Found my unicorn. Now what.

If your eyes are open as to the possibilities, you still want it and can afford the potential expense, go for it.

However you have not made one this clear, can you afford to fix it if it does go sour?

Swank Force One wrote: the Touareg V10 TD are VERY high on the list.

Yeah ^^^ that. I understand they are hideously expensive to fix but a mid-size diesel SUV/Tow rig has been something I have wanted for a while and no one else is really playing in that arena.

Six speed.

I want this one but not enough to get out of the devil I know....

NGTD wrote:

Swank Force One wrote: the Touareg V10 TD are VERY high on the list.

Yeah ^^^ that. I understand they are hideously expensive to fix but a mid-size diesel SUV/Tow rig has been something I have wanted for a while and no one else is really playing in that arena.

They sound positively incredible with an open exhaust, too.

But if you want something like that, the new Grand Cherokee is available with a TD. Also really high on my want list, but out of budget.

In reply to Swank Force One:

We bought a 2012 Ford Explorer a couple of years ago, so we will be a while before we need a new one. I just think that a mid-size SUV with a diesel would be nice to have. I used to own a 95 VW Golf TD and in the right application diesel's make a hell of a lot of sense.

I knew the Grand Cherokee was available with a MB diesel in the previous gen, but I wasn't sure that it had carried forward. Good to know.

aussiesmg wrote: If your eyes are open as to the possibilities, you still want it and can afford the potential expense, go for it. However you have not made one this clear, can you afford to fix it if it does go sour?

I have enough disposable income to pay the car off in 6-12 months, even before selling off the fleet of cars that it'd replace. And I'd still have another car to drive if I have to park it for a while. So, yes.

Mainly, I'm trying to think of a better car and failing. I don't like how tall the Sonic is.

As much as I don't want to own any VW, I'd think about this one. It's genuinely interesting. Very few VAG products are intrigue me enough to bother with the potential problems. The potential problems on this are HUGE, but it's way cooler than your average Passat. For what it's worth, I've seen exactly one V10Tdi Toureg, and I had the same thoughts about it.

To be honest, I would really much rather deal with VW problems than BMW problems. BMW problems are nasty to deal with. Arcane rituals required with expensive scantools. Fasteners that are genuinely one time use only because they are so marginal that they probably will fail in service. Interesting issues like pyrotechnic battery cables that are wired to blow when the airbags do. VWs are the most DIY friendly cars out there and are stone simple in comparison.

The thing that really sells me on the car is that it's understated. You buy an S4, you buy an M3, you buy an STI, you have wings and slats and gills and all sorts of crap advertising what you have. (The main thing that turns me off of the R3. But darn it I want to have no sunroof!) The W8 has... BBS wheels and a discreet W8 badge on the decklid. Otherwise looks identical to a boring 1.8 frontdriver.

Find me another longitudinal-engine premium model smallish car that is like that.

I know of two W8 wagons, one an auto I see from time to time at work and a friend of a friend has a 6 speed one. All I know is he isn't bankrupt yet and the noise they both make on modified exhausts can make a grown man go weak at the knees.

It's not my marriage on the line so I say hell yes go for it.

NMNA = Not married, no accountability

So wait, you're in Michigan? And you rallycross? I don't recall seeing any SAABs up there. Of course I only get to rallycross up there two or three times a year.

if I may ask, aside from the standard shift issue, why would you choose the B5 W8 over the more advanced B6 VR6? The newer car makes more power and gets better mileage. With a simple exhaust bid it sounds excellent and as you point out it's very understated.

I like the W8 but as I've pointed out, even with my penchant for weird German products I don't think I'd want to own that one.

I don't see how the B6 is "more advanced". I'm not impressed by techno-geegaws. What I see in the B6 is a VR6 (an engine I loathe - they sound horrible to me and there's far too much fanboyism over it) and it is transverse. I really do not like modern transverse VWs. They're difficult to access anything on to service compared to the ease with which you can work on the longitudinals. The all wheel drive system is Haldex which isn't very good from a longevity standpoint. The way VW crammed everything in sucks - I seriously would rather do any servicing on a 3000GT VR-4 than the same service on a transverse AWD VW. I've done enough of both to justify that prejudice.

The B5 has the 01E, the most badass AWD trans ever. They don't break and they don't really wear out either. The Torsen diffs are simple and effective. No pumps to wear out, no filters to clog, no clutch packs to wear out or chatter, no electronic component.

The B5 also has the weight distribution benefits of being longitudinal. The engine is in front of the front axle in both cars but with a transverse setup the transmission mass is also in front of the front wheels, while with longitudinal the transmission mass is further rearward. This is spitting in to the wind, i know but I'll take any justification for not liking transverse AWD since it is universally a complete pain in the tail to do any service work with, even for things that aren't related to the transmission/drivetrain.

...Jeez, that's a wall of text.

edit - Also, there aren't any for sale remotely near me, they cost as much as I'd spend on an Evo, or a W8 plus and another W8 to drive if the first one breaks down. And they're all automatic, and VW torque converters are a maintenance item, and to be honest, if I had a transverse AWD VW that needed a converter, I'd pay another shop $2k to do it rather than do it myself. Longitudinal, I can swap a converter in 5-6 hours and not have leaky fingers afterwards.

Knurled wrote: NMNA = Not married, no accountability So wait, you're in Michigan? And you rallycross? I don't recall seeing any SAABs up there. Of course I only get to rallycross up there two or three times a year.

I'm in Michigan and I WANT to rallycross it. Follow the never ending sage of woe here.

Back to W8's.

What is it about the VR6 and W8, they sound just amazing to me. I always like V6's, the the VR6 seems to have a different sound to a regular V6. Is there something about V angle that makes them sound different?

In reply to Knurled:

You bastard... making me think about a B5 S4 Avant again...

Knurled wrote:

aussiesmg wrote: If your eyes are open as to the possibilities, you still want it and can afford the potential expense, go for it. However you have not made one this clear, can you afford to fix it if it does go sour?

I have enough disposable income to pay the car off in 6-12 months, even before selling off the fleet of cars that it'd replace. And I'd still have another car to drive if I have to park it for a while. So, yes. Mainly, I'm trying to think of a better car and failing. I don't like how tall the Sonic is.

You answers my question with this post. Go for it. I recently acquired a unicorn of sorts that I have wanted for a while. It is a great feeling.

chandlerGTi wrote: There's a wagon on SWOV for sale I think, hard to sell them it seems.

Hate to quote myself but there is a wagon 6speed on there for $6k, 286k miles and an auto wagon with 149k for 4250. There are only +-150 6speed wagons....

Now you have me looking on Craig's list at these things. Seems that early auto trans ones with high millage around here can be had for about 3k although they are far from pristine.

chandlerGTi wrote:

chandlerGTi wrote: There's a wagon on SWOV for sale I think, hard to sell them it seems.

Hate to quote myself but there is a wagon 6speed on there for $6k, 286k miles and an auto wagon with 149k for 4250. There are only +\-150 6speed wagons....

SWOV?

I'm asking for a friend.

Southwest ohio volkswagon, it's a locked web site to outsiders. You can request access but don't hold your breath, if you want info I can email you the ads?

Oh so it is like OhioVW except not gone? Or Fatdubs but not, well, lame?

With the coming of social media all specific forums have become a bit lamer but this one seems to be friends and aquantainces and is lasting....

Almost bought a B5.5 W8 wagon. Passed after I talked to a tech friend about fixing the looming problems with the cam adjusters (dirty oil, clogged solenoids, filters, cam wheels). Having worked on VR6's for over 15 years I am pretty tolerant, but that did not sound like a fun job and parts are 2k my cost. Oi.

VR6 > W8 at least there's more spare parts.. in my garage

I think if I ever stumbled on a 6 speed wagon I would be hard pressed NOT to get it. Just the cool factor alone would be a blast. A fantastic sleeper. And did I read some where that these things take boost well? Most VW's seem to like boost. I assume that the W8 is not different yes?

So did you get it yet??????

Dug back through the automatic uploads from my phone to my PicasaWeb account. Here's one I snapped last summer in the parking lot at work.

You know you just have to buy thing thing. When do we get to see the repair, sorry I mean build thread?