GTI is rear biased?! I haven’t kept up but that is awesome if it is. VW is the Sig of cars though.Originally Posted by GreggW
GTI is rear biased?! I haven’t kept up but that is awesome if it is. VW is the Sig of cars though.
While I've been a long time, at a distance, fan of VW, and Golf's specifically, I've always been leery of VW's reliability, especially turbos. Considering the newest of my three cars is a 2008 (none are VW's), I note you seem to go through these cars pretty often. Is that by necessity (they die), or do you simply grow tired of them?
Have your VW's generally been reliable?
My 2001 Jetta was a purchase prior to going away for college. Got it for a screaming deal and had it from 73k-130k, zero issues. Traded that for the R32 and drove that for 54k. No issues with that car but it was heavy and for whatever reason it would bubble tires like nobodies business, even XL load rated tires. Perhaps it was rim geometry? Either way I wound up putting 27 tires on it. I only paid for 8, the first set to replace OEM and then another set once I learned my lesson buying Goodyear despite knowing better. I got a Zurich tire warranty as a toss in to make the deal and that paid for 19 new tires. It was a gas hog and 200 miles per tank was annoying. On a whim I checked out the 2011's and things worked out rather well in my favor to get a new one so I did. I'm at 104k right now and only had one quirk with the intake manifold that warranty took care of. I've had two water pumps replaced, for free, but nothing was catastrophic. My wife also had a 2008 Rabbit from new until this February, 84k uneventful miles. I follow the schedule for service, do all my own work, and use Amsoil and OEM parts, other than brakes, which would be considered OEM+.
I do have my first electrical gremlin though, the drivers window won't auto-up. That may be software though, just haven't had a chance to look at it.
I'll note, most of the people I know who bitch and moan about VW's or German cars in general tend to break everything they own. I had a coworker who'd complain about his 2001 Golf at the time of my 2001 Jetta and he broke EVERYTHING in it. When I got the R32 he bought a Civic Si. He raved about it and praised it well over anything German. He had the interior busted to fuck within a year but never mentioned it.
I'd have no qualms with a new BMW, Audi, or VW.
Think for yourself. Question authority.
I was thinking the same thing. and AWD isn't one of his requirements
And if it is, they sell an AWD Charger. 300 HP too
https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/dodg...awd/sd-BBHmp7y
the "non-shitty automatic" requirement is probably going to be seen as a problem with the Dodge though.
Last edited by rob_s; 08-06-2018 at 09:59 AM.
Based on your stated criteria, look at Dodge Charger with Hemi, proper tires and a canned or custom tune and add Magnaflow mufflers. The tune will enhance the throttle response, add some power and will clean up the shift schedule. I ran a Challenger R/T like this and loved it.
I have only limited experience with VW, but I bought a 2004 Jetta with 70k on the odometer last summer. It has 89k now. Some small plastic bits have broken (hinge to the armrest compartment lid, glove box latch, trunk latch), but the car is 15 years old and they were not expensive or hard to fix.
In all other respects, it has been completely reliable and fun to drive. Of course, as I was coming out of a full size van/full size truck/full size SUV life for the past 15 years, pretty much anything in this class that wasn’t a beat old Hyundai was going to be a dramatic improvement in handling and fun. 32mpg on the freeway was the primary reason to change my daily driver, since my current job and school schedule requires a lot more highway miles than anything I was doing in a full size V8 land yacht.
The GTI is definitely on my list for later on.
Last edited by Duelist; 08-06-2018 at 11:57 AM.
Good lookin' out.
OP what's the budget here? My first thought given your list was a Kia Stinger. It's a great driver's car and has enough utility to be a daily driver. If money is no object then an m3 or m5. A less mainstream but still viable option is the Chevy SS. It's a rebadged Holden Commodore and a great car with an ls3 in it.
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Since the Ford Interceptor is going away, my department has been looking at what to go to next. What I hear is that PDs aren't having issues with the transmissions in the Chargers at all, but they go through brakes fast. I'd have to research if the pursuit rated Chargers get the same transmission as the commercial version now, though. They don't always. The first year for the 6 speed auto, pursuit rated got the older 5 speed.
Sorta around sometimes for some of your shitty mod needs.
I test drove an RS3 before buying my Mustang. The RS3 is just a ridiculous vehicle. Everything about it is just fun. If insurance had been less, I would have that in my driveway.
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