??

Infinity Q70 5.6, a sedan with a supertouring motor.  VK56 for the win.

2017+ Ford Fusion Sport? 2.7L Ecoboost, AWD and some heafty brakes off the Edge Sport. Tune, intercooler and it will be a rocketship.

I've been really intrigued by the Genesis G70, 4 door sedan with a stick.  To me it looks much better than the Stinger (IIRC same platform), is a little shorter, and still seats 4.  The prices are a bit steep for what they are, though, and I just have this hangup about turbo gas engines- if it had a N/A 6, even a V6, I'd be all over it.  

I know everyone raves about that new Sonata, but gaaawwddd...that nose job.  Blech.  Its worse than a new Chevy pickup.

kevinatfms said:

2017+ Ford Fusion Sport? 2.7L Ecoboost, AWD and some heafty brakes off the Edge Sport. Tune, intercooler and it will be a rocketship.

I can confirm.  I had one with a tune and it was glorious!

If Audi had brought the RS3 over as the sportbak the rest of the planet gets, I'd have one sitting in my garage.  That car is an amazing piece of kit.  So if you can handle it as a sedan, that's the easy button right there.

In reply to Javelin :

If you like a fast and economical car try a Tesla. My neighbors are bragging how many "muscle" cars they are beating with their Tesla's.    
     Plus also bragging that they are saving $1500-$2000 a year in gasoline while doing it.  
    My wife loves how quiet they are. Surprisingly they seem to be getting real loyalty too.  Normally they are trading out of the "new" car every year or two and now I see them holding onto them for the 4-5 th year.  

F22 BMW M240i, manual.

Rear seat room is really good. B58 engine has very little issues.  Powerful with good brakes.  

It lack front camber but there are several solutions on the market if you don't care about AutoX classing.

I just had to say no to a 435ix Grand Coupé and I fear I may regret not buying it.