New car....(maybe for real this time) :twisted:

[Audiophiliac]

'tis the season....everyone seems to be getting new cars. My neighbor got a new truck, my boss got a phatty Benzo, co-worker with a new legacy wagon, co-worker with a new FJ Cruiser, co-worker with kia (ok that doesnt really count), etc.....so I am going to jump on the wagon I think.

I have narrowed my choices to 3.

1. Wrangler Unlimited X. This would eventually end up as an unrecognizable trailer-"queen" for Moab excursions....and I would keep my MK3 GTI. Price? $23.5k-ish

2. MKV GTI. DSG. Pretty base other than that. No sunroof, no leather, etc....just a fun car...and I would likely sell my car after buying it (if it was really that much better). Price? $23.5k-ish

3. Rabbit. I like the way they look. The 2.5 I5 is nearly as stout as my VR6...and with a chip and exhaust would likely spank it. For <$19.5k, I can get it loaded with the Votex OEM ground effects, and 18" smoke Karthoum wheels....a helluva lot of car for the money.....

White would be the color for any of the above....its what my GTI is now, and I like it on all the 3 options. I would like to purchase a brand new car for once...so used is pretty much out of the question at this point, and I dont want to go over about $24k.

[stipud]

Keep your Golf until it dies. It's not always about beating your neighbors, especially when they're going up to their eyeballs in debt to buy them. You'll beat them when you retire early by being a cheapskate instead

[VW337]

How many cars do you really need?

If you have to do any of the above I would suggest the Rabbit, as the I5 is a beast.

[Mastiff]

for the same $$$ I could put you in an .:R !!!! with realy low miles. and it would eat the above choices.

[Audiophiliac]

I know Mastiff....the thought has crossed my mind more than seven times.

[Mastiff]

if you were closer i would let you test out mine to see if you liked it.

if you find one thats not local and want to fly out to look at it LMK.

[Audiophiliac]

delicious....maybe on the eyelids....

[VW337]

For the money I would take the R as well................

Really though you are throwing money in the toilet when you buy brand new. You could be sporting the R or even an S4..........for the same price. You could even get an allroad and get your off-road option and sporty all in one.

[Mastiff]

now an S4 would be nice indeed

[twisted]

id go for the wrangler get some offroad action goin on

[fordtough1]

id go for the wrangler get some offroad action goin on

Of course Keith has not kept the same car for longer than 6 months in all the time I've known him, so maybe his advice isn't the best way to go.

[Me-262]

now an S4 would be nice indeed

Until the turbo(s) go. Very nice car, very expensive to fix. Uber fast when replaced with upgraded turbos.

I'd 2nd the R, wish we had those in Canada. Another option if you like speed, a 1-2 year old STi , you can find those <24k in nice shape.

[skitz]

i am a really big fan of the audi S3 hahaha get one of them that will show ppl up:P

[twisted]

id go for the wrangler get some offroad action goin on

Of course Keith has not kept the same car for longer than 6 months in all the time I've known him, so maybe his advice isn't the best way to go.

LOL i get bored easy

[Audiophiliac]

This is why I want a Jeep....so I can go play with my friends...and the new Unlimited is a perfect platform to start from...116" wheelbase baby....put it in the air on 42-44" tires and go crawl over some big rocks!

[VW337]

That is an expensive hobby, more-so than car audio.

[Audiophiliac]

Its not really that bad (I dont think). Basically anywhere between $5-15k depending on what you want to be capable of. That doesnt include a vehicle of course so you can make it as expensive as you want....I would love to hack up a Cayenne Turbo or a Volvo V70R or something and just get ridiculous with it. But you can go the same places on an old XJ for $2000.

The kicker is building it right the first time. The pictured XJ has been basically rebuilt 3 times...3 different axles, 3 different wheel/tire size combos, etc, etc.....if you know what you want to be capable of doing, you can build it once and make it huge and nasty...and never have to worry about not having big enough tires or heavy enough axles.....of course there is always a market for used parts....so you can buy, sell, trade your way up...but you lose a lot of $$ that way....but its nice if you cant afford to do it all at once.

[VW337]

I'm not talking initial cost, yeah you have that calculated and it's not cheap but not ridiculous. The cost I am thinking is that of parts every time you break something...........the sport in itself is pretty hard on vehicles, and their components.

[Phoenixcolt]

I would go with the GTi assuming ud go w the turbo. The Rabbit is pretty sweet too but I am a huge Forced Inducution fan even though I can't afford FI for myself right now ...wish I had the 4k I needed to turbo or supercharge my 98 Golf K2...if it was between a GTi VR6 and the 5 cyl rabbit, I would say the rabbit cuz I bet it would rip with exhaust and a chip...speed is awesome.

[Audiophiliac]

Well they dont make the GTI with anything but the 2.0T. The Rabbit has the 2.5 I5.

I still think the 12V VR6 is one of the best motors out there.....by anyone. I need to get down and drive the Rabbit and see how the 2.5 compares...I am guessing they are very similar. And even though the 2.5 sounds sick with an exhaust, nothing sounds as sexy as a 12V VR with a "less-restrictive" exhaust....

I dont think I will be able to sell my GTI....regardless of what the next new ride is, it will be a permanent fixture in my driveway/garage.

Time will tell....Ill give it the summer to make up my mind...suspension and exhaust are the big plans for me this summer...and some annoying housekeeping things...ignition switch, fix seat, replace bent wheel, etc......

[Audiophiliac]

I'm not talking initial cost, yeah you have that calculated and it's not cheap but not ridiculous. The cost I am thinking is that of parts every time you break something...........the sport in itself is pretty hard on vehicles, and their components.

Its all in how you build it and how you drive it. If you build it tough, it wont break...at least not nearly as often....

And the things that do break, normally arent super expensive parts....axle shafts, driveshafts, shocks, etc....

There are a couple different aspects of the sport too...I am more into the precision crawling....using technique and careful planning/spotting to make it through obstacles...this is no where near as hard on the rigs as what some of the "buggy guys" do...racing and bouncing up and over stuff...those are the guys who break lots of stuff....but even then, its minor parts that break....

But...its not about the money...its about having fun.

[Bfowler]

not the wrangler. that is all i have to say about that. how did you come up with those 3?>

[Me-262]

I still think the 12V VR6 is one of the best motors out there.....by anyone.

nothing sounds as sexy as a 12V VR with a "less-restrictive" exhaust....
....

Having owned one myself I can attest to its sweet sound. That said, I just put a 3 inch exhaust on my Forester XT and I have to say the burble of a horizontal 4 cyl turbo is a very nice sound indeed. I'd love to do an A/B comparison to see what I like better.

The "problem" with my Forester is the gear ratios are so short you don't get that nice long WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa like I did in the VR6. 3rd gear full out in my Jetta GLX was a sweet song !!

[Mastiff]

now an S4 would be nice indeed

Until the turbo(s) go. Very nice car, very expensive to fix. Uber fast when replaced with upgraded turbos.

speed, a 1-2 year old STi , you can find those <24k in nice shape.

i have seen stock tubos if maintained go 100k + and even the upgrad isnt all that bad.

[mr tibbs]

What about the Toyota FJ??? My girl just bought one and we have some pretty nice plans for it. Beats the shit out of the wrangler right out of the box, plus it's a Toyota. The damn thing will run forever, and keep it's resale value doing it. And guess what, you don't have to worry about the axles in it because they are a lot bigger than my pinky, the wrangler on the other hand......