Automobiles

[jerk]

Sean:
Congratulations! You're going to have a blast! If I could make a suggestion- get some Koni Yellows ASAP and maybe think about putting some different springs or the even the stock ones back on. The Konis really help these cars- although the latest generation of VWs don't hate being lowered as much as the older suspension geometries.

Back to Dick Shine and SRSVW "real street" suspensions for a second- on the Mark iv cars- the cars ended up looking so stupid because the front ends actuall ended up sitting higher than the back! anytime you'd show up to a track day or an autocross event or even just ran into a VW with that weird look- if you were in the know-you knew that that thing was going to be able to out handle pretty much anything.

back to cars for a second- my Cayman is in the shop because if what i think is a bad battery. i had to jump it a few times and it was the original battery. i'm that guy who bets against himself- so got the super fancy CarMax care thing. i did it just incase my car suffered the IMS bearing failure thing of any other weird expensive Porsche stuff that could and will happen to a 10 year old Cayman. they gave me a 2016 Mazda 6 to drive over the week. oh my god plain cars are so terrible. i see why people hate driving. i can't imagine living with a car that just isn't fun.

i really really love that Cayman. i'm renting out through Turo way too much - so its paying for itself just barely- but i really love how nice and easy this car is. i'm kinda kicking myself for not ponying up the cash for an S with a 6 speed or even a DSG. This thing's chassis dynamics are amazing. i love the suspension, the seats are awesome- feedback though the steering wheel is great. please take this with a grain of salt- i am coming out of a 2008 GT500 that's putting 600hp to the rear wheels and has more or less a race car suspension and tire/wheel set-up on it- but i do think my Cayman is slow. It really doesn't have much get up and go and there's not much i can do about it. i didn't buy this thing to race or track- i bought it to just use as nice comfortable transportation and to be able to rent it out and make a little cash. it is doing all of that superbly- but yeah- i'm spoiled and i do find myself daydreaming about combining the speed and handling of the GT500 with the livability and comfort of my Cayman- someday we'll trade everything and get a Cayman GT4....hahaha....or after the millionth Aerotack sale i'll just buy myself that Singer I really want. :)

that's actually pretty good, and in PA we can get 7 digits. Even my German buddy never told me about that word.

As it so happens, I drove it this am and now have a bill of sale in my pocket. THis thing is cherry. Got it for 18 even and with all the OEM parts included so I think I did OK. Looks like he babied it. This thing is a riot with the lowered springs, sway bars, short shifter etc. Exhaust was louder than I expected, but it seems you can quiet it down just by using a gear or two higher than you need. The 5 mile stretch of rolling PA farm roads right behind the guy's house proved to be an effective sales strategy. I hope 4th, 5th and 6th gears work fine b/c I was doing 70 in 3rd gear without even thinking about it. I should post a vid when I get the tags and bring it home.

[SeanEasley]

Thx dude. Yea, jury is still out on the springs as it did feel slightly harsh and cart-like in the short test ride. If all I ever do with it is auto-x then it would be great, but I'll have to experience it in different situations to decide if I want to keep them on there. Funny thing, the seller said he was at SEMA recently where he met the owner of neuspeed and asked if he thought coilovers would be best, and the guy talked him out of it, citing that he thinks most folks who put them on street cars end up hating them. Told him the regular lowering springs would be best.

I had no idea you got a cayman, can't keep up with you! I hear that's the best thing Porsche is doing right now. I might have to look into the whole turo thing too, sounds like a way to generate some decent funds for the hobby. I'd have to be sure about who was taking it out though.

Thx for the tips, I'll be reading up a lot of shit before the spring season arrives.

[jerk]

Thx dude. Yea, jury is still out on the springs as it did feel slightly harsh and cart-like in the short test ride. If all I ever do with it is auto-x then it would be great, but I'll have to experience it in different situations to decide if I want to keep them on there. Funny thing, the seller said he was at SEMA recently where he met the owner of neuspeed and asked if he thought coilovers would be best, and the guy talked him out of it, citing that he thinks most folks who put them on street cars end up hating them. Told him the regular lowering springs would be best.

I had no idea you got a cayman, can't keep up with you! I hear that's the best thing Porsche is doing right now. I might have to look into the whole turo thing too, sounds like a way to generate some decent funds for the hobby. I'd have to be sure about who was taking it out though.

Thx for the tips, I'll be reading up a lot of shit before the spring season arrives.

feeling harsh and cart like is what stiff lowering springs do- they don't necessarrily make the car faster or more cart like in reality. more in a bit!

[Saab2000]

Not that this will surprise anyone but a 2006 GTI is so superior to a 2018 Tiguan it's hard to believe they're made by the same company. I think I'm over my desire for an automatic transmission in urban traffic and I'm over the crossover SUV thing I wanted, for more space. Now that I've got an aging hot hatch and a sanitized crossover I know which one is the sled of choice, even with snow tires. The GTI is likely to survive the automotive cull that will happen when I move in 2019. Not so sure about the Tiguan.

Pictured is the Tiguan I got in the fall for my 3-hour from western Michigan to Chicago once a week on mostly interstate driving. I took this pic the day I bought it this past autumn. It's not without some merit in some areas but mostly they're applicable to all modern cars, not just this one though this does have a few features of note.

Also pictured is my 2006 VW GTI, in the employee parking lot last February after sitting there for a couple weeks under a February blizzard, firing up on the first crank of the starter motor and being backed into the lot to clear the snow off. The thing has been as reliable as the sunrise for over a dozen years now though I've been a good owner, changing the oil and fluids and tires at least on schedule, if not sooner.

Yesterday I drove the Tiguan up to my house and today I had to drive back to Chicago, so 3ish hours each way in two cars gives a straight up good comparison.

At 85 MPH the GTI is in its element, even on snow tires, and feels like it would do another 45 MPH before letting me know it's not comfortable, even on all-season tires. At 85 MPH the Tiguan lets me know, "That's quite enough already". Are you kidding me? This is a German vehicle, right? It's floaty and the steering feel is non-existent.

The positives of the Tiguan are the LED headlights, which are truly fantastic. The back seat is a wonder and the spacial packaging is nothing short of amazing. VW is very, very good at this job of maximizing internal volume in a compact shell. The GTI is a great utility vehicle too. Interior quality is good, though not quite as 'special' as the GTI. Ergonomics are good too. It doesn't suck in all ways, in the same way a good appliance doesn't suck. But this is just an appliance.

Where the Tiguan falls down is the thrashy, coarse engine and a transmission which only feels decent in sport mode and when pushed kind of hard. During normal driving it's clunky and always searches for the highest gear, trading everything for fuel economy. I suspect this car was intended to house one of VW's fine diesel engines, not a poorly matched gasoline engine that has had to be retuned for torque and in-town performance.

It's clearly aimed at the crossover market in the US, and I give it a D- in driving dynamics and drivetrain refinement. I don't hate it, but it provides nothing for folks who enjoy driving. It's a competent grocery getter, but so is my GTI and that car makes me feel like a Group B rally driver on my way to the store.

It's a competent vehicle for folks who know little about cars. But for folks who demand more, look further. I know I am.

The GTI was driven down to Chicago today with gusto and enthusiasm and makes me pissed off at the slower cars that litter Cicero Ave and the inbound freeways. But it's such a go kart in traffic, even with the snow tires.

I think the only substitute for a GTI is another GTI. Audi and BMW have abandoned manual transmissions in their mainstream cars and the Honda Accord manual I drove was far short of this one in terms of driver enjoyment.

Waiting impatiently for the Mark VIII GTI to arrive in the US, probably for late 2020 or 2021.......... Really VW? Halfway tempted to sell both of these and get the latest Golf R, which has no stupid sunroof and could be had tomorrow.

What else to look for in this segment? The GTI is still going strong due to meticulous maintenance and babying on my part but it's out of date in some areas and is middle aged by any standard, with nearly 130K miles at this point. But it's still a blast to drive, even with snow tires.

[AngryScientist]

i'm a huge german car afficianado, and i too owned the same generation GTI for about 135k miles. i used to put a LOT of miles on my cars commuting, so i racked them up quick on the gti. mine suffered a canshaft lobe failure that a good number of the first production 2.0T engines did. i traded it for a 3-series coupe before it got to the point of needing the repair. still have the 3'er, M-sport suspension, 6MT, coupe, I6 RWD engine. great car. in pretty much every way, other than fitting stuff inside, it's a better car than the GTI, RWD and50/50 weight distribution make for a very well balanced, sorted vehicle.


anyway, being a VW fan, i was excited when i rented basically your exact same tiggy a few weeks ago in Orlando. HUGE disappointment. it may as well not be a german car. shame on you VW, that is not an "drivers wanted" car, it's an appliance, plain and simple. i travel a lot, and rent cars all the time. there is very little that sets the tiggy apart from the sea of other mid size SUVs. too bad.

i am personally 100% done buying new cars. i dont want any of the modern tech that every new car now has, but that's another story. BMW has strayed from it's roots, and i'm not into their turbo offerings, and basically no MT's to find. if you're looking new, a latest gen GTI is likely the best of the bunch, they have always been great cars from gen 1.

again though, if buying new, i havent looked in years, but i'd be tempted to at least drive a new WRX and BRZ just to get a feel for what they are like. forget the accord for a performance, "fun to drive" car. they are appliance sedans, regardless of the engine and trans options, unless heavily modified.

[Saab2000]

i'm a huge german car afficianado, and i too owned the same generation GTI for about 135k miles. i used to put a LOT of miles on my cars commuting, so i racked them up quick on the gti. mine suffered a canshaft lobe failure that a good number of the first production 2.0T engines did.

Mine had the camshaft issue too, but after more than 10 years and 100K miles so there was no relief. I paid the piper and they fixed it, which wasn't cheap but it's been reliable since and in the defense of VW, it never left me stranded either. It did suffer some disconcerting power interruptions, but none left me at the side of the road.

The Tiguan isn't awful, it's just not inspiring in any way. I'm glad I sprung for the top of the line trim. It does have some premium features and the auto-dimming rear view mirror is a must have in a future car. It's amazing, and the LED headlights are game changers too. Of course, these things are hardly exclusive to this Tiguan. They're just new tech, and welcome.

[Lionel]

Audi RS3.

[Saab2000]

Audi RS3.

Too claustrophobic. I've sat in one.

I'm thinking S5 with the lift back. No manual, but lots of utility. Not quite a sedan and not quite a wagon.

[dgaddis]

As a Honda guy I'd love to recommend the new Civic Si. However, the current generation traded the 2.0/2.2L 8,000rpm VTEC naturally aspired screamer for a 1.5L turbo, and I can't imagine it's as much fun to drive as the older engine. Probably gets a bit better gas mileage though. It is however well regarded as a fantastic chassis. I don't like the looks of the new ones though, too many scoops and vents, most of which are fake.

The GTIs have always been great, and more up-scale, looking cars IMO.

If I were you - I wouldn't buy anything. Keep driving the '06 if it's in great shape. Maybe modify it a little if you want to make it more fun.

[Saab2000]

As a Honda guy I'd love to recommend the new Civic Si. However, the current generation traded the 2.0/2.2L 8,000rpm VTEC naturally aspired screamer for a 1.5L turbo, and I can't imagine it's as much fun to drive as the older engine. Probably gets a bit better gas mileage though. It is however well regarded as a fantastic chassis. I don't like the looks of the new ones though, too many scoops and vents, most of which are fake.

The GTIs have always been great, and more up-scale, looking cars IMO.

If I were you - I wouldn't buy anything. Keep driving the '06 if it's in great shape. Maybe modify it a little if you want to make it more fun.

I’ll drive it until I find something I can really like for years or until there’s an expensive repair job. Having it paid off for years is nice.

[Matthew Strongin]

WRX STI. More fun than the GTIs I’ve driven or the GLI I owned.

[dgaddis]

WRX STI. More fun than the GTIs I’ve driven or the GLI I owned.

Awesome car for sure. But about $10k more than a GTI, and a very different look.

[marley]

Awesome car for sure. But about $10k more than a GTI, and a very different look.

Civic/VWR vs the GTI - diiferent look and different demographic

no offense Saab, but no surprise on your conclusion - you could see this coming a mile away or ~100 post ago

[Matthew Strongin]

Awesome car for sure. But about $10k more than a GTI, and a very different look.

But similar to the Golf R Saab mentioned above.

[sk_tle]

But similar to the Golf R Saab mentioned above.

A stock wrx is a sad understeering thing. These things only really shine when the suspension is sorted up.

[Saab2000]

Civic/VWR vs the GTI - diiferent look and different demographic

no offense Saab, but no surprise on your conclusion - you could see this coming a mile away or ~100 post ago

No offense taken. Sometimes we ask questions even when we already know the answer. Anyway, it’s been convenient to own two cars at the time and the current GTI is too close to my current one for me to feel the need to replace it.

I’ll live. The Tiguan is OK, just devoid of joy and fun.

[Lionel]

Too claustrophobic. I've sat in one.

I'm thinking S5 with the lift back. No manual, but lots of utility. Not quite a sedan and not quite a wagon.

OK RS4 then.

[Scott G.]

Civic/VWR vs the GTI - diiferent look and different demographic

snip]

WRX STI stage III*, older Swedish Rally drivers, Finnish pizza delivery guys, Vermonters.

GTI, ?????

[marley]

GTI/VW - early 20s to retirement across all income and demographics

Subuaru - well the list is long and would get me in trouble with the moderators

[Matthew Strongin]

GTI/VW - early 20s to retirement across all income and demographics

Subuaru - well the list is long and would get me in trouble with the moderators

Particularly this moderator who effing loves his Subaru.