nc211 Posted January 28, 2011 Posted January 28, 2011 Well, it's been a few months, and about 3,400 miles, since I replaced my GS with the GTI. Thought I would offer some feedback and personal ownership opinions... First - I will openly acknowledge that it's no Lexus. Knew that when I bought it though. It's not as quiet, it's not as smooth, and it doesn't feel as well built. However, those aren't all bad things for the type of car that it is. The ride is tight and stiff (I have the fancy 18' wheels), but NOT punishing. Some roads around here, are just punishing no matter what you're driving. It takes the hits pretty well, and doesn't feel like it's about to fall apart. It takes the hits in the suspension, whereas my GS would take the hits throught the entire car. The hits were more muffled in the GS, obviously, but the GTI isn't nearly as bad as one would think. You feel the bumps, but you don't hear them very often. The seats and driving position, in my opinion, are a lot better in the VW. The seat itself is framed with more of an arch towards the back, which makes you slide "into" the seat. You sit "in" the seat, versus "on" the seat. The leather is really top notch like the lexus, but not as soft (it's german afterall). When you're behind the wheel, you slide the armrest up and out to where you like it, and you find your hands resting in all the right spots. For me, it's my left on window frame and wheel, my right on the arm rest and gear knob. Nothing is a "reach" to get to. It is somewhat "snug", but not "tight". I have no problems when I'm in my ChiTcago winter attire, of slacks, shirt, sweater, knee length coat, scarf and gloves. Very comfy. The stereo, after a software update, is actually quite good. VW's ability to manipulate the software inside the head unit is really pretty cool. I have a 6 disc changer, Sirrus, and I-pod connector. The leg room is more than plenty. In fact, due to higher seating positions throughout the car, rear passengers are more comfortable in the VW than in the GS. Plenty of legroom, shoulder room, for four grown adults. The cargo capacity is much larger than the exterior of the car lets on. I'll just put it like this: 3 adults and a 2 year with forward facing car seat were able to load up about $1,000 worth of supplies from Costco and Target last November with ease. The "hatchback" ability really defines the usefulness of the car for us, which was the #1 requirement I needed when shopping for a replacement of the GS. It's not that the GS couldn't carry stuff, it's that the trunk opening was so narrow at times, and the floor was so high, that it couldn't carry bulky stuff. RELIABILITY: I know, this is the part you're waiting for.... Yes, I have been to the shop with it, and it's heading back next weekend while I'm out of town for business. I had to have the stereo software updated to correct a random bass hitting problem. I had to have a sensor replaced on the leveling hid lights. And as a preventive fatal shot to the engine, had to have a cam follower associated with a high-pressure fuel pump replaced. 200hp out of just 2 liters of engine, is a lot of pressure! All of this was free, and took maybe 45 minutes. I am having some serious work done on it next week, that includes a recall for a new module on the ubber snappy fast DSG transmission to smooth it out (can get a little jerky in manual mode), new connectors for two side airbags (recall), a squeeking noise in my serpintine belt area, and a loose bolt in my seat. Again, all free of charge with a free loaner car. Is it a Toyota? Nope. But, I knew that going in. Is it a piece of junk? Nope, not even close. It is just a very highly tuned machine that requires some attention every now and then. I would say it's on par with the other german cars around. Clearly below par against the asian cars though, but again, nobody should be surprised, I'm not. The Drive: This is where it all comes together perfectly. This car, in all honesty, is by far my most favorite car to drive that I have ever owned, hands down, no contest. The little marvel 2.0 turbo engine dumps it's 200lb's of torque right at 1,800 rpm, making it just a rocket in normal daily driving. Honestly, I don't know how the Mazda Speed3 with it's 260 hp is able to use all that power. If the GTI had any more power, it would have to be RWD to be useful. The turbo is almost instant, and makes passing traffic a breeze. It will rocket from about 10mph to 70mph in a blink of the eye. The DSG transmission, which is really a manual that can mimic an automatic instead of an automatic that can mimic a manual, shifts so unbelievably quick when you're in manual mode. When I want to scoot, using about 75% of the power, I'm in each gear for maybe a second before I'm at the top of the stack, 6. The car anticipates your next gear you're going to ask for, and spools up it's second clutch to hoover over that gear, waiting for you to call it up. When you shift, say from 2 to 3, in a millisecond, one clutch lets 2nd go, while at the same time, the other clutch is grabbing 3rd, and the engine is matching the revs. It really is an amazing feeling. When you're in automatic mode and taking it easy, you can't feel the shifting at all, it's as smooth as my GS was. Except for one issue (part of the recall to fix) - when you come to a stop, the down shift to 1st is jerky and uses too much engine braking. This where the "manual acting like automatic" comes into play. The transmission doesn't "coast" at all. You are always in a gear. The recall fixes this. The other issue, is when the system hasn't been at operating temp for a while, using manual mode, the shifts are too strong and if you're hot-dogging, 1-2-3-4 shifts hit pretty hard. Again, the recall fixes this. Something to do with the valve body being replaced, allowing a pressure release of the fluids which smooths it out. But all-in-all, one of the most engaging and entertaining transmissions I've ever seen before. Apparently, assuming you change the fluid like instructed every 40k miles, they're extremely reliable too. But, you don't change that fluid, they can fail, and cost a friggin boat load to fix. Fluids are key. For those of us under the recall campaign (07-09), VW is extending the full warranty on the transmission to 100k/10 years. That says something to me about its toughness. Again, it's not a 500k miles Toyota, and I don't expect it to be. It's a highly strung German sports car, that in 4-door fashion, offers true family utility. One thing I have noticed over the Lexus, which I personally like, is that lack of total noise insolation. You hear and feel just enough of the tuning of the engine and exhaust to be drawn into the driving experience. There is an actual pipe that runs from the front of the engine to the firewall, that serves but only one purpose - transmit a tuned engine noise into the car. You can remove this pipe, and it quiets down the car considerably. But, I like it. What I could never really achieve with any of my Toyota cars (LS, GS, 4Runner) is the sense of being "connected" to what the car is doing, and capable of doing/not doing. It's a double edged sword. You get that super luxurious and quality feeling with Lexus, at the cost of a sense of connectivity to the car. You get that connectivity with the GTI, but at the cost of the super luxurious feel. However, that said, a fully loaded GTI offers enough of a balance to put it at the entry level of "luxury", say a baby bmw. The engine - I can easily see why has been used to support not only VW, but Audi as well. You wouldn't think much of a 2.0 turbo engine, until you've seen this one. I am amazed at how balanced it is. The only time you "hear" the engine, is under load. Example: drive a honda 4 cylinder engine at a constant speed at 4,000 rpms (say 50mph in 3rd gear), you hear it, you feel it. You know the engine is high revving. Do the same thing with the VW 2.0 turbo engine, you don't hear it, you don't feel it, until you push it. There's no vibration in the cabin, no sense of straining the engine. It will rev all the way to it's redline effortlessly, and not transmit any feeling like it's being pushed too hard. First time I've ever come across an engine like that. However, it does come at a cost. They all seem to burn oil, no matter what. I burn about 3/4 of a quart every 1,800 miles, all heavy city driving. The turbo simply burns it up. There is no way to keep your exhaust tips clean on these cars. Just a fact you have to accept if you want one. For me, I'm ok with it and actually see the positive side of it. Every so often, a bit of fresh oil introduced to the existing. The oil though, is very specific, and expensive. You can't just toss some 5w30 in there. It has to meet a specific VW code, fully synthetic. Castrol and M1 have some, with Castrol being the recommended brand. About 8 bucks a quart. The manual says oil change every 10k miles. Almost nobody believes it, or does it. 5k most is the norm. The vast majority of GTI owner's I've come across that seem to really complain about their car, are the ones who have tinkered with it. Putting chips in it, upgraded turbos, screwed around with the suspension, etc. My take on the GTI is like a name-brand computer. You buy a Compaq computer from the store, and then install an updated graphics card, you'll probably run into problems. The motherboard and other components, built and designed by Compaq, aren't tolerant of additional tweeks. You take it as it is, or run the risk of !Removed! it up. The CPO warranty - covers everything, outside of your brake pads/rotors, rims, and tires. Everything else, is an easy fix. It has been my experience so far, that I don't have to "prove" anything. I call them, I say I've got this problem, and they say either "we've got the new part in stock, come on down and we'll replace it", or "we'll order the new part now, call you when it's in". They do this BEFORE they actually inspect the car! I really love that kind of service. I haven't been charged a penny for anything. Overall, after a few months of ownership and a few thousand miles, I am able to put the "new car" excitement behind me and the bias. I personally think a fully loaded 4-door GTI is a tremendous vehicle! I think they're extremely usefull, I think they're one of the most attractive cars on the road to look at, I think they're an absolute sh*ts and giggles joy to drive, and I think well built with great materials and craftsmanship. Lexus quality? No, not really, but honestly, what is for under $25k? Would I own one outside of warranty? Probably not. Not because I anticipate a lot of problems, but because they're german, and expensive as hell in the shop! A used GTI with a CPO warranty is even better! If this one holds up like it is today (43k miles) for another 32k miles and/or to 2014 (warranty expiration - 75k or 2014), which I don't see why it wouldn't, then I'll probably trade it for another under the CPO program. Hard to argue with such amenities like heated head light washers and exterior mirrors, leather, sat/nav, auto windows, auto hvac, bluetooth, bumper-bumper warranty for several years, and everything else you can think of, for $17,500. The "fun factor" is just a bonus! My son, who is approaching 3 in May, LOVES IT! When I take him to his pre-school in the mornings, he gets all excited. He gets in his seat, pulls his hat down over his eyes, and says "go fast daddy, go fast daddy", and just giggles for the entire 5 minute ride. I can honestly say, that if I haven't driven it for a couple of days, I start to miss it. It has made my Monday mornings a bit brighter!
LEXIRX330 Posted January 28, 2011 Posted January 28, 2011 Dang...NC. I enjoyed the VW commercial! :) Just kidding...glad you are happy with the car! That's cool about your little boy...my 3 yr old little boy always gets in my GX...says daddy go vroom....vroom. (not zoom...zoom) :) Take care bud...glad everything is going well.
dcfish Posted January 28, 2011 Posted January 28, 2011 Hey Nc, How do ? Long time no post. Glad to hear all is going well with family. And the car sounds like a little rocket. I know how brutal the Chitcago streets are. Anything on the road is like getting flatass from a buckboard. Winter is almost over, Just think 5 more months of the white stuff falling from those deep grey skies :lol: Anyway good to hear from you. Best to you and family B) Dc
smooth1 Posted January 28, 2011 Posted January 28, 2011 Yeah NC, right about the same time you bought your GTI, I got the wife a new Jetta 2.5 liter. (Not the new body style.) And she loves it! It's really is a great little car. I tried to talk her into the GTI, but she wouldn't even test drive it. She said she didn't like the "personality" of the GTI as much. We've had a couple TSB issues also. The headliner started seperating at the C pillars. Weird! They fixed it, but I'm going to keep a good eye on that as time goes by. One of the observations I've made between Japanese cars and European cars is really "where" they focus their attention to details. It's almost always a trade. European cars are powerful, driver enspired suspensions and steering geometries, great exterior designs, not so good rubber and vinyl qualities though. For some reason they don't use enough silicone or something, and all thier rubber trim and hoses crack and deteriorate very quickly compared to the Japanese counterparts. Japanese cars are tight interior gauge layouts, and the "isolated cabin" feel must be something they desire and are trying to achieve in their cars, which I think we interpret as "bad steering feel" and lack of feedback. I do notice that quite a bit in the IS350, but when I switch to the MB, it's like a book for your hands and feet to read. Japanese has also kept much more reserved designs approaches, but I do think the tightening market will force car manufactures to design better looking cars. That's how Hyundai seems to be gaining market share. It's funny though, I've always thought that Toyota and Haonda were "scooped" by the GTI design, and should have been one of thier cars instead. It just seems like a better fit. I bet the GTI would be a #1 seller for Honda or Toyota.
ArmyofOne Posted January 30, 2011 Posted January 30, 2011 You got rid of your GS? WHY WHY WHY?! LOL. Can we get some pix? I love GTi's...:)
SW03ES Posted January 30, 2011 Posted January 30, 2011 Wouldn't be as fun if it hit the shop each of those times and cost you $1,000 each time ;)
nc211 Posted January 31, 2011 Author Posted January 31, 2011 Army, I got rid of the Lexus last August at 62k miles +/-. I only drove the thing maybe 8k in the 17 months I had it. I got rid of it for a couple of reasons - I had a second child on the way and wanted something that could haul bulky stuff to take the pressure off the 4runner, and I wanted something fun to drive. The GS was (is) a very nice car, but I absolutely grew to hate it. I tried to get all excited about it, but never could. So, after the longest and most frustrating car shopping experience of my life, the GTI popped up on the radar, I drove one, fell in love, and hunted for a 4-door version with all the toys. Took me a couple of weeks, but got lucky when mine fell into my lap. The only pictures I have are from when I brought it home in August (pictures via link at the bottom). Only thing I've done to it was a full claybar detail, which it apparently needed. The claybar was the filthiest I have ever seen one to be after the process. It was literally dark yellow with black streaks in it. Made a huge difference. Hard to believe it was just a few months ago when I took these pictures, as I write this now while under a blizzard warning for the next two days... 24-36 inches of snow heading our way.... GTI gets garage duty for the rest of the week....4runner gets buggy duty. May have to actually engage the real 4x4 for once (instead of perm awd). http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=62923&st=90 I certainly agree with you SWO! That's why I would never buy one w/o a oem warranty. But, honestly, what would be fun at $1k a pop! Well, maybe if you're Charlie Sheen....but that's a whole different story!
nc211 Posted July 19, 2011 Author Posted July 19, 2011 Well, it's been a year since I did the trade and entered the "horrible" VW world of reliability. I've driven it about 7,500 miles on rough Chicago roads. I'm at 48k on the clock. Lots of traffic, lots of stop lights. And..... I still love this little marvel of a car! I have not had a single major issue. Not a single rattle, not a single check engine light. I've changed the oil once, which was a little more expensive than most, due to my choice in using true German oil "Lubro Molly" full synthetic. It does burn about 1/2 quart every 1k miles, thanks to the turbo and my happy right foot. Honestly though, I've learned that burning oil is more of a turbo thing in general, than it is a VW thing. Had a goofy issue with the transmission in the winter slamming into second gear hard when in manual mode before letting the car heat up for 20 minutes. There is a new transmission valve body issued that fixes this. They did a software update though that slowed that specific shift down a hair and eased the problem. The 07' is the first year with their complicated double-clutch gear box, so I can't expect it to not be 100% perfect. However, after it's warmed up, it's freaking awesome to have, and really makes the car come alive. I just drive it in automatic mode for a few minutes to let it warm up before bumping it over to manual. I had to have the timing belt changed as well last spring. It had developed a "bird chirp" in the morning. I thought it was the fan belt, but turned out to be the timing belt stretching. $0 cost under the VW CPO bumper-bumper warranty, which I still have over 25k miles and 2 years of coverage left. One year of driving it in the worst commute I've ever had in my life, and I can honestly say, I still wake up in the mornings very excited to get in it and drive it. Not a single problem that I wouldn't expect to experience in any other car, no matter the brand. In fact, having 18' low profile tires, I'm surprised I haven't had more problems to be honest. At least an annoying rattle or two. But, not a single one. I'd have to say, if you're in the market for a new(er) car, a CPO VW is worth your time to check out. If you like the looks of what you're looking at, but concerned about the reliability, like I was, I can say that I've been very happy with mine. Dare I say, moreso than both of my former Lexus cars? Yeah, I'm getting there. They're just so much fun to drive! And extremely comfortable, in a German sense of the word. Not soft and cushy comfort, but a "designed" sense of comfort. They make the sweetest sounds when you're driving too. A mature "german" sound. The GTI is set up as a sports car, yet it really likes to cruise in the 80-90mph range. We don't have speed "limits" in Chitcago, we have speed "suggestions". And you'd be wise to go with the flow of traffic, which this 2.0 turbo engine does perfectly! I would love to get the opportunity to hit the open road in the car and cruise, but just haven't had the chance yet. It's been 100% city commuting, with a brief stint on the highway. It really does feel fantastic north of 80mph. You can feel the car, the trubo, the steering wheel, nagging you to "go faster, faster, faster, yippie!" You do have to educate yourself though via VW forums. There is one part of the 06-08 2.0t engine "known as the FSI model" that can wear out and kill the engine. It's a $50 part that takes 30 minutes to replace every 45k miles or so, called the cam-follower on the high pressure fuel pump. Very easy to replace. I replaced mine out of prevention. Was happy to see though that I didn't need to do it, once I had the old one out. I figured $50 buck was worth the gamble to buy, whether I needed it or not. My brakes are starting to need replacing. Can't argue against that though. 50k on the originals is acceptable to me in this town! One drawback though on the GTI, is if you make the mistake of not buying the fully loaded model, you'll get the occasional teenager wanting to race you in their honda. However, for me, once they see me behind the wheel, they usually move on to the idiot in front of me with the M3 jamming some rap-crap. I have received quite a few nice comments from folks at the gas stations. Surpirisningly enough, many from BMW 3 series owners who are asking how I like the car. Usually when I look over at their car, I see a child seat in the back as well. They all seem to have the same problem that I had. "I'm tired of having a child and a trunk. I need the ability to load bulky stuff on occasion." Mine is the 4-door, all black, all OEM, fully loaded. No problems on a car heading into the 50k+ mile window, and 5th year of life!
nc211 Posted July 19, 2011 Author Posted July 19, 2011 PS: The only reason I post this stuff isn't to brag about the car, but to offer actual ownership commentary of a VW, as most are of the opinion that going from a Toyota product to a VW is crazy. I find it funny how the automotive world can, at times, view a simple check engine light on a German car as a symbol of engineering crap, and the same light on an Asian car as a routine maintenance or expected to occur situation. Plus, we all have friends of friend's friends who had a VW that blew up and killed 50 Martians for no real reason!
ArmyofOne Posted July 21, 2011 Posted July 21, 2011 Question...NC..do you think this car would be big enough for me, my wife, 2 full size suitcases and a 100lb Chesapeake Bay Retriever?
nc211 Posted July 21, 2011 Author Posted July 21, 2011 If My wife and I can get $500 worth of Costco supplies home, without having to strap the kids car seat to the roof.... I'd say you're good! The 4door really has a lot more room in it than it's exterior advertises!
LEX-SV Posted July 22, 2011 Posted July 22, 2011 Nice report, given the 2 contrasting cars (GS vs. GTI).
nc211 Posted October 14, 2011 Author Posted October 14, 2011 Well, I had my first out-of-pocket expense repair this week on the VW. Those out of control Germans! $140 for new rear brake pads, installed. Now, I'd have to say, for genuine oem pads, that ain't bad! Also had to have the a/c motor replaced. I never knew the car had an interior air filter. Motor was making a noise, mechanic reached down and pulled the filter out. Tons of junk came falling out onto the floor. A small stick got sucked into the system and damaged one of the internal fan blades. Totally my fault for not realizing it had a filter that needed to be changed, even said it in the manual. Not a mechanical failure, but user error instead. However, they replaced the motor for free anyway under the CPO warranty! Got another bent wheel though... Damn ChiTcago crumbling infrastructure!!! Only one more week!! Car now has about 50k miles. Drives great, not a single rattle anywhere. Still love it, and will be replacing it with another when the time comes. Although the 4 door GTI is about the only car they have now that I like the looks of. They really dulled down the line this year in terms of looks. Might be heading over to Audi instead. Our new home is in the burbs of DC in Virginia. Nice smooth roads, some fun back-country roads nearby as well. I give myself two weeks before I get nailed for speeding!!
SW03ES Posted October 16, 2011 Posted October 16, 2011 Remember...no new cars until you close on the house! LOL ;) Yeah VW has "Americanized" its lineup...meaning they've made the cars cheaper, bigger, and reduced performance. Have you heard them talk? They have a pretty low opinion of us. Its like "See, its fat, ugly, and slow...just perfect for the American market!"
nc211 Posted October 16, 2011 Author Posted October 16, 2011 No worries on the new car! We're in WVA right now, heading to NC! Fancy brake job on the 4Runner is holding up to a fully loaded barfin famy buggy ride, even got a cat with us!
SW03ES Posted October 16, 2011 Posted October 16, 2011 Man, I bet you could sell the movie rights for that!
nc211 Posted October 17, 2011 Author Posted October 17, 2011 Made it, last 920 mile haul we ever have to do from ChiTcago to NC. 16 hours straight! Tires are so cupped from ChiTcago roads, the Michelins sound like Micky-Thompson mudders now! By the time this 4Runner pulls onto the Buick lot for trade, the most valuable component will be those new calipers from a month ago. Got a bad ticking noise coming from the engine now too. Can't tell if it's an injector or a valve. Drives fine, great actually, but you can just tell that trouble is lurking now. Had to downshift pretty hard earlier today, wasn't nearly as smooth as it once was. Has that "never needs to be changed" transmission fluid in it's "sealed" housing. Never needs to be changed, translates into a $400 bill to just have it changed. No way, Jose'! I think a kid with more time on his hands and a desire to learn about fixing a car, would be a perfect candidate for this 4Runner. Someone like...me! Just, 6 years ago. Last thing I want to do anymore is crawl under a car! Stage one of the NC211 exodus from the great white north, is complete. Kids are at PaPa & Nana's house. Stage two starts Wednesday, with a flight back to ChiTcago to meet the movers. Stage three is me, the wife, and the other two little "Jaws on Paws" pile into the GTI and head to VA on Saturday. We will be waving to the great state of Ill&Annoyed as we cross into Indiana. Can't say it'll be with all ten fingers in the air though. I have a feeling we'll be needing an ambulance to unfold us out of the VW in VA. That drive will be around 720 miles, 13 hours or so. I hear Cleveland is nice this time of hear. Our route will take us just south of it...we don't plan to stop! Going to be a jittery ride! Stage four...is the fun stuff, when we get those keys, baby!
nc211 Posted October 17, 2011 Author Posted October 17, 2011 By the way, the mountains of WVA / VA are beautiful right now with the trees turning. There were motorcycles and sports cars weaving on and off of the freeway from the Blueridge Parkway all day. I had several "Clark Griswald" moments with me in the family truckster loaded down with two kids, a sleeping wife, 5 plants, and a cat who was stinking up the joint, being passed by dudes in German convertibles with the tops down and some serious "eye candy" riding shotgun with them. They looked at me like I was an Iranian prisoner, eating my Wendy's chicken nuggets while Toy Story 3 on the DVD screens in the back entertained the kids, and their little Grey Pupon eating grins on their faces as they smoked my a$$ up those hills in their little BMW's and the like.... Pretty funny actually!
nc211 Posted October 18, 2011 Author Posted October 18, 2011 ...and now, the brake lights don't work on the 4Bummer. Back to the shop I go...Hopefully just a fuse or bulbs.
SW03ES Posted October 18, 2011 Posted October 18, 2011 Oh man... I wish you could take it to Nelson! Damn dealers are going to bleed you dry...
smooth1 Posted October 22, 2011 Posted October 22, 2011 Do you have the family stick figure represent on the rear window? Gotta have that you know!?
nc211 Posted July 12, 2012 Author Posted July 12, 2012 Well, it's been about 2 years now with the GTI. I've put 20k miles on it. I've got to say, in all honesty, that out of all the cars I've owned in my life, none have come close to the pleasure I've experienced with this VW. I still wake up in the morning with one of my first thoughts being "yippie, I get to drive the GTI today!" Had to have the turbo diverted valve replaced, along with the pcv valve and head gasket about three months ago, all due to the pcv clogging up, a well known issue that has been fixed via recall. Car ran fine though, didn't notice a problem until I noticed a drop of oil on the ground. Considering the car is 5 years old, of which 4 were spent in Chicago and Detroit, I am stunned at the fact that not a single rattle exists today. I have spent $0 on repairs, thanks to their certified warranty program. Repairs to date include: timing belt due to chirping noise, pcv valve, diverter valve, head gasket, updated software flash for radio and DSG transmission, an a a/c fan motor due to stick getting passed clogged cabin air filter (didn't know I had one at the time). At 60k miles, the original rotors are finally ready to be replaced. Considering the road salt conditions of its previous home, I'd say 60k miles is excellent! All in all, I am extremely impressed with VW in general. Next March is bonus season for me, and about the time the certified warranty will expire. It will be time to replace it. I'm going to reward myself with an increased budget for my own car at this time of around $35k. I've done some shopping lately near my office, which has all the marque badges close by. Checked out the BMW's (love that smell), the MB's, Audi A4, and a few others. At the end of the day, while all of these cars are very nice, and the smell of the BMW leather still gives me a stiffy, I end up looking at their offerings (335i, C class) as a compromise to what a 4 door GTI offers. The Audi's don't sit we'll with my financial side, given the shared VW platform. I think there will be a 2013 4-door fully loaded GTI in my garage next March, white instead of black this time. Or, might be a CC, for "maturity" reasons, but we all know I tend to error on the other side of that equation. This time, I'll have it "chipped" to turn it into a screaming demon. It's just too hard to argue against the car. In one mode, it functions like a sedan with plenty of room for 4 grown adults. In another mode, it functions like a mini SUV with its hauling ability of big items. And in another mode, it can function like a true, turbo charged German sports car. All three for the price of one, is hard for me to ignore. Now that I've earned confidence in their quality, I'm a huge fan. So much so, that I'm growing more and more comfortable with buying one brand new, and not certified used. Because I don't see myself wanting to replace it anytime soon. I'd keep my current one with no question, if it weren't for the Chicago and Detroit factor in it's history. At some point, those harsh winter conditions and extremely rough roads are going to catch up to it. Nothing I can do to prevent that either. So I'd have to say, given my own personal experience over the past two years, VW has come a long way in quality and reliability. I know it only has 60k miles, but they haven't been easy miles by any measure. Lots of jack rabbit driving in harsh conditions of city traffic. And, an owner who immediately turns into a 16 year old teenager again when he gets in to it. It's been nothing but oil changes every 6k miles from me, and a new set of spark plugs shortly after I bought it. I was even reimbursed for the $40 I spent on a high-speed fuel pump cam follower recently, a part that many have complained about on this particular engine, and VW issued an extended 100k mile warranty for it and all related parts possibly impacted by it recently. Last time I was at the dealer for an oil change, I told him I replaced it already as an precaution. He pulled up the price, and VW USA actually sent me a friggin' check for it!
SW03ES Posted July 18, 2012 Posted July 18, 2012 Maybe theres hope for VW yet! I drove an Audi A6 about two weeks ago, hadn't driven an Audi in a long time. REALLY liked it! Very surprised. I would say its perhaps my favorite car in that $50-60k segment, GS, E, 5 etc.
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now