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aufheben

aufheben

#Norris4Fox
Jan 31, 2013
53,870
27,724
New Jersey
I’m considering getting a new car. I drive a lot and I want something fun. I’ve only owned Volkswagens. I’m comparing the VW Golf GTI and Subaru WRX. The VW Golf R is perfect but it’s so expensive.

I’ve always wanted AWD but I’ve never driven a Subaru so I don’t know how much it actually matters.
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1). How much is a lot of driving?

2). Are you planning on making aftermarket upgrades? If so, what did you have in mind?

3). Drive the cars you're considering. In my 10+ years in the auto industry I can't tell you how many times I've seen people spend hours comparing vehicles specs, numbers, features, etc. Go to your local dealer and just drive the car and see how it responds to your driving habits.

4). AWD is overrated.

5). Be a real Man, get a Honda. :P
 
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aufheben said:
I’m considering getting a new car. I drive a lot and I want something fun. I’ve only owned Volkswagens. I’m comparing the VW Golf GTI and Subaru WRX. The VW Golf R is perfect but it’s so expensive.

I’ve always wanted AWD but I’ve never driven a Subaru so I don’t know how much it actually matters.
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I'd stay away from the WRX if you're used to VW GTI interiors.

If you're shopping for new new... and want a manual, that takes VW GTI and VW Golf R's off the table (pour one out).
 
All I know about Subaru is their commercial with the dude saying 'when my wife and I were pregnant the first time'. I can't tell you how many times I've since told my wife how difficult carrying our children was for me, forget when I had to birth them.
 
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Profet said:
I'd stay away from the WRX if you're used to VW GTI interiors.

If you're shopping for new new... and want a manual, that takes VW GTI and VW Golf R's off the table (pour one out).
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Yes I forgot to specify I’ll only drive manual. The 2024 GTIs are the last generation to have a manual transmission. My main sticking point is the AWD—partially because of snow and partially because of handling. f*** I wish I could just get the Golf R.

The interiors are one of the things I love about VW.
 
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Kupo said:
1). How much is a lot of driving?

2). Are you planning on making aftermarket upgrades? If so, what did you have in mind?

3). Drive the cars you're considering. In my 10+ years in the auto industry I can't tell you how many times I've seen people spend hours comparing vehicles specs, numbers, features, etc. Go to your local dealer and just drive the car and see how it responds to your driving habits.

4). AWD is overrated.

5). Be a real Man, get a Honda. :P
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1) I drive 2 hours / 80 miles per day.
2) Absolutely not.
 
aufheben said:
Yes I forgot to specify I’ll only drive manual. The 2024 GTIs are the last generation to have a manual transmission. My main sticking point is the AWD—partially because of snow and partially because of handling. f*** I wish I could just get the Golf R.

The interiors are one of the things I love about VW.
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Get a certified used R with around 20k miles. Should price out to about the same as a new GTI.

You'll get a VW warranty and everything.
 
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My car is the subway... so I'm not a good person to ask, but I've always enjoyed VWs when I've driven them.
 
Profet said:
Get a certified used R with around 20k miles. Should price out to about the same as a new GTI.

You'll get a VW warranty and everything.
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You’re right, there’s one on Carvana with 21k for the same price. I feel like it’s going to be hard to find more of these.
 
Kupo said:
Maybe if you're like 100 and think beige colors are "hip" :laugh:
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I have a 2009 NIssan Altima 3.5 with 123K on the odometer. Regular oil changes and dealer maintenance and it runs like a charm. Car's been paid off for about a decade now and although I have my eye on a Genesis G70 or GV70 I really have no motivation to do a deal such that I'm looking at another monthly nut.
 
Kupo said:
Avoid Carvana like the plague. Target something Certified from a dealership. Use Truecar to narrow the search.
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Might be tough to find that car certified but I’ll look. It also has to be manual. RWD would be cool too but who else does that besides BMW? The WRX gets such hideous gas mileage but I’ll schedule a test drive tomorrow just to see; there’s a Subaru dealer around the corner from work. I don’t know a lot about Subaru but from what I’ve seen I definitely dislike the interiors, although that’s not the most important thing.

I just want something that will make the commute less of a chore. I have a 2021 VW Jetta R-line 6-speed and it’s a great car but it isn’t really fun. The manual transmission helps but still.
 
Kupo said:
4). AWD is overrated.
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This this and 1000 times this.

I drive a 2004 BMW 325xi that's been in my family for over 15 years and is a pretty great car. I've always said that all it'd be perfect if it were just RWD and manual (we actually bought it used from a friend because my dad hurt his shoulder and couldn't shift gears comfortably any more).

In those 15 years, I swear the AWD may have been needed three times -- the three times I spent winter weekends at houses in the mountains that had long, curvy, snowed-up driveways. In almost any other conditions, it's far more important just making sure your car has good tires.

The rest of the time, the AWD has been a drawback, draining fuel economy and power. We've also had to replace the (very expensive) front axle boots twice. It's still a pretty fun car to drive, well balanced, but it'd be lighter, have better steering, and generally feel more alive without the AWD.
 
aufheben said:
Yes I forgot to specify I’ll only drive manual. The 2024 GTIs are the last generation to have a manual transmission. My main sticking point is the AWD—partially because of snow and partially because of handling. f*** I wish I could just get the Golf R.

The interiors are one of the things I love about VW.
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Interiors are important! It's where you spend your time.

I also prefer manual (pity my wife doesn't drive stick, though she's up for me teaching her when/if we get the chance), but there are almost no cars these days that are set up for manual driving. They're all optimized for automatic or DSG. Have you thought about the new Civic or Integra? I haven't driven them, so couldn't tell you about the experience, but they seem to have well-sorted manual transmissions.

Repeating myself, but don't get hung up on AWD. Around here, it will almost never be a factor. If you have a manual transmission and good tires and know how to drive properly in bad weather, you'll get through almost any snow with FWD. Most people in Finland don't have AWD cars, but they do have (studded) snow tires.

The Golf R has a Haldex system, too: it's a FWD car that can send power to the rear wheels to kick you around a corner if you're really pushing it. It's designed more to counteract understeer than to help traction. I'm told (again I haven't driven them) that the GTI is actually more fun than the R (though the YouTube channel Savage Geese prefer the R to the GTI, and I really like their reviews).
 
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007 said:
Interiors are important! It's where you spend your time.

I also prefer manual (pity my wife doesn't drive stick, though she's up for me teaching her when/if we get the chance), but there are almost no cars these days that are set up for manual driving. They're all optimized for automatic or DSG. Have you thought about the new Civic or Integra? I haven't driven them, so couldn't tell you about the experience, but they seem to have well-sorted manual transmissions.

Repeating myself, but don't get hung up on AWD. Around here, it will almost never be a factor. If you have a manual transmission and good tires and know how to drive properly in bad weather, you'll get through almost any snow with FWD. Most people in Finland don't have AWD cars, but they do have (studded) snow tires.

The Golf R has a Haldex system, too: it's a FWD car that can send power to the rear wheels to kick you around a corner if you're really pushing it. It's designed more to counteract understeer than to help traction. I'm told (again I haven't driven them) that the GTI is actually more fun than the R (though the YouTube channel Savage Geese prefer the R to the GTI, and I really like their reviews).
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I know, it’s a tragedy. No I haven’t looked at anything outside of VW and Subaru. Pure fantasy but my first friend to get his drivers license had a 1986-89 Porsche 944 and I loved that car.

All the different AWD systems sounds confusing. I thought they were all the same.
 
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The Cars were a great band!

tumblr_mysjzzVSwh1tooympo3_400.gif
 
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aufheben said:
I know, it’s a tragedy. No I haven’t looked at anything outside of VW and Subaru. Pure fantasy but my first friend to get his drivers license had a 1986-89 Porsche 944 and I loved that car.
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I had a 1994 968 which came right after the 944. It had different headlights and a larger engine. I enjoyed it.
 
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aufheben said:
I’m considering getting a new car. I drive a lot and I want something fun. I’ve only owned Volkswagens. I’m comparing the VW Golf GTI and Subaru WRX. The VW Golf R is perfect but it’s so expensive.

I’ve always wanted AWD but I’ve never driven a Subaru so I don’t know how much it actually matters.
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Consider the Mazda CX30
 
007 said:
When I'm rich and definitely not famous, my car collection will include a 944 S2 Turbo and a 968 Club Sport. I've always loved those cars.
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I really wanted a 944 turbo after I drove one but it was so hard to find one in good condition back then. My 968 wasn't expensive. I bought it for around $11,000 in 2000 and sold it for $15,000 in 2002 or 2003. The 968 did look better than the 944 imo.
 
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I drive a ‘16 MK7 GTI with a stage 1 tune and I adore the thing. Perfect amount of power for the streets. Only issue I’ve had come up in my almost 5 years of ownership is a faulty sensor of some sort. Still looks like the day I bought it.

Recently got the new car itch but after weeks of looking I couldn’t find anything that was even remotely worth the price difference to me.
 
NickyFotiu said:
I really wanted a 944 turbo after I drove one but it was so hard to find one in good condition back then. My 968 wasn't expensive. I bought it for around $11,000 in 2000 and sold it for $15,000 in 2002 or 2003. The 968 did look better than the 944 imo.
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How was the ownership experience? I was thinking of pulling the trigger on one when I was younger and prices were low, but got scared off by what I read about the running costs (says the guy with a 20 year old BMW).
 
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I once had a 71 Ford Pinto ....it sure would shake at 95 MPH ! One night when extreme down shifting LOL....I snapped the shifter right off leaving me a 2 inch stump to use for that purpose....so I hauled out the vice grips and used them for a few days until I had it welded . I have had all 4x4's since 84 . We live in snow country and I also like the dirt roads in Summer .
 
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