It would help to know what you intend to do with said VW. Is it for DD duty, Auto-X, track days, canyon roads on week-ends, a mix of the above, etc....
If it's just for on-road duty with a speed event once in awhile (without the need to be competitive), for a few years before the warranty finishes, I really wouldn't mind that VW. For anything else, there is better.
In reply to fanfoy:
99% DD street duty with the rare driving event. No desire to be competitive.
Street is 80% hilly PA back roads 20% highway. We have four seasons here and some loose road surfaces so AWD would actually be appreciated and maybe even preferred over RWD.
My stock 300hp STi is more than enough power/handling. I just want practicality (hatch), interior/seat/ride comfort, DSG for the spouse, more subdued styling, and a newer car (11 yrs is enough).
I will not reach the handling limits on the street. I do enjoy knowing where the limits are and knowing I have a lot of extra margin between my driving style and the car's limit.
In reply to jv8:
For what you describe, I think you could be happy with the VW. In my view, it's one of those cars that feels great on the road, but falls on its face when driven at 10/10. I obviously haven't driven the 7th gen cars, but nothing points out to it being mechanically radically different from the last gen.
As for VAG reliability, you decide. Personally, put me in the VAG-burned camp, so I wouldn't trust a VW long term. But while it's under warranty, I'd give it a try.
Keep us posted if you go with that, I'm curious.
For what its worth, my 2013 VW has had the fewest defects of any new car I've owned (as in zero).
fanfoy wrote: In reply to jv8: As for VAG reliability, you decide. Personally, put me in the VAG-burned camp, so I wouldn't trust a VW long term. But while it's under warranty, I'd give it a try.
Ya I will help un-enable you too...........always liked VWs until I owned one. Damn, never again. Nice car but so unreliable. I owned an 04 STi which I really loved but it was a bit much with the wing and all and pretty basic too. I happened to test drive a Golf R in the mid 2000s (what ever they were called back then) and frankly it felt like my STi left it for dead. Was a big let down for me. I know the new gen VW R is significantly better and faster. Have you thought about the new WRX? I was shopping for a BMW M235 or MB CLA45 AMG and happened to stop at a Subaru dealership and took a test drive in one. Ordered one on the spot.........it was that good. This will be my sixth Subaru and it is by far the best. I know it doesn't have a hatch but there is more space than you think. The seat folds down and I can even get my bike in there. Quite a bit more sophisticated inside and no giant wing. Just a thought.
Did you get to drive the 235? I'm pondering the same cars, no time to drive yet.
You guys are missing the ugly elephant in the room.
550xi GT when you really don;t care about what your car looks like but you want it to go like stink and be a semi hatchback. Bet you could get one VERY cheap.
Of course I drive a 4wd Manual Audi with like every digital thing that they could throw at the car and in the last three weeks it has yet to explode or fail in any significant way.
wearymicrobe wrote: You guys are missing the ugly elephant in the room. 550xi GT when you really don;t care about what your car looks like but you want it to go like stink and be a semi hatchback. Bet you could get one VERY cheap. Of course I drive a 4wd Manual Audi with like every digital thing that they could throw at the car and in the last three weeks it has yet to explode or fail in any significant way.
Interesting option. From my one quick search on Autotrader it looks like they are priced similar to a CTS-V wagon. The GT offers AWD but the CTS-V offers a manual, more HP, better styling, and maybe more space in the back.
Do you have a source for a really cheap GT?
jv8 wrote:wearymicrobe wrote: You guys are missing the ugly elephant in the room. 550xi GT when you really don;t care about what your car looks like but you want it to go like stink and be a semi hatchback. Bet you could get one VERY cheap. Of course I drive a 4wd Manual Audi with like every digital thing that they could throw at the car and in the last three weeks it has yet to explode or fail in any significant way.Interesting option. From my one quick search on Autotrader it looks like they are priced similar to a CTS-V wagon. The GT offers AWD but the CTS-V offers a manual, more HP, better styling, and maybe more space in the back. Do you have a source for a really cheap GT?
My definition of cheap might be different then yours but I bet you could find a 2011+ 550GTunder 45K with some digging with some factory warranty left or certified to 100K.
The 535gt is a option as well but they have a dependence to eat fuel pumps.
2010 535GT with 48,471 miles at say 27K. Lot of car for the money.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-5-Series-535i-Gran-Turismo-2010-BMW-535i-GT-Gran-Turismo-Twin-Power-Turbo-Dynamic-Handling-Sport-/301243805816?forcerrptr=true&hash=item462387b078&item=301243805816&pt=US_Cars_Trucks
wearymicrobe wrote: My definition of cheap might be different then yours but I bet you could find a 2011+ 550GTunder 45K with some digging with some factory warranty left or certified to 100K. The 535gt is a option as well but they have a dependence to eat fuel pumps. 2010 535GT with 48,471 miles at say 27K. Lot of car for the money.
I've seen CTS-V wagons dip into the mid-40's. The 550GT looks like an option if AWD luxury is important. But I think the CTS-Vagon wins on HP, style, and future estimated resale value (especially the manual). I'd guess the LS drivetrain will be easier to service in 10 years.
So that's on my "used" radar. On the new front I'm still not seeing much going up against the Golf R. I will test drive the new WRX and see if I can live with the trunk-passthrough space.
Obviously the best bang-for-the-buck are the multiple FWD options. I've driven my friend's mildly tuned Mazdaspeed3 and I loved the car except for the many times it went sideways or just spun a wheel. Jumping out into traffic on an uphill slope while turning on a slightly loose surface... it just can't match the point and shoot confidence of my STi. I know FWD can get the job done but it's just something I prefer to avoid.
Lots of comments from people with no knowledge of the new Golf R. It has the same awd system as the Audi A3, it can send 100% power to either axle.
It's going to be the only awd hot hatch on the market. APR is already playing with it. I'm sure with simple bolt ons it's going to be a beast.
I've put 100's of thousands of miles on BAG cars with no issues.
I'd love a CAT wagon, but it's not awd. It also gets 15mpg.
If I like the car after I test drive it, I'll buy one to replace my allroad as my dd
I actually loved it, but I actually consider price when buying and not really on my range, hopefully soon, I could have one... but as a canoe?
Canoe thread somewhat relevant due to depressing Volvo antics while RS3s (aka Jetta R, with five cylinders) are still priced just out of Knurled-range.
Flappy paddles are a must. This is 2020 not 1960, DSG is where it's at.
have you guys checked the prices on 550xi gt's lately..
70k miles.. <$15K
for exmaple https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/791929160/overview/
Actually on topic and free of canoeing. My coworkers Corolla was totaled 2 weeks ago, he went to look at a new GLi, but he made the mistake of driving a Golf R first for E36 M3s and giggles, he couldn't bare not getting the R, so that's what he came home with.
JesseWolfe said:Actually on topic a free of canoeing. My coworkers Corolla was totaled 2 weeks ago, he went to look at a new GLi, but he made the mistake of driving a Golf R first for E36 M3s and giggles, he couldn't bare not getting the R, so that's what he came home with.
And people complain about dealerships not allowing road tests of "halo cars" like the FoRS and Civic Type R.
This is probably why it seems like every third Golf on the road is an R, while there are dealerships that still have unsold 3 year old FoRSs.
I bought a '19 Golf R 6MT last summer. Dealers wouldn't let me drive a FoRS, even tho they were two years old. I didn't even bother with the Civic Type R as dealers were asking $10-15k over MSRP, I want AWD and the thing is hideous looking.
Knurled. said:This is probably why it seems like every third Golf on the road is an R
Around here it's all Golf E or R. Nothing in between
R/GTi used to be "sophisticated hipsters" around here, who were bit older.
Last 2 years, R drivers around here are all backyards hat , vaping, douche bros, who drive like M3 drivers cutting everyone off and switching lanes, wanting to race and rev.
Demo has really changed , locally.
Hey I remember starting this thread!
I've been driving a Golf R DSG for 5 years and still love it!
Can't imagine a better daily for my use. So far no issues.
I opened this thread and was like "Hmm maybe I should have test driven one of these before my Civic Si purchase." Then I'm like "this guy can't do math a 2003 STi, 11 years old, does he think we're in 2014??" Then I look at the date and now I feel like the dumb dumb.
Glad to hear you've made it this far without a hitch. Knock on wood!
I bought a 2011 GTI DSG with 20,400 original miles on it in July of '18. It now has 45k miles, ~30 autoX runs and ~40 laps at Laguna Seca on it. It's the first car I've owned in 25 years and I'm pretty happy with it. The only problem is that it has awoken the "I need a sports car" yearning that I had successfully repressed for may years. I've tried to satisfy that need by adding F/R sway bars, camber plates, a Brembo 4 piston front brake kit, a stage 1 tune and a DSG tune. Compared the the trucks, suvs and minivan I've driven in the past it's a hoot to drive but I still want to drive a Miata or Cayman to see how they compare.
In reply to CAinCA :
I've kept the R nearly stock - I have a track prepped C5 for the sports car itch.
The R make a great DD but I'm afraid to stress it on track.
Maybe that's why I've had a trouble free 5 years!
I'm considering one of these for my next car.
Since it was brought up, how is the DSG tune? I've seen APR has one, not sure who else does. Is it necessary?
I got my original stage 1 ECU tune from Cobb. Afterward I felt like the transmission and engine weren't paired up very well. I decided to try Integrated Engineering's DSG tune. It's been by far the best upgrade I've done to the car. Originally Drive mode always tried to get to the highest gear possible as soon as possible and Sport mode was really harsh at slow speeds. With the tune Drive mode stays closer to what I would chose if I were driving a manual around town. Sport mode is closer to how I would drive on a winding road and isn't nearly as harsh at slow speeds.
One warning. They increase the clutch torque. In the morning when the car is cold the clutch is a bit grabby. You have to be really smooth on the throttle at low speeds until the car warms up.
After I bought the DSG tune I decided to get IE's ECU tune. Since they were done by the same tuner they match up really well.
I've heard very good things about Equilibrium Tuning. Both their dsg and engine tunes people love.
if I ever do a tune that's the way I'm going to go. Buy the Cobb and tunes from them
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