I'm buying a new car...

helmutRoole2 said:

My 1989 Nissan Pathfinder (2wd) with 278k miles has been diagnosed with cancer. It's got about two months to live, maybe four at the outset. It's been a great car and I'm sad to see it go.

However, I'm excited to replace her. I'm buying something used in which I can pack my race bicycles w/o putting them on the roof (there's the bicycle-racing angle).

So, it's come down to three cars.

1) An Audi A3. Base model. Cloth seats, no sun roof. It's black, the inside is tan. It has 7,000-plus miles on it. It's a 2006, 2.0t, manual and it comes with the balance of the factory warranty: 50,000 miles/4 years and schedule maintenance.

2) An Audi A4 Quatro, 2004, fully loaded (black leather interior, silver paint, moon/sun roof, premium stereo), automatic tiptonic transmission. It's got 27,000-plus miles on it and like the A3, it comes with the balance of the factory warranty. It's a 1.8t.

3) A 2003 VW GTI with 27,000 miles on it, cloth interior, modified 1.8t motor -- 245 hp. It's almost $3k cheaper than the Audi's, faster, less luxurious, and no factory warranty.

So, for bicycle racing, which one is best? The two Audi's cost the same.

I am happy with my A4. 23 mpg in mountainous terrain 34 or so on the interstate and plenty fast enough. Good traction in all weather.
Handling is very adequate but don't expect a race car suspension.
Down sides, small back seat but I only use it for a jacket and papers. Turbo kicks in slowly sometimes.
All in all fun to drive practical and I like the looks better than the VW.
Keep the oil changed with synthetic oil and it should be good for a long time.

PS: If you decide on the A4 I will clue you in on a couple of small problems to watch out for.

jhuskey said:

I am happy with my A4. ...

If it's an automatic, how's that working out? I've heard the tiptonic shifting is very nice. What about the paddle shifting?

helmutRoole2 said:

If it's an automatic, how's that working out? I've heard the tiptonic shifting is very nice. What about the paddle shifting?

The automatic shift is nice and smooth and you also have a sports mode which holds the gear a little longer and keeps the rpms up.
The pseudo -manual shift is also nice if you want to play a little and shift manually.
The CVT transmission is not available on the Quattro but I hear it is very smooth.
The 1.8 is a little more harsh that say the 6 at lower rpms but has anice resonance to it.
Jan drives an A8 but they are about $80,000 + so I may wait another year or so before I order one.

saab 9-2x. not quite as pricey as the audi, but freakin fast and handle like nobody's business.

snaps10 said:

saab 9-2x. not quite as pricey as the audi, but freakin fast and handle like nobody's business.

I'll take a look at those. I've seen them on the internet and they look pretty nice.

Stevebaby Motors can do you a good deal on this beauty.
Custom paint,custom upholstery and interior,state of the art entertainment system,free ashtray.Cool Euro styling and old world craftmanship in a hand-built body.

You worked hard to get to the top.Now it's time to reward yourself.
You deserve the best.

http://www.cyclingforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6924&stc=1
hot lada.jpg

For the gentleman of taste and refinement,this elegant hand-built vehicle,(formerly owned by Soviet cycling champion,Martin Jacksov) may be more suitable.
Warranty? No problem. Our warranty manager,Igor Kalashnikov,will be pleased to assist you with a warranty that suits your needs.
http://www.cyclingforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6925&stc=1
limo1.jpg.
http://www.cyclingforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6926&stc=1
limo2.jpg
http://www.cyclingforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6927&stc=1
limo3.jpg

stevebaby said:

Stevebaby Motors can do you a good deal on this beauty.
Custom paint,custom upholstery and interior,state of the art entertainment system,free ashtray.Cool Euro styling and old world craftmanship in a hand-built body.

You worked hard to get to the top.Now it's time to reward yourself.
You deserve the best.

http://www.cyclingforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6924&stc=1
hot lada.jpg

Hmmm... sorry. I can't get past those rear view mirrors. What are they? Plastic? Why does someone have to dicked a perfectly nice family sedan with rear view mirrors like that?

stevebaby said:

For the gentleman of taste and refinement,this elegant hand-built vehicle,(formerly owned by Soviet cycling champion,Martin Jacksov) may be more suitable.
Warranty? No problem. Our warranty manager,Igor Kalashnikov,will be pleased to assist you with a warranty that suits your needs.
http://www.cyclingforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6925&stc=1
limo1.jpg.
http://www.cyclingforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6926&stc=1
limo2.jpg
http://www.cyclingforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6927&stc=1
limo3.jpg

Now this I can work with!

i like the volvo s40 alot and i think it compares nicely to the a4. a4's a awesome (def. go stick) but i just don't trust VW and company right now.

Don't give up on the old Nissan...
Chop off one of its balljoints, a chunk of air filter, take out a chip from the motherboard then a few months of chemo detergent therapy to the gasolymph system and she'll be better than new...

my wife's Wolfsberg edition 1.8T Jetta has the same chip - nice and it gets great gas milage +/- 33mpg. You shouldn't expect too many troubles with the 1.8T.

I drive a 2003 VR6 GTI, averages about 26 mpg a little lower when we make hot runs into GE on the autobahn. The Mark IV Golf will fit two bikes in travel boxes inside, on thier side with some luggage no problem.

The Audi A3 is an expensive Golf Mark V, and fitting a bike box inside for the airport will work, however I hope it's all you are taking. The same goes for the Mark V Golf.
HR

Hookyrider said:

my wife's Wolfsberg edition 1.8T Jetta has the same chip - nice and it gets great gas milage +/- 33mpg. You shouldn't expect too many troubles with the 1.8T.

I drive a 2003 VR6 GTI, averages about 26 mpg a little lower when we make hot runs into GE on the autobahn. The Mark IV Golf will fit two bikes in travel boxes inside, on thier side with some luggage no problem.

The Audi A3 is an expensive Golf Mark V, and fitting a bike box inside for the airport will work, however I hope it's all you are taking. The same goes for the Mark V Golf.
HR

Of the two GTIs, which do you prefer, the VR6 or 1.8?

helmutRoole2 said:

Of the two GTIs, which do you prefer, the VR6 or 1.8?

The 1.8T is a great little motor especially when the boost pressure is on! Hearing that little whistle is a treat. Lots of aftermarket stuff to bolt on too. Keep the fluids changed and all you need to be worried about is the coils.
[font=Times New Roman] [/font]
[font=Times New Roman]The VR6 is actually a little bit slower than the 1.8T. It is a heavy engine, and you can tell on uneven pavement, as the front end will wallow. Getting used to the VW 6spd took longer than I though it would. Otherwise it is a lovely engine that keeps getting better over time, that’s about all I have heard from other VR6 owners as well - just keeps getting better. My recommendation would be to never turn the traction control off 😄 [/font]
[font=Times New Roman][/font]
[font=Times New Roman]HR[/font]

Hookyrider said:

The 1.8T is a great little motor especially when the boost pressure is on! Hearing that little whistle is a treat. Lots of aftermarket stuff to bolt on too. Keep the fluids changed and all you need to be worried about is the coils.
[font=Times New Roman] [/font]
[font=Times New Roman]The VR6 is actually a little bit slower than the 1.8T. It is a heavy engine, and you can tell on uneven pavement, as the front end will wallow. Getting used to the VW 6spd took longer than I though it would. Otherwise it is a lovely engine that keeps getting better over time, that’s about all I have heard from other VR6 owners as well - just keeps getting better. My recommendation would be to never turn the traction control off 😄 [/font]
[font=Times New Roman][/font]
[font=Times New Roman]HR[/font]

There is a housing located on the rear of the engine block on the 1.8 that is a main intake for the cooling system.
They made it out of plastic,why I don't know, and after a time it can develop a hole in it and probably will.
Not a big deal but when it goes it take a lot of time to remove all the hoses and get to the $30 part and of course all the coolant leaks out at a rapid rate so it needs quick attention.
I have also been told to change the timing belt after 60-70 thousand miles to avoid breakage which leads to additional damage and cost.
Still, avoidable problems with a little attention

jhuskey said:

I have also been told to change the timing belt after 60-70 thousand miles to avoid breakage which leads to additional damage and cost.
Still, avoidable problems with a little attention

The timing belt wear/damage issue is true with most new/newer cars these days, and is practically unavoidable no matter what manufacturer you favor. Once wear sets in it goes downhill quickly for everything - this is starting to sound like my Land Rover discussion board... but at least the VW doesn't leak like a sieve.

As far as an overall recommendation goes, the GTI is a fun car to own and drive. Being a 3dr access to the rear seats can be a chore if you are over the age of say 12. Once you get into the seat, they are pretty comfortable, but for an Adult, not really suitable for extended trips.

Since we moved to the Netherlands, we sold the Jetta (to my mother), and have the Rover in Nebraska (with her mother), and the GTI has been made our primary car. All in all the GTI has been perfect, however there are times that we miss the extra space of a larger car, for reason that I would lean a little bit on the side of the Audi wagon. We are considering to order either an A4 wagon/avant or Passat wagon this coming spring depending. We don't have kids, but we do have dogs, and travel with dogs and bikes.

Hookyrider said:

The timing belt wear/damage issue is true with most new/newer cars these days, and is practically unavoidable no matter what manufacturer you favor. Once wear sets in it goes downhill quickly for everything - this is starting to sound like my Land Rover discussion board... but at least the VW doesn't leak like a sieve.

As far as an overall recommendation goes, the GTI is a fun car to own and drive. Being a 3dr access to the rear seats can be a chore if you are over the age of say 12. Once you get into the seat, they are pretty comfortable, but for an Adult, not really suitable for extended trips.

Since we moved to the Netherlands, we sold the Jetta (to my mother), and have the Rover in Nebraska (with her mother), and the GTI has been made our primary car. All in all the GTI has been perfect, however there are times that we miss the extra space of a larger car, for reason that I would lean a little bit on the side of the Audi wagon. We are considering to order either an A4 wagon/avant or Passat wagon this coming spring depending. We don't have kids, but we do have dogs, and travel with dogs and bikes.

My wife has the Landrover which is the better vehicle for longer trips as opposed to my A4 and certainly because of the gas mileage.

jhuskey said:

My wife has the Landrover which is the better vehicle for longer trips as opposed to my A4 and certainly because of the gas mileage.

your Rover gets better MPG than the A4? What are you burning?

My disco with a few mods & improved cat-back system gets about 16.5 MPG with a tail wind, more if you keep it around 55 but who drives that slow? Around town it gets 12.5 MPG religiously.

HR

Hookyrider said:

your Rover gets better MPG than the A4? What are you burning?

My disco with a few mods & improved cat-back system gets about 16.5 MPG with a tail wind, more if you keep it around 55 but who drives that slow? Around town it gets 12.5 MPG religiously.

HR

Sorry I was intending the word "not" before because. It is a better traveling car but not because of the mileage.
A4 gets 24 mpg in the mountains.